NHTSA complaint: 2002 FORD ESCAPE — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THIS CONCERNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE WITH 10,700 MILES ON IT. I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A VERY SLIGHT GRADE AT LESS THAN 20 MPH ON A CLEAR DAY APPROACHING A RED LIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE CAR DID NOT STOP. INSTEAD, THE FRONT OF THE CAR JUST STARTED TO UNCONTROLLABLY JUMP, BOUNCE AND HOP UP AND DOWN. SINCE THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN, I APPLIED THE BRAKES AGAIN AND IT CONTINUED TO UNCONTROLLABLY BOUNCE UP AND DOWN. THERE WAS A CAR CROSSING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION IN FRONT OF ME DRIVEN BY A MOTHER WITH HER YOUNG CHILD IN THE CAR. IN ORDER TO AVOID HITTING THAT CAR, I STEERED MY BOUNCING CAR TO THE RIGHT, OFF THE ROAD, AND INTO A LIGHT POLE TO STOP IT. THE MOTHER WITH HER 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, WHO WITNESSED THE WHOLE EVENT, PULLED OVER TO SEE IF I WAS OK AND THANKED ME FOR NOT KILLING THEM. I HAVE HER NAME AND NUMBER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON THIS CAR AND I AM SCARED TO DEATH TO EVER DRIVE IT AGAIN LEST I KILL OR MAIM MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR CO. DIRECTLY MANY TIMES, BUT THEY GAVE ME THE RUNAROUND. THEY SAID THE ANTILOCK BRAKING DID NOT NEED TO BE CHECKED. WHEN MY INSURANCE COMPANY, NATIONWIDE, BECAME INVOLVED FORD SAID THAT I SHOULD NOW DEAL WITH THEM, NATIONWIDE. NATIONWIDE IS NOW PAYING TO HAVE MY CAR REPAIRED, BUT SAID THAT THERE IS NO NEED TO CHECK THE BRAKING SYSTEM BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, IT IS MY FAULT AND ALL THEY CAN DO ABOUT
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation