NHTSA Complaint #10574137 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW, THE GAS PEDAL HAS BEEN INTERMITTENTLY STICKING IN EITHER THE FULLY DEPRESSED OR NON-DEPRESSED POSITION. THE FIRST FEW TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED, I WAS ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND TRAVELING APPROX 70 MPH. ONCE THE GAS PEDAL WAS RELEASED, I REALIZED THAT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. THE GAS PEDAL WAS LYING COMPLETELY IN THE DEPRESSED POSITION. I COULD LIFT THE GAS PEDAL WITH MY FOOT BUT IT WOULD LIMPLY FALL BACK TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE ACCELERATION CONTINUED WHEN I WENT OFF THE BRAKE. I EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. I CONTINUED TO LIFT THE GAS PEDAL AND WIGGLE IT AND IT SEEMED TO GO BACK INTO PLACE. I NOTICED OVER TIME, THAT THIS SEEMED TO HAPPEN MORE WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS MORE FULLY DEPRESSED, LIKE WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY. AT OTHER TIMES, THE GAS PEDAL IS STICKING IN THE RELAXED (UN-DEPRESSED) POSITION. THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING DURING VERY COLD TEMPERATURES BUT CONTINUES WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WILL "JUMP" FORWARD WITH THE SUDDEN RELEASE OF THE GAS PEDAL AFTER PRESSING HARD ENOUGH TO MAKE IT RELEASE. SOMETIMES IT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF PRESSURE TO MAKE IT RELEASE. I HAVE READ ABOUT A RECALL FOR THESE COMPLAINTS IN OLDER VEHICLES AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ONLINE IN THE 2008 MODEL. THIS IS A HAZARD FOR PEOPLE, AS IT HAPPENS SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. I DON'T FEEL SAFE HAVING MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR. *TR