2007 Ford Escape Hybrid

I WAS TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON I-95 IN MARYLAND, ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF ELKTON. WHILE DRIVING IN THE SECOND FROM THE RIGHT LANE, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC JUST AFTER DARK, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, WITH NO WARNING. MY INFORMATION SCREEN SAID "HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE, PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY." I HAD NO POWER OF ANY KIND, HAD TO NAVIGATE HEAVY TRAFFIC AT HIGH SPEEDS, AND PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND VERY DANGEROUS TO NAVIGATE. AFTER SITTING ON THE SHOULDER FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, THE CAR FINALLY STARTED, AND I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE ON FOR A FEW MILES BEFORE IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AT LEAST I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE THIS TIME. I AGAIN WAITED, AND ONCE AGAIN THE ENGINE STARTED. I PULLED OFF AT THE ELKTON EXIT, AND SPENT THE NIGHT AT A LOCAL HOTEL. THE NEXT MORNING, I CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT, SINCE I WAS NOT A REGULAR CUSTOMER, THEY COULD NOT HELP ME FOR TWO DAYS. AFTER TOWING THE CAR TO MY HOME DEALER, ABOUT 75 MILES, I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS A WATER PUMP FAILURE, NOT A HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE, AND THEREFORE NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THIS SEEMED CURIOUS TO ME AS THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING, AND THE CAR ITSELF INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE. WHY WOULD THEY DESIGN A VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, WITH NO WARNING. I CAN NOT IMAGINE THE PANIC THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED WITH A LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER. THIS HAD DISASTER WRITTEN ALL OVER IT. FURTHER, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS WAS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE. THE HYBRID SYSTEM IS SUPPOSEDLY WARRANTED FOR 100,000 MILES. THE SYSTEM SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO WARN THE DRIVER THAT A PROBLEM IS IMMINENT, AND THE ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. AS DESIGNED, THIS IS A TERRIBLE AND DANGEROUS WARNING SYSTEM, AND THE WARRANTY SERVICE FROM FORD IS VAGUE AND AWFUL. *TR

WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE AND MOTOR STOPPED UPON ACCELERATING AFTER RIGHT TURN, WITH WARNING MESSAGE AND MANY LIGHTS DISPLAYED. AFTER ROLLING TO A STOP AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND WAITING 5 TO 10 MINUTES, THE CAR STARTED AND DROVE NORMALLY. THIS HAS OCCURRED A NUMBER OF TIMES SINCE THEN, ON SURFACE STREETS AND EXPRESSWAYS. THE LOSS OF POWER IS ACCOMPANIED BY LOSS OF POWER STEERING, OF COURSE, AND CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

FOR THE PAST YEAR MY FEH '07 HAS HAD THE TRIANGLE LIGHT WITH THE EXPLANATION POINT COME ON. INCLUDING THE AWFUL "PULL OVER SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE. I HAVE CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT, IT'S TEXAS SUMMER HEAT & WE'RE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH NO POWER EXCEPT ELECTRIC! WHILE DRIVING ON CRUISE CONTROL OF 65MPH THE ENGINE STOPS, I HAVE TO COAST (NO ACCELERATION) OVER 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC. 18 WHEELERS, CATTLE HAULERS, ETC. MY CHILDREN ARE SCARED WITLESS, AS AM I. THIS HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. VEHICLE SENT TO THE DEALERSHIP (WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED) THEY DID AN ELECTRICAL RESET. WHILE DRIVING FROM TEXAS TO TENNESSEE IT OCCURS SOOOO MANY TIMES I'VE GIVEN UP. MATTERS WORSE, THE CHILDREN ARE WITH ME. I AM NOT SAFE WHILE DRIVING THIS NEW VEHICLE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A MATTER OF SAFETY WITH FORD!! AFTER LOOKING AT OTHERS ON THIS SITE, I AGREE. I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER FORD. THOUGH THAT IS ALL WE'VE PURCHASED IN THE PAST 20YRS!! MY HUSBAND EVEN SOLD HIS HYBRID AND PURCHASED A HYUNDAI!!! WHY IS FORD NOT COMING OUT WITH A RECALL?? ALL I SEEM TO FIND IS THE CLOTH COVER THAT MAY PREVENT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. ARE THEY IGNORING THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE WARNING LIGHT OF "PULL OVER SAFELY NOW" AND YOUR COASTING TO THE SIDE OF A BUSY FREEWAY OF 18 WHEELERS???? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE PULL OVER AND STOP WARNING LIGHT DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO COOL FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 40-45 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED. THE PULL OVER SAFELY WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED AFTER THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE MOTOR ELECTRONIC COOLING SYSTEM AND WATER PUMP BOTH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,400.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND 'MASTER VEHICLE ELECTRICAL HAZRARD WARNING LAMP' CAME ON. FORTUNATELY I ONLY HAD TO CROSS ONE LANE IN MODEST TRAFFIC. THE OWNER'S MANUAL INSTRUCTIONS STATE 'STOP THE VEHICLE, SHIFT TO PARK, TURN THE KEY TO OFF POSITION AND ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. IF THE FAULT REMAINS, THE VEHICLE MAY REQUIRE RESETTING THE SHUT-OFF SWITCHES.' FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS, I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUE DRIVING WITHOUT RESETTING ANY SWITCHES. THE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED OFF AND HAS NOT COME BACK ON AGAIN. I HAVE SHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. IN THE MEAN TIME I HAVE SEARCHED THE WEB FOR DRIVERS WITH SIMILIAR EXPERIENCES AND HAVE COME ACROSS QUITE A FEW. I PERSONALLY DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT CAN SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING, ESPECIALLY ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. THE FACT THAT FORD HAS INSTRUCTIONS IN THE OWNERS MANUAL FOR 'RESETTING THE FUEL PUMP/HIGH VOLTAGE SHUT OFF SWITCHES' IS ALARMING IN ITSELF ESSENTIALLY I CAN BE TRAVELING IN URBAN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND A COMPUTER CAN DECIDE TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. I URGE YOU TO REQUIRE FORD TO ADDRESS THIS DEFECT. *TT

WAS DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT 75 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 10 MINUTES AND ENGINE QUIT. A RED TRIANGLE WITH EXCLAMATION MARK SYMBOL ILLUMINATED ON DASH AND THE MESSAGE CENTER DISPLAYED "STOP VEHICLE SAFELY NOW". THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT ENGINE POWER AND ONLY THE ELECTRIC MOTOR WAS WORKING TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. I DID A SYSTEM CHECK AND ALL RESULTS WERE NORMAL. I SHUT THE VEHICAL OF AND RESTARTED IT AND DID ANOTHER SYSTEM CHECK WHICH GAVE ALL NORMAL RESULTS AGAIN. I CONTINUED MY TRIP AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN. *TT