NHTSA Complaint #10692795 — 2006 FORD ESCAPE HEV

I WAS DRIVING ON THE 495 BELTWAY (APPROX 55MPH) IN THE RIGHT LANE WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR LOST POWER AND THE FAIL SAFE MESSAGE APPEARED SAYING STOP THE CAR IMMEDIATELY. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO TAKE A NEARBY EXIT OFF THE BELTWAY WITHOUT INJURING MYSELF OR SOMEONE BEHIND ME AND CAUSING A MULTIPLE CAR COLLISION. A RED TRIANGLE ICON APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD INCLUDING OTHER LIGHTS AND MESSAGES SINCE THE CAR HAD NO POWER. I DID HAVE THE CAR HEATER ON DUE TO WINTER TEMPERATURES. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTED IT AND DID NOT PUT MY HEAT BACK ON SUSPECTING THE ELECTRONIC MOTOR COOLANT PUMP AS THE PROBLEM AFTER RECENTLY READING A NYT ARTICLE. THE CAR STARTED ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER. I MADE AN APPT W MY FORD DEALER TO INSPECT THE CAR FOR THIS PROBLEM.I HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM LAST SUMMER AND WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT MY VIN DIDN'T HAVE ANY RECALLS. I HAD THE A/C ON THAT DAY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE RECALL FOR THROTTLES ONLY APPLIES TO FORD NON-HYBRID CARS. THERE HAS ONLY BEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN TO FORD MECHANICS AND NO RECALL FOR THE ELECTRONICS MOTOR COOLANT PUMP. THIS INCIDENT SCARED ME AND I FEEL MY CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ESP ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. *TR