2008 Ford Escape Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the oil cap had loosened. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the oil cap and the valve cover were replaced; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was unknown.

THE CAR SHOW A MESSAGE SAYING "STOP SAFELY NOW" AND STARTS STALLING AND THEN SUDDENLY TURN OFF BY ITSELF. IT CAN HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING IN FREEWAY OR THE STREET

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT HAD INITIALLY TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE HOSE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE BRAKE HOSE AND BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SHUT-OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE USED CAR DEALER WHERE SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A DEFECTIVE TORQUE CONVERTER. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE REPAIR SO THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. AFTER THE VEHICLE REMAINED IN THEIR POSSESSION FOR A FEW DAYS, THE CONTACT CALLED THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED UPON RETURN OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS REPLACED. HOLMAN FORD TURNERSVILLE (3641 ROUTE 42 SOUTH, TURNERSVILLE, NJ 08012) WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO ACTIVE RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT LINKED HER FAILURES TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V606000 (POWER TRAIN) AND 15E045000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.

I FOUND MY FORD ESCAPE HYBRID 2008. ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. IT SHOT DOWN AND I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND RESTART THE ENGINE. I HAVE RESEARCH INTERNET AND FOUND THAT SAME FORD ESCAPE MODEL FROM 2003- 2008 ISSUE. HOWEVER, WHEN I RUN MY VIN DOES NOT APPEAR IT HAS RECALL. ITS SUPPOSE TO HAVE FORD RECALL 14S19. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A RATTLING NOISE EMERGING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO METRO FORD (5422 WAYNE TERR, MADISON, WI 53718) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE APPROACHING A STOP, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE SWERVED OFF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT FINALLY STOPPED THE VEHICLE BEFORE CRASHING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CARMAX OF ARLINGTON (8400 ANDERSON BLVD, FORT WORTH, TX 76120, (817) 801-1501), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED BECAUSE THE TEST COULD NOT BE READ. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID. *JS

ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WITHOUT ANY WARNING.

ENGINE STOPPED DEAD WHILE DRIVING.STATED STOP SAFELY NOW.WELL AS CAR STOPPED DEAD WITH NO WARNING IS WAS NOT SAFE..SERVICE SAYS NEEDS NEW THROTTLE BODY. THATS FINE BUT I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GARY YEOMANS FORD (1420 N. TOMOKA FARMS ROAD, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32124, (386) 274-6700) TO BE DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE COOLANT PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V526000 (HYDRO PROPULSION SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,927.

AT JUST OVER 100,000 MILES, WARNING LIGHT COMES ON TO PULL OVER SAFELY, AND ENGINE WILL STALL. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AS WELL AS COMMUTER TRAFFIC. YESTERDAY I HAD TO BE PUSHED OFF THE ROAD BY POLICE WHILE AT AN INTERSECTION. AFTER TURNING CAR OFF FOR 10 MINUTES, CAR STARTED BACK UP AND I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME. FORD HAS RUN A DIAGNOSTIC ON MY CAR AND SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE STOP-SAFETY WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AFTER TEN MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED; HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR PRODUCE A FAULT CODE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE COULD BE RELATED TO THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000.

I WAS TRAVELING ON THE AUTOBAHN IN GERMANY AND THE CAR FOR NO APPARENT REASON SHUT OFF AND DISPLAYED THE 'STOP SAFELY NOW' MESSAGE. THERE WAS NO WHERE TO PULL OVER SO I HAD TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. LUCKILY THERE WAS HARDLY NO TRAFFIC. THIS HAPPENED 5 TIMES IN 1 HOUR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE "TURN OFF ENGINE IMMEDIATELY" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND WAITED APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, A LOCK WITH A KEY WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL FOR THE SAME FAILURE IN 2013. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

WHEN THE ENGINE WAS WARM, THE ENGINE WOULD SURGE THEN STALL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (55+). A RED HAZARD LIGHT THEN CAME ON, AND A STOP SAFELY MESSAGE CAME ON. PULLING THE VEHICLE OVER, AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE ALLOWED FURTHER DRIVING FOR ANOTHER 20-30 MILES BEFORE THE ISSUE WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE ALL OF A SUDDEN LOST POWER AND THE VEHICLE STARTED SLOWING DOWN, AND THE WRENCH LIGHT BECAME VISIBLE ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. I PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. I REALIZED IT WAS THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY FAILING. I DROVE IT HOME AS I WAS ONLY A MILE FROM MY HOUSE. ONCE I STARTED IN FORWARD MOTION, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, WHEN IT DID SHIFT, THERE WAS A FORCEFUL LUNGE FORWARD. I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS IN REGARDS TO THIS AND MANY OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE GOING WRONG WITH FORD'S ESCAPE MODEL. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED, WITH THE AMOUNT OF ISSUES THAT SUV HAS.

MY CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN SHUTS DOWN DUE TO A "MOTOR ELECTRONICS COOLANT (MEC) PUMP" FAILURE, I READ ON THE INTERNET THAT FORD MOTOR CO HAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER WHEN I CALLED FMC THEY TOLD ME OVER THE PHONE THAT "ACCORDING TO MY VIN MY CAR DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL PROGRAM, MY CAR HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK AND I'M GETTING WORRIED ABOUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT

THE GAS PEDAL IS VERY HARD TO PUSH DOWN WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF FROM A STOP. IT IS CONSIDERABLY WORSE IN COLD WEATHER. IT MAKES IT VERY HARD TO CONTROL ACCELERATION WHEN PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH AND THE WRENCH INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE ONTO THE ROAD SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, WHICH LOCATED A FAILURE CODE AT THE THROTTLE BODY UNIT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, A DING NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE BRAKING AND STEERING ABILITY SEIZED. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AFTER APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES, THE VEHICLE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A MECHANICAL PUMP ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. UPDATE 01/13/16 MA

ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY FAILURE EQUIVALENT TO THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM BUT TOLD MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT IN THE APPLICABLE GROUP. LOSS OF ALL ENGINE POWER WHILE ON THE FREEWAY TRAVELING AT 65MPH WITH A SEMI TRACTOR TRAILOR BEHIND ME. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER CLASS LET OUT, WAS GOING ABOUT 30 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR STALLED AND I HAD TO APPLY MORE PRESSURE TO THE GAS PEDAL. I LOOKED INTO IT, TURN OUT MY SECOND & FOURTH GEAR WENT OUT ON MY TRANSMISSION. TURNS OUT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD IT FOR 2 YEARS & NOT EVEN AT 100,000 MILES! FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THIS MODEL, BECAUSE IT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN THIS FREQUENTLY TO ALL THE 08' MODELS.

TRANSMISSION WITH NO SECOND GEAR. SHOULD NOT HAVE TO REPLACE A TRANSMISSION WITH UNDER 100,000 MILES!! NOTICED SAME COMPLAINT MULTIPLE TIMES ONLINE, SO FIGURED WOULD REPORT.

LEAKING NOTED. BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP. TOLD ME COOLER LEAKING, NEEDED REPLACEMENT. ASKED IF WOULD BE COVERED UNDER POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. WAS TOLD NO, THAT COOLER NOT PART OF POWERTRAIN, SO WOULD HAVE TO PAY FULL PRICE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STOP SAFELY NOW WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. AFTER SHUTTING DOWN THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION ONCE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT AFFECTED BY A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE DESCRIBED IN THE PROGRAM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

VEHICLE GASOLINE ENGINE POWER QUITS WITH NO WARNING. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ONLY WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND ONLY WHEN DRIVING FOR MORE THAT APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES. A "PULL OVER SAFELY NOW", OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT, APPEAR ON THE INFORMATION SCREEN. THE ELECTRIC ENGINE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK IF IT HAS CHARGE. THE CAR WILL RESTART ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, BUT WILL QUICKLY STALL AGAIN IF THE ENGINE IS NOT ALLOWED TO COOL DOWN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT OCCURS ONLY AT HIGH SPEED. *TR

THERE IS A BAD WELD ON THE AC CONDENSER/ TRANSMISSION COOLER ESTIMATED COST $800. IF NOT REPLACED TRANSMISSION WILL FAIL. FOUND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS. *TR

WARNING LIGHT CAME ON TO "STOP VEHICLE SAFELY". WE PULLED OFF HIGHWAY, CAR RESTARTED. THIS KEPT HAPPENING, FINALLY HAD CAR TOWED TO LOCAL GARAGE. THEY DETERMINED IT WAS A CODE INDICATING A PROBLEM UNDER RECALL, AND ADVISED WE TAKE IT TO THE FORD DEALER. LOCAL GARAGE HAD CLEARED OUT ERROR CODES, SO FORD DEALER SAID WE HAD TO WAIT UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN, THEY WOULD THEN REPAIR IT. THIS MEANS WE CANNOT TRUST THE CAR, AND MUST ONLY DRIVE WITHIN A TOWING RANGE. HOW LONG DOES FORD HAVE TO REPAIR A KNOWN PROBLEM, OR CAN THEY TELL OWNERS TO WAIT UNTIL THE CAR ACTUALLY HAS THE PROBLEM AGAIN? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE RPMS BEGAN TO INCREASE RAPIDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN WITH CAUTION DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE HESITATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY WAS STUCK AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,700.

THE ISSUE HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. LATEST WAS 2 DAYS AGO. WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR ACCELERATION ALL OF A SUDDEN DROPS TO ZERO AND THE CAR WILL NOT GO. IT DOES NOT SHUT OFF BUT IT CANNOT BE DRIVEN. AFTER ABOUT 2 OR 3 MINUTES A MESSAGE COMES ON THE DASH THAT SAYS "IT IS SAFE TO SHUT OFF YOUR VEHICLE NOW." ONCE THE VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF AND I WAIT ABOUT 5 MINUTES I CAN START IT AGAIN. IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THERE IS A RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT BECAUSE THERE ISN'T A YELLOW TRIANGLE WARNING ON MY DASH FORD AND THE DEALER WILL NOT DO THE RECALL BECAUSE THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF PARTS. SO I HAVE TO DRIVE AN UNSAFE CAR UNTIL THERE ARE PARTS AVAILABLE ALL BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A CODE. DEALER CLAIMS THERE IS A GROUND FAULT WIRE PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO DO THE RECALL. THIS IS REALLY UNSAFE WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP ON ME. THEY KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM FOR PEOPLE BUT WON'T FIX IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS EVEN THOUGH RECALL LETTERS CAME OUT IN OCTOBER. IT'S NOW JANUARY. *TR

IN COLDER TEMPERATURES, BELOW APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES, THE ACCELERATOR BECOMES "STUCK" AND UNABLE TO BE PRESSED DOWN. AFTER SEVERAL TIMES OF STOMPING ON IT, IT RELEASES AND THE CAR ACCELERATES. THIS CONTINUES TO OCCUR AT EVERY STOP, RED LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS, ETC., UNTIL THE CAR/TEMPERATURE WARMS UP. WHILE WAITING TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC, UPON RELEASING THE BRAKES THE CAR MERELY IDLES INTO TRAFFIC AS THE ACCELERATOR IS STUCK AND UNABLE TO BE PRESSED, LEAVING THE CAR CREEPING ON TO THE ROAD/HIGHWAY UNTIL THE ACCELERATOR LOOSENS AND IS ABLE TO BE PRESSED. AS TOLD BY A FORD SERVICE TECHNICIAN AND OTHERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM, THE ISSUE IS WITH THE THROTTLE BODY. THIS SAME ISSUE DOES NOT OCCUR DURING WARMER SEASONS/TEMPERATURES.

DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE RED EXCLAMATION INSIDE TRIANGLE ILLUMINATED AND VEHICLE CUT OFF. HAD TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD. REPAIRED AT FORD DEALER ON 4/3/14 RIVERTOWN FORD IN COLUMBUS GA. RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 14S19/ NHTSA 14V-526 AND THEY KEEP GIVING ME RUN AROUND ON RETURNING MY MONEY. *TR

REFER TO TSB-08-24-5 AND RECALL 14S19. ESCAPE HYBRID EXPERIENCED THE EXACT FAILURE DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE WHILE PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 70 MPH. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND A RED TRIANGLE APPEARED. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THE NEXT DAY AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE BY AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER WHO NOTED THE TSB NUMBER ON THE REPAIR INVOICE. THIS VIN NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM FORD'S LIST AS A COVERED VEHICLE. FORD REPRESENTATIVES DENIED ANY INTEREST IN REFUNDING THE REPAIRS COSTS EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE GROUP AND FAILURE WAS EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. NTSB NEEDS TO EXPAND THIS RECALL TO ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS FAILURE EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT ON FORD'S LIST. *TR

THROTTLE STICKS SHUT, ESPECIALLY WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD. APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE THROTTLE WILL SOMETIMES SNAP THE THROTTLE OPEN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SURGE. SOMETIMES THE THROTTLE WILL NOT MOVE UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS WARM. THROTTLE PEDAL ASSEMBLY AND CABLE APPEAR TO BE FREE MOVING AND NOT STICKING. WHEN MOVING THROTTLE BODY SHAFT BY HAND (VEHICLE COLD, NOT RUNNING), THE THROTTLE BODY STICKS SHUT BUT CAN BE FREED WITH SOME EFFORT. ONCE MOVED FROM THE SHUT POSITION, THE THROTTLE BODY SHAFT MOVES FREELY AGAINST THE RETURN SPRING. CABLES ATTACHED TO THROTTLE BODY SHAFT ARE NOT UNDER STRESS AND DO NOT APPEAR TO BE IMPEDING THROTTLE BODY MOVEMENT. LUBRICANT APPLIED TO CABLING PIVOTS AND ATTACHMENT POINTS HAVE MINIMAL IF ANY EFFECT. *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, I ACCELERATED AND AT ABOUT 40MPH A RED TRIANGLE WITH AN EXCLAMATION POINT IN THE MIDDLE SHOWED UP ON MY DASHBOARD AND MY ENGINE SHUT OFF. VERY SCARY! I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE AND IT SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM. I HAD TO DEAL WITH THE TRIANGLE OF DEATH A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND NOW THIS. I WILL BE TAKING IT TO THE DEALER TODAY! IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE! FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THIS ITEM! IT IS VERY DANGEROUS! *TR

THE VEHICLE NEEDS A SECOND MOTOR REPLACEMENT. IT BREAKS DOWN WITH NO WARNING PRIOR TO DOING SO, CAUSING GREAT DANGER ON THE ROAD FOR DRIVER AND PASSENGERS AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. BOTH TIMES THE CAR BROKE DOWN ON MY THERE WAS NO INDICATION ON THE DASHBOARD, NO AUDIBLE WARNING AND IT SHUTS DOWN IN A FASHION WHERE THERE IS LITTLE CONTROL OF THE CAR. I'VE ALSO RECENTLY HAD THE THROTTLE RECALL ADDRESSED. THE FIRST MOTOR DIED AT 65K IN 2012 AND THIS MOTOR HAS NOW DIED AT 35K IN 2014. CLEARLY THERE IS SOMETHING DANGEROUSLY WRONG WITH THE HYBRID MOTOR AND/OR THE LOAD OF THE OTHER HYBRID COMPONENTS. *TR

MY WIFE LEFT OUR HOUSE TO RUN ERRANDS IN OUR 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. SHE DIDN'T EVEN GET OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEFORE SHE GOT THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING, AND THE VEHICLE WENT INTO "LIMP HOME MODE". SHE TURNED AROUND IN A NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY AND CAME BACK HOME. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY THINKING THAT IT MIGHT BE THE MECS PUMP FOR WHICH THERE IS A RECENT RECALL. IT TURNS OUT THAT IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY CAUSING THE WARNING. EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A NHTSA INVESTIGATION ON THE THROTTLE BODIES OF THESE VEHICLES (DP12006), THE 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN FORD CONSUMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM #13N03, WHICH EXTENDS THE WARRANTY OF THE THROTTLE BODY ON SOME ESCAPE MODELS (AMONG OTHER VEHICLES). SO, I NOW HAVE TO SPEND $775.00 TO REPLACE A PART THAT WAS KNOWN TO HAVE ISSUES. LUCKILY, MY WIFE WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY WITH OUR 2-MONTH OLD DAUGHTER WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND HOW ESCAPES FROM 2005 TO 2012 WERE PART OF THE INVESTIGATION, BUT THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE13-003 ONLY APPLIES TO 2009 - 2012 MODELS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC COOLANT PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,405...UPDATED 10/30/14 *BF..UPDATED 12/04/14 *BF UPDATED 7/9/2015*JS

RECEIVED THE RED MASTER VEHICLE ELECTRICAL HAZARD WARNING LAMP, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN WHILE ON HIGHWAY. CAUSE WAS A FAILURE OF THE MECS PUMP FORD PN 5M6Z-8C419-A. AFTER IT HAPPENED I RESEARCHED AND FOUND OTHER REPORTS ISSUED FOR SAME ISSUE. SEE 10597458,10604791,10596349,10592073,10588181,10588170,10568053,10567619,10567234,10566464,10565177,10560868,10557567,10554859,10548328,10547463,10537539,10533928,10531556,10525970,10523932,10523371,10521436,10521116,10516178,10514445,10513916,10511202,10505543,10504308,10500579,10500159,10461261,10462036,10462214,10463235,10468355,10474060,10475192,10476583,10477359,10485797,10490135,10460373,10459919,10459596,10459518,10458744,10457505,10457488,10456830,10456625,10455257,10455049,10454894,10453205,10448469,10448468,10409310,10409374,10410388,10411980,10412392,10416615,10419367,10430477,10326667,10329839,10348540,10349760,10352951,10360029,10361122,10393862,10393924,10399209. *TR

MECS COOLANT PUMP DEFECT CAUSES LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS RESULTING IN AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE CONDITION. FORD IS AWARE OF THE DEFECT IN THIS "HYBRID UNIQUE" COMPONENT BUT REFUSES TO COVER IT UNDER THEIR HYBRID COMPONENT WARRANTY. IN MY CASE I WAS DRIVING AT 55MPH ON A PUBLIC HIGHWAY WHEN THE DASH ILLUMINATED A RED TRIANGLE WITH THE MESSAGE "STOP SAFELY NOW". I HAD TO SCRAMBLE TO GET TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND CREATE A DANGEROUS CONDITION BY CUTTING OFF THE DRIVERS AROUND ME. I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR A REDESIGNED MECS PUMP REPLACEMENT AND HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THE ISSUE SINCE. PENDING LAWSUIT, MACDONALD V. FORD MOTOR CO., CASE NUMBER 3:13-CV-02988, IN THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA. *TR

SUBMISSION TO MARK FIELDS RE 2008 FORD HYBRID ESCAPE DEFECTS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, A RED MASTER VEHICLE ELECTRICAL HAZARD WARNING LAMP AND STOP SAFELY NOW MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. HE TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE, WAITED 5-10 MINUTES BEFORE RE-STARTING IT AND DROVE A FEW MILES, BEFORE THE SITUATION REPEATED ITSELF, SEVERAL MORE TIMES, UNTIL HE ARRIVED HOME. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, HE NARROWED THE PROBLEM DOWN TO WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE THE (MECS) MOTOR ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM PUMP, WHICH FROM HIS UNDERSTANDING, WAS UNIQUE TO THE 2005-2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE EGR VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

AT APPROXIMATELY 8:00 AM ON THE ABOVE DATE, I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON INTERSTATE 75 FROM CINCINNATI TOWARD TOLEDO AT AROUND 70 MPH. WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND THE COMPUTER ADVISED I SHOULD PULL OFF IMMEDIATELY TO SAFETY. WHEN THE ESCAPE CAME TO A STOP, I TURNED THE KEY OFF AND THEN WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. AFTER TRAVELING LESS THAN TWO MILES, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THIS TIME I WAS ABLE TO LIMP OFF AN EXIT RAMP TO A SIDE STREET WHERE THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO BE ABLE TO RUN A BIT LONGER BEFORE CUTTING OFF HOWEVER, THE ENGINE DYING HAPPENED AT LEAST ANOTHER HALF DOZEN TIMES BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO AN ENTERPRISE RENTAL CAR LOCATION NORTH OF DAYTON. FROM THERE, I STOPPED BY THE NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP (BEAU TOWNSEND FORD) AND THEY WERE ABLE TO RETRIEVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE ENTERPRISE PARKING LOT. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE UNTIL SEVERAL DAYS LATER ON 6/19/14 HOWEVER, AT THAT TIME THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A DEFECTIVE / SHORTED-OUT MOTOR ELECTRIC COOLING SYSTEM PUMP. THE PART WAS ORDERED AND REPLACED THE FOLLOWING DAY HOWEVER, INCLUDING TOWING AND THE NECESSITY OF RENTING A VEHICLES (I WAS ON A BUSINESS TRIP), THE INCIDENT ENDED UP COSTING ME CLOSE TO $1,000. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, FORD WAS AWARE OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURING AND DID NOTHING TO PREVENT IT FROM BEING INSTALLED ON TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON FILE REGARDING THIS PART AS WELL AS A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT WHICH WAS FILED IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. LET'S HOPE THAT FORD FINALLY STEPS UP TO THE PLATE AND ADMITS THEIR GRAVE ERROR IN JUDGMENT BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY PART. THOSE OF US WHO HAVE HAD TO INCUR EXPENSES DUE TO THE MALFUNCTION SHOULD BE FULL REIMBURSED BY FORD. *TR

THE ELECTRIC COOLING PUMP FAILS CAUSING THE MOTOR TO SHUT DOWN. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY FORD AND THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM. FORD NEED TO RECALL THIS ITEM. *TR

I LEFT THE FORD DEALER'S SERVICE CENTER AFTER HAVING MY CAR EXHAUST REPAIRED AND LESS THAN A QUARTER MILE DOWN THE ROAD I SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER TO THE CAR AND COULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL. I WAS TRAVELING ON A VERY BUSY ROAD AND I WAS EXTREMELY FORTUNATE TO ROLL INTO A PARKING LOT WITHOUT GETTING HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE OR CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT. THE FORD DEALER SHIP FOUND THAT THE THROTTLE BODY MALFUNCTIONED. I FOUND THAT FORD IS EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THIS DEFECTIVE PART FOR CERTAIN MODEL YEARS UNDER A "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM". I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY ARE REFUSING TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON THE THROTTLE BODY FOR MY CAR. I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT WHY MY CAR IS EXCLUDED FROM THIS PROGRAM. THE PART IS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY FORD PER THIS PROGRAM. *TR

CAR LIGHTS COME ON .I CHANGED WATER PUMP.NOW SIGN COMES AGAIN IT IS HEAT SENSOR WHAT I HEAR FROM OTHER PEOPLE .SIGN SAYS STOP NOW SAFELY, , ONCE YOU STOP TURN THE SWITCH OFF AND ON THEN CAR STARTS , BUT IT HAPPENS AGAIN EVERY WEEK, I HAVE FAMILY LIKE MOST OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE FORD ESCAPE HYBRID ARE GOING WITH SAME ISSUE,S .FORD IS NOT DOING ANY THING ABOUT IT, WHEN SIGN COME ON THE FREE WAY THAT IS VERY DANGER. HOW COME THERE IS NO RECALL ON IT. WHEN JAPANESE TOYOTA PRIUS OR ANY CAR HAS PROBLEM THAT BE CAME BIG ISSUE BUT WHEN THAT IS FORD MADE IN USA NO ONE TALKS ABOUT IT, SO SAD, I HOPE FORD WILL DO SOME THING ABOUT THIS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING 65 MILES PER HOUR AN ALARM SOUNDED AND THE ODOMETER READ "STOP SAFELY NOW." I LOST ALL POWER TO THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WITH NO PROBLEM AND CONTINUED ON MY WAY. WHEN I REACHED 60 MILES PER HOUR THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THIS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN 6 TIMES AND THEN THE ODOMETER READ "HIGH ENGINE TEMP" AND THE VEHICLE THEN DIED AND MADE A "WHIRLING" SOUND. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WHEN I GOT THERE THEY TOLD ME "I WAS ABLE TO START IT RIGHT UP." THE DEALERSHIP FOUND IT TO BE TSB 8-24-5. THE COOLANT PUMP WAS NOT WORKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. FORD IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND STILL HAVE NOT PLACED A RECALL ON THIS!! WHAT WILL IT TAKE, PEOPLE TO DIE WHEN THIS HAPPENS? FOR ME, THIS WAS THE LAST STRAW. I TRADED IN MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID AS I NO LONGER FELT SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE!!

