2006 Ford Escape HEV

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

In a letter dated August 30, 2012, The North Carolina Consumers Council (NCCC) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a defect investigation of alleged electronic throttle body failures resulting in engine stall or surge while driving in model year (MY) 2005 through 2012 Ford Escape vehicles. On October 2, 2012 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Defect Petition DP12-006 to evaluate whether to grant or deny the petition. The petition is hereby granted on certain model years. The NCCC letter cites two complaints of stall while driving in MY 2009 Ford Escape vehicles that were diagnosed as failed throttle bodies with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P2111, Throttle Body Stuck Open, and P2112, Throttle Body Stuck Closed. The petitioner indicates that the owners of both vehicles reported experiencing repeated incidents of stalling and engine surging. According to Ford, Escape non-hybrid vehicles are equipped with Electronic Throttle Body (ETB) assemblies beginning with MY 2009. Vehicles manufactured between June 22, 2009 and October 15, 2009 may contain contaminated printed circuit boards (PCB) with plating variations. Plating variations could lead to a lack of continuity in the throttle position sensor circuit where P2111 and/or other DTCs would be generated and stored. Ford and its electronic throttle body supplier, Delphi, modified the PCB manufacturing process and issued a technical service bulletin (TSB) 09-23-5. Vehicles produced after October 15, 2009 incorporated ETBs manufactured with a PCB process that resolved this condition. ODI's analysis identified a total of 123 unique reports indicating allegations of reduced motive power or vehicle stall. Depending on the condition of throttle control system malfunction, a driver may experience varying levels of reduced engine performance associated with three limp home modes. In two limp modes, reduced engine performance may maintain vehicle speeds above 20mph while the third is a limited limp home mode with engine speeds limited to approximately 900 RPM. Allegations of stall appear to be related to the limited limp home mode. Vehicles are not likely to unexpectedly stall as a result of this condition, but drivers may characterize the reduced functionality as a stall, even though their vehicle may still has motive capability. Allegations of vehicle surge appear to be related to limp home mode operation. Complaints alleging surge are most likely related to engine RPM fluctuations at low vehicle speeds or idle as the control system engages to prevent engine stall. In limited limp mode, rough-idle conditions may exist while the control system attempts to modulate engine RPMs once the vehicle reaches a reduced speed to maintain approximately 900 RPM. Separately, ODI received 59 complaints alleging incidents of engine stall while driving in model year (MY) 2010-2011 Ford Fusion vehicles. Approximately 60 percent (36) of the incidents occurred at speeds of 40 miles per hour or more. Eighty percent of complaints (47) were received beginning March 2012 and 14 complaints reported that the throttle body was replaced or DTCs associated with limp home modes. Additionally, Ford issued TSB 10-21-6 addressing DTCs associated with idle speed drops and limited limp home mode. The petition is granted on certain model years.Preliminary Evaluation PE13-003 has been opened to assess the scope, frequency and potential safety consequences associated with the alleged defect.See full copy of the closing resume for this defect petition for list of the VOQs associated with the defect petition analysis.

MY SON AND I WERE LEAVING A PARKING LOT WHEN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I GOT A WARNING CHIME AND THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON WITH THE MESSAGE "SERVICE PWR STEERING" ON THE DASH. LUCKILY (I THOUGHT) I WAS NEAR A AUTO PARTS PLACE SO I SLOWLY DROVE THERE. I PULLED IN, TOOK OUT THE MANUAL AND REALIZED THAT THERE IS NO POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVOIR TO CHECK OR FILL (AS WOULD HAVE BEEN MY QUICK SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM). DRIVING WAS SLOW AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DUE TO INABILITY TO TURN (AT SPEED). THE VEHICLE WAS INITIALLY PURCHASED FOR MY MOM, WHO WAS 75 AT THE TIME. THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FOR HER WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SERIOUS.DRIVING WITH MANUAL STEERING IS DIFFICULT AND MUSCLE BUILDING. I HAD TO DRIVE 25 BACK HOME ON CURVY, MOUNTAIN BACK ROADS. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT/INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE POWER STEERING FAILURE. I READ THROUGH MANY COMPLAINTS OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS AND REALIZED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. I PLAN ON CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP IN THE MORNING, BUT AM NOT HOLDING MY BREATH FOR RESULTS. DURING A PAST ISSUE I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAD ONLY ONE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT WAS TRAINED ON THE HYBRID VEHICLES. THAT TIME, THEY SAID I NEEDED A NEW BATTERY! HAHA! THAT ISSUE WAS RESOLVED DUE TO A RECALL. SO MAYBE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS FOR POWER STEERING ISSUES WILL FINALLY GET A RECALL TOO. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE.

