Ford Escape Recall Issued Due to Throttle Problems

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Irvin Jackson

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Flooring it in a Ford Escape could be more dangerous than drivers suspect, as throttle problems with the SUB have reportedly caused at least one death and have now resulted in the recall of about 423,634 vehicles this week. 

The Ford Escape recall (PDF) was announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on July 25, after the agency notified Ford Motor Company that a driver’s throttle got stuck in late January or early February.

Ford indicates that it was not able to inspect the vehicle until June 20, after which it decided to recall the model year 2001 through 2004 Ford Escapes. The NHTSA launched its own investigation this month.

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The problem, and the recall, is limited to Ford Escape vehicles with 3.0L V6 engines and speed control. Technicians discovered that there is not enough room between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector. This can lead to a throttle getting stuck when the gas pedal is fully pressed down or almost fully pressed down.

The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) uncovered 99 reports of alleged incidents where the throttle got stuck open. However, those reports came from owners of both Ford Escape vehicles and Mazda Tribute vehicles. Of the reports, 68 were from Ford Escape drivers and 31 were from drivers of the Mazda Tribute. One of the reports included a fatal crash that occurred in January.

It is unclear whether a Mazda Tribute recall may also be issued due to the same throttle problems.

The recalled Ford Escape vehicles were built at the Kansas City Assembly Plant and the Ohio Assembly plant from October 22, 1999, through January 23, 2004.

In a customer information sheet (PDF), Ford notes that the parts to repair the vehicles are not currently available, which will delay when dealers can fix the problem. In the interim, dealers will do a temporary repair that will disable the speed control system, which should prevent the stuck throttle problem. Permanent repairs would be made once parts became available.

The recall comes just days after Ford announced another Ford Escape recall, affecting more than 11,000 vehicles from the 2013 model year, due to engine fires caused by defective fuel lines.

Photo Courtesy of noelweathers via Flickr CC by 2.0

Written by: Irvin Jackson

Senior Legal Journalist & Contributing Editor

Irvin Jackson is a senior investigative reporter at AboutLawsuits.com with more than 30 years of experience covering mass tort litigation, environmental policy, and consumer safety. He previously served as Associate Editor at Inside the EPA and contributes original reporting on product liability lawsuits, regulatory failures, and nationwide litigation trends.

Tags: Ford, Ford Escape
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1 Comments

Adam
I was the unfortunate new owner of a 2002 ford escape on january 20th 2012 i purchased the vehicle thinkin it was in decent working order i was never made aware of any problems with it and 11 days later my mother had taken it she told me it just took off and wouldnt stop and she told me she didnt know how to explain it it just took off by itself and then months later i get recalls about the accelerator cable not having enough clearence and the gas pedal can get stuck and accelerate at high speeds the girl that unfortunately died from her faulty escape in payson arizona she wrecked just 4 days before my mother on the 27th and in the recalls i get it says that this can cause serious injury car accident or even death …yea id say so ford but in all the information it says it only talks about fixing the problem free of charge parts and labor nowhere could i find out how to be helped already being affected and 10 months later and this whole time being without a vehicle…i think ford needs to help out those affected in an accident already

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