2007 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.

ON OCTOBER 14, 2008, ODI OPENED PE08-060 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CRACKED AND LEAKING SNAP-IN TIRE VALVES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY.THE VALVES WERE SUPPLIED TO FORD BY TOPSEAL AUTO-PARTS, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SHANGHAI BAOLONG AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION IN CHINA.VALVES MADE BY TOPSEAL FOR AFTERMARKET SALE WERE THE SUBJECT OF TWO RECENT SAFETY RECALLS BY TECH INTERNATIONAL (08T-018) AND DILL AIR CONTROLS (08T-028), THE LATTER OF WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY ODI IN PE08-036 AND EA08-022.THE DEFECT CONDITIONS ADDRESSED BY THE AFTERMARKET TIRE VALVE RECALLS BOTH INVOLVED INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE SUPPLY OF ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS TO TOPSEAL FOR A PERIOD FROM JULY TO MID-NOVEMBER 2006.THE AFTERMARKET VALVES WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A BLEND OF EPDM AND NATURAL RUBBER, USING A RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF EPDM (EPDM PROVIDES INHERENT RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING).HENCE, THE NEED FOR ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS AND THE PROBLEMS WITH CRACKING WHEN THOSE CHEMICALS WERE MISSING OR OUT OF SPECIFICATION IN SOME LOTS OF VALVES.BOTH RECALL CAMPAIGNS INVOLVED INSPECTION PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY AND REPLACE VALVES WITH VISIBLE SURFACE CRACKING.ALTHOUGH THE TOPSEAL VALVES SUPPLIED TO FORD ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ANTI-OZONANT SUPPLY ISSUES IN MID TO LATE-2006, FORD INDICATED THAT ITS VALVES WERE MADE AT A DIFFERENT TOPSEAL PRODUCTION LINE AND WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF EPDM RUBBER TO MEET MORE STRINGENT SPECIFICATIONS FROM FORD.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED BY FORD SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH CRACKED TIRE VALVES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FOR MY 2007 VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007.FORD RESPONDED BY IMPLEMENTING CHANGES IN ITS MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SNAP-IN RUBBER TIRE VALVES AND ALSO INCREASING THE QUALITY AND ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS FOR VALVES IMPORTED FOR USE IN ITS VEHICLES.WHILE THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM RATES ARE ELEVATED FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007, THE RATES OF LEAKING VALVES ARE WELL BELOW ONE PERCENT OF PRODUCTION FOR EACH OF THE PEAK MONTHS FOR ALL OF THE AFFECTED MODELS.A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS (TPMS) WHICH WARN THE DRIVER WHEN ANY TIRE PRESSURES DROPS BELOW 25 PERCENT OF RECOMMENDED INFLATION PRESSURE. AS OUTLINED IN A LETTER TO ODI DATED APRIL 6, 2009, FORD HAS AGREED TO SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS OF CERTAIN MY 2007 AND 2008 FORD, LINCOLN AND MERCURY VEHICLES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRACKING CONCERN. LETTERS WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 2006 THROUGH MAY 2007.OWNERS CAN OPT FOR A FREE DEALER INSPECTION.VALVES EXHIBITING SURFACE CRACKS OR AIR LEAKAGE RELATED TO OZONE ATTACK WILL BE REPLACED BY FORD UNDER ITS NORMAL WARRANTY TERMS.FORD EXPECTS TO SEND THE LETTER BY APPROXIMATELY MID-MAY 2009. BASED ON THE USE OF TPMS IN THE MAJORITY OF SUBJECT VEHICLES AND THE RELATIVELY LOW RATES OF REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING VALVES AND RESULTANT TIRE DAMAGE, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE ACTIONS FORD HAS AGREED TO TAKE WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND EXPEDITIOUS RESOLUTION FOR VEHICLES THAT WERE BUILT DURING THE PERIOD WHEN VALVES WITH INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING WERE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN USED IN VEHICLE PRODUCTION.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO

MY 2007 FORD ESCAPE IS IN MINT CONDITION. I FOUND OUT TODAY I SHOULD NOT DRIVE IT. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME IT'S VERY UNSAFE. THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT IN BACK OF THE REAR WHEEL AND RUST HAS BROKEN THE AREA WHERE THE SHOCK ABSORBER ATTACHES TO THE FRAME. PERFECT TUNING CAR THAT I CAN'T USE. UNBELIEVABLE.

NHTSA ID

11187046

Incident

Mar 14, 2019

Mileage

205,000 mi

THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK. THERE IS LITTLE TO NO BRAKING POWER WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE, AND THE BRAKES FEEL STIFF TO ENGAGE. ONE SHOP FIXED ALL MY ROTORS AND PADS AND A CALIPER, BUT THE BRAKES STILL DID NOT FUNCTION. THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO GO TO A DEALER TO GET THE BRAKES BLED... NOTHING ELSE COULD BE DONE. SO I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST OVER $4000 TO FIX. THE MAIN ABS CONTROL UNIT AND HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT WERE WHAT THE COMPUTERS SAID WERE THE PROBLEM. AFTER SOME PLEADING, THEY AGREED TO TRY A USED PART FOR ONLY $900. AFTER INSTALLING THE USED PART, THE BRAKES STILL DID NOT FUNCTION. I WAS TOLD THE FORD MAIN HELP LINE SAID ONLY NEW PARTS WOULD FIX IT... TECHNICIANS TRIED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM FURTHER BUT EVENTUALLY SAID THE ONLY THING THEY COULD DO IS INSTALL THE NEW PARTS FOR THE HEFTY PRICE. *TT *AS

NHTSA ID

10965885

Incident

Feb 28, 2017

Mileage

172,000 mi

MULTIPLE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 10 MONTHS NOW ON THIS VEHICLE WHICH RELATES TO ITS SAFETY. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN FALL 2011 FROM SAINT CLAIR FORD DEALERSHIP IN MICHIGAN. IN JAN OF 2012, I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK VIA TELEGRAPH NORTH AROUND 50MPH AND NEAR MAPLE ROAD THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SAID -THERE IS A THEFT, BRING VEHICLE TO STOP SAFELY IN THE MIDDLE OF 50MPH TRAFFIC(THIS ROAD IS VERY BUSY)! IT WAS SO SCARY. I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER FINALLY. I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND AFTER ABOUT 2 MORE TRIES IT STARTED DRIVING AGAIN AND THEN FEW DAYS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER AT VILLAGE FORD AND THEY REPLACED SOME COOLANT PUMP ($600) AND SAID IT SHOULD BE OK NOW. AFTER COUPLE DAYS, THIS STARTED AGAIN. AFTER FEW WEEKS I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER FORD DEALERS(SUBURBAN FORD WATERFORD) AND THEY REPLACED ANOTHER COOLING PARTS ($700) BUT THE PROBLEM CAME BACK AFTER A MONTH AGAIN. RECENTLY FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS, I AM GETTING THESE SERIOUS PROBLEMS SOMETIMES TOGETHER AND SOMETIMES BY THEMSELVES AT LEAST 2-3 TIMES A DAY -"THEFT" AND BRINGS VEHICLE TO STOP WHILE DRIVING, LF TIRE AND BRINGS VEHICLE TO STOP WHILE DRIVING, SERVICE SOON, SERVICE 4X4, WRENCH LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT, ETC. BUT THE ERROR CODES GO AWAY WHEN I RESTART AND THEN SOMETHING NEW COMES AFTER DRIVING 5 TO 6 MILES. WHEN I HAD TIME TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THERE ARE NO ERROR CODES TO READ. ALL THE ERROR CODES GET DELETED AFTER I TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. THIS TIME I GOT SERVICE SOON LIGHT AND SERVICE 4X4 LIGHT AND BRAKES FAILED EARLIER FOR A WHILE AND I SHOWED IT TO THE DEALER WITHOUT TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF. WE WILL SEE IF THERE ARE ANY RESOLUTIONS. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10484014

