What 1,312 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Ford Escape Gas

AFTER INTERMITTENT 3 TIMES IN 2 WEEKS, HAD THROTTLE BODY CLEANED 12/14/2013 PER FORD TSB. ON THIS DATE, 12/16/13 IT FAILED AGAIN AND HAD THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. FORD WOULD NOT COVER IT AFTER 36,000 OR 3 YEARS AS OUT OF WARRANTY. IT WAS AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS CONDITION NOT TO REPLACE. THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY FOR REPLACEMENT. *TR

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WHEN ON FREEWAY LOSES ALL THROTTLE HAVE TO COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD AND RESTART. HAD TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY AT DEALERSHIP WITH A TOTAL COST OF 533.13. WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY? *TR

NHTSA ODI 10556488

I WAS DRIVING APPROX. 10 MPH, THE GAS PEDDLE STOPPED WORKING, I WOULD PRESS IT BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. THE LITTLE WRENCH APPEARED ON THE DASH. I STOPPED AND THE MOTOR STARTED RUNNING LOUDLY AND ROUGHLY SHAKING THE VEHICLE. I PUT IT IN PARK, TURNED OFF THE KEY, WAITING A MOMENT AND RESTARTED IT. THE RESTART TOOK LONGER THEN NORMAL BUT IT WAS FINE AFTER THAT. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES NOW, EACH TIME I WAS GOING APPROX. 10-15 MPH. IT'S DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE CAR CANNOT DRIVEN OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHER VEHICLES. THE 3RD TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS SLOWING TURNING LEFT THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, THERE WAS ONCOMING TRAFFIC, HAD THE CAR NOT CUT OFF, I WOULD HAVE BEEN SAFE TO CLEAR THE INTERSECTION HOWEVER IT CUT OFF MAKING THE ONCOMING DRIVER SWERVE INTO THE OTHER LANE TO AVOID HITTING ME. IT'S VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS. *TR

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WHILE TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT MY VEHICLE'S ACCELERATOR QUIT FUNCTIONING. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME WITHIN A 14 DAY PERIOD. TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEM, I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF VIA THE KEY, WAITED 3 MINUTES AND TRIED AGAIN. SAME THING. NEXT I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND WAITED 5 MINUTES AND THE THROTTLE BODY BEGAN FUNCTIONING AGAIN. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY CLEANED THE AFFECTED PART AND RE-INSTALLED IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10556068

I WAS SETTING AT AN INTERSECTION PULLING OUT IN TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND VEHICLE DIED. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS IN THE PAST YEAR. AT TIMES WHEN I TRY TO STOP IT FEELS AS THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS STILL PULLING WITH FOOT COMPLETELY CLEAR OF ACCELERATOR. *TR

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THE VEHICLE WENT TO IDLE AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS SWITCHED OFF AND RESTARTED. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE. OUR DEALER SAYS THEY CANT DIAGNOSE UNLESS THEY HAVE THE VEHICLE WHILE IT IS IN IDLE ONLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10555276

AFTER SITTING AT A RED LIGHT, I TRIED TO ACCELERATE VEHICLE TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY THEN VEHICLE HESITATED AND WOULDN'T RESPOND TO ANY ATTEMPTS TO ACCELERATE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT AND WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER COMPLETELY TURNING THE CAR OFF AND TRYING TO RESTART IT, IT TOOK APPROX 7 SECONDS TO TURN OVER AND AFTER MAKING ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE THERE WASN'T ANY CHANGE. I DID THIS TWO MORE TIMES AND ON THE THIRD TRY, THE VEHICLE RESPONDED TO PROMPTS FROM THE ACCELERATOR. BOTH THE ENGINE LIGHT AND WRENCH LIGHT WERE STILL LIT UP, BUT I DROVE THE CAR TO THE AUTOPORT AND WAS GIVEN THE TROUBLE CODE P2112 AND WAS TOLD THAT THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY FORD ESCAPE JUST LOST ACCELERATION. EVERYTHING ELSE STAY ON, BUT I TRIED TO PRESS THE GAS PEDAL WITH NO RESPONSE AND NOTHING HAPPENED, THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTED IT AND IT STARTED UP WITH NO PROBLEMS. IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHEN I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT, EXACT SAME THING. LUCKILY DURING BOTH EVENTS NO CARS WERE BEHIND ME AT THE TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10553662

