Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Ford Escape Hybrid Brake Problems

124»

Comments

  • unhappyforderunhappyforder Member Posts: 3
    I had the same thing with my 2006 FEH. Now they are telling me it will be a $5000 fix! at 75k miles with no other brake problems. Unfortunately, no bubble for me. :-( I am without a vehicle because I can't afford the $5k.
  • unhappyforderunhappyforder Member Posts: 3
    Willie,

    I'm getting the same thing, but mine is intermittent which, to me, indicates a computer glitch. Everything works perfectly somethimes. For me it was a $5000 quote!

    I've talked to several local mechanics who spit out their coffee or choke when I tell them the repair bill! They say they can't touch the FORD ABS system. (something about needing a VERY expensive programmer to match the computer to the car ID?)

    I think I've scared off at least a dozen people from buying a Ford with the story of my brake bill. I'm going to tell it to everyone I know and then some. It doesn't look like there will be a happy ending since I have contacted FORD customer complaints and they said basically:

    Yeah, you have a right to be mad about that bill, but you are on your own, we aren't going to help you out one bit.

    What do they think they are, therapists? I have a right to be mad? No kidding sherlock! The vehicle is only 5 years old and I have a repair bill that makes my vehicle worthless unless I pay them the $5000 repair bill so I can sell it for only a couple thousand more if I'm lucky?!?

    No Way, I'll junk it instead! Or, park it on my lot on the side of the main road with a big sign on it saying "for sale...needs a $5000 brake job according to ford!"

    If you get a junk yard to take yours, let me know how much you get in maine, I'll do the same here.

    I'm taking it to a different ford dealer for a second oppinion tomorrow. Wish me luck.
  • willieinmainewillieinmaine Member Posts: 4
    Good news (for me anyway)! I took it to another dealer in Waterville, ME (Ray Haskell Ford) and they were able to fix it without the expensive parts. I did not tell them about the first dealer experience, only about the first shop that could not bleed the brakes.

    The receipt says:

    "40 ECC tested 3 codes bled brakes and reprogrammed ABS, did pinpoint test - road tested OK"

    so $176 instead of potential $7K.

    Lesson: if this happens to you don't accept that the master cylinder and HCU are bad. Get other opinions. Make them go back at it.

    Hopefully the fix will last me!

    It seems like this regenerative brake thing is just too dang complex and reliant on computers. It is a scary feeling to know that you are at the mercy of Ford dealers for this rather than local mechanics.

    thanks,

    Will

    There is more on this and shop manuals here: http://www.escape-city.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=11675
  • degu1degu1 Member Posts: 2
    I had the same thing happen with my 2006 Hybrid Escape brakes. I went to the manager of the dealership and asked him to intervene with Ford customer service...not much help, but fortunately for me I the manager of the service dept. said he would bleed brakes and see if this would "fix" the problem as the pads etc all looked good on the auto. Basically did the same as your tech, for under $200.00 and the ABS light hasn't come on since. This was back in Jan.2011.
  • dsteakdsteak Member Posts: 18
    Yup. I've had this problem since 1.5 years (18K miles). While my car was still under warranty, they kept changing the ground saying that was the fix. I had it in 10 times. After my car was out of warranty, the fix was then a new computer module ($4,500). Even my dealer was on my side, saying that the fix should have been the computer module from the start, which was what other people were getting, which is what I asked in the beginning, "isn't that the fix, a new computer module?". Ford told my dealer to help me but Ford themselves wouldn't be providing any assistance whatsoever. My dealer told me they would provide the fix at cost ($3500). So apparently Ford makes $1000+ on this repair. Nice for them huh? There is a facebook page about this to LIKE - link title

    Ford didn't want a recall or any negative publicity about their hybrids (the Mercury has the same issue) since times were tough in the auto industry. You can read the history of my posts on this site, but it provides no consolation. I tell everyone Ford hybrids are no good, but gee they made billions last year. This is my last Ford. How about a little class action?
  • sothseggersothsegger Member Posts: 2
    I have also had brake failure on a 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid. Two weeks ago, at 50,000 miles and just back from the dealer's service, the brakes failed at start-up: very little braking action and a warning on the dash. I drove it around the block and went through four stop signs. I had it towed back to the dealer, where it has been ever since. The technician there found a code for "over-extended brake pedal" -- naturally the result when the brakes fail and the pedal goes to the floor. The service manager says they cannot duplicate the failure despite frequent attempts, and that Ford will not authorize repair unless they can see the failure for themselves. The "Customer Service" Manager at Ford headquarters, implies that Ford's engineers are unaware of this kind of problem and have no explanation for it -- a position that is belied by the many posts at this site. The dealer's technician was more honest: he said "We can't replace the system without Ford's approval, and they won't approve that because of the high-dollar parts." But I have a high-dollar life.

