2008 Ford Escape Complaint Log

I WAS DRIVING MY NEW FORD 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT ASSEMBLY FELL APART. THE WHEEL BUCKLED UNDER THE CAR WHICH CAUSED ME TO VEER INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE. LUCKILY I DID NOT HIT ANYONE NOR ANYONE INCLUDING MYSELF WAS INJURED. WHEN I HAD IT TOWED THE GUY AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT LOOKED LIKE THEY FORGOT TO ATTACH THE BALL JOINT PROPERLY. IM LUCKY I WASNT ON THE FREEWAY OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS REFLECTED ON THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD DURING THE DAYTIME. THE FAILURE OCCURS AT ANY SPEED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO REMEDY. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 500.

I PURCHASED NEW 2008 ESCAPE ON 8/27/2007 AND ON 9/01/2007, THE LINE LEADING TO THE ACCELARATOR, ACCORDING TO FORD "POPPED OFF". I ASKED THEM FOR ANOTHER CAR TO NO AVAIL. I THANK GOD THAT I WAS IN THE GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT AND NOT DRIVING WITH MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN. HERE'S FORD'S RESPONSE VIA EMAIL: DEAR AUDREY, THANK YOU FOR CONTACTING THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER REGARDING YOUR 2008 FORD ESCAPE XLS. OUR RECORDS INDICATE THAT YOU CONTACTED THE FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER ON 9/5/2007 11:07:04 AM, AND OUR CUSTOMER CARE REPRESENTATIVE ADVISED YOU THAT DIAGNOSIS ACCELERATOR CABLE POPPED OFF IS HAVING SERVICE MANAGER JAMES J________ DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS WORKING PROPERLY. AFTER THAT THE VEHICLE WILL BE READY. AT THIS TIME WE ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN ALTERNATE RESPONSE. IF ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS MATTER SHOULD BECOME AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE, PLEASE LET US KNOW. IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER INQUIRIES, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US AND WE WILL BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS THEM FOR YOU. SINCERELY, JOHN CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER FORD MOTOR COMPANY

MY DAUGHTER WEIGHS ABOUT 90 LBS. WHEN SHE SITS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIRBAG INTERMITTENTLY TURNS ON AND OFF, SOME TIMES DEPENDING ON MINOR POSTURE CHANGES, SOMETIMES AT RANDOM. THE DEALER HAS SEEN THIS AND SAYS THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AS THE SETTINGS ARE FEDERALLY MANDATED. IT SEEMS THAT IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO NEVER KNOW IF A PIECE OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT WILL FUNCTION OR NOT. IF THE AIR BAG SHOULD BE ON, THEN IT IS UNSAFE FOR IT TO BE ON; IF THE SENSOR SAYS IT SHOULD BE OFF THEN HAVING IT ON WOULD BE UNSAFE. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE COULD SEE THE CLAMPS WHEN HE INSPECTED THE BRAKE RESERVOIR. HE BELIEVES THAT THE CLAMPS WERE DESIGNED TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALER. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,000.

ABOUT 2 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED MY ESCAPE, THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR LIGHT CAME ON AND THE MESSAGE CENTER SAID "TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR FAULT". AT THE SAME TIME THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T FIND A THING WRONG WITH IT. IT HAPPENED AGAIN, THIS TIME THE VOLUME ON THE STEREO AUTOMATICALLY GOES DOWN WHEN I GET THE TIRE PRESSURE MESSAGE ALONG WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER BLOWING HOT AIR. IT JUST GOT WORSE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THIS TIME AND THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR 3 WEEKS. THEY CONSULTED FORDS ENGINEERS AND WERE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH FORD (WHO HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT). THEY FINALLY DECIDED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE COMPUTER. IT DIDN'T FAIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN. BUT THIS TIME THE CAR WOULD JUST CONSTANTLY BEEP, THE MOST ANNOYING THING IN THE WORLD, AND THE DOORS DON'T AUTOMATICALLY LOCK. AS IT GOT WORSE THE DASH HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN, SOMEDAYS IT DOESN'T LIGHT UP OTHER DAYS IT STAYS ON ALL NIGHT. THANKFULLY IT HASN'T DRAINED MY BATTERY. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES ALREADY AND I HAVE CONTACTED AN ATTORNEY TO HELP ME WITH A LEMON LAW CASE. THE DEALER HAS NO CLUE WHAT IS GOING ON. THE ADVISOR SAID THAT I WAS THE ONLY ESCAPE IN THE NATION WITH THIS PROBLEM, BUT LOOKING ON THE WEBSITE MINE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE, THERE IS AT LEAST ONE OTHER ONE. MY CAR IS STILL DOING THIS EVEN MORE FREQUENTLY. I HAVE ANOTHER TWO WEEKS BEFORE WE HEAR FROM FORD ABOUT A REPURCHASE. IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BECAUSE I REALLY LOVE MY ESCAPE IF IT WASN'T FOR THIS ONE MAJOR PROBLEM. *TR

