NHTSA Complaint #10423609 — 2010 FORD ESCAPE

WHILE DRIVING TO THE TPA ON I-75 APPROACHING THE EXIT FOR I-4 WE SLOWED FOR A TRUCK THAT CUT US OFF. OUR VEHICLE SHIFTED DOWN AT LEAST TWO GEARS WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVER REV. WE TRIED TO SPEED UP, BUT THE ENGINE JUST REVVED HIGHER. SO WE SLOWED WHILE EXITING ON TO THE RAMP FOR I-4. WE WERE ABLE TO GET OVER TO THE RIGHT AND PULL OFF THE RAMP ROAD BEFORE GETTING ON TO I-4. WE TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND SAT FOR A FEW MINUTES TO COMPOSE OURSELVES. I WAS HOPING THAT THE SYSTEM WOULD RESET ITSELF SO WE COULD CONTINUE. WE STARTED THE ENGINE AND WE CONTINUED TO THE AIRPORT WITHOUT ANYMORE PROBLEMS. I DROVE HOME, CALLED JOHN AT BRANDON FORD AND DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM. HE SAID IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE NONE OF THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON DURING THE INCIDENT. HE SAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND HOPEFULLY IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. I DROVE FOR TWO WEEKS DROVE WITHOUT INCIDENT UNTIL 8/26/2011. THE SAME THING HAPPENED AS BEFORE. THE ENGINE DOWN SHIFTED ABOUT 65 MPH AND THE ENGINE BEGAN REVVING. WE SLOWED THE VEHICLE AND CAME TO A STOP TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. AFTER ACCELERATING WE FELT THE ENGINE OVER REVVING BEFORE SHIFTING. THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. IT IS UNPREDICTABLE AS TO WHEN A PROBLEM WILL OCCUR. IT'S A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN. WE NEED THIS PROBLEM FIXED WITH ASSURANCE THAT IT IS TRULY FIXED OR WE NEED RESTITUTION FROM FORD FOR SELLING US AN UNSAFE VEHICLE.