NHTSA Complaint #10419367 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID

MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID (53,000 MILES) IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON I-5 I HEAR A POPPING SOUND AND SUDDENLY ALL ABILITY TO ACCELERATE IS LOST. A RED EXCLAMATION POINT WITHIN A TRIANGLE APPEARS ON THE CONTROL PANEL AND A SINCERELY BIZARRE MESSAGE DISPLAYS ITSELF: "PLEASE PULL OVER SAFELY". THIS IS QUITE THE CHALLENGE WITH 18 WHEELERS BEHIND ME, TO THE SIDE OF ME, AND OTHER CARS ALL AROUND. WITH QUICK REFLEXES, I AM ABLE TO GET OVER TWO LANES AND SLOWLY (I THINK ONLY THE ELECTRIC ENGINE IS WORKING, NO GAS) DRIVE OFF THE NEXT EXIT. SITTING IN THE CAR, I AM IN SHOCK. WHAT JUST HAPPENED? WILL IT HAPPEN AGAIN? BECAUSE WE ARE ON OUR WAY HOME FROM OREGON TO THE EAST BAY AREA IN CA, WE ATTEMPT TO GET BACK ON THE FREEWAY AND MAKE OUR WAY SOUTH. WITHIN 40 MINUTES THE SAME FAILURE HAPPENS AGAIN, ONLY THIS TIME THERE ISN'T AN EXIT RAMP. WE ARE ON THE SIDE OF AN BUSY TWO-LANE SOUTHERN TRAVELING FREEWAY. ONCE SAFELY TO THE SIDE, THE CAR RESTARTS AND APPEARS TO BE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. NOW I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT, BUT WANT TO GET HOME. I DECIDE TO GO A LITTLE UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT (A HAZARD) AND STAY IN THE LEFT LANE. AFTER THE CAR FAILS AND TELLS ME TO "PULL OVER SAFELY NOW" FOR THE 5TH TIME, I DECIDE I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. WE CALL FORD'S ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE NUMBER AND WAIT TWO HOURS (YES! TWO HOURS!) FOR A TOW TRUCK, ONLY TO BE CALLED BACK BY AN AUTOMATED DISPATCH THAT GIVES US THE NAME OF A DIFFERENT TOWING SERVICE THAT ESTIMATES ITS ARRIVAL TIME IN 2 HOURS (THE FIRST COMPANY APPARENTLY HAD TO GO TO A POLICE EMERGENCY TOW, BUT I BELIEVE THEY DIDN'T AGREE ON A DECENT WAGE FOR THE SERVICE). NOT WANTING TO WAIT 2 MORE HOURS, I ATTEMPT TO DRIVE AGAIN. WITHIN 10 MINUTES, THE CAR FAILS AND WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GLIDE TO AN OFF RAMP AND INTO A GAS STATION PARKING LOT. THANK GOODNESS WE DIDN'T GET ANY FURTHER; THE NEXT STRETCH OF FREEWAY HAD NO SHOULDER AT ALL AND THE NEXT PART WAS A LONG BRIDGE. CAR IS NOW AT DEALER WAITING FOR MON APPT. *TR