Problems with 2008 Ford Escape POWER TRAIN

Transmission fluid leak due to faulty transmission cooler. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated she received notice of an unknown manufacturers recall notice in regards to the transmission cooling leakage. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repairs but the contact did not know what repairs were completed or hear any mention of transmission problems. five months later while in the parking lot driving less than 20 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle took at least twenty minutes to restart as she pulls back into the parking space. the vehicle was then driven the next day to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and stated she needed a new transmission. the manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 96,000.

I own a 2008 ford escape that was one of thousands that was manufactured with a defective transmission cooler. i am one of thousands who want something done a recall produced as this is a major safety issue. the defective part seems to break without warning. the part develops a crack and leaks all of the vehicles transmission fluid out which can cause 2 issues. the transmission fluid can ignite underneath the hood by blowing back on the exhaust manifold or by going undetected all the fluid can drain out and cause the transmission to not engage when merging into traffic or highways causing a crash. this is a major problem that ford motor company knows about, they will not replace the part as part of a mistake in their manufacturing. they will have a minimum wage customer service associate say sorry until you get frustrated and hang up on them. please look into this issue before someone gets killed as when i brought up that fact the customer service department didn't care and they told me to hope for a recall. the owners that have paid to fix their cars are also out another $1000 on a car that is only 3 or less years old. i hope whoever gets this takes this seriously and does the research. you can call ford and question them as i'm sure they have at least thousands of complaints, the internet is full of complaints, videos, and many concerned owners. again this defective part is going to get someone killed and i hope you can help all of us owners get recourse by getting a recall issued and keeping the roads safe from these death traps ford continues to manufacture with this defective part. *tr

I recently noticed that my 2008 ford escape was leaking some fluid on the driveway. i had also noticed some slippage of the transmission while driving at slow speeds. my service station advised that there was a leak in the transmission cooler. they encouraged me to take it to the dealer, because it was likely under warranty. the escape was a "certified pre'owned" model which carried an additional warranty for the transmission. my local ford dealer confirmed that transmission leak, but declined to cover the cost of repairs, because they said that the item was not covered by the warranty. after learning of the problem, i did some research on the internet and discovered that this is a widespread problem among owners of 2008 ford escapes. i feel that this transmission leakage problem poses a safety risk to the public. if ford is unwilling to address this issue, then this model should be subject to a safety recall. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated the vehicle jerked forward when accelerating from a very low speed or a stop. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was told the vehicle needed a new condenser to help cool the transmission. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 38,300. the vin was unavailable.

The car began stalling and or jumping as stop and pull when pulling off to drive. i was told tocheck fluid level the transmission. level was low so i put some in it lasted about two weeks. then it started to happen again. when i took it to the mechanic he told me the transmission cooling system was cracked and it will cost $900 to replace the transmission cooler. ford also did this customer satisfaction program 09b10 to fix the problem but not solve the problem because my transmission style cracked. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 ford escape ltd. the contact stated that when trying to accelerate the pedal would hesitate and the vehicle would not move forward. she had to continuously engage the accelerator pedal a couple of times in order for the vehicle to start moving. the failure occurred on an intermittent basis. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor has the vehicle been repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 68,000. updated 2/23/11 *cn updated 05/05/11

A/c condenser-transmission cooler leak. trans. oil all over engine bay which is a fire hazard. car wants to take off on it's own which is caused when trans. fluid gets low. part needs to be replaced. there's hundreds of complaints on line of this particular problem and ford is yet to do a recall. *tr

I bought my 2008 ford escape xlt in 2007. in aug. of 08' i had to take it in to the dealer and they said it was my transmission. they found that the pump support was worn and worn through the seal rings. i was at 29,094 miles. ford fixed it under warranty. it is now december of 10' and i am at 73,000 miles and having the exact same issues only this time i took it in and they will not cover the repair. the tech report i received states the exact same thing it did when i took it in 08'. i went to this website: http://www.carcomplaints.com/ford/escape/2008/transmission/transmission_cooler_failure-tsb_exists.shtml and found many people are having transmission issues. i paid 25,000 for this vehicle and should not have gone through 2 transmissions! what i noticed both times is that it would shift hard into reverse and it felt as though it was slipping once it warmed up. *tr

2008 ford escape, broke down in the middle of intersection. did get it moved out of way of traffic. but it was due to a failure in the torque converter. and, after 7 weeks and finding out that it is actually a recall and ford stated that they will not notify owners of the vehicles, but just if it happens to replace it. not everyone could be so lucky as me to get out of imminent danger! when this goes out, the vehicle dies when the vehicle slows down. *tr

After stopping or slowing down and when you push on the gas to drive or speed up the car would hesitate as if it were in neutral and then kick into gear and the car would jerk and the tires would skid. this happened for about 2 weeks and then my car stopped driving. it was out of warranty by 10,000 miles and the band broke inside the transmission so now it needs a transmission overhaul. *tr

