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.
Driving car home after work - slowed down and stopped after traffic light change. Pressed on accelerator and car shuddered would not accelerate. The wrench light came on and the car went into limp home mode. Turned into parking lot and shut down and restarted engine. The engine RPM suddenly went to about 7000 RPM with the no push of the accelerator. Engine eventually normalized and I was able to drive it the rest of the way home. My husband test drove the vehicle and the same thing happened to him with the car going non responsive into limp home mode. He troubleshot the issue to the throttle body. After removing the throttle body, cleaning it, and recalibrating, the issue disappeared. He is going to replace the part for safety since this issue happening at highway speed could become dangerous.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. While driving 25 mph and making a right turn, the vehicle slowed down without warning. The failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing, but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000. Updated 7/16/15 the consumer stated no accidents occurred but, there were a few near misses due to loss of speed. The failure occurred every time the vehicle was driven. Updated 9/22/2015
I bought this car in 2012 and have since noticed the vehicle losing the ability to accelerate. No matter how far I push down on the gas it will not accelerate. After a minute or two of stalling, it will sputter and shut off. I took it to the auto shop to make sure that it was not misfiring a piston, or that their was anything immediately wrong, but they could not give me an answer to why it would not accelerate. My transmission also stalls in gears and will not shift when driving down the road. Same deal took it in and received no answer. The back hatch glass also leaks terribly when it rains and I cannot get it to seal at all.
I have had this vehicle for one year, and it would be impossible to recount all of the times it has stalled on me while driving it. It has stalled in parking lots, in heavy stop-and-go traffic, making turns, pulling into my driveway, and accelerating to enter the freeway. It started within two months of purchase. I took it to a Ford dealership in August of 2014 where they performed recall work which included throttle body replacement, reprogrammed the PCM, and a power steering advisory item. The vehicle continued to stall. The stalling seems to happen just after fill-up and happens intermittently until the gas gauge reads less than three-fourths and at low speeds. I filled it up yesterday, and it has stalled seven times since then. It happens when coasting to a stop or making a turn. On the freeway at high speeds, it runs well. The issue was compounded in February when it was discovered that the evap canister was full of gas. It, along with a tube hose assembly (bl8Z9D667B-af), was replaced only for it to happen again. The purge valve was stuck open and had to be replaced along with a second evap canister. The stalling issue continued, and the dealership found the canister to be saturated with gas again. This time, they said they would have to replace the gas tank to correct the issue as they believe it is a valve built into the tank which seems absurd. I have not done this since they quoted a cost of over $2000. Even if I have that done, it will only correct the canister issue, not the stalling. I have read hundreds of posts on the internet from people who have the exact same problems with the same model year as I have. These are both issues that I believe to be the result of a defect in the manufacturing of this vehicle due to the volume of owners who are experiencing the same problems. I feel Ford needs to step up and correct these issues.
Driving to work my Escape lost power and sputtered to a stop. The wrench light came on. I shut off the radio, fan and vehicle. The turned the vehicle back on and it resumed running. I see there are several complaints regarding this issue. Hopefully, this will be my last or that a recall will come forward as this seems to be an ongoing issue with Ford.
- Columbia, MD, USA
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While slowing to come to a complete stop in a turning lane behind two other vehicles, the subject vehicle's transmission slipped from gear and disengaged the engine. When the vehicles transmission reengaged the engines remaining torque not yet displaced, the vehicle lunged forward causing a lose of control and the brakes to lock up from attempting the braking action already taking place. The subject vehicle had previously been in the dealerships service dept. To have its transmission that previously and completely burnt its clutches out at only 14,775 miles driven. The symptoms of the transmission burning the clutches out was presenting itself in an increasing manner from around 5,000 miles. The newly rebuilt transmission failed at only 21,150 miles at the time of the total loss incident.
While entering a main artery of traffic from a side road, during the acceleration between 35-45mph, the transmission disengaged from the engine. The engine, not being subject to transferring energy to the transmission began to gain RPM exceedingly faster on its own with the operators foot still only applying the equal force applicable to normally execute the entrance on to the main road. The transmission regained traction with the engine and the vehicle suffered a violent lunge forward than disengaged once more and repeated the same again with the disengage and lunge forward. The operator was able to drive the vehicle around the block at no more than 10mph around the block to garage the vehicle and call Ford to report the incident.
Slowing down in my Ford Escape the transmission intermediately down shifts so hard that it shakes my car and makes a loud noise. Have brought to the dealership 4 times and are not able to duplicate the intermediate problem. First time they reset some sort of chip in the transmission and it helped for only a short while. It does not happen all the time and is intermediate, the dealership does not drive it long enough to duplicate the problem.
I was crossing a highway and when I stepped on the gas I had no power! just a few weeks before it was at Ford for a torque and steering recall. When I called Ford to inform them what happened they said I will have to pay $130 for them to diagnose it! I'm not happy with Ford response. This is a real danger and they need to take it serious!