MY VEHICLE WOULD CUT OFF WHEN I STOPPED FOR RED LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS. AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES THEY SAID THE AC CONDENSER WAS BAD. IT WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY. IN 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 25000 MILES. I BEGAN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALER SAID THAT I WAS NO LONGER COVERED BY WARRANTY AND IT WOULD COST $800 TO REPLACE THE AC CONDENSER AGAIN. I PURCHASED AN AC CONDENSER FROM THE INTERNET AND HAD SOMEONE OUTSIDE THE DEALER REPLACE. NOW FEBRUARY 2014, I NOTICED A PUDDLE UNDER MY VEHICLE AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ONCE AGAIN MY AC CONDENSER NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. ONCE AGAIN I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THIS ITEM. I CURRENTLY HAVE 150000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 209,000.

PULLING AWAY FROM COMPLETE STOP AT STOP SIGN THE ENTIRE CAR SHUT DOWN SUDDENLY LEAVING DRIVER WITHOUT ANY POWER TO PULL TO CURB OR TO SAFELY LEAVE ROADWAY. MESSAGE ON DASH READ "STOP SAFELY NOW". CAR TOTALLY DISABLED. RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES. STAR FORD OF GLENDALE HAD CAR FOR A COMPLETE DAY TO DETERMINE NATURE OF PROBLEM - AT END OF DAY HAD NO REASON FOR COMPLETE AND SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. DRIVER AFRAID TO TAKE CAR ON FREEWAY FOR FEAR CAR WILL LOSE POWER ON FREEWAY AT HIGH SPEED. *TR

ENGINE JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING AND I ALMOST GOT INVOLVED INTO A CAR ACCIDENT. I PULLED OVER MY CAR AND SHIFTED THE GEAR TO P AND RE-STARTED THE ENGINE. IT WORKED BUT I FELT ENGINE WAS NOT FUNCTIONING OKAY. IT FELT LIKE IT KEPT BURPING CONSTANTLY. I COULD FEEL THE MOVE. I DROVE BACK HOME TO WORRY ABOUT THE ISSUE. *TR

WE WERE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 80 GOING ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUDDERED AND QUIT. A RED TRIANGLE WITH AN EXCLAMATION POINT IN THE CENTER APPEARED ON THE DASH WITH THE MESSAGE "STOP SAFELY NOW". FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS A SHOULDER AND NO TRAFFIC IN THE RIGHT LANE, SO WE PULLED OFF. WE SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED IT A FEW MINUTES LATER. WE PROCEEDED, STAYING IN THE RIGHT LANE AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THIS OCCURRED 5 TIMES INCLUDING ONCE ON THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY BRIDGE. IN RESEARCHING THIS, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS AND THAT IT IS A FAULTY MOTOR ELECTRONICS COOLANT PUMP. FORD HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM (TSB08-24-5), BUT HAS NOT YET ISSUED A RECALL. SINCE THIS IS A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT COULD LEAD TO INJURY OR DEATH, I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO FORCE FORD TO ISSUE A RECALL. *TR

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WITH NO APPARENT PROBLEM, THEN SUDDENLY, THREE THINGS HAPPEN SIMULTANEOUSLY: 1) THE GAS ENGINE SHUTS OFF COMPLETELY, LEAVING NO POWER TO MAINTAIN SPEED, DECELERATION HAPPENS. 2) SAFETY ALERT LIGHT ILLUMINATES IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. IT'S A RED TRIANGLE WITH "!" INSIDE OF IT. 3) MESSAGE CENTER DISPLAYS "PULL OVER SAFELY" OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT. THIS LEAVES YOU WITH ABSOLUTELY NO RECOURSE, OTHER THAN TO SOMEHOW GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, OUT OF THE WAY OF ANY TRAFFIC CONDITIONS THAT ARE AROUND YOU AT THAT INSTANT. THE ELECTRIC HYBRID MOTOR STILL OPERATES, BUT THAT'S ONLY GOOD TO CREEP ALONG LIKE A GOLF CART, DOWN THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY, IF THE SAFETY OF THE SHOULDER LOOKS BETTER UP AHEAD, TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF THE TRAFFIC THAT'S ZOOMING BY. CORRECTIVE ACTION, ONCE THE OWNERS MANUAL IS STUDIED, IS TO PUT IT IN PARK, AND TURN OFF THE IGNITION. THEN, RE-START AND GO. IT OPERATES AS IF NOTHING HAD JUST HAPPENED! THEN, IN A WHILE, IT HAPPENS AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN, (VARYING MILES BETWEEN EPISODES, ANYTHING ROUGHLY FROM 1 MILE TO 70 MILES) UNTIL EITHER YOU FINALLY GIVE UP AND HAVE IT TOWED, OR YOU FINALLY GET IT TO SOME FINAL DESTINATION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE STOP SAFELY NOW WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC COOLING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,838 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 01/23/2014 *BF

I RECENTLY HAD TO PAY FOR A REPAIR FOR A KNOWN DEFECT FOR THE 2008 FORD ESCAPE. IT WAS A TRANSMISSIONS FLUID LEAK NEAR THE AC CONDENSER ASSEMBLY WHICH REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE LIST AS OPPOSED TO SITTING BY AND TAKING IT. MANUFACTURERS WANTS PEOPLE TO FAITHFULLY SUPPORT THEM BY BUYING THEIR PRODUCTS AND IN RETURN THEY SHOULD FAITHFULLY REPAIR KNOWN COMMON PROBLEMS INSTEAD OF ACTING AS IF THEY DON'T EXIST. I SHOULD NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE NOR RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR FACTORY DEFECTS! *JB

RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING, MY DASHBOARD SUDDENLY DISPLAYS A RED TRIANGLE WITH AN EXCLAMATION POINT IN IT AND ADVISES ME TO "STOP SAFELY NOW." REGARDLESS OF WHETHER I CAN STOP SAFELY OR NOT, I LOSE POWER SUDDENLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES, AND I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THIS IS A GENERIC WARNING THAT COVERS NUMEROUS CAR PROBLEMS. UNFORTUNATELY, I DO MANY MILES ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGHER SPEEDS. IGNORING THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED, AND I MADE COMPLAINTS TO THIS SITE THEN, THE MOST CURRENT BOUTS HAVE OCCURRED WHEN I WAS IN VERY HEAVY COMMUTER VOLUME ON THE SAME HIGHWAY THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION WITH NO SHOULDERS. I LOSE POWER, WITHOUT EVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST GET OUT OF THE MIDDLE LANE. THIS SEVERELY DISRUPTS TRAFFIC, AND I HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR-ENDED NUMEROUS TIMES. WHAT'S WORSE IS, I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS THINGS FIXED, BUT I STILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT SAFE, AND MOST LIKELY, ONE DAY I WILL BE INJURED BECAUSE OF IT. I WOULD RATHER HAVE THE OPTION OF RUINING MY VEHICLE BY DRIVING IT WHEN I SHOULDN'T THEN TO NOT HAVE THE OPTION OF GETTING OUT OF HARMS WAY. I UNDERSTAND THAT OTHER YEARS OF ESCAPES WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM, SO WHY NOT MINE? THANK YOU. *TR

DRIVING FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND THE GAS MOTOR SHUTS OFF AND GOES IN TO LIMP MODE USING ONLY BATTERY HYBRID POWER. THE CAR WON'T RESTART MOTOR WHILE ROLLING. THE DASH SHOWS A MESSAGE TO PULL OVER AND STOP WITH A LITTLE RED TRIANGLE. IN ORDER TO RESTART THE MOTOR YOU HAVE TO COMPLETELY TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION. THE CAR WILL IMMEDIATELY START BACK UP AND DRIVE BETWEEN 1/2 TO 1 MILE THEN SHUTS DOWN AGAIN. REPEAT PROCESS AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY. ONCE OFF THE HIGHWAY, I STOPPED WITH THE MOTOR SHUT IT OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES AND THE CAR STARTED BACK UP AND OPERATED NORMALLY. DROVE AN ADDITIONAL 30 MILES WITH NO PROBLEMS. NO ISSUES FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS THEN SAME SCENARIO OF MULTIPLE STALLS ON THE HIGHWAY. CAR WORKED FINE THE FOLLOWING DAY. NO ENGINE LIGHTS OR CODES. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE RAINING. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED AT NIGHT WHEN IT WAS DRY. *TR

I WAS TURNING INTO A BANK PARKING LOT AND THE ENGINE JUST SHUT OFF. IT TOOK A MINUTE TO EVEN REALIZE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. WHEN THE STEERING BECAME VERY STIFF I REALIZED THE ENGINE HAD TURNED OFF. I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR AND PUT IT IN PARK. IT STARTED BACK UP WHEN I TURNED THE KEY. THERE WAS NOT ANY WARNING OR ANY INDICATION THAT THE CAR WAS GOING TO JUST SHUT DOWN. HAD ANOTHER CAR BEEN BEHIND ME I WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT. *TR

WAS DRIVING ON A HWY ON A SUMMER NIGHT, GOING 60 MPH, WHEN A LIGHT CAME ON MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID'S DASHBOARD THAT SAID "STOP SAFELY NOW" AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER/TURNED OFF. I COASTED TO A SHOULDER AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED, AND THE WARNING LIGHT WAS GONE, SO I DROVE ON. NOTICED ENGINE WAS RUNNING LOUDER THAN NORMAL AND TRANSITION BETWEEN GAS AND ELECTRIC MODES SEEMED CLUNKY. GOOGLED THE PROBLEM WHEN I GOT HOME AND FOUND DOZENS OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS - SAYING IT WAS A FAULTY COOLING PUMP (PART NUMBER 5M6Z-8C419-A) CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALER AND THEY CONFIRMED THIS WAS WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE. REPAIR COST $632.00. NOT COVERED UNDER THE HYBRID WARRANTY. (WE WERE TOLD IT'S NECESSARY FOR THE HYBRID ENGINE TO FUNCTION, BUT IT'S NOT CONSIDERED A HYBRID PART.) DUG FURTHER, SAW THAT FORD HAD ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (NOV. 20, 2008) TO DEALERSHIPS: "TSB 08-24-5 STATES THAT SOME 2005-2008 ESCAPE HYBRID AND 2006-2008 MARINER HYBRID VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A RED TRIANGLE LIGHT AND CODES INDICATING A TRANSAXLE OVERTEMP. THIS CONDITION MAY RESULT IN REDUCED POWER AS THE SYSTEM ACTIVATES FAIL SAFE OPERATION." FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS CLEARLY HAPPENING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. FORD NEEDS TO BE MADE ACCOUNTABLE AND DO THE RIGHT THING AND ISSUE A RECALL. IF THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY EXPRESSWAY, OR IF SOMEONE IS BEING TAILGATED, ETC. WHEN THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF, PEOPLE WILL GET KILLED, IF SOME HAVEN'T BEEN ALREADY. WE CALLED THE FORD OWNER RELATIONS NUMBER AND WERE TOLD THAT THE BEST WAY TO GET A RECALL ISSUED IS TO SUBMIT THESE COMPLAINTS. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE INJURED OR DIE BEFORE THIS IS TAKEN CARE OF? FORD MOTOR COMPANY - IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT PROFITS AND THE BOTTOM LINE - HOW MUCH REPEAT BUSINESS WILL YOU GET ONCE YOU KILL OFF YOUR CUSTOMER BASE? *TR

