2008 Ford Escape Power Train

WE BOUGT A 2008 FORD ESCAPE LIMITED ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO,IT NOW HAS 70,000 MILES AND TRANSMISSION IS STARTING TO GO OUT., AND WHEN WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THE COMPRESSOR AND THE GEARBOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TRASMISSION FLUID POURS OUT AND IT SHIFTS SO HARD INTO FIRST AND SECOND GEAR THAT TIRES SPIN. *TR

2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WITH LESS THAN 1/4 MILE WARNING. FORD HAS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS PROBLEM: # 7-25-9 (DEC. 24-07) AND 08-3-3 (FEB. 18-08). REPAIR IS A SIMPLE CALIBRATION. SINCE THIS IS A SERIOUS, POTENTIALLY DEADLY DEFECT, WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL TO NOTIFY CONSUMERS? FORD WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE MY MILEAGE WAS BEYOND WARRANTY. IT WAS NOT BEYOND WARRANTY WHEN THE FIRST TSB WAS ISSUED. IF THIS HAD BEEN A RECALL AND FORD HAD BEEN REQUIRED TO NOTIFY ME, I WOULD HAVE HAD IT FIXED THEN, BEFORE IT NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THANK YOU. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SHIFT IMPROPERLY. THERE WERE INTERMITTENT HARSH SHIFTS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COOLING UNIT AND LINES. THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 41,000.

WE BOUGHT THE ESCAPE IN MARCH 2008 WITH 17,000 MILES AND NOW HAVE 41,000 MILES. THE OTHER DAY IT STARTED TO NOT SHIFT RIGHT SO WE CHECKED THE FLUIDS AND SAW THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS VERY LOW. WE FILLED IT AND IT STILL WASN'T REGISTERING AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE NEXT MORNING. DEALER SAID THERE IS A SLOW LEAK AND WE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE UNIT AT OUR COST BECAUSE WE'RE OVER THE 35,000 MILE WARRANTY. SERVICE MANAGER ADMITTED THAT THE LEAK MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE STARTED WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT COULD NOT GO BACK. CALLED FORD AND GOT NOWHERE WITH THEM. DID RESEARCH LAST NIGHT AND SAW ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ALONG WITH THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY FORD ABOUT THE PROBLEM. HEADING BACK TO THE DEALER THIS MORNING TO SEE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT THE TSB. THE VEHICLE WILL SIT IN THE DRIVEWAY UNTIL FORD OR THE DEALER STEPS UP AND PAYS FOR THIS. FORD KNOWS IT'S A DEFECT SO WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO SPEND THE ESTIMATED $800 TO CORRECT IT. HOPING THEY END UP RECALLING THIS TO SAVE OTHER CONSUMERS THE HASSLE WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH. *TR

THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO EARLIER COMPLAINT #10256871 DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DO REPAIRS TO VEHICLE AT EARLIER DATE BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. VEHICLE NOW QUIT MOVING IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC REQUIRING IT BE TOWED. DEALER NOW REPLACED ENTIRE TRANSMISSION DUE TO COMPLETE INTERNAL FAILURE WHICH APPEARED TO BE CAUSED BY LACK OF LUBRICATION TO INTERNAL COMPONENTS. DEALER COMMENTED THAT IT APPEARS TO BE A COOLER RELATED DESIGN PROBLEM, WHICH RESTRICTS FLUID FLOW IN COLD CLIMATES. *TR

HAVE A 2008 ESCAPE WITH 15,500 MILES AND IT BEGAN SHIFTING HARD. TOOK A SHORT TRIP AND PROBLEM WORSENED. HUSBAND NOTED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING, RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE. TOOK VEHICLE TO SHOP AND THEY DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION COOLER NEEDED REPLACED. STILL UNDER WARRANTY SO THERE WAS NO COST TO ME OTHER THAN A DAY WITHOUT MY VEHICLE AND SHOP WAS EXCELLENT IN CLEANING MY VEHICLE FROM ALL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID SPLATTERS. GREAT SERVICE BUT THIS PROBLEM ON SO MANY OF THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE A RECALLED ITEM. *TR

MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE IS CURRENTLY AT 16000 MILES AND I HAVE NOTICED FOR ABOUT A WEEK THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SLIPPING. THEN WHEN I PUT IT INTO REVERSE, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL BUT DOESN'T. HOWEVER, WHEN THEN GOING INTO DRIVE MY CAR HAS STALLED 4 TIMES. I TOOK IT TODAY AND THAT WAS THE SECOND CAR TODAY BROUGHT IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY AUTOMATICALLY SAID IT WOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF DAYS AND GOT ME A RENTAL CAR TILL TUESDAY. *TR

MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE LIMITED 4WD WITH APPROX. 29,000 MILES STARTED RUNNING A LITTLE LOUDER THAN NORMAL. THEN IT BEGAN SHAKING WHILE IN MOTION, USUALLY BETWEEN 35 TO 40MPH. WHEN IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME IT HAS A BAD TRANSFER CASE. WHEN THE PART NEVER CAME IN I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A STOP SHIPMENT ON THE PART BECAUSE OF A DEFECT THEY FOUND IN THE MANUFACTURING. ALMOST A MONTH LATER THEY HAVE RECEIVED THE PART. HAD I NOT STILL BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY EXPENSIVE AND UPSETTING REPAIR. *TR

I BROUGHT MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE INTO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER NOTICING IT WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID TOWARD THE FRONT PASSENGER-SIDE OF THE CAR. DEALER DIAGNOSED THE CAR WITH NEEDING A REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION COOLER AT A TOTAL COST OF $1,142. MY ESCAPE WAS PURCHASED IN JUNE OF 2007 AND HAS JUST GONE OUT OF WARRANTY HAD JUST OVER 40,000 MILES WHEN FLUID STARTED LEAKING. TSB 08-5-7 WAS ISSUED FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. DEALERSHIP OFFERED 60 (FORD)/40 (ME) SPLIT OF COST, BUT I THINK THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED SINCE IT IS ADMITTEDLY A DESIGN FLAW. I'VE ALSO READ OF MANY OTHERS HAVING THE SAME EXPERIENCE. FORD SHOULD DO THE RIGHT THING AND ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO IN REVERSE AFTER DRIVING ABOUT TEN MILES. SUB ZERO WEATHER, VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN HEATED GARAGE. IT WORKED OK OUT OF GARAGE, AFTER DRIVEN FOR THE TEN MILES REVERSE SLIPPED BADLY. POWERTRAIN LIGHT ON DEALER CHECKED FOR CODES AND CODE READ AS UNKNOWN PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION NOW HAS DELAYED ENGAGEMENT INTO REVERSE. DEALER CHECKED FLUID AND IT IS BURNT, AGAIN NO KNOWN CODES YET LIGHT IS STILL ON. VEHICLE IS 4 CYLINDER WITH 4 WHEEL DRIVE. *TR

TOTAL TRANSMISSION COOLER FAILURE AT 48,000 MILES. *TR

I HAVE A 2008 FORD ESCAPE THAT I HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND WHEN PUT INTO REV. IT WOULD SLIP AND OR CHATTER. WHEN I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP THEY STATED TO ME THAT THEY CAN NOT GET IT TO DO WHAT IT DID FOR ME. THIS HAPPEN FOR A FEW DAYS. IT STARTED TO DO IT WHEN IT GETS COLD OUTSIDE AND AFTER DRIVING IT. I HAVE 333000 MILES ON IT AND DO A LOT OF OUT OF TOWN DRIVING. I WOULD LIKE IT FIXED BEFORE IT LEAVES ME STRANDED OUT OF TOWN. THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD IT FOR A WEEK NOW AND STILL CAN NOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH IT. IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NO CODE SET FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

THE VEHICLE FEELS LIKE IT DOES NOT WANT TO SHIFT INTO GEAR WHEN IT IS PUT INTO REVERSE. THE WHOLE VEHICLE IS "CHUGS" OR SHAKES WHEN IT IS REVERSING AT SLOW SPEEDS. HAS BECOME WORSE WITH TIME. VEHICLE PURCHASED MAY 2008 AND HAS 14,000KM. CURRENTLY IN THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE REPLACING THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. *TR

TRANSMISSION ISSUES. DOESN'T CATCH INTO REVERSE GEAR AND CANNOT GO IN REVERSE. SHIFTS INTO WHAT FEELS LIKE SECOND GEAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

TODAY I NOTICED A SMALL PUDDLE OF FLUID UNDER THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FLUID IS A RED, OILY FLUID. I DID A FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND NOTICED A SMALL LEAK OF RED FLUID COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I THEN CHECKED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL, AND IT WAS VERY LOW. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY INDICATION LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD. THE SERVICE CENTER AT THE DEALERSHIP IS CLOSED TODAY, SO I WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE INTO THE SERVICE CENTER TOMORROW MORNING. *TR