IN THE PEAK OF TRAFFIC THE VEHICLE STALLED AND STARTED CHOKING. ALMOST WOULD BARELY RUN. HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STOP IN THE REST AREA AND HAD TO PAY THE TOW TRUCK. VEHICLE CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP AND THE DIAGNOSIS IS THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDS REPLACING. AND THE WARRANTY IS NOT COVERING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10553774

I WAS DRIVING DOWN I-5 AND 2011 FORD ESCAPE STARTED TO DECELERATE WHILE FOOT WAS ON THE GAS PEDAL. HAD TO SWITCH LANES AND EXIT HIGHWAY BEFORE I LOST MOMENTUM. NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THE PROCESS. SHUT IT OFF FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES THEN TURNED IT OVER BUT IT STRUGGLED TO FIRE. WHEN STARTED WE DROVE STRAIGHT HOME AND PARKED IT. I THEN GOT ON THE COMPUTER TO RESEARCH THE ISSUE AND LOOKED UP ANY RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. I FOUND ARFC AND SEEN ABOUT 270 OR MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. I'M CURIOUS WHY FORD DIDN'T RECALL THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE THAT IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND WITH SO MANY COMPLAINTS YOU THINK SOMETHING WOULD BE DONE. *TR

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THE ESCAPE, WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, STARTING IDLING HIGH, AND ALLOWED NO ACCELERATION. THIS HAPPENED IN OCTOBER, AND THEN AGAIN TODAY. IT HAS ALSO AT NUMEROUS TIMES, "SLIPPED" AND ACCELERATED VERY QUICKLY WHEN STARTING THE CAR. TODAY, IT HAPPENED AGAIN TWICE WHERE IT WAS IDLING VERY HIGH AND GAS PEDAL DIDN'T RESPOND. WE HAD TO TOW IT TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE WE WERE TOLD THAT THE THROTTLE BODY IS SHORTED OUT. *TR

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I WAS ON I80 HEADING WESTBOUND THROUGH LINCOLN. ALL THE SUDDEN I FELT A THUMP AND LOST ALL ACCELERATION. I WAS IN THE CENTER LANE (OF THREE LANE TRAFFIC) AND WAS SURROUNDED BY SEMI TRUCKS. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO GET MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON AND COAST OVER TO THE SHOULDER. I CALLED AAA FOR A TOW AND TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER. I WAS ADVISED THAT I HAD A STUCK THROTTLE BODY. THEY SAID THIS IS QUITE COMMON FOR THIS YEAR/MAKE/MODEL OF VEHICLE. THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY UNDER WARRANTY AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE. I HAD RECENTLY TAKEN AN 1800 MILE ROAD TRIP WITH MY CHILDREN THROUGH DALLAS AND HOUSTON. I AM SO GRATEFUL THIS DIDN'T OCCUR ON OUR TRIP. *TR

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CAR 4 MONTHS PAST WARRANTY, STUCK IN TRAFFIC WHEN SUDDENLY NOT GETTING GAS. DEALERSHIP SAYS IS THROTTLE BODY. SEE LOTS MORE COMPLAINTS SO WANTED TO REGISTER MINE TOO. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF I 85 THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. I COULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE RIGHT LANE BECAME CLEAR AND I COASTED THE CAR ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THIS WAS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE ESPECIALLY AT THIS SPEED WITH CARS BEHIND ME. *TR

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ACCELERATOR CEASED WORKING WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THIS WAS THE 3RD INSTANCE IN 2 MONTHS; HOWEVER, THE FIRST TIME THAT PUMPING THE ACCELERATOR FAILED TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. TURNING OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE WAS REQUIRED TO CORRECT AT THIS POINT. REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE THROTTLE BODY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10553255