AC STARTED BLOWING HOT AIR. CALLED DEALERSHIP. WHEN I TOOK IT THERE, STARTED BLOWING COLD AGAIN. HAS BLOWN HOT AIR FOR 30-40 MINUTES 2 MORE TIMES THEN BLOW COLD AND ACT FINE. MONDAY, DROPPED OFF AT DEALERSHIP, THEY KEPT OVERNIGHT, FIXED MOISTURE PACKS OR SOMETHING THEY CALLED THEM. PICKED UP CAR DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY. YESTERDAY, BLEW HOT AIR AGAIN. WENT BACK TO DEALERSHIP, IT WAS BLOWING COLD AGAIN. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO AND THEY ARE A FORD DEALERSHIP!!! *TR

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, ENGINE DECELERATED, RED TRIANGLE WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON DASH, WITH DIRECTION TO GET OFF OF THE ROAD. I DID SO, TURNED OFF ENGINE AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES. ENGINE THEN RESTARTED WITHOUT WARNING LIGHT COMING ON. BETWEEN THAT EVENT AND ARRIVING HOME (APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES), THIS OCCURRED 5 MORE TIMES. THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. RESEARCHING THIS ONLINE, THERE APPEAR TO BE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME EXPERIENCE. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND FORD NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESOLVING THIS ISSUE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" LIT UP AFTER I FELT A JOLT TO THE CAR, WHICH THEN SLOWED DOWN. I REACHED THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES. UPON RESTARTING THE CAR THE RED SSN LIGHT WAS OFF AND I WAS ABLE TO REACH A QUALIFIED AUTO REPAIR. THEY RAN THE DIAGNOSTICS BUT WERE UNABLE TO SEE A PROBLEM AFTER GOING THROUGH THEIR CODE PROCESS, NOR RECREATE THE SSN ALERT. THIS FIRST HAPPENED ON FEBRUARY 27TH 2013. AGAIN, HAVING THREE CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH ME AND TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN ON THE FREEWAY WAS (ON THE WAY TO DISNEYLAND) QUITE FRIGHTENING AND HAZARDOUS! I HAVE READ MANY MANY STORIES OF FEH OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE! THIS IS A DEFECT TO THE CAR, AND NOT DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. IT IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AND WHILE I WAS NOT INJURED, THE FACT THAT I HAD TO SUDDENLY SLOW DOWN AND PULL OVER COULD HAVE RESULTED IN OTHER CAR OWNERS ON THE FREEWAY BEING IN AN ACCIDENT. SERIOUSLY. *TR

THREE TIMES IN LAST 4 WEEKS VEHICLE HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING. IT WILL THEN RESTART IMMEDIATELY WITH NO EFFORT. IT WILL THEN WILL SURGE, JERK VERY SLIGHTLY UPON DRIVING IT AGAIN. ON ONE OCCASION THERE WAS NO SURGING OR JERKING. CAR WAS JUST PURCHASED IN LATE JAN. 2008 AS A USED VEHICLE. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. NO WARNING LIGHTS WHATSOEVER. NO INDICATORS WHEN HOOKED UP TO A ENGINE CODE READOUTS. JUST STALLS. HAVE HAD ONE VERY CLOSE NEAR ACCIDENT WHEN SOMEONE WAS BEHIND ME AND ALMOST SLAMMED INTO THE BACK OF MY CAR AS IT DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AT 40MPH. WHEN IDLING AT STOP LIGHT OR JUST IN PARK THERE IS NO INDICATION OF STALLING, JERKING, OR ROUGH IDLING. NO INDICATION OF BAD TIMING. JUST WHILE DRIVING - NO WARNING WHATSOEVER, JUST STALLS...NOT WHILE ACCELERATING, NOT WHILE DECELERATION, JUST WHILE DRIVING. HAS NOT HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEED HOWEVER THIS CAR IS MOSTLY DRIVEN IN TOWN, 90% OF THE TIME. *TR

WHILE COMMUTING TO WORK TRAVELING AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE INDICATED A RED TRIANGLE WITH EXCLAMATION MARK ENCLOSED, A MESSAGE IN THE DRIVER MESSAGE CENTER READING 'STOP VEHICLE SAFELY', AND AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER ON BOTH FOSSIL FUEL ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL MOTOR DRIVE COMPONENTS. COASTING TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE WAS STRESSFUL AND EXCEEDINGLY DANGEROUS DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH. WITHOUT EXTENSIVE DRIVER EXPERIENCE, THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BECOME A FATALITY. THIS POWERLESS ACTION SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED DUE TO ITS VERY POTENTIAL OF FATALITY. *TR

STOP SAFELY NOW-LIGHTS UP AND ENGINE KILLS/QUITS. WILL RESTART AFTER STOPPING AND RESTARTING VEHICLE ENGINE KILLS CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

I WAS DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY TO SEE MT. RUSHMORE AT NIGHT WHEN MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN. I WAS ON THE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN WITHOUT WARNING A RED TRIANGULAR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. I PULLED OVER, SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, AND WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE MY TRIP AFTER THIS. HOWEVER, WHEN VACATIONING A YEAR LATER IN MICHIGAN, THIS EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED 3 TIMES WHEN MAKING AN 8-HOUR TRIP. EACH TIME I'VE BEEN GOING CLOSE TO 70 MPH AND I'VE HAD TO CAREFULLY NAVIGATE MY WAY TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY... VERY DANGEROUS! IT WOULD SEEM THAT A RECALL WOULD BE IN ORDER FOR SUCH A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

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.

DRIVING AT 55 MPH, ENGINE STOPPED, KICKED OUT OF GEAR, LOUD BEEP SOUNDED, AND DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. TRIANGLE WITH BOLT INSIDE. MESSAGE SAID "SLOW DOWN AND PULL OVER." THIS HAD HAPPENED 3 TIMES BEFORE WHILE IN CRUISE CONTROL, BUT I WAS NOT IN CRUISE CONTROL THIS TIME. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, I CONSULTED THE MANUAL. IT SAID TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART. I DID, AND WARNING LIGHT WENT OFF. SAME NEXT 2 INSTANCES. I ATTEMPTED THIS FIX FOUR TIMES ON THIS LAST OCCASION. CAR WOULD RESTART, THEN ENGINE WOULD SHUT DOWN IN A FEW HUNDRED FEET. FINALLY CALLED TOW TRUCK. FORD DEALER FOUND BAD AUXILIARY WATER PUMP CONNECTED TO HYBRID SYSTEM. IN RESEARCHING THIS, I FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS. CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE REPAIR, WHICH COST $700. FELT VERY UNSAFE WITH THE WAY THE ENGINE JUST SHUT DOWN. LUCKILY, I WAS ON A ROAD WITH A SHOULDER. IF I HAD BEEN ON A BRIDGE, TUNNEL, OR IN TRAFFIC, I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN SO QUICKLY. FORD NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE WATER PUMPS, AS THEIR FAILURE CAUSES A DANGEROUS ENGINE FAILURE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DURING A LONG TRIP (9 HOURS) A TRIANGULAR WARNING LIGHT FLASHED ON: STOP SAFELY NOW, AND THE CAR DECELERATED QUICKLY AS THOUGH THE ENGINE HAD ABRUPTLY STOPPED, BARELY ALLOWING TIME TO PULL OFF ROAD. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS A SHOULDER AT THAT SPOT ON THE HIGHWAY. THERE IS NO WAY TO SAFELY STOP A CAR THIS SUDDENLY THAT IS TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY! AFTER READING THE MANUAL WHICH DIRECTED DRIVER TO WAIT A BIT AND THEN RESTART CAR, THE DRIVER DID SO AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN, TWICE, ON THE HIGHWAY AGAIN AFTER DRIVING FOR ONLY 2 HOURS. PLEASE; JUST BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A CRASH, INJURY, FIRE, OR DEATH DOES NOT MEAN THIS IS "SAFE ENOUGH." *TR

THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE INFO SCREEN TOLD ME TO STOP SAFELY AS THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THAT DAY, AND THEN DIDN'T HAPPEN UNTIL TODAY, JUNE 17, 2012. THIS RECENT TIME A HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURE WARNING CAME UP ON THE INFO SCREEN. I CHECKED ALL OF THE FLUIDS AND THEY ARE FULL AND ALL HAVE BEEN CHANGED IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT AROUND 55-65MPH THE VEHICLE LOST ENGINE POWER, A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND A "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE. THE VEHICLE LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE BUT WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP AT AN EXIT THAT HAPPENED TO BE NEARBY. DUE TO CONSTRUCTION AND THE REMOVAL OF THE SHOULDER LANE, HAD THIS HAPPENED MERELY A MILE EARLIER IN THE ROUTE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO PLACE TO STOP SAFELY. THE SAME WARNING LIGHT AND ENGINE POWER LOSS OCCURRED ABOUT 10 MONTHS PRIOR WHILE DRIVING ON A TWO- LANE HIGHWAY. WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP SAFELY THEN AS WELL, BUT WE'RE AGAIN LUCKY TO BE IN LITTLE TRAFFIC AND IN AN AREA WITH SUFFICIENT SHOULDER SPACE. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO OUR DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE WE WERE TOLD NO PROBLEM COULD BE IDENTIFIED. EACH TIME THIS OCCURS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND COMPLETE OUR TRIP. THE INABILITY FOR THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE AND THE INSTANT POWER LOSS WITH THIS WARNING IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN A RECALL PARTICULARLY IF THIS IS THE RESULT OF A FAULTY PART. *TR

