When attempting to press down on accelerator, it sticks/hangs and will not press down. Has done this repeatedly; most noticeably when the weather is cold. *tr
2006 Ford Escape cruise control problems
moderate 86 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
86
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
3fires
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 86 cruise control complaints filed for the 2006 Ford Escape, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 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 86 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
The 2006 Escape has a dominant, well-documented problem: the accelerator pedal sticks. It gets stuck in the closed position—locked up, won't depress—particularly in cold weather below 40–50°F, though it happens year-round too. When stuck, you can stomp on the pedal with your full weight and get nothing. Once it breaks free (after pumping 15–20 times, by some accounts), it can surge forward dangerously. Other owners report the pedal sticking wide-open, pinning the throttle at 75–85 mph on the highway with brakes smoking and vehicles needing neutral and the emergency brake to stop.
Engine stalling without warning also shows up repeatedly: vehicle dies when you shift into gear at a stop, or on the freeway while climbing hills. Multiple owners describe the electronic throttle warning light coming on before stall. Brake system failures appear in the data too—pedal goes stiff, ABS light comes on, and the vehicle won't decelerate; in one case, a dealer quoted $4,500+ to replace the hydraulic control unit and master cylinder.
Two owners report vehicle fires in the engine compartment, one traced to a faulty ABS module by Ford. Dealers replaced throttle bodies and actuators repeatedly in numerous cases, costing $400–$900 per job, but the problems return months or years later. Ford issued TSB 05-8-5 but no recall for the 2006, and routinely denies warranty coverage and assistance once the vehicle passes mileage limits.
Same Ford Escape cruise control reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009
Failure modes owners describe
Accelerator Pedal Sticking – Closed/No-Throttle Position
Accelerator pedal locks in the up/closed position and will not depress, preventing engine acceleration. Vehicle becomes unresponsive to pedal input. Owners must pump or stomp the pedal repeatedly to free it, often producing unpredictable surges of acceleration.
When: Predominantly in cold weather below 40–50°F; also occurs sporadically during warm conditions and after extended parking. Can happen at startup or after hours of driving.
Symptoms owners cite: Pedal locked in resting position, will not move downward; Requires extreme force to depress; owner may stand on pedal without movement; Engine does not respond to pedal pressure; Pedal eventually frees unpredictably after repeated pumping; Sudden surge forward when pedal finally breaks loose, creating dangerous acceleration spikes; Vehicle stalls or loses power in traffic when trying to merge or accelerate onto highways
Codes mentioned: P0122
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body replacement most common dealer fix (cost $400–$900 reported). Cleaning tar-like residue from throttle butterfly assembly provides temporary improvement. Problem often recurs months or years after replacement. Some owners report replacing throttle body multiple times with no permanent fix.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford acknowledges problem in TSB 05-8-5 for hybrid models. No recall issued for 2006 non-hybrid Escape despite widespread complaints spanning 2001–2007 model years. Ford denies coverage under warranty after mileage or time limits and refuses assistance in many cases.
Accelerator Pedal Sticking – Open/Stuck Throttle Position
Accelerator pedal becomes stuck in the depressed or wide-open throttle position, causing unintended rapid acceleration. Vehicle may reach 75–85+ mph without driver input and continue accelerating despite braking.
When: Can occur at any time without warning; most common during initial acceleration from stop or on highways.
Symptoms owners cite: Gas pedal suddenly stuck to floor or locked in depressed position; Vehicle accelerates rapidly to high speed (75–85+ mph) on its own; Pedal will not release despite forceful foot pressure; Engine continues to race even when pedal logically should be released; Brakes must be applied with extreme force and vehicle may require shifting to neutral and engaging emergency brake to stop; Brakes smoke and overheat from prolonged hard braking
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body replacement recommended. Cable and throttle body replaced multiple times by some owners with no permanent resolution.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers often state they cannot verify complaint. Ford refuses to acknowledge pattern despite multiple owner reports. No recall issued.
Engine Stalling – Throttle Body Malfunction
Engine stalls or loses power intermittently while driving at various speeds. Vehicle may stall when shifted into gear with foot on brake, at traffic lights, or during acceleration. Electronic throttle body warning light illuminates before stall.
When: Can occur when vehicle is warmed up, at stop lights, stop signs, in reverse, or during highway driving.
