There are 50 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2006 Ford Escapein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WHILE DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS AND CITY SPEEDS, ABS LIGHT COME ON WITH SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM MESSAGE APPEARS WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING. BRAKING IS TOUGH AND BARELY STOPS EVEN WITH HARD FOOT PRESSURE ON PEDAL. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT INTERMITTENTLY HAPPENS. ONCE YOU LET THE CAR SIT FOR AWHILE (SINCE YOU ARE SCARED OF DRIVING IT), THE BRAKING SYSTEM RESETS AND PROBLEM IS NOT SEEN FOR MONTHS...UNTIL IT OCCURS AGAIN. INQUIRIES TO FORD ABOUT PROBLEM ESTIMATE THE COST OF REPLACING CYLINDER, HCU, AND BLEEDING BRAKES FAR EXCEEDS THE VALUE OF VEHICLE. ANNOYING AS THIS BRAKE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS A WEAKNESS OF THIS CAR'S BRAKING SYSTEM AS FAR BACK AS 2005! WHY DOES FORD NOT RECALL AND FIX A KNOWN PROBLEM IN A TIMELY MANNER? MAY HAVE TO SCRAP AN OTHERWISE EXCELLENT WORKING VEHICLE BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND UNSAFE TO FELLOW DRIVERS SINCE IT MAY NOT RELIABLY STOP.
OCCASIONALLY WHEN APPLYING SMOOTH PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT BECOMES VERY FIRM AND LOOSES BRAKING POWER. IF THE PEDAL IS RELEASED AND REAPPLIED THEN THE BRAKES WORK AGAIN (FOR NOW). THIS SOMETIMES CAUSES THE "CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM" WARNING LIGHT TO APPEAR. THIS LIGHT MAY OR MAY NOT REMAIN ON AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF FOR A WHILE. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY OTHERS, AND SHOULD BE HANDLED BY FORD AS A RECALL AS A PROPERLY WORKING BRAKING SYSTEM IS VITAL TO THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE ON THE ROAD. DATE INDICATED IS OF THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE (ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP).
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT WAS FIRM. THE SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RON DUPRATT FORD LOCATED AT 1320 NORTH FIRST ST, DIXON, CA 95620, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
PURCHASED A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID IN OCT. OF 2018. TODAY (NOV 2019) THE BRAKE SYSTEM DECIDED TO GO OUT (A KNOWN ISSUE WITH FEH) WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON A CURVY ROAD WHILE MY TWO KIDS WERE IN THE CAR. WE TRIED SLOWING DOWN BEFORE ENTERING THE CURVE AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. LUCKILY WE ARE FINE BUT THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT. I'VE ONLY PUT 10K MILES ON THE CAR AND NOW FORD OF OCALA IS SAYING EVEN THOUGH IT'S A KNOW ISSUE THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WE SPOKE WITH DONNA WHO WAS UNDERSTANDING BUT STILL GAVE US NO SOLUTION. SHE FORWARDED THE ISSUE TO THE SALES MANAGER AND WE ARE WAITING ON HIS CALL.THEY BASICALLY STOLE 7 GRAND FROM OUR FAMILY. WE'LL BE PURSUING THIS LEGALLY UNTIL THE ISSUE GETS RESOLVED.
SUDDEN REDUCED BRAKING CAPACITY WHILE DRIVING. CHECK ABS LIGHT COMES ON. ONE HAS TO PUSH COMPLETELY DOWN ON BRAKES TO GET VEHICLE TO STOP. WAIT FOR 5-10 MINUTES, SYSTEM RESETS AND YOU CAN CONTINUE TO DRIVE UNTIL AT SOME DAY AND TIME THE SAME CONDITIONS REOCCUR. RESEARCH ON ISSUE INDICATES THE HCU MAYBE FAILING BUT PRICE TO REPLACE EXCEEDS THE WORTH OF THE VEHICLE. USE OF VEHICLE IS NOW LIMITED DUE TO UNPREDICTABLE ABILITY TO STOP CAR WHILE IN MOTION.
I AM HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY BRAKES EVEN AFTER ALL REPAIRS AND SPENDING ABOUT $1000 DOLLARS MY CAR BRAKE DASHBOARD LIGHT IS STILL ON AND VERY LESS BRAKES ARE APPLIED .I HAVE TO PRESS BRAKES WITH LOTS OF THRUST BUT EVEN AFTER THAT VEHICLE MOVES LITTLE AHEAD
PARKING / EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED. CABLE ROUTED FROM HAND LEVER TO REAR BRAKES GOES THROUGH A BRACKET MOUNTED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BODY. BRACKET SEPARATED FROM UNDER-BODY OF VEHICLE RENDERING HAND BRAKE INOPERABLE. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY ON A SLOPE WITH REGULAR BRAKES APPLIED. PARKING BRAKE WAS BEING APPLIED TO KEEP THE WEIGHT OF VEHICLE ON AN INCLINE OFF OFF TRANSMISSION PARK LOCK.
THIS THE SECOND FORD FOCUS HYBRID 2006 WE HAVE HAD A BRAKE PEDAL ISSUE WITH. ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE MASTER AND HCU WITH THE 1ST ONE 2YRS AGO AND HAVE NOT HAD THE ISSUE AGAIN. HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH THE SAME MODEL DIFFERENT CAR AND WE RE VISIT THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HARD TO STOP OR WONT STOP DURING NORMAL DRIVING AND ONLY PERIODIC. WAY TOO MUCH MONEY 7000.00 WITH 83K MILES.
WAS HEADING WEST DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON ALAMEDA CROSSING WAGSWORTH BOULEVARD WHICH THE STATE OF COLORADO SAYS THAT THOSE ARE BOTH HIGHWAYS THEY'RE MORE LIKE CITY STREETS BUT HIGHWAYS WHAT IS DOING A REPAVING PROJECT I PERSONALLY DID NOT SEE ANY NOTIFICATION OF WORK GOING ON AS THEY HAD STRIP THE ASPHALT FROM WADSWORTH AND WAS REPAVING LEFT A 6IN HIGH DROP INTO THE PAVEMENT AND BACK UP TO THE OLD PAVEMENT. WHAT IS A MASSIVE JOLT THAT SURE BOTH FRONT BRAKE LINES OFF HAS NO BRAKES TO STOP HOW DO YOU USE HANDBRAKE. GOT AHOLD OF CDOT AND WAS TOLD MARTIN MARIETTA WAS THE COMPANY IN CHARGE OF THE REPAVING PROJECT WAS TOLD THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AS THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS WARNING SIGNS POSTED.
AS I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AND RED LIGHT, MY BRAKES SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. I LITERALLY HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKE AND IT FINALLY STOPPED MOVING. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOME AT LESS THAN 10 MPH AND HAD TO LET OFF THE GAS IN ORDER TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN TO ATTEMPT TO USE THE BRAKES AND CAR WOULD SHAKE WHEN BRAKE WAS APPLIED. TOOK TO MECHANIC WHO CHECKED THE CODE AND IT WAS THE TRAVEL SENSOR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS LATER TAKEN TO HERTRICH FORD LINCOLN (1427 BAY RD, MILFORD, DE 19963, (302) 725-0031) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,405.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2006 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 62 MPH OVER A POTHOLE, THE BRAKES SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE SKIDDED SIDEWAYS. THE VEHICLE STRUCK THE BARRIERS ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND SPUN AROUND TWICE BEFORE STOPPING, FACING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND WINDOW WERE SMASHED IN AND THE ALIGNMENT WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A FRIEND'S BUSINESS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE DEALER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.
I WAS DRIVING AT A NORMAL SPEED, APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, ON A CITY STREET. AS TRAFFIC SLOWED I BEGAN TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SUDDENLY I GOT SEVERAL ALERTS ON MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (BRAKE, ABS, AND REGEN DISCONNECT). AT THE SAME TIME I LOST ALL OR MOST OF MY BRAKING POWER. I WAS FORCED TO USE THE PARK BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE, AND BARELY AVOIDED A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE.THIS WAS A VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. AFTER THE VEHICLE SAT FOR A SHORT TIME, WITH THE ENGINE OFF, THE SYSTEM APPARENTLY RESET ITSELF AND WHEN I RE-STARTED THE ENGINE ALL FUNCTIONS WERE OPERATIONAL ONCE AGAIN, AND ALL THE ALERTS WERE GONE. HOWEVER, THIS PERIOD WAS BRIEF. THINKING THIS MIGHT BE A SYSTEM GLITCH, I CAUTIOUSLY DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THE NEXT DAY THIS FAILURE RETURNED AFTER ABOUT 20 MILES OF DRIVING. AT THIS TIME I REALIZED THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS FLAW IN THE HYBRID BRAKING SYSTEM OF THIS MODEL YEAR FORD ESCAPE, AND POSSIBLY OTHER MODEL YEARS. I CONTACTED A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND I WAS SHOCKED WHEN THEY INFORMED ME THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THIS PARTICULAR FAILURE. AS A MECHANIC I FIND THIS RIDICULOUS. AFTER A BRIEF SEARCH ONLINE I FOUND MANY HYBRID FORD ESCAPE OWNER'S THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS I DID. AT THIS POINT I DEEMED MY VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND DECIDED THE BEST THING TO DO WAS TO REPORT THIS FAILURE TO THE NHTSA WITH THE HOPES THAT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS FAILURE BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. MY OPINION IS THE PROBLEM IS IN THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT. (HCU). THIS IS A COMPLEX ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL UNIT THAT IS SPECIFIC TO THE FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. FOR THE RECORD MY VEHICLE HAD ABOUT 146,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THIS HAPPENED.
VEHICLE WAS FAILING TO STOP WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. CODES CAME BACK FROM DEALER THAT HCU AND MASTER CYLINDER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED $7100 WHICH IS MORE THAN THE VEHICLE IS WORTH. OTHER YEAR MODES HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL
INTERMITTENT ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WITH ALMOST COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING.
ABS BREAK LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR FAILED TO STOP. WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD IN A SMALL TOWN AND WAS STOPPING TO TURN ON TO A ROAD. THE PROBLEM HAD ALSO HAPPEN WHEN SOMEONE HAS STOPPED SUDDENLY IN FRONT OF ME AND I NEEDED TO BREAK SUDDENLY. HAD BREAK FLUID CHANGED AT FORD DEALERSHIP AND DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. WHEN YOU NEED TO STOP SUDDENLY AND HIT THE BREAKS HARD, THE PEDAL HARD IT STIFFENS UP AND WILL NOT STOP THE CAR. IF YOU TURN OFF THE CAR AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND TURN IT BACK ON, IT SEEMS TO RESET IT UNTIL YOU HIT THE BREAKS HARD AGAIN.
I HAVE A 2006 FORD ESCAPE WITH A DEEP CONCERN AND ISSUES WITH THE ABS (BRAKING) SYSTEM. THE ABS INSTRUMENTATION LIGHT PERIODICALLY COMES ON INDICATING AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKING OF THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN THE PERFORMANCE WHILE BRAKING OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE ABS LIGHT IS "ON". THE EXPERIENCE IS A SLIDING AND/OR JERKING WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. SEARCHING THE INTERNET THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS SURROUNDING THIS BRAKING ISSUE FOR THE FORD ESCAPE. THIS IS APPARENT IN SEVERAL MODEL YEARS FOR THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE CONCERNING BRAKE FAILURE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND MANY DEALERSHIPS ARE AWARE OF THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED.
I WAS APPROACHING A T-INTERSECTION AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A STOP AT THE STOP SIGN, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL RESISTED MY FOOT PRESSURE AND I COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN. I MANAGED TO MANEUVER THROUGH THE INTERSECTION WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AND SPOTTED A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER TO GATHER MY THOUGHTS. THE BRAKE PEDAL AGAIN FAILED TO WORK WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER, BUT I USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE.. ONLY, THIS TIME THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOD, WITH NO BRAKING EFFECT TO THE VEHICLE. THIS TIME, UNLIKE THE FIRST, 2 BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS (ABS & BRAKES!) ILLUMINATED ON THE DRIVER'S CONSOLE. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTED IT, AND THE INDICATORS HAD DISAPPEARED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD NORMAL RESISTANCE TO MY FOOT PRESSURE AND THE BRAKES WORKED NORMALLY. I CALLED A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM AS A 'GLITCH', AND SAID IT WAS MOST LIKELY A SENSOR OR SOME OTHER COMPUTER MALFUNCTION, BUT THAT NO WORK DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE COVERED SINCE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. WANTING MORE INFORMATION, I LOCATED A VIDEO ON YOUTUBE.COM THAT SHOWS ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE VIDEO IS SEARCHABLE AND IS FOUND UNDER THE TITLE OF 'FORD ESCAPE HYBRID BRAKE PROBLEM'. I SEARCHED FOR ANY RECALLS FOR THIS SAME VEHICLE'S VIN, BUT FOUND NONE LISTED. WHAT CAN BE DONE ON BEHALF OF THE CONSUMER, ESPECIALLY IF THOSE VIDEO COST ESTIMATIONS ARE CORRECT?
I BOUGHT A 10 YEAR OLD 2006 ESCAPE HYBRID WITH 73,000 MILES. AFTER 4,000 MILE THE ABS LIGHT WOULD GO ON AND THE BRAKES WOULD GO INTO MANUAL MODE AND THE WARNING LIGHTS READ CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM AND REGEN DISENAGED. AFTER RESTARTING THE CAR THE PROBLEM WOULD GO AWAY. THIS WOULD HAPPEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CAR STILL DID STOP WITH MORE BRAKE PRESSURE. WE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY RESET THE ERROR CODES AND GAVE US BACK THE CAR. THEY STATED THIS WAS PER THE FORD CORPORATE STANDARDS AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES DESPITE THE ERROR CODES. ABOUT 6 WEEKS LATER THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN AND KEPT HAPPENING. HOWEVER, THIS TIME THE BRAKE PEDAL IS SOFT AND WE ARE NOT CONFIDENT IT WILL STOP EVERY TIME AS IT DID BEFORE. WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER. NOW FORD HAS DIAGNOSED AN ISSUE WITH THE MASTER CYLINDER, HCU AND ABS COMPUTER ALL NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR $8100 (I ONLY PAID $7500 FOR THE CAR). SINCE FORD ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN CALIBRATE THE ABS COMPUTER WE CANNOT GET THE REPAIR CHEAPER ELSEWHERE. FORD WILL DO NOTHING BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD.
AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE,(VEHICLE IS STATIONARY) THE ABS LIGHTS, AND BRAKE LIGHTS TURN ON. THE BRAKES GO INTO A SAFETY MODE, AND DON'T WORK UNLESS YOU PUSH THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. I CAN ALMOST ROLL DOWN MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED DOWN ALL OF THE WAY. MY DRIVEWAY HAS A SLIGHT ANGLE TO IS. NOT MUCH OF AN ANGLE THOUGH. THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY IF YOU DON'T KNOW IF THE BRAKES ARE GOING TO GO OUT OR NOT.
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026