Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Ford Escape owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I started to hear a grinding and cracking and popping sound I checked the vehicle and the front left ball joint is bad there is an obvious crack in the joint that is easily visible when inspecting the area of the front left wheel and it's components
Intended to park car in front of garage. Vehicle suddenly sped up uncontrollably,driver applied bakes and turned sharply yet the vehicle hit the garage structure causing damage to the vehicle and the house.
Driving to work which is about 2 miles from where I am located at. My car suddenly loses power, the radio is still working, A/C is still working as well as the engine but I was not getting no acceleration at all and to top it all off, my steering wheel locked on me and 3 lights on the dashboard illuminated: wrench light, oil and engine light. I got the engine light fixed the other week as well as an oil change several weeks back and the wrench was the first for me. I done some research and I see that I am not the only customer with a Ford Escape with this problem. I called different mechanics, some say its the alternator or it could be the throttle body, but either way I am screwed because Ford charges an arm and a leg to fix the problem, but does not refund you if the problem continues to persist. I called my local Ford dealership in ft. …
Ford esacape throttle body I own a 2009 Ford Escape and was issued a recall for throttle body. I took my car to dealership and they replaced under warranty. 10 months later my car has the same problem with throttle body. It slows down to a crawl at a moments notice. I am a cath lab tech for a local hospital and was called in the middle of the night. While driving to hospital my wrench and engine light went on suddenly and my car slowed down to a crawl. I kept my foot on gas because I have to get to hospital. I am on a heart team and it is critical. Thankfully it was midnight because there were no other cars on the road. But it could have happened during the day with my kids in the car. I felt confident that my car was repaired with recall but now 10 months later it happens again. Called dealership and Ford service and was told they will not warranty. …
In May 2015,I purchased my 2009 Ford xscape four-cylinder hybrid from a Ford dealer. The car has been driven by an older woman and mostly kept in a garage so the mileage was low at about 45,000 miles. At approximately October 2018, at 70,000 miles I entered the freeway and when I accelerate the wrench light went on and I could not accelerate . This happened a few more times randomly under completely different circumstances but mostly when I needed extra power. I would pull over and turn off the ignition, turn it back on and the wrench light would be off. I took it to the dealer and they could not determine via computer what the issue was. Could not find a code for the problem. They could not replicate the problem.they said it might've been bad gasoline. Have not had the wrench light or 'limping home' issue sincejuly 2019 with vehicle currently at 79,000 miles. …
My 2009 Ford Escape has difficulty getting enough momentum to accelerate on the highway, this is a daily struggle. Yesterday I was trying to pass an 18-wheeler as it was drifting into my lane; as I eagerly pressed on the gas my car jumped and continued to coast at the same speed. Earlier this month, I had to decelerate from 40 MPH to a fairly abrupt stop and my car was unable to. I just had my brake pads replaced so I knew that wasn't the problem, my car jolted a total of 7 times before coming to a complete stop. I almost crashed into the car in front of me. Every time I drive my car it sounds like its going to fall apart, the rattling coming from the suspension is constant. I get my Ford Escape checked up every month, because of all the problems I have. This car is a hazard to my safety, and I do not feel comfortable driving in this rolling plastic death trap. …
I was driving home on a 6 lane highway yesterday after work. Posted speed limit 65 MPH. My cruise control was set at 65, I was in a center lane when my vehicle made a loud clunk and the cruise control cut off and I started losing power to the car.the engine was on but pushing the gas pedal did nothing. I was trying to get out of traffic to the side of the highway with cars speeding and swerving all around me. I was petrified. I called the dealer and the car was taken for service today. They told me it was the throttle body and motor and it was on an extended warranty so I did not have to pay for it. The receipt clearly states this is recall notice 13n03. I have now read about this online and you guys are letting Ford call this a "customer service satisfaction program". Well, you should know that someone is going to be killed. …
My vehicle stalled and came to a complete stop from normal driving speeds. It continued to drive at about 5mph and then the little green wrench light came on the instrument panel. When turned off and re-started, the car ran fine for the trip home. This problem continues to occur; sometimes it won't happen for a week or so, sometimes it happens multiple times a day. I believe it to be an issue with the throttle body but the Ford dealership will not replace it under consumer satisfaction program 13n03 because the computer reads no error code. They, instead, suggest it might be an issue with the transmission... But these are not typical 'symptoms' for a transmission issue and several other owners have reported this exact problem when a faulty throttle body is present. …
On July 9, 2019 I was exiting the expressway and my vehicle began stalling at which time the odometer went down from 50 down to 0 immediately causing me to pull over to the side. Thank god I was already in the processing of exiting. No warning lights on the dashboard at all. I turned the car off, and then turned it back on. I took my car to Firestone who was unable to perform a diagnostic at the time, and suggested that I bring it back. This is very dangerous and of great concern. This vehicle has only 42,460 miles or so on it, and I don't feel that I should be encountering this problem. I have had it since 2010 and at the time purchased at 18,000 miles or so. I drive my vehicle locally only. I have read that this a problem with Ford escapes, and I believe that this issue should be listed as a recall. Please help!
While coming to a stop at a major intersection with a car in front of me, my 2009 Ford Escape suddenly accelerated and would not stop, despite my frantic efforts to brake the car; I swerved to my right, went through 6 inches of snow on grass curb and then went up a 5 ft. Ice bank, where my wheels jammed in the ice and I stopped, sitting at nearly a 45 degree angle, 5 ft. Above the road. My front bumper was mangled in the ice bank and my passenger-side mirror was broken off by a stop sign. If not for the snow bank, I would have continued into the very busy intersection, where I and other drivers would have undoubtedly been injured or killed. I want to emphasize that despite hitting the brake, the car with unintended acceleration problem, did not stop, it kept going until hitting the snow-ice bank.
Acceleration complaints in other Escape years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2009 Ford Escape?
NHTSA has 279 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2009 Ford Escape, 16% of the model year's 1,693 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Ford Escape acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2009 Ford Escape, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2009 Ford Escape acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 68,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.