NHTSA Complaint #10538023 — 2011 FORD ESCAPE

I WAS TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE AT 65-70 MPH, WHEN MY ESCAPE'S RPM'S ALL OF A SUDDEN DROPPED TO 1 AND WOULD NOT REACT TO THE GAS PEDAL, LUCKILY I WAS IN THE SLOW LANE AND MANAGED TO COAST OFF THE INTERSTATE. THERE WAS AN 18-WHEELER BEHIND ME AND I STARTED TO PANIC AT THE SPEED HE WAS GAINING ON ME. I FINALLY MANAGED TO GET MY HAZARDS ON TO NOTIFY HIM THAT I WAS HAVING ISSUES. IF I HAD NOT HAVE BEEN IN THE SLOW LANE I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET OFF THE INTERSTATE BEFORE THE CAR STOPPED COMPLETELY. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, IF I HAD BEEN IN THE FAR LEFT LANE OR THE MIDDLE LANES THE CAR COULD HAVE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD STORE AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY. I THEN GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A REAL ISSUE WITH A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE VEHICLES NOT JUST A LIMITED FAULTY PART. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW FORD CANNOT SEE THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF SOMEONE GOES TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND THIS HAPPENS ANOTHER CAR COULD CRASH INTO THEM. ANYTIME YOUR CAR DOES NOT REACT PROPERLY IT BECOMES A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN AN 18-WHEELER IS BEHIND A VEHICLE THAT RESPONDS THE WAY MINE DID TODAY IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. AS YOU KNOW A FULLY LOADED TRACTOR TRAILER CANNOT STOP AS EASILY AS A PASSENGER VEHICLE AND IF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THEM ALL OF A SUDDEN LOOSES POWER AND CANNOT GET OUT OF THEIR WAY THERE IS GOING TO BE AN ACCIDENT. ONCE I GOT STOPPED MY CAR DID RESTART BUT GETTING TO THAT POINT WAS VERY SCARY.