2006 Ford Escape Hybrid Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the brushless Motor Electronics Coolant (MEC) pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V526000 (Hybrid Propulsion System). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ID

11524998

Incident

Jan 15, 2023

Mileage

150,000 mi

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that on multiple occasions while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine turned over for two seconds and stalled. The contact stated that an unknown service warning light was illuminated, indicating to pull the vehicle over. The contact notified an independent mechanic and he was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to confirm any recalls; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 157,000. The VIN was invalid.

NHTSA ID

11506951

Incident

Feb 11, 2023

Mileage

157,000 mi

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign number: 14V526000 (Hybrid Propulsion System). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The part was available for the repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11428038

Incident

Jun 1, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHEN THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER IN FENTON, MICHIGAN FOR MAINTENANCE, IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHOCK TOWER FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

NHTSA ID

11234801

Incident

Jul 15, 2018

Mileage

110,000 mi

THE HYBRID ELECTRONICS SYSTEM OVERHEATED, THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT ON AND THE ALERT SYSTEM SAID TO "STOP CAR SLOWLY" AND THEN "CHECK EMISSIONS SYSTEM". THE CAR SLOWED DOWN AND LOST ALMOST ALL POWER. AFTER TURNING IT ON AGAIN, THE CAR HAD NO POWER AND COULD NOT ACCELERATE. IT WAS LIKE THIS FOR SEVERAL MINUTES (THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE BUT THE CAR SEEMED NORMAL AFTER THE INITIAL STALL). THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A NEARBY MECHANIC'S GARAGE AND THEY TOLD US THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE MECS PUMP WHICH WAS CAUSING THE HYBRID SYSTEM TO OVERHEAT. THIS SEEMS REMARKABLY SIMILAR TO RECALL #14S19 AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW MY CAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER IT. I ALSO CHATTED WITH A REP FROM FORD WHO COULDN'T TELL ME WHY MY CAR WASN'T COVERED. WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT RECALLS ARE VIN SPECIFIC I BELIEVE THERE IS AN ERROR ON FORD'S END. THE REP TOLD ME MY VEHICLE WAS BUILT ON JULY 29, 2005 AND THE RECALL INCLUDES VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM 2005 TO JUNE 20, 2008. SHE SAID SHE COULDN'T FIND AN EXACT DATE FOR THE START OF THE "BUILD DATE" RANGE, BUT SHE THOUGHT IT INCLUDED ALL OF 2005. SO I SAID "SHOULDN'T MINE BE COVERED?" SIMILARLY, THE 14S19 RECALL NOTICE STATES: "MODEL YEAR 2005-2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES MANUFACTURED OCTOBER 13, 2003, TO JUNE 20, 2008". I BOUGHT THE CAR IN LATE 2015, AFTER THE INITIAL RECALL DATE WAS ISSUED AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO OUTSTANDING RECALL MATTERS WITH THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE CAR ONLY HAD 60,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS LIGHTLY USED SO I WONDER IF THE PREVIOUS OWNER WAS EVEN AWARE OF THE MECS ISSUES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I AM CURRENTLY FACING $1,300 IN REPAIR COSTS AND THIS LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE THE RECALL PROBLEMS MENTIONED IN 14S19. I HOPE SOMEONE AT NHTSA CAN HELP BECAUSE I THINK FORD SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE DAMAGES. THANKS AGAIN. PLEASE CONTACT ME AT [XXX] IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11231913

Incident

Jul 11, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

AS I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AND RED LIGHT, MY BRAKES SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. I LITERALLY HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKE AND IT FINALLY STOPPED MOVING. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOME AT LESS THAN 10 MPH AND HAD TO LET OFF THE GAS IN ORDER TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN TO ATTEMPT TO USE THE BRAKES AND CAR WOULD SHAKE WHEN BRAKE WAS APPLIED. TOOK TO MECHANIC WHO CHECKED THE CODE AND IT WAS THE TRAVEL SENSOR.

