NHTSA Complaint #10502694 — 2010 FORD ESCAPE

THE WRENCH ICON ILLUMINATED THE 4 TIMES THE ESCAPE FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATION. EACH TIME IT NEEDED TO BE TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. 1ST FAILURE (1/24/13) WAS AT ABOUT 20MPH (OR LESS) WHILE MAKING A U-TURN. I WAS ABLE TO COAST OVER TO BUS LANE. 2ND FAILURE (2/4/13) WAS AT 50MPH AFTER TRAVELING 30 MILES IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I DROVE DIRECTLY TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND WAS TOLD "WHAT AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE THIS COULD BE AND THAT THIS WAS AN EXPENSIVE TRANSMISSION TO REBUILD AND IT WOULD BE $2000 TO $2500." 3RD FAILURE (2/5/13) AND BY NOW I AM QUICK TO START EMERGENCY FLASHERS. I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IN N. I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A TURN LANE AND HAD TO TURN ESCAPE OFF AND RESTART. I STARTED RESEARCHING ON INTERNET AND DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY. 4TH FAILURE (2/11/13) SAME SENERIO. 2/14/13 I DROVE TO DON REID FORD, MAITLAND, FL. I SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO AGREED WITH ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE THROTTLE BODY. $300 FIX INCLUDED $99. LABOR WITH A 12 MONTH WARRANTY AT ANY FORD DEALER. THAT POINT SOLD ME SINCE THIS VEHICLE WAS LIKELY TO TRAVEL OUT OF TOWN, AND THAT IT COULD BE DONE WHILE I WAITED. I WAS NOT HAPPY TO CHECK MY PAPERWORK AFTER I GOT HOME AND FIND THAT INSTEAD OF STATING THE ISSUE IT SAID "CUSTOMER STATES REPLACE THROTTLE BODY PER CUSTOMER REQUEST" I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER AND EXPRESSED MY CONCERN THAT THIS VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE WAS NOT DOCUMENTED ON MY PAPERWORK. I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THE DEALER DID NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, WHICH WOULD HAVE COST ANOTHER $99 THAT THIS WAS THE WAY IT HAD TO BE WRITTEN UP. I BELIEVE THAT THIS SUDDEN GAS PEDAL FAILURE COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND SHOULD BE A RECALL BEFORE A DEATH OCCURS. THIS 2010 WAS BUILT 12/09. WE BOUGHT THIS ESCAPE 10/3/12 WITH 73,600 MILES ON IT. WE HAVE TESTED IT OUT ON A 200 MILE TRIP AND A 1,000 MILE TRIP.NOW TRUST THE 2010 ESCAPE. *TR