WE HAVE EXPERIENCED AN UNUSUAL PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM IN OUT 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THERE HAVE BEEN MAY EPISODES OF THE YELLOW ABS AND THE RED BRAKE WARNING LAMP LIGHTING UP AND THE ALARM SOUNDING OVER THE PAST YEAR. THIS WOULD HAPPEN FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND THEN AFTER SHUTTING-OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTING, THE BRAKES RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION. WE SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT OUR DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS AND BECAUSE THE WARNING LIGHT WASN'T ON AT THE TIME, THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO DETECT THE PROBLEM. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE BRAKES REVERTED TO FAIL SAFE MODE REQUIRING A "PEDAL TO THE FLOOR" EFFORT TO SLOW THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE STOP LUCKILY WHILE PULLING INTO OUR DRIVEWAY . AFTER THIS WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WERE TOLD WE NEEDED A NEW "HCU" UNIT AND MASTER CYLINDER WITH A TOTAL REPAIR COST OF $4K+. I DECIDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED MANY CASES OF THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENING WITH THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL ESCAPE. WE ARE GOING TO WAIT A FEW DAYS TO THINK BEFORE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE REPAIR. *TR
2009
SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY FOR 10 MINUTES. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON THE DASH BOARD, THE ELECTRIC PANEL READS "CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM" AND I LOOSE ALL BRAKING POWER. I SLAM ON THE BRAKES AS HARD AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT BARELY STOPS. I PULL OVER ON THE SHOULDER AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND THE LIGHTS GO AWAY AND THE BRAKES WORK AGAIN. I HAVE THE CAR LOOKED AT ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS BY TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND THEY CAN'T FIND A PROBLEM. FAST FORWARD TO SEPTEMBER 12, 2013. I AM IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHILE DRIVING FROM MASSACHUSSETTS TO MICHIGAN AND THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENS TWICE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ABOUT 4 HOURS APART. TAKING TO THE DEALERSHIP ON MONDAY, SEPT 16TH. *TR