THE NEWLY REDESIGNED INSTRUMENT CLUSTER "AREA" FOR THE NEWLY ARRIVING 2008 MAZDA TRIBUTE IS A SAFETY AND TRAFFIC HAZARD IN THE FOLLOWING WAY: BECAUSE OF NEW SHAPE FOR THE PLEXIGLASS FRONT AND THE LOCATION OF THE HOOD AND THE MATERIALS USED, IT ALLOWS THE SUN'S RAYS TO SPOTLIGHT ON THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER "AREA" , CAUSING THE WORST "GLARE" THAT I HAVE EVER COME ACCROSS IN ALL MY YEARS OF BUYING AND DRIVING NEW CARS. THIS CAUSES BLINDESS (EVEN WITH A GOOD PAIR OF POLARIZED SUNGLASSES ON) DURING SUNNY DAYS, WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING IN THE RIGHT ANGLE TO THE SUN. ON A RECENT TRIP OUT OF TOWN, I HAD TO ACTUALLY HOLD UP ONE OF MY HAND'S CLOSE TO THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, TO BLOCK THE SUN'S REFLECTION. THAT MEANT DRIVING WITH ONLY ONE ARM. THE ONLY SAFE TIME TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE IS DURING CLOUDY DAYS. UNFROTUNATELY THAT WAS THE TYPE OF DAY IT WAS WHEN I TEST DROVE, BEFORE SIGNING 3 YEAR LEASE. THIS IS THE SISTER VEHICLE TO THE FORD ESCAPE AND MERCURY MARINER. ALL 3 ARE BUILT IN THE SAME FORD PLANT IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI. THEY MUST ALL HAVE THE SAME DESIGN FLAW. THE SAME VEHICLES DASH WAS JUST FINE FROM 2001-2007. I KNOW, BECAUSE I OWNED SEVERAL OF THEM. ONLY THE NEW DASH ON THE NEW 2008 MODELS HAVE THIS PROBLEM.

I PURCHASED A NEW 2008 FORD ESCAPE ON JUNE 2,2007. MY DAUGHTER IS ACTUALLY COOWNER/DRIVER. SHE GOT IN THE VEHICLE ON WED, JUNE 6 AND WHEN SHE WENT TO START IT, IT WAS LOCKED UP. NOTHING WORKED TO GET THE STEERING, ETC. TO WORK. SHE SAID IT WAS LOCKED IN ADVANTRAC MODE. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED IN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA, WHERE SHE WORKS. THEY HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE EVER SINCE, AND IT TOOK THEM 2 1/2 DAYS TO GET A DIAGNOSIS TO DO WITH THE POWER STEERING COLUMN. THEY SAY PARTS WILL NOT BE AVAILAABLE UNTIL JULY 5, 2007, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS. HER CAR PAYMENT IS DUE BEFORE THEN, AND SHE HAS ONLY DRIVEN 240+ MILES. I BELIEVE THERE WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE, OR IT WAS NOT INSPECTED PROPERLY BEFORE BEING SOLD. THEY SAY THE PARTS ARE ON BACKORDER, WHICH MAKES ME THINK THERE HAVE BEEN MORE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE THAN THEY WILL ADMIT. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FORD CANCEL OUR PURCHASE, AND TAKE THIS DEFECTIVE VEHICLE BACK. I DO NOT WANT TO WORRY ABOUT MY DAUGHTER DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND IT LOCKING UP, CAUSING A ROLLOVER,ETC. I THINK THIS VEHICLE WAS DEFECTIVE AND WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO KEEP IT . WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET HELP, I WILL PROBABLY CALL THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF VIRGINIA TOMORROW. I AM VERY UPSET OVER THIS HAPPENING, AND FEEL THAT WE GOT CONNED INTO BUYING A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE, SO WE SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR OUR TROUBLE, AND RELEASED FROM THIS PURCHASE. LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN HELP ME. THANK YOU.

WHY DRIVING THE TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR LIGHT WILL COME ON IN THE DASH AND THE COMPUTER WILL STATE ?TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR FAULT.? I HAVE HAD IT INTO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES AND THEY HAVE REPLACED THE SENSORS AND STILL HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TOLD ME IT HAS TO DO WITH A CELL PHONE CHARGER PLUGGED INTO THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER AND SETTING OFF THE TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR ON THE DASH, AS WELL AS SENDING A FALSE SIGNAL TO THE COMPUTER. THEY STATE THERE IS A FORD BULLETIN OUT ON IT BUT I CAN FIND ANYTHING ON IT. *JB UPDATED 01-15-08. *KB UPDATED *JB

WARNING LIGHT CAME ON TO "STOP VEHICLE SAFELY". WE PULLED OFF HIGHWAY, CAR RESTARTED. THIS KEPT HAPPENING, FINALLY HAD CAR TOWED TO LOCAL GARAGE. THEY DETERMINED IT WAS A CODE INDICATING A PROBLEM UNDER RECALL, AND ADVISED WE TAKE IT TO THE FORD DEALER. LOCAL GARAGE HAD CLEARED OUT ERROR CODES, SO FORD DEALER SAID WE HAD TO WAIT UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN, THEY WOULD THEN REPAIR IT. THIS MEANS WE CANNOT TRUST THE CAR, AND MUST ONLY DRIVE WITHIN A TOWING RANGE. HOW LONG DOES FORD HAVE TO REPAIR A KNOWN PROBLEM, OR CAN THEY TELL OWNERS TO WAIT UNTIL THE CAR ACTUALLY HAS THE PROBLEM AGAIN? *TR

Manufacturer failed to respond to certified mail requesting recall coverage determination. All official Ford customer service and executive escalation email addresses returned as undeliverable

LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN KANJORSKI ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT JEREMY ROTH RE A LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION COOLER OF HIS 2008 FORD ESCAPE. *NJ