While driving along my Ford Escape suddenly refused to accelerate, I was holding the gas to the floor and it wouldn't budge. It was idling strangely and surging. A wrench symbol appeared in the screen on the dash. I was on a hill and was unable to pull of the road. Luckily, no one was behind me. I waited a few moments and restarted the Escape, it went and then continued to decelerate once again. I will be taking this back to the dealership to be fixed. But I am very concerned, upon researching the issue I found many more complaints online. Why hasn't this issue been recalled? it is highly dangerous and it is only a matter of time before the Escape cuts off at the wrong time and gets someone killed. This needs to be addressed before it become an epidemic like the Chevy cobalt.
While driving on the highway, I heard a sound similar to the car's automatic transmission downshifting. I looked down and saw that I had no acceleration as I pushed on the gas pedal. I stopped at a safe location and sat with the car idling for about a minute. During this time I noticed the rpms hunting at idle speed. I turned the car off. I restarted the car and the engine turned over a few more times than usual before it finally caught. After that, I had no other problems for the two more hours I drove it. This problem appears to be with the electronic throttle body giving either a false signal or temporarily losing signal.
As I was driving my car lost it throttle. The engine continued to run but I had no ability to accelerate. I pulled the car over. Turned it off, then back on and the car appeared to show no issues. About two weeks later the issue appeared again. Same solution. From my research this appears to be a common issue and could very much endanger anyone in the vehicle.
Entered left turn lane to approach off ramp, truck stalled. Appx 40mph. Turned off and restarted, drove home. Had noticed jumping response from idle to reverse to drive, particularly upon first ignition of day, for about a week. Have contacted dealership for repair of noted throttle body issue, which is scheduled for 1 week from today.
While driving at 71 mph with the cruise control on, I noticed a slowing down feeling, the cruise control light went off, the wrench light illuminated. I pulled to the berm. I turned off the engine. According to the manual it was the throttle. It took 2 tries to restart car, the wrench light went off. A Ford dealership was 5 min. From incident. According to invoice, they performed throttle body update. I was told if the light came on again, it might need a throttle body. I asked if they could perform the work, they stated without the light being on, they couldn't do the work under the warranty. Meanwhile I was over 200 miles from home, and needed to get home. It felt so unsafe for 5hours of driving. The car has surges of power, downshifts with jolts, and clunking sounds when it does shift. This is how it drove from the beginning, I began to think it was normal so never reported it. Also, since the work was done I noticed the rpms at idling are high, I can pull into the garage without putting my foot on the gas the rpms are at 2 at 30 miles an hour, same as at 70 miles an hour. I'm contacting Ford about the rules of the warranty and how unsafe it feels to drive the vehicle. How many accidents, deaths will it take to get the real work done, not a patch up job.
I was driving along the highway at 70 mph, when I felt a 'clunk'. the engine lost power and the 'wrench' light lit up. I was able to get the car to the shoulder of the road. I then turned the engine off, waited a couple minutes and then re-started the engine. The 'wrench' light did not return. I do not feel it is safe to drive until this issues is resolved.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. While driving approximately 15 mph and attempting to shift gears, the vehicle jerked without warning. The failure occurred ten times. The dealer stated that the transmission failed. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 2,000.
While driving we were alerted to a problem by a passing car. After stopping the motorhome I walked back to the Escape and saw smoke coming from under the car. After allowing the car to cool we proceeded on to our destination and contacted the local Ford dealer. We were provided with an appointment for the next morning. At that appointment we were told that the transmission was totally destroyed. While no fire was present the potential for a catastrophic fire involving both the car and the motorhome along side a busy freeway was a possibility.
At 11 pm I was driving down the road at 55 mph and I thought my car had shut off because I noticed I didn't have any power. I turned down the radio to hear for the engine but heard nothing. I had enough speed to coast to a safe lighted area to investigate what was happening, come to find out that my car was running but no throttle to make it move. A warning symbol showed up and it was a lighted wrench but I had no idea what that was until I dug out my owners manual the next day. I turned the key off, restarted the Escape and moved on my way. I traveled approx. 2 more miles at a slower speed and I lost speed with the wrench light appearing as well as the service engine soon light turning on. I was approaching a stop sign when this occurred. I turned the car off and back on again and was able to make it the additional 1/2 miles to my home. Doing research I see that I am not the only person that is having this same issue. I bought this vehicle used in June with 32,365 miles, this is the last thing I expected to happen with a newer vehicle. Please advise if this is considered a recall. Thank you!
Had no problems until now! parked car at my office and 2 hours later wanting to leave and did not make it out of the parking lot. The gas pedal would not get power; but all other components appeared working fine. Turned the car off and re-started; within seconds same thing happen. I was ready to go on a 3 hour trip in morning on a busy interstate and now I am afraid to go since I do not want to get run over (have to go through much interstate construction. This powertrain failure is not safe and creates hazardous conditions on the road for everyone. Even with 50 miles per hour in a construction zone; it is very dangerous loosing the powertrain in a one land-bumper to bumper traffic with heavy trucks behind you. Picture yourself in this situation. I am certainly afraid to go on my business trip in the morning. Like guess people have to die first before Ford is taking some recall action! my car is regular maintained; this was not expected at all! I will not buy a Ford again!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Louisville, KY, USA