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.
When trying to accelerate into traffic, the engine dropped to idle and the gas pedal had no affect. Temporary solution was to pull over, turn engine off, restart (which required excessive cranking) which seemed to resolve the issue. Throttle works again. This issue has now happened 3 additional times and we have parked the car as it is unsafe and unreliable. Ford dealer has no clue about the issue and can't schedule getting it into the shop for at least 2 weeks.
While driving my family in our 2011 Ford Escape at 65mph on an interstate - I suddenly experienced a total loss of power. The engine did not quit - but rather decelerated rapidly to idle speed. I immediately pulled over to the side of the highway and attempted to rev the engine and shift the transmission into park, and then back into drive - with no result. I turned the vehicle off and waited 1 minute, to see if it could possibly be a computer problem. I started the car, revved the engine, shifted into drive and proceeded at normal speed. The following day this same thing happened to my wife on another highway. I called a Ford dealer and a trustworthy repair shop - and they both pointed to the throttle body assembly in the fuel system - which seems to be a common problem. I had a new throttle body installed after a Ford dealer hooked up diagnostic equipment and verified the issue. Repair cost was $513.68 parts and labor. I feel that this is a very dangerous condition - and a recall of the vehicles equipped with this part, should be happen immediately. I have read many other accounts on the internet of this exact condition. It is just a mater of time before a failure like this will occur - and a following vehicle - perhaps a semi-truck will not be able to stop in time causing a very serious injury or fatality. Luckily my wife and I were in light traffic on the freeway.
Throttle body stops to only idle upon accelerating or use of throttle from stop. Sometimes it will allow to accelerate up to 30 to 40 mph before it quits working upon throttle input from driver. So, it will only idle after accelerating half or part way through an intersection and you are at the mercy of incline or decline of road to hopefully coast to safety. It has done this while turning left while having to yield to oncoming traffic. It caused oncoming traffic to have to stop while I got stranded in middle of turn. Safety issue for sure.
While driving at speeds from 50 - 65 mph, my Escape will suddenly lose power. The engine remains running, but the accelerator pedal has no effect. The vehicle will continue to move very slowly after moving to the shoulder of the road. The "wrench" light is indicated on the dash. After coming to a stop, turning the engine off and restarting, the problem is temporarily resolved. After some research on the NHTSA site, this same problem occurs in the Escape and Ford Fusion. Ford is completely aware of the problem, but has not issued a recall. The problem is the throttle control body. A local Ford dealer offered to replace the part for approximately $600. I purchased the part for $350 and will replace myself as it is a simple 10 minute job. This is a very dangerous defect and I wish that Ford would take this seriously.
Was driving on highway at 55 mph, the wrench light came on dashboard and the car started decelerating. Would not accelerate, had to pull over, turn car off, then back on, in order for car to accelerate again. Second incident seemed like car's power completely shut off and would not come back on again after a rough idling stop.
- Sewell , NJ, USA
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My wife was driving approximately 50 mph when gas pedal on 2011 Ford Escape V6 became unresponsive. Got vehicle to shoulder after almost crashing in traffic. Red wrench light on dashboard was on. Turned vehicle off then restarted and appeared to be ok. Drove home approx. 10 miles. Took to dealer who checked codes and found nothing wrong. Told us the only way to get the code was to have it towed in without a restart because computer does not store wrench light indicator codes. Restarting clears the code. Local Ford dealer was not helpful. Investigated this problem and found that was most likely a throttle body problem. There are many owners with the same issue. It is on the short list for a recall. Purchased an obd II sensor and plugged in while driving to get the code. Problem happened again with a fault code of P2111 - throttle actuator control system - stuck open.
