NHTSA Complaint #10366741 — 2005 FORD EXPEDITION

THIS IS INCIDENT #2 OF 3 WITH RESPECT TO THIS VEHICLE. IN EACH CASE, THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT A NORMAL RATE OF SPEED UNDER ORDINARY TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. WITHOUT WARNING, THE CAR EITHER LOST POWER AND SHUT OFF SUDDENLY OR LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AND SLOWED TO A STOP. IN EACH CASE DASHBOARD MESSAGE CENTER WARNING "CHECK ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL" (OR SOMETHING SIMILAR) APPEARED. IN EACH CASE THE DRIVER TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH TO THE OFF POSITION, WAITED SEVERAL MINUTES, AND THEN STARTED THE CAR. THE WARNING MESSAGE NO LONGER APPEARED AND THE CAR RAN FINE WITHOUT FURTHER IMMEDIATE INCIDENT. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE (INCIDENT #2), THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON A FOUR-LANE (IN EACH DIRECTION) INTERSTATE HIGHWAY (THE INNER LOOP OF THE CAPITAL BELTWAY IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD). THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR FROM THE SECOND LANE FROM THE RIGHT TO THE SHOULDER BEFORE LOSING ALL POWER TO ACCELERATE, ALTHOUGH AT RAPIDLY DECELERATING SPEED, THIS MANEUVER WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. WHEN THE CAR WAS NEXT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE, THE DEALER DID NOT REPORT AN ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC CODE THAT WOULD ACCOUNT FOR THIS INCIDENT. *TR