WHILE DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE OF THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60-65 MPH IN MODERATE/HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE GASOLINE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND GAVE ME A "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR OFF OF THE ROAD, BUT IT WAS A RATHER FRIGHTENING AND DANGEROUS ORDEAL TO CROSS TWO LANES OF MODERATE/HEAVY TRAFFIC AFTER THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER, THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS "A PRETTY COMMON" PROBLEM AMONGST ESCAPES (TRANSAXLE COOLING PUMP / WATER PUMP). RESEARCHING THIS FURTHER, IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHERS ON MESSAGE BOARDS AND THE LIKE THAT HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND A WARNING LIGHT ADVISING HER TO PULL OVER ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MILES PER HOUR, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND I RECEIVED A WARNING LIGHT, AND THE MESSAGE "STOP SAFELY NOW." THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE OCCURRED ON 1-95 SOUTH JUST SOUTH OF WASHINGTON ON A PORTION UNDER CONSTRUCTION WITH NO SHOULDER, IT IS EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT NO MAJOR ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HOWEVER, KNOWING THAT THIS ISSUE IS FREQUENT AS CAN BE SEEN BY FELLOW COMPLAINTS, AND FROM THAT FACT THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, THIS VEHICLE SHOULD RECEIVE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL, AS DID THE IDENTICALLY MODELED TOYOTA HYBRID VERSIONS. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED THE CAR WAS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, AND IT WILL EVENTUALLY KILL SOMEONE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON A BRIDGE AT 65 MILES PER HOUR, I HEARD A BEEP AND A TRIANGLE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR IMMEDIATELY JOLTED AS IT LOST POWER AND IT DISPLAYED A MESSAGE TO STOP SAFELY. THIS WAS IN LATE MORNING TRAFFIC AND A SEMI WAS ABLE TO SLIGHTLY SWERVE TO THE RIGHT IN ORDER TO AVOID REAR ENDING ME AS I HAD SUDDEN REDUCED POWER AND LITTLE MEDIAN SPACE TO COAST TO ON MY LEFT SIDE. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AFTER A FEW MINUTES. A FORD DEALER HAS RUN A DIAGNOSTIC AND CONFIRMED IT IS A FAILURE OF THE MOTOR ENGINE COOLING PUMP AND THE OVERALL COST FOR PARTS AND LABOR, INCLUDING DIAGNOSTIC IS $738. AFTER READING ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS TO THIS AGENCY AND ONLINE ENTRIES, I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN ABOUT THIS SAFETY HAZARD. THERE ARE TWO ISSUES, THE FIRST BEING THAT THE COOLING PUMP IS KNOWN TO FAIL ON THESE VEHICLES AT DIFFERENT MILEAGE LEVELS, AND IS SUPPOSEDLY NOT COVERED BY THE HYBRID WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IT IS ONLY FOUND ON HYBRIDS. FORD DEALERS WILL NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED AS IT IS KNOWN AS ONE CAUSE THAT LEADS TO THE SHUT OFF OF THE CAR AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. SECOND, FORD'S SHUTOFF DESIGN ITSELF IS SERIOUSLY FLAWED SINCE IT ALLOWS THE CAR TO UNEXPECTEDLY SHUTOFF AT HIGH SPEEDS RISKING COLLISION AND INJURY. I AM FORCED TO PAY THE HIGH COST OF THIS PARTICULAR REPAIR BECAUSE I CANNOT DO IT MYSELF, HOWEVER, I NO LONGER CONSIDER THIS A RELIABLE SAFE VEHICLE. I URGE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THESE COMPLAINTS RATHER THAN WAIT FOR ONE OF THESE INCIDENTS TO RESULT IN DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY. AT THE VERY LEAST FORD SHOULD BE NOTIFYING ALL OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE COOLING PUMPS AND NEED FOR REPLACEMENT.

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 75 IN FLORIDA, THE GAS ENGINE SHUTDOWN AND A WARNING LIGHT/MESSAGE APPEARED "STOP SAFELY NOW". OUR VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO DECELERATE, RUNNING ONLY ON THE ELECTRIC MOTOR, AS WE TRIED TO CROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC "SAFELY". WE PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER, AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. WE WERE ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WITHOUT GETTING THE ERROR MESSAGE. WE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME SUDDEN ENGINE SHUTDOWN AND FEH WARNING 5-6 TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF OUR ROAD TRIP FROM WISCONSIN TO FLORIDA AND BACK. UPON RETURN TO WISCONSIN, WE HAD THE CAR CHECKED OUT BY OUR FORD DEALER, AND THEY INFORMED US IT WAS A FAULTY MOTOR ELECTRONICS COOLANT PUMP (PART #5M6Z-8C419-A). FORD HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM (TSB 08-24-5), BUT HAS NOT YET ISSUED A RECALL. SINCE THE UNEXPECTED DECELERATION OF A VEHICLE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS CONSTITUTES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE (AS MANY FORD ESCAPE HYBRID OWNERS ON EDMUNDS.COM CAN ATTEST, HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F0FF5B5), I AM STRONGLY URGING YOU TO COMPEL FORD TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS PART. *TR

PLEASE ISSUE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL FOR THE MOTOR ELECTRONICS COOLING SYSTEM PUMP ON ALL 2005-2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE TO FORD AND THE SUBJECT OF TSB 08-24-5. THIS PART FAILURE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. WHILE THE CITED COMPLAINTS FORM AN ALARMING PICTURE OF THE MECS PUMP FAILURE ISSUE, THIS LIST IS BY NO MEANS EXHAUSTIVE. A SEARCH OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE 2005-2007 ESCAPE HYBRIDS RETURNS ADDITIONAL HORRIFYING INCIDENTS INVOLVING THIS PART FAILURE. IT IS APPALLING THAT WITH SO MANY REPORTS OF HIGH-SPEED ENGINE SHUTDOWNS AND NEAR-MISS ACCIDENTS THAT THIS ISSUE DOES NOT EVEN HAVING A PENDING DEFECTS INVESTIGATION. PLEASE RIGHT THIS WRONG BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE GAS ENGINE SHUTS OFF, THE STOP SAFELY NOW LIGHT APPEARS AND THE MASTER VEHICLE WARNING LAMP COMES ON. HAPPENED ONLY A COUPLE TIMES THE FIRST 3 WEEKS. IN THE LAST 2 DAYS IT HAS HAPPENED 15-16 TIMES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS TO HAPPEN WHILE IN TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSTATE. TO SHOULDN'T THIS BE A RECALL. TAKING INTO FORD DEALER TOMORROW. *TR

WHILE DRIVING I NOTICED A LACK OF POWER AND GOT THE MESSAGE "STOP SAFELY NOW". AS THE MANUAL STATED I PULLED OVER, WAITED A FEW MINUTES. THE CAR STARTED UP AGAIN BUT THE EVENT KEPT HAPPENING ALL THE WAY HOME. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A DEALER WHO MADE A REPAIR COSTING 642 DOLLARS. THE CAR RAN FINE FOR A MONTH BUT WHEN ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY I HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE EXCEPT IT WAS MORE DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH THE LOSS OF POWER IN BUSY TRAFFIC. I WAS IN THE PASSING LANE TO ALLOW ANOTHER CAR ENTER THE HIGHWAY FROM AN ON RAMP WHEN IT HAPPENED AND I WAS LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO CROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO BRING THE CAR TO REST. AGAIN, IT HAPPENED ALL THE WAY HOME CAUSING ME TO FINALLY DRIVE IN THE BREAKDOWN LANE WITH FLASHERS ON. I WENT ONLINE AND LEARNED THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH FORD HYBRIDS. MY QUESTION IS WHY NO RECALL ON SUCH AN EXPENSIVE AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM? *TR

VEH SHOWS A CAUTION SIGN (EXCLAMATION IN TRIANGLE) WITH A WARNING (PULL VEHICLE OVER SAFELY AND TURN OFF ENGINE). VEH LOSES ALL ACCELERATION AND I MUST PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. HAPPENS EVERY TIME WE DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY ONLY, NEVER ON A SIDE STREET OR IN STOP AND GO. I PULL VEHICLE OVER AND TURN OFF ENGINE FOR APPROX 2 OR 3 MINUTES, AND IT STARTS RIGHT UP. SOME TIMES IT WILL HAPPEN MULTIPLE TIMES WITHIN A 20 TO 30 MINUTE TIME PERIOD, SOMETIMES ONLY ONCE IN SEVERAL HOURS OF DRIVING. DEALER HAS NO IDEA WHY AND REQUIRES A TOW IMMEDIATELY WHEN IT HAPPENS TO DETERMINE CAUSE. CANNOT TOW WHEN ON THE WAY TO DR, OUT OF TOWN, OR OTHER. *TR

"STOP SAFELY NOW" APPEARS IN DASHBOARD WHILE GOING 70 MPH AND YOU LOSE THE ACCELERATOR - YOU CANNOT MAINTAIN / INCREASE SPEED. THE CAR BASICALLY DIES AND SHUTS OFF. THIS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY OR IN TRAFFIC OF ANY KIND. THIS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES AS WE WERE DRIVING TO FLORIDA FOR SPRING BREAK. ONCE WE STOPPED, WE WERE ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND CONTINUE ON UNTIL THE NEXT "STOP SAFELY NOW" APPEARED, SOMETIMES IN LESS THAN 3 MINUTES, SOMETIMES AFTER 3 HOURS. GIVEN THAT IT WAS A SUNDAY, WE WERE UNABLE TO FIND A FORD DEALER WITH A HYBRID TECHNICIAN ON STAFF. THE FIRST FORD DEALER WE TOOK IT TO HAD IT FOR 3 DAYS AND "COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG". THE SECOND DEALER WE WENT TO REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY AND WATER PUMP. THIS BREAKDOWN IS UNACCEPTABLE AND DANGEROUS. NO CAR SHOULD SIMPLY STOP LIKE THAT. THIS DESIGN / FLAW SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED ON THE EXPRESSWAY. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING THROUGH NYC ON RT 95 DURING RUSH HOUR, BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. ALL 3 LANES WERE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH WITH NO BREAKDOWN LANE DUE TO CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA. THE CAR FOR NO APPARENT REASON DISPLAYED THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE AND THE ENGINE DIED. BY SOME MIRACLE THE JERSEY BARRIERS BLOCKING THE BREAKDOWN LANE OPENED UP FOR ABOUT 100 FT AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. THE CAR LOSES ALL POWER WHEN THE STOP SAFELY NOW MESSAGE APPEARS. THIS IS A HAZARD AND THIS CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. IT TURNED OUT THE COOLING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO CAR SHOULD SIMPLY SHUT OFF WHEN DRIVING. IT CREATES AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAD 18 WHEELERS AND A STREAM OF CARS BEHIND ME AND HAD THE BREAKDOWN LANE NOT BEEN AVAILABLE, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A MULTIPLE CAR CRASH WITH POTENTIAL DEATHS. IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THE ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF. THE CAR NEEDS TO BE REDESIGNED SO THAT THE STOP SAFELY NOW MESSAGE NEVER SHUTS DOWN THE ENGINE. *TR

I STARTED THE CAR UP AND AS IT SAT IDLING THE STOP SAFELY NOW MESSAGE DISPLAYED AND THE ENGINE DIED. I TURNED EVERYTHING OFF ON THE CAR, RESET THE MESSAGE AND RESTARTED THE CAR. AS I PULLED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND STEPPED ON THE GAS, THE CAR AGAIN DISPLAYED THE MESSAGE STOP SAFELY NOW AND THE ENGINE DIED. I HAD TO AGAIN TURN EVERYTHING OFF IN THE CAR, RESET THE MESSAGE, AND RESTART THE CAR. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS WRONG THIS TIME THAT IS MAKING THE MESSAGE DISPLAY. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. THE STOP SAFELY NOW MESSAGE KILLS THE ENGINE AT ANY SPEED. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. NO CAR SHOULD SIMPLY SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN WHILE DRIVING. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING ON THE EXPRESSWAY IN THE LEFT HAND LANE DOING ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN AND A STOP NOW SAFELY MESSAGE APPEARED ON DASHBOARD. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND CONTINUE TO MY DESTINATION. THIS AGAIN HAPPENED ON THE WAY HOME THE SAME DAY THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOUND AT THE TIMES I PULLED OVER AND BOTH TIMES WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE. I HAD NO ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AND FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, THIS WAS A SCARY. *KB

TRANSMISSION DEFECT ON 2008 FORD ESCAPES. *TR

PURCHASED 2008 FORD ESCAPE IN JUNE 2007. AFTER AROUND 25K MILES THE TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING FLUID ACCORDING TO THE FORD SERVICE CENTER WE TOOK IT TO. THEY REPAIRED THIS AT NO COST SINCE THIS WAS UNDER THE 3 YEAR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY. HAD A MINOR ISSUE BACK IN AUGUST WITH THE AIR FAN NOT BLOWING AIR PROPERLY. THE FAN HAD TO BE PLACED ON HIGH BEFORE IT WOULD BLOW OUT ANY AIR. THIS WAS FIXED AND COST APPROX. 200 DOLLARS SINCE THE WARRANTY WAS OUT IN JUNE 2007. NO BIG DEAL. THEN ON OCTOBER 30, AROUND 73K MILES ON THE CAR, IT STARTED STALLING WHILE DRIVING AND SHAKING VIOLENTLY. PUT ON BRAKES IT WOULD START TO STALL AND WHEN GIVING GAS IT WOULD SHAKE AND THEN STALL. TOOK IT TO THE FORD SERVICE SHOP WHICH IS ALSO THE DEALER WHERE WE HAVE PURCHASED AROUND 5 OR 6 VEHICLES AND WHO HAS ALWAYS SERVICED OUR FORD VEHICLES AND WERE TOLD THAT IT NEEDED A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION AND SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY THIS WILL COST $4,900.00. HAVE CHECKED ON NUMEROUS WEBSITES AND THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH FORD ESCAPES. I ACTUALLY KNOW SOMEONE WHO BOUGHT HER VEHICLE AT THE SAME DEALER, THE SAME YEAR VEHICLE AND HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE WHEN HER TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AS WELL AS THE FAN PROBLEM. I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS SINCE WE HAD THE SAME ISSUE BACK WHEN THE CAR ONLY HAD 25K MILES ON IT. THIS CAR IS ONLY 3 1/2 YEARS OLD AND WE SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE MANY ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE IT FIXED SO IT WILL SIT IN MY DRIVEWAY. *TR

