Three problems related to cruise control have been reported for the 2008 Ford Escape. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2008 Ford Escape based on all problems reported for the 2008 Escape.
I had my cruise control on and had used the coast button to slow down when approaching a car in front of me, I proceed to accelerate when the gas peddle continued to go down and speed increase. I pressed the off button on cruise control and it would not turn off. With both feet on the brake the vehicle continued forward. As I left the road way I tried turning vehicle off but it kept running at about 40 miles per hour I tried putting it in neutral and the vehicle continued forward at which time I put the vehicle in park. The engine stopped. After 30 seconds I started the vehicle and the engine roared, so I shut it off. In the process of calling for assistant, less than a minute, I heard a sound of something being release and the gas pedal hit my foot. I started the vehicle and the engine/speed was normal. Frick Ford dealership says only an acceleration code showing and there is nothing wrong with the vehicle. They said it probably is the floor mat and I should remove them. They only worried about warranty and recall issue and did not advise any service work I would pay for or did the even recommend this.
I was passing another vehicle - starting speed 40 mph - when the Escape went into passing gear the gas pedal stuck to the floor. I kicked at the pedal and the brake pedal trying to get the cruise control to release the pedal. I did not have the cruise control operating at the time as I had just went through a 45 mph zone. I got my foot under the edge of the pedal and pulled it up. The car was up to 90 mph on a two lane highway at 10:30 p. M coming into a curve. I have contacted Ford motor company and they told me that there are no recalls for the 2008 Escape, but I know there are recalls for other years for this same problem. The Ford dealer repair shop could not make the pedal stick and told me there is nothing wrong with the car. I want to make Ford and your agency aware that the 2008 Escape has the same pedal sticking problem as the older models.
I had been traveling in a construction zone so I had my cruise control set somewhere near 35 or 40mph. The construction zone cleared up and I returned to normal speed but left the cruise control on. I accelerated on my own to about 70mph. A minute later the gas pedal left my foot and went to the floor accelerating the vehicle. Once at about 80mph the pedal let go and slapped the bottom of my foot (which was still in the position it was in at doing 70mph. The gas pedal (on it's own) moved to the floor and slapped my foot about 6 times before I turned off the cruise control. And again, the cruise control speed was set at about 40mph.