2003 Ford Escape Speed Control & Cruise Problems

I was recently driving on the interstate and the gas pedal got stuck so the car started speeding up very fast and the brakes and emergency brake would not make it slow down. After this i found out there was a recall about this problem and it says the previous owner of the vehicle fixed it but it’s happened while i owned it so i don’t think it was fixed correctly.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH AND PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE CONTACT RAISED HER FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY TO 75 MPH. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN TO 70 MPH. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATED TO 75 MPH. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AGAIN WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN TO 45 MPH, BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL REVVING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT 40 MPH AND QUICKLY POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. DUE TO DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE, THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED WHILE IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT QUICKLY POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT'S FATHER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE CABLE CONNECTED TO THE THROTTLE WAS CAUGHT IN BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE PLASTIC ENGINE COVER. THE CONTACT'S FATHER MANEUVERED THE CABLE AND THE VEHICLE DROVE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

I BEGAN MERGING ONTO I 820 WHEN MY VEHICLE (BY ITSELF) FLOORED THE ACCELERATOR. I TRIED PRESSING THE BRAKE (IT WOULDNT PRESS DOWN, IT WAS HARD AS A ROCK). I USED BOTH FEET TO NO AVAIL. AT 75-80 MPH I JAMMED IT INTO NEUTRAL. THE RPM'S WERE STILL AT MAX. BY THIS TIME IT HAD SLOWED (I WAS ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIWAY) TO ABOUT 20 MPH, THEN JAMMED IT IN PARK. I LOOKED AT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND ALL THE INSTRUMENTS WERE ON 0. I HESITATED THEN GAVE THE CAR SOME GAS, IT WAS STILL RUNNING! I COULDNT EVEN HEAR THE ENGINE UNTIL I REVVED IT. I PROCEEDED TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION. THE CAR DID TURN OFF. I NOTICED A 17 YR OLD BOY DYING BACK IN 2012 -13 FROM THE SAME ACT MY CAR DID. ITS BAD ENOUGH TO LOSE A CHILD BUT TO LOSE A CHILD BECAUSE OF A MALFUNCTION FROM A VEHICLE AND THE COMPANY STATING THEY WILL HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT FURTHER, IS NOTHING SHORT OF TOTAL NEGLIGENCE AND REFUSAL TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ONES ERROR AND WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR YOUTH? LOOK WHO'S RAISING THEM AND GIVING THEM EXCUSES.

ON 1/19/1993, I EXPERIENCED UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION IN MY 2003 FORD ESCAPE. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND COASTED TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ON A LOW TRAFFIC ROAD. AFTER TOWING THE ESCAPE TO MY MECHANIC, HE IDENTIFIED THAT THE ACCELERATION CABLE WAS BINDING AGAINST THE ENGINE COVER. AFTER FURTHER IDENTIFYING A RECALL RELATED TO THIS (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER:12V-353), THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO MY FORD SERVICE CENTER, WHO PERFORMED THE MODIFICATION. UPON PICKING UP THE CAR AFTER REPAIR AND LEAVING THE LOT OF THE FORD SERVICE CENTER, I IMMEDIATELY EXPERIENCED UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION A SECOND TIME. QUICKLY HITTING THE BREAKS AND PERFORMING A U-TURN BACK INTO THE FORD LOT, I AGAIN TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND COASTED TO THE GARAGE AREA. THIS TIME I WAS ON A MULTI-LANE ROAD IN A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA DURING 5:00 TRAFFIC AND SUFFERED NEAR COLLISION WITH MULTIPLE OTHER CARS. UPON INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE WITH THE SERVICE PERSONNEL, WE OBSERVED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE HAD COME LOOSE AND BOUND WITH THE ACCELERATION CABLE, RESULTING IN THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. ON MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO RECONNECT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT IT WOULD EASILY COME LOOSE AND BIND AGAIN WITH THE ACCELERATION CABLE. THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WAS DISCONNECTED AND FIXED INTO LOCATION AWAY FROM THE ACCELERATION CABLE. THE DEALER DID NOT KNOW OR RECOMMEND ANY OTHER METHOD TO FIX THE PROBLEM. MY OBSERVATION IS THAT THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT WEAR ON THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE CONNECTION, POSSIBLY AS A RESULT OF THE INTERFERENCE CONDITION WITH THE THROTTLE COVER. THE CURRENT FORD RECALL DOES NOT APPEAR TO ADEQUATELY CORRECT THE PROBLEM OR LOOK FOR THIS ADDITIONAL PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND NO INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE RPMS WENT FROM 800 TO 4,000 IN ONE DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

