2008 Ford Escape Other Problems

Your gear shift bushing failed, causing the shift lever to become disconnected from the transmission. When you tried to shift into park on a hill, the car rolled backward because the shifter was stuck in neutral — you had to use the emergency brake to stop it. The dealership said this was a known recall issue but your vehicle's VIN wasn't included in it. Fixing this will involve replacing the gear shift bushing or cable to reconnect the shifter to the transmission.

My car was scheduled for the mechanic for ABS brake issues on April 8, 2024. On April 1, 2024 I was driving on the highway at 65 mph when I lost power to the gas pedal. I could have been seriously injured from other motor vehicles. There was no warning lights, no messages, nothing. I got to the side of the road at about 20 mph. I turned off the vehicle and then turned it back on when the engine light came on and the wrench light. I turned it off again and on and no lights lit up. I was towed to my mechanic and they were able to repeat the incident. The mechanic took it off the tow trailer and he said there are no warning lights when he turned the car on. I told him they went off when I turned the car back on on the highway. The throttle body is the part that went bad and was replaced by the mechanic.

My regen system failure light come on and off. When it does come on I lose my brakes. I have tried effortlessly like others to find out why they are malfunctioning. I am continually having near misses due to the brakes not wanting to work when they choose to. Why has this not been a recall yet. The brakes go all the way to the floor whenever they feel like it. I just purchased the vehicle. I wld have left it at the lot had I know this and no recall seems to be hand. So we get to have accidents or spend endless money while the Ford company doesn’t have to deal with any of it.

I was sitting on a driveway that is at an angle. Not sitting flat…. My vehicle dies & Safety Alert Light comes on with the! In the middle of a triangle and vehicle dies will not stay started it will start and then shut off.Died in Middle of Road!!

Unknown mechanical issues

Regen Brakes Disabled light came on dash board after starting. ABS light and Check Braking System also. Took to two local mechanics. Checked sensors brake fluid etc. Advised to take to dealership. These lights are not ALWAYS on. However lately they have been. When illuminated the brakes are very weak and if going over 40 mph very difficult to stop. Nearly impossible to drive on the interstate. Ford dealership said it’s a faulty Hydraulic Control Unit codes C1478 and C1479. They advised there is currently only 1 available in the US. It’s used and their cost is $2600. They advised rear brakes and pads being replaced as well and bleeding the brakes after. My truck has 112k miles on it. Dealership estimated repair cost was just under $4000. I rarely have to drive on the interstate but this particular day was very concerning as I could hardly stop and had to swerve to avoid crashing into the truck in front of me. I was lucky that there wasn’t a vehicle beside me. It’s taken awhile to be diagnosed because I was told mechanics need the lights to be on to know exactly what was happening. This is a major safety issue and several owners have had to deal with it. Ford needs to step up and do the right thing with a recall. I love my truck but unfortunately I think it’ll be the last Ford I’ll own.

The back liftgate glass on my 2008 ford escape separated from latch and exploded when closing.

DRIVING FOR THE 1ST COUPLE OF MILES WAS FINE. PROBLEM HAPPENED AFTER STOPPING THE CAR 1ST TIME AT FRIENDS HOUSE THEN 2ND TIME AFTER GAS STATION STOP. AFTER CAR WAS RE~ENTERED ONTO THE ROAD IT WOULD NOT GO OVER 15 MPH AND FELT LIKE THE BRAKES WERE ON. THIS WAS AFTER THE 2ND TRIP TO THE MECHANIC ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC COULDN'T FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM AND STARTED RESEARCHING . AFTER TALKING TO FRIENDS AT PARTS STORE HE WAS TOLD THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE ONLY HAD VEHICLE FOR 5 MONTHS SO I AM HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING ANY WAY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS. IT IS POSSIBLE PREVIOUS OWNER WAS ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT BUT HAS MOVED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE ORIGINAL PURCHASE. CAN YOU HELP ME WITH THIS, OR WILL FORD CONTACT ME SINCE TITLE IS NOW IN MY NAME. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.

