What 598 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Ford Escape Phev

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE THE CONTACTS HUSBAND WAS REVERSING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITH FORCE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED IN THE ATTEMPT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE DID A ONE EIGHTY DEGREE TURN AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE IN THEIR DRIVEWAY WHERE THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SHOULDER INJURIES AND WHIPLASH, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. DURING THOSE FAILURES, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED DUE TO THEIR GRANDDAUGHTER BEING IN THE VEHICLE OFTEN TIMES AND THERE WOULD BE SEVERE INJURIES IF THE FAILURE WERE TO OCCUR WHILE SHE WAS IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 69,000.

NHTSA ODI 11282144

IN A PRIVATE PARKING LOT, AFTER EXECUTING A 90 DEGREE LEFT TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT AND WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL APPLIED IN ORDER TO SLOW THEN STOP THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD JUST BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. YOU COULD HEAR THE ENGINE REV UP AS IT SURGED FORWARD. APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL DID NOTHING TO SLOW IT DOWN. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS JARRED BY STRIKING THE CURB THE ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL IDOL. SO MUCH POWER WAS APPLIED IN THE SURGE THAT THE VEHICLE JUMPED A CURB, TRAVELED OVER A A GRASS PLOT AND STRUCK ANOTHER CAR ON THE OTHER SIDE. OUR FORD ESCAPE SUFFERED FRONT END DAMAGE (TOWARD DRIVERS SIDE) AND THE OTHER VEHICLE (A FORD ECO -BOOST) SUFFERED FRONT AND DRIVERS SIDE DAMAGE. NOTE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING FORWARD AT ABOUT ONE MPH (ALMOST TO A FULL STOP) WHEN THE SURGE OCCURRED. AS IT SURGED THE SPEED INCREASED RAPIDLY TO ABOUT SEVEN TO TEN MPH. THE VEHICLES WERE NOT TOWED AT THE TIME BUT WHEN DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE HOME A SEVERE DEFECT IN THE STEERING (PULL TO THE LEFT) WAS NOTICED MAKING IT VIRTUALLY INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TOWED FROM OUR DRIVEWAY TO THE BODY SHOP.

NHTSA ODI 11194555

I EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 FORD ESCAPE ON JULY 7, 2018 WHILE DRIVING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE BY USING THE BRAKES AND CRASHED INTO A NEIGHBOR'S MAILBOX. I FINALLY SHUT OFF THE CAR TO MAKE IT STOP.

NHTSA ODI 11114411

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PARK THE VEHICLE AND IT ACCELERATED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT'S FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A TOTAL LOSS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11048888

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. AFTER PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY REVVED VERY HIGH BEFORE THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. DURING THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, THE CONTACT'S FOOT WAS POSITIONED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. NO INJURIES WERE REPORT AND NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER (TED BRITT FORD IN FAIRFAX, VA) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11047980

PLEASE FORWARD TO APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL, ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 14TH AT ~5:45PM A CLEAR DAY: OUR MOM/MOTHER IN-LAW HAD JUST DROPPED OF MY DAUGHTER AFTER SHOPPING AND WAS MAKING HER WAY HOME THRU THE WINDY BACK ROADS LESS THAN TWO MILES FROM OUR HOME. AS SHE CLIMBED A HILL A FEW BLOCKS AROUND THE CORNER FROM HER HOME AND STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN ON THE CREST OF THE HILL. THE 2012 FORD ESCAPED LURCHED/SURGED FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY. AS FROM HER DESCRIPTION, SHE HEARD LOUD RUMBLINGS COMING FROM THE ENGINE; THE ESCAPE SHOOK AND LAUNCHED HER FORWARD WHILE SHE HAD HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE ESCAPE PROPELLED HER UNCONTROLLABLY FORWARD CRASHING INTO A LARGE BOULDER, SHE THEN RICOCHETED ACROSS TWO LANES UP HILL, OVER AN EMBANKMENT /WALL, JUST MISSING A TREE, COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE PUSHING IT APPROXIMATELY THREE FEET, PASSED THAT INTO ANOTHER SMALL WALL JUST MISSING THE HOUSE. WE ARE THANKFUL ON MANY LEVELS; THAT OUR DAUGHTER WAS NOT WITH HER, THAT OUR MOM WAS NOT SEVERELY INJURED AND NO ONE ELSE WAS INJURED. I WAS RESEARCHING ONLINE AND THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION OPEN FOR THIS VEHICLE AT ONE TIME. A RECALL IS NEEDED FOR THIS VEHICLE MODEL BEFORE THERE IS A FATALITY INVOLVED. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED KNOWING THAT MANY OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS DRIVE ESCAPE MODELS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US WITH ANY QUESTIONS. WE HAVE MANY PICTURES FROM THE SCENE FOR YOU TO REVIEW. KIND REGARDS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10626454

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000. UPDATED 08/29/14*LJ UPDATED 09/17/2014 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10610613