WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service official at the center of the storm over the agency’s targeting of conservative groups told Congress on Wednesday that she had done nothing wrong in the episode, and thenDETROIT – Federal safety regulators have started looking into throttle problems with older-model Ford Escape SUVs.
The North Carolina Consumers Council has asked for an investigation into two complaints that the SUVs stalled or surged.
The request affects 1.6 million Escapes from the 2005 to 2012 model years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it has two complaints from drivers who experienced repeated stalling or surging. No crashes or injuries have been reported.
The council said in its petition that Ford has sent a number of service bulletins to dealers about hesitation and stalling.
The Escapes have not been recalled. The federal agency said it will decide whether it should start a formal investigation.
