NHTSA Complaint #10359268 — 2005 FORD EXPLORER

I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON MY 2005 FORD EXPLORER. MY SON FIRST DISCOVERED IT BACK IN JULY-AUGUST 2010. WHILE HE WAS ADJUSTING HIS SPEED FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR COMPLETELY STALLED OUT AND HE LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THANK GOODNESS, HE HAD THE PEACE OF MIND TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND TURN THE KEY TO START IT AGAIN. I WOULD NOT HAVE THOUGHT TO DO THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT A HIGH SPEED TRYING TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER BRAKES OR STEERING. SINCE THAT INITIAL EPISODE, BOTH MY SON AND MY HUSBAND HAVE TESTED IT AT SLOWER SPEEDS AND HAVE HAD THE SAME RESULTS. SO WE BROUGHT IT TO A FORD DEALER IN OUR AREA TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. THEY EVENTUALLY DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BOX AND THAT IT WOULD COST IN THE RANGE OF $800-850 TO FIX. I ASKED THE DEALER IF THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND HE SAID THERE WASN'T. I QUESTIONED WHY THERE WASN'T SINCE THIS WAS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE, STALLING AT HIGH SPEEDS. I REALIZE IT IS ONLY WHEN I USE THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT THAT STILL DOESN'T TAKE AWAY THE SAFETY CONCERN. HE ASSURED ME THAT IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN IF THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT USED. SO I OPTED TO CONTACT THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER TO SEE WHAT THEY COULD DO. $800-850 IS A LOT OF MONEY. I GOT FEEDBACK ON THE ISSUE A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER THAT BASICALLY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL SO THEY COULDN'T HELP ME. THEN I WAS ASKED TO FILL OUT A CUSTOMER SERVICE SURVEY WHERE I REITERATED THAT MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE WERE NOT ANSWERED. I HAVE NOT GOTTEN A RESPONSE FROM THEM AND THAT WAS BACK ON 8-10-10. SO I AM NOW WRITING TO YOU. JUST HOW DOES A SAFETY RECALL GET STARTED? ARE THERE OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM? *TR