Defect Petition Filed Over Ford Escapes

A spotlight has been put on Ford Escape vehicles after a nonprofit consumer safety group asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to probe the vehicles for an alleged defect.

The Center for Auto Safety claims that some cruise control cables on about 320,000 Ford Escapes from model years 2002-2004 were damaged during a repair for a different recall, making the vehicles susceptible to unintended acceleration, according to The New York Times. The group said that the problem may have “lethal consequences.”

The original recall was issued to stop the accelerator cable from catching on the accelerator pedal, which could have prevented the engine from returning to idle, according to the Times. The defect petition argued that in October 2005, Ford sent a technical service bulletin to car dealerships to warn them not to damage the bordering cruise control cable during the repair process for the recall. It further said that any damage could allow the cable to snag on a ridge in the engine cover, leading to unintended acceleration.

The consumer group said that Ford never disclosed to the owners of the Escapes that the recall repair may have damaged their vehicles’ cruise control feature.

The safety agency received 133 complaints of unintended acceleration from owners of the vehicles, according to the Times.

If you or a loved one has been injured because of an unsafe vehicle, contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation and to fund out if a product liability lawyer may be able to help you. For legal help, call (800) 581-6358.

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