NHTSA Complaint #11363179 — 2006 FORD ESCAPE

WHILE DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS AND CITY SPEEDS, ABS LIGHT COME ON WITH SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM MESSAGE APPEARS WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING. BRAKING IS TOUGH AND BARELY STOPS EVEN WITH HARD FOOT PRESSURE ON PEDAL. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT INTERMITTENTLY HAPPENS. ONCE YOU LET THE CAR SIT FOR AWHILE (SINCE YOU ARE SCARED OF DRIVING IT), THE BRAKING SYSTEM RESETS AND PROBLEM IS NOT SEEN FOR MONTHS...UNTIL IT OCCURS AGAIN. INQUIRIES TO FORD ABOUT PROBLEM ESTIMATE THE COST OF REPLACING CYLINDER, HCU, AND BLEEDING BRAKES FAR EXCEEDS THE VALUE OF VEHICLE. ANNOYING AS THIS BRAKE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS A WEAKNESS OF THIS CAR'S BRAKING SYSTEM AS FAR BACK AS 2005! WHY DOES FORD NOT RECALL AND FIX A KNOWN PROBLEM IN A TIMELY MANNER? MAY HAVE TO SCRAP AN OTHERWISE EXCELLENT WORKING VEHICLE BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND UNSAFE TO FELLOW DRIVERS SINCE IT MAY NOT RELIABLY STOP.