2008 Ford Escape Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE "WRENCH LIGHT APPEARED AND SUDDENLY THE CAR JOLTED FORWARD ALMOST CREATING AN ACCIDENT BY RAPIDLY SLOWING THE VEHICLE, ONCE CONTROL WAS REGAINED I MOVED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS THEN ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE HOME ON "LIMP" MODE, WHERE THE VEHICLE IS RESTRICTED TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. UPON LOOKING AT THIS SITE, I FOUND THE INVESTIGATION FOR THE 09-13 FORD ESCAPE THROTTLE BODY WARRANTY, WHICH THE THROTTLE BODY WAS DIAGNOSED BY A CERTIFIED FORD GARAGE ON MY VEHICLE, THE PART IS THE SAME FROM 05-13 ON THE 3L ENGINE ESCAPE MODELS AND SERIOUSLY POSED A THREAT TO ME WHILE DRIVING HOWEVER SINCE IT IS A 2008, NOT A 2009, FORD WILL NOT GRANT THE DEALERSHIP PERMISSION TO REPLACE THE PART FREE OF CHARGE, ALTHOUGH THE SAME PART AND SAME MALFUNCTION IS ACKNOWLEDGED IN THE 09-13 MODELS AND IS UNDER AND EXTENDED MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY, LISTED UNDER CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM CODE "13N03"
SHITTING CABLE CAME OFF TRANSMISSION . IT SAID IT WAS IN PARK BUT WHEN I TRIED TO GET OUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD.CAR WAS ON STREET AT TIME. COULD NOT PUT CAR BACK IN PARK
DEALER SAYS ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY MUST BE REPLACED, POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE REFRESHED. ESCAPE STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN CITY, LOSS OF POWER AND FUEL, EMERGENCY LIGHT, HAD TO BE RESTARTED. KNOWN ISSUE. "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM" FOR ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY 2009 - 2013 ESCAPE OF WARRANTY EXTENSION 10 YEARS, 150K, IS NOT EXTENDED TO 2008. MY ESCAPE IS 9 YEARS, 110K. SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR ALL YEARS. INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AND SCARY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A RED LIGHT, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 124,000.
"WRENCH" INDICATOR LIGHT AND VEHICLE SYMPTOMS OF HIGH RPMS IN TEH 3.5 TO 4 RANGE AT LOW SPEEDS (CYCLING FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND AND 2ND TO 3RD) ON CITY STREETS 0-35 MPH. ENGINE CODES NOT YET READ, BUT SIMILAR ISSUES REPORTED AS A FAULT IN THE THROTTLE BODY. CONSUMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 13N03 HAS IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM FOR SAME MAKE AND MODEL STARTING IN MANUFACTURING YEAR OF 2009. MY CAR HAS A MANUFACTURE DATE OF 01/07, THOUGH IT IS A 2008 AND IS ONLY ABOUT 126,000 MILES. THIS THROTTLE BODY FAULT SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED IN OTHER YEARS OF MANUFACTURE IF THE REPORTS ARE DOCUMENTED.
TURNING RIGHT ONTO A MAJOR INTERSECTION, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE TO EFFECTIVELY MERGE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. AFTER LETTING OFF THE GAS, THEN REAPPLYING THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE FINALLY BEGAN TO INCREASE IT'S SPEED. TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER, DISCOVERED THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED IT'S 2ND TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL IN LESS THAN 18 MONTHS.
CAR WILL NOT START UNLESS THE KEY IS FORCIBLY INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION. THIS HAS TO BE DONE SEVERAL TIMES. WHEN EXITING THE CAR, IT WILL DING TO ALERT THE DRIVER THAT THE KEY HAS BEEN LEFT IN THE IGNITION BUT THE KEY HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT OF THE IGNITION.
WRENCH LIGHT ON... TROUBLE SHIFTING... HIGHER RPMS WHEN SHIFTING
PULLED INTO DRIVEWAY, STOPPED, PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE - CAR WOULD NOT MOVE, ENGINE JUST REVVED WITHOUT MOVING; PUT IT IN D AND NOTHING AGAIN. TURNED OFF ENGINE, RESTARTED IT, PUT IT IN GEAR AND IT KINDA JERKED BACKWARD. SOMETIMES THE GEARS WOULD ENGAGE, SOMETIMES NOT. NOISE COMING FROM TRANSMISSION AREA SOUNDS LIKE A BLENDER ON LOW SPEED. MILEAGE IS 87,000. IT IS A 4WD. HAVE NOT YET DETERMINED WHETHER IT IS THE TRANSMISSION OR THE TRANSFER CASE - I'M NINE MILES FROM A DEALER/GARAGE AND DON'T THINK I CAN MAKE IT THERE. WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO TOW IT. I'VE PARKED IT IN A GARAGE UNTIL A MECHANIC CAN RESPOND TO MY RESIDENCE. HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH DRIVE TRAIN UNTIL THIS HAPPENED. I'VE READ THAT 2008 ESCAPES HAVE HAD SOME PROBLEMS, BUT THIS ONE IS NOT UNDER RECALL AT THIS TIME. *TR
I PUT MY 2008 ESCAPE IN PARK, REMOVED THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. I WALKED APPROXIMATELY 60 YARDS AND WAS INFORMED BY A BYSTANDER THAT MY VEHICLE WAS ROLLING AWAY. THE 2008 FOR ESCAPE ROLLED APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS DOWN HILL INTO A TREE. I WENT TO THE VEHICLE AND THE GEARSHIFT WAS NOW IN THE "R" POSITION AFTER STRIKING THE TREE. I KNOW THERE WAS A RECALL FOR SUCH A PROBLEM ON CERTAIN FORD ESCAPES. ACCORDING TO FORD MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.
WRENCH LIGHT APPEARS ON LOWER LEFT DASH. CAR HAS A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING INTO GEAR. SLOW TO ENGAGE, THOUGH HIGH RPM. HAPPENS WHILE IN MOTION. OR TAKING OFF FROM A STOP.
2008 FORD ESCAPE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHILE MAKING TURN INTO TRAFFIC. EXAMINATION REVEALED SIGNIFICANT LEAK OF TRANSMISSION FLUID FROM TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLER RESULTING IN "SLIPPAGE" OF TRANSMISSION. INVESTIGATION OF ISSUE FOUND THAT LEAKAGE WAS A CRACKED TUBE AT RIGHT HAND MOUNTING BRACKET OF TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLER. THIS CONDITION IS COVERED BY FORD CSP 09B10, BUT HAD NOT BEEN BROUGHT IN FOR MITIGATION BY PREVIOUS OWNER. FORD HAS EXPIRED CSP 09B10 AS OF AUGUST 2010, EVEN THOUGH THE CONDITION APPEARS TO BE A CERTAINTY (BASED ON ABUNDANT INTERNET COMMENTARY) RELATIVELY EARLY IN MILEAGE LIFE OF VEHICLE (MY ESCAPE HAS VERY MODERATE MILEAGE). RAPID AND UNEXPECTED CHANGE IN TRANSMISSION PERFORMANCE IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATE RECALL AS OPPOSED TO A "FIX-IT" BULLETIN. FORD HAS INDICATED THAT THEY WILL NOT PROVIDE REMEDIATION OF THIS PROBLEM.
AT APPROXIMATELY 134,000 MILES WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY CAR SUDDENLY DRASTICALLY SLOWED DOWN QUICKLY, STARTED REVVING REALLY HIGH AND THE 'WRENCH LIGHT' CAME ON. THIS ALMOST RESULTED IN GETTING REAR-ENDED BY THE CAR THAT WAS TRAVELING BEHIND ME ON THE HIGHWAY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR AN ESTIMATE. WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WAS MISSING 2ND AND 4TH GEAR AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT THE COST WOULD BE $4,200 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE BAND FOR 2ND AND 4TH GEAR BROKE, SENDING THE VEHICLE INTO LIMP MODE (ONLY USING 1ST AND 3RD GEAR). I FOUND THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AS THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AS WELL AS A TSB (#TSB-12-4-8). AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH ALL FORD FAMILY VEHICLES THAT HAVE THE CD4E TRANSMISSION. I HAVE OWNED FORD VEHICLES FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE. FORD KNOWS THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE BUT REFUSES TO ASSIST THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS WITH A SOLUTION. WHILE TALKING TO A FORD SERVICE TECHNICIAN ABOUT THIS, I WAS TOLD THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE ISSUE BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, LEAVING THE CUSTOMER TO PAY TO REPLACE SOMETHING THAT FORD KNOWS HAS ISSUES. DOES IT REALLY TAKE SOMEONE TO GET INJURED OR GET KILLED IN ORDER FOR SOMETHING TO BE DONE ABOUT IT? IF FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD PAY TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED OR PROVIDE A SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNT IF THE CUSTOMER MUST PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT.
