December 10, 2004
Ford is recalling about 474,000 Escape and Mazda Tribute sport utility vehicles from the 2002-2004 model years. The accelerator cable may prevent the engine from returning to the idle position, which could increase stopping distance and result in a crash.
The vehicles involved in the recall are from the 2002-2004 model years and have 3.0 liter engines.
About 470,000 Escape SUVs are being recalled in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The rest are in Canada and other countries where the models are sold.
No injuries or accidents have been linked to the problem.
Susan of Benld, IL writes (2/24/05):
In your article that was published back in December about the Mazda Tribute recalls on the accelerator cable, it states that no injuries have been associated with this. At the hospital in St Louis where I work, we have 2 patients who were involved in a rollover accident because of the stuck cable. Even though wearing seatbelts, both young girls were ejected, as the vehicle rolled 18 (yes, eighteen) times.
One is now a quadriplegic and the other it appears will be mostly okay after much rehabilitation. The parents received their recall notice in the mail 3-4 days after the tragic accident.
Consequences? Two young lives forever changed and shattered. One, the paraplegic, and secondly the friend who will be okay, knowing she was driving and her friend will never be okay.
