2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID Complaints

MY VEHICLE HAS 75,000 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT IT OCT.9,2015 WITH 72,000 MILES ON IT. IN MAY 2016 THE ENGINE STARTED CUTTING OUT AND THE MESSAGE WOULD READ "SERVICE ENGINE" ALONG WITH A YELLOW WRENCH APPEARING ON THE DASH. I HAD THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A HARNESS. I PAID 1004.00 FOR THE NEW HARNESS AND THEY ALSO INSTALLED A FAN FOR THE HYBRID SYSTEM. THE CAR DID IT AGAIN A FEW DAYS LATER AND I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THEY HAD MADE A MISTAKE AND HAD TO CALL FORD TO GET THE CORRECT CODES TO FIX THE CAR. I WAS TOLD IT WAS DONE AND PICKED IT UP. THE SAME THING HAPPENED LESS THAN 4 DAYS LATER. I HAD THE CAR TOWED AGAIN AND LET THE DEALERSHIP SEND MY CAR HOME WITH A MECHANIC FOR 2 DAYS. I WAS TOLD NOTHING IS WRONG AND PICKED IT UP. I NOW HAVE THE ABS LIGHT COMING ON, THE RED TRIANGLE SAFETY LIGHT COMING ON, THE RED BRAKE LIGHT COMING ON, THE LOW TIRES LIGHT COMING ON (IT STAYS ON) AND THE YELLOW WRENCH LIGHT COMING ON. AT NIGHT WHEN I TURN ON MY RIGHT BLINKER THE HIGH BEAMS COME ON. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG AND NO CODES COME UP ON THEIR MACHINE. WHEN I BRAKE I HAVE TO PUSH VERY HARD AND SOMETIMES THE BRAKES LOCK UP ON ME. I HAVE AVOIDED ACCIDENTS SO FAR BUT I AM CONCERNED AT THIS POINT. I DO NOT WANT TO BE INJURED OR KILLED AND I CERTAINLY DO NOT WANT TO INJURE OR KILL ANYONE IN AN ACCIDENT THAT COULD BE AVOIDED, IF FORD HAD A MECHANIC THAT KNOWS WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE CAR. WHEN I AM DRIVING THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY SHUT OFF IN TRAFFIC AND I HAVE TO STOP, PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTART IT. THIS IS GOOD FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES BEFORE IT ACTS UP AGAIN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SEVERAL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ALSO, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD BE VERY STIFF, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD SKID. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAN WAS CHANGED IN THE HYBRID SYSTEM; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE HIGH MOTOR TEMPERATURE AND STOP VEHICLE SAFELY WARNING LIGHTS DISPLAYED AS THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE MOTOR ELECTRONICS COOLANT PUMP WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED AND THE WRENCH LIGHT ILLUMINATED, WHICH MADE IT EXTREMELY HARD TO MANEUVER THE WHEEL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION AFTER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 09/30/16*LJ

VEHICLE DASH BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC. DEALER ADVISED MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR $2500. IN ADITION, HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT MIGHT ALSO NEED TO BE REPLACED, FOR AN ADDITIONAL $4000, BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT TELL UNTIL THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. AT THIS TIME, THERE ARE NO BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE CAN ONLY BE STOPPED USING THE HAND BRAKE AND IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.

I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE HIGHWAY COMING UP TO AN INTERSECTION, PREPARING TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT IN THE LEFT TURN LANE, WHEN MY BREAKS COMPLETELY FAILED. THE BREAK PEDAL WAS STIFF, AND WOULD NOT BUDGE. WE HIT TWO CARS THAT WERE SITTING AT THE INTERSECTION, TOTALING MY FORD ESCAPE AS WELL AS ONE OF THE OTHER CARS. IN THE PAST, THE "SERVICE BREAKS" LIGHT WOULD GO ON OCCASIONALLY IN THE SUMMER DURING THE HOT MONTHS, GIVING THE CAR SLIGHTLY LESS BREAK PRESSURE. THIS WAS NEVER A SERIOUS PROBLEM, AND HAS ALWAYS CORRECTED ITSELF ANYTIME I TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR A WHILE. IN ADDITION, WHENEVER HAVING THE BREAKS CHECKED, THEY COULD NEVER DETECT A PROBLEM. IN ADDITION, MY CAR HAD ROUTINE INSPECTIONS DONE DURING AN OIL CHANGE A MONTH BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, AND A FULL SERVICE INSPECTION BEFORE THIS. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD, AND THE ACCIDENT WAS OUT OF MY CONTROL. AFTER RESEARCH, I FOUND MANY 2004-2006 HYBRID FORD ESCAPE OWNERS TO HAVE THE EXACT SAME COMPLAINTS AND EXPERIENCES.

MY ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND BRAKES BECAME MANUAL. WHEN I CHECKED ON THE CODES (C1478, C1313 & C1480) I FOUND THAT THERE ARE QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM, THAT THE REPAIR COST IS RIDICULOUS AT APPROXIMATELY $5000. AND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE A RECALL BY FORD!

OUR VEHICLE SEEMINGLY RANDOMLY SHUTS OFF ALL POWER TO THE ENGINE AND THE ELECTRIC MOTOR. THIS CAN HAPPEN WHILE WE ARE MOVING OR STOPPED IN AN INTERSECTION. WE GET A MESSAGE OF STOP SAFELY NOW ON THE DASHBOARD. WHEN YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION WAITING TO TURN LEFT IN SIX LANES OF TRAFFIC AND YOUR CAR STOPS FOR NO APPARENT REASON THIS ISN'T VERY SAFE. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 30 TIMES. SOMETIMES IT GOES A YEAR WITHOUT A MISHAP OR THREE TIMES IN ONE DAY.

THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR RING, ALSO KNOWN AS THE TONE RING, CAN SPLIT OR CRACK WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING LOSS OF ABS AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. IT'S A KNOWN DEFECT, IS FRIGHTENING WHEN IT HAPPENS, AND SHOULD HAVE LONG AGO RESULT IN A RECALL.

NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO BRAKE, MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE HYDROLIC REGENERATIVE BREAKING SYSTEM AND ABS. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON CITY STREETS, SPEEDS BETWEEN 0-40MPH THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL BECOME VERY HARD AND IMPOSSIBLE TO PRESS WITH LOSS OF BRAKING. WHEN THIS HAPPENS I AM FORCED TO RAPIDLY RELEASE THE BRAKE PEDAL AND BRAKE AGAIN (PUMPING) THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO STOP. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THIS PUMPING OF THE BRAKES HAS CAUSE THE BREAK PEDAL TO GO FROM HARD/IMPOSSIBLE TO PUSH TO COMPLETELY SOFT HITTING THE FLOOR WITH NO BRAKING CAPABILITIES. ON THESE OCCASIONS I AM FORCED TO PULL OF THE ROAD QUICKLY, DOWNSHIFT TO LOW GEAR AND EVEN USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO AVOID CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. ONLY ABOUT 60% OF THE TIME WHEN THIS EVENT OCCURRED DOES THE ABS LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT AND SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATE OR DISPLAY. WHEN THIS OCCURRES I AM USUALLY FORCED TO TURN THE ENGIN OFF, REMOVE THE KEY, LET THE SYSTEM PURGE (MAKES NOISE) AFTER THE VEHICLE SITS FOR A COUPLE MINUTES AND THEN RESTART THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO KEEP DRIVING AND FIX THE ISSUE. SOMETIMES IT FIXES TO ISSUE FOR THE REST OF THE DRIVING TIME WHILE OTHERS ONLY WORK TEMPORARILY AND THE ISSUE RETURNS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. I FEEL THAT THIS BRAKING ISSUE IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN FOR MY FAMILY AND I AND OUR PIECE OF MIND IN THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE IS NOT GOOD. AS AN ADDITIONAL NOTE THIS BRAKE ISSUE ONLY BECAME EVIDENT AFTER WE HAD ANOTHER RECALL ISSUE FIXED ON THIS VEHICLE FOR STALLING. BEFORE THAT FIX WE NEVER HAD ANY BRAKING ISSUES.