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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
84,470 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2008 Ford Escape engine problems

engine problem

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2008 Ford Escape Owner Comments (Page 4 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #22

Apr 282014

Escape 4WD 6-cyl

  • 106,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While turning the wheels the ABS light blinks on and off and the car seemed to be slowly losing power. When wheels were straightened again it ran as normal. This happened three times on the drive home from the grocery store, each time when I was turning, the electrical panel was dimming and the gas pedal lost ability to propel car.

- Bellevue, WA, USA

problem #21

Mar 102011

Escape 4WD 6-cyl

  • 49,000 miles
I own a 2008 Ford Escape XLT, V6 3.0 engine. At about 49,000 miles, it started having acceleration issues. This has been an on going problem, but never trips any service lights. I go down the drive way pretty good, but when I get on the highway, I have to hammer on the gas pedal to get it to go and the rpms go way up. The Ford dealers can't find anything wrong with it. We know that it's fuel related and have cleaned the throttle body and several sensors. It helped for a short time, several thousand dollars later. But its right back to stalling out. I've never received any recall notices at all. This vehicle is a coffin on wheels ! P.S. this is in regard to the electrical throttle body.

- Clayton, WI, USA

problem #20

May 042011

Escape

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage was 209,000.

- Napa, CA, USA

problem #19

Jan 282014

Escape

  • 82,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was at a stop sign, at a complete stop. When I accelerated, the car felt and sounded like it was going to stall and the gas pedal did not work--then the car surged forward. The ABS light and traction control lights then came on and would not go off. This is the 2nd time I have had an issue with the throttle body--I had it replaced at a Ford dealer 3 years ago, and now it is being replaced again. I have had the car since 2008, and I'm on my 3rd throttle body--the original one, the one replaced at the Ford dealer, and now this one. The financial burden is stressful enough, but then add on the fact that, at any time, the throttle can freeze up and stop working which can cause a serious accident.

- Woodland Park, NJ, USA

problem #18

Jan 022014

Escape

  • 98,800 miles
Car stalled when driving on hwy in snow storm on two different occasions. Also, RPM's climb, just had the steering column replaced 2 months ago.

- Wilmington, MA, USA

problem #17

Jan 022014

Escape 4-cyl

  • 48,000 miles
While stopped at intersections while driving the vehicle will stall out or when accelerating from through the intersection it will stall out.

- Mogadore, OH, USA

problem #16

Dec 312013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 47,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Engine just stopped in the middle of driving and I almost got involved into a car accident. I pulled over my car and shifted the gear to P and re-started the engine. It worked but I felt engine was not functioning okay. It felt like it kept burping constantly. I could feel the move. I drove back home to worry about the issue.

- Buffalo Grove, IL, USA

problem #15

Feb 012013

Escape

  • 63,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while turning at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The contact also mentioned that the power steering assist failed several times and the failures were intermittent. The vehicle was restarted and resumed normal function. The vehicle was taken to an authorized mechanic who test drove the vehicle but was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 63,000 and the current mileage was 65,600.

- Lexington , KY, USA

problem #14

Sep 172011

Escape 6-cyl

  • 53,000 miles
I have a 2008 Ford Escape purchased used in 2011, and from day one been having problems. I brought it back to the dealership within the first week I purchased it. It stalled while driving and they couldn't resolve/find the problem. The problem went away, only to come back to where the car stalled when ever I came to a stop and engine light on. Now it doesn't stall but has a rough idle, hesitates when shifting gears and the check engine and throttle light comes on.driving in traffic I feel I will get whiplash from it not accelerating when trying pressing the gas and it not going and bucking. I see im not alone with this problem. I feel Ford should play a part in fixing this being that's its not the driver obviously its the car! if I could afford to get another car I would but have no choice to be stuck with this one.

- Baton Rouge, LA, USA

problem #13

Jun 282013

Escape 4-cyl

  • 67,838 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape hybrid. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph, the stop safely now warning message displayed as the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the electronic cooling pump needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 67,838 and the current mileage was unknown. Updated 01/23/2014

- Robbinsdale , MN, USA

problem #12

Sep 042013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 53,371 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I recently had to pay for a repair for a known defect for the 2008 Ford Escape. It was a transmissions fluid leak near the ac condenser assembly which required replacement. There are numerous complaints and I would like to add to the list as opposed to sitting by and taking it. Manufacturers wants people to faithfully support them by buying their products and in return they should faithfully repair known common problems instead of acting as if they don't exist. I should not be held accountable nor responsible for your factory defects!

- Round Rock, TX, USA

problem #11

Jul 132013

Escape 4-cyl

  • 67,000 miles
Vehicle fails to accelerate properly after a complete stop. RPM's are raised to high before the transmission shifts into 2nd gear.

