The Center for Auto Safety (CARS) is calling for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to open a formal investigation into 2002-2004 Ford Escapes for a potential issue related to recall repairs completed some time ago, according to The New York Times.
About seven years ago, Escapes were recalled for an issue related to the car's accelerator cable. Now, however, CARS is claiming the fix actually made the problem worse. Owners who brought their Escapes into their dealer's auto maintenance departments may now have a faulty cruise control cable, which could lead to unintended acceleration, the group claims.
The initial recall covered 470,000 vehicles, approximately 320,000 of which were actually brought in for vehicle maintenance. The auto repair authorized by Ford was to keep the accelerator cable out of the way, but in doing so the company may have unknowingly put the cruise control cable at risk. CARS says the issue can be tied to the recent death of a 17-year-old in Arizona, whose family hired a private investigator to look into the engine after the crash.
Ford says it has opened its own investigation into the issue, but thus far the NHTSA has not gotten involved or ordered a recall.