2008 Ford ESCAPE HYBRID: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
443 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
95,534 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 414 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 129 of 443 complaints (29.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 174 | 39.3% |
| Steering behavior | 115 | 26.0% |
| Engine operation | 48 | 10.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 42 | 9.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 1.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 129 |
| Steering | 107 |
| Engine | 74 |
| Electrical System | 63 |
| Power Train | 42 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 29 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 25 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 21 |
Service Brakes: 129; Steering: 107; Engine: 74; Electrical System: 63; Power Train: 42; Engine And Engine Cooling: 29; Vehicle Speed Control: 25; Fuel/Propulsion System: 21
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 12 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 40 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 87 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 76 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 131 |
| 150,000 and above | 68 |
Under 25,000: 12; 25,000 to 49,999: 40; 50,000 to 74,999: 87; 75,000 to 99,999: 76; 100,000 to 149,999: 131; 150,000 and above: 68
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (131). 29 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 23 |
| 2011 | 35 |
| 2012 | 48 |
| 2013 | 45 |
| 2014 | 63 |
| 2015 | 47 |
| 2016 | 46 |
| 2017 | 42 |
| 2018 | 54 |
| 2019 | 21 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2009: 4; 2010: 23; 2011: 35; 2012: 48; 2013: 45; 2014: 63; 2015: 47; 2016: 46; 2017: 42; 2018: 54; 2019: 21; 2020: 2; 2021: 5; 2022: 3; 2023: 1; 2024: 2; 2025: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 174 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 115 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 48 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10269930 · 2009-05-26 (May 26, 2009)
IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON SHORTLY BEFORE A TIRE WENT FLAT. DURING THE TIRE REPAIR, THE VALVE STEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK. THE STEM WAS CRACKED AND CORRODED. INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE'S OTHER VALVE STEMS SHOWED THEY WERE ALSO DEFECTIVE, AND THE SPARE STEM STARTED TO HISS AND LEAK UPON TOUCHING IT. ALL FIVE OEM VALVE STEMS WERE REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 10,653 miles reported. Look up ODI 10269930 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10277245 · 2009-07-17 (July 17, 2009)
FORD ESCAPE HYBRID 2008 CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM MESSAGE WITH ABS LIGHTS ON THEN GOT REGEN BRAKES DISABLED WHEN PRESSING BRAKE PEDAL PRIOR TO TAKING OUT OF PARK. 41438 MILES (JUST OUT OF WARRANTY OF COURSE) AND JUST EXPERIENCE NO BRAKES WHEN I BACKED OUT. I CALLED THE SERVICE DESK AND THEY CLAIMED THEY NEVER HEARD OF ANY ISSUES WITH REGEN BRAKES ON MY CAR OR RECALLS. I LOOK ONLINE AND I FIND POSTS SUCH AS HTTP://WWW.EPINIONS.COM/REVIEW/2006_FORD_ESCAPE_HYBRID/CONTENT_442261278340 AND I'M ABOUT READY TO JUST SICK A LAWYER ON FORD INSTEAD OF EVEN AT…
Owner-reported narrative. 41,438 miles reported. Look up ODI 10277245 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10282755 · 2009-09-03 (September 3, 2009)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING THE VEHICLE THE BRAKES FAILED. HE WAS ABLE TO PREVENT A VEHICLE CRASH BY USING THE PARKING BREAK TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, IN WHICH A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT AND EXPENSE OF 1,200.00 . HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS OFFERED AN $800.00 DISCOUNT. HE HAD THE COMPONENT REPAIRED AT AN EXPENSE OF $400.00 THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 42,000. UPDATED 09/23/09 *BF UPD…
Owner-reported narrative. 41,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10282755 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10293354 · 2009-11-24 (November 24, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. HE ALSO OWNS A FLEET OF 2008 AND 2009 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY LOST POWER STEERING. USUALLY AFTER THE VEHICLE RESTARTS, STEERING BECAME LESS DIFFICULT. A TECHNICIAN FROM THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FLEET OF VEHICLES ARE WARRANTED FOR ONLY 36,000 MILES. THE STEERING COLUMNS ON THE FLEET OF VEHICLES WERE REPLACED FOR $1,000.00 EACH. THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. HE WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15. THE VI…
Owner-reported narrative. 15 miles reported. Look up ODI 10293354 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10306095 · 2010-02-04 (February 4, 2010)
A FEW MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT MY FORD ESCAPE HYBRID I HEARD A SQUEAKY NOISE WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. THIS NOISE HAS INCREASED OVER TIME. I HAVE TAKEN MY SUV ABOUT THREE TIMES TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT IT AND HAVE EXPLAINED MY CONCERNS ABOUT IT. THE MECHANIC SPECIALIZED IN HYBRID CARS HAS SAID IT IS FINE AND DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING AND SUGGESTED TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE. HOWEVER, I STOPPED ONE AFTERNOON WHEN I WAS HAVING THE PROBLEM AND THE MECHANIC DROVE WITH ME AND HEARD IT. THEY CHECKED IT AND SAID THAT UNFORTUNATELY THAT THERE WAS A BRAKE D…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10306095 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10306384 · 2010-02-05 (February 5, 2010)
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASING MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID (NEW) THE BRAKES HAVE EITHER BEEN SPONGY OR SEEMINGLY, TEMPORALLY, NON-EXISTENT. WHEN THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED/HAPPENS IT SEEMS TO BE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE VEHICLE TRANSITIONING FROM GAS TO ELECTRIC DRIVE MODE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10306384 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10312016 · 2010-02-19 (February 19, 2010)
WHILE RETURN HOME ON I70 FREEWAY GOING DOWNHILL AT APPROX. 70MPH THE ELECTRICAL ASSISTED POWER STEERING QUIT WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS VERY HARD, BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE, TO STEER GOING AROUND A CURVE. THIS ONLY LASTED A FEW SECONDS THEN IT STARTED WORKING AGAIN... *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10312016 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10312333 · 2010-02-20 (February 20, 2010)
WAS DRIVING 2008 ESCAPE HYBRID ON HIGHWAY YESTERDAY @ 55MPH, ATTEMPTED TO PASS SLOWER VEHICLE BY SWITCHING LANES AND ACCELERATING. ACCELERATOR STUCK AND CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE DESPITE MY ATTEMPTS TO STOP IT. I HAD TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD WHILE SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE REACHED SPEED OF 80 + MPH BEFORE ACCELERATOR BECAME UNSTUCK. HEARD A "POP" SIMILAR TO THE SOUND OF A CAR HOOD POPPING OPEN ONCE ACCELERATOR BECAME UNSTUCK. CAR WAS THEN DRIVABLE, BUT I DID NOT DRIVE OVER 35 MPH AFTER THAT OUT OF FEAR THAT CAR WOULD AG…
Owner-reported narrative. 21,478 miles reported. Look up ODI 10312333 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.