2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID Complaints

CAR WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF LEFT SITTING FOR 2 HOURS. GOT BACK, TURNED VEHICLE ON, BACKED UP FROM PARKING STALL AND POWER STEERING LOCKED. IT BECAME HARD TO TURN OR CONTROL THE STEERING. TRIED TURNING OFF CAR AND RESTARTING, BUT THAT DID NOT RESET OR RELEASE THE POWER STEERING. NO WARNING SOUND OR LIGHTS CAME ON. DROVE CAR HOME WITH EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND ON THE SHOULDER FOR ABOUT 3 MILES. PARKED CAR AND LEFT SITTING FOR 5 HOURS HOPING IT WOULD RESET. BEFORE TURNING THE IGNITION, I TURNED ON AC, THEN TURN ON THE CAR. THAT DID NOTHING. NOW THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON AND "POWER STEERING SERVICE" WARNING CAME ON. ISN'T THE WARNING DONE BEFORE AN INCIDENT CAN HAPPEN? HAD A MECHANIC PLACE A MACHINE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAR, BUT NO LUCK. PLEASE HELP IN FIXING THE ISSUE. THERE SHOULD BE AN INVESTIGATION FOR DEFECT ON ELECTRICAL WARNING. *JS

WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKING POWER WAS LOST AND THE ABS AND BRAKE INDICATORS APPEARED. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST MONTH. FORTUNATELY I HAVE NOT BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME NEAR MISSES...ACCIDENTS NARROWLY AVERTED. THIS BLOG (HTTP://BLOG.YAGELSKI.COM/2010/01/MY-FORD-ESCAPE-HYBRID-BRAKE-REPAIR.HTML) BY KEN YAGELSKI DETAILS HIS SIMILAR SAGA, AND HE ENDED UP PAYING OVER $7,000 IN REPAIR COSTS. I CANNOT AFFORD THAT KIND OF BILL, AND I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY IT WHEN IT IS A KNOWN DESIGN FLAW. PLEASE HELP! *JS

WHILE COMING UP TO A STOP SIGN I STARTED TO PRESS MY BRAKE AND WHILE COMING TO A STOP THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING ALLOWING MY VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD A FEW FEET WITHOUT ANY BRAKES BEFORE THE BRAKES KICKED BACK IN BRINGING MY CAR TO A STOP. ALSO WHILE IDLING AROUND A PARKING LOT MY ABS STARTED ENGAGING CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO START JERKING FORWARD, I WASN'T EVEN TOUCHING THE BRAKES. *TR

FORD ESCAPE HYBRID: THE CAR WAS DRIVEN ON THE FREEWAY AT 68 MILES PER HOUR SPEED, WITH THREE PASSENGERS, AND SUDDENLY A "CLICK SOUND" BEEN HEARD AND THE STEERING WAS "LOCKED". WHEN THE STEERING GOT LOCKED (UN-MOVABLE), THE BREAKS WERE HARD TO PUSH, AND APPLIED. BUT LUCKILY EMERGENCY LIGHTS BEEN PUT ON, AND THE VEHICLE BREAKS WERE PRESS HARD, AND THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE EMERGENCY LANE ON THE FREEWAY. AFTER THAT, THE STEERING WAS LOCKED DOWN AND NEVER MOVED. TOOK THE CAR TO MECHANIC AND THEY REFERRED TO FORD, SINCE THEY HAVE RE-CALL ON THE SIMILAR ISSUE. FORD DECLINED ANY RECALL, AND QUOTED FOR $3200 TO FIX THE CAR. THIS PART IS NOT AVAILABLE FROM ANY OTHER MANUFACTURE BESIDES FORD ITSELF. THE FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED A DEADLY ACCIDENT, TAKING EVERYONE LIVES WHO WERE SITTING IN THE CAR AS WELL AS OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER PUMP FOR THE HYBRID BATTERY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

UPON START-UP BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ON AND "SERVICE BRAKES SYSTEM" MESSAGE. BRAKE NEEDED TO BE PUSHED VERY HARD TO HAVE ANY EFFECT. CODES C1473 AND C1525 COME UP. VERY EXPENSIVE COMPUTER COMPONENT REPLACEMENTS NEEDED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH OVER A BUMP, A LOUD CLANKING NOISE EMITTED FROM OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL WELL INNER LINER WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED VIOLENTLY AND MADE A LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED AND THE SHOCK ABSORBER WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED AND THE WHEEL WELL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 139,000.

RIGHT REAR SHOCK BECAME DETACHED FROM UNDERBODY OF CAR CREATING HAZARDOUS CONDITION DUE TO ADVANCED RUST THROUGH.

DRIVING HIT A SMALL BUMP THEN STARTED TO HEAR A BANGING IN BACK PASSENGER WHEEL. PULL OVER TO LOOK THE HOLE SHOCK TOWER WAS RUSTED OUT. *JS