NHTSA Complaint #11326650 — 2013 FORD ESCAPE

TODAY AFTER 10 MINUTES OF SUCCESSFUL, NORMAL SUBURBAN DRIVING, AND A STOP FOR LUNCH, MY ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, HILL START ASSIST, AND AUTO 4WD SYSTEMS ALL THREW WARNINGS OF MALFUNCTION. THE WARNINGS APPEARED AFTER HAVING BEEN WAITING IN A DRIVE-THROUGH LINE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, AND POWER OFF IN THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES THEREAFTER. AUDIBLE AND PHYSICAL INDICATIONS OF PROBLEM WERE THUMPING NOISE IN RIGHT-REAR WHEEL, AND DIFFICULTY IN MAKING FORWARD MOTION AT LOW SPEED IN A ZERO-SLOPE PARKING LOT. VISUAL CHECK FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH TIRE INFLATION OR OBSTACLES IN STRAIGHT PATH OF TRAVEL. MANUAL CHECK OF LUG-NUTS BY HAND WITHOUT TOOLS FOUND NONE LOOSE. AFTER CONFERRING WITH A LOCAL SHOP I TRUST, I WAS ABLE TO TRAVEL 1/2 MILE WITHOUT INCIDENT TO THEIR LOCATION. AUDIBLE AND PHYSICAL INDICATIONS WERE PRESENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP, BUT ALL CLEARED AFTER I GOT UNDERWAY. WARNINGS ON DASH REMAINED PRESENT. SHOP WAS ABLE TO REPRODUCE INDICATIONS, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY CAUSE DURING DETAILED VISUAL INSPECTION OF CHASSIS AND BRAKE SYSTEMS. I HAVE SCHEDULED AN ELECTRICAL DIAGNOSTIC ON THE SYSTEMS FOR NEXT WEEK, TO ATTEMPT TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THIS SET OF CONDITIONS. SHOP THINKS A FAULTY ABS SENSOR, TONE PLATE, OR WIRING MAY BE THE CAUSE, WHICH MAKES THE BRAKES ENGAGE INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT INPUT FROM THE DRIVER. *TR