NHTSA Complaint #10478838 — 2010 FORD ESCAPE

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING TO SCHOOL AND AS SHE WAS PULLING OFF THE HIGHWAY HER ESCAPE STOPPED RESPONDING TO THE ACCELERATOR, SO SHE PULLED OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TRYING HER BEST TO NOT GET HIT BY CARS GOING MUCH FASTER THAN SHE COULD MOVE, AND PUT THE TRUCK INTO PARK. I WAS NOW TALKING TO HER OVER HER CELL AND I ASKED TRIED TO PUSH ON THE ACCELERATOR, BUT NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN, AS IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS BROKEN. SHE SAW A LITTLE WRENCH IN THE LOWER LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH, SO I ASKED HER TO TURN THE TRUCK OFF. AFTER A MINUTE I HAD HER TURN THE KEY BACK ON, AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF AND THE TRUCK WORKED FINE. PLUS, THE WRENCH LIGHT WAS OFF. TWO DAYS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED, BUT THIS TIME SHE WAS DRIVING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET. TRUCK LOST POWER, AND THE GAS PEDAL HAD NO CONTROL AND THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON. SHE MANAGED TO AVOID GETTING HIT AS SHE SLOWED DOWN AND CARS CAME UPON HER QUICKLY. SHE MANAGED TO CRUISE LONG ENOUGH TO GET NEAR OUR HOUSE AND JUMPED IN AND SAW THE SAME THING SHE WAS EXPERIENCING. WE PARKED THE ESCAPE IN THE DRIVEWAY AND THE IDLE SEEMED FINE, BUT THE ACCELERATOR HAD NO RESPONSE. I THEN TURNED THE KEY OFF AND BACK ON AND THE LITTLE WRENCH LIGHT WAS GONE AND THE ACCELERATOR WAS FULLY FUNCTIONAL AGAIN. I DECIDED TO TAKE IT IN TO FORD, AS IT HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON IT. THEY CALLED US BACK LATER ON THAT DAY AND SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, AS THEY COULD NOT SEE ANY CODES IN THE COMPUTER. I HAVE READ THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM, AND IN MY OPINION, VERY UNSAFE. WHEN THE TRUCK GOES INTO THIS "LIMP MODE"YOU CANNOT GET OUT OF THE WAY OF ONGOING TRAFFIC. PLUS, NOW I AM AFRAID TO HAVE HER DRIVE THIS FAR FROM MY HOME. I DON'T WANT HER TO GET STRANDED, AND IF THE DEALER CAN'T FIX IT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND A PROBLEM. WHAT AM I TO DO? I HOPE SOMETHING GETS FIGURED OUT SOON. THIS IS NOT SAFE, NOR AN ACCEPTABLE SERVICE RESPONSE! *TR