2008 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

08 ESCAPE 4DSW AWD WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH, WAS PULLING OUT OF DRIVE WHEN HIT BY A RAM 350 ACROSS THE FRONT END FROM BEHIND LEFT FRONT TIRE CAUSING TOTAL LOSS AND MINOR INJURY TO PASSENGER OF CHEST AND KNEES. THE CAR HAS 6 LOCATIONS OF AIRBAGS AND NONE OF THEM DEPLOYED. *TR

I OWN A 2008 ESCAPE WITH THE EPS SYSTEM. I LOVE THE VEHICLE IN GENERAL, BUT OVER THE PAST YEAR I HAVE HAD 3 INCIDENTS WHERE THE POWER STEERING FAILS COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING, RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNSTEERABLE. IN ALL THREE EPISODES, I HAD TO STOP THE VEHICLE (ON THE ROADWAY), SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, THEN RESTART IT, AND THE POWER STEERING AGAIN FUNCTIONED. I DID CONTACT MY LOCAL DEALER WHO SEARCHED THE FORD SERVICE BULLETINS, AND FOUND NOTHING, HOWEVER, HAD SERVICED A FEW VEHICLES HAVING THE EXACT SAME INTERMITTENT-TYPE PROBLEM, BY REPLACING THE STEERING COLUMN. (THEY SAID THIS WOULD COST ME $972.77) . I ALSO RESEARCHED THE ISSUE WITH THE NHTSA AND FOUND MANY OWNERS OF FORD VEHICLES WITH THE EPS SYSTEM HAVING EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM. SINCE THIS IS (OBVIOUSLY) A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN, IT SURPRISES ME THAT FORD HAS NOT YET ADDRESSED THE ISSUE VIA A RECALL OR AT THE VERY LEAST A SERVICE BULLETIN. I DO NOT WANT TO TRADE IN OR SELL THIS VEHICLE, BUT I CURRENTLY DO NOT FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT ITS SAFETY RELIABILITY. ANY INFORMATION THAT CAN BE PROVIDED REGARDING THIS SIGNIFICANT ISSUE WOULD BE HELPFUL. *TR

I TOOK MY 2008 ESCAPE LIMITED IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS TOLD TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING. I THEN NOTICED THE CAR WAS HESITATING BETWEEN SWITCHING GEARS. I TOOK IT TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP THAT NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS BEING PUSHED OUT. WHEN THEY CALLED FORD THEY WERE TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY BECAUSE I'VE HAD THE CAR 3.5 YEARS EVENTHOUGH THERE ARE ONLY 14,065 MILES ON THE CAR. NOW I'M READING ABOUT A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM ONLINE BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED. HOPEFULLY THIS MEANS I WON'T HAVE TO PAY THOUGH BEING WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS IS EXTREMELY AGGRAVATING. *TR

I HAVE A 2008 FORD ESCAPE AND IT SEEMS THERE IS A PART IN WHICH THE CARS TRANSMISSION COULD BE RUINED. THIS PART IS THE A/C CONDENSER WHICH TENDS TO GO OUT EVERY 20,000 MILES WHICH IS MY EXPERIENCE SO FAR. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PART BUT IT SEEMS IT DID NOT DO ANY GOOD BECAUSE EVEN AFTER THE REPLACEMENT PART IS PUT IN, THE PART STILL HAS TO CONTINUE TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO KEEP THE CAR FUNCTIONING AS IT SHOULD BE. *TR

AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE DEVELOPED THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS: BOTH THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS IN THE DASH INSTRUMENT DISPLAY COME ON A FEW MINUTES AFTER STARTING OUT ON A JOURNEY AND STAY ON UNTIL THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. FROM A FEW INSTANCES OF QUICK STOPS, IT IS APPARENT THAT THE ABS SYSTEM IS NOT OPERATIVE. THIS IS A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I DID NOT NOTICE ANY EFFECT ON DRIVEABILITY AS A RESULT OF THE TRACTION LIGHT BEING ILLUMINATED. UPON INVESTIGATION ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THESE LIGHTS BEING LIT WAS A FAILURE OF A "ABS TONE RING"; SURE ENOUGH WHEN I JACKED UP THE CAR AND LOOKED CAREFULLY AT THESE TOOTHED RINGS JUST INSIDE THE WHEEL BEARING/STEERING KNUCKLE HOUSING, I FOUND THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE RING WAS BROKEN WITH ABOUT A 1/16 TO 3/32" GAP. THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THIS FAILURE IS REPORTED TO BE CORROSION OF THE STEEL HUB THAT THE RING IS PRESSED ONTO. THE CORROSION CAUSES THE RING TO BE STRESSED BY THE EXPANSION OF THE AREA UNDER THE RING AS THE IRON TURNS TO RUST, PROBABLY ENHANCED BY THE COPIOUS AMOUNT OF ROAD SALT USED IN PA IN THE WINTER FOR ICE AND SNOW MELTING. REPORTED COSTS TO REPAIR THIS POORLY DESIGNED ENGINEERING FIASCO ARE IN THE $500-700 RANGE AT A DEALERS SHOP AND IRONICALLY THE RING ITSELF IS AVAILABLE FOR ABOUT $7-15. *TR

