NHTSA Complaint #10533479 — 2010 FORD ESCAPE

WE HAD JUST TURNED ONTO OUR STREET, STARTED TO PROCEED UP THE HILL AT ABOUT 35-40 MPH. CAR SUDDENLY WENT UNRESPONSIVE. WRENCH LIGHT INDICATOR LIT UP ON DASHBOARD. STARTED TO IDLE VERY HARD, THEN SURGE, THEN LOW IDLE, THEN SURGE RPM. NO GAS PEDAL RESPONSE AT ALL. LUCKILY WE HAD JUST GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY, AND WERE CLOSE TO HOME. HOWEVER, WE WERE GOING UPHILL. WE HAD JUST ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO GET OVER THE HILL AND COAST DOWN TO OUR DRIVEWAY. UPON PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK IN OUR DRIVEWAY, THE RPM'S WERE FLUCTUATING FROM ALMOST 0, THEN SHOOTING BACK UP TO OVER 2500. FROM WANTING TO STALL, TO WANTING TO RACE AHEAD. IN RESEARCHING, I HAVE SEEN THIS DESCRIBED AS A FAULTY ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY, WHICH APPARENTLY HAS AFFECTED OVER 725,000 OF THESE VEHICLES AND STILL WITHOUT RECALL. THIS IS INSANE AND HIGHLY DANGEROUS IF YOU ARE TRAVELING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC OR ON THE HIGHWAY AS YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE JUST WANTING TO STOP DEAD. WE WERE LUCKY IN THAT WE WERE ALREADY OFF OF THE INTERSTATE AND CLOSE TO HOME. PLEASE, PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE FURTHER! OUR NORMAL WARRANTY HAS JUST EXPIRED OF COURSE, AND THEY SAY THIS IS NOT COVERED BY THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. GREAT, WE HAVE TO PAY NOT ONLY FOR THE CAR, BUT FOR IT'S DEFECTS AS WELL. WE DON'T JUST HAVE AN EXTRA $500.00 LAYING AROUND TO REPAIR THIS! THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR