Ford Escape Hybrid - Electric Motor Cooling Pump Safety Recall

It was four years ago that I published a blog post with do it yourself repair instructions or a failed electric motor cooling pump on a 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. You can read that popular article in its entirety by browsing to Ford Escape Hybrid - Electric Motor Cooling Pump, Do It Yourself Repair.

The article was popular in-part because the problem was so common. It seems that many who owned a 2005-2008 FEH or 2006-2008 Mecury Mariner Hybrid had experienced a failed coolant pump. Mine had failed twice during the seven years that I owned the vehicle.

It may have happened to you... receiving a "High Motor Temperature" message and the warning to "Stop Vehicle Safely." If you had ignored those messages, your vehicle would literally shut down in the middle of the road.

The problem is with the faulty Motor Electronics Cooling System ("MECS") and is resolved by replacing the Motor Electronics Cooling Pump (Part Number: 5M6Z-8C419-A). Ford even issued a Technical Service Bulletin for this problem (TSB 08-24-5) only a few months after the vehicle had started production!

Well, imagine my surprise to have recently received a letter from Ford Motor Company with a message about an IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL. Safety Recall Notice 14S19 / NHTSA Recall 14V-526 was issued in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, and provides for the repair of the Motor Electronics Coolant Pump. A repair that many of us have already had to pay for out of our own pocket.

If you have not completed this repair on your Escape / Mariner Hybrid, you should contact a Ford dealership's Service Advisor.

If you have already completed this repair and have kept all of your original receipts for the repair work, you may request a refund from Ford. Original receipts only. No photocopies. For more information, contact the Ford Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.

While almost ten years too late to help me (my first MECS failure occurred when the vehicle was only a few months old and at 17,000 miles), maybe this information will help you.

It will be interesting to see if the NHTSA every comes to their senses and requires Ford to address the much more important issue of Ford Escape Hybrid brake failure. This problem has cost Escape / Mariner owners much more time and money to resolve, and in some cases has resulted in accidents putting the vehicle occupants in grave danger.

You can read more about my experience with the failure of the regenerative braking system by viewing my other articles: My Ford Escape Hybrid Brake Repair Experience - The Brakes Broke the Bank!; Ford Escape Hybrid Brake Failure - Revisited; and Ford Escape Hybrid - Brake Master Cylinder / HCU Failure and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

I've since sold my 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid, and the poor manner in which several Ford dealerships treated this important safety and reliability issue has committed me to never purchase another Ford product. I chuckle that the NHTSA tag line is "People saving people." A safety recall issued ten years after the vehicle is documented to have first had the problem is crazy, and both Ford and the NHTSA should be embarrassed by their inaction.

Ford Escape Hybrid - Brake Master Cylinder / HCU Failure and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

In previous blog posts (Here and Here), we discussed the brake failure experience with our 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid ("FEH"). In our earlier posts, we provided the details regarding the failure of the regenerative braking system due to a defective master cylinder and hydraulic control unit ("HCU"). We continue to hear from many other Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner Hybrid owners who have experienced the same problem. Most all of them described the harrowing experience of having the electro-hydraulic brakes resort to failsafe mode; some resulting in accidents or near-misses.

We continue to encourage anyone else who has had this problem to file a complaint with the Office of Defects Investigation ("ODI") at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ("NHTSA"). If you have not already done so, you can file a safety complaint at this web site...http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/ or by calling the NHTSA Safety Hotline, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

Many new complaints have been filed since we last wrote about this problem. I have reproduced some of those below to help give you an idea of how similar the problems are amongst those who have experienced this brake failure.

CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10448561
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Details: THE BRAKES FAILED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN. THE CAR WENT THROUGH THE STOP SIGN. A FEW MINUTES LATER WHILE DRIVING, THE ABS AND SERVICE BRAKES LIGHT CAME ON. I DROVE THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO LOOK AT IT UNTIL TWO DAYS LATER. I WAS TOLD THE BRAKE HOSES NEEDED REPLACING. I REPLACED THEM. THE BRAKES SEEMED TO BE WORKING. A FEW DAYS LATER, I GOT THE SERVICE BRAKES WARNING, AS WELL AS THE SERVICE 4X4 WARNING IN THE INFO SCREEN. THE BRAKES SEEMED TO BE WORKING. THIS TIME THEY REPLACED THE WHEEL SENSOR AT THE DEALER. ABOUT A WEEK LATER, I NOTICED THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS HARD WHEN INITIALLY PRESSED AND SOFTENED WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED ON. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ABOUT 35 MPH WHEN THE SERVICE BREAKS AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE BRAKES ONLY WORKED IF I PRESSED REALLY HARD TO THE FLOOR AND THEN IT WAS JERKY. I DROVE A SHORT DISTANCE TO RETURN FROM WHERE I STARTED AND TURNED OFF THECAR. WHEN I TURNED IT ON AGAIN A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE OFF AND I HAD BRAKING POWER AGAIN. I DROVE A FEW MILES TO THE DEALER AND WHEN I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT TO PARK, THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN AND WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THIS WAS A SUNDAY. THEY LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE ON MONDAY AND NOTICED THE HARD BRAKE PEDAL, BUT HE LIGHTS WERE NOT ON. THEY LOOKED AT THE COMPUTER SERVICE CODES AND INFORMED ME I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT/ABS MODULE AND POSSIBLE THE MASTER CYLINDER AT A PRICE TAG OF $4300 - $5500+. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE INTERMITTENT, BUT THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH A 2005 HYBRID THAT HAS EXPERIENCED THIS MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM.
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 01/21/2012
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 2/20/2012 


CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10436375
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Details: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WHERE THE BRAKE PADS, ROTORS AND SENSORS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD PROVIDED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 12/18/2007
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 11/18/2011 


CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10424395
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Details: ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT WENT ON HEARD A BEEP AND HAD NO BRAKES WHAT SO EVER . I EVENTUALLY STOPPED BY ENTERING THE CAR IN TO NEUTRAL AND HITTING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WHEN I TURNED ON AGAIN IT WENT AWAY, MY MECHANIC SAYS ITS GOING TO COST $1000 MASTER CYLINDER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THANKS FORD FOR YOUR ASUPPORT WITH THIS OBVIOUS ISSUE YOU NEED TO ADDRESS. *TR
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 09/08/2011
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 9/8/2011 


CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10410217
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Details: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. WHEN THE BRAKE WAS IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE CONTACT COULD HEAR A GRINDING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ANTI BRAKING SYSTEM COMPUTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 67,137. UPDATED 08/31/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 11/23/11
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 04/12/2011
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 7/1/2011 


CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10402091
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Details: WE HAVE OWNED SEVERAL GOOD FORD VEHICLES IN THE PAST, UP UNTIL NOW. THE SUBJECT: 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID AND PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS. WE NOW UNDERSTAND THIS IS A COMMON RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER IS DEFECTIVE IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH ALL OF THE FORDS HYBRID ESCORT LINE...DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW THAT FORD REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE. THE COST OF REPAIRS CAN RANGE FROM $1500-4000 AND AS A CONSUMERS RIGHTS ADVOCATE I WONT HESITATE TO BLOW THE WHISTLE ON THIS ONE...MY DAUGHTER DRIVES THIS CAR, AND SHE ALMOST HAD WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS IF NOT A FATAL ACCIDENT...;NO RESPONSE FROM THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND IT IS NOW IN THE SHOP.. AND WE CANT AFFORD FOR HER NOT TO CONTINUE TO GO TO COLLEGE, AND WE CANT AFFORD TO BUY HER A NEW CAR. WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY, FORD SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE...THE ONLY RESPONSE EVER FROM THEM TO ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM, HAS BEEN A WEAK APOLOGY. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION TO INITIATE A RECALL OR AT LEAST A RESPONSIBLE REPLY FROM FORD. I CANT EVEN FEEL GOOD ABOUT SELLING THIS CAR TO ANYONE ELSE UNTIL THIS DEFECT IS RESOLVED. AT LEAST TOYOTA DID WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSE TO WHEN THEY HAD THE "STUCK" ACCELERATION ISSUE...BUT FORD - AN AMERICAN (?) COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME...WITH SHABBINESS LIKE THIS ITS NO WONDER OUR TECHNOLOGIES BEING CONSTANTLY "SOLD (OUT)" ) AND EXPORTED OVERSEAS. ON BEHALF OF ALL AMERICANS WHO PREFER TO PURCHASE USA MADE PRODUCTS AND EXPECT THE QUALITY WE DESERVE, I EXPECT A RESPONSE FROM YOU THAT ADDRESSES THIS HORRENDOUS PROBLEM THAT CAN CAUSE DEATH ON THE HIGHWAYS, IF NOT ALREADY...IT SURELY WILL IN TIME. HOW EFFECTIVE AND INFLUENTIAL IS YOUR ORGANIZATION, OR IS IT ANOTHER FACADE THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO MAKE US THINK OUR SAFETY RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED FROM THE FLAWS OF BIG BUSINESS WHEN THEY REALLY A? FORTUNATELY, I KNOW SEVERAL CONGRESSMEN WHO WILL NOT LIKE TO RECEIVE A COPY OF THIS MESSAGE BUT ULTIMATELY WILL. *TR
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 05/16/2011
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 5/19/2011 


CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10395883
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
Details: STARTED CAR AND RED BRAKE LIGHT AND YELLOW ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. MESSAGE TO SEEK BRAKE SERVICE ASAP. *TR
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 04/13/2011
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 4/14/2011 


CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10394379
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Details: 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID 127,000 "I-95" MILES (IT STILL AVERAGES 34.3 MPG) GREAT, RELIABLE, LOW REPAIR COST VEHICLE, UNTIL RECENTLY: BRAKE WARNING LIGHT AND "SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM" WARNING APPEARS ON DASH INTERMITTENTLY. CAVALIER FORD IN CHESAPEAKE, VA QUOTED A REPAIR COST OF $3900.00 TO REPLACE THE ABS MODULE AND HCU MODULE ($3200.00 PARTS, $700.00 LABOR). AFTER CALLING AROUND THE NORFOLK, VA AREA, APPARENTLY THE HCU MODULE IS ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH FORD (WHAT A SURPRISE), AND NO OTHER REPAIR SHOP WILL "TOUCH" OUR 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID TO REPLACE THE ABS MODULE. WOW, THATS GREAT TO HEAR...THAT MEANS THAT IM BASICALLY A PRISONER TO FORD???? *TR
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 03/27/2011
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 4/6/2011 


CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10393646
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Details: TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HEV. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED. HE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BUT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH CONCLUDED THAT THE HCU ASSEMBLY WAS FAULTY AND PERFORMED THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000.
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 03/28/2011
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 3/29/2011 


CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10392494
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Details: SERVICE BRAKE SYS MESSAGE ON 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID ALONG WITH BRAKE WARNING LIGHT. *TR
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 03/14/2011
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 3/22/2011 


CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10377925
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Details: MASTER CYLINDER ON 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID FAILED - 73940 MILES ON CAR. MOSTLY CITY & HIGHWAY DRIVING - NO RACING OR OTHER KIND OF DRIVING. *TR
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 01/17/2011
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 1/19/2011 


CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10373322
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Details: TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE ELECTRONIC BRAKES FAILED TWICE AND THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO RECALIBRATED THE HYBRID ELECTRONIC BRAKES BUT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN TWO WEEKS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,500.
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 11/29/2010
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 12/29/2010 


CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10373116
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Details: THE ISSUE I AM HAVING IS THE SAME AS DESCRIBED IN COMPLAINT #10318942. INTERMITTENTLY ON DRY PAVEMENT DURING NORMAL BRAKING, THE ABS WILL ENGAGE (WITH INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHING ON) AND YOU CAN FEEL THE TYPICAL ABS ON/OFF PULSING OF THE BRAKES IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT APPEARS THE CAR IS ALSO TAKING LONGER TO COME TO A FULL STOP WHEN THIS OCCURS. I HAVE REPORTED IT MULTIPLE TIMES AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. THIS HAPPENS TO ME REGULARLY (A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK).
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 01/01/2008
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 12/28/2010 


CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10369851
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Details: TSB 05-8-5 STATES: ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LAMP ON WITH DTC C1526 - DTC C1524 MAY ALSO BE PRESENT VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO 2/11/2005. *TR
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 12/09/2010
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 12/10/2010 


CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10352205
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Details: 2005 ESCAPE HYBRID BRAKE FAILURE. I TRIED TO STOP AND BRAKES ONLY WENT HALF WAY DOWN. I RELEASED AND PUSHED AGAIN, HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH A STORE FRONT WINDOW. TOOK TO FORD DEALER AND FOUND OUT IT WAS THE MASTER CYLINDER/SOLENOID. PER FORDS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 0585 ISSUED 8/5/05, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE CORRECTED BY INSTALLING A REVISED MASTER CYLINDER. THIS COULD HAVE KILLED ME AND THE PEOPLE INSIDE THE BUSINESS. IF THIS IS A KNOWN, VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 08/24/2010
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 8/26/2010 


CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10350198
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Details: 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID - THE CAR WOULD BEGIN TO SKID AND SLIDE WHEN APPROACHING A STOP REGARDLESS OF THE VEHICLE SPEED OR ROAD CONDITIONS. THE ABS WOULD KICK IN AND THE INDICATOR WOULD COME ON TELLING THE DRIVER THAT THE CAR WAS SLIDING. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION AS THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP WHEN THE BRAKES ARE PRESSED. AFTER INVESTIGATING ONLINE, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF HYBRID VEHICLE. MANY OTHER DRIVERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING. THE SUGGESTION WAS THAT THE TONE RINGS WERE CRACKED OR BROKEN. MY REPAIR SHOP DISCOVERED THAT BOTH OF MINE WERE BROKEN AND ONE AXLE NEEDED REPLACED. INTERESTINGLY, WHEN THE MECHANICS TOOK THE CAR ON A TEST DRIVE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, THE CAR WOULD REV BEYOND 4 RPMS, THEN THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE DASHBOARD READOUT STATED TO PULL OVER AND STOP THE CAR IMMEDIATELY. THE GAS ENGINE QUIT AND THE CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 20 MPH. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND WAITING A FEW SECONDS, THE CAR WAS RESTARTED AND THE COMPUTER/CAR RESET ITSELF AND WOULD RUN AGAIN. THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON AN OPEN HIGHWAY GOING 60 MPH. THE INDICATOR LIGHTS WENT OFF AND THE WARNINGS TO PULL OVER AND STOP THE CAR IMMEDIATELY DISPLAYED. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY FORD AS THEY HAVE ISSUED DTC C1526. THIS PARTICULAR BLOG (HTTP://BLOG.YAGELSKI.COM/2010/01/MY-FORD-ESCAPE-HYBRID-BRAKE-REPAIR.HTML) EXPLAINS THE PROBLEM AS WELL AS THOSE OF MANY OTHERS WHO ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE, WITH GREATER DETAIL AND ACCURACY THAN I CAN. PLEASE DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO FORCE FORD TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS INCREDIBLE IMPORTANT AND EXPENSIVE SAFETY MATTER. THANK YOU. *TR
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 07/15/2010
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 8/17/2010 


CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI Case Number: 10347613
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Details: 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID - BRAKE FAILURE. CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN HARSHLY OR IN HARSH CONDITIONS. ON JULY 31ST, APPLIED BRAKES AT STOPLIGHT, ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND BRAKES FAILED. DEALER UNSURE HOW TO FIX. *TR
Occurrences: 1
Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 07/31/2010
Deaths: 0
Date added to database: 8/6/2010 

It would appear as though these cases are related to the problem as described in Ford's Technical Service Bulletin TSB 0585 (issued August 5, 2005), which states:

ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LAMP ON WITH DTC C1526 - DTC C1524 MAY ALSO BE PRESENT VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO 2/11/2005

ISSUE: Some 2005 Escape Hybrid vehicles built prior to 2/11/2005, may exhibit the yellow ABS and the red brake warning lamps illuminating after the engine is started, and an increase in brake pedal effort. Diagnostic trouble code (DTC) C1526 (Brake Pedal Travel Sensor) will be present in the ABS module, C1524 (Brake Pedal Travel Sensor Calibration Incomplete) may also be present.

ACTION: Install a revised master cylinder. Refer to Workshop Manual Section 206-06.

PART NUMBER PART NAME: 5M6Z-2140-B Master Cylinder

My experience, and that of others, has been that the resolution also includes the replacement of the defective HCU. At this point, the repair of the poorly designed brake system is the sole responsibility of the vehicle owner. I believe that the only way Ford will address this important safety matter is if the NHTSA will take notice. If you have had a problem with the regenerative braking system on your Ford Escape or Mecury Mariner Hybrid, please consider notifying the NHTSA. By contacting the NHTSA, you may help bring this important safety matter to the attention of other owners of these vehicles.

Ford Escape Hybrid Tone Ring Repair - Yet Another Problem with the FEH Brakes!

During one of the recent very hot days in the Mid-Atlantic (100+ degrees Fahrenheit temperatures) my 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid alerted me to a problem with my brakes while I was traveling in normal traffic conditions. The alert tone sounded, the yellow ABS warning lit, and the information display informed me to "Service Brake System."

With no cars directly behind me, I carefully tested my brakes and they seemed to operate as expected. The regenerative braking indicator showed that energy was flowing back to the high voltage batteries and the vehicle safely slowed down. Obviously, this was not another death-defying episode with a failed master cylinder and hydraulic control unit (Please see my previous blog posts: My Ford Escape Hybrid Brake Repair Experience - The Brakes Broke the Bank! and Ford Escape Hybrid Brake Failure - Revisited), so I carefully pointed the car towards home. But this was yet another problem with the FEH's brakes! What could it be this time?

Since the brakes seemed to operate correctly, I directed my attention to the ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System). Recalling research from my earlier brake problems, I started by resetting the vehicle's computer by disconnecting the battery for a short time. That cleared the alarm, but a short test drive resulted in the problem quickly reoccurring.

I understand that the ABS computer stores the failure codes for later review. If you have access to such a device, you will likely find the following codes: C1142 - Wheel Speed Sensor Right Front Tone Ring Tooth Missing Fault;  C1234 - Wheel Speed Right Front Input Signal Missing; U2023 - Fault Received From External Node. However, with no ABS diagnostic code scanning device available to me, I resorted to a physical, visual inspection of the brake components. It didn't take long to discover the problem. There on the passenger side, front axle was a broken tone ring.

So what is a tone ring? You may also find this component referenced as an indicator ring. This part is integral to the ABS. Coupled with an "electronic eye" sensor, this slotted ring is fitted to the axle at each wheel. The slots are used to send pulses to the ABS computer, indicating the speed of each wheel.

Since this tone ring was cracked, one of the slots was larger than the others. This sends false information to the ABS computer, resulting in the brake system malfunction that I experienced. What I discovered is that in this situation, the brakes still worked. However the ABS is apparently disabled, resulting in a potentially dangerous situation.

Why did the tone ring break? Good question. It is not a component that experiences any wear and tear; the ring is simply fitted to the axle at each wheel and allows the electronic eye to register pulses to determine the wheel speed. It appears as though corrosion (i.e. rust) between the axle and the indicator ring created enough pressure to force the ring to break. It's possible that the high ambient temperatures contributed to this failure by slightly expanding the size of the axle. However, based on my previous bad experiences with Ford's brake system design, I will chalk this one up to another poor component design; a potentially dangerous situation that never should have occurred! My research could not identify a technical service bulletin ("TSB") or recall notice associated with this issue, so if your warranty has expired, the repair is up to you.

How can you repair the broken tone ring? I determined that it's not a particularly difficult project. However, it may be beyond the scope of some shade tree mechanics as it does require some tools that are not often found in the typical household toolbox. I'll provide the steps that I took to complete the work, but I will recommend that you enlist the assistance of a more experienced mechanic if you are not skilled in these types of repairs.

I easily found the replacement part online at several retail sales websites. The original part number from Ford is 7L8Z-2C182-B. However, it has apparently been changed to AL8Z-2C182-A. You may want to try performing a search on both numbers in order to get the best comparison. Prices varied widely; I found that a single ring sold for between $7 and $35 (plus applicable taxes, handling, and shipping). I found what looked to be a reputable retailer that sold the "Genuine Ford Part" for about $15. It arrived just a couple of days after online purchase, so I was ready to tackle the project!

To complete the replacement of this important ABS component, start by carefully blocking the wheels of your Ford Escape Hybrid, engaging the parking brake, and lifting the corner of the vehicle that has the broken tone ring. After placing jack stands (or some other kind of safety blocks) under the car, remove the wheel. Then remove the two bolts that hold the brake caliper in place. A generous application of penetrating oil on the fasteners you will be removing goes a long way towards making your life easier for these kinds of projects. Buy a can and you will be very grateful... I promise!

After you have unfastened the brake caliper, you may want to carefully suspend it out of the way using a rubber strap / bungee cord to avoid placing too much stress on the hydraulic brake line; don't just let it hang there.

Next, remove the brake rotor. This can be a challenge as the part is often temporarily fixed to the axle, adhered by time and corrosion. If you cannot remove the brake rotor after a couple of simple taps with a hammer, follow the helpful advice provided in this instructional video before you do something silly and break or damage your vehicle's brakes.

Now remove the electronic eye sensor that is coupled to the tone ring and move it out of the way; a single, small fastener holds it in-place. Disconnect the tie rod and remove the two bolts that connect the hub to the suspension strut. You can conveniently leave the hub connected to the lower ball joint while you finish the repair.

Now remove the nut connecting the hub to the axle. If the axle does not easily dislodge from the hub, you may need to use a gear puller (like I did) to push the axle out of the hub to get access to the tone ring. Allow the hub to lay to the side, out of the way, while you get down to business replacing the tone ring.

Once the axle was free, the broken tone ring simply fell off the axle to the floor. Based on my observation, the area of the axle where the ring resided was slightly corroded and the original ring had only the one crack. The replacement ring looked virtually identical to the broken one (except for the crack!). It did not appear that Ford had done anything obvious to improve the design of the replacement part unless the metal alloy was somehow changed.

The replacement indicator ring would not easily fit in-place of the original, so I cleaned up the surface area with a small die grinder with a sandpaper barrel bit. Use special care not to remove too much material, just the obvious surface corrosion. I found that the new ring would not simply slide into place, which I was glad to see since I wanted the new ring to have a nice and tight fit on the axle. I carefully heated the new ring with a propane torch; not too hot, just enough to expand the diameter enough so that it could be tapped into place on the axle with a small hammer. Once cooled, the ring appeared to be fastened tightly in-place.

With the new tone ring installed, I proceeded to reassemble the rest of the axle and hub assembly, including the brake rotor and caliper. Once the wheel was mounted, I was able to remove the jack stands and lower the vehicle to the ground. A brief test drive in a safe area that allowed me to perform several hard-braking, quick stops, demonstrated that the ABS was working correctly and that the new indicator ring had resolved the problem.

In the end, the repair process took less than three hours, including preparation and clean-up time. The total out-of-pocket cost was less than $20, including a fresh can of penetrating oil. Assuming the usual labor and shop charges, performing this repair myself must have easily saved me a few hundred dollars.

I hope that these instructions may help you fix your own Ford Escape / Mercury Mariner Hybrid tone ring problems. If you have experienced this or any other issues with the brakes on your Ford hybrid vehicle, please file a complaint with the Office of Defects Investigation ("ODI") at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ("NHTSA"). You can file a safety complaint at this web site... http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/ or by calling the NHTSA Safety Hotline, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153. Maybe one of these days the NHTSA will have Ford address these potentially dangerous issues with the brake systems on their hybrid vehicles.

Ford Escape Hybrid Brake Failure - Revisited

In a previous blog post, we discussed our unfortunate and frustrating experience with the brake failure on our 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid ("FEH"). More specifically, the failure of the regenerative braking system due to a defective master cylinder and hydraulic control unit ("HCU"). Since posting that information, we have heard from many other Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner Hybrid owners who have experienced the same problem. Most all of them described the harrowing experience of having the electro-hydraulic brakes resort to failsafe mode; some resulting in accidents or near-misses.

I am happy to report that after replacing the defective master cylinder and HCU at a cost of more than $7,000, the regenerative brakes on my FEH have worked without incident for more than six months. No more warning lamps, alarms, or death-defying stops using the hand-controlled emergency parking brake. 

As fully described in my related post, Ford was unresponsive to this matter. In fact, the service managers at three different dealerships either refused to acknowledge this was an issue with the FEH, or failed to bring the problem to my attention, even though Ford had recognized that this was a problem only a few months after I purchased the vehicle. We had previously encouraged anyone else having this problem to file a complaint with the Office of Defects Investigation ("ODI") at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ("NHTSA"). If you have not already done so, you can file a safety complaint at this web site... http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/ or by calling the NHTSA Safety Hotline, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

A number of complaints have already been filed. I have reproduced some of those below to help give you an idea of how similar the problems are amongst those who have experienced this brake failure.

ODI Case Number: 10181021

Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK:ABS WARNING LIGHT

Details: COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED WAS ON THE INTERSTATE - 65 MILES AN HOUR AND THE BRAKE LIGHT AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THERE WAS A BEEP. THERE WERE THEN NO BRAKES AT ALL. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND COAST TO A STOP. TURNED OFF THE TRUCK AND STARTED IT AGAIN AND IT HAD BRAKES. ON THIS LAST INCIDENT, THE SAME THING IN THE SAME ORDER HAPPENED. THANKFULLY, MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO COAST TO A STOP WITHOUT HITTING ANYONE OR ANYTHING. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY DANGEROUS. IT IS INTERMITTENT THUS MAKING IT HARD TO DIAGNOSE. *JB

Occurrences: 2	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 01/27/2007	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 1/29/2007

ODI Case Number: 10204195

Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Details: THE BRAKES HAVE COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING (EXCEPT FOR THE EMERGENCY BRAKE) 3 TIMES IN ONE MONTH, 4 TIMES IN TWO YEARS. *TR

Occurrences: 4	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 08/26/2007	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 9/26/2007

ODI Case Number: 10221386

Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:SWITCHES:BRAKE LIGHT

Details: SERVICE BRAKE SYS MESSAGE ON 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID ALONG WITH BRAKE WARNING LIGHT. *TR

Occurrences: 1	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 03/15/2008	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 3/16/2008

