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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
86,691 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 Hybrid engine problems

engine problem

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2008 Ford Escape Hybrid Owner Comments (Page 1 of 4)

problem #73

Aug 022022

Escape Hybrid

  • 154,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled, but restarted after 45 minutes. The vehicle stability assists system warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 154,000.

- Bonneau, SC, USA

problem #72

May 242019

Escape Hybrid

  • 122,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape hybrid. While driving approximately 75 mph, the contact noticed a rattling noise emerging from the engine compartment and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to metro Ford (5422 wayne terr, madison, wi 53718) where it was determined that the engine failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.

- Summit, WI, USA

problem #71

Dec 252017

Escape Hybrid

  • 133,588 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape hybrid. While driving 70 mph, the steering wheel shook severely and the vehicle was out of control. Also, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The contact coasted the vehicle to the side of the road and powered off the engine. The vehicle was restarted and was able to drive normally. The vehicle was slowly driven to matthews currie Ford (located at 130 N tamiami trail, nokomis, fl 34275, (800) 248-2378) where it was diagnosed that the steering column assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact was referred to NHTSA. The approximate failure mileage was 133,588.

- Columbus, WI, USA

problem #70

Aug 312018

Escape Hybrid

  • 176,779 miles

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

This has happened multiple times randomly without warning. I have been on a freeway, bridge, regular street, traffic. A red warning light will come on with "stop safely now" and the car will quickly slow down. It will go really slow regardless of stepping on the gas. Once I pull over I have T stop the car and put it in park then turn it back on. This is extremely dangerous especially when I am on the freeway or on the bridge (I work in san francisco).

- San Jose, CA, USA

problem #69

Jul 272017

Escape Hybrid

  • 294,000 miles
I was driving on the interstate with my 2 year old and 4 year old in the car. I had been driving for about 45 min at interstate speeds, then slowed down to about 5-10 miles per hour due to traffic. All of a sudden, while slowly moving in traffic, a tone sounded, a red triangle appeared on the dash and the message center showed 'stop safely now'. the engine turned off, so the car stalled and stopped itself for me with no time to react. I was stuck in the middle lane of a 3 lane interstate and the car would not restart. It just kept the same message 'stop safely now', with the red triangle displayed. Eventually a road Ranger assisted me to the side of the road by pushing my dead car while in neutral. I let the car sit and cool off over night and then was able to restart it in the morning with no issues at all. After reading online, the failure sounds identical to other Ford Escape hybrid problems with the failure of the motor electronics coolant (mec) pump. There was a recall that covered my vehicle model production year model and location of production, NHTSA recall no. : 14V-526 manufacturer recall no. : 14S19. However, after inquiries with nhsta and Ford, both have told me that my VIN is not covered under the recall. There is no explanation that either entity will provide as to why my specific vehicle, with the same production date, location, and model as this recall, does not fall under this recall. I was never notified of any recalls when the recall was initiated either, if this had occurred less than a minute earlier, it would have caused a major accident and only by chance it occurred when traffic was moving slower, leaving time for other drivers to react to my stalled vehicle in the middle of the interstate.

- New Orleans, LA, USA

problem #68

May 202017

Escape Hybrid

  • 109,927 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape hybrid. While driving 70 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to gary yeomans Ford (1420 N. tomoka farms road, daytona beach, fl 32124, (386) 274-6700) to be diagnosed and repaired. The contact was informed that the coolant pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V526000 (hydro propulsion system). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 109,927.

- Trumbull, CT, USA

problem #67

Apr 092017

Escape Hybrid

  • 140,000 miles

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

At just over 100,000 miles, warning light comes on to pull over safely, and engine will stall. This happens while driving at highway speeds, as well as commuter traffic. Yesterday I had to be pushed off the road by police while at an intersection. After turning car off for 10 minutes, car started back up and I was able to get home. Ford has run a diagnostic on my car and says there is nothing wrong.

- Seminole, FL, USA

problem #66

Dec 082016

Escape Hybrid

  • 210,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape hybrid. While driving 40 mph, the vehicle stalled and the stop-safety warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted after ten minutes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the technician was unable to duplicate the failure or produce a fault code. The contact was informed that the failure could be related to the throttle body needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 210,000.

- Vicksburg, MS, USA

problem #65

Aug 152016

Escape Hybrid

  • 161,000 miles
The vehicle stalled and lost all power to the engine with a "pull over safely" sign while on the freeway back in September 2013 wherein I was told to have the cooling part for the hybrid battery replaced. I was told the part was faulty. The replaced part had to be replaced again that same week by another dealership with Ford. Fast forward to today, and the same red triangle warning lights appeared and the part needs to be replaced again. The warranty for the part is only for 2 years, but after 3 years with the part, the dealership is telling me it needs to be replaced again. I find this aggregious in nature and a racket that Ford is taking advantage of their customers. The make and model were a part of a recall specific to this very issue, but my specific VIN number was not included in this recall, so I'm out of options for Ford to address this issue themselves, telling me that it is out of warranty and they will not assist me with the replacement/costs and now I'm expected to come out of pocket again for the same issue. The original situation occurred while traveling 70mph on the I5 southbound near lake elsinore, ca in the hov lane on the freeway, and two days ago it was stationary and could not be started after driving it that morning after sitting for one hour.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #64

Jun 202016

Escape Hybrid

  • miles
It was been more than couple years ago when I had error message" stop safely now" on my Ford 2008 Escape hybrid. During that time, I was driving interstate round 50-60 miles per hour and all of sudden, it stop the engine. I took the dealer the next day. They get it fixed. Until recently, May 22, 2016 and June 20,2016 the error "stop safely message" came back. I took to the same dealer I used to go but this time. I left it for 2 days but the dealer said it will take a while to diagnose whats is the issue. I had to rent a car for those days but my car was not fix or the dealer saying it will take a while. I am sure they know what is the error code. Is this a recall?I seen other complain in here almost the same like me.

