NHTSA Complaint #10523722 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

A WEEK AFTER I BOUGHT A 2009 FORD ESCAPE FROM A USED DEALERSHIP, I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE SUV. FIRST THE BATTERY DIED, LEAVING ME, MY BOYFRIEND AND HIS 3 YEAR OLD NEPHEW STRANDED IN MALIBU UNTIL 10PM. THE NEXT DAY, WE REPLACED THE BATTERY AT AN AUTO ZONE. AS WE STARTED TO DRIVE HOME, MY CAR SURGES AND STALLS. I TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON AGAIN AND CONTINUE TO DRIVE BUT IN ABOUT 20 FEET, THE CAR SURGES TO A STOP AGAIN AND THE "WRENCH LIGHT" TURNED ON INDICATING A THROTTLE CONTROL/POWERTRAIN PROBLEM. I HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST BODY SHOP AND THE NEXT DAY THEY TELL ME THEY CANT FIX MY CAR AND THAT I NEEDED TO GET IT TOWED TO A FORD DEALER. I CONTACT THE PRIVATELY OWNED DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT MY CAR (WHICH IS 40 MINS AWAY FROM MY HOME) AND THEY TELL ME THEY WILL GET SOMEONE TO TOW MY VEHICLE TO THEM. A COUPLE DAYS LATER THEY TELL ME ITS A THROTTLE BODY ISSUE AND THAT I NEEDED TO GET IT REPLACED. AFTER THEY GAVE ME A QUOTE ON HOW MUCH REPAIRS WOULD COST, I TOLD THEM I COULDN'T AFFORD IT SO THEY TRIED CLEANING THE THROTTLE BODY. AFTER THEY CLEANED IT, THEY SAID MY CAR WAS OPERABLE AGAIN BUT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY AS SOON AS I COULD. SINCE THEN I HAVE DRIVEN MY CAR ALMOST 300 MILES WITH NO PROBLEMS BUT I AM STILL WEARY THAT MY CAR WILL STALL ON ME AGAIN SO I WILL DEFINITELY HAVE THE PART REPLACED ONCE I HAVE THE MONEY TO DO SO. FOR A WEEK WHILE MY CAR WAS IN THE SHOP(S) I DID A LOT OF RESEARCHING ON MY MAKE AND MODEL SUV AND I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS OF PEOPLE WITH A SIMILAR ISSUE. WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WHY THE GOVERNMENT HASN'T ISSUED A RECALL YET. ANYWAY, I'M JUST THANKFUL I WASN'T ON THE FREEWAY OR A BUSY STREET WHEN MY ESCAPE DECIDED TO CRAP OUT ON ME. I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A WAY WORSE OF A SITUATION. *TR