2008 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

TRANSMISSION - THE SERVICE WRENCH DASH LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SHIFT BADLY. A QUICK TRIP TO THE FORD SERVICE CENTER INDICATES THAT GEARS 2 & 4 NEED TO BE REPLACED (AT 71,000 MILES). FORD HAS ISSUED A TSB ON THE PROBLEM, AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE POSTS ON THE INTERNET CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. THIS NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED TO A WARRANTY RECALL AS IT DOES EFFECT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED TO THE LEFT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLICKING SOUND WAS ALSO EVIDENT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING KNUCKLE AND THE POWER STEERING MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DALER TO RECEIVE THE RECALL REMEDY; HOWEVER, THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST FAILED TO PRODUCE A FAULT CODE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

HAD THE TRUCK SERVICED RECEIVED A PERFECT REPORT, THEN 2 WEEKS LATER THE STEERING BECAME VERY TIGHT AND HARD TO STEER.TOOK THE TRUCK TO 3 DIFFERENT SHOPS TO LEARN THEY WERE NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE AN ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF STEERING ABILITY AND THE MAINTENANCE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS, THE STEERING MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND SHOOK ABNORMALLY. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST DEFAULT WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THEY PERFORMED A MINOR REPROGRAMMING OF THE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING WITHOUT WARNING. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN WITH CAUTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,000.

I HAD THE RECALL ISSUE FOR THE POWER STEERING ADDRESSED AND WAS TOLD IT ONLY NEEDED A SOFTWARE UPDATE. 5000 MILES LATER THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE CONSTANTLY WHILE PARKED OR MOVING. NOW MY WIFE LOST TOTAL POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. WE CALLED THE DEALER WHO GAVE US THE SOFTWARE UPDATE AND WE WERE TOLD THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THEY CAN DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITHOUT US PAYING FOR IT.

2008 FORD ESCAPE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHILE MAKING TURN INTO TRAFFIC. EXAMINATION REVEALED SIGNIFICANT LEAK OF TRANSMISSION FLUID FROM TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLER RESULTING IN "SLIPPAGE" OF TRANSMISSION. INVESTIGATION OF ISSUE FOUND THAT LEAKAGE WAS A CRACKED TUBE AT RIGHT HAND MOUNTING BRACKET OF TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLER. THIS CONDITION IS COVERED BY FORD CSP 09B10, BUT HAD NOT BEEN BROUGHT IN FOR MITIGATION BY PREVIOUS OWNER. FORD HAS EXPIRED CSP 09B10 AS OF AUGUST 2010, EVEN THOUGH THE CONDITION APPEARS TO BE A CERTAINTY (BASED ON ABUNDANT INTERNET COMMENTARY) RELATIVELY EARLY IN MILEAGE LIFE OF VEHICLE (MY ESCAPE HAS VERY MODERATE MILEAGE). RAPID AND UNEXPECTED CHANGE IN TRANSMISSION PERFORMANCE IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATE RECALL AS OPPOSED TO A "FIX-IT" BULLETIN. FORD HAS INDICATED THAT THEY WILL NOT PROVIDE REMEDIATION OF THIS PROBLEM.

WRENCH LIGHT APPEARS ON LOWER LEFT DASH. CAR HAS A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING INTO GEAR. SLOW TO ENGAGE, THOUGH HIGH RPM. HAPPENS WHILE IN MOTION. OR TAKING OFF FROM A STOP.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.