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME. BOTH TIME I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK. THE FIRST TIME I WAS GOING ABOUT 45MPH TURNING ON THE STREET TO MY OFFICE AND THE ENGINE DIES. I HAVE NO POWER. I AM PRESSING ON THE GAS AND NOTHING. I STOP THE CAR AND PIT IT IN PARK. I RESTART THE CAR AND IT STARTS RIGHT UP. I THINK OH NO BIG DEAL MAYBE I HAVE A BAD TANK OF GAS. MAYBE THE ENGINE WAS NOT GETTING ANY FUEL. DID NOT THINK TOO MUCH INTO THE PROBLEM THIS MORNING IT HAPPENS AGAIN! EXCEPT I WAS GOING A LOT FASTER AND I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. I AM GOING ABOUT 65MPH AND 10 MINUTE AWAY FROM WORK. I AM IN THE FAR LEFT LANE AND THE ENGINE DIES. I INSTANTLY PANIC AND NEED TO GET OVER FIVE LANES OF TRAFFIC. I PUT MY FLASHERS ON LUCKILY I STILL HAVE POWER FOR THOSE. I WAS ABLE TO GET OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I PUT IT IN PARK AND TAKE THE KEY OUT. SIT THERE FOR A MINUTE WHILE I CATCH MY BREATH BECAUSE I JUST CROSSED 5 LANES OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WITH A ENGINE THAT IS NOT ON. I PUT THE KEY IN AND IT STARTS RIGHT UP. I PRESS ON THE GAS AND I HAVE POWER AGAIN. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? I HAVE BEEN READING ONLINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS HAPPENING TO A LOT OF US. FORD IS WRONG FOR NOT COMING OUT WITH A RECALL BY NOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10552868

ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS ON 11-14-13, THE 2011 FORD ESCAPE LOST THROTTLE POWER AND NEEDED TO BE SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED, IN ORDER TO GAIN THROTTLE BACK. THE 1ST INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING APPROX. 35 MPH, ON LOCAL ROADS. THIS OCCURRED AT 8:00AM ON THE 14TH. THE 2ND INCIDENT OCCURRED AT APPROX. 11:30 AM ON THE 14TH WHILE I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 81. VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE. PULLED ASIDE BOTH TIMES AND RESTARTED CAR TO REGAIN THROTTLE. A WRENCH ICON APPEARED BOTH TIMES. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANTLY DANGEROUS ISSUE. I HAD A LOCAL GARAGE ASSESS AND WAS DIRECTED TO FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED CAR. APPT, FOR 11-19-13 AT COCCIA FORD IN WILKES-BARRE, PA. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 80 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE WRENCH WARNING LAMP WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.

NHTSA ODI 10552123

I STARTED ACCELERATING AFTER BEING AT A COMPLETE STOP AT A LIGHT. HALFWAY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, THE THROTTLE LOST POWER AND I COULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE. THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD TO COAST OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH MY HAZARDS ON UNTIL I COULD GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. AS I APPLIED THE BREAKS AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN, IT STARTED SHAKING UNTIL I COULD PUT THE CAR IN PARK. I THEN TURNED OFF THE ENGINE FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. WHEN I RESTARTED THE ENGINE, IT TOOK LONGER THAN USUAL TO START BUT SEEMED TO BE RUNNING FINE AND WAS NOT SHAKING. AFTER WAITING FOR IT TO RUN WITHOUT PROBLEM, I SLOWLY ACCELERATED THE CAR TO CONTINUE MY COMMUTE. WITHIN 2 MINUTES OF DRIVING, THE ISSUE OCCURRED AGAIN AND BOTH THE WRENCH LIGHT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I ONCE AGAIN PULLED OVER, STOPPED THE CAR, AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. AFTER I RESTARTED THE CAR, I DROVE TO A GAS STATION WHO WAS ABLE TO HOOK UP THE ENGINE TO A COMPUTER SCANNER. THE TECHNICIAN CAME BACK WITH WHAT HE SAID WAS AN " O2 SENSOR CODE." HE CHECKED MY FLUIDS AND RESET THE COMPUTER TO TURN OFF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND SAID I SHOULD BE FINE TO DRIVE THE 30 MILES HOME BUT SHOULD GET IT CHECKED OUT ASAP. WITHIN 20 MILES OF DRIVING, THE INCIDENT HAPPENED AGAIN. SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. SINCE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS RESET, THERE IS NO RECORD OF THE CODE THAT CAME UP, SO THE DEALER SPENT AN HOUR TRYING TO GET IT TO ACT UP BUT HAS HAD NO LUCK. THE SERVICE ADVISOR DID SAY THAT ALTHOUGH THEY CANNOT GET THE CAR TO REPEAT THE PROBLEM, THEY HIGHLY SUSPECT THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR

