2008 Ford Escape Hybrid Powertrain (other) Problems

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission was slipping between gears, and there was a significant delay while shifting into third gear. Additionally, the contact stated that when turning the steering wheel while driving, the vehicle failed to respond immediately and responded with a significant delay. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring more frequently while driving. The contact related the failures to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 14V284000 (Steering) and 15V606000 (Power Train). The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11557120

Incident

May 27, 2022

VEHICLE WAS PARKED. I GOT IN TO START THE VEHICLE. UPON REVERSING IT IMMEDIATELY LOCKED THE STEERING WHEEL, SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY AND I SAW THE LETTERS 'SAFELY STOP' APPEAR AS WELL AS THE RED TRIANGLE (PER AUTO MANUAL THE RED TRIANGLE IS DESCRIBED AS 'MASTER VEHICLE ELECTRICAL HAZARD WARNING LAMP' AND I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE AT THAT POINT AT ALL. I TRIED TO TURN IT BACK ON SEVERAL TIMES. OFTEN IT WOULDN'T TURN ON AT ALL, BUT WHEN IT DID THEN THE RED TRIANGLE WOULD APPEAR AGAIN & CAR WOULDN'T BUDGE.

NHTSA ID

11113204

Incident

Jul 23, 2018

Mileage

150,000 mi

I HAVE A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID THAT DISPLAYED A STOP SAFELY NOW SIGN AND THEN IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER, WHILE I WAS DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR BEGAN LOSING POWER AND WITHIN SECONDS WOULDN'T MOVE AT ALL. I AM THE NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN TO AND IT APPEARS THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THE CAUSE. IT IS THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM PUMP, AND YET EVEN WITH THEIR KNOWLEDGE THEY HAVE FAILED TO ISSUE A RECALL. I BELIEVE THEY ARE WAITING FOR SOMETHING TERRIBLE TO HAPPEN TO SOMEONE BEFORE ANYTHING IS DONE ABOUT THIS. HAVING A CAR LOSE COMPLETE POWER ON A HIGHWAY IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE AND THE ISSUE APPEARS TO ONLY BE WITH 2005-2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS. AGAIN INDICATING FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM SOMETHING THEY ORIGINALLY DID WRONG IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THE CAR AND YET CHOOSES TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENS.

NHTSA ID

11048040

Incident

Nov 20, 2017

Mileage

150,000 mi

DEALER SAYS ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY MUST BE REPLACED, POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE REFRESHED. ESCAPE STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN CITY, LOSS OF POWER AND FUEL, EMERGENCY LIGHT, HAD TO BE RESTARTED. KNOWN ISSUE. "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM" FOR ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY 2009 - 2013 ESCAPE OF WARRANTY EXTENSION 10 YEARS, 150K, IS NOT EXTENDED TO 2008. MY ESCAPE IS 9 YEARS, 110K. SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR ALL YEARS. INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AND SCARY.

NHTSA ID

10993173

Incident

Jun 3, 2017

Mileage

110,000 mi

THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST ALL POWER TO THE ENGINE WITH A "PULL OVER SAFELY" SIGN WHILE ON THE FREEWAY BACK IN SEPTEMBER 2013 WHEREIN I WAS TOLD TO HAVE THE COOLING PART FOR THE HYBRID BATTERY REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THE PART WAS FAULTY. THE REPLACED PART HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN THAT SAME WEEK BY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP WITH FORD. FAST FORWARD TO TODAY, AND THE SAME RED TRIANGLE WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED AND THE PART NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE WARRANTY FOR THE PART IS ONLY FOR 2 YEARS, BUT AFTER 3 YEARS WITH THE PART, THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. I FIND THIS AGGREGIOUS IN NATURE AND A RACKET THAT FORD IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. THE MAKE AND MODEL WERE A PART OF A RECALL SPECIFIC TO THIS VERY ISSUE, BUT MY SPECIFIC VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL, SO I'M OUT OF OPTIONS FOR FORD TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE THEMSELVES, TELLING ME THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WILL NOT ASSIST ME WITH THE REPLACEMENT/COSTS AND NOW I'M EXPECTED TO COME OUT OF POCKET AGAIN FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THE ORIGINAL SITUATION OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING 70MPH ON THE I5 SOUTHBOUND NEAR LAKE ELSINORE, CA IN THE HOV LANE ON THE FREEWAY, AND TWO DAYS AGO IT WAS STATIONARY AND COULD NOT BE STARTED AFTER DRIVING IT THAT MORNING AFTER SITTING FOR ONE HOUR.

