2006 Ford Escape

WHILE DRIVING (NOT BRAKING) THE CAR ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR, THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON DASH ALONG WITH THE MESSAGE "SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM" AND A PING SOUND. WHEN BRAKES WERE NEXT APPLIED THEY HAD BECOME VERY SOFT AND NOT AS RESPONSIVE. I PULLED INTO A SAFE AREA AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. AFTER WAITING A FEW MINUTES, THE CAR WAS RESTARTED AND ALL OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED LIGHTS AND MESSAGES WERE GONE AND THE BRAKES WERE WORKING CORRECTLY. CONTINUED TO DRIVE AGAIN AND THE MESSAGE DIDN'T REOCCUR FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL MORE TIMES ON BOTH HIGHWAYS AND RURAL ROADS AND ALWAYS FIXED BY TURNING THE CAR OFF AND LETTING IT SIT FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES. THE PROBLEMS DON'T INITIATE WHEN WE ARE ACTUALLY BRAKING. TOOK THE CAR TO OUR FORD DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTICS TEST. THE REPORT THEY GAVE US SAID " VERIFIED CUSTOMERS CONCERN. RETRIEVE CODA 1524, 1526. BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL SENSOR RELATED. ALSO RETRIEVE CODES FOR TRACTION BATTERY COOLING FANS." THE SERVICE DEPT RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER (AT A COST OF $2078.95) AND THE HYBRID BATTERY COOLING FANS (AT A COST OF $716.99).

DRIVING DOWN A STREET IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED. IN PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES I WAS TOLD THAT THE CALIPERS FROZE UP AND THAT THE BRAKES WOULD MAKE A GRINDING NOISE. ALSO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM ON THE VEHICLE WOULD NEVER RECORD THE PROPER AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANK OR AT TIMES ENGAGE THE BRAKES. I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL BUT I KNOW THIS VEHICLE DID HAVE ISSUES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET AND WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES NOTHING HAPPENED. UPON IMPACT IT APPEARED I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL BEFORE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON. I HAVE DRIVEN DOWN THAT CITY ROAD THOUSANDS OF TIMES BUT IT APPEARED THIS TIME THERE WAS A ISSUE WITH HE VEHICLE THAT CAUSED THIS ACCIDENT. INJURIES WERE AIRBAG RELATED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE PULLING INTO A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY AT 10 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER AND HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000. UPDATED 06/08/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS STUCK IN PLACE FOR APPROXIMATELY5-6 SECS BEFORE THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT TONE RINGS WERE CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

AFTER TRAVELING FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE AT 35 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. UPON SAFELY STOPPING THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT. THE ENGINE RE-STARTED WITH NO ISSUES. DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER MILE AT 35 MPH WHEN IT SHUT OFF AGAIN. RE-STARTED WITH NO ISSUES. HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE SINCE THEN. NO FAULT CODES WERE GENERATED & NO APPARENT PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN DETECTED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LINE FRACTURED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,154.MA 08/04/15 UPDATED 9/29/2015*JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE UNINTENTIONALLY. THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOTH THE DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS NO ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE, YET THE FAILURE PROGRESSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,800.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000. UPDATED 5/18/15*CN

