TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000. *TR
2009
SERVICE BRAKES
DRIVING DOWN A MAJOR BLVD. 4 LIGHTS TURNED ON SIMULTANEOUSLY, BRAKE, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL AND THE "WRENCH" ICON INDICATING A MAJOR FAILURE. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I EXPERIENCED AN 80% LOSS OF BRAKING POWER NARROWLY AVOIDING A COLLISION WITH CARS STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME. LIGHTS REMAINED ON AND BRAKES WERE SEVERELY COMPROMISED AS I LIMPED TO THE NEAREST REPAIR SHOP WITH VERY LITTLE BRAKING ABILITY. TURNED THE CAR OFF. WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR ALL SYSTEMS WERE OPERATIONAL AND ALL LIGHTS WERE OFF. DROVE THE CAR TO A FORD DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY FOR EVALUATION. DEALER DIAGNOSED A COMPROMISED BATTERY AS THE SOURCE OF FAILURE AND REPLACED THE BATTERY. DEALER SERVICE REP DENIED THIS PROBLEM HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT AS OTHER REPORTS MENTION WITH THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS ON YOUR SITE, AS WELL DENIED PROBLEMS WITH THE MASTER CYLINDER OR REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE BATTERY DIDN'T EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM TO ME, WHY THEN DID THE CAR CONTINUE TO DRIVE NORMALLY FOR A WHILE FOLLOWING THE FAILURE BEFORE THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED? EVEN IF THIS IS THE PROBLEM, NO BATTERY LIGHT INDICATED A PROBLEM PRIOR TO FAILURE. AM I TO EXPECT BRAKE FAILURE TO BE WHAT ANNOUNCES MY BATTERY MIGHT BE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT? NO FAIL SAFE MECHANISM APPEARS TO BE IN PLACE ON THIS VEHICLE. TREACHEROUS. I'LL LIKELY SELL THE CAR AS I DON'T WANT MY LESS EXPERIENCED 16 YR OLD TO BE CONFRONTED WITH THIS ISSUE. I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE LEFT PLENTY OF FOLLOWING DISTANCE, WITHOUT WHICH I MOST CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE BECOME THE VICTIM OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR