2008 Ford Escape Electrical System
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 down the road and out of nowhere all the dash light come on, the speedometer and rpm all go to zero. I am able to still control the car and drive down, the only thing that won’t work besides the dash cluster is the air conditioning. Hitting a bump or smacking the dash normally turns off the dash light and I can see my speed and rpm’s again. I took it to ford for them to diagnose and they said the dash cluster is what’s bad. It’s very scary to drive because the lights come on so often and I’m fearful I’m going to lose more control of the vehicle.
IGNITION SWITCH NOT ALLOWING CRANKING DURING ENGAGING. SWITCH FEELS UNSECURED. ALSO DIFFICULT TO INSERT KEY . THIS IS A CONSTANT ONGOING PROBLEM . MILEAGE IS 85,XXX .
THE SUV INTERMITTENTLY GOES INTO A NO CRANK/NO START CONDITION. YOU TURN THE KEY AND IT DOESN'T CRANK. THIS HAPPENS WHILE I'M TRAVELING AND LEFT ME STRANDED AT A REST STOP AND PANICKING THINKING IT WASN'T GONNA START. SINCE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME MECHANICS CAN ONLY RELY ON WHAT THEY THINK COULD BE THE PROBLEM WHICH INCLUDE THE IGNITION SWITCH IGNITION LOCK MODULE AND STARTER RELAY. I'VE ALSO FOUND A VARIETY OF REVIEWS EXPLAINING EVEN AFTER PARTS ARE REPLACED THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTING FOR THIS SPECIFIC MAKE AND MODEL. AND CONCERNING RECALL NUMBER 14V284000. FORD DEALERSHIPS ARE ONLY CLEARING THE RECALL CODES IF THEY CONSIDER THE PART NOT NEEDING TO BE CHANGED SO THAT AFTETWARDS WHEN THE STEERING TORQUE SENSOR DOES GO BAD THEY NO LONGER HAVE TO CHECK IT OR FIX IT FOR FREE. PLEASE HELP BECAUSE TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM FOR THIS TO HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED YET.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT HAD TO JIGGLE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION A COUPLE OF TIMES TO START THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
THE KEY AND IGNITION SWITCH WILL NOT START THE CAR. IT IS NOT THE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR ET AL. IT IS THE IGNITION SWITCH. WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED, EVERYTHING COMES ON BUT THE CAR WILL NOT START.
TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A BASIC OIL CHANGE THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE CONCERNING THE STEERING. THEY PROCEEDED TO CORRECT WHATEVER RECALL NEEDED. UPON RETRIEVING THE VEHICLE BACK I HAD A HARD TIME TURNING MY KEY TO START THE CAR. I INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT "I MUST PRESS VERY HARD JAM IT IN THERE TO START IT" NOW A YEAR LATER THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS BAD AND WAS GOING TO COST ME $700 TO REPAIR. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND FOUND MANY 2008 FORD ESCAPES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THIS WAS A RECALL. NOW I AM STUCK WITHOUT MY VEHICLE UNLESS I PAY THE MONEY FOR THE VEHICLE THAT APPARENTLY HAS BEEN AN ISSUE.
VEHICLE HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION. THERE IS DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION CYLINDER REQUIRING THE OPERATOR TO HAVE TO PUSH THE KEY IN, OFTEN WITH GREAT PRESSURE, THEN TWIST THE KEY TO GET THE CAR TO START. EVENTUALLY THE IGNITION MECHANISM WILL FAIL COMPLETELY REQUIRING THE ENTIRE IGNITION HOUSING WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN TO BE REPLACED AND AT GREAT EXPENSE. I WAS LEFT STRANDED WHEN THE CAR FAILED TO START AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. REPAIRS COST OVER $500. THE PROBLEM NEVER AFFECTED ME DURING NORMAL DRIVING, ONLY WHEN THE CAR NEEDED TO BE STARTED. A SIMPLE SEARCH REVEALED MANY OTHER ESCAPE OWNERS REPORT THE EXACT SAME ISSUE SO IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THIS IS A RANDOM PROBLEM OR THE RESULT OF NORMAL WEAR. INDEED, THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT THAT WAS NEVER ADDRESSED BY FORD. HOWEVER, THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE SINCE, AS HAPPENED TO ME, THE CAR CAN AND WILL LEAVE THE DRIVER STRANDED WHICH, IT SHOULD GO WITHOUT SAYING, IS NOT JUST AN INCONVENIENCE BUT ALSO A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. THESE VEHICLES NEED TO BE RECALLED AND THE PROBLEM REMEDIED BY FORD. SINCE I ALREADY PAID FOR THE REPAIR I THINK IT ONLY FAIR THAT FORD REIMBURSE ME THE COSTS.
IGNITION SWITCH WILL STOP WORKING AND BECOME LOOSE, WHICH WILL PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM STARTING WHILE STATIONARY.
MY KEY FOB UNLOCKED THE CAR, AS USUAL, PUT CHILD IN. GOT IN DRIVERS SIDE. PUT KEY IN IGNITION. ALL LOCKS LOCKED! CAR DID NOT START. I HIT KEY FOB AND THE PAD TO UNLOCK SEVERAL TIMES... UNLOCKED MY DOOR... I ASSUMED ALL DOORS. WOULD NOT OPEN DOOR WHERE DAUGHTER WAS IN CAR SEAT IN BACK (BACK PASSENGER SIDE). KEY FOB OR DOOR UNLOCK WOULD NOT WORK TO UNLOCK IT. KEY FOB DID NOT WORK AT ALL AFTER THAT FIRST TIME AND DID NOT UNLOCK HER SIDE. I GOT HER OUT ON DRIVER'S SIDE BACKSEAT. WE HAVE VIDEO SURVEILLENCE SO INCIDENT SHOULD BE ON THERE. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. END OF 100' DRIVEWAY. NO NEIGHBORS IN SIGHT. TERRIFYING TO THINK IF THE KEY FOB HADNT OPENED MY DOOR THAT LAST AND APPARENTLY ONE AND ONLY TIME, IF ID BE STUCK IN HOT CAR WITH DAUGHTER IN BACK SEAT.
KEY IGNITION SWITCH IS DIFFICULT TO WORK. FORD TOLD ME TO PUNCH THE KEY IN HARD THEN TURN, WHICH WORKS MOST OF THE TIME. I'VE READ WHERE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH LOTS OF OWNERS. TO FIX THE PROBLEM, FORD SAYS IT WILL COST BETWEEN $800.00 - $1000.00, BUT THAT IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN. NO GUARANTEE. SINCE THIS PROBLEM IS SO PREVALENT, WHY NO RECALL TO FIX THIS COMMON PROBLEM.
WHEN TURNING THE KEY TO START THE CAR, IT WILL NOT ENGAGE. HAVE TO KEEP PUSHING THE KEY IN HARDER AND HARDER TO GET THE KEY TO START. TAKES 20-30 TRIES TO GET THE CAR TO START. NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE BATTERY AND IT APPEARS TO BE AN IGNITION PROBLEM. HAVE READ THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. STEERING WHEEL TURNS AND ONCE CAR DOES START IT'S FINE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE'S POWER BEGAN TO DECREASE AND THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY CAME TO A STOP AND LOST ALL POWER. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 146,000.
FORD ESCAPE 2008 HAS IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM. WHEN TURNING THE KEY WHEN PARKED, THERE IS NO IGNITION TO STARTER. PANEL LIGHTS COME ON, BUT ENGINE DOES NOT START. FORD RECALLED VEHICLES FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED THAT FORD DID NOT COVER ALL MAKE/MODEL/YEAR VEHICLES THAT EXHIBIT THIS FAULT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING OR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, IT STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION COLLAR AND BREAK AWAY BOLTS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,500.
FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, IT WAS HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING MY CAR TO START. I HAD TO PUSH THE KEY IN ALL WAY IN...PUSHING IT HARD AND SOMETIMES JIGGLING THE KEY TO GET IT TO START. I REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH (MODULE) AND THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND MY CAR WOULD NOT START AT ALL. I HAD A LOCKSMITH CHANGE THE IGNITION BUT THAT DIDN'T WORK. FINALLY FORD SAID THAT IT WAS THE "IGNITION SWITCH HOUSING". THIS SEEMS LIKE FORD HAS A PROBLEM WITH DEFECTIVE PARTS. AS THE FORD DEALER HAD TO ORDER A 2ND "SWITCH HOUSING" BECAUSE THE 1ST ONE (THE ONE IN STOCK) WAS DEFECTIVE.
THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AFTER THE KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE KEY HAS TO BE FORCED IN AND CRANKED OVER WITH CONSIDERABLE TORQUE.
ISSUE STARTED INTERMITTENTLY AND HAS INCREASED IN FREQUENCY OF FAILURE. THE PROBLEM WE ARE HAVING IS WITH STARTING THE CAR. THE KEY IS INSERTED AND TURNED, THE DASH INDICATORS TURN ON BUT THE ENGINE DOES NOT START. MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS ARE NEEDED TO START ENGINE. WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE ISSUE. THE ISSUE IS OCCURRING AT A RATE OF 9 OUT OF 10 ATTEMPTS AND IS CURRENTLY AN ISSUE WITH THE CAR.