NHTSA ID

10896663

Incident

Aug 15, 2016

Mileage

161,000 mi

THE SAFETY RECALL NOTICES 14S05 / NHTSA RECALL 14V-286 AND 14S09 / NHTSA 14V526000 WERE PERFORMED ON MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEMS DID NOT GO AWAY. SINCE THE RECALLS, THE CAR HAS HAD ISSUES WITH REDUCED STEERING RANGE, KEY/IGNITION NOT TURNING, POWER SURGE WHILE DRIVING, LOCKING STEERING WHEEL, AND THE WORST: A COMPLETE SHUT DOWN OF THE POWERTRAIN WHILE DRIVING, RESULTING IN A STALL-LIKE CONDITION, PUTTING OUR LIVES AT RISK. ON JUNE 11, 2016 THE CAR WAS SERVICED AND STEERING HOUSING REPLACED. WE ASKED FOR SERVICE TO CHECK THE ENTIRE CAR-- EVERYTHING!!!!-- AS THE CAR HAD BEEN ACTING STRANGELY WITH POWER SURGES AND LOCKING STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. TODAY, JULY 10 2016, WHILE DRIVING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE-5 IN CA, HEADING FROM HOME (DANVILLE, CA) TO COLLEGE (SAN DIEGO, CA) THE CAR'S SYSTEM COMPLETELY FAILED WHILE DRIVING UP THE GRAPEVINE, A SECTION OF FREEWAY THAT IS EXTREMELY CROWDED AND FULL OF LARGE 18 WHEELERS. MY POOR DAUGHTER (WHO NOW OWNS THE CAR) CALLED ME, SCREAMING HYSTERICALLY, FULL OF TERROR AND FEARING FOR HER LIFE. SHE HAD NO POWER, WAS UNABLE TO STEER, DID HER BEST THE DODGE THE 18 WHEELERS AND "LIMP MODE" OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. SHE'S NOW ON THE WAY WITH TOW TRUCK DRIVER TO DROP THE CAR OFF AT FORD OF VALENCIA CA. I TOLD HER DO NOT EVER DRIVE THAT CAR AGAIN. IT IS A SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10883875

Incident

Jul 10, 2016

Mileage

116,742 mi

IT WAS BEEN MORE THAN COUPLE YEARS AGO WHEN I HAD ERROR MESSAGE" STOP SAFELY NOW" ON MY FORD 2008 ESCAPE HYBRID. DURING THAT TIME, I WAS DRIVING INTERSTATE ROUND 50-60 MILES PER HOUR AND ALL OF SUDDEN, IT STOP THE ENGINE. I TOOK THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY. THEY GET IT FIXED. UNTIL RECENTLY, MAY 22, 2016 AND JUNE 20,2016 THE ERROR "STOP SAFELY MESSAGE" CAME BACK. I TOOK TO THE SAME DEALER I USED TO GO BUT THIS TIME. I LEFT IT FOR 2 DAYS BUT THE DEALER SAID IT WILL TAKE A WHILE TO DIAGNOSE WHATS IS THE ISSUE. I HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR THOSE DAYS BUT MY CAR WAS NOT FIX OR THE DEALER SAYING IT WILL TAKE A WHILE. I AM SURE THEY KNOW WHAT IS THE ERROR CODE. IS THIS A RECALL?I SEEN OTHER COMPLAIN IN HERE ALMOST THE SAME LIKE ME.

NHTSA ID

10876306

Incident

Jun 20, 2016

CAR WONT START, THE (STOP SLOWLY NOW) APPEARS ON DASH SCREEN . IT ATTEMPTS TO START THEN IT IS KILLED, THEN THE STOP SLOWLY NOW WARNING COMES UP..IT HAS DONE THAT WHILE WE ARE DRIVING TO. WE HAVE REPLACES HYBRID COOLING PUMP WE WERE TOLD THAT IS THE PROBLEM. FIXED IT NOW IT IS WORST

NHTSA ID

10870405

Incident

May 15, 2016

Mileage

121,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 45MPH, TRIED TO PRESS THE GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE AND NOTHING HAPPENED I COULD NOT GO ANY FASTER AND MY CAR SLOWED DOWN TO 20 MPH. I KEPT PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN I HAD TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. WHERE MY CAR HAD TO BE TOWED BECAUSE I COULDN'T DRIVE IT ANYWHERE. I TOOK IT TO THE GARAGE THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY WAS BAD AND TO REPLACE IT WAS 780.00 THERE IS A RECALL FOR 2009 TO 2013 MODELS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM BUT NOT FOR 2008 OR HYBRIDS.