GOING FROM MISSOURI TO ARKANSAS MY CAR SIMPLY STOPPED RUNNING NO INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE ON AT THE TIME AND A TRIANGLE CAME ON STATING I COULD PULL OVER SAFELY NOW AND STOP. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AFTER TRYING TO MAKE THE ELECTRIC BATTERY ENGINE WORK. NOTHING HAPPENED. PEOPLE HELPED ME PUSH MY CAR OFF THE ROAD AND THEN A MAN SUGGESTED I TRY TO START IT AGAIN. IT STARTED RIGHT UP AND RAN FOR ANOTHER 20-30 MILES AND THEN PROCEEDED TO DO THIS ABOUT EVERY 5-10 MILES FOR HOURS. THE TEMP WAS RAINING AND ABOUT 60 DEGREES. AGAIN ON THE WAY HOME IN DRY WEATHER AND AT NIGHT IT DID THE SAME THING FOR 136 MILES. THIS WAS AT NIGHT AND I TRIED TO KEEP IT AT 60 MPH. FINALLY DROPPING IT TO 50 AND FINALLY MADE IT HOME. I'M TAKING IT TO MY MECHANIC BUT WHEN I CALLED FORD WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR THEY SAID THEY NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. I FIND THIS TO BE AN UNTRUTH AND FORD ( WHICH MY FAMILY HAS SWORN BY FOR MANY YEARS) REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

DRIVING DOWN A CONGESTED INTERSTATE THE VEHICLE STOPPED WORKING AT THE SAME TIME "STOP IMMEDIATELY" WAS SCROLLING ACROSS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THERE IS NOT SUFFICIENT TIME TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN TRAFFIC. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS WITH LITTLE ROOM FOR ERROR IN CITY TRAFFIC AS I FEEL LUCKY TO BE ALIVE AFTER THE VEHICLE STOPPED WORKING A TOTAL OF SIX TIMES BEFORE MAKING IT HOME. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, THE GASOLINE ENGINE DIED AND A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON SAYING TO PULL OFF THE ROAD SAFELY. THERE WAS NO OTHER WARNING LIGHT (NO HIGH TEMPERATURE WARNING). I DROVE SLOWLY ON ELECTRICAL ENGINE POWER UNTIL THERE WAS A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. AFTER A FEW MINUTES PARKED THERE WITH THE CAR TURNED OFF, I TRIED TO START THE CAR AGAIN. IT STARTED AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALER AND HE COULD SEE NO REPORTS IN THE COMPUTER AND NO EVIDENT CAUSE FOR THE ENGINE TO FAIL. HE SAID TO WATCH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. HOWEVER, THERE IS NOT A CONSTANT TEMPERATURE GAUGE - IT ONLY COMES UP ON THE SCREEN WHEN THERE IS A PROBLEM (AND IT DID NOT COME UP WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED). A WEEK LATER, AGAIN ON A LONGER DRIVE (MORE THAN 20 MINUTES) AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CAR STALLED AND I WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER. THE DANGER OF PULLING OVER ON A MULTILANE FREEWAY IS VERY SCARY. OVER THE NEXT 30 MINUTES, I RE-STARTED THE CAR AND PULLED BACK INTO TRAFFIC, ONLY TO HAVE THE GAS ENGINE DIE 5 MORE TIMES. EVENTUALLY I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME AND TAKE THE ESCAPE IN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAILURE OF THE COOLANT PUMP AND REPLACED IT FOR $500. THE MILEAGE OF MY CAR WAS ABOUT 53,000 MILES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FUEL WAS LEAKING THROUGH THE COOLING SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE CONTACT NOTICED THE LEAKAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION COOLING SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY RECALLS. THEY OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,500. UPDATED 10/04/11*LJ UPDATED 3/30/12 *CN

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

MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID (53,000 MILES) IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON I-5 I HEAR A POPPING SOUND AND SUDDENLY ALL ABILITY TO ACCELERATE IS LOST. A RED EXCLAMATION POINT WITHIN A TRIANGLE APPEARS ON THE CONTROL PANEL AND A SINCERELY BIZARRE MESSAGE DISPLAYS ITSELF: "PLEASE PULL OVER SAFELY". THIS IS QUITE THE CHALLENGE WITH 18 WHEELERS BEHIND ME, TO THE SIDE OF ME, AND OTHER CARS ALL AROUND. WITH QUICK REFLEXES, I AM ABLE TO GET OVER TWO LANES AND SLOWLY (I THINK ONLY THE ELECTRIC ENGINE IS WORKING, NO GAS) DRIVE OFF THE NEXT EXIT. SITTING IN THE CAR, I AM IN SHOCK. WHAT JUST HAPPENED? WILL IT HAPPEN AGAIN? BECAUSE WE ARE ON OUR WAY HOME FROM OREGON TO THE EAST BAY AREA IN CA, WE ATTEMPT TO GET BACK ON THE FREEWAY AND MAKE OUR WAY SOUTH. WITHIN 40 MINUTES THE SAME FAILURE HAPPENS AGAIN, ONLY THIS TIME THERE ISN'T AN EXIT RAMP. WE ARE ON THE SIDE OF AN BUSY TWO-LANE SOUTHERN TRAVELING FREEWAY. ONCE SAFELY TO THE SIDE, THE CAR RESTARTS AND APPEARS TO BE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. NOW I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT, BUT WANT TO GET HOME. I DECIDE TO GO A LITTLE UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT (A HAZARD) AND STAY IN THE LEFT LANE. AFTER THE CAR FAILS AND TELLS ME TO "PULL OVER SAFELY NOW" FOR THE 5TH TIME, I DECIDE I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. WE CALL FORD'S ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE NUMBER AND WAIT TWO HOURS (YES! TWO HOURS!) FOR A TOW TRUCK, ONLY TO BE CALLED BACK BY AN AUTOMATED DISPATCH THAT GIVES US THE NAME OF A DIFFERENT TOWING SERVICE THAT ESTIMATES ITS ARRIVAL TIME IN 2 HOURS (THE FIRST COMPANY APPARENTLY HAD TO GO TO A POLICE EMERGENCY TOW, BUT I BELIEVE THEY DIDN'T AGREE ON A DECENT WAGE FOR THE SERVICE). NOT WANTING TO WAIT 2 MORE HOURS, I ATTEMPT TO DRIVE AGAIN. WITHIN 10 MINUTES, THE CAR FAILS AND WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GLIDE TO AN OFF RAMP AND INTO A GAS STATION PARKING LOT. THANK GOODNESS WE DIDN'T GET ANY FURTHER; THE NEXT STRETCH OF FREEWAY HAD NO SHOULDER AT ALL AND THE NEXT PART WAS A LONG BRIDGE. CAR IS NOW AT DEALER WAITING FOR MON APPT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID AROUND 70 MPH ON A TOLL ROAD WHEN THERE WAS A SUDDEN BEEP AND A "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE CAME UP ON THE SCREEN. THE POWER TO THE ENGINE CUT OUT AND I HAD TO COAST TO A SHOULDER SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS AHEAD OF ME. THE CAR REDUCE IT'S SPEED; I WAS ABLE TO BREAK BUT I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE HAD COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO RE-START THE CAR AFTER BEING TOWED OFF THE FREEWAY AND WAS ABLE TO KEEP DRIVING THE CAR AS LONG AS I KEPT ME SPEED UNDER ~60MPH. THIS WAS A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE AND AFTER SEEING HOW WELL DOCUMENTED THE PROBLEM IS I CAN'T WAIT TO TRADE IN FOR A DIFFERENT BRAND. THIS WILL BE MY LAST FORD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE STOP SAFELY NOW WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED WITHOUT ANY HESITATION. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE WATER PUMP HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID ON THE HIGH WAY AND IT STALLED 3 TIMES AT HIGH SPEEDS. "STOP SAFELY NOW" CAME ON DASH. I DID TONS OF RESEARCH AND THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE MOTOR OVER HEATING. FORD HAD BACKORDERS UP TO NEARLY 900 COOLANT PUMPS LAST YEAR. THIS IS VERY SCARY BECAUSE YOU JUST LOSE POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF HE HIGHWAY. TOYOTA JUST RECALLED THEIRS, WHY HAS FORD NOT BEEN ON THIS. IT IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET. I AM BRINGING MY CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH PRINTED RESEARCH AND A LETTER OF CONCERN. I AM BLOWN AWAY THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE WITH THE STALLING AT HIGH SPEEDS AND FORD HAS DONE NOTHING. THIS IS VERY CONCERNING. *TR

I OWN A 2008 ESCAPE HYBRID. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS MY ESCAPE'S ENGINE STALLS/SHUTS DOWN AT SPEEDS OVER 40 MPH. THE RED TRIANGLE ON THE RIGHT OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS UP AND THE DISPLAY READS 'PULL OVER SAFELY NOW'. I CAN IMMEDIATELY START THE CAR AGAIN AND GO, BUT IT WILL ONLY TRAVEL 1-2 MILES BEFORE STALLING/SHUTTING DOWN AGAIN. TYPICALLY, IF I WAIT 3-5 MINUTES I CAN GO AND HAVE NO MORE ISSUES FOR A WEEK OR A MONTH (IT WENT ONE TIME 9 MONTHS BEFORE IT HAPPENED AGAIN). THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON FOR THIS; IT HAS HAPPENED IN 90 DEGREE WEATHER AND 40 DEGREE WEATHER, RAIN OR SHINE. LAST NIGHT DRIVING HOME ON THE INTERSTATE, IT SHUT DOWN EVERY 1.6 TO 5.4 MILES ON MY 42 MILE COMMUTE HOME. I LET IT SIT FOR OVER 10 MINUTES AND IT STILL SHUT DOWN. I DROVE IT TO WORK THIS MORNING, NO TROUBLES. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY SAID THE WATER PUMP AND NOTHING HAS WORKED. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW AND THIS PROBLEM STARTED APPROXIMATELY 23K MILES IN. FORD IS TELLING ME THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT, BUT DON'T HAVE PROBLEM TAKING MY MONEY TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT. I AM AFRAID THIS IS GOING TO LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT AS MOST OF THE TIME WE ARE ON THE INTERSTATE TRAVELING OVER 65 MPH WITH TRACTOR TRAILERS NEXT TO US. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS BLOGS WITH OTHER ESCAPE HYBRID OWNERS HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR

I HAVE A 2008 FORD ESCAPE AND IT SEEMS THERE IS A PART IN WHICH THE CARS TRANSMISSION COULD BE RUINED. THIS PART IS THE A/C CONDENSER WHICH TENDS TO GO OUT EVERY 20,000 MILES WHICH IS MY EXPERIENCE SO FAR. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PART BUT IT SEEMS IT DID NOT DO ANY GOOD BECAUSE EVEN AFTER THE REPLACEMENT PART IS PUT IN, THE PART STILL HAS TO CONTINUE TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO KEEP THE CAR FUNCTIONING AS IT SHOULD BE. *TR

