NHTSA Complaint #11217569 — 2003 FORD ESCAPE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH AND PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE CONTACT RAISED HER FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY TO 75 MPH. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN TO 70 MPH. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATED TO 75 MPH. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AGAIN WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN TO 45 MPH, BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL REVVING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT 40 MPH AND QUICKLY POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. DUE TO DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE, THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED WHILE IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT QUICKLY POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT'S FATHER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE CABLE CONNECTED TO THE THROTTLE WAS CAUGHT IN BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE PLASTIC ENGINE COVER. THE CONTACT'S FATHER MANEUVERED THE CABLE AND THE VEHICLE DROVE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.