WHILE DRIVING IT WAS HARD TO PUSH ON BRAKES AND WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE GAS IT VEHICLE WOULD STOP. SO I TOOK IT TO MECHANIC AND HE SAID MY BRAKES WENT W CALIBER OR WHEEL BEARING. A FEW WEEKS LATER SAME THING HAPPEN ALL NEEDED REPLACED NOW AGAIN ITS HAPPENED. THIS IS TO MUCH SOMETHING HAS TO BE WRONG. IT WOULD PULL BACK AND BURN THE BRAKES UP. I MEAN IT WAS HARD TO GET IT TWO 25 MILES PER HOUR. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME. THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING EACH TIME. THE VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS PULLING BACK, HARD TO GO FORWARD THEN HARD TO PUSH ON BRAKES THEN THE BRAKES STATED SMOKING.

TAKATA RECALL.. MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE WHEN IT SHIFTS TO 4TH GEAR IT GOES DOWN THEN SHAKES AND GOES UP A GEAR

TRANSMISSION. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THAT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION. I WAS DRIVING FROM WORK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO ACCELERATE. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE SINCE.

THE BREAKS CONTINUE TO FAIL. HAS ALL NEW PADS, ROTORS AND THE MASTER CYLENDER REPLACED. WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE BREAKS VIBRATE AND THEN NEED TO PUSH THE PETAL TO THE FLOOR TO BE ABLE TO SLOWLY SLOW DOWN. I THEN NEED TO PUMP VISIOUSLY UP TO 5 TIMES TO GET THE BREAKS TO TEMPORARILY WORK AGAIN. WAS THEN TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THE ABS IS THE ISSUE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE WITH THE YR OF MY VEHICLE TO FIND THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH MANY 08 FORD ESCAPES AND HAVE YET TO FIND A RECAL FOR THIS DEADY MALFUNCTION. MY CAR ONLY HAS 135000 MILES AND THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT FORD NEEDS TO FIX WITH A RECALL ASAP.

THE FORD REPAIR SERVICE CENTER HAS INFORMED ME THE MOTOR ELECTRONICS COOLANT MEC PUMP ON MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID HAS FAILED. THE MEC WAS PART OF A RECALL ISSUED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2014 FOR 2005-2008 FORD ESCPAES. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN # IS 14V526000. HOWEVER, MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT LISTED ON THE RECALL. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT TELL MY WHY MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY VEHICLE ADDED TO THE RECALL AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO GO ABOUT DOING SO. THANK YOU.

MY FRONT AXEL BROKE WHILE DRIVING ONE NIGHT WITHOUT ANY EARLY SIGNS OF ISSUES.

THE IGNITION WENT OUT AND OTHERS I KNOW WITH THE SAME CAR HAD THE SAME PROBLEM

I HAVE A 2008 FORD ESCAPE TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT THERE WAS A RECALL BUT WITH WARRANTY MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT HELP ME OUT AT ALL THIS RECALL NEEDS TO BE REOPENED

THE KEY IN THE IGNITION WILL NOT START THE CAR. I SEE ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS A KNOWN MANUFACTURER PROBLEM. WHY ISN'T IT A RECALL? IT IS NOT JUST WITH THE 2008. PEOPLE ARE DOING ALL SORTS OF WORK AROUND BECAUSE THE REPAIR COST IS THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN.

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A TOWN ROAD AND WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT. WHEN I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN THE CAR LOST POWER. ON THE DASHBOARD CAME A MESSAGE "STOP SAFELY NOW" AND AN RED ALERT TRIANGLE CAME ON AS WELL. I HAD TO LET THE CAR ROLL OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TURNED OFF THE CAR, WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND THEN TURNED THE CAR BACK ON. THE CAR TURNED ON OKAY, BUT SOON AFTER A YELLOW ICON OF AN ENGINE CAME UP ON THE DASH BOARD. THIS EVENT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS LITERALLY DRIVING THE CAR HOME FROM A CHECK UP AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP. IT'S DANGEROUS TO HAVE THE CAR'S POWER DIE ON THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