I TOOK MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE IN TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED ON ELECTRIC POWER STEERING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF CORRECTLY TO START WITH. I FILED A COMPLAINT YESTERDAY FOR THAT ISSUE. I FORGOT TO MENTION AND ADD A COMPLAINT FOR ANOTHER ISSUE THAT I AM HAVING ALSO WITH THE 2008 FORD ESCAPE. I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION. WHEN YOU TRY TO START THE VEHICLE IT WILL NOT START. IF YOU REMOVE THE KEY AND TRY AGAIN THEN IT WILL START. OR IF YOU SIT AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND RETRY TO START THE VEHICLE THEN IT WILL START. I THOUGHT AT FIRST THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE SHAKEN IN THE STEERING WHEEL. HOWEVER THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT I NEEDED A IGNITION SWITCH AND IT WAS A SEPARATE ISSUE AND BILL. I COULD ONLY AFFORD TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED FOR THE ELETRIC POWER STEERING WHEEL SO FOR NOW I CAN ONLY HOPE AND PRAY THE IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT GO COMPLETELY OUT AND LEAVE ME STRANDED. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. HONESTLY... I WANT TO CRY! EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND IT IS SOMETHING GOING WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE. ALSO I HAD TO GET THE SERPENTINE BELT FIXED LAST WEEK AS WELL. I DONT KNOW OF WHAT MORE I CAN SAY AT THIS TIME. MY NERVES ARE SHOT WORRING ABOUT WHAT WILL GO WRONG NEXT WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I WORRY IF IT WILL START TO PICK MY DAUGHTER UP FROM SCHOOL AND SOCCER OR IF SHE WILL BE LEFT STRANDED BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A RELIABLE VEHICLE. NOT TO MENTION HAVING TO WORRY; ABOUT HAVING MONEY FOR REPAIR AFTER REPAIR. I AM SO DISCUSSED WITH FORD! ALSO I HAVE A ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE MAKING A NOISE. I THOUGHT THE NOISE COULD BE RELATED TO THE SERPENTINE BELT BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE. IT IS SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I CAN'T AFFORD TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE UNTIL I CAN GET THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED.
THE IGNITION SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND NOW THE PROBLEM IS STARTING AGAIN THE KEY JUST TURNS AND CAR DOESN'T TURN OVER AND IT BEEPS BECAUSE YOU CANNOT PUT KEY IN RIGHT POSITION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHEN THE KEY WAS PLACED IN THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,000.
EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING 60MPH ON FREEWAY. PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND COASTED TO SHOULDER. VEHICLE RESTARTED. NO FAULT CODE FOUND
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS INOPERABLE AND THE STARTER KEY NEEDED TO BE FORCED INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH EVENTUALLY FAILED TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER OPERABLE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMMON AND THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 3 WEEKS AGO I WAS SITTING IN A PARKING LOT AFTER SHOPPING, WENT TO START MY CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE CAR FINALLY TURNED OVER AND STARTED. I DROVE THE CAR HOME AND DID NOT GO OUT THE REST OF THE DAY. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. I CALLED A MECHANIC AND THEY SAID THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS THE STARTER. I DID NOT THINK SO, BUT TOOK IT TO MECHANIC AND THEY DID THE WORK AND REPLACED THE STARTER COSTING ME MONEY THAT I DO NOT HAVE AS I AM ON A FIXED INCOME. GOT THE CAR BACK LAST WEEK AND YESTERDAY WAS SITTING IN A CAR DEALER LOT AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME IT WOULD NOT START AND HAD TO CALL FOR A RIDE AFTER SITTING IN THE HOT 90 PLUS DEGREE HEAT. MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP AGAIN TODAY AND THEY ARE GOING TO TRY AND SEE IF THEY CAN FIGURE OUT WHY IT WILL NOT START. TO ME AND MY GRANDDAUGHTER IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS SOMETHING FAULTY IN THE STEERING COLUMN. EITHER WAY, I AM TERRIFIED THAT IT WILL START A FIRE, OR WORSE LEAVE ME STRANDED WHERE NO ONE CAN COME AND GET ME. I AM AN ELDERLY WOMAN AND CAN NOT HAVE THESE ISSUES WITH MY CAR. IF THIS COULD BE LOOKED INTO AND TAKEN CARE OF AS SOON AS POSSIBLE I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. I HAVE THE INVOICES FROM THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE ON THIS PARTICULAR PART OF THE CAR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PROMPT RESOLUTION OF THIS MATTER. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE IN VERY HOT WEATHER, THE BATTERY WOULD OVERHEAT AND A MESSAGE TO PROCEED WITH CAUTION WOULD DISPLAY BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THEY BATTERY PUMP WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED BECAUSE THE CODE IDENTIFYING THE FAILURE WAS NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE COMPUTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
KEY IS DIFFICULT TO TURN IN IGNITION. YOU HAVE TO PUSH AND TURN REALLY HARD. BEEN ONGOING FOR OVER A YEAR. EVERY TIME I HAVE MY CAR SERVICED, I HAVE TO HELP THE MECHANICS AND I'M A WOMAN. FORD DEALERSHIP SAID THE IGNITION SWITCH AND LOCK NEED REPLACING. $220 FOR PARTS WITH $734 AS THE TOTAL ESTIMATE WITH LABOR. IT'S GETTING HARDER TO START WHICH CAN BE SCARY IF I GET STRANDED. I'VE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH A CAR. I'VE READ AT LEAST 30 OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET. WHERE IS THE RECALL,? *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2008 Ford Escape has 52 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.