I was driving up to a stop light so I removed my foot from the gas and to the brake, before I could get to the red light it changed to green, I went to press on the gas and the pedal was stuck. It would not go down nothing. I coasted to the side of the busy highway kept trying to press it and it wouldn't go down. After about 5 mins of just sitting there I tried it again and it went down without a…
2005 Ford Escape cruise control problems
moderate 120 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
120
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
5crashes
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 120 cruise control complaints filed for the 2005 Ford Escape, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 150,000+ mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 120 cruise control complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 13 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of the 2005 Ford Escape describe recurring throttle problems that fall into two main categories: the pedal sticks up and won't move (most common), or it sticks down causing uncontrolled acceleration. The stuck-up condition is triggered by cold weather, typically in the first 15–20 minutes after starting, leaving drivers unable to accelerate and sometimes coasting through intersections while traffic approaches. One owner coasted into an intersection at a stop sign with cars coming both ways; another had to wait 30 minutes for the pedal to free up before pulling onto a main road.
The problem originates in the throttle cable or throttle body, which mechanics temporarily free using WD-40, but the fix lasts only days to weeks before sticking recurs. Several owners paid $300–$1,000 for throttle cable or throttle body replacement, only to have the issue return months or years later. Dealers often claim they cannot reproduce the problem once the vehicle has warmed up, leaving owners unable to get warranty help.
Ford issued a recall (04V574000) for this identical fault in 2001–2004 model-year Escapes but excluded the 2005 model year, despite multiple owners noting their 2005 was manufactured in 2004 and experiencing the same failure. Ford's customer satisfaction program for throttle repair currently covers only 2009–2012 model years. Owners report being told by Ford that their VIN does not qualify for recall coverage and that the company does not consider it a safety issue worthy of recall. One owner's cruise control also engaged unexpectedly or failed to disengage when braking, requiring a switch replacement.
Same Ford Escape cruise control reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2007 · 2008
Failure modes owners describe
Accelerator pedal sticks in up position (frozen/jammed)
Gas pedal becomes stuck and will not depress, often requiring excessive force or multiple attempts to free it. Owners report it feels like there is a brick under the pedal. Typically worse in cold weather and often during initial startup or warmup.
When: Cold weather, winter months, first 5-20 minutes after starting vehicle; some cases year-round intermittently
Symptoms owners cite: Pedal completely stuck and will not move despite hard pushing; Requires repeated forceful pumping to depress; Vehicle unable to accelerate or coasts to a stop; Intermittent sticking that recurs multiple times per drive; Problem worse during cold weather startup
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle cable cleaning with WD-40 (temporary fix); throttle cable replacement (~$300); throttle body replacement or cleaning; in some cases WD-40 application freed pedal temporarily but problem recurred within days; dealers unable to reproduce problem when vehicle is warm
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford recall 04V574000 issued for 2001-2004 model years; 2005 model year excluded from recall despite identical issue; some owners noted Ford stated recall not applicable to their VIN; Ford customer satisfaction program for throttle body replacement currently limited to 2009-2012 model years
Accelerator pedal sticks down (uncontrolled acceleration)
Gas pedal becomes stuck in depressed position, causing uncontrolled acceleration. Vehicle continues to accelerate even after driver removes foot from pedal. Some cases involve pedal snapping forward suddenly or remaining stuck despite braking efforts.
When: Intermittent occurrences; cold weather noted as trigger in some cases; can occur while driving at various speeds or while parked
Symptoms owners cite: Pedal stuck in down position causing rapid uncontrolled acceleration; Vehicle accelerates despite foot removed from accelerator; Brake application insufficient to stop vehicle acceleration; Pedal snaps forward suddenly without driver input; Vehicle revs to high RPM on its own
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body replacement; throttle cable repairs; some cases involved ~$2000 in collision repairs after loss of vehicle control; one owner paid $1000 after dealer split cost
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 04V574000 for 2001-2004 models; 2005 excluded; Ford declined warranty coverage on out-of-warranty vehicles citing warranty expiration; some owners noted Ford stated no recall applies to their VIN
Cruise control malfunction (unintended acceleration or failure to disengage)
Cruise control engages unexpectedly without driver activation or fails to disengage when brake is applied. In some cases, cruise control appears to self-activate; in others, it engages from a light touch on the switch.
When: Intermittent; one case noted issue after towing trailer; another case during uphill driving on hilly terrain
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control engages without depressing button; Engine accelerates when using cruise control; Cruise control can engage with light thumb slide across switch; Cruise control fails to disengage when brake applied; Unexpected acceleration while cruise control active; Cruise control drops out without reason
Repairs/costs cited: Cruise control switch replacement ($69.34 parts + $133.58 labor = $202.92); throttle body cleaning
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Service manager stated defect had not been recalled yet but promised reimbursement if future recall issued; Ford indicated no recall yet in effect
Throttle cable binding or snapping
Throttle cable binds or becomes stuck at connection points. In at least one case, throttle cable snapped completely behind the accelerator pedal inside the cabin. Binding occurs at throttle body connection point and pedal bracket assembly.
When: Intermittent and recurring; worst in cold weather; can occur after previous repairs
Symptoms owners cite: Hard to press gas pedal; Pedal will not move or moves with difficulty; Cable appears to be fraying on shield; Recurring sticking after previous throttle cable replacement; Multiple sticking episodes per drive
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle cable replacement (one case ~$300 for part and labor); cable cleaning with WD-40; some cases required cleaning at throttle body connection point and pedal bracket assembly; in one case cable snapped and required replacement at considerable expense
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers initially unable to diagnose problem when vehicle warm; some recommend WD-40 application as temporary measure
Engine shuts off while driving (related to throttle/cruise control system)
Engine suddenly shuts off during operation with theft light flashing. Related to possible ignition key communication interference. Condition known to Ford but appears separate from pure throttle/pedal sticking though still safety-critical.
When: Can occur multiple times in a single long drive; one case: 4 times in 300 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine dies unexpectedly while driving; Theft indicator light flashes; Error code generated; Loss of braking and steering control when engine stops; Vehicle becomes uncontrollable
Codes mentioned: Error code (specific code not provided in narrative)
Repairs/costs cited: Error code cleared by technician; one case no repeat after code clearing; condition related to possible spark plug interference with ignition key chip communication
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford acknowledged condition is known; attributed to possible spark plug causing interference with key chip communication
Accelerator pedal positioned too low with insufficient travel
Pedal positioned so low in its housing that there is insufficient travel to press down and accelerate. Pedal hardware has indented the plastic steering column housing.
When: Noted at time of dealership visit
Symptoms owners cite: Unable to push accelerator pedal down even when pressing fully; Insufficient pedal travel for acceleration input; Pedal sitting abnormally low; Indentation visible in steering column plastic housing
Repairs/costs cited: No repair performed by dealer; dealer noted visible symptom of low pedal position but no correction made
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: None documented; dealer inspection only
Synthesized from 120 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2005 Ford Escape?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2005 Ford Escape?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 120 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $600 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 96 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 50,000 and 115,000 miles, with the median around 88,500. A quarter of owners report trouble before 50,000; a quarter make it past 115,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2005/Ford/Escape.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.