Ford ESCAPE (2001–2006)
What the hazard is
A throttle that is stuck fully or almost fully open may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop or slow the vehicle. The risk exists regardless of whether the cruise control is being used or not.
What to do
Owners are advised to contact their Ford authorised dealership for inspection and rectification. Ford will write to owners of affected vehicles. Until remedied, this condition may be avoided by not fully or almost-fully depressing the accelerator pedal. If a driver experiences a stuck throttle, the driver should firmly and steadily apply the brakes without pumping the brake pedal, shift to neutral, steer the vehicle to a safe location and switch the engine OFF after the vehicle has completely stopped. For further information, contact any authorised Ford dealer or Ford's customer relationship centre on 1800 503 672.
Defect
There may be inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the cruise control cable, which could allow the engine to be stuck at full power when the accelerator pedal is fully or almost-fully depressed.