NHTSA Complaint #10993118 — 2013 FORD ESCAPE

CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF BRAKING AT 65 MPH ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT WARNING. SATURDAY EVENING APRIL, 29, 2017 ON I-85 SOUTHBOUND WHILE SLOWING FROM 65 MPH TO EXIT AT SOUTH HILL, VA DRIVER (DAUGHTER) APPLIED BRAKES AND HAD NO POWER ASSIST. THIS PRODUCED A PEDAL THAT WAS STIFF AND HER ENTIRE BODY WEIGHT HAD TO BE USED TO CAUSE ANY SLOWING. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED USING THE GRADE OF THE RAMP AND E BRAKE. THE VEHICLE HAD NO WARNING LIGHTS OR INDICATIONS OF FAILURE. AFTER TOWING IT HOME SUNDAY APRIL 30TH IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DIAGNOSED A VACUUM PUMP FAILURE. THE VACUUM PUMP BEING SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BRAKING SYSTEM CAUSES IMMEDIATE LOSS OF BRAKING ON FAILURE. THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY CONDITIONS SIMILAR TO THOSE PRESENT IN THE BELT DRIVEN VACUUM PUMP ON 2011-2012 FORD F-150 ECOBOOST. SEVERAL DAYS LATER WHEN THE DEALERSHIP ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE VACUUM PUMP THEY FOUND THAT THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CAM CORE COUPLER TO SHEAR. THIS ALLOWED METAL SHARDS INTO THE OIL WHICH THEN CARRIED THEM TO THE ENGINE AND TURBO DAMAGING BOTH. THE DEALERSHIP CAME BACK WITH AN ESTIMATE OF $6000 FOR JUST THE REPAIRS WITH A NEW ENGINE, HOWEVER THEY INFORMED US THAT THE TURBO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL DUE TO THE DAMAGE. WORKERS AT THE DEALERSHIP REPORTED THAT THE COST TO FIX THE CAR FAR OUTSTRIPPED THE RESIDUAL VALUE. MILEAGE FAILURE WAS 60,921. DUE TO THE 921 MILES FORD HAS THUS FAR REFUSED TO CONSIDER ANY RECONCILIATION. AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH WE HAVE FOUND THAT THIS FAILURE IS COMMON AMONG ECOBOOST ENGINES AND MAY BE MORE PREVALENT THAN IMMEDIATELY EVIDENT. A BRAKING FAILURE OF THIS MAGNITUDE COULD EASILY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES OR FATALITIES. IN THE CASE OF MOST WRECKS INVOLVING PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLES THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF CAUSE IS UNCOMMON. IF THE OCCUPANTS WERE UNABLE TO RECALL OR COMMUNICATE THE CAUSE OF THE WRECK DUE TO INJURY OR DEATH IT WOULD GO UNREPORTED.