AS I WAS DRIVING, I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF THE WAY TO PASS A VEHICLE. WHEN I RELEASED THE PEDAL- THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP AFTER PLACING THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND FIRMLY APPLYING THE BRAKES. AS I CAME TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE WAS BEGINNING TO SMOKE, AND I FEARED IT WAS GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE VEHICLE, AND THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AT FULL THROTTLE. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE WORSE AND THEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE VEHICLE MOTOR STOPPED AND A LARGE PUDDLE OF OIL AND METAL WAS ON THE GROUND UNDER THE VEHICLE. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THERE IS AN ACTIVE RECALL FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM FROM FORD DUE TO A THROTTLE CABLE STICKING. FORD HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR THE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE CAUSED TO MY VEHICLE CAUSED BY AN ACTIVE RECALL. *TR

WHILE DRIVING TO AND FROM WORK, I HAVE USED MY SPEED CONTROL AT SPEEDS OF 75 TO 80 AND HAVE THE SPEED INCREASE WITH NO INPUT FROM ME. THE SPEEDS HAVE GOTTEN UP TO 90 BEFORE I COULD GET IT TO DISENGAGE AND THIS IS ONLY AFTER NUMEROUS HARD INPUTS ON BRAKE PEDAL AND THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, THIS PROBLEM IS AFTER I HAD THE REPAIR DONE PER RECALL12V-353. THE REPAIR WAS DONE ON 8/17/13, MILEAGE AT REPAIR WAS167,183. THIS VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH SPEED CONTROL BEFORE RECALL WORK WAS DONE. AS OF NOW 7/10/14 IT IS IN REPAIR SHOP TO INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM. APPR. 186890 MILES ON VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. *TR

ACCELERATOR STUCK CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL AND GO OFF ROAD INTO A BUILDING. *TR

I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR THE RECALL DUE TO INVOLUNTARY ACCELERATION AND HAD THE RECALL COMPLETED ABOUT 1-1.5 YEARS AGO. TODAY, WHEN I WAS LEAVING WORK FOR LUNCH, THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY BEGAN ACCELERATING WHEN IT WAS TAKEN OUT OF PARK. WHEN I WOULD TRY TO STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP FOR A SECOND, THEN BEGIN TO TRY TO ACCELERATE AGAIN. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME SAFELY ONLY BECAUSE I THOUGHT TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AT ANY STOP SIGNS OR STOP LIGHTS, THEN BACK INTO DRIVE WHEN THE LIGHTS TURNED GREEN AGAIN. I ONLY KNEW TO DO THIS BECAUSE I HAD HAD THE SAME TYPE OF ISSUES PRIOR TO THE RECALL. IN THIS INCIDENT, I NEVER ONCE USED THE CRUISE CONTROL THOUGH. IT ACCELERATED ALL ON ITS OWN. I HAD ONE OTHER SITUATION SIMILAR TO THIS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, BUT THAT WAS WHEN I WAS USING MY CRUISE CONTROL AND IT WOULDN'T DISENGAGE. MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP WILL NOT LOOK AT IT UNLESS I PAY THE $80 DIAGNOSTIC FEE, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS BECAUSE THIS ISSUE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN FIXED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE RIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AS THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V353000 (ENGINE, SPEED CONTROL) HOWEVER, THE SPEED ACCELERATION FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN AFTER SHIFTING INTO DRIVE FROM REVERSE, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A FENCE AND A TREE BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CUTS TO THE ARMS AND FACE AS WELL AS BRUISES TO THE KNEE, SHOULDERS, AND BACK. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 04V574000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 12V353000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN AND REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V574000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO FAILURES PRIOR TO THE RECALL SERVICE. AFTER THE RECALL SERVICE WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE DRIVER RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DECELERATE. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL RELEASED AFTER THE BRAKES WERE CONTINUALLY DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000. *TR

