10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
10,192 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #11

Jun 022005

Escape

  • miles
In January 2005 I received a recall notice for the accelerator cable on my 2003 Ford Escape so I promptly had the cable replaced at the dealership. As I was driving home from work on June 2, 2005 the accelerator pedal stuck down to the floor of my vehicle and the brakes wouldn't engage. As the vehicle was accelerating on its own, now at about 50mph, I jerked the wheel to the right to avoid the fast approaching intersection and drove up on someone's lawn. My vehicle finally stopped when I hit a tree. I had emergency surgery to repair and close an open compound fracture and dislocation of my elbow, had additional surgery 6 weeks later to repair a torn ligament in my wrist, and have a chip fracture in my hip socket. I have been out of work on disability for 2 months already (hoping to be able to go back in September) and have to go to physical therapy 3 times a week for my elbow, wrist, and hip.

- East Windsor, NJ, USA

problem #10

Dec 262004

Escape

  • Automatic transmission
  • 22,000 miles
NHTSA recall campaign 04V165000, vehicle would not stop when the brakes were applied. Consumer's vehicle swerved to miss another vehicle and struck a tree. Consumer mentioned the engine stalling.

- New Rochelle, NY, USA

problem #9

Oct 012004

Escape 6-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 33,000 miles
Accelerator pedal sticks, from a stopped position. Very hard to push then the truck jerks forward.

- Boaz, AL, USA

problem #8

Mar 112004

Escape 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Accelerator pedal sticks. When placing vehicle into gear consumer must apply pressure to accelerator to release it. Subsequently, it releases suddenly in a way which causes sudden acceleration. When conditions are icy this common problem will eventually get someone killed.

- Akron, OH, USA

problem #7

Dec 272003

Escape 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 36,103 miles
To start, my vehicle is a 2003 Ford Escape with 36,000 miles. It is a company vehicle that I'm able to use professionally and personally. I was driving home from a quick trip to town and the accelerator began to have a mind of its own. I was traveling on the interstate and the vehicle continued to accelerate without pushing on the gas. Luckily I acted quickly and was able to put the truck in neutral and pull over to the side safely. I turned the vehicle off and looked to see if there was anything on the floorboard that was causing constant acceleration, there wasn't. I turned the vehicle back on to see what would happen and the RPM's sored to 4 with being in park. This is the first time this vehicle had performed in this manner. I must say that this was very frightning. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to stop.

- Corinth, TX, USA

problem #6

Oct 162003

Escape 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
About 70% of the time, when I try to start up from a stop the accelerator will not go down under gradual pressure. I have to push harder and harder until the accelerator suddenly jerks down and the car surges ahead at a fast speed. Sometimes when the car is moving and I try to speed up, the same thing happens. This is very annoying on good roads, difficult to control in stop and go traffic and extremely dangerous on slippery or snow covered roads. I took the car in to the dealership (germain Ford of columbus) and the service manager said that they had received many complaints but had no idea of what the problem was. I have just put a random date down because it happens every day that I drive the car.

- Columbus, OH, USA

problem #5

Jul 082003

Escape

  • 17,000 miles
While driving at 35 mph, vehicle accelerated to 70 mph and the throttle stuck. Driver had to coast to a complete stop because depressing the brake pedal wasn't slowing the vehicle down.

- Elyria, OH, USA

problem #4

May 182003

Escape 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 4,000 miles
Binding of accelerator pedal from idle; pedal difficult at times [intermittent problem] to push smoothly, causing uneven and sudden acceleration.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #3

Jun 192003

Escape

  • miles
Gas pedal stuck and there wa ssudden acceleration. This problem similar to ODI 10018602, but this vehicle was not included.

- Dresher, PA, USA

problem #2

Nov 032003

Escape 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10 miles
Gas pedal sticks at idle when in gear. Must press with increased pressure then suddenly releases, lunging forward. This is a company vehicle and everyone else in this company has the same complaint with this vehicle.

- Nashua, NH, USA

problem #1

Apr 092003

(reported on)

Escape

  • miles
When the accelerator pedal was pressed slightly the vehicle surged forward from 0-10 mph.

- Madison, MS, USA