2008 Ford Escape Hybrid

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

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

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 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.