NHTSA Complaint #10521849 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

WHILE TRAVELING AT 45 MPH ON A BUSY ROAD, THE ENGINE STOPPED RESPONDING TO THE ACCELERATOR AND BEGAN DECELERATING. THE THROTTLE/POWER-TRAIN WARNING LIGHT WAS ACTIVATED. I HAD TO PULL OVER THE THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO AVOID BEING HIT BY OTHER TRAFFIC. THE CAR BEGAN JERKING FORWARD AS THOUGH IT WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE FOR A MINUTE AND ONCE I RESTARTED THE CAR, THE WARNING LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED. THE NEXT DAY (6/23/2013) I DROVE TO MY CLOSEST FORD DEALER AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY THROTTLE BODY. THE SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED ME THAT THE PART WAS CURRENTLY BACKORDERED AND THAT THEY HAD 15 OTHER FORD VEHICLES CURRENTLY WAITING FOR INVENTORY TO ARRIVE. THE COST OF REPAIR IS $473. THE MECHANIC CLEANED OUT THE CARBON FROM MY THROTTLE BODY AS A TEMPORARY FIX UNTIL THE PART ARRIVED. TWO DAYS LATER (6/25/2013), AS I WAS DRIVING 55 MPH, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURED AND I WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER AND RESTART MY VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING BACK TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP THE NEXT MORNING TO GET A RENTAL CAR, MY CAR STOPPED RESPONDING AS I WAS CROSSING TRAIN TRACKS (AND I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE). NOW MY CAR IS CURRENLY SITTING AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND I AM PAYING AN ADDITIONAL $33 A DAY FOR A RENTAL CAR WHILE I WAIT FOR THE PART TO ARRIVE (ESTIMATED TO BE 10-13 DAYS). NHTSA ACTION # DP12006. *TR