NHTSA Complaint #10538163 — 2010 FORD ESCAPE

I WAS DRIVING AT AROUND 25MPH ON A SURFACE ROAD, WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER, AND MY SPEED DROPPED TO 5MPH ("LIMP MODE"). I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, AND THEN RESTARTED THE ENGINE AFTER A MINUTE. IT SEEMED TO RUN NORMALLY. I TOOK IT IN TO A SHOP FOR INSPECTION, AND THEY COULDN'T IDENTIFY THE CAUSE. HOWEVER ABOUT 1 MONTH LATER, THE EXACT SAME SITUATION REOCCURRED, SO I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY SAID IT WAS DUE TO A BAD THROTTLE BODY. IT TOOK 3 WEEKS FOR THEM TO GET THE THROTTLE BODY, WHICH WAS APPARENTLY BACKORDERED, PROBABLY BECAUSE SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAD TO REPLACE THEIR THROTTLE BODIES AS WELL. I HAD TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR OUT OF POCKET. IT WOULD SEEM THIS DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODY ISSUE IS WIDESPREAD AMONG CERTAIN FORD MODELS, INCLUDING THE ESCAPE. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE DEFECT, AND THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED TO PREVENT ANY ACCIDENTS FROM OCCURRING. I'M VERY UPSET THAT DESPITE THIS ISSUE HAVING BEEN KNOWN ABOUT SINCE LATE 2011/EARLY 2012, I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY FORD AND HAD TO FIND OUT THE HARD WAY, WITH MY CAR LOSING POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF MOVING TRAFFIC. ON TOP OF THAT, BECAUSE THE CAR WAS A FEW MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY, I WAS FORCED TO PAY $670 OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED.