NHTSA Complaint #10244458 — 2005 FORD ESCAPE

ON 9-9-08 I WAS IN A FRONT END COLLISION, APPROXIMATELY 40MPH, AIRBAG DID DEPLOY, HOWEVER THE POWDER THAT CAME OUT WITH THE AIRBAG MADE MY FACE AND EYES BURN. MY 2005 FORD ESCAPE 4CYL. SUSTAINED MINIMAL DAMAGE ($5000.00). IT TOOK 3 WEEKS TO FIX, WHICH WAS NO BIG DEAL. YESTERDAY, 10-4-08, WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, MY ESCAPE WAS RUNNING FINE UNTIL I TURNED AND STARTED TO ACCELERATE TO GET UP TO SPEED (40MPH), MY ESCAPE TOOK THE PEDAL FROM MY FOOT AND LOCKED IT TO THE FLOOR, I HAVE BEEN ASKED BY SEVERAL PEOPLE IF I ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE CRUISE, AND ALL I REPLY WITH IS "IT DOESN'T HAVE CRUISE!" AS MY CAR STARTED TO SPEED UP I TRIED TO STOP, MY BRAKES WOULD ONLY KICK BACK OUT AT ME AND SINCE I WAS JUST IN A WRECK I WAS A LITTLE SCARED. I TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT AND DROVE IN CIRCLES UNTIL I COULD FIGURE OUT HOW TO STOP IT. I TRIED MY EBRAKE BUT IT DIDN'T WORK, I TRIED PULLING THE PEDAL UP, NO GOOD, I TRIED PUNCHING THE PEDAL WITH MY FOOT, NO GOOD. I DIDN'T WANT TO DO ANY DAMAGE TO THE TRANNY SO I DIDN'T TAKE IT OUT OF GEAR, FINALLY I DECIDED TO TRY SHUTTING IT OFF, IT SHUT OFF AND IS RUNNING FINE NOW. I AM CERTAIN THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM MAINLY BECAUSE I HAVE READ ALL OF THE POSTINGS FOR THIS CAR AND FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS IN THIS AREA. YOU CAN BE CERTAIN THAT IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN AND THERE ISN'T ANYTHING DONE TO FIX IT, I WILL GET RID OF IT AND STOP BUYING FORDS ALL TOGETHER. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT NO REAL ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN WITH SO MANY OF THESE COMPLAINTS. *TR