ODI Case Number: 10234772

Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Details: HAVE HAD THE "SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM" MESSAGE AND THE DASH "BRAKE" INDICATOR LIGHT GO ON RANDOMLY WITHOUT BRAKING FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS (BEGAN IN MAY 2008) IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER TWICE (IN JUNE 2008) AND IS NOW DOING IT AGAIN. THE DEALER REPLACED AN ELECTRICAL HARNESS THIS FIRST TIME AND CLEANED CONTACTS ACCORDING TO A FORD SERVICE ALERT THE SECOND. I ALSO HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM IN THE FALL OF 2007. THE "SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM MESSAGE" APPEARED AND THE DASH "BRAKE" INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON OVER A THREE WEEK PERIOD FOLLOWED BY THE 4X4 SYSTEM AND ABS SYSTEM MAKING NOISE, JERKING THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN SHUTTING DOWN WHILE I WAS DRIVING (NOVEMBER 2007). THIS WAS FIXED BY THE DEALER BUT NOW THE CARS INDICATOR LIGHTS ARE TURNING ON AGAIN AND THE PROBLEM DOES NOT SEEM TO ABLE TO FIXED. I AM WORRIED THE BRAKE SYSTEM WILL FAIL AGAIN. *TR

Occurrences: 1	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 07/18/2008	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 7/18/2008

ODI Case Number: 10276404

Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Details: BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE ON 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID: HIGHWAY DRIVING, NO BRAKING DURING FAILURE - ABS LIGHT COMES ON WITH "SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM" MESSAGE ON CONSOLE. TOOK TO DEALER WHERE THEY "DIAGNOSED" MASTER CYLINDER FAILURE. REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER. 06 JULY 09 BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE ON 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID: NORMAL CITY DRIVING UNDER 35MPH ABS LIGHT COMES ON WITH "SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM" MESSAGE ON CONSOLE. *TR

Occurrences: 1	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 06/26/2009	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 7/11/2009

ODI Case Number: 10306490

Component: SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

Details: MY 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID HAVE 140,000 MILES ON IT FOR THE PAST 3 WEEKS THE ABS LIGHT AND THE RED TRIANGLE STOP THE CAR SAFELY COME ON WHEN I START THE CAT. I PULL OVER SHUT THE CAR OFF RESTART AND ALL IS WELL UNTIL THE NEXT TIME. *TR

Occurrences: 1	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 01/25/2010	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 2/5/2010

ODI Case Number: 10308285

Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Details: FORD HYBRID ESCAPE BRAKE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. I HAVE TO TURN IT OFF AND THEN BACK ON TO GET THE LIGHT OUT. DEALER SAYS ITS A GROUND FAULT AND FORD HAS A NEW WIRING HARNESS, BUT I AM REQUIRED TO PAY FOR IT, ITS AN 05 WITH LESS THAN 8,000 MILES ON IT, YET I AM TO PAY AND FIX FORDS PROBLEM, AND WE ARE TALKING BRAKES HERE, THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT AND HAS ALREADY IDENTIFIED AND HAS A FIX FOR. IT NEEDS A RECALL. THE ELECTRIC STEERING HAS ALREADY FAILED ONCE AND HAD TO HAVE A NEW COMPUTER FOR THIS. FORD IS HIDING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. *TR

Occurrences: 1	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 02/01/2010	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 2/10/2010

ODI Case Number: 10314433

Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Details: 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 WASNT 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

Occurrences: 1	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 02/24/2010	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 2/25/2010

ODI Case Number: 10324854

Component: SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

Details: 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID CAR HAS 65,000 MILES ON IT WITH NO HISTORY OF BRAKE TROUBLE. COMING DOWNILL THE ABS/BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON ALONG WITH AN ALARM AND IMMEDIATE LOSS OF THE BRAKES. HAD TO USE MECHANICAL EMERGENCY BRAKES TO STOP. CALLED DEALERSHIP NEXT MORNING TO TOW IT IN, THEN READ ON LINE TO TRY RESTARTING THE CAR THE NEXT DAY AND THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE GONE. CAR STARTED, NO BRAKE ISSUES APPARENT (NO LIGHTS, BRAKES FUNCTIONAL) SO DROVE IT TO DEALERSHIP FOR REVIEW/REPAIR. TOOK COPIES OF ONLINE RESEARCH SHOWING THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THE CAR. DEALERSHIP CLAIMED IT WAS THE REAR AIR CONDITIONER (HOLE IN THE EVAPORATOR CORE) - THEY HAD REPAIRED THE AC 4 MONTHS PREVIOUSLY, WHICH ONLY LASTED FOR 6 WEEKS. PLANNED TO HAVE THEM REPAIR IT AT THE 65,000 MILE SERVICE ANYWAY. PAID $1033. DROVE CAR HOME THAT NIGHT AND THE ABS/BRAKE LIGHTS WENT ON, ALARM SOUNDED BUT THIS TIME NOT A TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES. INSTEAD WHENEVER PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THERE IS A LOUD THUMPING NOISE FROM THE FRONT BRAKES AND SHUDDERING THROUGHOUT THE CAR. PLAN IS TO RETURN TO DEALERSHIP AFTER THE WEEKEND AND BRING LATEST RESEARCH SHOWING FAULTY HCU UNITS HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE AN UNDERLYING CAUSE, WHICH FORD IS DENYING. *TR

Occurrences: 1	Injuries: 0
Fail Date: 03/31/2010	Deaths: 0
Date added to datbase: 4/10/2010

It would appear as though all of these cases are related to the problem as described in Ford's Technical Service Bulletin TSB 0585 (issued August 5, 2005), which states:

ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LAMP ON WITH DTC C1526 - DTC C1524 MAY ALSO BE PRESENT VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO 2/11/2005

ISSUE: Some 2005 Escape Hybrid vehicles built prior to 2/11/2005, may exhibit the yellow ABS and the red brake warning lamps illuminating after the engine is started, and an increase in brake pedal effort. Diagnostic trouble code (DTC) C1526 (Brake Pedal Travel Sensor) will be present in the ABS module, C1524 (Brake Pedal Travel Sensor Calibration Incomplete) may also be present.