    I agree with those who say that a class-action suit is appropriate. Better now than after someone is killed.

    In the meantime, I am taking my case to the Bureau of Automotive Repair of the California Department of Consumer Affairs.
  • shoemad77221shoemad77221 Member Posts: 1
    Brakes working fine on my 2005. Curious if you can operate the vehicle without any hybrid battery life. Can you disable the hybrid so as to not replace batteries when they finally go?
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "Brakes working fine on my 2005. Curious if you can operate the vehicle without any hybrid battery life. Can you disable the hybrid so as to not replace batteries when they finally go? "

    No. The battery has to be working for the vehicle to move.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    First, "my shop"....

    Second....Siezed/stuck brake caliper piston at 187,000 should be considered a normal failure.

    The calipers should have been inspected/replaced/rebuilt at that initial brake service.

    Lastly..."your shop" began a brake fluid proceedure without knowing, or knowing how, to completely bleed a system as complex as is the FEH.
  • willieinmainewillieinmaine Member Posts: 4
    Did you not read that one Ford dealer wanted $1500 for master cylinder to tell me that I then might need a $4000 HCU? And that another Ford dealer figured it out for $176?

    I think our point here is to learn about this problem and how to deal with it without getting in an accident or getting ripped off.

    What is your point?
  • patrick100patrick100 Member Posts: 2
    I also have a failed ABS system...just had the ground wire and battery replaced and a day later got the service brake message. Searching Google I found a couple used for sale for around $200. The description says:

    ABS Control Module/Pump
    Assm; Hybrid, 4WD
    Fits: 2006 Ford Escape
    assembly; Hybrid, 4WD

    I checked Motorcraft website that shows the price at $3125. The dealer quoted 3,700 plus 400 to install.

    Can a used one work?
    What prices are you being quoted for the part?

    I plan on selling this car within the month. Dont really want to put a lot more into this POS.

    thanks!
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Sequence of events does not lead me to the belief that something has HARD failed.

    Look to "what changed"....
  • dsteakdsteak Member Posts: 18
    i would also be interested in replacing this with a used one and selling the car. i have had this same problem for 5 years now.
  • patrick100patrick100 Member Posts: 2
    I saw a post somewhere where someone had bought a used one, had their mechanic install it and when they took it to the Dealer to get the lines bleed (you need special equipment) they said they couldn't program it. Might be pretty risky to go used.
  • thowleythowley Member Posts: 1
    2nd year in a row our brakes have failed in our 2010 Hybrid. Brakes failing on a vehicle 1 time is 1 too many. Our teenager drives this car and I can't imagine this new driver being in the car when this has happened. I will not stop until this known problem is fixed. I cannot believe no one has been hurt yet in this vehicle or that Ford is willing to risk this.
    I have started the escalation process.
  • Chuckles37Chuckles37 Member Posts: 16
    FEH 09, 44K miles. Wife driving, red brake light, chimes and check brake system comes on, brake petal to the floor, gets the FEH to stop. Luckily she is going slow in an isolated area. Calls me, I start it up, no alert or alarms. Drive slowly and carefully the 6 miles to Ford dealer, no issues on the drive. Has a code about the brake pressure sensor. Tech finds the wiring run to the connection is very tight and the connector is not fully engaged. Reroutes wiring run to get some slack, tightens everything up, code is gone, drives fine. Based on some other estimates in this forum for repair parts, the $100 fix for this problem, instead of $4K computer, was a lot easier to pay. Glad something was found.
  • alandeanealandeane Member Posts: 1
    I've got a 2009 Escape Hybrid with 76K miles on it. I've experienced braking problems when traveling down very steep grades (i.e. Mt. Whitney portal to valley, etc..., 10+% downgrades). Specifically, the vehicle shakes severely and the regenerative power/battery meter doesn't indicate that it's being regenerated, as it normally does when the brakes are applied. This happened the summer of 2011, than again this past summer, each time only once, while traveling down severe grades. I had the transmission in low to help keep my speed down to minimize the braking. The shaking would typically occur while braking at 40-50 mph +/-. This has not happened in any other situations, and the brakes appear to be working well at all other times. Any thoughts?
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    "....transmission in "low"...."

