2001 Ford Escape

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND FAILED TO SLOW DOWN, EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED NUMEROUS TIMES. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ITS REAR END CRASHED INTO A TREE. A FOUR YEAR OLD PASSENGER SEATED IN THE REAR WAS FATALLY INJURED DUE TO THE MASSIVE IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER LOST CONSCIOUSNESS AND SUFFERED A MINOR CONCUSSION. THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT SUSTAINED A SPINAL INJURY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A POLICE FACILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THREE RECALLS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V210001 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL), NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07E023000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V005000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE CONTACT NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF THE RECALLS AND EXPERIENCED THE CONSEQUENCES MENTIONED IN EACH RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

THIS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FATAL ONE-CAR CRASH ON I-96 ON MARCH 4, 2008. THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED AS LOSS OF CONTROL AT A HIGH SPEED, AND AT THE TIME, THERE WAS NO SUSPICION OF A MECHANICAL ISSUE. THEN IN LATE JULY 2012, THE RECALL NOTICE FOR THE FORD ESCAPE WITH V-6 ENGINES, MODEL YEARS 2001-2004, WAS MADE PUBLIC (RECALL NO. 12S37). WE NOW HAVE CONCERN THAT THIS ACCIDENT MAY HAVE BEEN PRECIPITATED BY A VEHICLE MALFUNCTION. WE HAVE NO EVIDENCE TO THIS; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE THAT WAS DECLARED 'TOTALED' IS STILL ON THE ROAD AND HAS SINCE BEEN IN ANOTHER ACCIDENT. WE FEEL OBLIGATED TO BRING THIS MATTER TO THE ATTENTION OF THE NHTSA, AND ASK THAT YOU LOOK INTO THIS MATTER FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS. .

2005 GAS PEDAL ACCELERATION ACCIDENT IN 2001 FORD ESCAPE . UPON STARTING CAR IT ACCELERATED BY ITSELF , AND I COULD NOT GET IT TO STOP. IT SPED UP TO AT LEAST 40MPH WITH A MIND OF ITS OWN. I CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL AND IT TOOK THE JAWS OF LIFE TO TEAR OPEN THE CAR TO GET ME OUT. I AM TOTALLY DISABLED NOW WITH A SEVERELY SHATTERED FOOT AND ANKLE. I HAVE A METAL PLATE IN MY LEG NOW. *TR

I WAS WRITING THIS FOR MY SISTER WHO IS NO LONGER HERE. SHE DROVE A 2001 FORD ESCAPE GOING 60 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THE PEOPLE IN FRONT OF HER STOPPED AND SHE REAR ENDED THEM. HER CAR FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES AND SHE WAS EJECTED. ALTHOUGH THE STATE TROOPERS SAID SHE WASN'T WEARING HER SEAT BELT SHE CLEARLY HAD A 2" BY 4" ABRASION ON HER LEFT SHOULDER EXACTLY THE SIZE AND LOCATION THAT HER SEAT BELT WOULD HAVE BEEN. THE SUV WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED, NOT A PANEL ON IT WASN'T SMASHED - AND YET THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T GO OFF. IT WAS SO BAD THAT I WENT BY THE ACCIDENT AND DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE THE CAR UNTIL A POLICE OFFICER CALLED OUR HOUSE AND TOLD US ABOUT THE ACCIDENT AND LOCATION. MY SISTER WAS 22 YEARS OLD WITH A HUSBAND AND A DAUGHTER AND NOW SHE IS NO LONGER HERE. I REALIZE THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THE SEAT BELT, WE GOT A LETTER 2 MONTHS AFTER THE ACCIDENT EVEN THOUGH THE RECALL WAS 2 YEARS BEFORE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THE AIRBAGS THOUGH. R.I.P. AMANDA WHITMORE.*AK

THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 30 MPH,WHEN SUDDENLY A VEHICLE TURNED IN FRONT OF HIS/HER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE BECAME INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AND THE AIR BAG'S DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB

DURING A COLLISION ON FRONT PART OF VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, CAUSING TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE. ALSO, CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK

I WAS INVOLVED IN A HIGHWAY SPEED MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT. I REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IN THE ACCIDENT THE SEAT BELT PRE-TENSIONER (OR RETRACTOR) DID NOT LOCK THE BELT IN POSITION. WHEN I UNBUCKLED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE BELT RETRACTED BACK INTO THE SIDE PANEL.

WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD 60 MILES AN HOUR AT NIGHT TIME A DEER RAN IN FRONT OF THE CAR. MY SON JAMMED ON THE BRAKES SKIDDING A DISTANCE HITTING THE DEER. BECAUSE OF JAMMING ON THE BRAKES MY SON HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH HIS FACE CAUSING INJURY TO HIS NECK, FACE AND HEAD. HIS SEAT BELT WAS ON AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER WENT OFF. HE SKIDDING A DISTANCE SWERVING RIGHT TO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD HITTING A METAL BAR AT THE EDGE OF A DRIVEWAY. I SENT A COMPLAINT INTO THE NHTSA AND WAS TOLD THE AIR BAGS WOULDN'T OF GONE OFF. I ALSO HAVE A PICTURE OF A FRIENDS FORD TRUCK GOING OFF THE ROAD AT 60 HITTING A HOUSE AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER WENT OFF. SO THE EXCUSE THE AIRBAGS WOULDN'T GO OFF HITTING A DEER IS COMPLETELY WRONG. FIGURE OUT THE FORCE OF JAMMING ON THE BRAKES AT 60 MILES AN HOUR SKIDDING A DISTANCE. FORD HAS A PROBLEM AND SHOULD STAND BY THEIR VEHICLES. YOU HAVE LOST A FEW CUSTOMERS BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF STANDING BY YOUR PRODUCT. I AM SENDING COMPLAINTS TO WHOMEVER I CAN BECAUSE I KNOW THE NHTSA WOULD DO ANYTHING. *TR

MY SON WAS GOING DOWN THE ROAD ABOUT 60 MILES AN HOUR WHEN A BIG DEER CAME OUT IN FRONT OF HIM. HE JAMMED ON HIS BRAKES SKIDDING BUT STILL HIT THE DEER TOTALING THE CAR. NOT ONE OF THE AIRBAGS CAME OUT. HE WENT FORWARD HITTING HIS UPPER BODY AND FACE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. HE HAD HIS SEAT BELT ON. THE POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE ACCIDENT. HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY FRIENDS. HE TURNED BLACK AND BLUE AND STILL IS HURTING. THE CAR WAS JUST INSPECTED THE END OF OCTOBER. I FEEL FORD AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE. THAT THE CAR SHOULD BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE AIRBAGS NOT WORKING CAUSING INJURY. I'M WITHOUT A CAR...UPDATED 12/04/14*BF UPDATED 06/2/2015 *JS

GOING DOWN ROUTE. 226 WHEN A BIG BUCK RAN OUT IN FRONT OF THE FORD ESCAPE. THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND HAD TO BE TOWED. THE NYS TROOPERS CAME TO THE ACCIDENT. HAD TO TAKE MY SON TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF HITTING HIS UPPER BODY AND FACE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO OPEN. MY BACK AND NECK IS SORE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED WHILE REVERSING FROM A RESIDENTIAL DRIVE WAY. THE GEAR FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF REVERSE AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, CRASHING INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE RIGHT SIDE LOWER BACK. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 109,050.

I HAD ENTERED AN INTERSTATE FROM AN ON RAMP. I ACCELERATED TO GET VEHICLE UP TO SPEED AND SET THE CRUISE CONTROL. I APPROACHED A SHARP CURVED AND ATTEMPTED TO RELEASE THE SPEED CONTROL BY HITTING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AND CONTINUED TO STAY MOVING AT 55 MPH. I AVOIDED THE OUTSIDE LANE AND THE TRAFFIC THAT I WAS MERGING INTO BY GOING INTO THE MEDIAN. THE VEHICLE HIT AN ELEVATED MAN HOLE IN THE MEDIAN AND WENT AIRBORNE AND HIT A BRIDGE OVERPASS SUPPORT HEAD ON. I SUFFERED MULTIPLE FRACTURES DUE TO THE COLLISION. *TR

MY CLIENT'S SON WAS DRIVING HIS VEHICLE ON CENTRAL AVENUE IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY MARYLAND AT NIGHTTIME WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL GOT STUCK TO THE FLOOR. HE SWERVED ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO AVOID TRAFFIC AND HIS VEHICLE THEN STRUCK A BIKE RIDER THEN STRUCK THE MEDIAN CURB TOTALING THE VEHICLE. BOTH THE DRIVER AND BIKE RIDER SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT INJURIES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS CRASHED INTO ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CUTS AND BRUISES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WEBBING WOULD SEIZE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO EXTEND THE SEAT BELT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 11/14/12*LJ UPDATED 11/15/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,000. UPDATED 09/19/12*LJ UPDATED 09/19/2012 *JS

VEHICLE WAS APPROACHING INTERSECTION W/ STOP SIGN. VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW. DRIVER REPORTED 'NO BRAKES'. BRAKES, DISKS, WERE REPLACED 5 WEEKS PRIOR AND WERE APPARENTLY IN WORKING ORDER. SUSPICION THAT THROTTLE MAY HAVE STUCK OPEN, RESULTING IN INABILITY TO SLOW WITH BRAKES. VEHICLE WAS IN FRONTAL, T-BONE CRASH, TWO VEHICLES TOTAL LOSS WITH INJURIES. *TR

TO: FORD MOTOR COMPANY FROM: OWNERS DATE: 6/8/2012 PURPOSE: 2001 FORD ESCAPE ACCIDENT SUMMARY (ACCELERATOR PEDAL MALFUNCTION) DEAR FORD MOTOR COMPANY, THIS LETTER IS TO FORMALLY DOCUMENT AND NOTIFY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF AN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MALFUNCTION ON A 2001 FORD ESCAPE XLT. ACCIDENT SUMMARY: ON FRIDAY JUNE 8, 2012 AT APPROXIMATELY 1:35 PM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ON OUR 2001 FORD ESCAPE XLT MALFUNCTIONED WHEN IT AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGED, STUCK, AND ACCELERATED BEYOND DRIVERS DESIRED SPEED. THE DRIVER REMOVED HER FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR AND TAPPED THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH NO RESPONSE. THE DRIVER THEN FULLY APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET WITH NO EFFECT. THE DRIVER THEN FULLY ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE PROVIDING SOME SPEED REDUCTION, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO FORCE THE VEHICLE FORWARD. THE DRIVER STEERED THE VEHICLE ONTO CURBS AND OBJECTS TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO SLOWDOWN THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER, HAVING TO MAKE A QUICK AND TIMELY DECISION TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND PROTECT HERSELF AND PASSENGERS FROM HARM, SERVED INTO A CONCRETE OVERPASS EMBANKMENT IN ORDER TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP AND AVOID A POTENTIALLY MORE SEVERE ACCIDENT INVOLVING MULTIPLE PARTIES IN A HIGHLY POPULATED LOCATION. THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED (PUSHED BACK INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT) AND BOTH AIRBAGS WERE FULLY DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS, WHILE ALL WEARING SEATBELTS, SUSTAINED INJURIES FROM THE ACCIDENT AND WERE EVALUATED AND TREATED AT AN EMERGENCY ROOM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH AROUND A CURVE, SHE CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE DRIVER WAS HOSPITALIZED DUE TO HEAD INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000. UPDATED 06/05/12*LJ UPDATED 06/06/12 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC STOP, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS FRACTURED AND FELL BACKWARD ABNORMALLY. THE POLICE WERE CONTACTED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER AND A PASSENGER WERE INJURED. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION AND A BRAIN INJURY. A REAR CHILD PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEG FROM THE SEAT FALLING BACKWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY DEEMED THE VEHICLE AS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH APPROACHING A STOP SIGNAL AND WHEN DRIVING FROM THE COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED UP TO 58 MPH AND CRASHED INTO A NEARBY UTILITY POLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SAVAGE FACILITY AND DECLARED AS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER OF THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V210001 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL); HOWEVER THE CONTACT DID RECEIVE A RECALL NOTIFICATION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE WAS 137,000.