ACTION: Install a revised master cylinder. Refer to Workshop Manual Section 206-06.

PART NUMBER PART NAME: 5M6Z-2140-B Master Cylinder

My experience, and that of others, has been that the resolution also includes the replacement of the defective HCU. At this point, the repair of the poorly designed brake system is the sole responsibility of the vehicle owner. I believe that the only way Ford will address this important safety matter is if the NHTSA will take notice. If you have had a problem with the regenerative braking system on your Ford Escape or Mecury Mariner Hybrid, please consider notifying the NHTSA. By contacting the NHTSA, you may help bring this important safety matter to the attention of other owners of these vehicles.

My Ford Escape Hybrid Brake Repair Experience - The Brakes Broke the Bank!

[Editor's Note: An update to this blog post is available Here.]

I have owned my 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid since the autumn of 2004. It was one of the first few Escape Hybrids that were made available in the Washington DC metropolitan area and I was very excited to take delivery. As a long-distance commuter from Northern Virginia into the District of Columbia, owning a hybrid electric vehicle ("HEV") provides certain advantages to those of us who travel on Interstate Highway 95 / 395 each day. You see, the Virginia General Assembly approved a limited exemption for HEVs to use the high occupancy vehicle ("HOV") lanes as a single-driver for the morning and evening commutes. That perk saves me hundreds of commuting hours a year, and the fuel economy savings are an added bonus.


Except for the extremely uncomfortable seats, I have really enjoyed owning this vehicle. The Escape Hybrid has been virtually trouble free after more than 100,000 miles. Seriously. Other than regular oil changes, a set of tires, a battery, and a couple of sets of windshield wipers, there have been no major maintenance costs. That is until now...


A job change during the last year has allowed me to work from home on most days, so the first 100,000 miles were all in the initial four years that I have owned the Escape. It may come as no surprise that not long after breaking through the warranty threshold (3 years or 36,000 miles) I experienced an unusual problem with the brakes. In what seemed to be a very random circumstance, the yellow ABS and the red brake warning lamp lit and the alarm sounded. The brakes reverted to fail safe mode requiring a "pedal to the floor" effort to slow the vehicle to a safe stop at the side of the road. Not exactly comforting. Interestingly, after shutting-off the vehicle and restarting, the brakes returned to normal operation.


A talk with the Ford service manger revealed nothing. The problem did not happen again and the dealer was not aware of a brake problem. I wrote it off to gremlins and continued to drive safely for the next few months. However, once in a great while after that, the problem would reoccur; yellow ABS light, red brake warning light, audible alarm and brake pedal to the floor. The Ford dealer claimed no knowledge of a problem and it could not be reproduced.


After about 80,000 miles and several episodes of brake failure under various, but different conditions, I took it upon myself to do some research. I found Technical Service Bulletin, TSB 05-8-5 (August 5, 2005) (NHTSA ID #10017553) that discussed the problem. That upset me since the Ford service manager was apparently oblivious to a problem that was identified just a few months after I had purchased the Escape. A summary of TSB 05-8-5 states:


ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LAMP ON WITH DTC C1526 - DTC C1524 MAY ALSO BE PRESENT VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO 2/11/2005


ISSUE: Some 2005 Escape Hybrid vehicles built prior to 2/11/2005, may exhibit the yellow ABS and the red brake warning lamps illuminating after the engine is started, and an increase in brake pedal effort. Diagnostic trouble code (DTC) C1526 (Brake Pedal Travel Sensor) will be present in the ABS module, C1524 (Brake Pedal Travel Sensor Calibration Incomplete) may also be present.


ACTION: Install a revised master cylinder. Refer to Workshop Manual Section 206-06.


PART NUMBER PART NAME: 5M6Z-2140-B Master Cylinder


I kept this information in-hand and when I took the Escape to my own mechanic for its 100,000 mile maintenance service, we discussed the problem. Here's where the fun started...

My mechanic and I decided to follow the TSB advice and replace the master cylinder with the revised part. It seems that this is no ordinary master cylinder. The Escape Hybrids use an electro-hydraulic brake ("EHB") system. Because of the regenerative braking action of the HEV, the EHB system does not have a traditional master cylinder with a mechanical vacuum brake booster. The special master cylinder comes with a special price tag: $1,292.31 from Ford and a couple of hundred dollars to my mechanic to install.


With great hope that my brake problem was resolved, I drove the Escape home only to have the problem occur again several hours later. I immediately took the vehicle back to my mechanic and after reviewing the trouble codes, we discovered that installing the new master cylinder had now revealed what the real problem apparently was; the brake system's hydraulic control unit ("HCU").

If you own an Escape Hybrid, you have probably heard the HCU in action. Whenever you unlock or open the door, or switch-on the ignition key, the HCU module tests the brakes by pressurizing the hydraulic system. Four minutes after the key is switched off, the HCU discharges the pressurized fluid back into the master cylinder reservoir. Listen for the hum of the hydraulic pump if you have never noticed before.

With the HEV's regenerative braking system, the HCU controls braking by using the electric motor as a generator to recharge the batteries; the traditional friction brakes actually provide very little of the stopping. Once stopped, the HCU allows the traditional brakes to simply keep the vehicle from rolling. As you might suspect, the HCU is an integral component of the electro-hydraulic brake system and works in conjunction with the master cylinder to provide the regenerative braking and antilock braking system ("ABS") action.


