2006 Ford Escape Hybrid

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, SHE NOTICED THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE THE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE YET THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 103,000. *TR UPDATED 4/29/13 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE MECS PUMP FAILED AND WAS REPLACED PER THE FORD TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TSB08-24-5 ISSUED BY FORD COMPANY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO ITS VIN. UPDATED 06/11/2013 *JS

DRIVING UP TO A STOP SIGN WHEN I FELT LIKE I HAD NO BRAKE CONTROL TO STOP. I HAD TO DEPRESS THE PEDAL AS FAR AS I COULD AND PRAYED THAT I WOULD STOP BEFORE THE BUSY INTERSECTION. WHEN I CAME TO A STOP, THE SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM CODE CAME ON AND CHIMED. THE ABS LIGHT WAS LIT, ALONG WITH BRAKE WARNING. LUCKILY WE WERE ONLY A FEW BLOCKS FROM THE HOUSE, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CAREFULLY MAKE IT BACK HOME. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE IN FOR A BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING BEFORE WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED A FAULTY WIRING HARNESS AND REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. NOW THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY HAVE STATED THAT THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT WAS A PROBLEM AND POSSIBILITY OF THE MASTER CYLINDER. ALL THIS AT A COST OF $4500+ PARTS AND LABOR. AFTER JUST FINISHING PAYING OFF THE VEHICLE LOAN WE OWN A VEHICLE THAT DOESN'T STOP. HAD I CRASHED THE VEHICLE I'D ONLY BE OUT MY DEDUCTIBLE. THANKS FORD! I REGRET PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE AFTER HEARING OF OTHER OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE, WITH NO HELP FROM FORD ON REPAIRING A DEVICE THATS MEANT TO PROVIDE SAFETY. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HWY AT 70 MPH AND PASSING A SEMI, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE STOP SAFELY NOW WARNING CAME ON. THERE WAS NO WARNING, I LOST SPEED AND BARELY MOVED OUT OF THE WAY OF THE TRUCK. THIS FAILURE ALMOST COST ME AND MY PASSENGER OUR LIVES. THE CAR STARTED AGAIN ABOUT HALF AN HOUR LATER BUT ONLY RAN LONG ENOUGH TO LIMP TO A GAS STATION. WE CALLED AAA, HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS EITHER THE IGNITION SWITCH OR THE PCM...I HAVE TWO SONS WHO ARE TOP MECHANICS. THIS IS NOT THE PROBLEM. THEY BELIEVE A WIRING HARNESS FOR THE HYBRID BATTERY IS DEFECTIVE, AND THAT THERE WAS A LETTER SENT TO ALL HYBRID OWNERS. I TOOK THIS LETTER TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHEN I RECEIVED IT. THEY SAID IT DIDN'T PERTAIN TO MY VEHICLE AND DID NOT PERFORM THE REQUIRED MAINT. REALLY? THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. HOW MANY ACCIDENTS, DEATHS, OR NEAR MISSES MUST HAPPEN BEFORE FORD REACTS AND ACTUALLY OWNS UP? FYI BLOGGING IS OUT THERE FOR US ALL! *TR

AT 65 MPH ON HWY 5 IN LOS ANGELES THE VEHICLE DIED AND THE " STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE CAME ON. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET FROM THE 3RD LANE TO THE SHOULDER. AFTER PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNING OFF THE KEY I WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND CONTINUE. ABOUT 15 MILES LATER IT DID THE SAME THING AGAIN WITH THE SAME MESSAGE. AGAIN ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OFF THE FREEWAY AND AFTER PUTTING IT IN PARK TURNED THE KEY OFF AND BACK ON AND WAS AGAIN ON MY WAY. BOTH TIMES THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON SO AFTER THAT I DID NOT USE THE CRUISE AND HAVE NOT HAD ANOTHER OCCURRENCE. *TR

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I OWN A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HEV, VIN: [XXX] , WITH ABOUT 50,000 MILES. FROM TIME-TO-TIME THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL ACTIVATE, BY ITSELF, IN THE ACCELERATE MODE. AND THIS OCCURS WHEN MY HANDS ARE NO WHERE NEAR THE ACTIVATION CONTROLS. THUS FAR IT HAS NOT HAPPENED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND I HAVE HAD TIME TO SHUT THE CRUISE CONTROL DOWN; BUT IT DOES GET MY ATTENTION. THIS HAD HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS IN THE LAST 9 MONTHS. *TR

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID AND HAVE HAD AT LEAST FOUR EXPERIENCES OF MALFUNCTIONING SPEED SENSORS. THEY HAVE GIVEN ME CONCERN ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND CAUSED ME INCONVENIENCE AND EXPENSES FOR REPAIR. THE TYPICAL INCIDENT INVOLVES A MALFUNCTIONING OF THE ABS AND 4X4 SYSTEMS, WITH WARNING LAMPS LIGHTING UP INDICATING THAT THERE IS A DANGER OF SKIDDING AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. IN THREE INSTANCES I HAD THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED BY FORD DEALERS, WHO REPORTED: "FOUND REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR TO BE FAULTY" (JAN. 08); "REPLACED THE FAILED RIGHT REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR" (SEPT. 08); "INSPECTED THE SENSOR AT THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AND FOUND THE TONE RING ON THE AXLE CRACKED. NEEDS NEW AXLE" (AUG. 09). TWO OF THESE WERE DONE ON WARRANTY; THE THIRD COST $344.95. ALL DEALERS HAVE GIVEN ASSURANCES THAT EVEN WITH WARNING LIGHTS INDICATING PROBLEMS AS DESCRIBED IT WAS "SAFE" TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE CAR UNTIL REPAIRS CAN BE MADE. ON MARCH 7 AND 8, 2010, WHILE ON A TRIP AWAY FROM HOME, THE SAME SYMPTOMS OCCURRED AGAIN. GIVEN EARLIER ASSURANCES BY DEALERS, I CONTINUED ON MY TRIP IGNORING AS BEST AS POSSIBLE THE WARNING LIGHTS, POPPING SOUNDS OF THE 4X4, AND OCCASIONAL SHUDDERING OF THE ABS SYSTEM. SURPRISINGLY, AFTER SOME HIGHWAY DRIVING (PERHAPS 50 MILES) THE WARNING SIGNALS STOPPED LIGHTING UP AND THE CAR SEEMED TO HANDLE FAIRLY NORMALLY. NOW, A FEW DAYS LATER, THE CAR CONTINUES TO OPERATE WITHOUT SIGNS OF MALFUNCTION, BUT IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHETHER THE PROBLEM "FIXED ITSELF" OR THE COMPUTER-CONTROLLED READ-OUTS HAVE CEASED FUNCTIONING, THEREBY DISGUISING THE POSSIBLE PERSISTENCE OF THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS AS A RESULT OF THESE PROBLEMS, BUT IT IS EXTREMELY DISCONCERTING TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT MAY BE AN INHERENTLY FAULTY DESIGN THAT MAY COMPROMISE THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE DESPITE ASSURANCES TO THE CONTRARY GIVEN BY DEALERS. *TR