NHTSA ID

10760245

Incident

Aug 26, 2015

Mileage

129,800 mi

MAY 2014 RECALL INVOLVED THE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE AND TORQUE SENSORS THAT COULD CAUSE LOSS OF POWER STEERING MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER. I HAD BEEN NOTICING SLIPPING IN MY STEERING WHEEL WITH SLIGHT PULLING TO OPPOSITE SIDE. IT HAPPENED IN STRAIGHT DRIVING CONDITION SUCH AS INTERSTATES BUT SEEMED MORE NOTICEABLE AS I WAS NAVIGATING A CURVE. I TOOK IT TO MY FORD DEALERSHIP WITH A RECALL NOTICE I HAD AND TOLD THEM I WAS HAVING THESE PROBLEMS AND CONCERNED. THEY CHECKED IT OUT AND TOLD ME THEY HAD RESET A POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. IT SEEMED ALITTLE BETTER AT FIRST BUT THEN STARTED NOTICING AGAIN SAME PROBLEM. 10 MONTH LATER I TOTALLY LOSS MY POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING HOME WITH MY FAMILY. IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER AND I ALMOST HIT A TRUCK COMING AROUND CURVE. TOOK IT BACK TO MY FORD DEALERSHIP WAS TOLD TORQUE SENSOR GONE OUT AND FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAYS CALL RECALL HOT LINE STAYING THEY FELT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF UNDER RECALL SINCE I HAD BEEN IN WITH IT BEFORE AND TORQUE SENSOR WAS PART OF RECALL. I CALL HOT LINE SET UP CASE AND WAS DENIED BY FORD SAYING AT THE TIME OF SERVICE DURING FIRST RECALL VISIT I MADE THEY HAD FOUND NO DEFAULTS SO THEY ONLY RESET POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE AND CLOSED RECALL OUT ON MY ESCAPE. I AM OUTRAGED THAT FORD DID NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THEIR ON CERTIFIED MECHANICS AND STAFF WHO ADVISES ME THAT THIS PROBLEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN DETECTED AND FIXED WITH MY VISIT THAT I HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS. INSTEAD THIS CONTINUED TO ESCALADE UNTIL I TOTALLY LOST POWER STEERING THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED WRECK AND ENDING BADLY. I FEEL FORD HAS TAKEN RECALL EFFORTS AS CHEAP AS POSSIBLE WITH RESETTING THESE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULES RATHER THAN TAKING EXTRA STEPS IN REPLACING TORQUE SENSORS THAT WERE PART OF. *TR

NHTSA ID

10711840

Incident

Apr 6, 2015

THE VEHICLES WARNING LIGHT SYMBOLIZED AS AN ORANGE/YELLOW WRENCH ILLUMINATES ON AND OFF THROUGHOUT THE DAY. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE HAS LAGGED IN RESPONSE TO APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE, OR HAD DELAYED ACCELERATION RESPONSE. THE ISSUE IS ONGOING, AND CONTINUAL ON A DAILY BASIS STARTING APPROXIMATELY ON MARCH 2, 2015. *TR

NHTSA ID

10704220

Incident

Mar 2, 2015

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY LOST POWER, A TRIANGLE WITH AN EXCLAMATION POINT CAME ON IN THE DASHBOARD AND THE DATA SYSTEM SAID "STOP SAFELY NOW". THIS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE SAME DRIVE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MEC PUMP. ABOUT ONE YEAR LATER THE SAME ISSUE BEGAN OCCURRING MULTIPLES TIMES PER DAY UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO A DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY, THE ISSUE OCCURRED AGAIN. THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, THE ISSUE OCCURRED AGAIN. IT IS NOW AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP GETTING DIAGNOSED YET AGAIN. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND MUST BE RESOLVED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10644514