BACK IN OCT 2012 TOOK THE CAR TO MALCOLM CUNNINGHAM FORD DEALERSHIP IN CAMBLEE GA B/C OF THE RECALL OF THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WHICH CAUSES THE THROTTLE TO GET STUCK-GAS PEDDLE. THEY CLAIMED THEY FIXED IT. SUNDAY MORNING @11:30 AM ON APRIL 14TH WHILE ON MY WAY TO CHURCH ON I-285 MY GAS PEDDLE GOT STUCK & I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR. FOR 6 MILES I TRIED EVERYTHING TO STOP THE CAR EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ALL THE WAY UP, PUMP THE BRAKE. SHIFT THE GEAR TO ONE BUT CAR KEPT ON GOING FAST. THE CAR SPEED WAS BETWEEN 60 & 80MPH. FINALLY CALLED 911 & THEY ADVISE ME TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL . THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED AND BACK TIRE BLEW. I HAD MY FRIEND AND HER DAUGHTER IN THE CAR. IF THE CAR DID NOT STOP I WAS GOING TO CRASH IT INTO THE GUARD RAIL. I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO MALCOLM CUNNIGHAM FORD AND YESTERDAY THE PROVIDE ME WITH A RENTAL AND ALSO CALLED ME TODAY TO ADVISE THAT IN FACT WHAT THEY CLAIMED THEY FIXED IN OCTOBER WAS NEVER FIXED ALL THEY DID WAS DISCONNECT CRUISE CONTROL CABLE. WHICH I ALREADY KNEW WHEN I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD SUNDAY WITH THE POLICE OFFICER. I WANT OTHERS TO BE WARN ABOUT THIS RECALL IN THERE CAR BECAUSE THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN ONE DEATH BECAUSE OF THIS RECALL ISSUE. SUNDAY FOR ME COULD HAVE TURNED OUT BAD BECAUSE OF THE NEGLIGENCE OF THIS DEALERSHIP. *TR

UPON START-UP THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY REVVED TO 4000 TO 5000 RPM & WOULD NOT RETURN TO IDLE. GAS PEDAL WAS NOT DEPRESSED. THIS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. MOVING THE GAS PEDAL HAD NO EFFECT. CAR WAS SHUT OFF. REACHING BY HAND TO THE END OF THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY WHERE THE THROTTLE CABLE IS ATTACHED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CABLE DID NOT RETURN TO THE IDLE POSITION. BY PUSHING THE END OF THE CABLE THE THROTTLE RETURNED TO IDLE. THE CAR WAS STARTED & RAN AT NORMAL IDLE SPEED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE REVVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000. . ..UPDATED 03-12-14 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED OVER THE COURSE OF 2 YEARS, THE VEHICLE HAS ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO 2 GARAGES AND 3 FORD DEALERSHIPS, AND NO ONE COULD FIND ANYTHING WRONG. UPDATED 04/01/14

SUDDEN AND RAPID UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION AFTER REMOVING MY FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR. DESPITE MY BEST EFFORTS TO BRAKE AND ARREST MY MOVEMENT THE VEHICLE STILL WAS MOVING FORWARD. I IMPACTED THE REAR END OF A TRUCK THAT THANKFULLY WAS HEAVY ENOUGH TO COMPLETELY STOP MY FORWARD MOVEMENT. I HAD THIS VEHICLE IN MY LOCAL FORD DEALER TO ADDRESS THE CRUISE CONTROL RECALL. I WAS ASSURED BY THE TECHNICIANS THAT IT WAS INDEED MODIFIED (THAT THE PLASTIC ENGINE COVER WAS FITTED WITH NEW LONGER FITTINGS/BOLTS). THIS UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION INCIDENT HAPPENED AFTER ALLEGED RECALL/REPAIR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V353000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: CABLES) PERFORMED, HOWEVER THE DEFECT WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING WITH OUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 45MPH AND THE RPM INCREASED TO 1,000. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 157,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 12V353000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: CABLES). THE REMEDY PART WAS UNAVAILABLE AT THE TIME AND AS AN INTERIM REMEDY THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE WAS DISCONNECTED AND RECONNECTED WHEN THE RECALL PART BECAME AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO OPERATE AFTER THE REMEDY REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED THEY WERE NOT LIABLE AND THE REPAIR WOULD BE AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,310.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO ENGAGE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V353000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,496. UPDATED 11/23/15*LJ *CN