This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
While driving on a main highway on vacation out of state the Ford Escape slowed and would not accelerate to keep up with traffic. "wrench light" light on dash illuminated. It continued to run slowly and we pulled off to the side of the highway. Car restarted and ran normally over 100 miles to final destination. Local repair shop detected no "codes" but suggested a Ford dealer examine based upon history. Dealer confirmed computer issue with throttle body faults caused stall and replaced part. Total costs approx $300. No recurrence of stalls on highway.
Came off freeway on multiple occasions after doing 70 mph. Stopped. Traffic was clear. Went to accelerate and severe hesitation. Have also had many times where accelerating with vehicle and it will hesitate and then surge.
While driving on I-55 my vehicle just stopped and wrench light came on. Luckily I was able to coast to the shoulder of the road, from the middle lane, as traffic was light at that moment. Turned my vehicle off and was then able to restart it. This happened at least 6 more times while waiting the 6 weeks for the parts to come in and get them installed. During this long waiting period (for the new part) I asked if that part could just be taken from a new Escape at the dealership. Was told "no, because that part may also be defective." Hmmmm.
After use and park, the Escape 2009 4 cyl. Do not start. Several times in between weeks with this trouble. Several hours later, start as nothing occur. In an electronic diagnostic, sent a code: 1260 and 1681. Starter is good and electronic ignition was recently changed thinking will stop the incidents but without resolving the issue. When the vehicle do the trouble, the antitheft icon keep blinking in the key on position. I changed the main key for the copy and keep doing the trouble.
Driving vehicle approx. 50 mph on a clear day, approx 105 degrees in las vegas nv, the RPM's suddenly went "limp" around 900 even though the gas peddle was fully depressed. Appearance of a wrench light and check engine light noted. Hazard lights were engaged and the vehicle was successfully pulled to the side of the road, turned off, and restarted. Ran fine like nothing happened for about a mile and a half. Same issue. Repeat troubleshooting. Incident continued to happen for 4 more days consistently. Taken into Ford dealership for diagnostic and repair. Mechanic contacted me after diagnostic and informed that the code for the throttle body was in error. Replaced the faulty part( I kept it at my request due to the possible investigation into the matter) and the vehicle now runs fine. Thank goodness the issue did not occur in a busy intersection where an accident could have potentially endangered anyone.
- Henderson, NV, USA
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Vehicle moving at constant 45 mph when engine stumble felt, electronic throttle control/powertrain light illuminated and lost all ability to control vehicle speed with accelerator pedal. Engine was still running and vehicle was able to be safely pulled off the main road. After turning vehicle off and then back on, the light went out and all systems were again ok. Problem was traced to the electronic throttle control (throttle body) and fix requires replacement of the part.
The engine sputters and stalls while driving. It has done this 10 or more times in the last two weeks. The yellow wrench symbol is displayed on the instrument panel. After getting to the side of the road and switching the car off and back on, the car will run fine for a few miles - sometimes for a day or two. After talking with a couple Ford dealers, I was told that this is a common problem with the throttle body and there was no throttle body's available to fix the problem. There was a two to three month backorder for the part. If I keep driving the car it will be a matter of time before the car will cause an accident. If this is a known problem Ford should be responsible for the repair.
I was driving along when the car feels as though it's about to stall. I immediately slow down to pull over, turn the car off, let it sit for a moment then start it back up. The problem has continued to happen until I took it into a garage to find out I need a new throttle body.
Driving at around 70mph and I noticed a light that looks like a wrench. The car began to lose acceleration. I had to pull over, stop the car and turn it back on and it began working again. The problem reappears after about 4-5 min of driving. This problem comes and goes. It will work fine for a few weeks and then it will start up again and disappear after a few weeks.
Driving into round abouts in sheboygan Wisconsin. Vehicle lost power wrench light came on along with check engine light. Almost was side swiped by another car. Was able to restart car only to have it happen again 5 miles down the road. Was able to restart car again where it is parked in my garage.
Driving about 55-60 mph down the highway my gas pedal stopped responding and my truck rapidly slowed down. I was able to maneuver to the shoulder & restart. This happened 4 times in the 7 miles to pick up my daughter (toddler son was with me). I had to go to the nearest service shop and almost $500 later its being fixed.
My wife was driving with the cruise control on. Then the cruise shut off, and the accelerator pedal was unresponsive. She pulled to the side of a busy highway, and waited for a tow. The repair shop diagnosed the problem to the throttle body, which was replaced for $183.95 plus labor.
While driving at approximately 60 mph, the engine suddenly shut off and the wrench sign lit up. I had to coast through 3 lanes of traffic in order to pull over to the side of the road. I turned off the engine and it started up again, however the engine kept shutting off every few miles. Thankfully, I was able to get it home. I took it to an auto parts store to diagnose the problem, and found out I'm having a problem with the throttle body sensor. While looking up the part on the internet, I noticed that a lot of people are complaining about Ford (especially Escapes) having this issue. Why isn't there a recall? of course my warranty has run out and I will have to come out of pocket with the repairs. This is a very dangerous situation. I now have to take the bus back and forth from work because I cannot afford to repair it at this time. My daughter is in college and I refuse to let here use the car while it is this condition. She has to find a ride every day to summer school and her job. Please please please have a recall! it is not fair to hardworking people, especially since Ford knows this is a problem. I will never buy a Ford again.