IN DECEMBER OF 2007 I PURCHASED A 2008 FORD ESCAPE LIMITED. ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO I HAD TO BRING IT IN BECAUSE IT WAS LOSING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND SHIFTING IRREGULARLY(IT HAD 33,000 MILES ON IT). THEY TOLD ME THAT THE FRONT SEAL OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING AND THEY REPLACED IT AT THE DEALERSHIP. ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO MY WIFE NOTICED THAT IT WAS SHIFTING POORLY INTO REVERSE, FIRST THERE WAS A PAUSE AND THEN IT WOULD SHIFT INTO REVERSE SHAKING THE ENTIRE VEHICLE, THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT NOW WE HAVE AN INTERNAL LEAK AND THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF FIXING THAT PROBLEM (IT NOW HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT). *TR

BEEN NOTICING LITTLE RED DRIPS AROUND THE RADIATOR FILLER TUBE SIDE. CLEANED AREA AND NOTICED FLUID DRIPPING FROM WHERE THE TUBES ENTER THE COOLER. NOTICED OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT A SIMILAR PROBLEM. BRINGING INTO THE DEALER. *TR

TRANSMISSION STARTED TO HARD SHIFT. TOOK TO DEALER, DEALER DETERMINED THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION COOLER. ALTHOUGH THIS I HAVE A LOT OF MILES ON MY CAR, IT'S STILL ONLY A 2008 MODEL YEAR. THE LEAK IS ON THE SIDE OF THE COOLER, NOT THE FRONT, FROM A ROCK OR TWIG OR FRONT PUNCTURE - THIS IS A TERRIBLE DESIGN. THEY PUT THE TRANSMISSION COOLER, ENGINE COOLER, AND THE A/C CONDENSER ALL IN ONE UNIT, SO IF ONE GOES BAD, YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE UNIT. DEALER GAVE ME A COST OF $983 TO REPAIR == $424 FOR THE PART, AND THE REST IN LABOR BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO EXAMINE THE A/C UNIT THE COST IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER. I CALLED FORD CONSUMER HOTLINE -- THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING. I DID NOTE TODAY, THAT JUST RECENTLY SOMEONE ELSE HAD THE SAME ISSUE THAT WAS REPORTED TO THE NHTSA DATABASE. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THE LACK OF RESPONSE FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THE REPRESENTATIVE (SUPERVISOR), JUST RAVED ABOUT THE JD POWER QUALITY AND HOW GOOD THEIR PRODUCTS WERE. I DON'T SEE HOW. *TR

SUNDAY NOTICED RED FLUID LEAKING ONTO DRIVEWAY, MONDAY BROUGHT VEHICLE TO FORD DEALER TO BE INSPECTED. UPON INSPECTION, DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION COOLER. *TR

TRANSMISSION COOLER LEAK, CAUSING IT TO JUMP WHEN BELOW 20 MILES AN HOUR. WHILE IN BOSTON DURING RUSH HOUR, COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *TR

ON LEAVING THE LOT A HIGH VIBRATION CAME THRU THE GAS PEDAL AT 1500 RPM'S. I RETURNED BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO LET IT BREAK IN. AFTER 1 MONTH IT DID NOT GO AWAY AND BROUGHT IT IN TO SERVICE. 1ST ATTEMPT THEY DID NOTHING AND WAS TOLD TO GIVE THEM 2 WEEKS. 2ND ATTEMPT WAS THEN DONE AND THEY RE TIED THE GAS CABLE AND THE PROBLEM DIDN'T GO AWAY. THE GAVE UP AND TOLD ME TO CALL FORD. WITH FORD ON THE 3RD ATTEMPT REPLACED THE SHAFT AND MADE IT WORSE. NOW IT VIBRATE AND HAS A LINGERING BUZZING SENSATION TILL 2000 RPMS. THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE AND ARE CLAIMING IT IS NORMAL, WHICH NO OTHER VEHICLE EXCEPT THE FORD ESCAPE HAS WITH THE V6 ENGINE, THE V4 DOESN'T HAVE THIS ISSUE. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN DOCUMENT ON FORUMS WITH THE 2006 ESCAPE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. FORD IS ALSO REFUSING TO FOLLOW THE LEMON LAW BY REFUNDING MY MONEY SINCE THEY CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND ARE NOT EVEN OFFERING AN EXCHANGE AS PER LAW.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. AFTER ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 40 MPH AND BEGAN VIBRATING UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE CRUISE CONTROL ONCE THE VEHICLE REACHED 60 MPH AND THE VIBRATING CEASED. APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES LATER, HE WAS ABLE TO FIND A FORD DEALER AND THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A DEALER NEAR THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,100 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,800.