- Montgomery, AL, USA

problem #10

Jun 282013

Escape 6-cyl Diesel

  • 78,400 miles
I was turning into a bank parking lot and the engine just shut off. It took a minute to even realize what had happened. When the steering became very stiff I realized the engine had turned off. I applied the brakes to stop the car and put it in park. It started back up when I turned the key. There was not any warning or any indication that the car was going to just shut down. Had another car been behind me I would have been hit.

- East Stroudsburg, PA, USA

problem #9

Jun 032013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
My 2008 Ford Escape's transmission started slipping while in overdrive. It then went out and revved up to 5,000 RPM's and would not move while in over drive or drive on the interstate causing me to almost get rear ended. I had to shift to second gear and limp it home.

- Marietta, OH, USA

problem #8

Mar 202013

Escape

  • 98,000 miles
This is my second complaint, same issue. Again, yesterday driving at about 30 mph the car just shut off. No problems immediately before, no sounds, nothing. It just stalled. Started up right away. No problems driving after except it did feel like it jerked a bit (almost unnoticeable except now I am very aware of this) on two occasions within 5 minutes after the stall. This car was purchases as a used vehicle back in Jan. It is a 2008. I also filed a complaint yesterday on this same issue which occurred just in the last few days and again a couple of weeks ago. So this is the 4th "stall" since I purchased the vehicle 7 weeks ago.

- Grand Rapids, MI, USA

problem #7

Feb 122013

Escape

  • 97,000 miles
Three times in last 4 weeks vehicle has stalled while driving. It will then restart immediately with no effort. It will then will surge, jerk very slightly upon driving it again. On one occasion there was no surging or jerking. Car was just purchased in late Jan. 2008 as a used vehicle. No check engine light. No warning lights whatsoever. No indicators when hooked up to a engine code readouts. Just stalls. Have had one very close near accident when someone was behind me and almost slammed into the back of my car as it died in the middle of the road at 40mph. When idling at stop light or just in park there is no indication of stalling, jerking, or rough idling. No indication of bad timing. Just while driving - no warning whatsoever, just stalls...not while accelerating, not while deceleration, just while driving. Has not happened on highway at high speed however this car is mostly driven in town, 90% of the time.

- Grand Rapids, MI, USA

problem #6

Nov 302012

Escape

  • 43,000 miles
Gas pedal sticks, especially in cold weather. Have had to put car into neutral on more than 1 occasion due to pedal sticking at high speed. Also sticks when accelerating at low speed, making acceleration almost impossible.

- St Clair Shores, MI, USA

problem #5

Dec 032012

Escape 6-cyl

  • 74,000 miles
While driving at 65 mph on I-10, toward armstrong international airport, the vehicle, with no pre-warning began to decelerate (slow down). The vehicles speed did not respond to depressing throttle pedal; the vehicle would not maintain speed. Fortunately, there were no vehicle in the right lane and I was able to get to the shoulder of the road. There, by turning off the ignition and restarting the vehicle I was able to continue the trip until the second and third occurrence. This situation occurred three more time on the return trip home. All on the interstate highway. Needless to say, after the first occurrence I proceeded in the far right lane where I could get to the shoulder easily. After doing some investigation, I have found that this has been occurring on Ford escorts since 2004 at least. I find it difficult to believe that such a potentially dangerous design flaw in an automobile has persisted so long. Imagine what would be the consequences of having this occur while driving in the middle of a six lane interstate with 18 wheelers all around. At best there would be an accident, there is a very high probability of fatalities.

- Gretna, LA, USA

problem #4

Oct 022012

Escape

  • 76,000 miles
Transmission issue: Starting revving high on 1st gear skipping 2nd to 3rd. "slipping" took it in and was told after a scan that it would have to be rebuilt. Was told this also by Ford as well as another 3rd party transmission place. All 3 of them admitted this is a very common issue. Paid 3000 to rebuild the unit. I was 3,000 miles over my Ford esp. Ford refused to help me out at all. Many forums also list this as a problem.

- Kirkland, WA, USA

problem #3

Aug 252012

Escape

  • 45,000 miles
I was driving my 2008 Ford Escape in a mall parking lot, and when I approach a stop sign the vehicle was extremely hard to stop. I had to use the full force of the brake all the way down to maintain the vehicle from surging/ crashing into cars in front of me. The engine was staying accelerated and would continue to climb in rpms even thou the gas pedal was not being pressed. I pulled off to the side away from other cars and put the car into parked. At this time the vehicle accelerated on its own to about 8000 rpms. The only way to stop the engine was to completely turn the car off with the key. Upon turning on the vehicle again the problem did not continue.

- Warrington, PA, USA

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