NHTSA Complaint #10273613 — 2002 FORD ESCAPE

WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT NORMAL SPEED WITH SMALL KIDS IN THEIR CARSEATS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT LIMP AND THE ENGINE REVVED UP TO FULL ACCELERATION. AFTER MOMENTS OF TERROR AND TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL, THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT DOWN BY FIGHTING THE ENGINE POWER WITH THE FOOT BRAKES AND HAND EMERGENCY BRAKE. IT'S A MIRACLE THERE WAS NO CRASH. AT MY EXPENSE THE FORD DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE AND/OR CRUISE CONTROL CABLE HOUSING. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID, "LOOKING AT THE PART, I CAN SEE WHY IT GOES TO FULL ACCELERATION WHEN THAT PART FAILS" TO ME, THAT IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND DESIGN FAILURE. I NOTICED OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENTS (OID ID # 10199728 AND 10128545). I LODGED A COMPLAINT WITH THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND, NOT SURPRISINGLY, WAS TOLD THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN OR WILL DO TO COMPENSATE ME. NOW I'M TRAPPED OWNING AN UNSAFE CAR. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND REMEDY THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. *TR