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Ford Escape Power Train Safety Report | July 28, 2012
Reported on July 28, 2012
| 2013 FORD ESCAPE SITUATION IS THAT WHEN I TRANSFER MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, BESIDES LIGHTLY BRAKING THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A SURGE IN ACCELERATION ... CAUSING UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION WHEN THE DRIVER WOULD EXPECT THE VEHICLE TO BE BRAKING. THERE ARE 1 OR 2 PROBLEMS: 1) THE BRAKE PEDAL IS TOO CLOSE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL [MORE SO FOR A MALE DRIVER WITH A WIDER FOOT THAN A FEMALE DRIVER]. 2) THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS TOO MUCH MOVEMENT WHILE THE DRIVER IS TRYING TO BRAKE, IN THAT PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHES THE PEDAL TO AND PAST THE ACCELERATOR PETAL; IN THAT IF THE FOOT IS NOT EXACTLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ACCELERATOR PUSHES DOWN AND CAUSES A POWER SURGE, WHEN THE DRIVER IS EXPECTING THE VEHICLE TO BE BRAKING. THE PROBLEM IS THE DESIGN AND FUNCTION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKE PETAL HAS SUCH A LONG TRAVEL, THAT WHEN A PERSON'S FOOT IS NOT 100% ON THE BRAKE THAT THE FOOT ALSO PRESSES ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SURGE FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY, INSTEAD OF STOPPING. THIS IS MOST LIKELY TO HAPPEN WITH A MAN'S FOOT, BEING WIDER THAN A FEMALE'S FOOT. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS; ALL OF WHICH CAUSED AN EXTREMELY TRAUMATIC SITUATION(S): 1) TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY, WHEN TRAFFIC BACKS UP OR ANOTHER VEHICLE CHANGES INTO MY DRIVING LANE - IN EITHER CONDITION, WHERE FORCED TO BRAKE 'UNEXPECTEDLY', THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD. 2) WHEN BRAKING AT AN INTERSECTION, TAKING THE FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR TO THE BRAKE, INITIALLY THE CAR SLOWS DOWN, BUT WHEN THE BRAKE IS PRESSED TO STOP THE CAR, THE CAR ACCELERATES UNEXPECTEDLY, I.E, A PEDESTRIAN IS CROSSING THE STREET IN AN INTERSECTION AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES UNEXPECTEDLY AND POSSIBLY INJURING THE PEDESTRIAN. THE FORD DEALER SAID THAT THEY CANNOT FIX A DESIGN FLAW . *TR | |
| Make: | Ford |
| Model: | Escape |
| Manufactured by: | Ford Motor Company |
| Year: | 2013 |
| Was a crash reported? | N |
| Was an injury reported? | 0 person(s) were injured. |
| Was a death reported? | 0 person(s) died. |
| Was a fire reported? | N |
| Location: | PHOENIX AZ |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | 1FMCU0J95DU |
| Mileage: | 300 miles. |
| Speed: | 55 MPH |
| Number of cylinders: | 4 |
| Vehicle type: | |
| Vehicle fuel: | GAS |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | |
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