2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID Complaints

THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING AND THE WARNING WAS "REGEN BRAKES DISABLED". I WAS TOLD THIS WAS A DEFECT AND FORD WAS NOT COVERING THE COST OF FIXING, WHICH IS $5,000-7,000. WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW AND IT HAS A BIT OVER 130,000 MILES AND IS IN GREAT SHAPE OTHERWISE. WE CAN'T FIX IT, SELL IT OR DRIVE IT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE ABS, SERVICE BRAKES, AND REGENERATIVE BRAKE DISABLED WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

YELLOW ABS LIGHT AND RED EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. BRAKE PETAL WENT SOFT TO THE POINT WHERE BRAKING WAS DIFFICULT. A FORD SERVICE CENTER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND INDICATED THAT THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT (HCU) NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE PART COSTS $4800 DOLLARS AND THE TOTAL REPAIR IS $5300. THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM FOR THE ESCAPE HYBRID. AND IN MY CASE, RENDERS THE VEHICLE ESSENTIALLY WORTHLESS SINCE THE COST OF THE REPAIR IS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN THE VALUE OF TAHE VEHICLE ITSELF. I'VE BEEN GIVEN NO ALTERNATIVES OR OPTIONS. *TT *CN

THE ABS LIGHT AND "REGEN BRAKE FAILURE" WARNING LIGHTS GO ON AND VEHICLE IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP. *TT *CN

VEHICLE BRAKES FAIL FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THEN EVENTUALLY BEGIN WORKING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NO WARNING IS GIVEN THAT ANYTHING IS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES (I.E. NO BRAKE LIGHT, AND NO "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT). IN ADDITION, THE "ALL OK" LIGHT REMAINS GREEN, INDICATING THAT NOTHING IS WRONG. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING AT ANY SPEED (I.E ABOVE 35 MPH OR BELOW 5 MPH). THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY COMES TO A STOP, BUT ONLY AFTER A LENGTHY DECELERATION DISTANCE.*UPDATED 3-7-17 I WOULD SEE A WARNING THAT SAYS 'REGEN BRAKE FAILURE.' IN SOME CASES, DEPRESSING THE PEDAL WOULD CAUSE THE BRAKES TO LOCK-UP. IN OTHER CASES, THE VEHICLE WOULD SLOW DOWN GRADUALLY, BUT WOULD NEVER STOP EVEN IF THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS FULLY PRESSED. IN THE SECOND SITUATION, I WOULD BYPASS MY INTENDED STOP POINT, OFTEN A TURN. THE SITUATION WOULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING AND LAST UNTIL I TURNED OFF THE CAR. IT SOMETIMES WENT AWAY AFTER RESTARTING, MEANING THE BRAKES WOULD FUNCTION AS EXPECTED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND SAID I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL MODULE AND SEVERAL BRAKE LINES. ESTIMATED COST WAS $6200. I CONTACTED FORD TO INQUIRE ABOUT A RECALL, AND WAS TOLD THAT NONE EXISTS FOR THIS SITUATION.*SMCH

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, A BEEPING NOISE WAS HEARD PRIOR TO THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZING AND THE VEHICLE HIT A CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING) WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE OR CONSENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT OF THE RECALL REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

POWER STEERING ASSIST CUT OUT ON ROUTE 80 AT 65MPH . SMASHED INTO CURB IN REST AREA TRYING TO STOP. REPLACED TIRE

REMEDY RECALL 14S05 -- POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE (PSCM) SOFTWARE UPDATE PERFORMED (AS DIRECTED) DID NOT ADEQUATELY REMEDY THE SAFETY DEFECT (THE TORQUE SENSOR ITSELF) AND MAY IN FACT CAUSE FURTHER ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLES POWER STEERING. FORD CURRENTLY DOES NOT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR REPAIRS UNDER THE SAFETY RECALL. PERHAPS THEY ARE WAITING FOR MORE INJURY /CIVIL LAWSUITS BEFORE ADDRESSING THESE CRITICAL SAFETY CONCERNS. THE NHTSA ALSO PARTLY SHARES THE BLAME FOR THIS ... AFTER ISSUING RECALL 14V-284 (VOQ 10670665), THEY HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THE CONTINUED PSCM ISSUES AND HAVE NEGLECTED TO GRANT A DECISION THAT DIRECTLY ADDRESSES THE STEERING WHEEL TORQUE SENSOR DEFECT. SHAME ON YOU. DATE OF RECALL PERFORMED ON 9/3/2014 AT ODO 116,044. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE OBSERVED AND TAKEN INTO DEALERSHIP ON 1/11/2017 AT ODO 139,151. FORD CUSTOMER CARE DENIED ASSISTANCE IN REPLACING THE TORQUE SENSOR AS NOTED IN RECALL 14S05. I WAS TOLD, "THE RECALL ADDRESSED THE SOFTWARE ISSUE, NOT THE DEFECTIVE PART(S) AND TOO MUCH TIME HAS ELAPSED FOR OUR COMPANY TO HELP YOU PAY FOR THE REPAIR." FORD WOULD RATHER ITS DRIVERS (VEHICLES) OPERATE IN CONDITION THAT IS UNSAFE AND AT AN INCREASED RISK OF CRASH OR INJURY, THAN GO THE EXTRA MILE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY CONCERN IS RESOLVED. SEEING AS OTHER PETITIONERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND THIS IS AN OPEN AND ONGOING INVESTIGATION, MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS WOULD APPRECIATE AN EXPEDITED RESPONSE FROM THE NHTSA TO RECONCILE AND RE-MEDIATE THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU. *TR

STEERING TORQUE SENSOR WENT OUT, OVER $700 IN REPAIRS, RECALL 14S05 IN EFFECT FOR THIS MODEL YEAR ON THIS PART, BUT SOMEHOW OUR VIN NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN RECALL AND WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR. STEERING SHAKING, VIBRATING, STIFF. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULTY MESSAGE SUDDENLY DISPLAYED. ALSO, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER A RECALL FOR THE SAME FAILURE IN NOVEMBER OF 2014. THE RECALL INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,000.