2006 Ford Escape Hybrid

WE OWN A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID 4WD. IT HAS APPROX. 56,000 MILES ON IT. THE ABS SYSTEM FAILED ON IT IN DEC. THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN OUR AREA CAME BACK WITH AN ESTIMATE OF $6000 FOR REPAIR SECONDARY TO A FAILURE IN THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT COMPUTER WHICH CONTROLS THE ABS SYSTEM. THE PART ITSELF IS $4300. WE CONTACTED FORD WHOSE RESPONSE WAS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE DEALER THEN CONTACTED FORD DIRECTLY AND FORD AGREED TO TAKE $1000 OFF THE PART COST WHICH BROUGHT OUR REPAIR DOWN TO $5000. OUR NON-FORD MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE A USED PART FOR $350, INSTALL IT THEN TAKE IT TO FORD TO REFLASH THE COMPUTER COMPONENTS. FORD CAME BACK TO US AFTER ABOUT A WEEK AND SAID THEY COULD NOT REFLASH THE SYSTEM BECAUSE THOSE COMPONENTS COULD ONLY BE PROGRAMMED ONCE ON THE INITIAL BUILD. WE WOULD BE FORCED TO PURCHASE A NEW PART FROM FORD WHO THEN ARE ALSO THE ONLY ONES WHO POSSESS THE SOFTWARE TO GET THE VEHICLES WORKING AGAIN. I LOOKED ONLINE AND WOULD BE ABLE TO PURCHASE THE PART FOR $2300 BUT COULD ONLY HAVE A FORD DEALER DO THE REMAINDER OF THE WORK TO GET THE COMPUTER SYSTEM TO WORK. NOT SURE IF ANY FORD DEALERSHIP WOULD ALLOW US TO BRING IN OUR OWN PART WE PURCHASED OFF THE INTERNET IF WE WERE TO PURCHASE THE CHEAPER PART. IN ADDITION, IT TURNS OUT FORD IS REQUIRING PARTS DEALERS TO RETURN THE USED PART TO FORD AFTER PURCHASING THE NEW PART. FORD THEN REMANUFACTURES THE PART (WHICH THEY GOT FOR FREE FROM THE CONSUMER) AND RESELLS IT AS A NEW PART FOR $4300 TO SOME OTHER UNSUSPECTING HYBRID OWNER. SINCE OUR CAR IS UNDRIVEABLE WITHOUT THE REPAIR, IT FEELS LIKE FORD IS GROSSLY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN SITUATIONS SUCH AS THESE TO UNFAIRLY GOUGE THEIR CUSTOMERS. PART # 7M6Z2C286B. *TR

BRAKE SYSTEM ON 2006 FORD HYBRID ESCAPE. REPLACED BRAKES AT REPUTABLE SHOP NEAR HOME 11/17/09 AS ABS LIGHT WAS ON AND 55,000 MILES ON CAR. SHOP INFORMED ME ABS LIGHT STILL ON SO THEY PUT CAR ON COMPUTER AND FOUND IT TO BE THE SENSOR ON THE BRAKE AXLE. THEY UNFORTUNATELY COULD NOT HELP ME AS FORD DOES NOT ALLOW ACCESS TO NECESSARY COMPONENTS TO FIX SYSTEM UNTIL CAR IS 5 YRS.OLD AND WAS TOLD THEY TRIED TO PUT A NEW STATIC RING ON AND IT MIGHT WORK. IF LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN TAKE TO DEALER. 2 WKS LATER ABS LIGHT ON AS WELL AS RED BRAKE LIGHT SO TOOK CAR TO WILLOWBROOK FORD DEALER. THEY INFORMED ME THE PART TO REPLACE IS $4300 WITHOUT LABOR. THIS SEEMS CRIMINAL FOR A PART TO COST THAT MUCH AS THE CAR IS ONLY A 2006. I HAVEN'T EVEN FINISHED PAYING FOR THE CAR. THEY TOLD ME I SHOULD OF GOTTEN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND I TOLD THEM THEY SHOULD MAKE A BETTER PRODUCT. I EXPECT A NEW CAR TO LAST LONGER THAN 3 YRS. AS IT STANDS TODAY THEY ARE TRYING TO DISCONNECT THE ABS SYSTEM BUT I AM NOT SURE OF THE SAFETY OF THE CAR. IF THEY CANNOT DO THAT I WILL BE FORCED TO PAY THE PRICE FOR THIS OUTRAGEOUS PART. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID? *TR

31 DEGREES DRIVING 5 MPH.. I HAD A 45 MIN COMMUTE TO WORK HAD THE DEFROST ON WHEN I LEFT HOME.. GOT TO WORK AND MY REAR WINDOW EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING IN THE PARKING LOT. NO OTHER MOVING VEHICLES AROUND AND SMOOTH WELL MAINTAINED PARKING LOT. THE GLASS WENT IN BILLIONS OF PIECES OUTSIDE ON THE GROUND FOR ABOUT 10 FEET BACK AND INSIDE ALL THE WAY TO THE FRONT SEATS OF THE CAR. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. MANUFACTURER DIAGNOSED AS "POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE" AND REPLACED PART. LESS THAN TWO MONTHS LATER, POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN. VEHICLE AGAIN WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIR AND DIAGNOSED AS "POWER STEERING PUMP WIRING HARNESS MELTED" POWER STEERING WIRING HARNESS PART IS CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE AND PART IS BEING MANUFACTURED 3 WEEKS AFTER INCIDENT. *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