NHTSA ID

11210515

Incident

May 28, 2019

Mileage

235,649 mi

DRIVING ON CITY STREET WHEN "SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM" MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED AS WELL AS ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ON DASH. VEHICLE HAD NO BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD TO BE USED TO STOP VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10902041

Incident

Jun 16, 2016

Mileage

224,500 mi

***DOOR AJAR/CAR ALARM/DOME LIGHT/ ISSUES*** 5/18/15 2006 FORD ESCAPE XLT 4WD 3.0L 6 CYLINDER HAS INTERMITTENT FALSE DOOR AJAR/CAR ALARM/DOME LIGHT ISSUES ALL THREE SYMPTOMS CAUSED BY FAULTY DOOR LATCH SENSORS. THE SUSPECT PART HAS A TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT. THAT IS TO SAY WHEN YOU PARK YOUR CAR, AND GO INSIDE YOUR HOUSE, THE CAR ALARM WILL START GOING OFF IN NEIGHBORHOOD WAKING UP NEIGHBORS AND IS A HUGE ANNOYANCE TO QUIET NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE ALARM WILL FALSELY ACTIVATE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE VARIES. SOMETIMES WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES WARMS UP TO ABOUT 75-80 DEGREES OUTSIDE THE CAR ALARM SOUNDS TO INDICATE A FALSELY TRIPPED ALARM. IT SOMETIMES WILL OCCUR IN WINTER WEATHER CLIMATES ALSO. TEMPERATURE CHANGES PROVOKE THE FAULTY SYMPTOMS. FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FORD ESCAPE AND MANY OF THEIR MODEL VEHICLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE CHEAP FLIMSY METAL ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WITHIN THE DOOR LATCH MECHANISM THAT OXIDIZE AND LOSE SPRING TENSION OVER TIME CAUSING THESE FALSE ALARMS. WITH EACH FALSE ACTIVATION, CAR ALARM WILL SOUND, DOOR AJAR LIGHT ACTIVATES (CAN'T TELL WHICH DOOR IS FAULTY) DOME LIGHT TURNS ON AND WILL STAY ON UNTIL IT RUNS DOWN YOUR BATTERY IN YOUR CAR AND THEN YOUR STRANDED BECAUSE YOUR CAR WON'T START BECAUSE FAULTY DOOR ELECTRICAL SWITCH BUILT INTO DOOR LATCH MECHANISM ACTIVATED YOUR DOME LIGHT WHICH DISCHARGES YOUR BATTERY CHARGE. IF YOUR IN A COLD WEATHER ENVIRONMENT AND THE BATTERY DIES BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT IN ELECTRICAL SENSOR SWITCH, YOU CAN BECOME STRANDED BECAUSE YOU CAN NOT START YOUR CAR BECAUSE FORD REFUSES TO ADMIT THEIR IS A PROBLEM AND ISSUE A RECALL. [XXX] - SPRINGFIELD, IL INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10716988

