2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Problems

Car steering torque sensor not working properly causing power steering assist to be lost compromising electric power steering (eps) assist and increasing the risk of an accident. Ford has a recall 14S05/2014-193, but they are saying my car is not included on this recall at this time although it is exactly the same issue I am having now.

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 8 MPH, the steering wheel failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The steering wheel ceased to function; however, the contact was able to make a full turn of the steering wheel, and the vehicle was turned off. The vehicle was restarted, and the contact was able to regain power steering functionality. The vehicle was taken to two separate independent mechanics and the contact was informed that the steering wheel module needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact had the same failure three times within a month. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer, where the steering module was reprogrammed; however, the dealer was unable to provide a cause for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired after the most recent failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 260,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CHECK BRAKING SYSTEM, TRACTION CONTROL AND EMERGENCY BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE TO HIS DESTINATION. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND USE THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS REFERRED TO LOCAL DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER NICK MAYER LINCOLN WESTLAKE LOCATED AT 24400 CENTER RIDGE RD, WESTLAKE, OH 44145, (440) 835-3700, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER, BRAKE BOOSTER, ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT AND MODULE AND ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

HCU MALFUNCTIONING CAUSING BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. DEADLY FLAW IN BRAKE SYSTEM DESIGN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHEN BEING DRIVEN FOR AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. JACK MADDEN FORD (825 BOSTON-PROVIDENCE TURNPIKE, NORWOOD, MA 02062, (781) 762-4200) WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 18072344F8W3R8. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.

OUR 2009 FORD HYBRID ESCAPE CAUGHT FIRE IN OUR DRIVEWAY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND IT TOOK TWO FIREMEN TO PUT IT OUT. THE ENTIRE FRONT WAS DESTROYED. EVEN THE DASH BOARD WAS MELTED AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE. IT APPEARED TO BE AN ELECTRICAL TRIGGER, BUT THERE IS NO CERTAINIY AS TO WHAT CAUSE THIS FIRE, WHICH HAD FLAMES NEARLY 10 FEET HIGH. MY SON WAS SITTING IN THE CAR TALIKING ON THE PHONE. HE CAME RUNNING IN SAYNG THERE WAS SMOKE IN THE CAR AND WHEN I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW IT HAD ALREADY STARTED TO CATCH FIRE. SMOKE AND CATCH FIRE. I AM THANKFUL HE WAS NOT INJURED AND THAT MY HOUSE -A CEDAR SIDED HOME- DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE.

14S05 RECALL, CODE B2278 LOST POWER ASSIST SYSTEM LUCKILY I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS DRIVING IN A NEIGHBORHOOD AT LESS THEN 20MPH. I HAVE 154,000 MILES ON MY CAR. THIS FAILURE MADE IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO STEER MY CAR. IF I HAD BEEN ON A MILDLY BUSY STREET AND NEEDED TO TURN AT AN INTERSECTION I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT. I WAS MOMENTS FROM GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY AND CAN NOT IMAGINE HOW I COULD HAVE HAD ANY CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. FORD SHOULD BE REPLACING ALL THE FAILED TORQUE SENSOR. SHOULD BE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT!

WHEN I START MY CAR I MAINLY COME FROM A RESIDENT AREA OR A PARKING LOT WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 10-15MPH ONCE I HIT THE MAIN STREET WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 35 MPH MY CAR WONT ACCELERATE TO THE PROPER SPEED EVEN THOUGH MY GAUGES ARE SHOWING THE SPEED IM SUPPOSED TO BE AT AFTER 8 SECONDS THE CAR SHOOTS OFF TO 35MPH AND WHEN I BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN IT ROLLS AGAIN AT 5-10MPH. THIS IS VERY SCARY ESPECIALLY IN CONGESTED AREAS AND TRYING TO PULL OVER IN AN EMERGENCY IS VERY DIFFICULT WHEN MY CAR GETS STUCK IN A SLOW SPEED. IT IS NOW SO CONSTANT ITS EVERY DAY THE ONLY WAY TO BYPASS IT I HAVE TO PULL OVER TURN OFF THE CAR LOCK AND UNLOCK 2-3 TIMES AND IT WILL START UP NORMALLY

I WAS DRIVING MY 2009 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID HOME FROM WORK, ON THE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR, WHEN THE CAR WENT INTO "LIMP MODE" NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I COULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL. I BARELY AVOIDED A 16 WHEELER AND MADE IT TO THE FREEWAY SHOULDER WHILE HITTING A CONCRETE CURB NEARLY CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND DAMAGING MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE. IT WAS TERRIFYING, AND THIS HAPPENED LESS THAN ONE YEAR AFTER THE STEERING WENT OUT, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT ALSO. THE WRENCH SIGN WAS LIGHT UP AND A MESSAGE TO PULL OVER WAS ON. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME. IT HAS HAPPENED 3 MORE TIMES, DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, IN THE LAST 2 DAYS MAKING THE CAR BASICALLY UNDRIVEABLE. A CODE 2112 WAS PULLED FROM THE CAR AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY WAS BAD AND THAT THERE WAS A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM THAT SHOULD REPLACE THIS. WHEN I CALLED FORD WITH MY VIN NUMBER, I WAS TOLD THAT MY 2009 HYBRID WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 13N03. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER 2009 ESCAPE HYBRIDS WITH THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM THAT WERE NOT COVERED. THESE VEHICLES NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED!!!

IN 2013, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR LOST POWER COMPLETELY UNDER ACCELERATION, WHILE GOING UPHILL ON CITY STREETS. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE, TURN THE CAR OFF, WAIT AND TRY TO START THE CAR AGAIN. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE CAR TURNED ON AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY INFORMED ME THE THROTTLE BODY ACCENTUATOR WAS FAULTY, NOT UNDER WARRANTY ( CAR 3 YEARS OLD AT TIME) BECAUSE IT WAS REALLY AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. THE WAS REPLACED IN 2013. NOW AGAIN IN 2016, ENGINE LIGHT ON AGAIN...SAME DIAGNOSIS. PART REPLACED AGAIN, NOT UNDER WARRANTY. DEALERSHIP SAYS IT HAS NO INDICATIONS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS. ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON...YET TO BE RESOLVED.

OUR 2009 FORD HYBRID ESCAPE CAUGHT FIRE IN OUR DRIVEWAY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND IT TOOK TWO FIREMEN TO PUT IT OUT. THE ENTIRE FRONT WAS DESTROYED. EVEN THE DASH BOARD WAS MELTED AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE. IT APPEARED TO BE AN ELECTRICAL TRIGGER, BUT THERE IS NO CERTAINIY AS TO WHAT CAUSE THIS FIRE, WHICH HAD FLAMES NEARLY 10 FEET HIGH. MY SON WAS SITTING IN THE CAR TALIKING ON THE PHONE. HE CAME RUNNING IN SAYNG THERE WAS SMOKE IN THE CAR AND WHEN I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW IT HAD ALREADY STARTED TO CATCH FIRE. SMOKE AND CATCH FIRE. I AM THANKFUL HE WAS NOT INJURED AND THAT MY HOUSE -A CEDAR SIDED HOME- DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE.

CAR NOT STARTING BECAUSE OF A POORLY DESIGNED IGNITION HOUSING. THE CAR SOMETINMS DOESN'T START BECAUSE IT DOESN'T TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH LIKE IT SHOULD. I GOT THE REPLACEMENT PART FROM DEALER AND THEY SAID IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. SO WHY IS THRE NOT A RECALL FOR THE ISSUE?

THROTTLE BODY PROBLEMS P2112 AND P2111

TURNED THE CAR ON AND THE WRENCH LIGHT WAS ON. DRIVING IT FELT A LITTLE BIT STRANGE BECAUSE IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT HAD GOOD POWER. TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND IT WAS RUNNING FINE AGAIN. DROVE ABOUT 5 MILES AND ONCE I GOT TO A PARKING GARAGE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR WENT INTO "LIMP" MODE. PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID THAT THE THROTTLE BODY WAS STICKING. THIS IS THE THIRD FAILURE OF THIS PART IN 33 MONTHS. PART WAS FIRST REPLACED IN SEPTEMBER 2015. HAD A FAILURE OF THE PART THEY REPLACED IN JANUARY 2017 AND NOW A THIRD FAILURE OF THE SAME PART IN JUN 2018. THE THROTTLE BODY HAS BEEN REPLACED EACH TIME THAT IT HAS FAILED. THIS SEEMS LIKE A DEFECTIVE PART THAT ONLY LASTS FOR ABOUT 15-18 MONTHS. THERE WAS LESS THAN 20,000 MILES PUT ON THE CAR BEFORE THIS PART FAILED IN JUNE 2018.

A HINGE HOLDING THE REAR WINDOW IN PLACE CRACKED IN HALF WHEN THE WINDOW WAS RAISED. THE 2ND HINGE IS SHOWING CRACKS AND SIGNS OF STRESS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WITH THE HEAT ON THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. HE SET THE HEAT TO 70 DEGREES AND IT BECAME HOTTER THAN NORMAL IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR THE FAILURE. HE WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE AIR BLEND BOX ACTUATOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND REPLACED IT AT THE CONTACTS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2009 I WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR-END COLLISION. I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY A TOWING TRUCK WHILE I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. I SPUN AROUND AND WENT INTO THE INTERSECTION. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE, A 2009 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. UPON INSPECTION I NOTED THAT THE BACK OF THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT (THE ONE I WAS SITTING IN) HAD COLLAPSED BACKWARD SO THAT THE BACK AND HEADREST WERE LAYING DOWN AND IN THE BACK (STILL ATTACHED TO THE SEAT HOWEVER). I WAS ALARMED AS IF I HAD SOMEONE IN THE BACK BEHIND ME THEY WOULD HAVE SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURY IF NOT DEATH. I WAS ALONE HOWEVER AND SUSTAINED SOME ACHES AND PAINS INCLUDING A NECK INJURY. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE VEHICLE WILL BE TOTALED YET. I DO NOT KNOW IF I WILL HAVE ONGOING NECK ISSUES. I ASSUME THE BACK OF ONE'S SEAT IS TO REMAIN UPRIGHT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. I LOOKED ON LINE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN MY FORD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED AND ATTEMPTING TO PARK WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE FRONT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

ORGANIZATION OWNS TWO 2009 FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS. FIRST VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS INCLUDING AC/HEATING SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, STEERING WHEEL COVER DISINTEGRATED AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS REPEATEDLY COME ON DATING BACK TO WHEN VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT DEALERSHIP COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR FIND ANY CODES, ABS MODULE WENT OUT AT 52,000 MILES, WHEN MODULE WAS REPLACED, CODE FOR HYDRAULICS SHOWED ANOTHER MODULE NEEDED REPLACED, CAR IS STILL IN SHOP, AND DEALER SAYS THERE ARE STILL ADDITIONAL CODES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF SITUATION THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS KIND OF MECHANICAL AND/OR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WHEN FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS WAS CONTACTED, THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AT 52,000 MILES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOSS POWER STEERING ASSIST WITH THE POWER STEERING FAULT MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART ONCE THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE IGNITION WAS DEFECTIVE DUE TO THE VEHICLE FAILING TO RESTART. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED PRIOR TO HER OWNING THE VEHICLE AND THEREFORE NOT SUBJECTED TO THE FREE REPAIR. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED ISSUES RELATED TO THE SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED CORROSION IN THE WHEEL WELL WHICH AFFECTED THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SUSPENSION AND THE UNIBODY CONSTRUCTION. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MECHANIC NEEDED TO REMOVE THE HYBRID BATTERY, THE FUEL TANK, AND THE FUEL LINE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

WHILE TRAVELING IN VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEED, VIBRATION WAS NOTICED BY OCCUPANTS, AND THEY COMMENTED TO EACH OTHER ABOUT IT, AS THE VEHICLE HAD DRIVEN NORMALLY (NO VIBRATION) ALL DAY. OPERATOR CHECKED GAGE CLUSTER FOR ANY WARNING LIGHTS, AND NONE WERE ILLUMINATED. SOON AFTER, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHIMMY DRASTICALLY. OPERATOR STATED ALSO THAT AT ABOUT THIS TIME, AN OBSERVATION WAS MADE THAT THE LOW AIR LIGHT ON THE GAGE CLUSTER ILLUMINATED. WHILE MANEUVERING TO THE LEFT, A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE (BLOWOUT) OF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE OCCURRED. A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD, AND THE TREAD THAT WAS STILL ON THE TIRE RIM CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE LEFT FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE LEFT SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND STOPPED, OCCUPANTS WERE NOT INJURED, NOR WAS ANY OTHER VEHICLE OR PERSON INVOLVED WITH THE INCIDENT. POTENTIAL SERIOUS INJURY OF OCCUPANTS WAS AVOIDED DURING THE FAILURE OF THE TIRE BY THE ACTIONS OF THE OPERATOR TO MANEUVER AND BRING THE DAMAGED VEHICLE TO A STOP. NO DEBRIS WAS RUN OVER DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY, AND THAT UNTIL JUST BEFORE THE INCIDENT; NOTHING WAS OUT OF THE ORDINARY WITH HOW THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING. IT IS SPECULATED THAT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE OF THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DE-TREAD AS THE VIBRATION FELT WITHIN THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCED. WHEN THE WHEEL STARTED TO SHIMMY, THE OUTER TREAD MAY HAVE BEEN ALL BUT DELAMINATED FROM THE INTERIOR CORE OF THE TIRE, AND UPON TURNING LEFT, CAUSED THE FLOATING TREAD TO COME OFF CENTER FROM THE TIRE, AND FINALLY SHRED APART DESTROYING THE COMPONENTS OF THE VEHICLE SURROUNDING THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF THE FAILED TIRE. THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE HAVE BEEN DRIVEN 35217 MILES, AND TREADS ALL ARE EVENLY WORN AND ALTHOUGH NOT MEASURED, SEEM TO BE MORE THAN ADEQUATE DEPTH WISE. CLOSE INSPECTION OF THE TIRES DOES SEEM TO INDICATE THAT THERE MAY BE MINOR DRY ROTTING OCCURRING ON THE SIDE WALL OF THE TIRES. *TR