After receiving reports of alleged engine defects, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that it will review a request by the North Carolina Consumers Council to investigate 1.6 million 2005-12 Ford Escapes. The council asked the NHTSA to examine allegations that its engines could stall or surge due to electronic throttle body failures. The petition includes two new complaints of stalling in 2009 Ford Escape SUVs, which had throttle body failures. The owners of these vehicles said that there were frequent incidents of stalling and engine surging. Ford has said that it will cooperate with the NHTSA. Ford spokeswoman Marcey Zwiebel said that it has only started its probe and so there’s little information available for now.
In the petition of the North Carolina Consumers Council (NCCC), dated August 30, 2012, the NHTSA is being asked to start a probe on the alleged defects of supposed electronic throttle body failures that result in engine stall or surge.
The petitioner submitted supporting evidence, citing two recent instances of stall while driving in MY 2009 Ford Escape vehicles that were identified to have failed throttle bodies with diagnostic trouble codes P2111, Throttle Body Stuck Open, and P2222, Throttle Body Stuck Closed. The petitioner said that Ford has released several technical service bulletins that encompass a large variety of vehicles and throttle body issues related to hesitation and stalling, such as 08-18-2 and 09-23-5. A copy of the petition will be placed in the public file. This request will then be examined and a decision will be made whether to grant or reject it.