Incident

Mar 8, 2013

Mileage

50,000 mi

CURRENTLY FORD HAS A RECALL (14S19). THE COOLANT PUMP MAY MALFUNCTION, WHICH CAN CAUSE THE HYBRID ELECTRONICS SYSTEMS TO OVERHEAT AND POSSIBLY LEAD TO MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS. "WHEN THE HYBRID ELECTRONICS SYSTEM GETS TOO HOT IT WILL SHUT DOWN THE POWERTRAIN, RESULTING IN A STALL-LIKE CONDITION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH," ACCORDING TO FORD'S FILING WITH NHTSA. MY VEHICLE HAS THIS PROBLEM. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, AND I HAVE ALREADY NOTIFIED THIS AGENCY. ONCE AGAIN, ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2014, I WAS DRIVING IN MARYLAND, NEAR DC, IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, AND I LOST ALL POWER. IT IS REALLY HORRIBLE LOSING ALL POWER WHEN YOU ARE IN THE LEFT MOST LANE (NO LEFT SHOULDER), AND LOSE ALL POWER. SEVERAL CARS ALMOST HIT US...AGAIN. I DON'T CARE IF MY HYBRID SYSTEM IS OVERHEATING. I WOULD RATHER DESTROY THE BATTERIES THAN ALL OF A SUDDEN LOSING ALL POWER IN DC RUSH HOUR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10638420

Incident

Sep 5, 2014

Mileage

122,500 mi

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS (APPROXIMATELY OVER 50 MPH), THE CAR WOULD SUDDENLY LOSE ENGINE POWER AND THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE WOULD COME ON. THE CAR WOULD GO INTO LIMP-HOME MODE AND ALLOW ME TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. TURNING OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTING IT WOULD ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW MORE MINUTES OF DRIVING. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 15 TIMES ON A 60 MILE TRIP HOME, ALLOWING ME TO DRIVE ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO 10 MILES AT A TIME BEFORE THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THIS WAS ACCOMPANIED AT TIMES WITH AN ENGINE OVERHEATING MESSAGE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR A REPAIR. THEY CLAIMED IT WAS A MALFUNCTIONING ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY AND REPLACED IT FOR ABOUT $1000. A WEEK LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED TWICE ON A 30-MILE HIGHWAY TRIP WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS, BUT HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE THEN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10632907

Incident

Jul 19, 2014

Mileage

71,000 mi

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS VEHICLE LOSES POWER, RED TRIANGLE (WARNING) LIGHT ON AND (STOP SAFELY NOW) ON MESSAGE CENTER WITH WRENCH LIGHT (SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT). VEHICLE CAN NO LONGER BE DRIVEN AND MUST BE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD (IF POSSIBLE) PLACED IN PARK AND THE IGNITION TURNED OFF. THIS WILL RESET THE RED TRIANGLE LIGHT AND STOP SAFELY NOW MESSAGE USUALLY ON THE FIRST KEY CYCLE, SOMETIME IT REQUIRES A SECOND OFF/ ON CYCLE OF THE IGNITION. THE WRENCH LIGHT (SES) MAY OR MAY NOT RESET, BUT WILL EVENTUALLY GO OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED 8-10 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR, SO FAR AT SPEEDS OF 35 MPH OR LESS IN CITY TRAFFIC. NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY OR NIGHT THAT THIS HAPPENS ON A BUSY FREEWAY, IT IS HARD ENOUGH TO GET TO THE CURB IN CITY TRAFFIC. THIS COULD CAUSE SOME REAL PROBLEMS ON THE FREEWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10627761

Incident

Aug 6, 2013

Mileage

78,455 mi

MY VEHICLE IS PART OF THE FORD RECALL FOR THE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE. FORD IS REFUSING TO COVER IT, EVEN THOUGH OUR VIN IS REPORTED ON FORD'S RECALL WEBSITE AS PART OF THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10598808

