NHTSA Complaint #10535181 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID

DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES. SUDDENLY VEHICLE LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. A "WRENCH" WARNING LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ALSO ILLUMINATED, WHICH HAS NEVER OCCURRED IN THE PAST. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE NEW AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY ENGINE RELATED PROBLEMS.MAXIMUM SPEED WAS NOW 22-25 MPH. PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE FLOOR DID NOT INCREASE ENGINE SPEED OR VEHICLE SPEED. ENGINE RPM WAS AROUND 1500-1800 RPM ACCORDING TO TACHOMETER. DUE TO FASTER TRAFFIC SLOWING BEHIND ME I HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR SAFETY. ENGINE CONTINUED TO OPERATE BUT WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, WAITED A MINUTE AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND I HAD A SCARY DRIVE BACK AT 25 MPH WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR AND TRAFFIC SPEEDING AROUND ME. WOKE UP EARLY THE NEXT MORNING TO BRING IN FOR SERVICE AND THE WRENCH LIGHT WAS NOW OFF AND THE ENGINE WORKED NORMALLY. IT HAS BEEN 4 DAYS SINCE AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT REAPPEARED. PROBLEM IS I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY OR FOR LONG DISTANCES, AND MY WIFE WILL NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT ALL. *TR