The HCU is an important component of the braking system, so it carries a premium price tag. My cost from Ford? $4,587.17. Ouch! To make matters worse, bleeding the brake system of air after replacing the HCU requires special training and equipment. That's another $494.59 from Ford on top of a few hundred dollars to my mechanic for his time to install the new HCU.


There is no obvious way that I could have damaged the HCU with my very normal driving habits (i.e. no history of towing, long downhill braking, hard braking or urgent stops). The vehicle has never been involved in an accident that may have affected the device, and the HCU is not a component that should be susceptible to wear to the point of early failure. I believe that the Escape Hybrid's regenerative braking system, master cylinder and HCU are defective by design (hence the TSB) and the fault lies with Ford Motor Company. I consider this brake failure very serious and remain surprised that it is a problem that Ford had never bothered to notify me about. They certainly had no problem sending me loads of marketing material to buy a new car.


My attempts to get Ford's attention on this matter have fallen on uncaring eyes and ears. To summarize my correspondance from Ford... Since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ("NHTSA") is not concerned (i.e. nobody has gotten killed by these defective brakes) there is no need for a recall. Therefore, Ford has no responsibility to pay for or deal with my problem. Well, thank you very much! I do not understand how Ford can claim no responsibility for this very serious and significantly dangerous issue with the vehicle's brakes.


Unfortunately, this blog post may not offer much help to the reader other than to warn you of the problem that you may be facing with your Ford Escape or Mercury Mariner Hybrid, and to possibly prepare you for the extreme sticker shock of the repair bill. Maybe YOU will have more luck getting Ford to pay your repair cost. In my case, the cost to repair the brakes was unfortunately necessary. I need the vehicle for transportation to work, it was not safe to drive without the repair, it had no value being broken, and I did not have the conscience to sell the vehicle with this very dangerous problem.


This experience has certainly soured my opinion of the Ford Motor Company. Although I have enjoyed owning several different Ford vehicles, their failure to proactively address this safety issue is rather appalling. I will not buy another Ford product after they have abandoned me with this ~$7,000 bill to repair a problem that is solely related to their poor design.


[Editor's Note: For a very good technical explanation of how the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner Hybrid regenerative braking systems work, please visit Brake & Front End's article on Ford Hybrid Braking by Glen Beanard.]


[Editor's Note: If you have had a similar issue with your Ford Escape or Mercury Mariner Hybrid, be certain to file a complaint with the NHTSA at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/]


[Postscript (February 8, 2010): I received a nice phone call from a young woman with Ford Customer Relationships. It seems as though they had read this blog and wanted to speak with me. I'm really not certain why, because in the end, they really offered me nothing more than an apology.


It seems that it's Ford's expectation that the local dealer's service manager should have told me about the TSB when I had the vehicle in their shop for other work (He didn't.). It was also explained to me that I should have received a notice in the mail about the TSB (Not sure about you, but I have never received a notice about a TSB from any vehicle manufacturer. Marketing material, yes. Recalls, yes. TSBs, no; and certainly not from Ford for this particular brake problem.).


The Ford representative also suggested that had I come to them earlier (i.e. When the vehicle had fewer miles and before I had the dangerous condition repaired myself), they may have offered me some type of financial assistance to complete the repair. However, since I didn't, I am out the total repair costs myself. Frankly, I find this statement very difficult to believe. And why couldn't they offset some of the cost now? I have all of the receipts to prove that the repair has been completed using the recommended parts purchased directly from Ford.


The young woman from Ford Customer Relationships was very pleasant and I know that she was simply doing her job. I am grateful that she phoned me, but nothing has changed. Ford still has a very dangerous situation with this brake system failure. A failure that is by all indications a design flaw. A failure that the NHTSA has yet to take any meaningful action on. A failure that Ford has really not taken any responsibility to make right with their customers. In the end, I am still out ~$7,000 to address Ford's design problem, just to make my Escape Hybrid safe to drive.


As I explained to the young woman; I have owned Ford vehicles for many years, starting with a 1975 Thunderbird. They have all been fine, serviceable vehicles. Based on my experience with this Ford Escape Hybrid, it will be my last Ford vehicle.


If you have a Ford Escape or Mercury Mariner Hybrid, please should visit your dealer or local mechanic to see if this TSB applies to you; before you experience the fear of having your brakes resort to fail safe mode in a busy traffic situation.]


[Editor's Note: Although the problem may be unrelated, it's good to see Toyota make the right move regarding the similarly dangerous brake problem with its Prius Hybrid vehicle. From CNN: Toyota to Recall Prius Hybrid.]


[Editor's Note: I received an anonymous comment suggesting that I am crazy for expecting Ford to make good on an out-of-warranty repair. To that comment, I reply that I am certainly not crazy. This brake failure is not due to a wear-and-tear drive train component. We're not talking about a wheel bearing or exhaust pipe. This is about the critical failure of the regenerative brake system; a failure acknowledged by Ford mere months after the vehicle was manufactured (Reference TSB 05-8-5). A component failure that is not due to driver-induced damage or wear, but a design flaw. If my use of the vehicle were the cause of the braking system failure, I would accept the responsibility to pay for the repair. However, in this case, the manufacturer is clearly liable and should be responsible for making certain that the vehicle is safe to operate.


This same anonymous soul followed-up with another comment accusing me of posting this blog as a cheap attempt to coerce Ford to pay for my repair. That is not the reason that I published this information. I am much more concerned about the safety of the other Ford Escape / Mercury Mariner Hybrid owners who may not be aware of the dangerous hazard that may exist with their vehicle. I hope that this blog post will encourage them to have their vehicle checked before they experience the brake failure that has affected me and the many others I have heard from.]

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