Incident

Dec 25, 2014

Mileage

55,200 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE 495 BELTWAY (APPROX 55MPH) IN THE RIGHT LANE WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR LOST POWER AND THE FAIL SAFE MESSAGE APPEARED SAYING STOP THE CAR IMMEDIATELY. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO TAKE A NEARBY EXIT OFF THE BELTWAY WITHOUT INJURING MYSELF OR SOMEONE BEHIND ME AND CAUSING A MULTIPLE CAR COLLISION. A RED TRIANGLE ICON APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD INCLUDING OTHER LIGHTS AND MESSAGES SINCE THE CAR HAD NO POWER. I DID HAVE THE CAR HEATER ON DUE TO WINTER TEMPERATURES. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTED IT AND DID NOT PUT MY HEAT BACK ON SUSPECTING THE ELECTRONIC MOTOR COOLANT PUMP AS THE PROBLEM AFTER RECENTLY READING A NYT ARTICLE. THE CAR STARTED ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER. I MADE AN APPT W MY FORD DEALER TO INSPECT THE CAR FOR THIS PROBLEM.I HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM LAST SUMMER AND WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT MY VIN DIDN'T HAVE ANY RECALLS. I HAD THE A/C ON THAT DAY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE RECALL FOR THROTTLES ONLY APPLIES TO FORD NON-HYBRID CARS. THERE HAS ONLY BEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN TO FORD MECHANICS AND NO RECALL FOR THE ELECTRONICS MOTOR COOLANT PUMP. THIS INCIDENT SCARED ME AND I FEEL MY CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ESP ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10692795

Incident

Mar 4, 2015

Mileage

111,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY FORD ESCAPE AND I STARTED TO HEAR A BANGING NOISE COME FROM MY RIGHT REAR TIRE. TO LATER FIND OUT THAT IT IS MY STRUT TOWER IS RUSTED OUT. IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT FORD HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO FIX THE MATTER, IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE.I BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR VEHICLE'S AND FIX THEM OR FIGURE OUT HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *JS

NHTSA ID

10682028

Incident

Feb 8, 2015

Mileage

135,000 mi

OUR FORD ESCAPE ENGINE STOPPED SUDDENLY ON THE HIGHWAY. WE BROUGHT IT TO CYPRESS COAST FORD LINCOLN IN SEASIDE CALIFORNIA. I HAD NOT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD ABOUT THE RECALL, BUT UPON RESEARCHING THE SYMPTOMS ONLINE, I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RECALL AND INFORMED THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT CYPRESS FORD. THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE RECALL WAS NOT RELEVANT AND THAT THE CAR NEEDED $1700 IN VERY SIMILAR REPAIRS. I PAID WITH A CREDIT CARD AND THE WORK WAS COMPLETED. I PICKED UP THE CAR AND TRIED TO DRIVE IT HOME; THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN, LATE AT NIGHT, ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAD THE CAR TOWED (AT MY EXPENSE) TO MY HOME AND THEN WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER. THEY RAN THE VIN AND SAID THE RECALL WAS PRESENT AND SHOULD BE FIXED. WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE TO GET A FULL REFUND AND PAYMENT FOR NEGLIGENCE FROM THE FORD AUTHORIZED DEALER/SERVICE CENTER THAT 1) DID NOT PROPERLY REPAIR MY CAR 2) IGNORED THE RECALL ON THE SPECIFIC PART OF THE CAR THAT I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT AND THE RECALL I ALERTED THEM TO 3) PLACED ME IN DANGER THROUGH THEIR NEGLIGENCE BY SEND ME BACK TO THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT FIXING THE PROBLEM PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10678622