- Falls Church, VA, USA

problem #63

Apr 262015

Escape Hybrid

  • 60,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape hybrid. While driving approximately 30 mph, the "turn off engine immediately" warning indicator illuminated. The contact pulled over and waited approximately 30 minutes before the vehicle was restarted. After the vehicle was restarted, a lock with a key warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact also mentioned that the vehicle was previously serviced per an unknown recall for the same failure in 2013. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

- San Fransisco, CA, USA

problem #62

May 212016

Escape Hybrid

  • 85,000 miles
When the engine was warm, the engine would surge then stall at highway speeds (55+). a red hazard light then came on, and a stop safely message came on. Pulling the vehicle over, and restarting the vehicle allowed further driving for another 20-30 miles before the issue would happen again.

- Ames, IA, USA

problem #61

Feb 252016

Escape Hybrid

  • 90,000 miles
After approx. 10 minutes of stop and go driving at <5mph a tone sounded, a red triangle lit, and the led indicated "stop safely now." The engine did not stall, shut down, or give any other indication of a fault, therefore I continued driving at <15mph to the nearest parking lot and turned off the engine. After I returned several hours later the engine started normally with no fault indication, and I was able to drive home without any further fault indication. I read on the web that this had occurred with other 2008 Escape hybrids and was due to a faulty hybrid system electronics cooling pump. One complainant indicated that the 2008 Escape hybrids had been recalled for this issue, but the recall does not show on your, or on Ford's, database for this vehicle. Has this been reported previously, and was there a recall?

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #60

Nov 232015

Escape Hybrid

  • 105,200 miles
In 2012, I was driving on freeway at approx 70mph when I heard the warning sound and red light warning me to "stop safely now." I had to cross four lanes of traffic and barely got to the shoulder before the power shut down completely. I waited and it restarted, but it did it two more times before I reached my destination. I called and took my vehicle for repair, which was determined to be the coolant pump (cost $1010.96). The next year a recall for this issue occurred and I was refunded the cost for repair. Today, 2015, the same issue occurred. This time I had just pulled off from a traffic light making a U-turn, so traveling maybe 10 mph when I got the same sound and warning red light as I felt the engine losing power. I got through the busy intersection and safely to the shoulder. I immediately drove the vehicle to the dealership. This time I was told the issue was the throttle body. It was cleaned and reprogrammed (cost $369.15; I was told my vehicle is not in the VIN# group). While the costs have been high financially, we are mostly concerned about the potential costs from having the vehicle suddenly lose power and shut down. Both times I have been very lucky to avoid crashes. Same symptoms, different diagnoses; concerned about what might happen next.

- Orlando, FL, USA

problem #59

Oct 272015

Escape Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 70,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at 60 mph, the engine stalled as the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the throttle assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. Update 01/13/16

- Covina, CA, USA

problem #58

Oct 192015

Escape Hybrid

  • 170,000 miles
Electronic throttle body failure equivalent to the customer satisfaction program but told my VIN number is not in the applicable group. Loss of all engine power while on the freeway traveling at 65mph with a semi tractor trailor behind me. I was barely able to get the vehicle onto the side of the road.

- Centreville, VA, USA

problem #57

Mar 292015

Escape Hybrid

  • 106,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape hybrid. While driving various speeds, the stop safely now warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel and the vehicle decelerated independently. After shutting down the vehicle for several minutes, it resumed normal operation once restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician determined that the throttle body would need to be replaced. The manufacturer stated that the VIN was not affected by a customer satisfaction program. The contact experienced the failure described in the program. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 106,000.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #56

Mar 132014

Escape Hybrid

  • 121,000 miles
Vehicle gasoline engine power quits with no warning. I have experienced this only when driving on the highway and only when driving for more that approximately 20 minutes. A "pull over safely now", or words to that effect, appear on the information screen. The electric engine will continue to work if it has charge. The car will restart almost immediately, but will quickly stall again if the engine is not allowed to cool down. This is very dangerous as it occurs only at high speed.

- Ellicott City, MD, USA

problem #55

Jan 192006

Escape Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 91,100 miles
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?

- Glen Ellen, CA, USA

problem #54

Jan 032015

Escape Hybrid

  • 125,700 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape hybrid. While driving approximately 35 mph, the engine stalled without warning. After restarting the vehicle, the rpms began to increase rapidly. The vehicle was driven with caution due to the excessive hesitation. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the throttle body was stuck and required replacement. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 125,700.

- Bethel, NC, USA

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