Incident

May 16, 2014

Mileage

154,000 mi

I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND LOST POWER STEERING. THE TORQUE SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY FORD DEALERSHIP, WHO INFORMED ME THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING MODULE FOR $2200. WE WERE DECIDING WHAT TO DO NEXT, WHEN THE RECALL CAME OUT FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIX IT AS FORD HAS NOT PUT OUT CORRECTIVE ACTIONS. IT IS NOW JUNE 16TH, WHICH IS WHEN THEY PROMISED CORRECTIVE ACTION WOULD BE OUT BY. WHEN WE CALLED ABOUT GETTING A RENTAL VEHICLE, AS MY HUSBAND AND I ARE NOW USING ONE CAR, THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT. THEN 15 DAYS LATER THEY CALLED AGAIN SAYING NOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR CAR IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. HOWEVER, READING THE RELEASE FROM THEIR SPOKESWOMAN ON AUTOBLOG, IT IS EXACTLY WHAT IS COVERED, WHICH IS REPLACING THE POWER STEERING ELECTRONIC SENSOR MODULE. FORD IS TRYING TO PASS THE BUCK HERE AND NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE LOST INCOME DUE TO OUR LACK OF HAVING A SECOND CAR, AS I MUST DRIVE MY HUSBAND TO WORK 15 MILES ONE WAY, THEN GO BACK ANOTHER 55 MILES THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SO NEITHER OF US CAN TAKE ON EXTRA WORK SO THAT EACH OF US HAS A WAY TO GET TO AND FROM WORK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10598497

Incident

Jun 22, 2012

Mileage

154,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWARY GOING ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN THE ACCELERATION WENT OUT AND THE OK TO STOP SAFELY LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OVER AND STOPPED AND RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT OPERATED OK. THIS IS PROBABLY THE 6TH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST MONTH. I WILL BE TAKING IT IN FOR REPAIRS. I CALLED FORD REGARDING THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THERE IS A LIMITED CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM BUT WAS TOLD BECAUSE MY CAR WAS NOT BUILT AT A PARTICULAR FACTORY MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED BY THIS LIMITED PROGRAM, EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS I HAVE SEEN ON OTHER WEBSITES. THIS IS SHOULD BE PART OF A RECALL. *JS

NHTSA ID

10579193

Incident

Apr 11, 2014

Mileage

120,000 mi

CAR ENGINE TURNED OFF AT 70 MPH. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. PRIOR TO THE ENGINE SHUT-OFF, ONLY THE "WRENCH INDICATOR" WAS ON; IT COMES ON OCCASIONALLY. SERVICE CENTERS CAN NEVER DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE ONCE THE CAR HAS TURNED OFF. WARNING LIGHT ON DASH SAID "SAFETY MODE" AT THE TIME OF ENGINE SHUT-OFF. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AFTER ABOUT TWO MINUTES. DASH WARNING INDICATORS TURNED OFF. GOT BACK ON THE INTERSTATE ONLY FOR THE CAR ENGINE TO TURN-OFF AGAIN AT THE BASE OF AN OFF-RAMP ABOUT FOUR MILES FARTHER UP THE ROAD. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AT 55-60 MPH BEFORE THE SECOND INCIDENT. I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO THE FORD DEALERSHIP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10577356

Incident

Apr 3, 2014

Mileage

110,000 mi

THIS WEEK THE NEWS HAD STORIES ABOUT GENERAL MOTORS RECALLING SEVERAL CARS BECAUSE THE IGNITION CAN SUDDENLY TURN OFF CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING. THERE WERE EVEN DEATHS DUE TO BAD ACCIDENTS AS A RESULT OF THE IGNITION FAILURE AND CAR LOSING POWER. THIS REMINDED ME OF AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED TO ME WHICH WAS SIMILAR. I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID LAST DECEMBER, ON I-280 IN SAN FRANCISCO DURING RUSH HOUR AT 65 MPH, WHEN SUDDENLY THE DASH BEEPED AT ME, FLASHED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, DISPLAYED A MESSAGE TO PULL OVER SAFELY, AND THE ENGINE HAD NO POWER! I SUDDENLY FOUND MYSELF IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, MIDDLE LANE OF THE FREEWAY AND NO POWER TO SAFELY PULL OVER. I WAS LOSING SPEED AND SLOWED TO WHERE I CUT BETWEEN OTHER CARS AND OVER TO THE SHOULDER. I'M SURE I CUT SOMEONE OFF IN THE PROCESS. LUCKILY THERE WAS NOT A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT. THERE COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN AN ACCIDENT. THE SAME THING HAPPENED THREE MORE TIMES IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS BEFORE I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO BE FIXED. THEY INDICATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE. THE FORD DEALER DIAGNOSED IT WITH CODE P1A0D, WHICH WAS A BAD COOLANT PUMP FOR THE ELECTRIC GENERATOR. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT MANY OTHER FORD ESCAPE OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME SITUATION AS I DID WHERE THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE AT HIGH SPEED AND PUT THEM INTO A DANGEROUS SITUATION. A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH ON THIS FINDS SEVERAL BLOG REPORTS OF PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR SITUATIONS. FORD HAS YET TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS, BUT I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST FORD: MACDONALD V. FORD, CASE NO. 3:13-CV-02988, IN THE US DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10566464