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WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE ENGINE STALLED DOWN SO PULLED OFF THE ROAD ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING BUT RUNNING ROUGH AND NO THROTTLE RESPONSE I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF THEN STARTED IT BACK UP AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE SO DROVE OFF. LATER THAT SAME DAY IT DID IT AGAIN. NEXT DAY BROUGHT TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAD IT FOR A WEEK TRYING TO GET IT TO DO THE SAME THING FOR THEM BUT NEVER DID SO I PICKED IT BACK UP AND WAS A COUPLE MILES AWAY AND IT STALLED ON ME AGAIN BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY KEPT IT OVER NIGHT AGAIN AND NEXT DAY TOLD ME IT STALLED ON THEM AND SAID I NEED A NEW THROTTLE BODY BUT WAS ON BACK ORDER. SO HERE I AM ALMOST THREE MONTHS LATER AND STILL NO PART AND TODAY NOV. 11 2013 I HAD THE ENGINE STALL ON ME 8 TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10551808

WHILE DRIVING ALONG HIGHWAY, MY GAS PEDAL SUDDENLY BECAME COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE. WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO COAST OFF TO SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND SUV BEGAN TO IDLE EXTREMELY ROUGHLY. RESTARTED VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME WITHOUT ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS. RESEARCHED ISSUE TODAY AND FOUND NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF THIS PROBLEM. ISSUE SHOULD BE RECALLED!! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10551688

I COULD'VE [XXX] DIED. I WAS ON A BUSY HIGHWAY WHEN MY CAR DIED LIKE THE BATTERY WAS DIED BUT THE BATTERY WAS FINE AND I HAD GAS. I TOOK MY FORD ESCAPE INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. MY SUV NEEDED SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE THROTTLE. IM NOT VERY HAPPY THAT I WILL NEED TO PAY 600 DOLLAR TO FIX SOMETHING THAT OTHERS WITH A FORD ESCAPE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THE FORD ESCAPES ASAP OR GIVE PEOPLE A REFUND OR DISCOUNT OR YOUR COMPANY WILL LOSE ALOT OF CUSTOMERS BECAUSE FORD WONT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10550617

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FUEL SURGE CAUSING A REACTION THAT WAS NOT INTENDED BY THE DRIVER. THE CAR JOLTEDAS IF ONE MASHED THE ACCELERATOR THEN RELEASED REPEATEDLY. ONCE THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP THE CAR SPIT AND SPUTTERED LIKE BAD ENGINE TIMING. WE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF WHERE IT SAT OVERNIGHT. IT WAS HARD TO START THIS MORNING AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM TWICE THIS MORNING WHILE TAKING THE KIDS TO SCHOOL. I STOPPED BY AN ADVANCED AUTO PARTS STORE WHERE THE ATTENDANT PULLED THE SERVICE CODE P2112 THROTTLE ACTUATOR STUCK CLOSED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10550325

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AS THE WRENCH WARNING ICON ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SHOULDER WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 10550156

COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER, NO THROTTLE RESPONSE, LOSS OF SPEED ON HIGHWAY. DASH SHOWS WRENCH, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF ROAD, TURNED OFF ENGINE. RESTARTED CAR. SAME SITUATION WITHIN ANOTHER 3 MILES OF RESTART. AUTO ZONE VERIFIED CODE P2111. THIS FAILURE PUT THE FAMILY INTO A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

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