WE BOUGHT OUR CAR USED IN 2008/2009. WE TOOK OUR CAR INTO A DEALERSHIP WHEN IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE OF EXHAUST FUMES. WE OFTEN ARE SMELLING EXHAUST BUT SINCE THE DEALERSHIP DISMISSED OUR PROBLEM WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH IT ALL THESE YEARS AS 'NORMAL'. I RECENTLY WAS HEARING OF POLICE OFFICERS WITH FORD VEHICLES PASSING OUT OR HAVING DAMAGE BECAUSE OF THE FUMES IN THEIR FORD SUV. I TOOK MY DAUGHTER TO THE DOCTOR A FEW YEARS AGO AFTER BEING ON A TRIP IN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE SHE WAS THROWING UP ON THE WAY THERE AND BACK. THE DOCTORS GAVE HER BACK X-RAYS AND SAID THAT IT WAS JUST MOTION SICKNESS.. SHE OFTEN COMPLAINS OF BEING SICK IN THE CAR. I ALSO DON'T LIKE THE FUMES, BUT JUST DRIVE IT. NOW I REALIZE IT MAY BE A PROBLEM THAT WAS IGNORED BY FORD TO BEGIN WITH. THE MORE I DRIVE IT THE MORE DIZZY SPELLS I HAVE DURING THE DAY. THE FUMES ARE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WHEN WE RUN THE VEHICLE AND WHEN DRIVING. THIS IS BEEN RE-ACCURING SINCE WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE WITH AROUND 50K, NOW IT HAS 212K MILES.

MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HAD IT'S REAR LIFGATE GLASS (THE REAR WINDSHIELD) MYSTERIOUSLY SHATTER. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AT MY MOTHERS HOUSE AND CAME OUTSIDE AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF BEING THERE TO SEE A SHATTERED BACK WINDSHIELD. HER HOME IS IN A VERY RURAL AREA AND IT HAPPENED AROUND MID-DAY, SO THAT ALMOST COMPLETELY RULES OUT VANDALS. I SUSPECT THAT THIS WAS A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AS I'VE READ ABOUT OTHER SIMILAR CASES. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR THAT DAY AND THERE AREN'T ANY NEARBY TREES. I FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF ANY OBJECT CAUSING THE DAMAGE AND I WAS VERY THOROUGH. NOW I'M ON THE HOOK FOR A $500 REPAIR AFTER CHECKING IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE ITEM.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY GOING ON VACATION THE SUNROOF JUST SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED. NO ACCIDENT, NO DAMAGE, NO ANYTHING HAPPENED TO THE VEHICLE. MY HUSBAND AND I, WHO OWN THE CAR WERE JUST DRIVING ALONG AND IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHOT WENT OFF AND THE NEXT THING WE KNEW, WE OPENED THE COVER AND IT WAS COMPLETELY SHATTERED. WE WERE IN MOTION ON INTERSTATE I75 NORTH HEADED TOWARD CHATTANOOGA. JUST SAW THE ADD IN THE CONSUMER REPORT MAGAZINE ON 1/2/2018 FOR SUNROOF SAFETY.

WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKE LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT CAME ON. MESSAGE ALSO SHOWED ON DASH SAYING, "CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM, REGEN BRAKES DISABLED. TOOK IT TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $5,600. DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE SHOWED THAT HUNDREDS OF CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD OR ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. BUT AS THE DEALERSHIP STATED, SORRY THERE'S NO RECALL. MY VEHICLE IS RENDERED USELESS AND FORD REFUSES TO STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT EVEN THOUGH MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD THIS COSTLY SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE BRAKES.

WHILE IN MOTION, THE GAS ENGINE CUTS OFF AND A RED EMERGENCY TRIANGLE APPEARS IN THE DASH STATING TO "PLEASE STOP SAFELY NOW" AND I HAVE TO COAST ALONG IN ELECTRIC MODE WITH NO POWER TILL I COME TO A STOP. I THEN CAN TURN OFF THE VEHICLE AND TURN IT BACK ON AND THE VEHICLE RUNS AS NORMAL.

GAS PEDAL IS STICKING INTERMITTENTLY

IGNITION HAD TO TURN SEVERAL TIMES TAKE KEY IN AND OUT. THEN ONE DAY JUST WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY.

REAR HATCH LATCH WILL NOT CLOSE WHEN OPENED. WE HAVE HAD ONE REPLACED ALREADY AND WITHIN A MONTH IT HAS BROKEN AGAIN. BELIEVE HATCH WINDOW IS LEAKING INTO WALL OF HATCH AND SHORTING THE COMPONENT THAT OPEN AND CLOSES THE HATCH. WE HAVE HAD TO DRIVE HOME WITH AN UNLATCHED HATCH. THERE ARE PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON THE NET. DEALERS DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT.