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON, FOLLOWED BY THE "SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM" REQUEST LIGHT AND THE RED BRAKES LIGHT. I HAD "SOFT BRAKES" BUT I COULD STILL USE THE BRAKES SO I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL FORD FERRARIO DEALERSHIP. IT IS NOW A WEEK LATER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $4800.00. I THEN REPLIED TO NOT REPLACE THE ABS AS I HAVE BEEN A CAUTIOUS DRIVER FOR OVER 45 YEARS AND DRIVE DEFENSIVELY. THE SHOP TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO BLEED ALL THE TIRE'S BRAKES AS I REQUESTED THAT I "AT LEAST" HAVE HYDRAULIC BRAKES AND IT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE FLUID LEVEL. ALL WORKED PROPERLY EXCEPTING THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. THIS EVENING I WENT AND RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE FROM THE SHOP AFTER THEY HAD REPLACED THE LEAKING HOSE ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE (ALSO HAD THEM REPLACE THE HOSE ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE). ACCORDING TO THE CONVERSATION WITH THE LEAD TECHNICIAN MY FRONT BRAKES WERE HARDLY USED (OVER 60% OF THE CARS BRAKING) AND LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE RUSTING OR CORRODED OVER WHILE THE ROTORS AND ALL THE PARTS REPLACED EXACTLY ONE YEAR PRIOR STILL LOOKED NEW. BEING CONFUSED ABOUT THIS, ASKED WHY NO ONE HAD CAUGHT THIS EARLIER. WHILE ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE SHOP (WITHOUT PROPER BRAKES AND ONLY THE EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE AND THE HYBRID LOW GEAR TO SLOW DOWN RAPIDLY WITH) I RESET ALL THE FUNCTIONS LIKE I NORMALLY DO AFTER A SERVICE SHOP VISIT. LOW AND BEHOLD THE ABS LIGHT WENT OUT, BUT THERE WERE STILL NO BRAKES WITH SMALL EXCEPTION. I AM NOW WONDERING BOTH HOW AND WHO IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT FURTHER EXCESSIVE COST (PAID OVER $480.00) THAT I'VE ALREADY INCURRED WITHOUT HAVING THE BRAKES AVAILABLE TO ME. BECAUSE I WORK CONTRACT JOBS AND TYPICALLY DRIVE TO JOBS OR JOB SITES I AM NOW WITHOUT A VEHICLE. THE LARGER CONCERN FOR ME IS THAT THIS TYPE OF FORD SUV HYBRID VEHICLE HAS A RASH OF BRAKE PROBLEMS. *TR

ON 12/23/14, VEHICLE CUT OUT AFTER BACKING OUT OF PARKING TO ENTER MOVING TRAFFIC ON HIGHWAY. THE SECOND TIME IT CUT OUT,12/24/14, THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN DOWN THE ROADWAY. THAT TIME, THE VEHICLE SPUTTERED, SOUNDED LIKE A WINDED HORSE, RUNNING ON THREE LEGS. MY CAR WAS ALWAYS WELL MAINTAINED, INCLUDING OIL CHANGES EVERY 3,000 MILES, TRANSMISSION FLUSHES EVERY YEAR, FUEL INJECTION CLEANING EVERY OTHER YEAR. WITH THE DOUBLE TIMING CHAIN, I WAS ASSURED AT PURCHASE, THAT THEY RARELY BREAK. I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HAD CAUSED THIS. THEN, I AM TOLD IT IS A PCM FAILURE CAUSED BY SPARK PLUGS , COILS, THAT WERE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE PCM, OR WHERE THE RESISTOR WAS INEFFECTIVE TO COMBAT THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COILS/ SPARK PLUGS, AND THEREFORE CAUSED THE COMPUTER TO SHUT DOWN THREE CYLINDERS OF MY ENGINE. APPARENTLY THERE WERE TSB BULLETINS TO DEALERSHIPS ON THIS ISSUE, BUT NO RECALLS, BECAUSE FORD DETERMINED THAT THE PCM FAILURE WOULD PROBABLY OCCUR POST-WARRANTY. HOWEVER, CAR OWNERS SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. I WAS IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF PAYING FOR THIS VEHICLE, AND AM FACED WITH A $2500 BILL, THAT I DO NOT DESERVE, BECAUSE IT IS IN NO WAY LINKED TO MY OWN NEGLIGENCE OF VEHICLE MAINTENANCE! TO ME, IT IS A FORM OF BUILT-IN OBSOLESCENCE, THAT MIGHT BE OK WITH SMALL-COST ITEMS LIKE WATCHES, BUT SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED WITH HIGH-COST ITEMS, SUCH AS CARS! *JS