204 complaints reported

2008 Ford Escape Brakes

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
204
Crashes
10
Fires
0
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jul 2020

TRAVELING ON MAIN HIGHWAY WITH MY 3 GRANDCHILDREN WHEN THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON, BRAKES GO ALMOST ALL OF THE WAY TO THE FLOOR TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. SHORTLY AFTER, THE LIGHTS WENT OFF AND THE BRAKES WORKED FINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY, WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS OUR MECHANIC SAID THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ONLY A DEALERSHIP CAN FIX AND IT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. THERE WAS A RECALL 19S54 ON OTHER FORD VEHICLES 2006-2010 FORD FUSION, MERCURY MILAN, LINCOLN ZEPHYR AND MKZ VEHICLES FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. (THE VALVES WITHIN THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNITS (HCU) MAY REACT WITH BRAKE FLUIDS CONTAINING SPECIFIC CORROSION PREVENTATIVE ADDITIVES. THIS REACTION MAY CAUSE THE VALVES TO NOT CLOSE PROPERLY.) THIS RECALL SHOULD APPLY TO THE ESCAPE HYBRID AS WELL. THIS IS NOTHING TO DO WITH OWNER MAINTENANCE. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFAULT AND SHOULD BE COVERED AT FORD'S EXPENSE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2020
Jul 2020

YESTERDAY, WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED ON I95 IN CONNECTICUT, I APPROACHED STOPPED TRAFFIC AND ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN BY USING THE BRAKES. MY FOOT WENT TO FLOOR WITHOUT ANY VEHICLE BRAKING. I BEGAN TO PUMP THE BRAKES VIGOROUSLY AND WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE BRAKING WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THIS VERY MUCH DISCONCERTED ME AS I DROVE STRAIGHT HOME WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE VERY POORLY FUNCTIONING BRAKES THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY IF I WAS NOT EVER VIGILANT OF TRAFFIC AHEAD OF ME THAT I COULD ANTICIPATE NEEDED SLOWING AND STOPPING. I CHECKED MY BRAKE FLUID LEVEL WHEN HOME AND FOUND IT CORRECTLY FILLED AS WELL AS A SURVEY UNDER THE HOOD AND UNDER THE VEHICLE THAT FOUND NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. THE VEHICLE IS WELL MAINTAINED BY MYSELF AND A LOCAL SHOP. THE VEHICLE NOW SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY AS I CONTEMPLATE MY NEXT COURSE OF ACTION. WEB RESEARCH INDICATES A FAILED HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT FOR WHICH A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR SIMILAR YEAR/MODELS, BUT, NOT MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE. MANY OTHER ESCAPE OWNERS HAVE NOTED THIS EXPERIENCE WITH NO FEDERAL RESPONSE TO DATE. PLEASE REVIEW COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS DANGEROUS FAILED COMPONENT AND ACT. THANK YOU.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2020
Jul 2020

BRAKE PEDAL GOES DOWN TOO FAR. DIAGNOSED AS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT FAILURE. CAR HAS 84K MILES ON IT. FORD SEEMS TO HAVE RECALLED OTHER VEHICLES FOR HYDRAULIC BRAKE PROBLEMS. WHY NOT THESE? VERY DANGEROUS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2020
Jul 2020

IT STARTED EARLY THANKSGIVINGS(11/26/2020) DRIVE AS I WAS COMING TO MY 4TH/5TH STOP OF THE MORNING, I WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND FELT MY BRAKE PEDAL SINK WITH SLIGHT TO NO PRESSURE, NO RESPONSE. I PANICKED AND I REMEMBER PUMPING THE BRAKE RAPIDLY TO BUILD PRESSURE, BUT THE BRAKE DID NOT RESPOND AS EXPECTED, I DID FEEL I SLIGHT JERK AND HEARD A GROWLING SOUND COMING FROM THE BOTTOM ENGINE AREA. I MUST OF GONE OVER A POTHOLE THAT MADE MY TRUCK FEEL LIKE I JUMPED THE CURVE, I WAS GOING ABOUT 35-45MPH. AFTER A FEW RAPID BRAKE PEDAL PUMPS MY VEHICLE DID COME TO A STOP ON TIME BEFORE RUNNING THE LIGHT, LUCKILY I WAS ALONE IN THE STREET THAT EARLY MORNING. AS OF TODAY THE BRAKE PEDAL STILL FEEL MUSHY/SPONGY LACK OF PRESSURE AND SCARY UNSAFE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2020
Jul 2020

THIS STARTED IN OCT.2019,WITH BRAKES IN THE FORD ESCAPE HYBRID.I AM NOT SURE HOW MANY TIMES THE BRAKES FAILED LAST YEAR,BUT THIS YEAR ALONE THEY HAVE FAILED AT LEAST 5 TIMES.THE LAST 2 TIMES,VERY SERIOUS.I WAS ON ROAD WITH TRAFFIC,COMING TO A STOP SIGN,TRYING TO BRAKE.PUT MY FOOT HARD ON BRAKE,IT NEVER WENT DOWN RUBBERY LIKE A BRAKE GOING OUT WOULD.IT WAS LIKE TRYING TO PUSH ON A CEMENT FLOOR.I SHOVED IT INTO PARK,IT FINALLY STOPPED.NEXT TIME WAS EVEN WORSE,IT WENT RIGHT ON THROUGH STOP SIGN,MADE LOUD NOISE WHEN I WAS SHOVING IT INTO PARK,BUT FINALLY STOPPED.MADE IT SAFELY HOME AND IT IS STILL SITTING PARKED.MY DAUGHTER SAID SHE HAD HEARD THEY WERE RECALLING MANY FOR BRAKES.IT IS NOT SAFE AT ALL.IT WAS PARKED ON JULY 1,2020,AND HAS NOT BEEN MOVED SINCE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2020
May 2020

BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY SOFT, HAS A VERY LONG AMOUNT OF TRAVEL TO ENGAGE BRAKES AND IS SOFT WHEN BEING DEPRESSED. TOOK TO EARNHARDT FORD IN CHANDLER, AZ, AND THEY DID A BRAKE FLUID FLUSH AND BLEED TO ENSURE NO AIR WAS IN THE LINES, THEY ADVISED THE BRAKE BOOSTER, AND MASTER CYLINDER HAD ACTUALLY BEEN REPLACED ALREADY, AND RECENTLY ACCORDING TO THEIR INFORMATION, WE AGREED TO THE DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE, AND THE DIAGNOSIS CAME BACK THAT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE HAS FAILED, THE SERVICE TECH ADVISED US HE BELIEVES THERE IS A PENDING RECALL/INVESTIGATION RELATING TO THIS ISSUE DURING OUR VISIT WHICH IS WHAT LED US TO MAKE THIS REPORT. VEHICLE IS ONLY AT 88,000 MILES, AND HAS NO OTHER EXISTING ISSUES. ACCORDING TO PAPERWORK, THEY REFILLED THE SYSTEM WITH DOT3 BRAKE FLUID DURING THE BLEED, CONTROL MODULE WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME SO REPLACEMENT WAS NOT POSSIBLE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2020
Apr 2020

WHEN RUNNING THE CAR (STATIONARY, AND THEN MOVING), ABS LIGHT CAME ON, THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON, AND IT SAID "REGEN BRAKES DISABLED". ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE THE CAR, THE BRAKES SEEMED TO WORK MOST OF THE TIME, BUT WERE MORE DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS SOMETIMES. AFTER TAKING IT TO A MECHANIC, WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2020
Mar 2020

AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES, UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE CALIPERS AND BRAKES PADS NEVER RELEASED FROM THE ROTOR! THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE SLOWLY AND THE BRAKES/ROTORS AND WHEELS TO GET VERY HOT. A SERVICE STATION SAID IT APPEARS THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT IS STICKING, NOT ALLOWING THE BRAKES TO COME OFF OF THE ROTOR. I HAVE READ THAT THE FORD FUSION HAS THIS SAME ISSUE AND A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2020
Mar 2020 Crash

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WENT TO PRESS BRAKE PEDAL BUT PEDAL DOESN'T DEPRESS ALL THE WAY DOWN, AS IF THERE WAS A BLOCK OF WOOD OR SOMETHING PREVENTING IT. "REGEN BRAKE DISABLED" LIGHT WOULD APPEAR ON DASH. BRAKING POWER ADVERSELY AFFECTED DURING THESE EPISODES. CAUSING TO PRESS DOWN ON BRAKE VERY HARD JUST TO STOP. ON SOME OCCASIONS THE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS AT PRESSING OF BREAK WOULD CAUSE PEDAL TO DEPRESS A LITTLE MORE AND ON SOME TIMES NON DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL SENSATION WOULD PERSIST, WITH ADVERSE BRAKE AFFECT.... SOMETIMES EXPERIENCING A HYPERSENSITIVITY TO PRESSING ON BRAKE WITH A CHOPPY BRAKING IMPACT AND SOMETIMES EXPERIENCING A VERY LIMITED BRAKING EFFECT, CAUSING ONE TO ALMOST HAVE TO "STAND UP" ON THE BREAK IN ORDER TO PREVENT HITTING WHOMEVER MIGHT BE IN FRONT. I RECALL STARTING TO EXPERIENCE THIS INITIALLY ABOUT A YEAR AGO - ROUGHLY APR 2018 EST.. BETWEEN THEN AND RECENTLY SOMETIMES BRAKING WOULD BE MORE PROBLEMSOME THEN OTHER TIMES THE EXPERIENCES SEEM TO WAX AND WAIN BUT ABOUT MID DECEMBER 2019 AFTER PARKING AT WORK IN THE MORNING AND RETURNING TO THE CAR TO GO BACK HOME. IT APPEARED THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE I ENGAGED WAS STUCK. WHEN I TURNED THE VEHICLE ON I GOT THE SAME ILLUMINATED REGENS BRAKE DISABLED SIGNAL ON THE DASH AND IT APPEARED I COULDN'T GET THE CAR OUT OF PARK. I HAD TO LEAVE VEHICLE AT WORK. I WAS AWAY FROM WORK A WEEK. UPON RETURN THE CAR STARTED WITHOUT THE REGEN BRAKE DISABLED SIGNAL BUT WHEN I RELEASE EMERGENCY BRAKE & SHIFTED CAR INTO REVERSE, REGENS BRAKE DISABLE CAME ON AGAIN, I WAS STILL ABLE TO DRIVE HOWEVER AND DID, SLOW AND GUARDED BUT DID. NOW A NEW SYMPTOM ENGAGED - I DROVE TO A STOP SIGN AND WHEN BRAKING AT THE LIGHT AND PULLING OFF, BRAKES FELT STILL ENGAGED SOMEWHAT AND PROGRESSIVELY DRIVING FELT THIS WAY. I DROVE A BIT MORE BUT SHORTLY HAD TO PULL OVER AND CALL A TOW TRUCK. WAS TOLD BY MECHS MASTER CYLINDER NDS REPLACG

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2019
Jan 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE DRIVER STARTED THE ENGINE, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT LOOSE WHEN IT WAS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN MECHANIC THAT PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE BRAKE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT FAILED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT WAS REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO ADVISED THAT THAT SEVERAL CODES WAS RECEIVED WHEN THE DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED CODE 1491 AND CODE U2023. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BRAKE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2020
Jan 2020

WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, IT WAS OVER 12 YEARS OLD AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 137K MILES. I EXPERIENCED RECURRING BRAKE PROBLEMS ABOUT A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR: ON SOME DAYS, WHEN STARTING THE CAR THE ABS FAILURE LIGHT AND THE RED BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT WOULD REMAIN ILLUMINATED AND THE "CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM" MESSAGE WOULD APPEAR. SOMETIMES RESTARTING THE CAR CLEARED THE ERRORS, BUT MOST OF THE TIME THEY WOULD REMAIN THE ENTIRE DAY. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE FAILURES OFTEN CLEARED UP. WHILE THESE FAILURE MODES WERE ACTIVE, THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD SOME PRESSURE BEHIND IT, BUT BRAKING TOOK LONGER AND STRONG BRAKING LED TO WHEELS LOCKING UP. (LIKE IN THE DAYS BEFORE ABS) OVER TIME, THE FAILURE MODES PERSISTED LONGER TO THE POINT WHERE OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS, THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERIOD OF A HALF-HOUR WHERE THE CAR DID NOT EXHIBIT THE FAILURE CONDITION. IN ADDITION, THE "REGEN BRAKES DISABLED" MESSAGE ALSO STARTED APPEARING, BUT THAT MESSAGE MAY BE DECEPTIVE BECAUSE THE BATTERY STATUS GAUGE SHOWS A STRONG CHARGE INDICATION WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. IN ALL CASES, THE FAILURE MODES APPEARED IMMEDIATELY ON STARTUP AND PERSISTED WHILE THE CAR WAS RUNNING. IN THE SHOP, THESE DIAGNOSTIC CODES WERE REPORTED: C1313, C1478, C1480, C1526. THE MECHANIC INSTRUCTED ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO A FORD DEALER BECAUSE HE WAS NOT CONVINCED THAT REPLACING THE MASTER CYLINDER (AN EXPENSE EXCEEDING $2000) WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2019
Jan 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND BECAME SOFT AND STICKY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL REMAINED ON THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE BRAKE FLUID WAS FLUSHED, INSPECTED FOR LEAKS, AND REPLACED THE BRAKE FLUID HOWEVER, THE REPAIR FAILED TO FIX THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2020
Jan 2020

BRAKES STARTED MESSING UP WHEN I FIRST GOT THIS LAST YEAR.I WAS DRIVING AND GETTING READY TO STOP.THE BRAKES NEVER WENT TO THE FLOOR,AS NORMALLY THEY WOULD,IF BRAKES WOULD BE GOING BAD.I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AND IT WAS LIKE STEPPING OR PUTTING MY FOOT ON A STONE WALL.THIS HAPPENED THE WORST 1 DAY AGO.COMING TO STOP SIGN,IT'S LIKE THE BRAKE HARDENS,STEPPING ON IT INSTEAD OF GOING DOWN.(I PRAY)FINALLY STOPPED WHEN I PUT IT IN PARK.THEN GO ON VERY CAUTIOUSLY TO HOME.I HAVE BEEN IN VEHICLE WHEN BRAKES WERE MESSING UP,GOING OUT,OR WHAT EVER.THE BRAKE IN THIS IS NOT LIKE THAT.WHEN IT IS GOING RIGHT,IT IS A GOOD BRAKE THAT STOPS WELL.WHEN I HIT IT AT DIFFERENT TIMES,HIGHWAY,STREET TRAFFIC,PARKING,ETC.UNEXPECTEDLY,IT WILL BE LIKE HITTING CONCRETE OR CEMENT TRYING TO GET IT TO STOP.IT HAPPENS AT RANDOM TIMES,UNEXPECTEDLY.VERY UNNERVING,TO SAY THE LEAST.THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE IN VEHICLE WITH ME WHEN THIS HAPPENED.THIS STARTED AS OF OCT.2019-JUNE 30,2020.NEVER KEPT TRACK OF ALL TO BE SPECIFIC IN DATES,OTHER THAN LAST ONE ON JUNE 30,2020.MORE THAN 10 UNEXPECTED STOPS,SO FAR.MAYBE I DID NOT SAY THAT RIGHT.I WAS EXPECTING TO BE ABLE TO STOP NORMAL AS I HAD MANY TIMES BEFORE WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKE;INSTEAD,PRAYED AND THREW SHIFT INTO PARK,IT STOPPED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2020
Nov 2019

