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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
71,083 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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.

2009 Ford Escape engine problems

engine problem

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2009 Ford Escape Owner Comments (Page 10 of 13)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #71

Jun 252013

Escape 4-cyl

  • 65,200 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle throttle stuck open at 45 mph.

- Apex, NC, USA

problem #70

Jun 062013

Escape

  • 61,256 miles
While driving the engine suddenly would no longer respond to the gas pedal and would not accelerate. After pulling over and restarting the car, the problem went away. However, after a few days the problem happened twice more, this time with the engine completely shutting off while idling at a stop light and while driving slowly down a neighborhood street. The garage determined there to be a problem with the throttle body and it needed to be replaced.

- Haymarket, VA, USA

problem #69

Jun 222013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 58,300 miles
I was leaving our local store and turned onto the access road to have my car start shaking and won't go faster than about 4 mph. Right after, the powertrain symbol came on followed the engine light. With my hazard lights on I crept into the closest parking lot and turned off the car, waited a few minutes and then started it again. When turned back on the lights were all gone, so I assumed it was a fluke. Until I started driving and as soon as I turned everything turned back on and the shaking happened again. I had to have my vehicle towed to the dealership. The dealership told me the it was the throttle and that the part was on back order because of so many of the Escapes breaking in the same part. Now its the sit and wait game for weeks!

- Cypress, TX, USA

problem #68

Jun 232013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 74,335 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was on my way home from a camping trip yesterday and my vehicle suddenly stopped moving while I was on the freeway. I pulled over quickly. The engine was still running, but kept jerking forward with my foot on the brake. I turned off my vehicle and restarted it. I was able to drive for about a mile until I got up to 50 mph and then it did the same thing. I had it towed to the dealership and they said the part is on back order. The cost to repair it is $325. The vehicle is only at 74,000 miles and I have had issues with the transmission since I bought the vehicle 2 years ago. The part needed is on back order which leads me to believe Ford needs to do a recall. I do not feel safe in my vehicle and will never buy a Ford vehicle again.

- Waterford , MI, USA

problem #67

Jun 222013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 86,500 miles
Driving in town and it just had nothing... pushed on accelerator and it would not do anything. Car did not stall out, sounded like it was going to but didn't. still had all power just would not move when giving it gas. ***took to mechanic error number shows bad throttle body part***

- Cave City , AR, USA

problem #66

Jan 132013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 122,453 miles
I had gone of the gas, the vehicle was rolling at about 5miles/H, engine running, towards an intersection when the light turned green and I wanted to accelerate. I stepped on the gas, there was no acceleration, the engine stalled and completely shut off. All engine lights came on similar to when you initially insert the key before starting the car. The Escape came to a complete stop at the side of the road. There were no warning lights present, the vehicle was not overheating, it had been serviced and had no prior issues. After putting it back into park I was then able to restart the vehicle without any issues and continue driving. This first happened in January and has since occurred twice again in similar situations, slow rolling and then stalling after an attempt to accelerate.

- Foster City, CA, USA

problem #65

Jun 132013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 31,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Wife was coming home form work; she was in the parking, suddenly the power train light came on and the car surged then had no power, pressing gas peddle did nothing, she thought the car stalled and could not restart it. After a few minutes of waiting she started it back up and the throttle responded, so she continued to pick up our kids. Once she was on the road traveling approximately 40 mph the exact same thing happened again. Her father was following her, and after a few minutes of waiting, they where able to restart and continue the drive. Her father drove the car the rest of the distance and, the problem happened again. Fortunately in all 3 situations they where able to pull over and off the road. Car has been in the shop since Thursday of last week awaiting for a new electronic throttle body which apparently is on major back order. Attempted to contact our Ford dealer but was greeted with less then friendly customer service from the service center. Car is out of warranty, and repair is going to be over $325 (quoted) if our repair shop can get the part. My wife and myself are very concerned about this as the problem happened once before several months ago, and happened on a very busy street, fortunately no one rear ended her. At that time we had Ford tow the car to their service center and inspect the car, they claimed there was no problems found and no service codes, and returned the car back to us as is.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #64

Jun 142013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 43,000 miles
P2111 error per computer - throttle actuator stuck open. Vehicle will not accelerate and engine shakes violently, feels like it wants to stall, but does not. Needs to be shut off and restarted to accelerate again. Problem has now happened 6 times in the last 2 days.

