Let's cut to the chase: 485,000 Ford Escape crossovers built between 2001 through 2004 are suffering from an unintended acceleration defect affecting all six-cylinder and cruise control equipped models.
Prior to the recall, Escape owners have logged 68 complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) after experiencing uncontrolled throttle inputs that cause the vehicle to accelerate. In a particularly tragic case, a 17-year-old girl from Arizona was killed after her Escape accelerated unexpectedly.
Responding to the growing number of cases, Ford says that the V6 variant Escape crossovers are at risk if the gas pedal is pushed nearly to the floor because the engine requires more space between t he engine cover and speed control cable.
To solve the problem, Ford will raise its engine cover by installing a fastener that increases clearance for the cable. However, the recall will not be scheduled until another two weeks. In the meantime, Ford advises V6 Escape owners to avoid pressing the gas pedal too aggressively.
Why is this recall important? Because even if this incident was a standalone unintended acceleration recall affecting 485,000 Ford Escape vehicles, it will already be plenty alarming. However, this happens to be the third in a series of serious recalls over the span of two weeks.
In engineering terms, vehicles are fatigue tested to endure stress-loads equivalent to more than twice the product's intended design life. However, hidden faults can still manage to surface years later to cause severe issues.
Is this a case of unfortunate coincidence and bad luck or do the string of recalls bring Ford's build quality into question? Please voice your opinions in the comment box below.
