NHTSA Complaint #10523735 — 2010 FORD ESCAPE

AFTER SITTING WITH MY CAR RUNNING IN A PARKED POSITION FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE, I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE. I DROVE FOR AN ESTIMATED 30 SECONDS. THEN I STOPPED TO CHECK FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC BEFORE PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION. WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN ONTO THAT MAJOR ROAD, THE YELLOW/ORANGE "WRENCH" SIGN IMMEDIATELY POPPED UP. SIMULTANEOUSLY, MY CAR BEGAN TO RUMBLE AND SHAKE. IN ADDITION, DESPITE PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL, MY CAR WAS NOT ACCELERATING. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, WHICH WAS DIFFICULT TO DO SINCE MY CAR WAS STRUGGLING TO MOVE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET THE CAR TO RESTART. IT STRUGGLED AND SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL OUT, BUT AFTER APPROXIMATELY TEN SECONDS, IT STARTED UP. NOW, IN ADDITION TO THE "WRENCH" LIGHT, MY ESCAPE ALSO HAD THE CHECK ENGINE SYMBOL LIT UP. EVEN THOUGH I WAS SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH MY CAR RUNNING IN THE PARKED POSITION, MY CAR WAS STILL RUMBLING AND SHAKING. INTERESTING TO NOTE, I WAS ACTUALLY ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE I HAD JUST HAD MY CAR SERVICED FOR A SEEMINGLY UNRELATED PROBLEM. THE DAY BEFORE THE THROTTLE WENT, MY BACK PASSENGER TIRE BECAME STUCK IN A LOCKED POSITION, AND I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE. I HAD TO PUMP MY BRAKES, AND PUT MY EMERGENCY BRAKE (WHICH HAD NOT BEEN ENGAGED) ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES TO UNLOCK THE BACK PASSENGER TIRE. FORD DETERMINED THIS INCIDENT WAS DUE TO WATER GETTING ON THE BRAKE SHOE WHICH MADE IT STICK TO THE BRAKE DRUM. THEY CLEANED, READJUSTED AND LUBRICATED MY REAR BRAKES (DRUMS, SHOES, ETC) AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. MY THROTTLE WENT WHILE I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT FORD WHERE THEY HAD JUST FIXED MY BRAKE ISSUE. I HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO FORD SINCE MY CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO RUN. *TR