I was just pulling away from a drive thru window when the "wrench" light came on, and the truck stopped moving forward as if it had been shifted into neutral, which it hadn't been. I turned off the vehicle and waited a few moments and restarted it and it was running fine, with no further lights being illuminated on the dash. This same problem happened again approx 3 weeks later, although this time I was going approx. 20 mph, having just accelerated from a stop sign. The wrench light came on, but this time the engine light also came on, and then the truck lost power. I turned the engine off, waited a few moments and restarted it. This time, however, the engine light did not go off, so I took it to an auto parts store to read the computer. They found diagnostic code P2111, throttle body stuck open. After a few hours of sitting in my parking lot at work, when I started the vehicle there were no lights illuminated on the dash, and per the dealer's service department, the computer had reset itself.
Driving on highway at about 65 mph. Driving for about 30 min. When vehicle started to stutter and slow down. Pushing the accelerator and no response -RPM and speed dropping quickly. Almost run over by other vehicles on highway. Wrench light came on the dash panel. Car was pulled over to side of road and barely going at 900 RPM and ~ 2 mph. Needed to ha E car towed. This is a very dangerous issue that needs to be fixed immediately!
I was driving down highway in morning traffic with cruise control set at 55-60mph when all acceleration cut off and I had to immediately pull over and put my 2009 Ford Escape into park, at which point the engine was shuddering violently and my wrench light (powertrain) appeared in the dash. Shut off engine, waited 1-2 mins and restart engine. Ran normally, pulled onto highway again and set cruise when the same happened a 2nd time. Happened 3-5 more times (with & without cruise) over the next day until I could get my car to the Ford dealer for service. Ford dealer advised it was throttle body in addition to other sensors. (the throttle body was not covered under powertrain warranty and cost me $300 in parts & labor!!) the error codes were: P0012, P0341, P0346, P2111, & P2112.
This is the 3rd time this problem happened. I'm driving normally, at a constant speed, and all of a sudden, wrench light comes on, rpms do weird things, gas pedal doesn't do anything, putting it in neutral in a drift downspeed does nothing, park does nothing. Putting it in park and shutting the engine, and starting again makes the light go away and run fine again. This is a huge safety concern as I travel with young children and this will happen with no warning at all. Very disappointed Ford will not recall and fix this very common problem.
We were driving around a corner and all of a sudden the wrench light came on and the gas pedal would no longer work. No other lights came on, just the wrench light. I was able to pull off the road, fortunately, as the steering still worked. I turned the car off, restarted, and it ran fine the rest of the way home. Since that occurrence, I have had the engine die multiple times. This generally happens when I have pulled up to a red light signal. The car dies, and it is always right before the light turns green! you have to quickly put it in park, restart the engine, and then it runs fine. When it dies, the throttle will not function at all as it goes right to the floor. Since the first occurrence, it died while my wife was driving the vehicle also. Same scenario as mentioned above and also when stopped, the car throttle kind of surges, almost as if the car is going to die. When you apply gas, it jumps forward. I took it into the Ford dealer and after multiple visits they have determined that the throttle body needs to be replaced. I have a code reader and the code was P2111 and P2112 (error throttle actuator stuck). They first charged me for "cleaning" the throttle body assembly. Said I must have blown dust in it! also told me my 6-speed transmission has shift issues on hard acceleration....probably caused by them. Talked to parts dept and throttle body quote $200.83, when service advisor asked if I wanted them to replace it he quoted $240.
I was driving the 2009 Ford Escape at approximately 35 mph, when the vehicle started to flutter. I watched the rpms go up and down. I press the gas pedal to keep it from dying or turning off, but nothing happened. It kept fluttering and slowing down then it turned off. While this was happening the orange wrench shaped warning light came on. The car turned back on but continues to do this. I cant drive it 2 miles with out it happening. I took it to the dealer. They said it was a part called the throttle body. They said its on national back order. And I wont have my vehicle for about a month. Wow. Not.good. Research done shows thousands of the vehicles had the same problem from 2009 to 2012 models.
Approximately 7:45 am on Monday, July 8th, 2013, I was driving my 2009 Ford Escape to work. I stopped at a traffic light at the corner of East 30th street and North shadeland avenue. Once the light turned green I attempted to make a left turn from East 30th street to turn left (southbound) on North shadeland avenue when the vehicle (2009 Ford Escape) stalled and the car turned off. I tried to start the car back up...the vehicle started but when I hit the gas pedal to accelerate to get out of the middle of the intersection, the gas pedal did not engage and the car would not accelerate so I had to coast to the nearest shoulder for safety. I called a Ford's roadside assistance. I had the vehicle towed to the nearest Ford dealer. The Ford dealer told me the repairs required to fix the problem was: 1) throttle body, 2) reprogramming the vehicle's computer system after the throttle body is repaired, 3) fuel injectors as well as 4) air filter...the dealer's total cost for the repairs was quoted to me as $620!!! with all the complaints of the Ford Escape having with the throttle body, which is a major safety issue. Please help me recoup the major cost of the throttle body repairs as I feel Ford Motor Company should repair at no cost because there should be a safety recall issued by Ford.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Hickory, NC, USA