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls without warning during gear changes or at traffic stops; Loss of power on freeway; vehicle cannot accelerate up hills; Electronic throttle body warning light illuminates before stalling; Vehicle restarts but fails again shortly after; Engine stalling continues even after throttle valve replacement; Loud noise from engine followed by severe power loss and inability to exceed 2 mph
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body actuator and throttle valve replacement attempted (cost ~$900 reported). MECS pump replacement per TSB 08-24-5 for hybrid models; not covered under warranty in many cases.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: TSB 08-24-5 issued for hybrid models addressing MECS pump failure. No recall. Dealers often state no code thrown and cannot help. Manufacturer offers no assistance.
Loss of Power / Deceleration While Pedal Depressed
Vehicle loses power or decelerates unexpectedly even though accelerator pedal is depressed. Engine does not respond to pedal input, leaving driver unable to maintain or gain speed.
When: Can occur at any speed; multiple incidents reported over weeks or months.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle decelerates in traffic without driver releasing accelerator; No power response when pressing pedal down; Car stops in road for 5–10 minutes before resuming power; Pedal may remain floored with no engine response; Engine loses power on freeway at 40–65 mph and makes loud noise next startup
Repairs/costs cited: No permanent repair documented in narratives. Dealer diagnosis inconclusive.
Cruise Control Unintended Activation
Cruise control activates on its own in accelerate mode when hands are nowhere near controls. Vehicle accelerates to higher speeds without driver input.
When: Occurs multiple times over 9-month period; most incidents happened when not in heavy traffic.
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control activates by itself in accelerate mode; Hands nowhere near cruise control buttons; Vehicle accelerates to higher speed without driver action
Sudden Acceleration at Startup / High Idle RPM
Vehicle races or lurches forward unexpectedly at engine startup or after being turned off. Engine idles at 4000 rpm or higher and vehicle attempts to move forward despite being in park with brakes applied.
When: At startup; also after vehicle is turned off and restarted during emergency situations.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle lurches forward when restarted in park with brakes on; Engine immediately jumps to 4000 rpm at startup; Vehicle tries to accelerate despite being in park; Happens repeatedly on successive restart attempts
Brake System Failure / ABS Malfunction
Brake pedal becomes stiff or unresponsive, and vehicle does not stop or stops with greatly reduced braking power. ABS warning light and service brake system warning light illuminate. Brakes shift into manual mode.
When: During highway driving or normal operation; one incident caused neck injury from jerking motion of emergency brake.
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal becomes extremely stiff or unresponsive; Yellow ABS warning light and red brake failure warning lights illuminate; Brake system alarm sounds; Vehicle does not decelerate; manual braking required with extreme pedal pressure; Brakes revert to manual mode; Vehicle jerks when emergency brake engaged
Repairs/costs cited: Hydraulic control unit and master cylinder replacement attempted (cost $4500+ reported). Wiring harness replacement completed at owner expense in one case ($100+ diagnostic fee waived initially). Problem not permanently resolved in documented case.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: TSB 05-8-5 released by Ford but no recall issued. No assistance provided to out-of-warranty owners.
Vehicle Fire – Engine Compartment
Engine compartment or front of vehicle catches fire while parked or during operation. Fire develops rapidly from burning smell to white smoke to visible flames consuming engine bay, dashboard, and steering wheel.
When: Can occur after vehicle parked for extended period (18 hours) or while driving with cruise control engaged.
Symptoms owners cite: Burning smell detected first; White smoke pours from engine compartment; Flames spread rapidly to dashboard and interior; Front of vehicle destroyed; Dashboard and steering wheel melt completely
Repairs/costs cited: In one narrative, fire caused by faulty ABS module according to Ford. Dealership collision shop repair took over 1 year; vehicle was eventually 'fixed' but owner lost full warranty year. Repair attempted but vehicle condition never fully restored.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford acknowledged faulty ABS part caused one fire and covered repair after 1-year delay. Ford has issued recalls on earlier model years (2001–2004) for fire-related issues but not on all 2006 models. Offered discounted deal on new truck rather than full repair.
Synthesized from 86 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
I reported the same problem 13 days ago, but have had another acceleration problem again today. Again, vehicle would not decelerate when the gas pedal was released. Instead, car continued pulling at same speed and then began speeding up. I was on an exit ramp when the problem occurred. Luckily, I was able to use the brakes to fight against the pull of the car while maneuvering through traffic to…
The accelerator on my 2006 Ford escape has been sticking on numerous occasions. It feels like it locks in position and I cannot depress it. The first incident happened when I backed out of a parking spot. It worked fine in reverse, but when I switched gears it would not go forward. When I finally got it to work, I traveled about twenty five feet and then it locked up again. You never know when…
Had cruise control trouble with your 2006 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 2006 Ford Escape?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 86 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 75 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 55,000 and 110,000 miles, with the median around 81,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 55,000; a quarter make it past 110,000. 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/2006/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.