Whether I driving in downtown traffic or highway my Ford Escape would start hesitation. Could not get a charge from to drive SUV. Or my Escape would power and the engine would die while driving or when I was pulling out from intersection. I took Ford Escape to a Ford dealership they did whatever test and told me they would have to order part. Two weeks of waiting for part to arrive and still no part dealership told me part was on a state order because I was in Florida when this happened and I was from Illinois with my trip ending and needed to get home. I felt dealership was giving me run around so I called main headquarters in detroit, Michigan and was told the throttle body was on back order because Ford was having problems figuring out problem and therefore could not send part because they didn't have a corrected throttle body part to send. I asked if Ford was doing a recall on Escape and was told not at this time. I received a called from Ford Motor Co. About 2 days later telling me the part would be sent to dealership by Wednesday of following week and that a call was also placed to dealership to inform them the part was for my Escape not the two Ford Escapes with same problem that were ahead of mine. By the following week on Wednesday my Ford Escape was repaired and I was able to drive home back to Illinois. To this day I am not sure if I have a replacement part that has fixed the problem or if Ford Motor Co. Sent me the same part that will again break down on me. I have kept track of all phone calls I made date time and who I spoke with and also the calls from Ford Motor Co. To me. Needless to say I am very disappointed with the whole matter and I am filing this complaint.
While driving my 2011 Ford Escape to work when all of the sudden it lost power. My first thought was that the engine had died, but when I looked down I saw that it was still bouncing between 500 and 1000 RPM. I also noticed that the red wrench light had come on. I was able to get the car pulled over into a parking lot. I was not sure what was going on so I shut the car off. A minute or two later I started the car and it started right up. I then continued on to work but after exciting the freeway I stopped at a red light when I went to accelerate from the light the car did the same thing. I was able to pull over and did the same as before. I made it to work with no further issues this time the check engine light came on and stayed on. That afternoon I took the car to the dealership to have it looked at and they asked me to bring it by the next morning. I drove the car home from there with no incident. The next morning I took the Escape back to the dealership after waiting for about three hours the told me that there was a problem with the throttle body. I proceeded to drive the car home and I ended up having the same issue with the care going into what I guess the call safe mode. I was as before able to shut the car down and start it back up again. This happen going across a two lane bridge in traffic luckily the car behind me was far enough behind me that the did not run into me but came real close.
We had our 2011 Escape in the dealership 2 times due to it completely shutting down while driving before they could figure out that is was a failed throttle body (electrical issue). They told us it was "bad gas" every other time. We had our infant in the vehicle when it shut down on the freeway and scared the crap out of us. Thankfully we were able to get away from other vehicles and make an emergency exit from the freeway onto the shoulder until the vehicle came to a stop. Its extremely dangerous and Ford needs to address this and create a recall. I have done research to find so many others with the same exact issue. Our vehicle is in the shop as we speak to the tune of a $500 fix and I just got off the line with Ford customer service to demand a reimbursement. I am waiting to hear back from them to see if they will work with us on the cost. Our vehicle only has 44K miles on it and we had it serviced before the warranty expired and were told everything was fine. We also had it in for service other times for this issue.
Engine cut out while driving at about 55mph and 'check engine' light lit up on the dashboard. I pulled over to side of road and waited about ten minutes before re-starting vehicle. The vehicle started ok but 'check engine' light stayed on. I took it to service station and they ran diagnostic and got code P2111 - throttle actuator stuck open. I made repair appointment at Ford dealer for next day. While driving home from work the engine stalled at a traffic light but re-started ok.
Receiving a P2111 code on diagnostics. Needs new throttle body. On national backorder. I am out a vehicle until this is repaired, and cannot afford a rental, or a new one. It is my understanding that this is a common problem on these vehicles, that Ford has known about. They need to issue a recall.
Going down road, first no gas pedal control, then starts to make engine and whole vehicle pulsate. Starting to get worse and dangerous, about 3 TO4 times a trip. Dealer has told us the part is on backorder, meanwhile trying to deal with it.