    "B" mode also?
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "I've got a 2009 Escape Hybrid with 76K miles on it. I've experienced braking problems when traveling down very steep grades (i.e. Mt. Whitney portal to valley, etc..., 10+% downgrades). Specifically, the vehicle shakes severely and the regenerative power/battery meter doesn't indicate that it's being regenerated, as it normally does when the brakes are applied. This happened the summer of 2011, than again this past summer, each time only once, while traveling down severe grades. I had the transmission in low to help keep my speed down to minimize the braking. The shaking would typically occur while braking at 40-50 mph +/-. This has not happened in any other situations, and the brakes appear to be working well at all other times. Any thoughts? "

    I don't know about "severe" shaking, but if you are in "L" going down hill, the battery will max out at about 66% SOC. After that point, the FEH will use the engine to brake, which can be pretty loud. Next time, shift back to "D" and see if the shaking goes away. But on my 2008, the only thing that happens is I hear the engine. If there is shaking, something may be wrong under the hood.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Might be the EBD, Electronic Braking Distrbution. The system tries to "balance" braking front vs rear. I most notice it activating on a slight downhill with wet roadbed, feels like cross multiple railroad tracks.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    edited October 2012
    "Might be the EBD, Electronic Braking Distrbution. The system tries to "balance" braking front vs rear. I most notice it activating on a slight downhill with wet roadbed, feels like cross multiple railroad tracks. "

    Really? Since you never owned an FEH, how do you know what Ford EBD feels like?

    As an owner, I can say that I have never had any such feeling from my 2008 FEH.

    I normally make sure to ignore wwest when he trolls other forums for vehicles he has never owned. But I had to clear up misinformation.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    "..how do you know what Ford EBD feels like?..."

    Never said I did, "might be" is in no way a definitive team.

    And why would you assume, suppose, that Ford's implementation of EBD would differ significantly than others?

    On the other hand since the FEH must "contend" with three separate braking modes (front ONLY [regen], combined [regen front, frictional front/rear], and frictional only) I would suspect that activation of EBD might even more pronounced, noticeable vs my RX300.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    Like I said, I don't answer trolls.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Good-O....
  • wilcoxwilcox Member Posts: 582
    Found something unusual...beats all I've ever personally seen car wise :confuse:

    Yesterday, I jacked up our 2007 Merc Mariner 4X4 HYBRID SUV in the garage and inspected the underneath and removed all 4 wheels and inspected disc brakes on all four axles.

    We began operating this vehicle in October of 2006. It now has reached 90,000 miles on odometer. All the original disc brake pads linings are in good shape and I'll wager that there is still a good 25K - 30K miles left in them. The rotors look fine IMO...not brand new looking...but not badly grooved or pitted, warpo'ed, etc.

    Nothing else was out of order... :)

    This is my 2nd brake inspection on the vehicle. 1st one was at 65K miles.
  • mwestberrymwestberry Member Posts: 1
    Curious to know what happened up happening here? My mom is having the same problem with hers.. The brakes randomly fail and dealer doesn't know what the real problem is so is suggesting repairs that "may" solve the problem.
  • megrenmegren Member Posts: 1
    So I bought my 2006 FEH used this spring. As soon as I got it I noticed that it 'talked' to me when I got near it - sometimes when I opened the door. A quiet rapid clicking noise. It didn't seem a big enough issue to bring up to my mechanic so I just got used to it.

    Recently the check brakes and check 4x4 lights both came on and it had a shudder on some slow turns and occasional shudder when I braked. I took it to my local mechanic.

    They said it needed a tone ring - no biggie. When they had it apart, they called to say it needed disks and tie rods. OK.

    But, once they put it back together, no brakes.

    Now they say that the ABS Brake pump was what was making the mysterious noise (they heard it too) and that it must have been running too often and now it has died. Along with the sensor/module thingy that's mounted on it.

    They say I need a new one, maybe I should look for a used one and they're afraid to mess with it so I should probably get it towed to a dealer. Oh, and the part is going to cost about $3,500. More than 1/2 the amount that I paid for the car.

    Can the pump coincidentally have died just when they messed with the system? Could they maybe not have put something back together correctly? Can it be tested? Can I find a used one? Any suggestions?

    THANKS!! I don't know if its worth it to buy a new pump but if someone can come up with a $100 fix, it's surely worth it!!