THE IGNITION WILL NOT START WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS IT WILL EVENTUALLY START

WHEN I PUSH DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR WOULD SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND GIVE ME A RED TRIANGLE SYMBOL AND TELL ME TO PULL OVER SAFELY. I WOULD THEN TURN THE CAR IGNITION OFF AND RESTART THE ENGINE AND IT WOULD BE FINE AGAIN. I THEN DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH 2008-2011 FORD ESCAPES AND THE ISSUE WAS A FAULTY THROTTLE BODY WHICH FORD ISSUED A RECALL FOR. I WENT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT REPLACED, BUT THE RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED ONLY APPLIED TO FORD ESCAPE NON HYBRIDS EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE SAME ISSUE. THIS ISSUE HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR 1 YEAR BEFORE I HAD IT REPLACED IN NOV OF 2014.

WHEN I GO TO START MY ESCAPE, I HAVE TO PRESS REALLY HARD TO GET IT TO START. IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS IT TAKES 10-15 MINS OF TRYING OVER AND OVER TO GET IT TO WORK. I AM AFRAID THAT IT JUST WILL NOT WORK ONE DAY. I TAKE THE KEY OUT AND FLIP IT OVER...DOES NOT HELP. ALL THE DASH LIGHTS COME ON...IT RECOGNIZES THE KEY...JUST WILL NOT START.

MY IGNITION, SOME TIMES IT STARTS, SOME TIMES I HAVE TROUBLE STARTING IT, OTHER TIMES IT DOESN'T START AT ALL.!!

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET MY TRUCK BEGAN REVVING AS IF IT WERE TRYING TO CHANGE GEARS OR ACCELERATE WITHOUT MY ADDING ANY ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL. AT ONE POINT I HAD TAKEN MY FOOT COMPLETELY OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND IT WAS REVVING UP. THIS OCCURRED ABOUT 3 TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF A HALF MILE APPROXIMATELY. ONCE I ENTERED MY SUBDIVISION EVERY TIME I CAME TO A STOP SIGN AND MADE A STOP MY TRUCK WOULD GET "STUCK". I WOULD PRESS THE GAS PEDAL IN AN ATTEMPT TO DRIVE FORWARD AND THE TRUCK WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE AND REMAINED RUNNING AND NEVER SHUT OFF. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO DRIVE FORWARD TO NO AVAIL I HAD TO PLACE THE GEAR IN PARK AND MANUALLY TURN OFF MY TRUCK AND RESTART IT AND PLACE THE GEAR BACK IN DRIVE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN MY SUBDIVISION AFTER COMING TO A STOP. UPON FINALLY MAKING IT TO MY DRIVEWAY I PLACED THE GEAR IN REVERSE IN AN ATTEMPT TO BACK INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND THE TRUCK BEGAN DRIVING FORWARD INSTEAD. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN MY TRUCK SINCE THIS HAPPENED AS IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO OPERATE. I ALSO HAVE NOT YET HAD IT SERVICED BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN ON THE NEWS THAT FORD HAS A RECALL COMING ON SOME VEHICLES DUE TO TRANSMISSION ISSUES THAT SOUND LIKE WHAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED SO I AM WAITING TO GET NOTICE OF THE OFFICIAL RECALL LIST TO SEE IF MY MAKE AND MODEL ARE INCLUDED.

HAVE TO PUSH THE KEY IN VERY HARD TO GET THE CAR TO START OR "JIMMY" THE KEY AROUND VERY HARD. TAKE AT LEAST FIVE MINUTES TO GET THE CAR TO START BECAUSE OF KEY. SOMETIME IT STARTS SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. KEY NOT TURNING OVER. POSSIBLY IGNITION SWITCH NO WORKING CORRECTLY. EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE CAR HAS BEEN CHECKED OUT AND IT WORKING FINE. IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT TO GET THE IGNITION AND KEY TO WORK FOR MONTHS. NOW THEY WON'T WORK AT ALL.

THE CEILING LINER OF THE CAR IS FALLING OFF.

