2006 Ford Escape Hybrid

WHILE TRAVELING HOME ON AN INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH THE RED BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER A LIGHT BREAKING SITUATION. I DID THE SYSTEM CHECK AVAILABLE ON THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKE FLUID WAS SHOWN AS OK. THE BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED NOT LONG AGO SO I WAS CONFUSED. A SHORT TIME LATER THE YELLOW ABS LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I WENT TO BRAKE MY FOOT WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT STOPPING. I SWERVED ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. IT TOOK A GREAT DISTANCE ( I WOULD SAY MORE THAN 100 YARDS ) FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP. I WAS NEVER SO SCARED IN MY LIFE. I DROVE HOME ON SIDE STREETS AT 25 MPH WITH MY WARNING LIGHTS FLASHING AND VIRTUALLY NO BRAKES. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALERSHIP I RESEARCHED THE BREAK FAILURE ISSUE AND TO MY AMAZEMENT FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER SUCH INCIDENTS. AFTER FIVE DAYS IN THE REPAIR SHOP AND THREE FAILED ATTEMPTS BY THE TECHNICIAN TO BLEED THE BREAK LINES I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A $4200 COMPUTER CONTROL UNIT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW IN THE ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED BREAK SYSTEM OF THE HYBRID VEHICLE AND NO PERSON SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE TERROR OF ATTEMPTING TO STOP FROM 70 MPH WITH THE BREAKING SYSTEM SHUT DOWN. THIS IS A TIMEBOMB WAITING TO GO OFF IN THE FORM OF A FATAL ACCIDENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE STOP SAFELY LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STALLED AFTER APPROXIMATELY FIVE SECONDS AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THE COOLING FAN UNIT FOR THE HYBRID BATTERY AND THE WIRING SAFETY HARNESS WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED A SECOND TIME WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIANS INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE COOLING FAN UNIT FOR THE HYBRID BATTERY AND THE WIRING SAFETY HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED A SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. UPDATED 08/01/11*LJ THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AGAIN FOR THE SECOND TIME FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON JUNE 29, 2011. UPDATED 08/02/11

I WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY @ 65 MPH WHEN I EXPERIENCED A 'CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE' WITH FOUR OCCUPANTS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS SKILLED DRIVING, DIVINE INTERVENTION OR JUST PLAIN LUCK THAT PERMITTED ME TO SAFELY STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT A CRASH OR INJURY. HAD VEHICLE TOWED BY AAA TO DEALERSHIP. SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THE "HYBRID BATTERY COOLING SYSTEM" HAD FAILED AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STOP WITH NO WARNING. I WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED BY A SEMI TRUCK. *TR

2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID - INTERMITTENT POWER BRAKE BOOST FAILURE. WHEN BEGINNING TO PRESS ON BRAKES FOR AN INSTANT THEY FEEL NORMAL AND POWER ASSISTED, THEN THE PEDAL FALLS AND ALL POWER ASSIST IS GONE. THE VEHICLE STOPS WITH GREAT PRESSURE IN THE LAST FEW INCHES OF PEDAL TRAVEL. 3 OCCURRENCES: AS OF OCTOBER 4, 2010 1. MAY 2010 AT THE END OF A FREEWAY OFF RAMP AT APPROXIMATELY 160,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE 2. 24 SEPTEMBER , 2010 ( APPROXIMATELY 180,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE) SAME BRAKE PROBLEM OCCURRED AFTER A STOP OF OVER 30 MINUTES, AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BACKED UP, FIRST BRAKE PRESSING RESULTED IN AN INSTANT OF PEDAL , THEN PEDAL SNAPPING TO THE FLOOR AND CAR STOPPING AFTER APPLICATION OF MANUAL PRESSURE. DASH INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON A FEW SECONDS LATER. 3. ONE WEEK TO THE DAY LATER, 1 OCTOBER, 2010 AT APPROXIMATELY 188,500 MILES. FIRST BRAKE APPLICATION AFTER A START OF THE VEHICLE AND BACKING UP. PRESSING BRAKES RESULTED IN THE FAILURE DESCRIBED. APPROXIMATELY 30 OR 40 SECONDS AFTER THE LOSS OF BRAKE BOOST THE DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH "BRAKES" RED LIGHT AND OTHERSLIKE THE 'SERVICE SOON' WRENCH. I AM THE PURCHASER OF THE CAR NEW IN THE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA AREA, AND THE PRIMARY ( OVER 90% OF THE TIME) DRIVER, COVERING OVER 110 MILES 4 DAYS A WEEK. *TR

DRIVING MY FORD ESCAPE HYBRID ON I 5 WA STATE. WARNING LITE CAME ON THAT SAID STOP SAFELY NOW AND MY ENGINE HAD STOPPED. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE ON THE HIGHWAY AND HAD TO UNSAFELY MANEUVER 4 LANES TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT THE ENGINE ON.. I READ MY MANUAL AND IT SAID TO TRY AND START, WHICH IT DID. 3 MILES LATER IT DID IT AGAIN. THIS WENT ON FOR 4 OR 5 MORE TIMES. I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY AND LIMPED TO A FORD DEALER. THEY REPAIRED IT, IT AS A HYBRID COMPONENT COOLING PUMP. IT COST ME $726.00. THEY WOULDN'T COVER IT. I VIEW THIS AS A SEVERE SAFETY PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT HAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE SHUTTING OFF WITHOUT WARNING. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, A LIGHT ILLUMINATED THAT READ, "STOP SAFELY NOW". THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE DEALER WOULD CALL HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, THEY STILL COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER COULD PROVIDE A REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,692 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000. UPDATED 08/19/09.*JB