NHTSA Complaint #11124328 — 2006 FORD ESCAPE

MY 2006 FORD ESCAPE WAS PURCHASED IN AUGUST OF 2005. FOUR MONTHS LATER, NOVEMBER 2005, I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SLOT IN FRONT OF A RESTAURANT, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN IT SURGED AHEAD, WENT OVER A CONCRETE BLOCK, TOOK DOWN TWO POLES, AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. AT THE TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BRAKES, BUT NO ONE COULD FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. PEOPLE SAID I PROBABLY STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR, BUT I WAS CONVINCED THAT I DID NOT. I COULD NOT PROVE ANYTHING. JULY 22, 2018, TWELVE YEARS LATER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SLOT IN THE BACK OF MY CHURCH PARKING LOT. THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND THE CAR SURGED FORWARD, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY, THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO. I WENT OVER A CONCRETE BLOCK AND SMASHED INTO THE SANCTUARY WALL. I WAS INJURED AND HAD PROBLEMS FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF. I READ AN ARTICLE ON THE INTERNET FROM THE NHTSA ON TORQUE NEWS THAT THE NORTH CAROLINA CONSUMERS COUNCIL (NCCC) SAYS THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY SYSTEM THAT COULD FAIL - CAUSING THE ENGINE TO EITHER SURGE OR STALL. THIS IS ONLY UNDER INVESTIGATION NOW, NO RECALL. I AM SURE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE, BUT I CANNOT PROVE OR DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY ESCAPE FOR 13 YEARS AND ONLY HAD 50,000 MILES ON IT, BUT I HAD IT TOTALED. IT COULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED, BUT I COULD NOT TAKE THE CHANCE OF IT HAPPENING AGAIN. WHAT IF I HAD HURT SOMEONE OR WILL SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THEY HAVE A RECALL ON THE ESCAPES? IT IS TOO LATE FOR ME TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT MY 2006 ESCAPE, BUT PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR DIES. I DID PURCHASE ANOTHER ESCAPE, A 2011. I HOPE NOTHING HAPPENS TO THIS ONE. PLEASE HAVE A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES.