2005 Ford Escape service brakes, hydraulic problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR BRAKE HOSES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.”

“AS I DROVE MY FORD ESCAPE 2005 DOWN A HILL THE BRAKE LINE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE RUPTURED, CAUSING THE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK WHICH QUICKLY RESULTED IN NO BRAKING ABILITY. I MANAGED TO STOP MY CAR BY DOWN SHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR AND USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR BEFORE GOING THROUGH A STOP SIGN, FORTUNATELY, NO CARS OR PEDESTRIANS WERE IN THE WAY. THE MECHANIC WHO FIXED THE PROBLEM REPLACED THE BRAKE LINE ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES, AS THE DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LINE WAS CLOSE TO RUPTURING, TOO. *JB”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO EXIT FROM A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT BRAKE LINSE BROKE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND FILED A REPORT. THE MANUFACTURER THEN REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,406 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,506. UPDATED 05/31/12*LJ”

“THE BRAKES FAILED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN. THE CAR WENT THROUGH THE STOP SIGN. A FEW MINUTES LATER WHILE DRIVING, THE ABS AND SERVICE BRAKES LIGHT CAME ON. I DROVE THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO LOOK AT IT UNTIL TWO DAYS LATER. I WAS TOLD THE BRAKE HOSES NEEDED REPLACING. I REPLACED THEM. THE BRAKES SEEMED TO BE WORKING. A FEW DAYS LATER, I GOT THE SERVICE BRAKES WARNING, AS WELL AS THE SERVICE 4X4 WARNING IN THE INFO SCREEN. THE BRAKES SEEMED TO BE WORKING. THIS TIME THEY REPLACED THE WHEEL SENSOR AT THE DEALER. ABOUT A WEEK LATER, I NOTICED THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS HARD WHEN INITIALLY PRESSED AND SOFTENED WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED ON. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ABOUT 35 MPH WHEN THE SERVICE BREAKS AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE BRAKES ONLY WORKED IF I PRESSED REALLY HARD TO THE FLOOR AND THEN IT WAS JERKY. I DROVE A SHORT DISTANCE TO RETURN FROM WHERE I STARTED AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. WHEN I TURNED IT ON AGAIN A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE OFF AND I HAD BRAKING POWER AGAIN. I DROVE A FEW MILES TO THE DEALER AND WHEN I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT TO PARK, THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN AND WARNING LIGHTS…”

“THE FRONT BRAKE HOSE THAT CONNECTS THE BRAKE LINE TO THE BRAKE CALLIPER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BEARST A HOLE IN THE BRAKE HOSE CAUSING THE SUV TO LOOSE ALL BRAKE FLUID AND TO SMASH INTO TO VAN INFRONT OF US. THE HOSE BROKE AT THE TOP HALF OF THE HOSE BETWEEN THE BRAKE LINE AND THE BRAKE HOSE STRUT MOUNT. THE OUTER RUBBER BRAKE HOSE COATING LOOKS TO HAVE DRY ROTTED AND THE INNER LINE THEN BROKE SOMETIME LATER. THE HOSE LOOKS TO HAVE SEVERAL OTHER SPOTS THAT ALSO LOOK ROTTED. I REPLACED FRONT BRAKE LINE AND WAS BLEEDING THE BRAKE LINES WHEN I FOUND THE DRIVERS SIDE LOOKED LIKE IT WAS READY TO BEARST AT ANY TIME INCLUDING SEVERAL ROTTED SPOTS AT THE UPPER PART OF THE HOSE. I REPLACED BOTH FRONT BRAKE LINES IN THE FRONT. TWO DAYS AFTER BUYING THE BRAKE LINES, I RETURNED TO THE AUTO PARTS STORE TO PURCHASE PARTS FOR ANOTHER TRUCK WHEN THE SALESPERSON TOLD ME THE NEXT DAY AFTER I BOUGHT THE BRAKE LINES THAT ANOTHER PERSON HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS ESCAPE. THE SALESMAN WAS NOT SURE OF THE YEAR THAT FORD ESCAPE WAS. I SAVED THE BRAKE LINES FOR FURTHER INSPECTION/INVESTIGATION AS TO THE REASON THEY FAILED. I FEEL BRAKE BRAKE HOSE FAILURE IN A 05 SUV IS A MAJOR SAFETY…”

“THE ABS SENSOR RINGS ON MY FRONT BRAKES KEEP GETTING CRACKS IN THEM. THIS IS DISABLING THE ABS ON MY VEHICLE. I GET IT FIXED AND THEN A YEAR AND 2 MONTHS LATER IT CRACKS AGAIN. *TR”