NHTSA Complaint #10521562 — 2011 FORD ESCAPE

THE FIRST OF 4 INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE BELT PARKWAY IN BROOKLYN NY. I WAS DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH IN THE LEFT LANE ON A STRETCH OF HIGHWAY WITH NO SHOULDER ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD WHEN I LOST ALL PEDAL POWER. I WASN'T ABLE TO ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND ALL THE ELECTRONICS WERE WORKING PROPERLY EXCEPT FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCELERATE. THE SMALL ICON OF A WRENCH APPEARED ON THE DASH. I MANAGED TO CROSS THREE LANES OF HEAVY TRAFFIC TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. I PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR TO REV THE ENGINE, NOTHING HAPPENED. IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS NO GAS GETTING TO THE ENGINE. I THEN SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND CHECKED THE OWNERS MANUAL FOR THE ICON OF THE WRENCH. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE WRENCH ICON STATES THAT A THROTTLE CONTROL/POWERTRAIN FAULT HAS BEEN DETECTED AND I SHOULD CONTACT AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. UPON CONTACTING THE DEALER HE INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE BODY ON MY MAKE AND MODEL AND ALSO STATED THAT MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND THERE WAS NO RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE COST WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY. I PROCEEDED TO HAVE THEM ORDER ME A NEW THROTTLE BODY. THE LEAD TIME WOULD BE 2-3 WEEKS FOR THE NEW PART. DURING THAT TIME THE SAME PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED 3 MORE TIMES, 2 OF WHICH WERE AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH AND 1 TIME STARTING OFF FROM A RED LIGHT AT A SPEED OF LESS THAT 10 MPH. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON LINE I HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A MAJOR ISSUE AND A RECALL FOR THE THROTTLE BODY SHOULD BE ISSUED AND REPAIRS MADE BY FORD AT NO COST TO THE OWNERS. I FEEL THAT I WAS PUT IN A VERY DANGEROUS LIFE THREATENING POSITION. *TR