HAVE TO FORCE THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION REALLY HARD AND TURN THE KEY MANY TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WILL START.
WHEN STARTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE ENGINE RACED TO OVER 4K RPMS AND THE CAR WAS BARELY AT 20 MPH. NO ACCELERATION AND THE WRENCH LIGHT WAS LIT ON THE DASH. RPMS RANDOMLY FLUCTUATED AND ONLY AFTER REACHING 3,500 RPMS WOULD THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT GEARS. AFTER SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTING THE WRENCH LIGHT IS GONE BUT RETURNS AFTER A MINUTE. 105,000 MILES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE AT A STOP AND ATTEMPTING TO MOVE FORWARD, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE JERKED BEFORE MOVING FORWARD. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,888. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TRANSMISSION - THE SERVICE WRENCH DASH LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SHIFT BADLY. A QUICK TRIP TO THE FORD SERVICE CENTER INDICATES THAT GEARS 2 & 4 NEED TO BE REPLACED (AT 71,000 MILES). FORD HAS ISSUED A TSB ON THE PROBLEM, AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE POSTS ON THE INTERNET CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. THIS NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED TO A WARRANTY RECALL AS IT DOES EFFECT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE.
A WRENCH WARNING SIGN.
TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GO IN DRIVE ONLY GO IN DRIVE TWO ONE AND REVERSE.
I NOTICE ABOUT A WEEK AGO THAT A WRENCH LIGHT SIGNAL CAME ON MY DASH. I CHECKED MY OWNERS MANUAL AND GOOGLE THE INFORMATION AND THEN I CHECK TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL. I CAN FEEL MY CAR DOING A PULL WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE AND WHEN ON THE FREEWAY I AM NOT GETTING NOT POWER IT SEEMS LIKE I AM MOVING SLOWER THAN WHAT MY SPEEDOMETER SAYS, I SEE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE BUT NOT FOR MY VIN NUMBER. I GUESS I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW CENTAIN VIN # AN BE EXCLUDED FROM A RECALL BUT YOU HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THIS IS THE SAME THING THAT HAPPEN ABOUT 1YEAR AGO TO MY POWER STEERING THERE WERE RECALLS BUT NOT FOR MY VIN. I WAS OUT $1000.00 . NOW I HAVE I HAVE GET THIS FIXED AND MY MECHANIC CAN NOT DO IT BECAUSE HE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT YOU NEED A COMPUTER AND I NEED TO TAKE BACK TO FORD WHICH IS GOING TO COST AND ARM AND A LEG. I AM SO DONE WITH FORD I HAVE ALWAYS HAD FORD CARS/TRUCKS BUT I AM AT MY END WITH THEM.
TRUCK HAS 87,000 MILES ,RIDING DOWN THE ROAD TRANNY NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY,ALMOST CAUSING ME TO HIT ANOTHER CAR WHEN I TRIED TO ACCERLATE.TOOK TO SHOP,TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MY GOD YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.TERRIBLY DESIGNED SUV. NO MORE FORDS FOR ME.UNHEARD OF.
AFTER DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR THE VEHICLE RPM'S INCREASE BUT THE VEHICLE SPEED WILL NOT....ALMOST AS IF THE THROTTLE IS "STICKING." THIS OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.
SLIPPING WHEN IT GOES FROM THIRD TO FOURTH GEAR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE LEAKED FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING FLUID AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING FLUID AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE RPMS INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TOW THE VEHICLE WITH THE GEAR SHIFTER IN THE PARK POSITION, THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V606000 (POWER TRAIN), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.
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Quick Summary
The 2008 Ford Escape has 247 Power Train complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.