- Sterling, VA, USA

problem #63

Jun 172013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 44,450 miles
Upon turning left through an intersection from a red light, I accelerated to reach about 30 miles per hour. Then the vehicle started slowing down slightly so I pressed on the gas slightly but nothing happened. I then noticed that the lights on the dash were lit (there is a light that looks like a wrench). I turned the radio off and it seemed that the engine was not running. I was able to pull over, place the vehicle in park, and start the engine. It seemed like I had full control over steering and braking to pull over, but perhaps that was just the slow rate of speed I was at. Now everything appears to be normal now, however I am concerned as I googled this issue and there seems to be many folks indicating the same problem, suspecting something to do with the throttle. This has happened twice to me. The first time about 6 months ago, with this time being the most recent.

- Portland, OR, USA

problem #62

Jun 032013

Escape

  • 80,000 miles
While driving at 60 mph, the car went in to limp mode. We costed to the shoulder turned car off. It re started no issues, check engine light came on. Took to my mechanic who clean throttle body plate. Car ran great for about 5 days then again same problem arises. Call Ford to purchase part and told it is on national back order no idea when the part could be available. So I am not stuck with a car that could get me or my family hurt.

- Bellevue, NE, USA

problem #61

Jun 132013

Escape

  • 93,417 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle stalled and hesitated, check engine light and wrench light illuminated and vehicle went into limp mode. Pulled over and turned off vehicle when restarted lights were no longer illuminated, drove about a half mile and it happened again, repeated pulling over and restarting the vehicle, drove another 12 miles and it occurred again.

- Chilhowie, VA, USA

problem #60

May 112013

Escape 4-cyl

  • 88,000 miles
The vehicle suddenly lost power at approx 55 mph while driving on an expressway. Although steering and braking was available, acceleration was not. The orange "wrench" warning light activated. I was able to drive to the shoulder, turn off the engine, and restart. This has recurred several times since this first incident. So far, I have been able to get to the shoulder each time and it has restarted. But this is a very dangerous defect that is fully discussed on the internet. A large volume of "throttle body" issues associated with this and other Escape models is documented on various websites. There is never any advance warning of when this may occur, and it has occurred at a variety of speeds and road conditions. The potential danger associated with this obvious defect should warrant a recall from Ford. It is just a matter of time before this defect leads to a serious accident if it already has not done so.

- Maryville, TN, USA

problem #59

Jun 152013

Escape

  • 39,000 miles
The car was running fine, then suddenly the engine seemed to die and the gas pedal stopped doing anything. The car then started vibrating and I had to get over to the side of the road before it lots its velocity. I restarted the car and it seemed fine; then later in the day the exact same thing happened. At other moments, sometimes while stopped, it seemed like the car revved its own engine (as if I was pressing the gas pedal, but I was not.) I could have been injured or injured someone if it was not for the fact that the road was narrow and I was able to get over to the side on time. I had it towed to the dealer, who told me the problem was the throttle body and that the throttle body was not covered under my extended warranty.

- Menlo Park, CA, USA

problem #58

Jun 162013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 71,049 miles
Driving again today and truck just shut off this is the second time in last two weeks is Ford go to recall this problem pulled code and code number is 2112 same code as before.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #57

Jun 062013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 65,000 miles
I have been having issues with the throttle body in my 2009 Ford Escape. When I drive my car, it randomly stops accelerating and my car stops running. This is a big safety hazard. My car has stopped in the middle of a busy roads. Cars could also easily hit me when my car randomly stops.this problem is resolved once I turn off my car and turn it back on, but it continues to happens many times. I have read many reports from other people with the same issue and something should be done about this as this problem puts people in serious danger.

