2008 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN SHAKING A BIT. THE NEXT DAY WHILE DRIVING, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WENT OUT ENTIRELY. I BROUGHT TO A LOCAL SHOP OF A TRUSTED MECHANIC, WHO STATED IT LOOKED LIKE THE STEERING COLUMN. HE THOUGHT PERHAPS IT JUST NEEDED TO BE RESET, AND SUGGESTED I GO TO THE DEALERSHIP FIRST BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE THE CODES YET FOR THE RESET. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY STATED IT NEEDED A NEW POWER STEERING ACTUATOR AND WOULD COST OVER $1600 IN PARTS AND LABOR. THEY ALSO STATED THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THE PROBLEM BEFORE, DESPITE VARIOUS NEAR-IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS ON THIS, AND OTHER FORUMS ON THE INTERNET. I SINCERELY HOPE THAT THIS GETS INVESTIGATED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED, AS THE DEALERSHIP HAS NO INTEREST IN FIXING IT FOR ANYTHING LESS THAN THEIR $1620. 2008 WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT FORD TESTED THIS ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM ON THE ESCAPE, AND IT CLEARLY STILL HAS FLAWS. *TR

WHILE TRYING TO LEAVE A FAST FOOD DRIVE UP MY POWER STEERING FROZE UP. I HAD TO MANUALLY REAM ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO MAKE ALL CORNERS FROM THE RESTAURANT TO MY CONDO - APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES. I DID NOT HAVE ANY COMPONENT MESSAGES ON THE READ OUT. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER ARRIVED AN HOUR LATER HE WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE SUV FROM THE GARAGE TO HIS FLATBED TOW TRUCK - NO PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS "CHECKED OUT" FOR TWO DAYS. NOTHING WAS FOUND.

THE CAR BEGAN STALLING AND OR JUMPING AS STOP AND PULL WHEN PULLING OFF TO DRIVE. I WAS TOLD TOCHECK FLUID LEVEL THE TRANSMISSION. LEVEL WAS LOW SO I PUT SOME IN IT LASTED ABOUT TWO WEEKS. THEN IT STARTED TO HAPPEN AGAIN. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC HE TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION COOLING SYSTEM WAS CRACKED AND IT WILL COST $900 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION COOLER. FORD ALSO DID THIS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 09B10 TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE MY TRANSMISSION STYLE CRACKED. *TR

MY DAUGHTER WAS GOING THROUGH A MCDONALD'S DRIVE THRU WITH OUR 2008 ESCAPE WHEN SHE HEARD WHAT SHE THOUGHT WAS A EXPLOSION AND GLASS APPEARED EVERYWHERE IN THE VEHICLE. IT SCARED THE HECK OUT OF HER! I REVIEWED OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AND FORD DOESN'T SEEM TO THINK THIS IS A PROBLEM. I AM WONDERING WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IF OUR GRANDDAUGHTER WAS IN HER INFANT SEAT FACING BACKWARDS AS SHE DOES! I FEEL THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT FORD THINKS, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUED. AS IF THAT ISN'T ENOUGH, THE COST OF THIS SIMPLE PIECE OF GLASS IS IN EXCESS OF $600.00 ! ALL BUT $250 OF THAT WAS COVERED BY THAT, HOWEVER TO ME THAT IS $250.00 TOO MUCH TO PAY FOR WHAT APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DESIGN PROBLEM! THE REPAIR COMPANY (SAFELITE GLASS - NATIONAL COMPANY) SAYS JUST IN THE JOLIET IL OFFICE THEY SEE THIS PROBLEM ALMOST DAILY! *TR

I HAVE A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DRIVING CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE AND BE DISABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1100. I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET AND THIS HAS NOT BECOME A RECALL THIS IS A VERY DANGERS PROBLEM ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AND HAVE TO MAKE A QUICK MOVEMENT AND YOUR STEERING WHEEL IS HARD TO HANDLE. MY CAR AS TO SIT FOR MONTHS NOW BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THAT TYPE OF MONEY IN ORDER FOR IT TO GET REPAIRED. AND ALSO MY CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS AND A HALF I WOULD UNDERSTAND IF I BEAT ON IT OR IF IT WAS EXTREMELY OLD BUT ITS NOT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE POWER STEERING CONTINUED TO FAIL INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO BE DISABLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1100. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

A BINDING THROTTLE BODY CAUSES THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO STICK, WHICH RESULTS IN A SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED STALL IN TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HEART. *TR

OWN A FORD ESCAPE 2008 WITH 43,000 MILES AND ORIGINAL CONTINENTAL TIRES. AT MY LAST OIL CHANGE I REQUESTED A TIRE ROTATION AN FOUND OUT THAT ONE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE (FAILURE OF ONE STEEL BAND) AND WAS CAUSING SIGNIFICANT NOISE AND VIBRATION AT 60 MPH AND ABOVE. TIRE THREAD GAGE INDICATED 10/32". IT SEEMS THE TIRE HAS FAILED TO PERFORM WHEN SIGNIFICANT LIFE WAS STILL AVAILABLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE LTD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE THE PEDAL WOULD HESITATE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. SHE HAD TO CONTINUOUSLY ENGAGE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL A COUPLE OF TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START MOVING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER NOR HAS THE VEHICLE BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,000. UPDATED 2/23/11 *CN UPDATED 05/05/11

A/C CONDENSER-TRANSMISSION COOLER LEAK. TRANS. OIL ALL OVER ENGINE BAY WHICH IS A FIRE HAZARD. CAR WANTS TO TAKE OFF ON IT'S OWN WHICH IS CAUSED WHEN TRANS. FLUID GETS LOW. PART NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THERE'S HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON LINE OF THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM AND FORD IS YET TO DO A RECALL. *TR