LAST YEAR FORD HAD A RECALL ON 2008 FORD ESCAPES, WHICH I WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT. THE ISSUE OF THE RECALL WAS THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING THROUGH THE AC SYSTEM (COOLER). THIS MAKES THE DRIVE VERY HARD, AND WHEN ONE IS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT THE VEHICLE HESITATES TO GO, THEN JERKS BACK AND FORWARD WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED, I WAS ALWAYS SCARED SOMEONE WOULD HIT ME FROM BEHIND, AND CAUSE A CRASH, I BELIEVE THIS MAY LEAD TO CRASHES. APPARENTLY THE VEHICLES START DOING THIS WHEN IT IS OVER 40,000 MILES DRIVEN, AND I AM CURRENTLY RIGHT AROUND THAT RANGE, AND MY ISSUE STARTED ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND AM TOLD I AM NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE MY VEHICLE DID NOT QUALIFY; HOWEVER, I AM HAVING THE VERY ISSUE THAT THE FORD 2008 ESCAPE WAS RECALLED FOR LAST YEAR, SO IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THERE ARE MORE VEHICLES WHO WILL DEMONSTRATE THIS ISSUE, AND FORD HAS MISSED SOME VEHICLES AND SHOULD EXTEND THAT RECALL TO COVER THE NEW VEHICLES THAT ARE ALSO DEMONSTRATING THIS VERY ISSUE, BECAUSE THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM IF THAT FLUID RUNS OUT THE VEHICLES MAY STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD CAUSE A NUMBER OF CRASHES, AS WELL AS THE JERKING MOTIONS WHEN THE VEHICLE HESITATES TO MOVE WHEN AT THE STOPPED POSITION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER MOVING THE VEHICLE FROM THE DRIVEWAY, HE NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF FLUID ON THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE TRANSMISSION COOLANT LINE HAD FRACTURED CAUSING THE LEAK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HIM THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON HIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 28,700. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

MY THROTTLE BODY IS STICKING EVERY MORNING. I HAVE BEEN STUCK IN TRAFFIC ON I-5 IN TACOMA AND HAD TO USE ALL MY STRENGTH TO DEPRESS THE THROTTLE WHICH LURCHED MY DAUGHTER AND I INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND NEARLY CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT. IT HAS CAUSED MY CHILDREN TO BE LATE FOR SCHOOL, MYSELF LATE FOR WORK AND ALOT OF STRESS AND FUEL. I HAVE TO KEEP THE THROTTLE DEPRESSED WHILE STOPPING AND HAVE TO USE MY RIGHT FOOT FOR THE BREAK. I DRIVE AN AUTOMATIC. THE DEALERSHIP KNOWS THAT THE 2008 FORD ESCAPES ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND ARE DOING NOTHING TO HELP RESOLVE THE ISSUES. WHEN I CALL TO ASK ABOUT THE ISSUE I GET TREATED VERY POORLY. I AM ONE OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND FORD NEEDS TO ADDRESS IT. *TR