- Alpharetta, GA, USA

problem #56

Apr 302013

Escape

  • 50,100 miles
I was stopped at a light. When the light turned green, I stepped on the accelerator and as the car got to about 5 mph, it went into what is referred to as the "limp mode." When I stepped on the accelerator, nothing happened. The engine "wrench" light came on, the engine idled at about 800 RPM, and it took about a minute or more for the car to "limp" out of the intersection. I turned off the engine, and restarted it. It then worked fine. I took it to the dealer, which was less than a mile from where this happened. After several days, they said they could find nothing wrong. Now in June ( several months later), we had an instance where it happened again. I searched on the internet and saw you were investigating. I printed out the article, took it to the dealer and said this is exactly what happened. The dealer said it was a circuit problem, but the replacement part was on back order and it may take "weeks" for them to get the part. We drove the car once more and the same " limp mode" kicked in 3 times in a 3 mile trip. While turning off the engine and restarting the engine seems to clear the problem, this is extremely dangerous if the vehicle goes into the limp mode when it is necessary to accelerate the cross a road, etc. While my vehicle is under extended warranty, and hopefully it will be repaired satisfactorily, this is potentially an extremely dangerous malfunction and I am reporting it so that you can take it into consideration in your investigation. My vehicle was manufactured in July 2008, according to the sticker on the door.

- Fairfax, VA, USA

problem #55

Jun 052013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 59,975 miles
I accelerated from a stopped position and in approximately 100 feet the accelerator stop working. The engine did not die but the vehicle would only idle at a slow pace. I stopped the car, put in park, turned off the engine and then restarted. The accelerator worked at that time and I continued onto the highway with no problem. I was traveling at 75 mph for about 10 miles when the accelerator stopped working again and the vehicle slowed to an idle. I repeated the same process as before, stop, put in park, turned off engine and restarted. The accelerator worked again and I continued on 10 miles and made it home. The next available day the vehicle was taken to the Ford dealership. I experienced (2) of the same scenerios listed above along my 6 mile route to the dealership. After (2) days the problem was diagnosed as a defective throttle body with a $574 price tag to repair. The service person stated this was not covered under warranty or a recall item. She then stated that the part was on a "national backorder" and would not be available for another month. This leads me to believe this is happening alot!! I have read several articles on the internet about this same type of issue happening to other Ford Escapes, varying years and was surprised there has not been a recall. The incident started when I was out of town, headed toward home at approimately 11:00 pm. It could have been an even more dangerous situation if I had lost power trying to turn across traffic or was on a much busier highway when this happened. I hope others are aware of this website.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #54

Dec 122012

Escape 6-cyl

  • 38,000 miles
Car decelerated and wrench sign came on. Had to put car in park to get it to restart. Kept losing power.

- Fayetteville, NC, USA

problem #53

Jun 022013

Escape 4-cyl

  • 31,250 miles
Driving on the highway. The wrench light comes on. I press the gas pedal and there is nothing. The engine is still running but giving it gas will not help it to move. I put my hazards on and pull off road. I shut the car off and restart. This works but the engine light comes on. Now it just shuts down sporadically. I cannot be sure when or where it will happen. Took it to the dealer (town and country Ford) and I am waiting for a replacement throttle body. I contacted Ford Motor Company where I have my loan and they said even if the part is defective it is not covered under any warranties.

- Charlotte , NC, USA

problem #52

Jun 032013

Escape 4-cyl

  • 56,244 miles
Lost power while driving, applied pressure to the accelerator and nothing.after a year of intermittent problems with this I took it into Ford dealership and they diagnosed a faulty throttle body....trouble code P 2111.diagnostic trouble codes (dtc) P2111, throttle body stuck open. Its cost me us$275. I think Ford must be assume the cost because is car failure from fabric. Let me know about the recall for the NHTSA action number : DP12006.

- Santo Domingo, VI, USA

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