DRIVING AT 40 MPH, ABS LIGHT CAME UP FIRST, THEN, BRAKES AND THEN REGENT BRAKES DISABLED WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS DRIVING GOING HOME AT 4:45 AND STOPPED AT A POSTAL OFFICE WHEN I NOTICED THAT TO STOP I HAD TO PUSH HARD ON THE BRAKES TO PARK. LEAVING THE POSTAL OFFICE, I NOTICED THE CAR WASN'T BREAKING EXACTLY WHEN I WANTED, TO BUT DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO GET HOME, SO I CONTINUE DRIVING, BUT AT A RED LIGHT THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND I ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WENT INTO A PANIC AND PARKED MY CAR RIGHT THERE, IN A BANK PARKING LOT, AND PROCEEDED TO CALL A TOWING TRUCK, TO TOW IT TO MY FRIENDS HOUSE. I TOOK UBER BACK HOME AND I'M NOT PLANNING ON DRIVING THAT CAR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2019
Oct 2019

BRAKES GO TO THE FLOOR AND I ALMOST HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP. DROVE IT BACK HOME, AND SCANNED IT, ABS CODES ARE LEADING TO THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT. AFTER RESEARCH, IT'S A PRICEY REPAIR. I JUST CANT BELIEVE FORD HAS NOT STEPPED UP, RECALLED AND FIXED THE ISSUE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2019
Oct 2019

2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID AWD, 197000 REGEN BRAKES DISABLED NOTICE AT VEHICLE START AND IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. SOFT BRAKES, NEARLY COULD NOT STOP. VERY UNSAFE IN TRAFFIC OR, IN THE CASE THAT IT HAPPENS IN A HIGH-SPEED SITUATION, COULD BE DEADLY. CONFIRMED HCU AND ABS SYSTEM. THE FACT THAT THIS HAS SO MANY COMPLAINTS WITH DIFFERENT YEARS AND MODELS OF HYBRID VEHICLES WITH NO RESOLUTION IS UNACCEPTABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2019
Oct 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED A MONTH AGO AND THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOT FUNCTIONING AND ONLY OPERATED AT 40% CAPACITY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD TURN ON AND OFF AND THE BRAKE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2019
Oct 2019

ABS LIGHT / BRAKE LIGHT GOES OFF AND ON WITH A MESSAGE CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM - REGEN BRAKES DISABLED - REPLACED BROKEN TONE RING, NEW BRAKES AND ROTORS AND THE LIGHT CONTINUES TO STAY ON - SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THIS UNSAFE ISSUE WITH THE 08 HYBRID - FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THIS VEHICLE BEFORE SOMEONE IS IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2018
Oct 2019

BREAKS PERIODICALLY JUST WON'T WORK...GO OUT...THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS LISTED ON THE INTERNET. ITS SAYS YOU CAN REPLACE A 4000 PART...HOWEVER THE CAR REALLY ISN'T WORTH THAT MUCH. NOW IT WILL SAY REGEN BREAKS DISABLED

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2018
Sep 2019

BRAKE PEDDLE GOES TO THE FLOOR SOMETIMES AFTER A HARD BRAKING EVENT. AFTER PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDDLE A FEW TIMES, THEY COME BACK. THEY SOMETIMES GO OUT WHEN HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD ALSO.AGAIN THEY COME BACK AFTER SOME VIGOROUS PUMPING OF THE PEDDLE. FLUID LEVEL IS GOOD. I HAVEN'T WRECKED IT YET, BUT I CAN FOR SEE A PASSABLE PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2019
Aug 2019

