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7.6

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$190
Average Mileage:
65,900 miles
Total Complaints:
15 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (12 reports)
  2. bought can of throttle body cleaner (2 reports)
  3. replaced throttle (1 reports)
2008 Ford Escape engine problems

engine problem

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2008 Ford Escape Owner Comments

problem #15

Sep 222015

Escape XLT 3.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 152,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Driving on Highway (M-59) and cars speeding up to me and not able to accelerate to keep up with traffic. Had to try to pull over to side coasting and sat for a half hour before the gas pedal would work again. I drive every morning to work from Highway M-59 to Expressway 23 and I am afraid I will get in an accident because I am not able to merge without being able to accelerate. This happened last year in the winter and I had to pull over an wait about a half hour. I have never had a car do this before and should not be something that should happen.Gas Pedal keeps sticking.

I called Ford Dealership to take it in and they will not have an opening for 3 days. I have to try to drive to work for 3 days scared I am going to get stranded or in an accident on my way to work. I just had the car in for the recall on the power steering. I am thinking I might try a different model than Ford once this car is paid off. I used to like Fords but not feeling to secure or safe driving one anymore.

- sandramoore19, Hartland, MI, US

problem #14

Jul 192014

Escape Limited 4.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 95,691 miles

I wasn't sure until today that the car was accelerating on its own. Up until today, it was intermittent with only a slight acceleration. I thought perhaps I had stepped on the gas without realizing it. However, today, I was slowing down to make a turn and it accelerated more strongly than it ever had before. It's frightening. I've already lost my power steering once and we now know that the new steering column has the same problem the old one did. We have always been a Ford family - myself, my husband and now my son. Perhaps it's time to re-consider.

- Sandra B., Golden, British Columbia, canada

problem #13

Oct 292013

Escape XLT 2.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 78,293 miles

Ford ignores my complaints they say it is the throttle body, but I put already an other used one in and it is the same problem.

- mratze, Palgrave, Ontario, canada

problem #12

Feb 202014

Escape

  • Automatic transmission
  • 177,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I have just repaired my gas pedal that had been sticking since about 50,000 miles. It would stick mainly during colder weather until this week when it completely locked up, requiring a trip on the tow truck and a costly repair! This was not a wear and tear issue! This is a manufacturing defect! I began researching the issue and this appears to be a long running issue with Ford Escape models, resulting in many injuries and one death even.

- Tracey P., Social Circle, GA, US

problem #11

Dec 152008

Escape LS 4 cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 6,000 miles

Every time the temps drop below 25 degrees Fahrenheit the accelerator / gas pedal sticks and the engine will run high even in neutral. The sticky pedal has caused the engine to "die" at stop signs, and at times won't allow acceleration at all making it very unsafe to drive in traffic.

I bought the vehicle brand new in 2008 and in general love it until it gets cold out. I've finally gotten an appt for evaluation at the local dealer later this week. I've been meaning too for a few years but then something always gets in the way.

- myrawisconsin, Racine, WI, US

problem #10

Dec 012011

Escape

  • Automatic transmission
  • 70,000 miles

At first i thought it was just me, and then my husband drove my car and reported the same thing. He was attempting to accelerate out of a parking lot and the pedal got stuck. Luckily he did not get hit by oncoming traffic. If Ford does not acknowledge a problem with the ’08 Escape what is our option – wait have a major accident or fatality?

I have been a Ford driver for a long time and have had the utmost confidence in the company, but now it's making me rethink my allegiance, is it time to go for a foreign model???? I realize that FMC probably doesn't even care about us and this may be just a place to vent.

- syl, Somerset, TX, US

problem #9

Mar 012008

Escape Sport

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I purchased my 2008 Escape new in Feb 2008. It was winter time and I notice the gas pedal was difficult to push down. As the vehicle was brand new, I of course inquired at the dealership. I was told it was a "breaking in issue" and would resolve on it's own. It never resolved on it's own. I have been told that it is a driver issue, yet 3 different people have driven the vehicle and all 3 of us report the same problem. We have a lot of winter driving conditions here and having to stomp the pedal to start moving again is dangerous. I have written to Ford, spoken to the dealership, made phone calls and gotten nowhere. I will continue to educate Ford with my own experiences but fear that it will take damage or loss before they take action and admit there is a problem.

- Dawn K., Waterford, MI, US

problem #8

Feb 152013

Escape 4DR 2.4L V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 56,000 miles

I purchased the vehicle used,had it 15 days, lucky for me had a 30 day warranty and the dealer i bought it from agreed to take care of it for me. I was 600 miles from home visiting relatives and i was stopped at a traffic light, i removed foot from brake and pressed the gas and pedal went to the floor and stayed. I couldn't accelerate at all .it rolled to curb lane. had a ford dealer agree to fix it (throttle body flush at originally $529.00 after my dealer talked to him a $280.00 price was agreed on,oh had to wait from 10:30am til 2:30pm for the tow truck this ford dealer in STL recommended. They had the nerve to call and ask how was their service. They even tried intimidation by implying it may cause me to be stuck on the road again somewhere.if i didn't allow them to do this 529 dollar job.

