NHTSA Complaint #10521480 — 2010 FORD ESCAPE

WAS DRIVING ALONG AT ABOUT 30MPH WHEN THE ENGINE CUT DOWN TO WHAT I WOULD LATER FIND OUT WAS "LIMP HOME MODE". THE WRENCH AND ENGINE LIGHTS WENT ON AND THE VEHICLE BECAME UNRESPONSIVE TO THE ACCELERATOR. I HAD TRAFFIC BEHIND ME AND WAS GOING UP A HILL WHICH I WAS BARELY ABLE TO SPUTTER TO THE TOP OFF BEFORE TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE. I TRIED STARTING IT AGAIN AND IT HARD STARTED BUT IDLED FINE AND RAN FINE FOR ABOUT 50 YARDS BEFORE THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO ROLL ONTO A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET AND PULL OVER. I EVENTUALLY CHANCED A DRIVE TO THE DEALER AND MADE IT THERE WITHOUT THE VEHICLE FAILING. I WAS LATER TOLD THAT IT WAS A FAILURE OF THE THROTTLE BODY AND THE PART WAS ON BACKORDER FOR 1-2 WEEKS. I SAW THAT THE 2005-2012 ESCAPES ARE BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA FOR THIS ISSUE SO I ASSUME BACKORDER WAIT IS BECAUSE THE PART HAS BEEN FAILING WITH FREQUENCY. ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, THE SUDDEN CHANGE IN RESPONSIVENESS OF THE VEHICLE AND THE FAILURE TO ACCELERATE COULD HAVE EASILY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT AND/OR BODILY INJURY. AS IT IS, I AM WITHOUT MY VEHICLE FOR 1-2 WEEKS. *TR