Incident

Jan 21, 2015

Mileage

125,000 mi

WIFE AND I WERE ENROUTE HOME FROM VERO BEACH, FL TRAVELING WEST ON FL HIWAY 60 ABOUT 10 MILES EAST OF THE FL TURNPIKE AROUND 8:30 AM. TRAVELED OVER SHORT STRETCH OF REPAVED ROAD. AT THAT TIME HEARD BEEP, NOTICED RED BRAKE LIGHT AND AMBER ABS LIGHT ON. CRUISE CONTROL ON MOVING 60 MPH. TRIED BRAKES, NOTICED EXCESSIVE BRAKE TRAVEL, BUT STILL HAD SOME BRAKES. CONTINUED ON UNTIL TURNPIKE JUNCTION. PULLED OFF ROAD, STOPPED, SHUT OFF IGNITION. UPON RESTARTING (AFTER 5 SECONDS), WARNING LIGHTS STAYED OFF, HAD GOOD BRAKES. PROCEEDED 130 MILES TO HOME W/O INCIDENT. THIS HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES BEFORE AND HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT. ON JULY 5TH. I AM DETAILING THIS INCIDENT BECAUSE I HAVE THE MOST INFORMATION ABOUT IT. WHEN IT OCCURRED ALL 4 TIMES, IT WAS EITHER AFTER CROSSING RAILROAD TRACKS, HITTING A POT HOLE OR IN THIS CASE AFTER A CHANGE IN ROAD SURFACE. AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME WHEN CROSSING ROUGH SURFACES. THE DEALER (NICK NICHOLAS FORD IN INVERNESS, FL) CANNOT SEEM TO FIND AND FIX THIS. I HAVE TO GROUND THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I CANNOT TRUST IT WITH MY WIFE DRIVING BY HERSELF. IT COULD COST UP TO 7K FOR FORD TO SWAP OUT COMPONETS TO TRY TO FIX IT - MY COST. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10567253

Incident

Sep 21, 2013

Mileage

69,292 mi

WIFE AND I WERE ENROUTE HOME FROM VERO BEACH, FL TRAVELING WEST ON FL HIWAY 60 ABOUT 10 MILES EAST OF THE FL TURNPIKE AROUND 8:30 AM. TRAVELED OVER SHORT STRETCH OF REPAVED ROAD. AT THAT TIME HEARD BEEP, NOTICED RED BRAKE LIGHT AND AMBER ABS LIGHT ON. CRUISE CONTROL ON MOVING 60 MPH. TRIED BRAKES, NOTICED EXCESSIVE BRAKE TRAVEL, BUT STILL HAD SOME BRAKES. CONTINUED ON UNTIL TURNPIKE JUNCTION. PULLED OFF ROAD, STOPPED, SHUT OFF IGNITION. UPON RESTARTING (AFTER 5 SECONDS), WARNING LIGHTS STAYED OFF, HAD GOOD BRAKES. PROCEEDED 130 MILES TO HOME W/O INCIDENT. THIS HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES BEFORE AND HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT. ON JULY 5TH. I AM DETAILING THIS INCIDENT BECAUSE I HAVE THE MOST INFORMATION ABOUT IT. WHEN IT OCCURRED ALL 4 TIMES, IT WAS EITHER AFTER CROSSING RAILROAD TRACKS, HITTING A POT HOLE OR IN THIS CASE AFTER A CHANGE IN ROAD SURFACE. AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME WHEN CROSSING ROUGH SURFACES. THE DEALER (NICK NICHOLAS FORD IN INVERNESS, FL) CANNOT SEEM TO FIND AND FIX THIS. I HAVE TO GROUND THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I CANNOT TRUST IT WITH MY WIFE DRIVING BY HERSELF. IT COULD COST UP TO 7K FOR FORD TO SWAP OUT COMPONENTS TO TRY TO FIX IT - MY COST. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE. *LN UPDATED 1/6/2014 *JS

NHTSA ID

10545393

Incident

Sep 21, 2013

Mileage

63,334 mi

SLOW FUEL FILL DUE TO CLOGGED VENT. *KB

NEUTRAL TOW CAPABILITY - SERVICE KIT REQUIREMENTS. *TT

LOW TIRE INDICATOR ON - TPMS SYSTEM SENSOR WAKE UP. *TT

ABS LIGHT ON AND DTC C1475 - HYBRID VEHICLES BUILT FROM 8/2/2004 - 3/30/2006. *TT

SLOW FUEL FILL. *TT

REGENERATIVE ENERGY SYSTEM DTC C1475 - SERVICE TIP. *TT