2008 Ford Escape Engine

MY ISSUE BEGAN THE SAME AS MANY OTHERS I HAVE READ ABOUT ON THE INTERNET, WHICH SCREAMS, "WHERE IS THE '08 FORD ESCAPE TRANSMISSION COOLER RECALL?". I HAD A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE & TIRE BALANCING ON FRI, 04/01/11 AT MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP & BY THE FOLLOWING THURS, HAD NOTICED A SOMEWHAT LARGE LEAKING-SPOT ON MY GARAGE FLOOR & A FRIENDS ASPHALT DRIVEWAY. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS TO AUTOMATICALLY RELATE THIS DARK OIL-LIKE RESIDUE, TO THE RECENT OIL CHANGE. AT THE SAME TIME, THIS LEAK/SPOT SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM JUST BEHIND THE FRONT BUMPER ON THE PASSENGER-SIDE, WHICH DIDN'T JIVE WITH THE TYPICAL LOCATION OF A MORE CENTERED OIL-LEAK. NONETHELESS, MY FORD ADVISOR ASSUMED THE SAME THING I WAS; THAT THE PLUG OR FILTER WAS PROBABLY LOOSE & TO BRING IT IN FOR IMMEDIATE CORRECTION. HERE'S WHERE THE SHOCK & UTTER DISBELIEF BEGAN. I WAS TOLD MY ISSUE WAS NOT RELATED TO THE RECENT OIL CHANGE, BUT IN FACT A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK FROM A TRANSMISSION COOLER. I WAS ALSO TOLD THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE 36K WARRANTY, SINCE I WAS NOW AT 37,099; NOR WAS IT UNDER THE TRANSMISSION WARRANTY. I WAS THEN TAKEN BACK TO MY CAR WHERE THE TECH EXPLAINED THAT THIS "COOLER" LOOKS LIKE A REALLY THIN RADIATOR, BUT IS ACTUALLY A SEPARATE COOLING UNIT THAT SITS JUST IN FRONT OF THE RADIATOR. I WAS THEN TOLD THE LEAK IS A RESULT OF THE CONSTANT VIBRATION OF THIS UNIT HITTING THE RADIATOR, WHICH EVENTUALLY CRACKS THE LEFT (PASSENGER-SIDE) BOLT AREA. HE ALSO SAID THIS IS A COMMON REPAIR & THAT IT ONLY HAPPENS AROUND THE LEFT BOLT, NOT THE RIGHT. I THEN ASKED HOW IT WASN'T GOING TO REOCCUR IF IT'S A KNOWN DEFECT. HE REPLIED THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT IT & HAS NOW INCLUDED A SMALL RUBBER BUSHING THAT COMES WITH THE NEW REPLACEMENT UNIT THAT SOMEHOW ABSORBS AND/OR PREVENTS THE VIBRATION. I WAS INITIALLY TOLD THIS WAS A $650 + REPAIR, BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD, THE ADVISOR WAS ABLE TO GET FORD TO APPROVE MY COST AT $200. IT WASN'T $0, BUT BETTER THAN OTHERS; SO, "HOW IS THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT, NOT A RECALL?". *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55-70 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THERE WAS A BEEPING CHIME HEARD IN THE VEHICLE FOLLOWED BY A MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INSTRUCTING THE CONTACT TO STOP AND PULL OVER SAFELY. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE ELECTRONIC COOLING PUMP WAS BEING REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65-70 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THERE WAS A BEEPING CHIME HEARD IN THE VEHICLE FOLLOWED BY A MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INSTRUCTING THE CONTACT TO STOP AND PULL OVER SAFELY. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE ELECTRONIC COOLING PUMP WAS BEING REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (~75 MPH) MY COMBUSTION ENGINE SHUT OFF AND A RED WARNING LIGHT WAS DISPLAYED ON THE DASH WITH A MESSAGE OF "PLEASE PULL OVER SAFELY". MY VEHICLE HAS APPROX 53000 MILES ON IT AND IS 3.5 YEARS OLD. LUCKILY I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE AND NOT IN ANY DANGER OF CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS TRULY A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. HAD I BEEN PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE OR HAD SOMEONE TAILGATING ME, IT COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN A MAJOR OR EVEN FATAL ACCIDENT. I CALLED FORD AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE NO RECORD OF THIS EVEN THOUGH I'VE SEEN ANOTHER OID ON THIS ISSUE THAT STATED THEY WERE # 891 IN LINE FOR A REPLACEMENT PART. PLEASE MAKE FORD RECALL ANY VEHICLE THAT HAVE THIS PART INSTALLED AND REPLACE IT WITH A MORE RELIABLE PART. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTOR ELECTRIC PUMP FROZE AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER SINCE THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 83202. UPDATED 11/05/10 *BF UPDATED 11/05/10 UPDATED 11/17/10

