Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Ford Escape submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 111 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 111, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,400.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE MAINTENANCE SERVICE SENSOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SECOND AND FOURTH GEARS WERE FAULTY AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF IT COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. THE RADIO ALSO FAILED AND THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A REDUCTION IN POWER. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON 5 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE TRANSMISSION, ALTERNATOR, FRONT AXLE AND BATTERY WERE ALL REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AS THE WRENCH WARNING ICON ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. *TT
2008 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE LOSS ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING *TGW WHEN THE MECHANIC OPENED THE HOOD, HE DISCOVERED THE ENGINE WAS COVERED IN FLUID. THE TRANSMISSION COOLER WAS LEAKING, AS WELL AS THE COOLANT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A FRACTURE IN THE AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER, WHICH WAS CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, BUT THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,930. UPDATED 04/19/12*LJ UPDATED 04/25/12
I WAS IN MY CAR AND WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE AND PULL OUT ON TO THE ROAD, MY ENGINE RACED AND I ONLY ROLLED FORWARD, DOWN THE SMALL SLOPE, INTO TRAFFIC. AFTER ABOUT 3 SECONDS MY TRANSMISSION CAUGHT AND THE CAR JUMPED FORWARD AND I MOMENTARILY LOST CONTROL, BARELY MISSING ANOTHER CAR IN THE OTHER LANE. TURNS OUT ALMOST ALL OF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD LEAKED OUT FROM THE TRANSMISSION COOLER, CAUSING A MALFUNCTIONING TRANSMISSION. AFTER BRINGING THE VEHICLE IN TO GET INSPECTED, AND TALKING TO MULTIPLE DEALERS, THEY ALL SAY THAT THEY CONSISTENTLY FIX THIS ISSUE ON THE 2008 FORD ESCAPE. SOME EVEN SAY THEY HAVE TROUBLE STOCKING THE PART BECAUSE THEY DO SO MANY. THE VEHICLE HAS A FAULTY TRANSMISSION COOLER/AC CONDENSER THAT CONSISTENTLY BREAKS AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LOSE TRANSMISSION FLUID, RESULTING IN UNSAFE VEHICLES. *KB
2008 FORD ESCAPE HAS 68,000 MILES ON IT, THE TRANSMISSION IS JERKING WHEN SHIFTING INTO FIRST AND SECOND GEAR. IT IS REALLY BAD SHIFTING TO SECOND, IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE MOTOR IS DROPPING. MY A/C ALSO JUST STARTED HAVING ISSUES, THE FAN ONLY WORKS ON HIGH. *TR
THE FORD ESCAPE 2008 WITH 76,559 WAS MAKING A NOISE IN THE TRANSMISSION WHEN PLACING THE REVERSE. ALSO THERE WAS A NOISE IN THE MOTOR LIKE A ZOOM . I TOOK THE SUV TO THE FORD DEALER AND THEY CHECKED AND FOUND A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND THE MOTOR PULLEYS, BEARINGS AS WELL. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST $3,099. I DECIDED TO TAKE THE CAR HOME. WHILE DRIVING A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 58.2 MILEAGE I WAS WAITING IN THE ROAD, THE LIGHT CHANGE FROM RED TO GREEN AND WHEN I PRESS THE PEDAL TO PASS THE HIGHWAY THE FORD ESCAPE 2008 MAKE A HUGE NOISE AND DID NO MOVED. THE DRIVE AND REVERSE DID NOT ENGAGE AND THE PARKING WAS MAKING A HUGE CRANK NOISE. THERE WAS NOT WAY NO MOVE THEN I WAIT IN THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNTIL THE ROAD SERVICE CAME TO TAKE THE SUV. I CONTACTED THE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY REQUIRED THE UNIT TO BE TAKEN BACK TO THE FORD DEALER FOR EVALUATION AND SUPPORT. THEY WILL NEED TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION AND MAKE PULLEYS, BELTS ABD BEARINGS CHANGES. SO FAR THE DEALER WILL COVER 25%, THE FORD 50% AND THE CUSTOMER THE 25%. THE FORD ESCAPE NOISE IN THE TRANSMISSION AND MOTOR STARTED ABOUT THE SAME WEEK OF THE AUGUST 04, 2011. THE FORD ESCAPE 2008 WAS TAKEN TO THE FORD DEALER ON AUGUST 04, 2011 IN THE MORNING ABOUT 10:00 TO 11:00 AM AND THE FAILURE OCCURRED THE SAME DAY IN THE AFTERNOON ABOUT 5:30 PM. *TR