Incident

Dec 16, 2013

Mileage

85,000 mi

THROTTLE BODY FAILURE; ACCELERATION ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10555297

Incident

Dec 9, 2013

WHILE EXITING A STATE ROUTE ON A OFF RAMP I WAS APPLYING BRAKES ON A TURN. THE BRAKE LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, CHECK BRAKES WARNING CAME ON AND I LOST ALL OF MY BRAKES. FAULT CODES THAT ARE SETTING ARE U2023,C1526,C1477. FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND TO REPAIR IT YOU MUST REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER $850 AND ABS PUMP ASSEMBLY $3500. *TR

NHTSA ID

10548815

Incident

Oct 1, 2013

Mileage

120,000 mi

IT WAS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2013. THE AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 62 DEGREES. IT WAS SUNNY. THE STREETS WERE DRY. I WAS DRIVING SOUTH FROM AUSTIN TO NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS ON I-35 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:15 A.M. I HAD THE SPEED CONTROL SET FOR 55 M.P.H. AS I WAS LEAVING SAN MARCOS, AN ALARM TONE SOUNDED, AND THE DASH BOARD DISPLAY SHOWED "STOP SAFELY NOW" AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO MOVE TO THE SHOULDER USING BATTERY POWER ONLY AT LESS THAN 20 MILES AN HOUR, CAUSING ISSUES WITH OTHER TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSTATE, WITH MANY OF THE OTHER DRIVERS ANXIOUS TO GET TO WORK. I STOPPED THE CAR, AND WHEN IT WAS SAFE TO DO SO, EXITED THE VEHICLE AND DID A PERIMETER SCAN FOR ISSUES. NONE WERE DETECTED. I OPENED THE HOOD AND CHECKED FOR UNTOWARD ISSUES. THERE WAS NO SMOKE. THE ENGINE WASN'T OVERLY HOT. OIL WAS FULL TO THE APPROPRIATE MARK. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SERVICED BY THE DEALERSHIP WHO SOLD THE VEHICLE TO ME ABOUT 1790 MILES PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, AND A FULL DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED WITHOUT ANY ISSUES DETECTED. AFTER COMPLETING THIS CHECK, I RESTARTED THE CAR AND DROVE FOR ANOTHER 20 OR SO MILES WHEN THE ALARM AND DISPLAY REPEATED AS ABOVE. AGAIN THERE WERE NO ISSUES. I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AFTER ABOUT THREE MINUTES AND WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE THE 75 MILE COMMUTE. THE RETURN TRIP HAD NO ISSUES. SINCE THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY WITHOUT WARNING IN FAST-MOVING TRAFFIC, THIS IS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. INFORMATION FROM THE INTERNET INDICATES THAT FORD HAS HAD THIS ISSUE SINCE THE FIRST ESCAPE HYBRIDS WERE ON THE ROAD, AND THERE APPEARS TO BE NO DEFINITIVE PROBLEM OR CORRECTION. I REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA EXAMINE THIS TO DETERMINE IF A RECALL SHOULD BE PERFORMED BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED BECAUSE OF A FAULTY ALARM THAT SHUTS THE VEHICLE DOWN COMPLETELY WITHOUT WARNING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10548328

Incident

Oct 17, 2013

Mileage

92,827 mi

FAILURE OF THE ELECTRONIC WATER PUMP FOR THE HYBRID SYSTEM CAUSES THE IMMEDIATE SHUTDOWN OF THE VEHICLE LEAVING DRIVER NO POWER TO MOVE TO A SAFE AREA. THERE IS NO WARNING BUT JUST AN IMMEDIATE ELECTRICAL SHUTOFF UNTIL DRIVER CAN MOVE TO THE SHOULDER AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. THIS OCCURRED TWICE AND LEFT US IN VERY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS BEFORE I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED. FORD WOULD NOT REPLACE THE PART CLAIMING IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THEIR HYBRID WARRANTY ALTHOUGH THE PART IS INTEGRAL TO THE HYBRID SYSTEM. PART SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE FATALITIES OCCUR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10537539

Incident

Jul 6, 2013

Mileage

62,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

NHTSA ID

10526111

Incident

Jul 21, 2013

Mileage

52,000 mi