- lxe77, Stanton, NE, US

problem #7

Jan 012013

Escape I 4

  • Manual transmission
  • 110,000 miles

2008 Ford Escape, Inline 4. Over time the gas pedal gets sticky, the problem is manufacturer induced. There should be a class action suit. The idiots designed the PCV air plumbing to dump into the intake just upstream of the butterfly valve. This allows the sticky PCV air to flow across the top of the butterfly valve and body. This creates a very dangerous situation. Once it becomes sticky you have to play with the gas pedal, sometimes pushing down quite a bit to brake it loose resulting in the car wanting to take off. It's easy to fix with a can of carb/fuel-inj. cleaner, a rag, and something to hold the butterfly open. Just remove the section of intake between the air filter housing and engine to access the butterfly. Push on the bottom of the butterfly or have someone push down the gas pedal. Wear rubber gloves, spray the butterfly with cleaner, soak the rag with cleaner and clean the inside of the valve and housing, particularly the upper section, that's where the sticking occurs. I have 110,000 mi on my Escape and have had to do this 3 times.

- glennab1, Indianapolis, IN, US

problem #6

Jun 152009

Escape LX 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 23,000 miles

This happened while the car was under warranty and then AGAIN this October ( about 67,000 miles). This second time cost over $400. Must be a faulty part.

- sueweave, Grayling, MI, US

problem #5

Oct 012008

Escape

  • Automatic transmission
  • 24,855 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I have been reading and it seems as though I am not the only one who has had this problem, I leased this car and will be glad to get rid of it! The gas pedal sticks in the winter to the point where when it is cold enough you cannot even drive. My son went to drive it and backed out of the parking lot and could have been seriously hurt as he was not aware of what was happening. Really disappointed in Ford.

- Crystal R., Toronto, Ontario, Canada

problem #4

Feb 142012

Escape 4/2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 83,000 miles

I bought my Ford used in October of 2010 with 63,000 miles on it. The first winter I had the car, everything seemed fine. As soon as it started to get cold this winter, the brake pedal was impossible to push. My fiance thought I was crazy until he drove it and had the same problem. It very annoying when you're sitting at a red light that suddenly turns green and you can't move. People honk and yell as if you didn't see it. I can see it alright, I just can't move my car! I often kick the pedal to get the car in motion. It's very dangerous when there is snow on the ground and I am often peeling out of parking lots and streets because of the amount of force I have to exert to get the pedal to move. It is extremely frustrating. As a first time Ford owner, I am not impressed and probably will go back to Honda or anything else for that matter.

- christineh87, Newton, MA, US

problem #3

Mar 012011

Escape 2.3L I4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles

For the last year the gas pedal would randomly stick usually occurring more frequently in the winter. One day it completely failed and the pedal had no pressure. Normally slamming it down would work and it would drive fine for a while till it acted up again. After a while it regained pressure but I decided this was time to fix it before I got stranded somewhere. Extensively googled the problem and decided on trying to fix it myself. I bought a can of CRC Throttle Body and Air Intake Cleaner for around 4 bucks at Murrays auto parts store. The easiest way to fix it is to remove the battery allowing easier access to the butterfly valve once you get to it. Then remove the pipe tightener band which is past the air filter right before the engine on your intake. What you will see is a white metal circular thing inside the intake, this being your butterfly intake valve. Have somebody floor the gas pedal ( while the car is off obviously) and it will open up completely. You should see this valve is verrrry dirty and grimy. Spray on the CRC Throttle body on the valve being careful not to over spray it and allow to soak for 10 minutes. Then get a clean rag and start scrubbing the crap off. Clean until Valve is spotless. Also on the linkage on the outside of the intake and I sprayed wd40 on the spring NOT INSIDE THE ENGINE and this fixed the problem making the pedal operate smooth and normal as it should. All in all this was easier than I expected and only took 30 minutes. Hope this helps and saves someone some money.

- Forrest G., Howell, MI, US

problem #2

Nov 042011

Escape XLT

  • Automatic transmission
  • 30,000 miles

I see most people are talking about the 2006 model however I own a 2008 escape I bought it used with only 9,000 mi. on it now it has a little over 30,00. The gas pedal was acting up and "sticking" a little after I got the car but it was winter so I thought that was the problem. This is the second winter I have had the car and it is just getting worse. My boyfriend and I went out in a snowstorm and I found I could not find a perfect spot for my foot to where I could get the pedal to move at all, of course being a guy, he decided to drive and realized it wasn't just me. We slowly coasted to the gas station where he lifted up the pedal with his hand and it fell to the floor. He was able to re-hook the cable but this only fixed the problem for a very short amount of time and it is slowly starting to get worse again! I looked up recalls and could not believe there wasn't any, especially after seeing all these complaints! love my car but this drives me absolutely crazy !!! I wouldn't trust it in the snow being that you have to "gun it" for the pedal to move ! Good luck everyone !

- passionstruckx, Catasauqua, PA, US

problem #1

May 122010

Escape

  • Manual transmission
  • 41,000 miles

The Ford people say this does not happen and there is no recall. Yet talking with other Escape owners I have found others who have had their vehicle in more than once for the same price.

- haskins, Erie, PA, US

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