OUR 2008 FORD ESCAPE (HYBRID) SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED COOLANT PUMP FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHEN WE TRIED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, WE LEARNED THAT THERE WERE 891 REPLACEMENT PUMPS ON BACK ORDER - THESE ARE NOT ORDERS FOR NEW MANUFACTURING, BUT FOR REPLACING FAILED PUMPS. THESE ARE JUST THE ONES ON BACK ORDER AND DO NOT INCLUDE ONES ALREADY REPLACED, OR THOSE OWNERS THAT HAVE NOT TAKEN THEIR ESCAPE FOR DIAGNOSTICS. OUR ESCAPE HAS SHUT DOWN SEVERAL DOZEN TIMES AND IT HAS ALMOST ALWAYS BEEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON AN INTERSTATE. THERE IS NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN AND GIVES US A MESSAGE TO PLEASE STOP SAFELY. THE VEHICLE WILL RE-START ONCE IT HAS BEEN SHUT OFF, BUT THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER WHILE AVOIDING OTHER VEHICLES. WE THEN HAVE TO MERGE BACK INTO INTERSTATE TRAFFIC. FORD IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT HAVE TOLD US THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH "RECALLING THE PART" AS THAT IS UP TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT! *TR

I HAVE A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. ON 3 SEPERATE OCCASIONS, MY COMBUSTIBLE ENGINE HAS SHUT OFF. THE DISPLAY ON MY DASH THEN TELLS ME TO "PULL OVER SAFELY." I STILL DO HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT OF POWER FROM THE ELECTRIC ENGINE. AFTER PULLING OVER, I CAN TURN OFF THE CAR, WAIT A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND RESTART THE ENGINE. IT WILL NOT LAST. AFTER MILKING THE GAS, TRYING NOT TO EXCEED 2,500 RPMS, MY CAR MIGHT LAST 1/2 TO 4 MILES BEFORE IT DOES IT AGAIN. LUCKILY, DURING THE TIMES THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME, I HAVE BEEN ON AN INTERSTATE THAT HAD 3 OR LESS LANES. HOWEVER, I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN AS LUCKY IF I WAS ON THE 8 LANE CONNECTOR OF I 75/85 IN ATLANTA. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT MY PROBLEM AND SPOKE TO THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER AT GENE EVANS FORD IN UNION CITY. AFTER DESCRIBING MY PROBLEM, HE QUICKLY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND MENTIONED THAT HE HAS HAD QUIET A FEW PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE'S COOLANT PUMP. I DID SOME RESEARCH SAW SEVERAL POSTINGS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT REALLY CONCERNS ME THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE CASES OF THIS OCCURRING AND I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING FROM MY DEALER OR FORD THAT THIS IS GOING ON, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE TOYOTA SCANDAL. *TR

STOP SAFELY NOW WARNING WENT OFF AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. MY WIFE WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. AFTER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF, THE CAR DID RESTART AND SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME SAFELY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR TROUBLE SHOOTING, BUT SO FAR IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 6 HOURS AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHAT IS WRONG. THE OWNERS MANUAL CLAIMS THIS IS A WARNING PRIOR TO FAILURE OF THE HYBRID SYSTEM IN HER FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. *TR

THE AC/CONDENSER THAT ALSO COOLS THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING. THROUGH RESEARCH THERE ARE MANY OTHER CARS DOING THIS AS WELL. ALSO HAVE NOTICE MY VEHICLE SURGING AT STOPS. VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY AT DEALERSHIP. ADVISED SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

I BOUGHT A 2008 FORD ESCAPE (USED) AND APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT AND 38,000 MILES, I NOTICED THE VEHICLE WOULD LURCH FORWARD WHEN I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR. I STARTED DOING RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT IT MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND SURE ENOUGH, FOUND A LARGE PUDDLE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID ON THE FLOOR OF MY GARAGE. I HAVE TO REFILL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WEEKLY DUE TO THE MASSIVE AMOUNTS ITS LEAKING AND AM LOOKING INTO GETTING THIS FIXED NOW. *TR

THE AC/CONDENSER THAT ALSO COOLS THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING. THROUGH RESEARCH THERE ARE MANY OTHER CARS DOING THIS AS WELL. *TR

AFTER COMING FOR A DRIVE OUT TO PARKER LAKE, A 50 MILE DRIVE FROM MY HOME, MY NEW FORD ESCAPE XLT AWD STALLED. LOOSING POWER AND CONTROL. I WAS ABLE TO STEER IT OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, LUCKILY I WAS ON A COUNTRY ROAD. I TRIED TO START IT BUT IT WOULDN'T. I LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 2-5 MIN. AND IT STARTED. I GOT IT HOME AND THE NEXT DAY IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I WAS LEAVING FROM WORK YESTERDAY FEB. 11, 2008, AND IT AGAIN STALLED ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH-WORK-HOUR TRAFFIC. IT AGAIN WOULDN'T START, BUT AFTER ABOUT 2-5 MIN. IT DID. I HAVE HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALER HERE IN TOWN, NOT TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE AND THIS HAPPENED I'M NOT SO SURE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SAFE. YOU HAVE DONE TEST AND INSPECTIONS IN THE PASS ON TRIBUTES AND OTHER CARS WITH THIS ISSUE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AGAIN. BEFORE SOMEONE GET HURT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CONTINUED TO WORK AND THE CONTACT PULLED OFF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED, BUT FIVE MINUTES LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY MOVED TWO METERS. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED SIX TIMES BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO FIND A MECHANIC A MILE AWAY. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE WATER PUMP FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE KNOWS AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE WITH THE SAME VEHICLE, AND ARE EXPERIENCING IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,148.