NHTSA Complaint #10546382 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

WHILE DRIVING THE FORD ESCAPE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING AND ROAD CONDITIONS AT 60 MPH, I LOST COMPLETE ACCELERATION AND HAD TO STEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER OFF THE FREEWAY TO AVOID TRAFFIC TRAILING BEHIND AND BESIDE ME. IT WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION TO SAY THE LEAST. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING BUT I HAD NO POWER TO ACCELERATE. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTED IT. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE SLOWLY OFF THE FREEWAY WITH INTERMITTENT LOSS OF ACCELERATION AND INTO A PARKING AREA. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO MY HOME SLOWLY WITH INTERMITTENT LOSSES OF ACCELERATION,HAVING TO STOP MULTIPLE TIMES TO TURN OFF AND RESTART MY ENGINE. I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FROM MY HOME TO AN AUTO MECHANIC SHOP AND THE SAME SITUATION OCCURRED ON THE WAY TO THE SHOP. THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND THE WRENCH LIGHT WAS ON THE DASHBOARD. THE MECHANIC PERFORMED A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS AND IT INDICATED A DIRTY OR DAMAGED THROTTLE BODY. THE MECHANIC CLEANED THE THROTTLE, AND I TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AGAIN. WITHIN A SHORT TIME OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE LOSS OF COMPLETE ACCELERATION OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES AGAIN. AT THAT POINT THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY. I CALLED THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED MY SITUATION, WHEREBY THEY RESPONDED THAT THEY COULD EXAMINE MY VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY ALSO INDICATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY IS NOT UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT THIS DEFECT WHICH POSES A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION FOR OWNERS, SHOULD BE UNDER RECALL AS IT HAS BECOME A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE & MODEL OF FORD VEHICLE. I HAVE READ MANY ON-LINE TESTIMONIALS OF OTHER OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND EVEN SOME THAT HAD SERIOUS AUTO INCIDENTS. *TR