2008 Ford Escape Electrical System Problems

Check engine light keeps flashing, car vibration, bad head gasket, oil and fluid leak

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon arriving to her destination and pulling into a parking lot, after shifting the vehicle into park(P), the vehicle inadvertently lost electrical power and all electrical functionality, and the contact became locked inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had occurred three times. Due to the failure, the contact was unable to exit the vehicle and suffered heat strokes during a hot summer day. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the dealer was unable to provide the cause for the failure. The contact stated that the mechanic at the dealer was also locked inside the vehicle due to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.

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.

I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH FOR A FEW MONTHS . AT TIMES MY CAR WONT START. EVERYTHING COMES ON. iT FEELS VERY LOOSE AND HAVING TO PUSH IN THE KEY AND TURN IS VERY DIFFICULT AND HURTS MY HAND. PLUS THE ALARM BUTTON GETS PRESSED WHEN I TURN THE KEY.. i HAVE TO TURN KEY ON AND OFF WHILE PUSHING KEY INTO IGNITION SEVERAL TIMES AND PRAY THAT IT WILL CRANK. i HAVE HAD NO OTHER ISSUES OR REPAIRS THAT ARE NEEDED. i NOW HAVE MY CAR IN THE SHOP TO REPLACE THE IGNITION LOCK ASSEMBLY i HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF $400 FOR THIS REPAIR. i HAVE HEARD THIS IS A COMMON REPAIR FOR THIS PART ON THE VEHICLE I OWN.

"STOP SAFELY NOW". IT DID A COUPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING AND NOW IT WON'T TURN ON AT ALL.

VEHICLE FIRE. FIRE STARTED IN AREA OF DRIVER'S SIDE TAILLIGHT WHILE VEHICLE WAS IDLING IN A PARKING LOT. SUSPECTED ELECTRICAL SHORT.

SUDDENLY THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GO ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STOP PROPERLY.

WE HAVE BEEN HAVING ELECTRICAL SURGES IN OUR 2008 FORD ESCAPE XLS. THE SURGES ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. THEY WILL HAPPEN WHEN WE ARE AT A STOP LIGHT, GETTING READY TO GO; AFTER HAVING MY FOOT ON THE GAS FOR A SECOND (OR LESS) A POWER SURGE WILL HAPPEN IN THE CAR (ABS LIGHT POPS ON AND 2 OTHERS). IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 60 OR 70 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A POWER SURGE HAPPENS. I DO NOT HAVE A CURRENT VIDEO OF THIS HAPPENING, BUT I WILL BE SURE TO GET ONE WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR SO TO BE SURE I HAVE THIS PROOF ON FILE FOR YOU, IF NEEDED. PLEASE HELP US WITH THIS ISSUE. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE WINTER. WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT THE ENGINE JUST NEEDED TO WARM UP BECAUSE OF HOW COLD WINTER GOT BUT IT IS NOW WARMER AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE DATE BELOW IS THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT, THE FIRST TIME WE HAD A POWER SURGE WAS IN LATE JANUARY.

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.

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.

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 .

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.

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.

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.

THE REGEN BREAKS DISABLED LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON. THE BREAKS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY, IF AT ALL. NUMEROUS TIMES I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO STOP ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE BREAKS SOMETIMES LOCK ON AND THE VEHICLE WON'T MOVE AT ALL. UNABLE TO GO MORE THAN 40 MPH. IF YOU ATTEMPT, THE VEHICLE SHAKES AND THE BREAKS SMOKE. I TOOK IT TO FORD FOR DIAGNOSTIC AND THEY INFORMED ME IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO THE THE BEAK SYSTEM AND THE HYBRID SYSTEM BEING INTEGRATED. THE PART BY ITSELF IS $4200 AND THE VEHICLE BLUE BOOKS FOR ABOUT $3000 AT THE MOST. THE VEHICLE WON'T START OR EVEN TURN OVER. THE BATTERY IS GOOD.

IGNITION SWITCH WILL STOP WORKING AND BECOME LOOSE, WHICH WILL PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM STARTING WHILE STATIONARY.

APPROX. A YEAR AGO THE BRAKES STARTED FAILING. SUDDENLY YOU HAD TO PUMP THEM EXTRA HARD TO STOP. WARNING LIGHT APPEARED THAT TIRES NEED INFLATING. THEY DID NOT. THEN AN ABS WARNING LIGHT APPEARED. SUDDENLY THE BRAKES STARTED WORKING AGAIN, NO EXTRA PUMPING NEEDED. THEN AT HIGH SPEEDS THE WARNING LIGHT TURNED ON AND STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND YOU COULDN'T GO ABOUT 60 MPH. AHHH! WHEN YOU HIT BRAKES THEY DIDN'T RESPOND OR A TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE HAPPENED. LOOKED IT UP, COMMON IN THIS YEAR'S HYBRID THAT ABS BRAKES FAIL. ONLY HAD 150K ON IT. TOOK TO LOCAL FORD DEALER, THEY WANTED $7400 TO FIX. WHAT? "PROPRIETARY ABS BRAKES MUST BE REPLACED." THEY WOULDN'T TURN WARNING MESSAGE OFF COMPUTER OR DO ANYTHING LESS. WOULDN'T CHECK HOSES, CIRCUITS, OR PADS. JUST A FLAT "$7400" WITH NO EXPLANATION OTHER THAN ABS SYSTEM. WE FOUND OUT THROUGH COMPLAINT SITES ONLINE THAT OTHERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. IT'S EXTREMELY HARROWING TO BE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS AND HAVE THE CAR SUDDENLY START SHAKING AND THE BRAKES NOT WORK!!

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.

PENDING FAILURE OF THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE CONTROL UNIT. ABS, CHECK ENGINE AND SERVICE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF. WHEN LIGHTS ARE ON THE VEHICLE IS MORE DIFFICULT TO STOP. READING OTHER'S POSTS ONLINE, THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE THAT HAPPENS OFTEN. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ONCE FAILURE IS PRESENT. ONLY WAY TO FIX IS WITH A $4,500 PART THAT YOU HAVE TO GET NEW FROM FORD....