    It may not be relevant , but it was owned by a park system shortly before I bought it - there's evidence of a roof mounted light, a radio in the dash and other electrical systems askew (some dangling unattached under the hood.)
  • troutfinktroutfink Member Posts: 1
    edited September 2017
    This code is usually due to having low brake pads and/or rotors on the front Front of your escape (which is athe hybrid braking system) The pads and/rotors get too thin and worn after extended use and triggers an error code for an "ABS brake system failure" or "check brake system" on the heads up display followed by an "ABS" and "Brake" warning light. If you want a sure fix heres what you do: Replace front brake pads and rotors and have a brake fluid change. You'll need to go to a Ford dealership to have the brake fluid changed because they have proprietary software that adjusts the ABS system. This is crucial! Do not skip this! There's other mechanics out there that can do this but very few shops can do it. I had the fluid changed on my escape then I did a pad and rotor change in the driveway. Cost me $425 US. Now I've got premium grade ceramic brake pads and coated rotors at a fraction of the price of what I would have been charged by having a shop do it. CRITICAL EDIT; when you're the Ford dealership have them upgrade the "ECU Firmware" on your Escape. Most likely it is out of date and needs updating. There are several updates that have come out that help the braking system.
  • betobeto Member Posts: 1
    Thanks all!
    This thread was very helpful for me, so I want to share my experience with other owners. I have a 2008 Escape Hybrid FWD
    Got the ABS and Break warning lights, with "Check Brake System" and Regen Brakes Disabled" message. Codes:
    U0418-FF, C1478-A0, C1480-A0, U2023-A0
    Cleared the codes twice, immediately came back. I could hear a rough noise (it seemed like coming from the HCU) before the warning lights came up both times.
    Dealer #1 quoted the "standard" $5k to replace the HCU ($4700 the HCU alone)
    Dealer #2 in Leesburg, VA, replaced the front brake lines and fixed it (they warned before that this does not work 100% of the time and HCU could still be needed, but it was worth the risk to me). Brakes pads and rotors were almost due for replacement so I asked them to replace those as well. Total $930. So far so good (cross fingers). These fine mechanics have a new customer.
    I was ready to junk this car , now it seems it will last a little longer.

    TWO MORE TIPS for owners of this SUV:

    1) Intermittent ABS system kicking in: Check for cracked tone rings. Happened twice, the first time the dealer could not figure out even after 3 visits (Dealer #3) until I pointed it out, having learned from another thread. $300 to replace a $15 ring.

    2) Hybrid battery error . Code:
    P0A1F: - Battery Energy Control Module

    I was getting an error and the hybrid system was deactivating itself.
    This one was cleared by luck. I parked the car and didn't move it for about 5 weeks (I was traveling). When I tried to start the car it wouldn't. I tried a jump start and did the hybrid battery recovery procedure with the hidden button on the left of the instrument panel.
    Problem gone. This alarm can be caused by the difference between lower and highest cell voltages exceeding a certain threshold. My theory is that the discharge "evened out" the cells and the alarm cleared. Not sure, and not sure how to purposely discharge the hybrid battery, but this was a year ago and haven't seen the alarm again.

    Thanks!
  • F0l2sakenF0l2saken Member Posts: 1
    The primary mistake everyone makes with these codes is not having a VCMII scan tool. If you don't have one, don't try to work on these. OBD2 scanners/code readers do not count. There are fault codes that can only be reset by 2 tests that you can only run if you have the VCMII and the IDS software from ford. They are the brake bleed test and the brake actuator test. If you do not run and complete these tests, your brake system will never leave limp mode and the lights will stay on.

    I purchased one of these, it had every code everyone on here complains about before they run to ford and get taken for $5000. I did some research, found the VCMII on ebay from china that even comes with a cracked version of IDS. I reset the fault codes with this tool, drove the car, only got a fault code for a wheel speed sensor. Replaced the sensor, the fault codes were still there. Ran these two tests I mentioned earlier, and wouldn't you know, I have my brakes back.
  • FordHybridHijackedFordHybridHijacked Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2021
    We bought our 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid in 2016 with 80K miles and the brakes failed on the test drive. The Mazda dealership said they would make all the repairsand replace the HCU if I agreed to pay full price. It sounded like a good deal! After all, it couldn't happen twice, right? Now 20K miles later we are facing a $4K bill to fix it a second time. My wife bumped the car in front of her last week when the brakes suddenly disappeared The ABS light on and SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM displayed, and the brake light.. Ford should do the right thing and fix this dangerous problem.
Sign In or Register to comment.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles