NHTSA Complaint #10317778 — 2002 FORD ESCAPE

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I AM REQUESTING THAT YOU OBTAIN A HISTORY ON THE *FLEX HOSE* FOR THE FORD ESCAPE. MY DAUGHTER OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE AND ON FRIDAY MARCH 5,2010 NARROWLY ESCAPED A MAJOR TRAGEDY. SHE WAS TRAVELING WITH HER TWO CHILDREN WHEN SHE WAS REQUIRED TO STOP AT A RAILWAY CROSSING AS A TRAIN WAS APPROACHING. SHE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, HOWEVER, AT THAT PRECISE MOMENT HER BRAKE PEDAL WENT RIGHT TO THE FLOOR BOARD. SHE WAS FORTUNATE TO BE ALE TO MOVE HER VEHICLE OUT OF HARMS WAY. WE WENT TO A NEARBY SERVICE STATION AND REQUESTED THE MECHANIC MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO TOW THE VEHICLE AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. WHEN WE INFORMED HIM WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND WHAT TYPE OF VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED, HE INFORMED US (WITHOUT HAVING SEEN THE VEHICLE) THAT HE HAD NO DOUBT IT WOULD BE THE *FLEX HOSE*. HE INFORMED US THAT THE FORD ESCAPE WAS NOTORIOUS FOR THAT PROBLEM. HE RESEARCHED AND CONFIRMED THERE WAS NO CALL BACK. WHEN HE RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO US, HE SHOWED US WHERE ONE OF THE FLEX HOSES HAD BLOWN, WHERE ANOTHER ONE SHOULD HAVE BLOWN AND THAT THE OTHER TWO WERE WITHIN KILOMETERS OF BEING BLOWN. THIS IS A TERRIBLE AND DANGEROUS SITUATION. I AM AMAZED NO ACCIDENTS HAVE NOT ALREADY HAPPENED DUE TO THE *FLEX HOSE* SAFETY ISSUE. FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL CONCERNED, PLEASE ENSURE THAT THIS MATTER IS RESEARCHED AN APPROPRIATE STEPS TAKEN. [XXX] *TR