NHTSA Complaint #10549834 — 2010 FORD ESCAPE

AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 70MPH, THE VEHICLE TURNED THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF AND DECELERATED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY TO 60MPH WHICH CAUSED AN UNCOMFORTABLE THRASHING FORWARD OF MYSELF AND MY 2 CHILDREN. WE HAD OUR SEAT BELTS ON, SO WE WERE NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER, SO I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I NOTICED A LITTLE WRENCH HAD APPEARED IN THE LEFT CORNER OF MY DASH DISPLAY. I LOOKED UP THIS SYMBOL IN MY OWNERS MANUAL. I THEN DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND TRY TO CONTINUE DRIVING AS I WAS A GOOD 75+ MILES FROM HOME AND I WAS IN A VERY REMOTE AREA. WHEN I STARTED THE ENGINE, I NOTICED THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND DID NOT GO BACK OUT. I PROCEEDED DOWN THE INTERSTATE APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES BEFORE THE VEHICLE DID THE SAME THING. THIS TIME I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE AND WITH THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, HAD NO SUCCESS. THE CAR JUST CONTINUED TO LOSE SPEED, SO AGAIN , I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND THIS TIME I LET THE VEHICLE PROCEED AS FAR AS IT COULD WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKE. AS THE CAR WAS NEARLY STOPPED, IT STARTED TO SHAKE AS IF IT WERE ABOUT TO SHUT OFF. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND AGAIN, RESTARTED AFTER A SHORT BREAK AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT THE REST OF THE WAY HOME. *TR