NHTSA Complaint #10510596 — 2010 FORD ESCAPE

I WAS ACCELERATING UP THE ON-RAMP TO THE BAY BRIDGE FROM SAN FRANCISCO LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THE CAR WAS RESPONDING TO MY FOOT ON THE PEDAL AS THE ENGINE REVVED AND I GAINED SPEED, THEN SUDDENLY IT STOPPED RESPONDING AND SLOWED TO A CHUG WITH MY FOOT STILL ON THE PEDAL. THE WRENCH LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS I PRACTICALLY CAME TO A STOP WITH SPEEDING TRAFFIC SLAMMING ON BRAKES BEHIND ME. I PUT ON HAZARDS, STOPPED CAR, TURNED OFF ENGINE, RESTARTED CAR AND THE WRENCH LIGHT WAS OFF BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON FOR THE ENTIRE TIME AFTERWARDS. WHEN I WOULD ACCELERATE IN DRIVE, IT WOULD LIMP AT ABOUT 4 MPH. I COULD NOT GO ANY FASTER. I WAS ABLE TO GET OVER TO THE SLOW LANE AND TRIED TO KEEP GOING. THE CALTRANS SERVICE PATROL TRUCK PULLED UP BEHIND ME AND ESCORTED ME OVER TO THE LEFT LANE WHERE I PROCEEDED SLOWLY TO THE NEXT EXIT. I EVENTUALLY WAS TOWED TO THE FORD DEALER (WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR) AND HAD TO LEAVE IT OVER THE WEEKEND. THEY CHARGE A FEE FOR DIAGNOSIS, BUT CAN'T DO IT UNTIL MONDAY, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'LL FIND. FROM WHAT I'VE READ, OTHER PEOPLE DESCRIBE VERY SIMILAR SYMPTOMS. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE OF FRIDAY RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I WAS LUCKY NO ONE WAS HURT. SINCE WE BOUGHT THE CAR NEW, THE ACCELERATION SOUND HAS ALWAYS BEEN LOUD, AND SOMETIMES PASSING GEAR SOUNDS LIKE IT'S OVER-SHOOTING. AFTER I STOP ACCELERATING, IT STILL KEEPS REVVING. HOWEVER, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT HAS STALLED. *TR