I TOOK MY 2008 ESCAPE LIMITED IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS TOLD TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING. I THEN NOTICED THE CAR WAS HESITATING BETWEEN SWITCHING GEARS. I TOOK IT TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP THAT NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS BEING PUSHED OUT. WHEN THEY CALLED FORD THEY WERE TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY BECAUSE I'VE HAD THE CAR 3.5 YEARS EVENTHOUGH THERE ARE ONLY 14,065 MILES ON THE CAR. NOW I'M READING ABOUT A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM ONLINE BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED. HOPEFULLY THIS MEANS I WON'T HAVE TO PAY THOUGH BEING WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS IS EXTREMELY AGGRAVATING. *TR
LAST YEAR FORD HAD A RECALL ON 2008 FORD ESCAPES, WHICH I WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT. THE ISSUE OF THE RECALL WAS THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING THROUGH THE AC SYSTEM (COOLER). THIS MAKES THE DRIVE VERY HARD, AND WHEN ONE IS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT THE VEHICLE HESITATES TO GO, THEN JERKS BACK AND FORWARD WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED, I WAS ALWAYS SCARED SOMEONE WOULD HIT ME FROM BEHIND, AND CAUSE A CRASH, I BELIEVE THIS MAY LEAD TO CRASHES. APPARENTLY THE VEHICLES START DOING THIS WHEN IT IS OVER 40,000 MILES DRIVEN, AND I AM CURRENTLY RIGHT AROUND THAT RANGE, AND MY ISSUE STARTED ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND AM TOLD I AM NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE MY VEHICLE DID NOT QUALIFY; HOWEVER, I AM HAVING THE VERY ISSUE THAT THE FORD 2008 ESCAPE WAS RECALLED FOR LAST YEAR, SO IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THERE ARE MORE VEHICLES WHO WILL DEMONSTRATE THIS ISSUE, AND FORD HAS MISSED SOME VEHICLES AND SHOULD EXTEND THAT RECALL TO COVER THE NEW VEHICLES THAT ARE ALSO DEMONSTRATING THIS VERY ISSUE, BECAUSE THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM IF THAT FLUID RUNS OUT THE VEHICLES MAY STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD CAUSE A NUMBER OF CRASHES, AS WELL AS THE JERKING MOTIONS WHEN THE VEHICLE HESITATES TO MOVE WHEN AT THE STOPPED POSITION. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER MOVING THE VEHICLE FROM THE DRIVEWAY, HE NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF FLUID ON THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE TRANSMISSION COOLANT LINE HAD FRACTURED CAUSING THE LEAK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HIM THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON HIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 28,700. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK DUE TO FAULTY TRANSMISSION COOLER. *TR
MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE TRANSMISSION COOLER (PART 19712) WENT BAD AT 36,451 MILES. FORD WOULD NOT COVER THE COST AS I WAS 451 MILES OVER MY WARRANTY AND THERE WAS NO RECALL ISSUED. I'VE READ OVER 50 COMPLAINTS FROM MULTIPLE WEBSITES THAT DEAL WITH THE SAME ISSUE. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO HAVE PARTS IN A CAR THAT DO NOT HOLD UP AND BEGIN LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. WHY IS NOTHING BEING DONE FOR THIS? *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED SHE RECEIVED NOTICE OF AN UNKNOWN MANUFACTURERS RECALL NOTICE IN REGARDS TO THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LEAKAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS BUT THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW WHAT REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED OR HEAR ANY MENTION OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. FIVE MONTHS LATER WHILE IN THE PARKING LOT DRIVING LESS THAN 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE TOOK AT LEAST TWENTY MINUTES TO RESTART AS SHE PULLS BACK INTO THE PARKING SPACE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN DRIVEN THE NEXT DAY TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED SHE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.