I was about two blocks from home, driving the SUV and slowed down to turn the corner, when I tried to hit the gas to accelerate, the car wouldn't accelerate past 5mph. The wrench icon came on, and the RPM wouldn't go past 1. when I restarted it, it worked fine. I had the car towed to the dealership. This is the second time that this has happened. My car is only 2 years old. The first incident was when it was 6 months old.
I was about two blocks from home, driving the SUV and slowed down to turn the corner, when I tried to hit the gas to accelerate, the car wouldn't accelerate past 5mph. A few lights came on the dashboard and I was able to drive it home. When I restarted it, it worked fine. I had the car towed to the dealership, which said they couldn't duplicate the problem. I had only owned the car for 6 months at the time.
Driving at freeway speed when engine lost all power. Unable to accelerate. Engine light and wrench light came on. Was able to pull to the side of the road. Restarted vehicle and proceeded back on to freeway. Incident repeated 5 times in 10 miles of driving. Finally located a Ford dealership. Computer code indicated faulty throttle body. Unable to repair same day because dealership did not have the part. Called 7 different dealerships within a 200 mil radius and advised no one had the part in stock. Appears this is a popular problem. Finally found the part the following day and dealer installed. No problems since. Was forced to drive the vehicle until the part arrived as I was out of town on business when this occurred. The loss of acceleration resulted in dangerous situations. I experienced this not only at highway speed but also when trying to enter the freeway. I was almost hit twice.
My wife was taking her mother home on the 18th of July when the Escape started to hesitate and surge going up a hill. When she pressed on the gas pedal there was no response from the engine.the powertrain and engine lights came on so she called me immediately. She was afraid to leave it running so she shut it down. What made things worse was the fact that it was 97 degrees out that day and she had her mother with her who is handicapped. After the engine cooled a bit, I was able to drive it the rest of the way to her mother's house. After dropping her off, the vehicle broke down twice on the way to the repair facility. It turned out to be a problem with the throttle body. As a former mechanic and now a parts person I can say with confidence that this is definitely a safety issue.
Small surges just after stops. Total loss of power at highway speeds. July 2012 showed the check engine light, and had to coast to side of the road, gas pedal totally dead, engine and car still running. Turn off and restart and all check engine lights go away and car acts normally. Dealership found no codes. June 2013 again total loss of power at highway speeds, this time powertrain light comes on, and the car has to coast to the side of the road, gas pedal totally dead, engine and car still running. Turn off and restart and all powertrain lights go away and car acts normally. This loss of power has happened 15-20 times to date from July 2012 to July 2013.
When accelerating on the highway and reaching 60mph, suddenly the acceleration stopped and the car began to go into limp mode. With no acceleration, I veered off the highway and was unable to throttle the car forward. When in park, the engine seemed to be "kicking" and struggled to stay on. Wrench light went on. Turned car off. Turned car back on after a long hesitated start and the vehicle was able to move forward with acceleration. Wrench light came off. I took the car to the Ford dealership and they told me I needed a new throttle body. I replaced the throttle body. Similar issue happened with a friend of mine, same year, make, and model. His was under warranty, mine not.
I was traveling 60 mph on the highway when the vehicle lost power, I had to coast over to the side of the road, turn off the vehicle and turn it back on. The vehicle would start but then return to idle with no throttle response. This went on repeatedly before I had to have it towed to a dealership. Because this occurred on a Saturday afternoon the service department was closed and I was unable to speak to anyone. First thing Monday morning when I went in they first told me they did not know about the problems with the throttle control unit. Upon presenting them with numerous copies of complaints filed on line they finally acknowledged that there was a problem. However with no recall I would need to pay for a replacement which with towing resulted in a $550 bill. Apparently I was very lucky that there was one replacement in stock (hmmm), otherwise it would be weeks. I hope the replacement works because it has been a chronic problem for months. Skeptical to say the least.
The engine intermittently stalled/quit while driving at speed on numerous occasions. We took it to a Ford dealership. Diagnostics by their service department identified the problem as a defective throttle body.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Buena Vista, CO, USA