2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000. VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BACK UP LIGHTS AND CAMERA FAILED TO ACTIVATE, WHICH DEACTIVATED THE ALERT CHIME. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V526000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

I HAD GONE VA BEACH TO WASHINGTON D.C. AND WAS ON THE WAY BACK WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN JUST BEFORE THE HAMPTON ROADS BRIDGE TUNNEL IN NEWPORT NEWS. WE WERE ON THE INTERSTATE DURING THE ENTIRE TRIP AND WAS LUCKY TO BE IN THE RIGHT LANE. A AAA BE TOW TRUCK PULLED US OFF TO THE SIDE. WE TRIED TO RESTART IT BUT IT SHUT OFF. EVERYTHING ELSE WAS WORKING FINE. I WENT BACK THE NEXT DAY AND THE VEHICLE WORKED FINE. I HAD IT CHECKED OUT BY THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I JUST HAD THE COOLING PUMP REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE RECALL. I LOOKED AT THE MANUAL AND IT STATED THAT WHEN THE HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY GETS TOO HOT THAT IT WILL SHUT OFF. THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD FIND A WAY TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO STILL OPERATE ON GAS POWER WHEN HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY NEEDS TO COOL DOWN AND TO FIND A WAY TO ALLOW BETTER VENTILATION SO THE BATTERY DOES NOT GET SO HOT SINCE IT IS LOCATED IN THE TRUNK WHERE PEOPLE PUT THEIR BELONGINGS.

I WAS DRIVING ON A STATE ROAD AT ABOUT 45 MPG WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO OVERHEAT, AC WAS NOT COOLING AS IT WAS BEFORE THE WARNING THEN A SAFETY SIGN CAME ON THE DASHBOARD TO STOP THE VEHICLE SAFELY. THE NEXT DAY (SATURDAY) I CALLED GREENWAY FORD DEALERSHIP, COLONIAL SR 50, FL AND ASK IF THERE IS A RECALL ON MY VEHHICLE AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED. I WAS TOLD YES THERE IS A RECALL ON THE COOLING PUMP/MOTOR TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE ON MONDAY. I PAID FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE TOWED ON MONDAY AT 7:30AM AS I WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE IT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO ENSURE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS THERE AND ASKED TO BE CONTACTED ONCE A DIAGNOSIS WAS DONE. NO ONE CALLED ME UNTIL 4:30PM TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE. TWO DAYS LATER THE VEHICLE WARNING SIGN CAME ON AGAIN TO SAFELY STOP THE VEHICLE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND I WAS TOLD I CAN WAIT AND SEE IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN WHICH I DID A COUPLE WEEKS LATER AND LEFT A VOICE MESSAGE. TWO DAYS AGO, THE SAME WARNING SAFETY SIGN CAME ON. YESTERDAY, I PRIVATELY WENT TO A MECHANIC TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC, WHICH HAD AN ERROR CODE OF P1A10 - HYBRID POWERTRAIN MODULE -BATTERY DISABLED. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AS I HAD NO RETURN CALL FROM THE MANAGER MARK FOSTER. AFTER 2 AND 1/2 HOURS I WAS TOLD THAT I HAVE TO REPLACE THE HYBRID BATTERY COOLING FANS AS ONE IS NOT WORKING FOR A COST OF $1,127.26 WHEN I INQUIRED ABOUT THE HYBRID BATTERY BEING DISABLED I WAS TOLD BY THE MANAGER AND TECHNICIAN THAT THE "BATTERY IS PROTECTING ITSELF FROM MELTING OR CATCHING ON FIRE BY DISABLING". THE PROBLEM THAT EXISTED PRIOR TO CHANGING THE COOLING PUMP STILL EXISTS AND THE FORD COMPANY NOR THE DEALERSHIP IS TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY.

THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM IS UNSTABLE AND IS TRIGGERED RANDOMLY. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND HAS BEEN REPORTED WIDELY AMONG OTHER OWNERS OF FORD ESCAPE - MODEL AND YEAR ARE VARIED. THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM IS TRIGGERED BY NO EXTERNAL CAUSE BUT DOES SEEM TO REACT STRONGLY TO HEAT. ALTHOUGH LATELY THIS IS NOW HAPPENING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. FORD CHARGES EXCESSIVELY FOR DIAGNOSES AND REPAIR AND IT IS GENERALLY FOUND TO BE A PROBLEM WITH AN ACCESS POINT SENSOR. THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH THE FORD ALARM SYSTEM AND SHOULD NOT BE THE CONSUMER THAT BEARS THE BRUNT OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR A DEFECT THAT THE CORPORATION IS BUILDING INTO ALL YEARS OF THE FORD ESCAPE.

CAR HAD BEEN PARKED AT AIRPORT PARKING LOT FOR A MONTH. WHEN RETRIEVING IT UPON RETURN BRAKES FAILED, ABS AND BRAKE SERVICE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, AND PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR. WE PARKED THE CAR IN THE LOT, RENTED A CAR TO GET HOME. NEXT MORNING WE ARRANGED AAA TO TOW VEHICLE. WHEN TOW OPERATOR CAME THE VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEMS WAS PERFECTLY FINE. WE CHOSE TO PAY HIM AND DRIVE THE CAR HOME. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND EXPLAINED THE ISSUE. THEY NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED ANY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PROBLEM. THEY REPLACED REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS BECAUSE THERE WAS ALSO LOUD BRAKE NOISE. NOW ONE YEAR LATER, JULY 27 2015, [97000+ MILES] SLOWING FOR A RIGHT TURN ON A RURAL HIGHWAY AND THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED AGAIN. WITH NO WARNING THE PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR. WITH A CONCERTED EFFORT I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE AND MAKE THE TURN WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE ABS LIGHT AND SERVICE BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS WERE LIT. CONDITION PERSISTED AS WE CONTINUED A FEW MILES TO THE SHOPPING PLAZA. AFTER SHOPPING WE DECIDED TO RETURN DIRECTLY HOME, BUT WHEN CAR WAS STARTED THE FAULT HAD CLEARED AND THE BRAKES FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. WE HAVE JUST SPENT THE MORNING SEARCHING INTERNET AND FIND THIS IS AN ISSUE FORD KNOWS ABOUT AND IS DENYING TO ACKNOWLEDGE. AND APPARENTLY IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO RESOLVE WITH THE NEED TO REPLACE THE HCU. WE NOW UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BUT ARE AMONG THE MANY WHO FEEL THIS IS CERTAINLY A SERIOUS ENOUGH SAFETY ISSUE FORD SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN ITS RESOLVE FOR OWNERS WITH DEFECTIVE BRAKE SYSTEMS. OUR EXPERIENCE SO FAR IS, THAT THOUGH THERE IS SOME ABILITY TO BRAKE IT IS NOT ANYWHERE EQUAL TO THE 'NORMAL' BRAKING CAPACITY AND THAT IS DANGEROUS. AND THE INTERMITTENT AND RANDOM OCCURRENCE IS TROUBLING TO SAY THE LEAST. WE WILL CONTACT THE DEALER TODAY TO GET THE REACTION TO OUR CONCERN.

THE RIGHT REAR SHOCK AND BRACKET THAT ATTACHES IT TO THE CAR IS RUSTING AND HAS BROKEN OFF CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THIS OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING AND PRESENTS AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SITUATION.

DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, SUDDENLY RECEIVED WARNING MESSAGE ABOUT THE BRAKES AND HEARD WARNING BEEPS. IMMEDIATELY I LOST ALL BRAKING ABILITY (BRAKE PEDAL FELT SOFT AND GIVE VERY LITTLE RESISTANCE) BUT STILL HAD ACCELERATION AND STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I NAVIGATED THE CAR TO A SIDE STREET AND WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN TO AN EVENTUAL STOP ON THE SHOULDER USING THE EMERGENCY/PARKING BRAKE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES. TESTED THE PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT SEEMED NORMAL. I THEN STARTED THE CAR UP AND MOVED A LITTLE BIT FORWARD AND DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND EVERYTHING WORKED FINE. NO WARNING MESSAGES OR SOUNDS. THE CAR OPERATED NORMALLY AS I DROVE IT BACK TO A SAFE SPOT. *TR

BASICALLY, THIS IS HAPPENING AT LEAST 1 X / DAY. I AM TAKING BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TOMORROW, BUT FORD REALLY NEEDS TO RECALL THIS VEHICLE AND GET THIS FIXED. I WAS DRIVING ON A REGULAR ROAD AND MY ABS BRAKE LIGHT AND SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH THE WARNING BELL. MY HYDRAULIC BRAKES FAILED AGAIN! I PUT MY FLASHERS ON, PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY THE FLOOR AND ROLLED TO A STOP WITH THROBBING EMERGENCY BRAKES STILL WORKING. THEN I TURN OFF MY VEHICLE AFTER PUTTING IT INTO PARK, TAKE OUT THE KEY, WAIT A FEW SECONDS, THEN START THE CAR AGAIN. IT WORKS AGAIN TEMPORARILY. NOW, I KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH IT AND I PLAN FOR IT SINCE IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, BUT IF I AM EVER IN A SITUATION WHERE I CANNOT CONTROL MY ENVIRONMENT, I CANNOT GUARANTEE SOMEONE WILL NOT BE HARMED OR KILLED AS A RESULT OF THIS FAILURE IN MY VEHICLE. PLEASE! HELP US DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED!!!

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD I HAD A COMPLETE LOSS OF NORMAL AND EFFECTIVE BRAKING. THE ABS AND BRAKE SERVICE LIGHTS BOTH CAME ON IN THE DASH AND IN ORDER TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP IT, IT BECAME NECESSARY TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS POSSIBLE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. WHENEVER ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE TO THE RIGHT, CLEARLY INDICATING THAT (AT LEAST) THE FRONT BRAKE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS COMPLETELY USELESS/INEFFECTIVE. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THIS WAS A VERY TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE AS IT TOOK ALL OF MY SKILL AS A MOTORIST TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME AND TO PROTECT MY WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN WHO WERE ALSO WITH ME. AFTER GETTING ONLINE AND READING COUNTLESS FORUMS AND ARTICLES, I DISCOVERED THAT IT IS A DISTURBINGLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS TO LOSE EFFECTIVE BRAKING BY WAY OF A FAULTY HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT: A PART TO WHICH I LATER FOUND OUT COSTS AN APPROXIMATE $4,200 TO ACQUIRE. AFTER BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS WAS, IN FACT, THE EXACT PROBLEM WITH MY ESCAPE. THIS VEHICLE, APART FROM THE FAULTY HCU, IS IN INCREDIBLY GOOD SHAPE AND HAS NO OTHER MECHANICAL ISSUES. IT IS AN ABSOLUTE ATROCITY THAT FORD HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS PART. IT HAS BEEN MADE VERY CLEAR THAT THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF RECALLING THIS DANGEROUS UNIT UNTIL, INEVITABLY, FATALITIES OCCUR.