NHTSA Complaint #11395498 — 2007 FORD ESCAPE

HELLO, I HAVE A 2007 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION INSIDE AND OUT EXCEPT FOR THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE BRAKING SYSTEM HAS BEEN SYSTEMATICALLY HARD TO PRESS THE PEDAL SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT DUE TO BEING A HYBRID, HOWEVER, THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS FAILING AS OF 2 DAYS AGO. CONSISTENT WITH MANY, MANY OTHER FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS, THE BRAKING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS, ABS WARNING LIGHTS AND BRAKE SYSTEM SERVICE WARNING WILL SPORADICALLY ENGAGE ON THE VEHICLE. EVEN WITHOUT THE WARNING LIGHTS, THIS VEHICLES BRAKES WILL NOW FAIL, OFTEN DROPPING COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. AS THE BRAKES ARE A VITAL COMPONENT OF THE VEHICLE THE FAILURE HAS COME DURING CRITICAL TIMES, VIA STOP SIGNS, STOP LIGHTS, STOPPED TRAFFIC, NEARLY CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES OR FATALITIES. WHEN THE WARNING LIGHTS ENGAGE, THE BRAKING PEDAL IS HARD, BUT DOES FAIL AS WELL. AN IMMEDIATE SERVICE PERFORMED AT THE LOCAL GARAGE DETERMINED THE CAR MALFUNCTIONING BRAKE SYSTEM IS DUE TO THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER AND HYDRAULIC BRAKE PUMP, CONNECTED TO THE HYBRID SYSTEM WHICH IS HIGHLY CONSISTENT WITH ALL EARLY MODEL FORD ESCAPES. REPAIR ESTIMATES EXCEED $5000-7000 USD. THE BRAKING PROBLEM WITH THE EARLY GENERATION FORD ESCAPE PROBLEMS IS ENDEMIC, AND DESERVING OF ADDITIONAL SCRUTINY AND ATTENTION FROM THE NTHSA. THESE CARS ARE DEADLY AS SET, AND THANKFULLY MY FAMILY HAS NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH. PLEASE GIVE THESE VEHICLES ADDITIONAL SCRUTINY, AS IT IS NOT OBSCURE TO SEE WIDESPREAD BRAKING MALFUNCTIONS NATIONWIDE. FORD WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM.