Problems · by component
2006 Ford Escape Hybrid service brakes problems
105 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid cite service brakes, 15% of all 720 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
105
15% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
Reported by owners
What owners say about the service brakes
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Well to put it lightly my rear axial the whole rear end is a mess this did not happen from normal were there is not that many miles I am very confident that if I was mot train on how to control a car if it were to go out of control at a high speed this would be a whole different story just thank how many are still on the road this year 2006 escape is a ticking time”
“About a week after i bought this car and i bought it used but the abs light came on i took it to have it check out and was told the complete suspendtion system front and back was shot and that it all had to be fix i don't have the money for that i am a disabled veteran and i am scraping by as it is”
“ABS FAILURE. THE CAR BRAKES MAY AT TIMES LOCK-UP WITHOUT NOTICE. TRANSMISSION FAILURE: THE TRANSMISSION ACTS AS IF IT'S IN NEUTRAL WHEN IN BOTH FORWARD GEAR OR REVERSE. TRANSMISSION APPEARS TO BE IN GOOD REPAIR BUT THIS ISSUE PERSIST. THIS ISSUE APPEARS TO OCCUR FROM A BEGINNING ACCELERATION SUCH AS PUTTING CAR IN REVERSE AND ACCELERATING OR PUTTING CAR IN DRIVE AND ACCELERATING. THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHEN YOU MAY BE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND ATTEMPT TO PROCEED ONLY TO HAVE THE CAR ACT AS IF IT'S IN NEUTRAL. THIS SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR ISSUE SEEMS TO ONLY HAPPEN FROM A TAKE OFF SPEED.”
“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.”
“PARKING / EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED. CABLE ROUTED FROM HAND LEVER TO REAR BRAKES GOES THROUGH A BRACKET MOUNTED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BODY. BRACKET SEPARATED FROM UNDER-BODY OF VEHICLE RENDERING HAND BRAKE INOPERABLE. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY ON A SLOPE WITH REGULAR BRAKES APPLIED. PARKING BRAKE WAS BEING APPLIED TO KEEP THE WEIGHT OF VEHICLE ON AN INCLINE OFF OFF TRANSMISSION PARK LOCK.”
“OCCASIONALLY WHEN APPLYING SMOOTH PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT BECOMES VERY FIRM AND LOOSES BRAKING POWER. IF THE PEDAL IS RELEASED AND REAPPLIED THEN THE BRAKES WORK AGAIN (FOR NOW). THIS SOMETIMES CAUSES THE "CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM" WARNING LIGHT TO APPEAR. THIS LIGHT MAY OR MAY NOT REMAIN ON AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF FOR A WHILE. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY OTHERS, AND SHOULD BE HANDLED BY FORD AS A RECALL AS A PROPERLY WORKING BRAKING SYSTEM IS VITAL TO THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE ON THE ROAD. DATE INDICATED IS OF THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE (ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP).”
Showing 6 of 105 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.