MY ISSUE BEGAN THE SAME AS MANY OTHERS I HAVE READ ABOUT ON THE INTERNET, WHICH SCREAMS, "WHERE IS THE '08 FORD ESCAPE TRANSMISSION COOLER RECALL?". I HAD A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE & TIRE BALANCING ON FRI, 04/01/11 AT MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP & BY THE FOLLOWING THURS, HAD NOTICED A SOMEWHAT LARGE LEAKING-SPOT ON MY GARAGE FLOOR & A FRIENDS ASPHALT DRIVEWAY. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS TO AUTOMATICALLY RELATE THIS DARK OIL-LIKE RESIDUE, TO THE RECENT OIL CHANGE. AT THE SAME TIME, THIS LEAK/SPOT SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM JUST BEHIND THE FRONT BUMPER ON THE PASSENGER-SIDE, WHICH DIDN'T JIVE WITH THE TYPICAL LOCATION OF A MORE CENTERED OIL-LEAK. NONETHELESS, MY FORD ADVISOR ASSUMED THE SAME THING I WAS; THAT THE PLUG OR FILTER WAS PROBABLY LOOSE & TO BRING IT IN FOR IMMEDIATE CORRECTION. HERE'S WHERE THE SHOCK & UTTER DISBELIEF BEGAN. I WAS TOLD MY ISSUE WAS NOT RELATED TO THE RECENT OIL CHANGE, BUT IN FACT A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK FROM A TRANSMISSION COOLER. I WAS ALSO TOLD THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE 36K WARRANTY, SINCE I WAS NOW AT 37,099; NOR WAS IT UNDER THE TRANSMISSION WARRANTY. I WAS THEN TAKEN BACK TO MY CAR WHERE THE TECH EXPLAINED THAT THIS "COOLER" LOOKS LIKE A REALLY THIN RADIATOR, BUT IS ACTUALLY A SEPARATE COOLING UNIT THAT SITS JUST IN FRONT OF THE RADIATOR. I WAS THEN TOLD THE LEAK IS A RESULT OF THE CONSTANT VIBRATION OF THIS UNIT HITTING THE RADIATOR, WHICH EVENTUALLY CRACKS THE LEFT (PASSENGER-SIDE) BOLT AREA. HE ALSO SAID THIS IS A COMMON REPAIR & THAT IT ONLY HAPPENS AROUND THE LEFT BOLT, NOT THE RIGHT. I THEN ASKED HOW IT WASN'T GOING TO REOCCUR IF IT'S A KNOWN DEFECT. HE REPLIED THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT IT & HAS NOW INCLUDED A SMALL RUBBER BUSHING THAT COMES WITH THE NEW REPLACEMENT UNIT THAT SOMEHOW ABSORBS AND/OR PREVENTS THE VIBRATION. I WAS INITIALLY TOLD THIS WAS A $650 + REPAIR, BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD, THE ADVISOR WAS ABLE TO GET FORD TO APPROVE MY COST AT $200. IT WASN'T $0, BUT BETTER THAN OTHERS; SO, "HOW IS THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT, NOT A RECALL?". *TR

MY DAUGHTER (WHO DRIVES THE VAN) COMPLAINED FOR 6 MONTHS THAT HER ABS ON HER BRAKES WAS CAUSING THE BRAKES TO LET GO THEN GRAB EVEN AT VERY LOW SPEEDS. I TOOK THE ESCAPE TO THE DEALER FOR ADDITIONAL TIRE PROBLEMS PLUS AN ALIGNMENT, SINCE THE TIRES HAD CUPPED, AND WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. AFTER CONTINUED PROBLEMS I HAD NEW BREAKS INSTALLED AT AN EXPRESS BRAKES PLACE IN SOUTH PART OF KANSAS CITY, KS. THEY ALSO INSPECTED THE ABS AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED WITH ADDITIONAL LOUD SQUEALING. FINALLY I TOOK IT TO BOB ALLEN FORD IN OVERLAND PARK, KS. WHERE THEY CHARGED ME $652.17 FOR REPLACING THE BROKEN RF TONE RING(S), UNFROZE THE FRONT END ALIGNMENT BARS (OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT) THEN PUT ANOTHER SET OF BRAKE PADS ON, TURNED THE ROTORS THEN DID ANOTHER ALIGNMENT. THEY SAID THAT THE EXPRESS BRAKE PLACE HAD FAILED TO TURN THE ROTORS THAT THE BRAND-NEW BRAKES WERE EATEN UP. THE ESCAPE HAS 53K MILES ON IT BUT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM FOR OVER A YEAR. IN ADDITION, I WAS FORCED TO PUT NEW TIRES ON PRIOR TO ALL OF THIS BECAUSE TWO OF THE FACTORY TIRES HAD CUPPED AND ALL OF THEM HAD TURNED TO (SOMETHING LIKE) PLASTIC CAUSING THEM TO SKID AND SLIDE ON TAKE OFF AND ON STOPPING, CREATING A VERY DANGEROUS POTENTIAL FOR MY DAUGHTER. I KEPT THE OLD TIRES. THE REPLACED TIRES ARE ALMOST NEW WITH LITTLE TREAD WEAR. NOTE: THAT I TRIED TO ALSO ADD A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE TIRES BUT THAT SECTION DEMANDED INFORMATION THAT I COULDN'T PROVIDE THEREFORE IT SIMPLY REFUSED THE ENTIRE COMPLAINT. *TR