I PURCHSED THIS CAR DECEMBER 22, 2007. IN LATE JANUARY 2008 I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND WHEN I ACCELERATED THE CAR CREPT ALONG FOR SEVERAL FEET BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION "SLAMMED" INTO GEAR AND THEN THE CAR MOVED NORMALLY. I WENT TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND SINCE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES SINCE AND EVERY TIME THE DEALER SAYS THEY CAN'T DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM IF THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE IT. THERE IS NO PATTERN TO HIS TRANSMISSION "SLIPPAGE," SO I CAN'T PREDICT WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN AND NEITHER I NOR THE MECHANICS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CAUSE IT TO HAPPEN. LAST WEEK I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT ON A VERY BUSY 4-LANE STREET IN THE MIDDLE OF SARASOTA, FL, AND WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED THE ENGINE RACED, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. IT FINALLY STARTED MOVING SLOWLY AND AFTER A FEW FEET THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY KICKED INTO THE RIGHT GEAR AND MOVED NORMALLY. I WAS LUCKY THAT NO ONE SLAMMED INTO THE BACK OF MY CAR. I TRIED TO FIND A PHONE NUMBER FOR FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT APPARENTLY THEY NO LONGER TAKE PHONE CALLS. A FRIEND OF MINE HAS A 2011 ESCAPE AND SHE SAID SHE HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE ARE MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET BLOGS. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.

RED TRIANGLE LIGHT WITH EXCLAMATION LIGHTS UP ON DASH. CAN NOT ACCELERATE PAST 15 MILES PER HOUR. *TR

WHILE TRYING TO LEAVE A FAST FOOD DRIVE UP MY POWER STEERING FROZE UP. I HAD TO MANUALLY REAM ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO MAKE ALL CORNERS FROM THE RESTAURANT TO MY CONDO - APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES. I DID NOT HAVE ANY COMPONENT MESSAGES ON THE READ OUT. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER ARRIVED AN HOUR LATER HE WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE SUV FROM THE GARAGE TO HIS FLATBED TOW TRUCK - NO PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS "CHECKED OUT" FOR TWO DAYS. NOTHING WAS FOUND.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE GARAGE DOOR. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, SHE NOTICED HUGE FLAMES UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE EXPLODED AND THE BACK OF THE HOUSE AND THE GARAGE DOOR WERE BLOWN AWAY AS A RESULT. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR TWO DAYS AND DISPLAYED NO SIGNS OF FAILURE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE HOME AND THE VEHICLE WERE DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD FORWARD THE COMPLAINT TO THEIR ATTORNEY AND CALL THE CONTACT BACK WITH AN UPDATE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

CONSUMER STATES THAT HIS 2008 FORD ESCAPE HAS SEVERAL PROBLEMS. EFFORTS HAS BEEN MADE TO FIX THE VEHICLE, BUT NEW PROBLEMS DEVELOP AND ONGOING PROBLEMS HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *NJ

THE NEWLY REDESIGNED INSTRUMENT CLUSTER "AREA" FOR THE NEWLY ARRIVING 2008 MAZDA TRIBUTE IS A SAFETY AND TRAFFIC HAZARD IN THE FOLLOWING WAY: BECAUSE OF NEW SHAPE FOR THE PLEXIGLASS FRONT AND THE LOCATION OF THE HOOD AND THE MATERIALS USED, IT ALLOWS THE SUN'S RAYS TO SPOTLIGHT ON THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER "AREA" , CAUSING THE WORST "GLARE" THAT I HAVE EVER COME ACCROSS IN ALL MY YEARS OF BUYING AND DRIVING NEW CARS. THIS CAUSES BLINDESS (EVEN WITH A GOOD PAIR OF POLARIZED SUNGLASSES ON) DURING SUNNY DAYS, WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING IN THE RIGHT ANGLE TO THE SUN. ON A RECENT TRIP OUT OF TOWN, I HAD TO ACTUALLY HOLD UP ONE OF MY HAND'S CLOSE TO THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, TO BLOCK THE SUN'S REFLECTION. THAT MEANT DRIVING WITH ONLY ONE ARM. THE ONLY SAFE TIME TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE IS DURING CLOUDY DAYS. UNFROTUNATELY THAT WAS THE TYPE OF DAY IT WAS WHEN I TEST DROVE, BEFORE SIGNING 3 YEAR LEASE. THIS IS THE SISTER VEHICLE TO THE FORD ESCAPE AND MERCURY MARINER. ALL 3 ARE BUILT IN THE SAME FORD PLANT IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI. THEY MUST ALL HAVE THE SAME DESIGN FLAW. THE SAME VEHICLES DASH WAS JUST FINE FROM 2001-2007. I KNOW, BECAUSE I OWNED SEVERAL OF THEM. ONLY THE NEW DASH ON THE NEW 2008 MODELS HAVE THIS PROBLEM.