NHTSA Complaint #752594 — 2001 FORD ESCAPE

1) ON TWO OCCASIONS THE CAR'S ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE IN TRAFFIC. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AFTER BOTH INCIDENCES. THE DEALER WAS NICE ENOUGH TO LOOK AT THE CAR RIGHT AWAY ON BOTH OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME THE TOLD ME THAT FORD WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND IS WORKING ON A FIX TO THE ONBOARD COMPUTER. AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT I WAS TOLD THAT THE COMPUTER WAS UPGRADED AND I SHOULD NOT EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM AGAIN. NONTHELESS I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THIS TO YOUR AGENCY DUE TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE DEFECT AND THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH A FAILUR ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS FORTUNATE THESE PAST TWO OCCURENCES BUT OTHER OWNERS MAY NOT BE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THEI MATTER FOR THE GOOD OF ALL THE OTHER FORD ESCAPE USERS AND UNSUSPECTING TRAVELLERS WHO MAY BE FOLLOWING A FORD ESCAPE. 2) I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REPORT ANOTHER UNRELATED PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. SEVERAL OWNERS SHARED THIS CONCERN ON AN INTERNET USER GROUP. I AM GETTING 12 MPG ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THIS CAR WHILE THE POSTED HIGHWAY MILEAGE IS 28 MPG. THIS IS EVEN LESS THAN THE POSTEN CITY MILEAGE OF 18 MPG. THE DEALER TESTED THE CITY MILEAGE BY HOOKING UP A CUMPUTER AND VERIFIED THE CITH MILEAGE TO BE AROUN 18 MPG. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE CITY MILEAGE I AM GETTING. THE HIGHWAY MILEAGE IS WAY OFF AND THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. IT DOES NOT MEET THE GOVERNMENT STANDARDS AND DOES NOT MEET THE STATED SPCIFICATIONS.*AK