2008 Ford Escape Hybrid

MAKING A TURN TODAY MARCH 1,2017 ON A MAIN STREET THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HARD TO TURN. THE DASHBOARD ERROR MESSAGE STATED POER STEERING ASSIST FAULT. CALLED DEALERSHIP SINCE I READ ONLINE OF A RECALL FOR THIS MALFUNCTION BUT THEY SAID MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS SINCE TURNING THE WHEEL IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE!!!

"CHECK BRAKES" AND "ABS" LIGHTS CAME ON, THEN "REGENERATIVE BRAKE SYSTEM DISABLED" ILLUMINATED, WARNING SOUNDED. TOOK CAR FOR REPAIR. MECHANIC PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC, THEN BLED ALL 4 BRAKE SYSTEMS. LIGHTS WENT OFF AND BRAKES WORKED. SEVERAL DAYS LATER, SAME LIGHTS CAME ON AND WARNING BELL SOUNDED. BRAKES WERE ALMOST COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. RETURNED CAR TO MECHANIC. INSPECTED, THEN TOLD IT MIGHT NEED REGENERATIVE BRAKE SYSTEM REPLACEMENT. WARNING LIGHTS WERE OFF, BUT ILLUMINATED AGAIN A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER (02/22/17) TOOK CAR TO AUTOFAIR FORD, MANCHESTER, NH.WHERE BRAKES FAILED WHILE ENTERING DEALERSHIP AT 15 MPH. THEY KEPT CAR OVERNIGHT, SPENT 4 HOURS LABOR, BLED BRAKES, AND SAID CAR WAS FIXED (CHARGED $280). COUPLE HOURS LATER ALL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, WARNING BELL SOUNDED AND LOST ALMOST ALL BRAKING CAPACITY WHILE ON HIGHWAY 93 SOUTH HEADING SOUTH TOWARDS BOSTON. CALLED FORD AND THEY TOLD ME THAT CAR NEEDED NEW REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM AND COMPUTER MODULE. COST OF EQUIPMENT ALONE WAS QUOTED AT APPROX. $6000 WITHOUT LABOR. AM IN THE PROCESS OF TRADING THE CAR. WITHOUT FUNCTIONAL BRAKES, CAR IS VIRTUALLY WORTHLESS. WHEN BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR AT LOW SPEEDS, BRAKES DID NOT STOP CAR; VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP. IN SHORT, 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID SUFFERED CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE ABS, SERVICE BRAKES, AND REGENERATIVE BRAKE DISABLED WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

YELLOW ABS LIGHT AND RED EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. BRAKE PETAL WENT SOFT TO THE POINT WHERE BRAKING WAS DIFFICULT. A FORD SERVICE CENTER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND INDICATED THAT THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT (HCU) NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE PART COSTS $4800 DOLLARS AND THE TOTAL REPAIR IS $5300. THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM FOR THE ESCAPE HYBRID. AND IN MY CASE, RENDERS THE VEHICLE ESSENTIALLY WORTHLESS SINCE THE COST OF THE REPAIR IS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN THE VALUE OF TAHE VEHICLE ITSELF. I'VE BEEN GIVEN NO ALTERNATIVES OR OPTIONS. *TT *CN

VEHICLE BRAKES FAIL FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THEN EVENTUALLY BEGIN WORKING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NO WARNING IS GIVEN THAT ANYTHING IS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES (I.E. NO BRAKE LIGHT, AND NO "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT). IN ADDITION, THE "ALL OK" LIGHT REMAINS GREEN, INDICATING THAT NOTHING IS WRONG. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING AT ANY SPEED (I.E ABOVE 35 MPH OR BELOW 5 MPH). THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY COMES TO A STOP, BUT ONLY AFTER A LENGTHY DECELERATION DISTANCE.*UPDATED 3-7-17 I WOULD SEE A WARNING THAT SAYS 'REGEN BRAKE FAILURE.' IN SOME CASES, DEPRESSING THE PEDAL WOULD CAUSE THE BRAKES TO LOCK-UP. IN OTHER CASES, THE VEHICLE WOULD SLOW DOWN GRADUALLY, BUT WOULD NEVER STOP EVEN IF THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS FULLY PRESSED. IN THE SECOND SITUATION, I WOULD BYPASS MY INTENDED STOP POINT, OFTEN A TURN. THE SITUATION WOULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING AND LAST UNTIL I TURNED OFF THE CAR. IT SOMETIMES WENT AWAY AFTER RESTARTING, MEANING THE BRAKES WOULD FUNCTION AS EXPECTED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND SAID I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL MODULE AND SEVERAL BRAKE LINES. ESTIMATED COST WAS $6200. I CONTACTED FORD TO INQUIRE ABOUT A RECALL, AND WAS TOLD THAT NONE EXISTS FOR THIS SITUATION.*SMCH

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, A BEEPING NOISE WAS HEARD PRIOR TO THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZING AND THE VEHICLE HIT A CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING) WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE OR CONSENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT OF THE RECALL REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

REMEDY RECALL 14S05 -- POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE (PSCM) SOFTWARE UPDATE PERFORMED (AS DIRECTED) DID NOT ADEQUATELY REMEDY THE SAFETY DEFECT (THE TORQUE SENSOR ITSELF) AND MAY IN FACT CAUSE FURTHER ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLES POWER STEERING. FORD CURRENTLY DOES NOT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR REPAIRS UNDER THE SAFETY RECALL. PERHAPS THEY ARE WAITING FOR MORE INJURY /CIVIL LAWSUITS BEFORE ADDRESSING THESE CRITICAL SAFETY CONCERNS. THE NHTSA ALSO PARTLY SHARES THE BLAME FOR THIS ... AFTER ISSUING RECALL 14V-284 (VOQ 10670665), THEY HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THE CONTINUED PSCM ISSUES AND HAVE NEGLECTED TO GRANT A DECISION THAT DIRECTLY ADDRESSES THE STEERING WHEEL TORQUE SENSOR DEFECT. SHAME ON YOU. DATE OF RECALL PERFORMED ON 9/3/2014 AT ODO 116,044. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE OBSERVED AND TAKEN INTO DEALERSHIP ON 1/11/2017 AT ODO 139,151. FORD CUSTOMER CARE DENIED ASSISTANCE IN REPLACING THE TORQUE SENSOR AS NOTED IN RECALL 14S05. I WAS TOLD, "THE RECALL ADDRESSED THE SOFTWARE ISSUE, NOT THE DEFECTIVE PART(S) AND TOO MUCH TIME HAS ELAPSED FOR OUR COMPANY TO HELP YOU PAY FOR THE REPAIR." FORD WOULD RATHER ITS DRIVERS (VEHICLES) OPERATE IN CONDITION THAT IS UNSAFE AND AT AN INCREASED RISK OF CRASH OR INJURY, THAN GO THE EXTRA MILE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY CONCERN IS RESOLVED. SEEING AS OTHER PETITIONERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND THIS IS AN OPEN AND ONGOING INVESTIGATION, MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS WOULD APPRECIATE AN EXPEDITED RESPONSE FROM THE NHTSA TO RECONCILE AND RE-MEDIATE THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU. *TR