2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V526000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE POWER STEERING FAILED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO SEIZE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIANSMADE UNKNOWN REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM DID NOT RECUR UNTIL RECENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

REFER TO TSB-08-24-5 AND RECALL 14S19. ESCAPE HYBRID EXPERIENCED THE EXACT FAILURE DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE WHILE PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 70 MPH. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND A RED TRIANGLE APPEARED. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THE NEXT DAY AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE BY AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER WHO NOTED THE TSB NUMBER ON THE REPAIR INVOICE. THIS VIN NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM FORD'S LIST AS A COVERED VEHICLE. FORD REPRESENTATIVES DENIED ANY INTEREST IN REFUNDING THE REPAIRS COSTS EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE GROUP AND FAILURE WAS EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. NTSB NEEDS TO EXPAND THIS RECALL TO ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS FAILURE EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT ON FORD'S LIST. *TR

WHEN BRAKING THE VEHICLE LOSES REGENERATIVE BRAKING AND REVERTS TO FAIL SAFE MODE. MOST NOTABLY THIS OCCURS WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN/LIGHT. BRAKES APPEAR TO FUNCTION NORMALLY, HOWEVER AT THE END OF A BRAKING CYCLE THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER TO THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE STABILITY CONTROL DASH LIGHT QUICKLY FLASHES ON AND THEN OFF. ALSO, THE GAUGE THAT SHOWS POWER BEING TRANSFERRED TO THE BATTERY STOPS CHARGING THE BATTERY AND RETURNS TO THE NORMAL POSITION POINTING STRAIGHT UP. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVABLE AFTER THIS OCCURRENCE AND NO WARNING LIGHTS OR AFTER EFFECTS ARE KNOWN. IT MAY HAPPEN AT ONE STOP LIGHT AND NOT THE NEXT. IT IS AN INTERMITTENT ISSUE. SOMETIMES IT MAY DO THIS 2 OR 3 TIMES WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC FOR 30 MINUTES OR IT MAY NOT HAPPEN AT ALL. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS ISSUE IS DUE TO A FAULTY HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT. THIS IS A COMPONENT FAILURE DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN, NOT DUE TO DRIVER-INDUCED DAMAGE OR WEAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT A KNOCKING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AS THE POWER STEERING SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS AFFECTED BY RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE SECOND DAY AFTER THE SOFTWARE WAS REPROGRAMMED THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,540.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

CAR STEERING JUST STOPPED WORKING AND CAR BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. ALMOST HAD ACCIDENT. TOOK IT TO FORD DEALER SHIP AND THEY WILL CHARGE OVER $900.00 TO REPAIR AND TAKE 2 DAYS. STEERING COLUMN MUST BE REPLACED ACCORDING TO FORD DEALER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING AND EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL FUNCTION BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD ONLY UPDATE THE SOFTWARE AND COULD NOT REPLACE THE PSCM. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND THEY STATED THAT THE PSCM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PART COULD NOT BE REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, I ACCELERATED AND AT ABOUT 40MPH A RED TRIANGLE WITH AN EXCLAMATION POINT IN THE MIDDLE SHOWED UP ON MY DASHBOARD AND MY ENGINE SHUT OFF. VERY SCARY! I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE AND IT SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM. I HAD TO DEAL WITH THE TRIANGLE OF DEATH A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND NOW THIS. I WILL BE TAKING IT TO THE DEALER TODAY! IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE! FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THIS ITEM! IT IS VERY DANGEROUS! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STOP SAFELY NOW WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V526000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.