NHTSA Complaint #10120749 — 2001 FORD ESCAPE

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2001 FORD ESCAPE XLT V6, 4 WHEEL DRIVE. MY TRUCK CURRENTLY HAS 75000 MILES OF USE. I FEEL THE INCIDENT I CHOSE TO WRITE ABOUT IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE AS IT INVOLVES A MALFUNCTION OF THE ANIT-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES BRAKING ACTION (ON DRY PAVEMENT!) WHEN IT OCCURS. I AM ALSO AWARE OF AT LEAST TWO OTHER FORD ESCAPE OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE. THE FAILURE CAUSES THE ABS TO ACTIVATE ON DRY PAVEMENT, WHEN ABSOLUTELY NO SLIPPAGE IS OCCURRING AT ANY WHEEL. THE ACTIVITY OF THE ABS SYSTEM ACTUALLY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES BRAKING CAPACITY AND CAUSES THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GO DOWN NOTICEABLY FURTHER THAN NORMAL WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP. ONLY A QUICK AVOIDANCE MANEUVER ALLOWED ME TO AVOID REAR-ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. PUMPING THE BRAKES DOES NOT HELP SINCE THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL MODULE IS MODULATING THE BRAKES AT SUCH A RATE, PUMPING THE BRAKE DOES NOT PRODUCE A FIRMER PEDAL. I HAVE TRACED THE PROBLEM TO A FAULTY ABS SYSTEM ROTATION TRANSDUCER DESIGN ON THE FRONT WHEELS OF THE ESCAPE. THE TRANSDUCER IS BASICALLY A SPLINED RING ABOUT 8MM WIDE. THE RING IS APPARENTLY FRICTION FIT ONTO THE HALF-SHAFT NEAR THE FRONT CV JOINTS JUST INSIDE OF THE FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY. A SENSOR APPARENTLY PICKS UP THE PEAKS OR VALLEYS IN THE SPLINED RING AS IT ROTATES PAST THE SENSOR TO DETERMINE WHEEL ROTATION SPEED. IT IS THE SPLINED RING THAT FAILS, MINE ACTUALLY SPLIT ACROSS ITS WIDTH CAUSING IT TO LOOSEN AND MOVE AWAY FROM THE SENSOR. THIS APPARENTLY CAUSES THE ABS SYSTEM TO OPERATE ERRATICALLY AND ACTUALLY CAUSE A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN BRAKING CAPACITY ON DRY PAVEMENT! THIS ERRATIC BEHAVIOR WILL OCCUR 5-10 TIMES BEFORE THE ABS CONTROLLER DETERMINES THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG AND SWITCHES OFF THE ABS SYSTEM. THIS ILLUMINATES THE ABS INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND DOES RESTORE NORMAL BRAKING PERFORMANCE. THIS CYCLE WILL REPEAT ITSELF EACH TIME THE TRUCK IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED!!