I OWN A 2008 FORD ESCAPE THAT WAS ONE OF THOUSANDS THAT WAS MANUFACTURED WITH A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION COOLER. I AM ONE OF THOUSANDS WHO WANT SOMETHING DONE A RECALL PRODUCED AS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. THE DEFECTIVE PART SEEMS TO BREAK WITHOUT WARNING. THE PART DEVELOPS A CRACK AND LEAKS ALL OF THE VEHICLES TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT WHICH CAN CAUSE 2 ISSUES. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CAN IGNITE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD BY BLOWING BACK ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD OR BY GOING UNDETECTED ALL THE FLUID CAN DRAIN OUT AND CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO NOT ENGAGE WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC OR HIGHWAYS CAUSING A CRASH. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY KNOWS ABOUT, THEY WILL NOT REPLACE THE PART AS PART OF A MISTAKE IN THEIR MANUFACTURING. THEY WILL HAVE A MINIMUM WAGE CUSTOMER SERVICE ASSOCIATE SAY SORRY UNTIL YOU GET FRUSTRATED AND HANG UP ON THEM. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED AS WHEN I BROUGHT UP THAT FACT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT DIDN'T CARE AND THEY TOLD ME TO HOPE FOR A RECALL. THE OWNERS THAT HAVE PAID TO FIX THEIR CARS ARE ALSO OUT ANOTHER $1000 ON A CAR THAT IS ONLY 3 OR LESS YEARS OLD. I HOPE WHOEVER GETS THIS TAKES THIS SERIOUSLY AND DOES THE RESEARCH. YOU CAN CALL FORD AND QUESTION THEM AS I'M SURE THEY HAVE AT LEAST THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS, THE INTERNET IS FULL OF COMPLAINTS, VIDEOS, AND MANY CONCERNED OWNERS. AGAIN THIS DEFECTIVE PART IS GOING TO GET SOMEONE KILLED AND I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ALL OF US OWNERS GET RECOURSE BY GETTING A RECALL ISSUED AND KEEPING THE ROADS SAFE FROM THESE DEATH TRAPS FORD CONTINUES TO MANUFACTURE WITH THIS DEFECTIVE PART. *TR
I RECENTLY NOTICED THAT MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE WAS LEAKING SOME FLUID ON THE DRIVEWAY. I HAD ALSO NOTICED SOME SLIPPAGE OF THE TRANSMISSION WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS. MY SERVICE STATION ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION COOLER. THEY ENCOURAGED ME TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, BECAUSE IT WAS LIKELY UNDER WARRANTY. THE ESCAPE WAS A "CERTIFIED PRE'OWNED" MODEL WHICH CARRIED AN ADDITIONAL WARRANTY FOR THE TRANSMISSION. MY LOCAL FORD DEALER CONFIRMED THAT TRANSMISSION LEAK, BUT DECLINED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS, BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT THE ITEM WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. AFTER LEARNING OF THE PROBLEM, I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AMONG OWNERS OF 2008 FORD ESCAPES. I FEEL THAT THIS TRANSMISSION LEAKAGE PROBLEM POSES A SAFETY RISK TO THE PUBLIC. IF FORD IS UNWILLING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, THEN THIS MODEL SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO A SAFETY RECALL. *TR
THE CAR BEGAN STALLING AND OR JUMPING AS STOP AND PULL WHEN PULLING OFF TO DRIVE. I WAS TOLD TOCHECK FLUID LEVEL THE TRANSMISSION. LEVEL WAS LOW SO I PUT SOME IN IT LASTED ABOUT TWO WEEKS. THEN IT STARTED TO HAPPEN AGAIN. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC HE TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION COOLING SYSTEM WAS CRACKED AND IT WILL COST $900 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION COOLER. FORD ALSO DID THIS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 09B10 TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE MY TRANSMISSION STYLE CRACKED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE LTD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE THE PEDAL WOULD HESITATE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. SHE HAD TO CONTINUOUSLY ENGAGE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL A COUPLE OF TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START MOVING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER NOR HAS THE VEHICLE BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,000. UPDATED 2/23/11 *CN UPDATED 05/05/11