Incident

Jan 26, 2012

Mileage

70,000 mi

WITHIN 3 MINUTES OF STARTING VEHICLE, "STOP VEHICLE SAFELY" MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED ALONG WITH A RED WARNING TRIANGLE. VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WITHIN A FEW SECONDS. TRUCK WAS PUT ON A TRAILER AND BROUGHT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. THREE CODES WERE PRESENT, ONE BEING P0A27. FORD'S "FIX" IS TO INSTALL A SERVICE HARNESS AND FLASH THE BCM. ( SEE FORD'S CSP 07B48 AND LATER TSB 09-18-6) ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL, "SOME 2007-2007 ESCAPE HYBRID VEHICLES BUILT FROM 10-13-2003 TO 12-19-2006" MAY EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO FORD, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT ONE OF THE AFFECTED ONES, YET IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME RESOLUTION ACCORDING TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP. A VEHICLE THAT HAS A HARDWARE/ PROGRAMMING GLITCH THAT CAN CAUSE IT TO SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY AT ANY SPEED IS A DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10466273

Incident

Jul 2, 2012

Mileage

77,000 mi

NO PRIOR ISSUE -JUST STARTED TO REV UP WHILE DRIVING THEN CONKED OUT-IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD HAVE HAD IT DIAGNOSED AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT- NO ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID-NO SMELL NOTHING I BASICALLY ONLY DRIVE THE CARE UP AND DOWN THE STREET I LIVE -NOT A BELTWAY DRIVER-NEVER DRIVE IN SNOW SINCE I AM SECOND OWNER - BOUGHT WHEN 1 YEAR OLD- HAVE HAD 5 YEARS FORD REFUSES TO OFFER WARRANTY AS IT IS 6 YEARS ALSO HAVE HAD REPEATED ISSUES WITH A STICKING GAS PEDAL- NON ACCELERATING -JUST STICKING AND HAVING TO FORCE IT TO RELEASE BY CONSTANT PRESSING ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10454736

Incident

Apr 8, 2012

Mileage

60,500 mi

WHILE TRAVELING ON I80 (ABOUT 30 MILES TO SUGAR BOWL SKI RESORT), THE GAS ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUTDOWN WITHOUT ANY WARNING AT ABOUT 60 MPH. THERE WAS A RED TRIANGLE LIGHT AND "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED. LUCKILY, I WAS ON THE RIGHT MOST LANE AND I COULD PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO AVOID INCOMING TRAFFIC FROM BEHIND. THIS WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS THIS MAY CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. THE CAR WAS DIAGNOSED AT A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THE MOTOR ELECTRONICS COOLING SYSTEM WAS FAILING. FORD IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS PART FAILING FREQUENTLY AND FORD HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR IT: TSB 08-24-5. *TR

NHTSA ID

10452951

Incident

Mar 17, 2012

Mileage

117,000 mi

ON OR ABOUT 12/11/08 MY WIFE'S 2007 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON IT STARTED TO SPUTTER THEN QUIT RUNNING. IT DID THIS SEVERAL TIMES. SHE CALL ME IN WHICH I TOLD HER IT'S NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. WE TOOK IT THE DEALER THEY SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. SINCE IT WAS A HYBRID WE HAD THE DEALER LOOK AT IT. THEY TOLD US IT WAS A HYBRID THING. THEY TOLD US IT WAS A COOLING PUMP. WE HAD THEM FIX IT AT A COST OF $640.61. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THIS PUMP FAILED SO QUICKLY. THE PART # IS 6M64-8C419-AA. PLEASE DO AN INVESTIGATION TO SEE IF THIS PART IS DEFECTIVE. IF SO I WOULD LIKE MY MONEY REIMBURSED. I HAVE THE OLD PUMP THANK YOU MITCH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10252909

Incident

Dec 11, 2008

Mileage

52,472 mi

I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE IN THE SHOP THREE TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH. IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP FOR OVER A WEEK NOW BECAUSE THE INTERIOR LIGHTS KEEP MALFUNCTIONING. THEY MAY WORK FOR A WEEK OR A FEW DAYS THEN THEY MALFUNCTION AGAIN. SEVERAL THINGS HAS BEEN REPLACED, THE LAST ONE BEING THE OVERHEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS FAIL TO WORK EXCEPT FOR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10248842

Incident

Oct 11, 2008

FORD: IF THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT LACK OF POWER, SURGE, OR HESITATION WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES WILL OVERRIDE ACCELERATION. *RM

MULTIPLE VEHICLE LINES - INTERMITTENT PCM, FUEL PUMP, IGN, COIL, A/C, ABS OR FOG LAMP OPERATION. *NJ

SLOW FUEL FILL DUE TO CLOGGED VENT. *KB