2007 Ford Escape Hybrid: brake failure

Filed Aug 9, 2018 · Brakes · 160,000 miles · CA

Brake failure. Pulling up to a stop sign, applied brakes, vehicle started slowing. Brakes released and I had to slam my foot all the way down to get the car to stop. Brought to the dealership and am told there is a technical service bulletin regarding this issue.

Filed Feb 13, 2018 · Brakes · 125,000 miles · IL

The ABS light goes on and I have minimum brakes. When ABS and brake light goes on I have almost no brakes and I end up skidding when stopping. I have have multiple near misses and burned rubber trying to stop. These lights are sporadic but they come on at least 90% of the time. When the lights are off, the brakes are fine. I have taken it to my mechanic and he said there is nothing that they can do because my brakes are fine when they check it. They also said that it looks like its the electrical unit that is on back order and not even available. They have told me that this is a huge problem from many ford owners and that I should file a complaint to have this recalled.

Filed Jan 18, 2016 · Brakes, Visibility · 124,000 miles · NM

Several times, over a period of 2 years, at low speeds (approx. 30 MPH) ABS and brake light come on with alarm sounds. Able to stop,but brakes not responding correctly, turned off ignition, restarted, everything ok. Then ABS and brake light come on and won't go off, have brakes but they don't respond correctly, making the car very unsafe to drive. Go for diagnosis; afterward no brakes and hybrid assist message appears. Car is no longer operable. All brake incidents occurred on city streets or in driveway on starting. Diagnosis: master cylinder needs replacing and probably hydraulic control unit as well. Total cost for parts before labor $6,000,approximately the same as the value of the vehicle. The failure of these parts is apparently a common and well known problem that ford refuses to address.

Filed Aug 12, 2015 · Brakes · 114,511 miles · OK

Applying brakes coming into intersection and the brakes failed to apply at the wheels had to use emergency brake to complete the maneuver through the intersection without colliding with another vehicle and return to job site.

Filed Jul 23, 2015 · Brakes · MI

Abs light, service brake and emergency brake lights come on intermittently and the car requires me to stop. It will not restart and brakes are not working. This has happened multiple times with various fixes from the dealerships (replace fuses, replace broken tone rings, recalibrate ABS, etc). This has happened now for the 5th time (I am at 78,239 miles on the car). This time my brakes went out entirely with no warning. Thankfully I was going very slow in a neighborhood. The dealer has instructed me that the car requires a new master cylinder and a new hcu. The cost of this was quoted at $6800. Without this fix my car is unsafe and not drivable.

Filed May 26, 2015 · Brakes · 196,555 miles · NJ

I was driving home in route 94 vernon nj the brake light and the ABS light went on, and the brake pedal was high but no brakes, the regenerative brakes were disabled, the engine turn off and I found myself driving only with the electrical motor and no brakes after I pull over turn off the car. Since this moment my car is running only for periods off 10 to 15 minutes before it turn off, still no brakes at all.

Filed Apr 29, 2015 · Brakes · 102,000 miles · OR

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 ford escape hybrid. While driving at 20 MPH and approaching a stop sign, the brakes failed to respond. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the hydraulic unit failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 102,000. Updated 7/9/15

Filed Jan 3, 2013 · Brakes · 115,000 miles · PA

Warning light (ABS) and messages appeared (service 4 x 4, service brakes soon) unexpectedly. After letting the car sit for a day, the light and messages went away. However, the next time the car was driven, it bucked when the brakes were applied, and the traction control warning light came on - on a dry road. After researching the problem online, it seems that many escape hybrid owners have had the same issue. Owner is afraid to drive the car for fear of complete brake failure and afraid to take it to the dealer for fear of costly repairs for this issue after having spent $5000 to repair complete failure of power train system.

Filed Jun 19, 2012 · Brakes · 91,020 miles · CA

My whole family was in the vehicle leaving a parking lot when the brake light and ABS light both came on and the brakes failed to work at all. I kept trying to use the brake and then had to throw the ebrake on to come to a complete stop. I could not imagine if we were going any faster or if someone else in my family was driving the car. The cost to get it fixed was $3,820 which was outrageous.

Filed May 5, 2011 · Brakes · 96,493 miles · CA

Total brake failure. Abs and brake warning lights came on, followed by total brake failure. Occurred following service at ford dealership. The problem first occurred to mechanics servicing the vehicle. I was not told that a brake failure had occurred to the vehicle.

Filed Sep 16, 2010 · Brakes, Electrical · 55,000 miles · PA

At 41,000 miles, the service brake system light came on and required an ABS tone ring to be replaced. This is now looking to be quite the common part to break after the warranty expires. The service brake system light would come on in frequently, but would never generate a diagnostic code. At ~55000 miles, the service brake system light turned on and when I depressed my brake pedal, it went to the floor and was only able to stop the car by downshifting and using the emergency brake. Luckily I was only driving ~25 MPH on an empty road, but my young children were in the car. I turned the car off, and back on and tested the brakes on a short flat section of the road and they worked. I proceeded the 1/4 mile to my house and after stopping at a red light and 2 stop signs, the brakes failed pulling into my driveway being stopped by my other car!!! The ford dealer had the car and pulled a diagnostic code which had them replace an actuator in the d-pillar. They assured me that this solved the issue. My wife left to take the kids to school and the service brake system light turned on and the brakes failed as she pulled into the driveway. We had the vehicle towed to ford and they have been unable to find anything wrong or get the brakes to fail. No codes were generated. The general manager of the dealership claimed he had never heard of brakes failing on ford hybrids.

Filed Aug 8, 2010 · Brakes · 43,000 miles · MI

Numerous intermittent brake/system issues. Including grabbing during transition from regenerative to normal braking during wet/frozen conditions(causing poor control/sliding on slippery roads). First dealer, no trouble found, second dealer replaced front tone ring, did not correct, told to wait maybe a bulletin will be issued. Dealer retained part. Intermittent brake ABS/traction control/4x4 warning messages (vehicle may fail to accelerate during failure and or unexpectedly jump side to side during normal acceleration). Dealer replaced rear rotation sensor. Dealer retained part clunking, lurching and loss of braking during transition from regenerative to normal braking (causes driver to depress pedal harder then when braking restores vehicle stops abruptly). Not checked by dealer.