A/C CONDENSER-TRANSMISSION COOLER LEAK. TRANS. OIL ALL OVER ENGINE BAY WHICH IS A FIRE HAZARD. CAR WANTS TO TAKE OFF ON IT'S OWN WHICH IS CAUSED WHEN TRANS. FLUID GETS LOW. PART NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THERE'S HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON LINE OF THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM AND FORD IS YET TO DO A RECALL. *TR
I BOUGHT MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE XLT IN 2007. IN AUG. OF 08' I HAD TO TAKE IT IN TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS MY TRANSMISSION. THEY FOUND THAT THE PUMP SUPPORT WAS WORN AND WORN THROUGH THE SEAL RINGS. I WAS AT 29,094 MILES. FORD FIXED IT UNDER WARRANTY. IT IS NOW DECEMBER OF 10' AND I AM AT 73,000 MILES AND HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUES ONLY THIS TIME I TOOK IT IN AND THEY WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR. THE TECH REPORT I RECEIVED STATES THE EXACT SAME THING IT DID WHEN I TOOK IT IN 08'. I WENT TO THIS WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/FORD/ESCAPE/2008/TRANSMISSION/TRANSMISSION_COOLER_FAILURE-TSB_EXISTS.SHTML AND FOUND MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING TRANSMISSION ISSUES. I PAID 25,000 FOR THIS VEHICLE AND SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE THROUGH 2 TRANSMISSIONS! WHAT I NOTICED BOTH TIMES IS THAT IT WOULD SHIFT HARD INTO REVERSE AND IT FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS SLIPPING ONCE IT WARMED UP. *TR
2008 FORD ESCAPE, BROKE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION. DID GET IT MOVED OUT OF WAY OF TRAFFIC. BUT IT WAS DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE TORQUE CONVERTER. AND, AFTER 7 WEEKS AND FINDING OUT THAT IT IS ACTUALLY A RECALL AND FORD STATED THAT THEY WILL NOT NOTIFY OWNERS OF THE VEHICLES, BUT JUST IF IT HAPPENS TO REPLACE IT. NOT EVERYONE COULD BE SO LUCKY AS ME TO GET OUT OF IMMINENT DANGER! WHEN THIS GOES OUT, THE VEHICLE DIES WHEN THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN. *TR
I HAVE A FORD ESCAPE 08, AND ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO I NOTICED THAT IT STARTED LEAKING AT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH AT THE BEGINNING I THOUGHT IT WAS THE AIR CONDITIONER. BUT THEN SEARCHING ON THE WEB I REALIZED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE VEHICLE OIL COOLER TRANSMISSION AND NOW IT JUST DOESN'T STOP LEAKING ALOT. *TR
AFTER STOPPING OR SLOWING DOWN AND WHEN YOU PUSH ON THE GAS TO DRIVE OR SPEED UP THE CAR WOULD HESITATE AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL AND THEN KICK INTO GEAR AND THE CAR WOULD JERK AND THE TIRES WOULD SKID. THIS HAPPENED FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS AND THEN MY CAR STOPPED DRIVING. IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY 10,000 MILES AND THE BAND BROKE INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION SO NOW IT NEEDS A TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED MOVING FORWARD ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE COOLANT IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 20,000.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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