NHTSA ID

11220955

Incident

Jun 10, 2019

Mileage

80,000 mi

2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID WITH APPROX. 140,000 MILES. INITIALLY, HAD PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S GAS ENGINE STALLING OUT WHILE IN MOTION AND AT VARIOUS SPEEDS FROM 35 TO 55 MPH. MESSAGE IN DASH SAID TO PULL OVER SAFELY. THIS HAPPENED 5 TIMES IN ONE DAY AND EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART AND RUN FOR ONLY A FEW MINUTES. NEXT DAY IT RAN FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES BEFORE OCCURRING ONCE AGAIN. EVENTUALLY THE HYBRID BATTERY HAD NO MORE JUICE AND I HAVE TO BE TOWED. GARAGE, NOT DEALER DX STICKING THROTTLE LINKAGE ASSEMBLY. THEY CLEANED IT, RECHARGED THE HYBRID BATTERY AND REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER. VEHICLE WORKED WELL FOR 6 WEEKS AND THEN PROBLEM RETURNED. ONLY DIFFERENCE WAS THAT AFTER INITIALLY STALLING OUT WHEN THE ENGINE WAS WARM, ON 2 OCCASIONS OCCURRED WHEN ENGINE WAS COLD. RETURNED IT TO GARAGE WHERE IT STALLED WHEN COLD ONE OF THOSE TIMES. AFTER THAT IS DIDN'T STALL FOR THEM AGAIN. GARAGE LOOKED ON LINE AND SAW A NUMBER OF POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR THE PROBLEM, BUT NO CONCLUSIVE DIAGNOSIS OR FIX. THEY SUGGESTED THAT CHANGING THE THROTTLE LINKAGE ASSEMBLY MIGHT FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY WERE NOT CONFIDENT OF THIS. VEHICLE NOT REPAIRED.

NHTSA ID

11219538

Incident

Jun 3, 2019

Mileage

140,000 mi

ABS BREAK LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR FAILED TO STOP. WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD IN A SMALL TOWN AND WAS STOPPING TO TURN ON TO A ROAD. THE PROBLEM HAD ALSO HAPPEN WHEN SOMEONE HAS STOPPED SUDDENLY IN FRONT OF ME AND I NEEDED TO BREAK SUDDENLY. HAD BREAK FLUID CHANGED AT FORD DEALERSHIP AND DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. WHEN YOU NEED TO STOP SUDDENLY AND HIT THE BREAKS HARD, THE PEDAL HARD IT STIFFENS UP AND WILL NOT STOP THE CAR. IF YOU TURN OFF THE CAR AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND TURN IT BACK ON, IT SEEMS TO RESET IT UNTIL YOU HIT THE BREAKS HARD AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11218737

Incident

Jun 1, 2018

Mileage

185,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. IN ADDITION, THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE COOLING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED DAY FORD (LOCATED AT 2124, 3696 WILLIAM PENN HWY, MONROEVILLE, PA 15146, (412) 856-0600) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 187,621.

NHTSA ID

11205344

Incident

Apr 23, 2019

Mileage

187,621 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, AN UNKNOWN WARNING ICON DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHEN THE CONTACT POWERED OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, THE WARNING INDICATOR NO LONGER APPEARED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WILSON FORD LINCOLN (328 MAIN ST, LOGAN, UT 84321, (435) 752-7355) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT A FAILURE CODE COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYBRID BATTERY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,533.

NHTSA ID

11203946

Incident

Apr 10, 2018

Mileage

113,533 mi

POWER STEERING FAIL NO DASH CODES E S P FAILED NO POWER ASSIST TO TURN THE STEERING

NHTSA ID

11194853

Incident

Apr 3, 2019

Mileage

97,731 mi

STOP SAFELY NOW & SERVICE SOON - WRENCH. *TR

NHTSA ID

11175754

Incident

Feb 8, 2019

Mileage

144,000 mi

POWER STEERING FAILED DURING VERY COLD TEMPERATURE. COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL

NHTSA ID

11174802

Incident

Feb 3, 2019

Mileage

110,000 mi

AS MY SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD DAUGHTER WAS PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY FOR SCHOOL SHE NOTICED THE STEERING WAS HARD TO TURN. SHE TOOK MY CAR TO SCHOOL. I WENT TO TRY AND MOVE THE CAR BACK UP THE DRIVEWAY AND COULD BARELY TURN THE WHEEL MYSELF. LUCKILY SHE WAS AT HOME AND NOT ON THE ROAD. THERE IS NO ASSISTED STEERING ANYMORE, IT JUST WENT OUT.

NHTSA ID

11173126

Incident

Jan 29, 2019

Mileage

200,000 mi

CAR SHUTS OFF WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING, 3 TIMES NOW, ONCE ON INTERSTATE 64. DEALER FIRST SAID HYBRID BATTERY BAD, 2ND OPINION FROM HYBRID BATTERY COMPANY SAID BATTERY GOOD. DEALER SAID, 2ND TIME WITH CAR, NEED A $600 REPAIR THAT WILL RESOLVE. NOW, DEALER SAYS NO, THE BATTERY IS STILL THE ISSUE. THEY STILL CANNOT STATE WHY THE CAR DOES IT, WHAT WILL MAKE THIS CAR SAFE TO DRIVE AND IF THEY TRULY KNOW IT IS THE BATTERY, WHY DID THEY DO THE $600 REPAIR AND TELL US THAT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE ASKED WYNNE FORD IN HAMPTON VA, THE DEALER, FOR A POC AT FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO BE ABLE TO GET ANSWERS ON HOW TO MAKE/KNOW OUR12 YR OLD CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE, BEEN OVER A MONTH, BUT HAVE RECIEVED NO INFORMATION FROM WYNNE FORD. I GUESS I NEED TO DRIVE TO MICHIGAN TO SEE MR. WILLIAM CLAY FORD JR FOR ANSWERS. I DO NOT KNOW THE EXACT MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE, VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP. ALSO, THE ISSUE HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES BUT THE LATEST WAS AROUND OCT 2018. EACH INCIDENT, WE HAD TO GET VEHICLE TOWED.

NHTSA ID

11163627

Incident

Oct 16, 2018

Mileage

130,000 mi

POWER STEERING JUST WENT OUT. NO WARNING UNTIL IT WAS OUT. I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK DRIVING AND THE POWER STEERING JUST WENT OUT COMPLETELY. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHEN IT WENT OUT DO TO HOW HARD IT IS TO STEER! IT'S NOT HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. IT'S ALL ELECTRIC ASSIST STEERING. THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME ISSUE. SOME MECHANICS COULD NOT FIND THE ISSUE. INCLUDING PEOPLE THAT HAVE TAKEN IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. SOME PEOPLE HAVE SPENT OVER $1,000 AND THE ISSUE HAS CAME BACK WITHIN A FEW MONTHS. ALSO THIS ISSUE HAS CAUSED SOME ACCIDENTS. FORD NEEDS TO FIND THE PROBLEM AND FIX IT ON ALL CARS!

NHTSA ID

11122465

Incident

Aug 22, 2018

Mileage

107,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING AT A NORMAL SPEED, APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, ON A CITY STREET. AS TRAFFIC SLOWED I BEGAN TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SUDDENLY I GOT SEVERAL ALERTS ON MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (BRAKE, ABS, AND REGEN DISCONNECT). AT THE SAME TIME I LOST ALL OR MOST OF MY BRAKING POWER. I WAS FORCED TO USE THE PARK BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE, AND BARELY AVOIDED A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE.THIS WAS A VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. AFTER THE VEHICLE SAT FOR A SHORT TIME, WITH THE ENGINE OFF, THE SYSTEM APPARENTLY RESET ITSELF AND WHEN I RE-STARTED THE ENGINE ALL FUNCTIONS WERE OPERATIONAL ONCE AGAIN, AND ALL THE ALERTS WERE GONE. HOWEVER, THIS PERIOD WAS BRIEF. THINKING THIS MIGHT BE A SYSTEM GLITCH, I CAUTIOUSLY DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THE NEXT DAY THIS FAILURE RETURNED AFTER ABOUT 20 MILES OF DRIVING. AT THIS TIME I REALIZED THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS FLAW IN THE HYBRID BRAKING SYSTEM OF THIS MODEL YEAR FORD ESCAPE, AND POSSIBLY OTHER MODEL YEARS. I CONTACTED A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND I WAS SHOCKED WHEN THEY INFORMED ME THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THIS PARTICULAR FAILURE. AS A MECHANIC I FIND THIS RIDICULOUS. AFTER A BRIEF SEARCH ONLINE I FOUND MANY HYBRID FORD ESCAPE OWNER'S THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS I DID. AT THIS POINT I DEEMED MY VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND DECIDED THE BEST THING TO DO WAS TO REPORT THIS FAILURE TO THE NHTSA WITH THE HOPES THAT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS FAILURE BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. MY OPINION IS THE PROBLEM IS IN THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT. (HCU). THIS IS A COMPLEX ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL UNIT THAT IS SPECIFIC TO THE FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. FOR THE RECORD MY VEHICLE HAD ABOUT 146,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THIS HAPPENED.

NHTSA ID

11114656

Incident

Jul 20, 2018

Mileage

146,000 mi

INTERMITTENT ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WITH ALMOST COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING.

NHTSA ID

11109693

Incident

Jun 5, 2018

Mileage

40,100 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE "STOP FOR SAFETY/HIGH MOTOR - COOLING" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COOLANT PUMP WAS FAULTY. A DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,300.

NHTSA ID

11105313

Incident

Jun 25, 2018

Mileage

173,300 mi

VEHICLE WAS FAILING TO STOP WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. CODES CAME BACK FROM DEALER THAT HCU AND MASTER CYLINDER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED $7100 WHICH IS MORE THAN THE VEHICLE IS WORTH. OTHER YEAR MODES HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL

NHTSA ID

11104897

Incident

Jun 29, 2018

THE VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER COMING FROM A STOP, IT IS NOT TRANSMISSION, IT IS LIKE IT IS NOT GETTING FUEL. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING OR REASON SHUTS OFF ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE RED TRIANGLE WITH EXCLAMATION LIGHT COMES ON WITH A WARNING TO STOP SAFELY NOW ON THE DASHBOARD AND YOU ARE STRANDED. THIS HAS HAPPENED BOTH WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AND WHILE DRIVING BOTH FREEWAY AND SURFACE STREET SPEEDS, SUDDENLY. I AM AFRAID NOT ONLY TO NOT ONLY DRIVE THE VEHICLE BUT HAVING ANYONE IN THE CAR WITH ME, ESPECIALLY MAKING A LEFT TURN. IT IS NOT A SAFE VEHICLE. IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ON A DARK STREET AROUND 9PM, CUTTING OFF ON THE FREEWAY LEAVING ME NO CHOICE BUT TO COAST OFF THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. AGAIN IT JUST SHUT DOWN AGAIN WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT @ 40 MPH, WHILE DRIVING ON THE SURFACE STREETS, THIS TIME IT WAS EARLY EVENING BUT ONCE AGAIN LEFT ALONE STRANDED UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK COMES. THE DEALER CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND INDICATED THERE ARE NO RECALLS THAT WOULD ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. BUT I CAN SEE THROUGH THE COMPLAINTS THERE IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE, WHICH IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED.

NHTSA ID

11104626

Incident

Jun 28, 2018

Mileage

146,000 mi

THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON, AND AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A FEW MINUTES, THE BRAKES COMPLETELY DO NOT WORK. AFTER BRINGING IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP, THE PART ITSELF IS ABOUT $5,000 NOT INCLUDING LABOR. (HYDROCOLIC CONTROL UNIT). THEY DIDNT RECOMMEND FIXING IT BECAUSE OF HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS. I STILL OWE $5,000 SO IM STUCK PAYING FOR A PART THAT IS WORTH MORE THEN THE CAR ITSELF.

NHTSA ID

11073840

Incident

Jan 3, 2018

Mileage

10 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE THROTTLE BODY MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. LANDMARK FORD IN TIGARD, OREGON WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000. *TT THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. *TR

NHTSA ID

11062503

Incident

Dec 15, 2017

Mileage

124,000 mi

SEE ATTACHED REPAIR INVOICE # 68143 DATED 01/04/2018. LANDMARK FORD TUALATIN, OR 97281 DEFECTIVE HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY COOLING FANS & DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODY ASSY PAID INVOICE AMT $2208.95. *JS

NHTSA ID

11062498

Incident

Dec 30, 2017

Mileage

128,475 mi

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL HAS TO BE PRESSED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. AT THIS POINT THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON. *TT UPDATED 9/12/18*JB

NHTSA ID

11035474

Incident

Aug 11, 2016

Mileage

106,000 mi