NHTSA Complaint #10466261 — 2002 FORD ESCAPE

ATTORNEY FOR DRIVER'S FAMILY AND MEDIA REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE IN THE PHOENIX / MESA AREA ALONG ARIZONA STATE ROUTE 87 TOWARDS PAYSON. THE FINAL APPROACH TO PAYSON INVOLVES A PROLONGED UPWARD GRADE, WHICH WOULD HAVE REQUIRED HEAVY ACCELERATOR USE BY THE DRIVER. ALONG THE WAY, THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO DISENGAGE THE ACCELERATOR OR OTHERWISE BRING THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE STOP. THE VEHICLE STRUCK OTHER VEHICLES AS IT TRAVERSED AN INTERSECTION, AND ROLLED, EJECTING THE DRIVER, WHO SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES. A SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE DOCUMENTED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE CONNECTOR WAS LODGED AGAINST THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ENGINE COVER AND THAT THE THROTTLE WAS OPEN TO 84%. THE VEHICLE HAD RECEIVED THE ACCELERATOR CABLE REPLACEMENT FOR RECALL 04V574 IN JANUARY OF 2005. (NOTE: THIS RECORD WAS RECEIVED VIA TELEPHONE INTERVIEW BETWEEN ODI INVESTIGATORS AND COUNSEL FOR THE DRIVER'S FAMILY IN LATE JUNE OF THIS YEAR. IT HAS BEEN ADDED TO OUR COMPLAINT FILE TO DOCUMENT THE INCIDENT FOR AN INVESTIGATION OPENING. IT WILL BE UPDATED AS APPROPRIATE AS MORE INFORMATION IS RECEIVED)