NHTSA Complaint #10466593 — 2002 FORD ESCAPE

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEEDS ON ICE-GLAZED WINTER ROADS IN FAIRBANKS, AK, I APPROACHED AN INTERSECTION AND TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR TO PREPARE TO SLOW DOWN. INSTEAD OF DROPPING TO IDLE SPEEDS, THE ENGINE ACCELERATED UP TO 3500-4000 RPM. I SHIFTED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITH THE BRAKES, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE AT HIGH-THROTTLE UNTIL I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. WHEN I RESTARTED THE ENGINE IT BEHAVED NORMALLY FOR SEVERAL DAYS; BUT THE PROBLEM CAME BACK INTERMITTENTLY SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS; AND EVERY TIME, SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE WAS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT. FORD'S DATABASE SHOWED MY CAR HAD UNDERGONE A RECALL IN 2005 TO FIX A SIMILAR PROBLEM. IN JANUARY 2012, STANLEY FORD IN KENAI, AK 'SUPPOSEDLY' REPLACED THE THROTTLE CABLE AND THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY FOR $572, BUT IT DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION OCCURRED SEVERAL MORE TIMES, AS BEFORE, UNTIL A SECOND REPAIR IN FEBRUARY 2012 BY SEEKINS FORD IN FAIRBANKS, WHICH REPLACED A PCV AND TUBING, AND DID A COMPLETE TUNE-UP FOR $992. SINCE THEN, THERE HAVE BEEN NO MORE ISSUES WITH THE ACCELERATOR. *TR