RECENTLY PURCHASED 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. ON AUGUST 19TH, WHEN I TURNED THE CAR ON WITH APPROXIMATELY 161,200 MILES, THE "CHECK ABS" LIGHT CAME ON. WHILE DRIVING WITHIN CITY TRAFFIC WITH THE "CHECK ABS" LIGHT ON, THE CAR HAD SLUGGISH BRAKING. APPLYING THE BRAKE WOULD SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NEED TO BE PRESSED HARD FOR THE FINAL 10-15 FEET OF THE STOP. THE NEXT MORNING, WHEN I TURNED THE CAR ON AGAIN, THE ABS LIGHT HAD DISAPPEARED AND BRAKING HAD RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY BEING CHECKED AT VIRGINIA TIRE & AUTO 6620 BACKLICK ROAD, SPRINGFIELD, VA 22150. IT SEEMS VERY DANGEROUS THAT THE ABS CAN FAIL INTERMITTENTLY, AND A SEVERE DEFECT IN THE BRAKES SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY BY FORD.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2019
Jul 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE PREPARING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL ALMOST TO THE FLOORBOARD TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT CALLED PREFERRED FORD (LOCATED AT 1401 S BEACON BLVD, GRAND HAVEN, MI 49417, (616) 842-0600) WHERE AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SINCE THE INDICATOR WAS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED, HE HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. EACH TIME THE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2019
Jul 2019

ABS LIGHT CAME ON OVER A YEAR AGO. SINCE THEN I'VE HAD IT SERVICED 3 TIMES AND THE BRAKES REPLACED. NOW IT'S IN FOR INSPECTION AND CAN'T PASS. MY EXPERIENCE AND MECHANIC EXPERIENCES ROUTINE MOMENTS WHEN THE BRAKES DO NOT ENGAGE EVEN WHEN THE PEDAL IS FLOORED. THEY'VE BLED THE BRAKES AND NOW ARE TRYING TO EXPLORE OTHER POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS. AS OF NOW 5 DAYS WITHOUT A CAR OR ANY APPARENT SOLUTION TO THE DIAGNOSIS. MECHANIC WILL NOT PASS SINCE THE BRAKES FAIL WITHOUT WARNING...IT IS STILL WITH THE MECHANIC SO NO DOCUMENTATION AS OF YET.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2019
Jul 2019

AS I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH IN MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, THE ASB AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND BRAKES WEREN'T FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I WAS ABLE TO CAREFULLY DRIVE IT HOME, 5 MILES. AFTER THE CAR SAT FOR A SHORT TIME IT WAS STARTED AND THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE NOT ON AND IT DROVE NORMALLY. I TOOK IT TO FORD GARAGE WHERE THEY SAID THE HCU MALFUNCTION AND IT NEEDED REPLACED. THE HCU PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH HYBRIDS AND VARY EXPENSIVE TO FIX AND DANGEROUS IF NOT FIXED. IT'S BEEN AT THE LOCAL FORD GARAGE FOR OVER 7 WEEKS AND THEY CAN'T BLEED THE BRAKES TO FINISH THE REPAIR. ALSO, WHEN THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T BLEED THE BRAKES, I NEED TO REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER. THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM OF BLEEDING THE BRAKES. AT LEAST IT'S SAFE SITTING AT THE FORD GARAGE AND NOT BEING DRIVEN. FORD SHOULD RECALL THEIR HCUS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2019
Jul 2019

DRIVING AT 35MPH ABS LIGHT CAME ON THEN CHECK BRAKES FOLLOWED BY BRAKE REGEN DISENGAGED. THIS CREATED NO STOPPING OF VEHICLE AND RUNNING THROUGH STOP LIGHT. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO VEHICLES COMING FROM OTHER DIRECTIONS. STILL NO BRAKES AND APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE BY PUBLIC AND FORD.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2019

Trend Over Time

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Quick Summary

The 2008 Ford Escape has 204 Brakes complaints on file. 10 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.