WRENCH LIGHT IS COMING ON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THE ELECTRIC WATER PUMP WAS NOT FUNCTIONING AND CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS ABOVE 70 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER SEVERAL MOMENTS AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WILL REPLACED THE ELECTRIC WATER PUMP. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO TOOK A REPORT BUT PROVIDED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

MY ISSUE BEGAN THE SAME AS MANY OTHERS I HAVE READ ABOUT ON THE INTERNET, WHICH SCREAMS, "WHERE IS THE '08 FORD ESCAPE TRANSMISSION COOLER RECALL?". I HAD A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE & TIRE BALANCING ON FRI, 04/01/11 AT MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP & BY THE FOLLOWING THURS, HAD NOTICED A SOMEWHAT LARGE LEAKING-SPOT ON MY GARAGE FLOOR & A FRIENDS ASPHALT DRIVEWAY. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS TO AUTOMATICALLY RELATE THIS DARK OIL-LIKE RESIDUE, TO THE RECENT OIL CHANGE. AT THE SAME TIME, THIS LEAK/SPOT SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM JUST BEHIND THE FRONT BUMPER ON THE PASSENGER-SIDE, WHICH DIDN'T JIVE WITH THE TYPICAL LOCATION OF A MORE CENTERED OIL-LEAK. NONETHELESS, MY FORD ADVISOR ASSUMED THE SAME THING I WAS; THAT THE PLUG OR FILTER WAS PROBABLY LOOSE & TO BRING IT IN FOR IMMEDIATE CORRECTION. HERE'S WHERE THE SHOCK & UTTER DISBELIEF BEGAN. I WAS TOLD MY ISSUE WAS NOT RELATED TO THE RECENT OIL CHANGE, BUT IN FACT A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK FROM A TRANSMISSION COOLER. I WAS ALSO TOLD THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE 36K WARRANTY, SINCE I WAS NOW AT 37,099; NOR WAS IT UNDER THE TRANSMISSION WARRANTY. I WAS THEN TAKEN BACK TO MY CAR WHERE THE TECH EXPLAINED THAT THIS "COOLER" LOOKS LIKE A REALLY THIN RADIATOR, BUT IS ACTUALLY A SEPARATE COOLING UNIT THAT SITS JUST IN FRONT OF THE RADIATOR. I WAS THEN TOLD THE LEAK IS A RESULT OF THE CONSTANT VIBRATION OF THIS UNIT HITTING THE RADIATOR, WHICH EVENTUALLY CRACKS THE LEFT (PASSENGER-SIDE) BOLT AREA. HE ALSO SAID THIS IS A COMMON REPAIR & THAT IT ONLY HAPPENS AROUND THE LEFT BOLT, NOT THE RIGHT. I THEN ASKED HOW IT WASN'T GOING TO REOCCUR IF IT'S A KNOWN DEFECT. HE REPLIED THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT IT & HAS NOW INCLUDED A SMALL RUBBER BUSHING THAT COMES WITH THE NEW REPLACEMENT UNIT THAT SOMEHOW ABSORBS AND/OR PREVENTS THE VIBRATION. I WAS INITIALLY TOLD THIS WAS A $650 + REPAIR, BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD, THE ADVISOR WAS ABLE TO GET FORD TO APPROVE MY COST AT $200. IT WASN'T $0, BUT BETTER THAN OTHERS; SO, "HOW IS THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT, NOT A RECALL?". *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55-70 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THERE WAS A BEEPING CHIME HEARD IN THE VEHICLE FOLLOWED BY A MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INSTRUCTING THE CONTACT TO STOP AND PULL OVER SAFELY. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE ELECTRONIC COOLING PUMP WAS BEING REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65-70 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THERE WAS A BEEPING CHIME HEARD IN THE VEHICLE FOLLOWED BY A MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INSTRUCTING THE CONTACT TO STOP AND PULL OVER SAFELY. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE ELECTRONIC COOLING PUMP WAS BEING REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AUXILIARY COOLING PUMP FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE GASOLINE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN AS IT WAS ELECTRIC. THE ELECTRIC MOTOR STILL FUNCTIONED BUT THE GASOLINE ENGINE WOULD STALL. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, A MESSAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNED THE CONTACT TO PULL OVER SAFELY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME BUT COULD ONLY DRIVE 7-8 MILES BEFORE THEY WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER AGAIN AND LET IT SIT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE COOLING PUMP HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,961 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,045.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE VEHICLE WOULD EXHIBIT AN ABNORMAL SQUEALING WHEN FIRST STARTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THE ALTERNATOR BELT BRACKET PULLEY WAS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 39,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,900.

DRIVING OFF ROAD UP A STEEP INCLINE (40-45 DEGREES), THE VEHICLE CAME TO A HALT. THERE WASN'T ANY POWER GOING TO THE TIRES EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. THE ENGINE RPM WOULD ONLY REV UP TO ABOUT 1200 RPM. IT FELT AS IF THERE WAS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENGINE AS THERE WAS NO POWER BEING DELIVERED TO THE TIRES. THE TIRES DID NOT LOOSE TRACTION OR SPIN EITHER. WHAT WAS ESPECIALLY UNSAFE ABOUT THIS IS THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS BACKING DOWN THE STEEP HILL I HAD TRIED TO ASCEND. I WAS TRYING TO BACK DOWN SLOWLY BY USING THE BRAKE, BUT MANY TIMES THE BRAKES WOULD LOCK UP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT AND SLIDE SOMETIMES SIDEWAYS WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL. I TRIED TO AGAIN TO NO AVAIL. THIS VEHICLE IS USED BY THE US FOREST SERVICE IN WHICH MANY TIMES THE VEHICLE IS REQUIRED TO GO OF ROAD ON FOREST SERVICE ROADS. THERE IS A SECTION IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL ABOUT OFF ROAD DRIVING, BUT IT MAKES NO MENTION THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN UP STEEP INCLINES.

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

CAR BURNED DOWN TO THE FRAME. TURNED THE CAR ON IT STARTED TO SMELL LIKE SOMETHING WAS BURNING. SMOKE AND FIRE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE A/C VENTS. THE CONTACT LEFT THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY AND IT WENT UP IN FLAMES. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE POLICE AND FIREMEN AND THEY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE REMAINS OF THE CAR ONCE THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, THE BEST CONCLUSION THEY COULD COME UP WITH AS TO WHAT HAPPENED WAS SOME SORT OF ELECTRICAL FUSE MALFUNCTION. UPDATED 12/20/10 * BF THE FIRE ORIGINATED WITHIN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND THEN ADVANCED INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE FIRE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. UPDATED 12/27/10

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (~75 MPH) MY COMBUSTION ENGINE SHUT OFF AND A RED WARNING LIGHT WAS DISPLAYED ON THE DASH WITH A MESSAGE OF "PLEASE PULL OVER SAFELY". MY VEHICLE HAS APPROX 53000 MILES ON IT AND IS 3.5 YEARS OLD. LUCKILY I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE AND NOT IN ANY DANGER OF CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS TRULY A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. HAD I BEEN PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE OR HAD SOMEONE TAILGATING ME, IT COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN A MAJOR OR EVEN FATAL ACCIDENT. I CALLED FORD AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE NO RECORD OF THIS EVEN THOUGH I'VE SEEN ANOTHER OID ON THIS ISSUE THAT STATED THEY WERE # 891 IN LINE FOR A REPLACEMENT PART. PLEASE MAKE FORD RECALL ANY VEHICLE THAT HAVE THIS PART INSTALLED AND REPLACE IT WITH A MORE RELIABLE PART. *TR

OUR 2008 FORD ESCAPE (HYBRID) SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED COOLANT PUMP FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHEN WE TRIED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, WE LEARNED THAT THERE WERE 891 REPLACEMENT PUMPS ON BACK ORDER - THESE ARE NOT ORDERS FOR NEW MANUFACTURING, BUT FOR REPLACING FAILED PUMPS. THESE ARE JUST THE ONES ON BACK ORDER AND DO NOT INCLUDE ONES ALREADY REPLACED, OR THOSE OWNERS THAT HAVE NOT TAKEN THEIR ESCAPE FOR DIAGNOSTICS. OUR ESCAPE HAS SHUT DOWN SEVERAL DOZEN TIMES AND IT HAS ALMOST ALWAYS BEEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON AN INTERSTATE. THERE IS NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN AND GIVES US A MESSAGE TO PLEASE STOP SAFELY. THE VEHICLE WILL RE-START ONCE IT HAS BEEN SHUT OFF, BUT THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER WHILE AVOIDING OTHER VEHICLES. WE THEN HAVE TO MERGE BACK INTO INTERSTATE TRAFFIC. FORD IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT HAVE TOLD US THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH "RECALLING THE PART" AS THAT IS UP TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT! *TR

I HAVE A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. ON 3 SEPERATE OCCASIONS, MY COMBUSTIBLE ENGINE HAS SHUT OFF. THE DISPLAY ON MY DASH THEN TELLS ME TO "PULL OVER SAFELY." I STILL DO HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT OF POWER FROM THE ELECTRIC ENGINE. AFTER PULLING OVER, I CAN TURN OFF THE CAR, WAIT A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND RESTART THE ENGINE. IT WILL NOT LAST. AFTER MILKING THE GAS, TRYING NOT TO EXCEED 2,500 RPMS, MY CAR MIGHT LAST 1/2 TO 4 MILES BEFORE IT DOES IT AGAIN. LUCKILY, DURING THE TIMES THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME, I HAVE BEEN ON AN INTERSTATE THAT HAD 3 OR LESS LANES. HOWEVER, I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN AS LUCKY IF I WAS ON THE 8 LANE CONNECTOR OF I 75/85 IN ATLANTA. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT MY PROBLEM AND SPOKE TO THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER AT GENE EVANS FORD IN UNION CITY. AFTER DESCRIBING MY PROBLEM, HE QUICKLY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND MENTIONED THAT HE HAS HAD QUIET A FEW PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE'S COOLANT PUMP. I DID SOME RESEARCH SAW SEVERAL POSTINGS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT REALLY CONCERNS ME THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE CASES OF THIS OCCURRING AND I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING FROM MY DEALER OR FORD THAT THIS IS GOING ON, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE TOYOTA SCANDAL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTOR ELECTRIC PUMP FROZE AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER SINCE THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 83202. UPDATED 11/05/10 *BF UPDATED 11/05/10 UPDATED 11/17/10

I PURCHASED A 2008 FORD ESCAPE 2WD IN FEBRUARY 2008. IN JANUARY 2010, MY HUSBAND NOTICED STEAM COMING FROM MY HOOD AND SOMETHING DRIPPING ON A OUR DRIVEWAY. IT HAS SINCE BEEN DETERMINED THAT MY RADIATOR IS LEAKING WHERE THE PLASTIC AND METAL PARTS ARE "SEALED" TOGETHER. UNFORTUNATELY I WAS OUT OF MY 36K BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY & THIS PART IS NOT COVERED UNDER FORD'S POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. I CONTINUE TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE BUT CHECK THE RADIATOR COOLANT LEVEL WEEKLY. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT AN IDENTICAL RADIATOR WILL NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THEREFORE, WE ARE HESITANT TO PAY THE $800 THE DEALERSHIP ASKED FOR TO FIX. ALSO, THE BACK DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR SOMETIMES WILL NOT OPEN. IT APPEARS TO LOCK & UNLOCK BUT THE DOOR DOESN'T CATCH THE HOOK TO RELEASE & OPEN. *TR

STOP SAFELY NOW WARNING WENT OFF AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. MY WIFE WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. AFTER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF, THE CAR DID RESTART AND SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME SAFELY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR TROUBLE SHOOTING, BUT SO FAR IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 6 HOURS AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHAT IS WRONG. THE OWNERS MANUAL CLAIMS THIS IS A WARNING PRIOR TO FAILURE OF THE HYBRID SYSTEM IN HER FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND WOULD NOT MOVE UNLESS THE CONSUMERS WIFE PRESSED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PEDAL FIRMLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A CLOGGED INTAKE VALVE WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW THE PRESSURE IN THE PEDAL RELEASE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 35,000. UPDATED 06/02/10.*LJ UPDATED 05/11/10. *LJ UPDATED 08/18/10

MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE STARTED JERKING DURING ACCELERATION AND SHUTTERING AT STOP LIGHTS. NO LIGHTS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT EVER CAME ON, AND DIDN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. FINALLY THE CAR STALLED AT A RED LIGHT AND I DECIDED TO BRING IT IN. MY FORD DEALERSHIP SAID ITS THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING VIA THE AC CONDENSER. THEY ARE FIXING IT, $800 COST. *TR

VEHICLE IS LEAKING SEVERE AMOUNT OF TRANSMISSION FLUID JUST AT WARRANTY MARK. DEALER WILL NOT COVER REPAIR. THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET IN REGARD TO THIS, IT COULD CAUSE A POTENTIAL FIRE IN VEHICLE OR ACCIDENT DUE TO LOW LEVELS OF FLUID, THE CONTROL PANEL DOES NOT ALERT DRIVER IF TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL IS LOW. *TR

THE CAR STARTED TO DRIVE SLUGGISH AND HESITATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. AFTER CHECKING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID I FOUND THAT I WAS NEARLY EMPTY. I REFILLED THE TRANNY WITH ABOUT 3 QUARTS OF FLUID. THE NEXT DAY I CHECKED IT AGAIN AND THERE WAS NO FLUID ON THE STICK. I LOOKED AT THE RIGHT PASSENGER FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND SAW WERE FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM UNDER THE RADIATOR. AFTER HAVING THIS CHECKED OUT I AM TOLD THAT THIS IS THE TRANSMISSION COOLER AND LINES AND THERE IS NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. IT CAN BE REPLACED BUT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN ACCORDING TO THE DEALER. NOW, I HAVE TO PUT A QUART OR MORE IN EVERY DAY. THERE IS NO RECALL AND THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THIS REPAIR. THIS FLUID LEAK COULD POSSIBLE CAUSE A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AND BY DRIPPING OUT SO FAST IT COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STOP IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT WARNING. *TR

THE AC/CONDENSER THAT ALSO COOLS THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING. THROUGH RESEARCH THERE ARE MANY OTHER CARS DOING THIS AS WELL. ALSO HAVE NOTICE MY VEHICLE SURGING AT STOPS. VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY AT DEALERSHIP. ADVISED SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

1) LIMITED USE OF VEHICLE, 28,000 MILES ON A 2008 ESCAPE (USED MODERATELY IN COLD WEATHER SITUATIONS) 2) TRANSMISSION COOLER FAILURE, LEAKS COOLER FLUID AND TRANSMISSION FLUID ALL OVER ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE "SPRINGS" FORWARD OR STALLS AFTER COMING TO A STOP (DAILY). VEHICLE LOSES A QUART OR MORE OF FLUID MONTHLY. VEHICLE SHIFTS VERY LOUDLY AND ROUGHLY (DAILY - IS AN AUTOMATIC) 3) REPAIR IS QUOTED AT $1000 DOLLARS FOR REPLACEMENT COOLER PIECE. EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER POWER TRAIN WARRANTY AND UNDER BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY (FOR MILES, NOT TIME WHICH ENDED A WEEK AGO). DEALER AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS UNCOOPERATIVE. *TR

CAR STARTED JERKING (OR STOPPING) WHEN STOPPED AT STOP SIGNS/STOP LIGHTS. I TOOK TO THE DEALER AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION COOLER / A/C COMBO. *TR

I BOUGHT A 2008 FORD ESCAPE (USED) AND APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT AND 38,000 MILES, I NOTICED THE VEHICLE WOULD LURCH FORWARD WHEN I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR. I STARTED DOING RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT IT MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND SURE ENOUGH, FOUND A LARGE PUDDLE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID ON THE FLOOR OF MY GARAGE. I HAVE TO REFILL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WEEKLY DUE TO THE MASSIVE AMOUNTS ITS LEAKING AND AM LOOKING INTO GETTING THIS FIXED NOW. *TR

OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS I NOTICED MY CAR RUNNING SLUGGISH AND JERKY WITH NO PEP AT ALL GOING UP HILLS EITHER. ON 2 OCCASIONS MY CAR ALMOST STALLED AS I WAS PULLING FROM A STOP SIGN WHICH ALMOST CAUSED 2 ACCIDENTS. I ALSO BEGAN NOTICING OIL SPOTS ON MY DRIVEWAY. I THOUGHT I MIGHT HAVE AN OIL LEAK SINCE I JUST HAD AN OIL CHANGE ABOUT A MONTH AGO. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER TO EXPLAIN MY SITUATION THE FORD TECH. ADVISED IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MY OIL CHANGE BUT RATHER A PROBLEM WITH MY TRANSMISSION FLUID AND A/C CONDENSER. I QUESTIONED THE TECH ON HOW HE CAN DIAGNOSIS THE PROBLEM SO QUICKLY WITH OUT EVEN LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE AND HE ADVISED FORD HAS TSB FOR THIS. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND ASKED IF THIS IS A RECALL OR COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY. I WAS ADVISED IT WAS NEITHER AND THAT I NEEDED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS DIRECTLY. THE DEALER REPLACED PART # 818Z19712J. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON LINE AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME VEHICLE YEAR AND MAKE DEALING WITH THE SAME PROBLEM I'M DEALING WITH IE: TRANSMISSION & AC CONDENSER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT BEFORE ENTERING THE FREEWAY. WHEN HE TRIED TO MOVE FORWARD AFTER THE LIGHT, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. THE CONTACT SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND RE-STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO CORRECT ITSELF. HE NOTICED THE PROBLEM AGAIN AND WAS ABLE TO RE-START THE VEHICLE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD INDICATING A POSSIBLE REASON FOR FAILURE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE DEALER TOLD HIM THAT THERE WAS A FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE AND A LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COMPARTMENT AND THE RADIATOR WAS ALSO DESTROYED. HE WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE RADIATOR, AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER, THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COMPARTMENT AND OTHER COMPONENTS (NOT KNOWN TO THE CONTACT) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO COVER HALF OF THE REPAIRS IF HE SIGNED A CONTRACT STATING THAT HE WOULD NO LONGER COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 49,000.

THE AC/CONDENSER THAT ALSO COOLS THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING. THROUGH RESEARCH THERE ARE MANY OTHER CARS DOING THIS AS WELL. *TR

MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE WOULD SLIP OR STALL WHEN ACCELERATING. LOOKED ON WEB AND FOUND OUT NEEDED NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER HAD TO HAVE REPLACED AT MY OWN EXPENSE SINCE THE TRANSMISSION COOLER HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. *TR

2008 FORD ESCAPE - I WAS INFORMED THAT THE FLUID LINE LEADING FROM THE TRANSMISSION TO THE CONDENSER HAD SPRUNG A LEAK. AFTER ASKING TWO SEPARATE FORD DEALERS AND DOING A LOT OF WEB RESEARCH, I HAVE COME TO FIND THAT THIS ISSUE IS WIDELY PREVALENT WITH THIS MODEL AND IS A RESULT OF A DESIGN FLAW. I ASKED ABOUT THE REPLACEMENT PART AND IF IT WOULD SUFFER THE SAME FATE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART, ENGINEERED AND MANUFACTURED BY FORD HAS BEEN DESIGNED DIFFERENTLY TO ACCOMMODATE THE ORIGINAL FLAW. THIS TO ME REPRESENTS A SITUATION WHERE FORD KNEW OF THIS ISSUE AND FAILED TO INFORM CUSTOMERS OR ISSUE A RECALL. AS A RESULT I AM OUT ALMOST $800 FOR THE REPAIR. FORD WILL NOT COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY AND ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SAFETY BULLETINS ISSUED ON THIS DEFECT TSB -08-5-7 IF I RECALL RIGHT. IT TOOK ME ABOUT 30 MINUTES TO DISCOVER THAT THIS ISSUE IS WIDE SPREAD AND THAT ALL OTHERS AFFECTED WITH THIS PROBLEM ON THEIR FORD ESCAPE VEHICLE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE SAME BRUSH OFF BY FORD. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. THE RESULTING ISSUE CREATED BY THIS PROBLEM, DOCUMENTED SEVERAL PLACES IS A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. SOME HAVE RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE JUMPING INTO GEAR AND OTHERS CREATING A LURCHING ISSUE WHICH ULTIMATELY LEADS TO A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT SITUATION. *TR

2008 FORD ESCAPE: FAILURE MILEAGE 21,775. ENGINE REV-ED FOR NO REASON AT < 10 MPH. VEHICLE STALLED WHILE COMING TO STOP. VEHICLE LEAKED LARGE PUDDLE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID UNDER RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. FORD REPLACED TRANSMISSION COOLING ASSEMBLY (PART #8L8Z-19712-J) UNDER WARRANTY NOTING TSB 09 09 04. I PURCHASED THIS ESCAPE ON 08-04-09 AS A CERTIFED USED FORD OFF A FORD LEASE WITH MILEAGE 20,227. I HAD NOT YET MADE THE 1ST PAYMENT. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH MANY 2008 ESCAPE OWNERS AND OVER THE LONG TERM CAUSES DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION DUE TO A DANGEROUSLY FLAWED DESIGN. THERE IS NO RECALL AT THIS TIME. *TR

THE 2008 FORD ESCAPE I OWN LEAKED TRANSMISSION FLUID THROUGH THE A/C CONDENSER. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHTS ENGAGED INDICATING A PROBLEM AND THE SUDDEN STARTS BEGAN WITHOUT WARNING. THIS IS DUE TO A FACTORY DEFECT AND PROVIDES AN UNSAFE DRIVING ENVIRONMENT GIVEN THAT THE AUTOMOBILE'S TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY DUE TO THE LACK OF FLUID AND SURGES FORWARD. THERE IS CURRENTLY A TSB ON THIS DEFECT. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED SINCE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM TO ALL ESCAPE'S MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO A FEBRUARY OF 2008. THE SOLUTION WAS TO REPLACE THE CONDENSER THAT HAS THE FAULTY SEAM DESIGN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CONTINUED TO WORK AND THE CONTACT PULLED OFF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED, BUT FIVE MINUTES LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY MOVED TWO METERS. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED SIX TIMES BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO FIND A MECHANIC A MILE AWAY. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE WATER PUMP FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE KNOWS AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE WITH THE SAME VEHICLE, AND ARE EXPERIENCING IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,148.

AFTER COMING FOR A DRIVE OUT TO PARKER LAKE, A 50 MILE DRIVE FROM MY HOME, MY NEW FORD ESCAPE XLT AWD STALLED. LOOSING POWER AND CONTROL. I WAS ABLE TO STEER IT OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, LUCKILY I WAS ON A COUNTRY ROAD. I TRIED TO START IT BUT IT WOULDN'T. I LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 2-5 MIN. AND IT STARTED. I GOT IT HOME AND THE NEXT DAY IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I WAS LEAVING FROM WORK YESTERDAY FEB. 11, 2008, AND IT AGAIN STALLED ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH-WORK-HOUR TRAFFIC. IT AGAIN WOULDN'T START, BUT AFTER ABOUT 2-5 MIN. IT DID. I HAVE HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALER HERE IN TOWN, NOT TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE AND THIS HAPPENED I'M NOT SO SURE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SAFE. YOU HAVE DONE TEST AND INSPECTIONS IN THE PASS ON TRIBUTES AND OTHER CARS WITH THIS ISSUE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AGAIN. BEFORE SOMEONE GET HURT. *TR

TOTAL HYBRID / GASOLINE SYSTEM FAILURE WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. *TR