I own a 2008 ford escape, in august 28th, 2014 as i was coming off the highway and stopped at a light my vehicles wrench symbol came on and as i tried accelerating my vehicle went up to 45 rpm before changing gear into second. since this day, i tried taking my car into repair services but i am very limited, as a full time student and a father at the moment i was not working and relying on my school income which was not a lot to repair my car. the car has gotten worse since then, instant of going up to 45 rpm in order to change into second gear it sometimes goes up to 60 rpm before changing, not only that but as i slowly break my car suddenly speeds up forward, like a boost which i need to firmly apply my breaks again. i've tried taking it to ford, but so much for help or willing to work with me, it is disappointing when we purchase our favorite vehicles and get turned down by the company knowing we are in need of help. my car consumes gas, every other day i have to fill up it to keep it from completely running low, in a day it consumes half the tank, with the second day my gas is nearly done. i went from spending 120-30 biweekly on gas to 120 every two days, add it up especially as a full time student. i am a father of two in which i freak out when i have them in my car. i've came to realize i am not the only one that has this issue, i've seen a serious amount of complaints about 05 to 13 ford escape models. there is no recall for fixing the problem which leaves many of us helpless. ford does not treat their customers well. ford is the definition of poor customer service. the transmission is going out, if that is the case how the hell do i and others come up with $4200 to replace my transmission having two children. i am pinned against the wall and there isn't anything i can do, if this isn't a cry for help, then i don't know what to do, please help. *tr

I have a ford escape 08, and about 6 months ago i noticed that it started leaking at the front of the vehicle, which at the beginning i thought it was the air conditioner. but then searching on the web i realized that the problem was the vehicle oil cooler transmission and now it just doesn't stop leaking alot. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving at 60 mph, the vehicle suddenly stopped moving forward although the engine was still running. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the contact was informed that there was a problem with the coolant in the transmission. the vin was unavailable at the time of the complaint. the current and failure mileages were approximately 20,000.

Recently my 2008 ford escape started hesitating when taking off. almost caused an accident since i was pulling out into traffic. today as i stopped at a stop light the transmission did not shift down, it lurched forward and died. it appears many 08 escape owners are also having this problem. why has this not been investigated. someone may be killed if something is not done. *tr

Ford escape limited 4wd 2008 the pto seal on right side is leaking and was replaced at 17333km and a 20800km and is until leaking the pto will block and the wheel will block very dangerous. *tr

Tl*-the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact was driving approximately 35 mph approaching a stop sign. while at a complete stop the transmission slipped out of gear without assistance. when pressure was applied to the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lurched forward and into the prior selected gear. suddenly, the tires screeched. the failure occurred on three different occasions. additionally, the gears would lock and not shift into another gear. also, there was transmission fluid leakage. the vehicle had not been repaired for the malfunctions. failure mileage was 29,300. the current mileage was 29,592.

2008 ford escape. consumer states vehicle loss all power while driving *tgw when the mechanic opened the hood, he discovered the engine was covered in fluid. the transmission cooler was leaking, as well as the coolant.

Car start stalling, took it to the dealer and they said the transmission cooler was leaking and when the transmission get hot it will not work due to the lack of fluid. *tr

My 2008 ford escape is leaking transmission fluid from the condensing unit located by the radiator. the transmission fluid leaking from the air condensing unit/transmission cooler is causing damage to the transmission and could cause a fire hazard for unsuspecting drivers. *tr

Car started jerking (or stopping) when stopped at stop signs/stop lights. i took to the dealer and they had to replace transmission cooler / a/c combo. *tr

Have a 2008 ford escape, the transmission started acting up a couple of days ago. i would put my foot on the gas and the vehicle wouldn't move then it would jerk and move. it stalled twice on the road. this is a big issue since this can cause a huge car accident that could hurt people. took to the dealership and was told it a transmission condenser, which cost to repair over 800.00 plus this is not covered by the powertrain warranty. this is a issue that needs to be looked at since will cause mayor accident and effect people life. *tr

My 2008 ford escape started jerking during acceleration and shuttering at stop lights. no lights check engine light ever came on, and didn't happen all the time. finally the car stalled at a red light and i decided to bring it in. my ford dealership said its the transmission fluid leaking via the ac condenser. they are fixing it, $800 cost. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated that the transmission fluid was leaking and caused the transmission to fail. the contact was driving 3 mph when the vehicle stalled in middle of the road while she continued to depress the accelerator pedal. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer to be repaired. the contact was concerned that she was responsible for paying the repair cost since she has a power train warranty up to 60,000 miles on the vehicle. the vehicle surged forward while engaging the brakes at a traffic light. the vehicle has also rolled backward when she was driving uphill. the manufacturer was not notified. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 42000 and the current mileage was 42000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated that the transmission cooler is leaking. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated this was not covered under the power train warranty because it is a part of the air condition . they would not repair it unless it was paid for. there was no warning light indicating a leakage. the failure mileage was 35,400.

2008 ford escape developed fluid leak in transmission cooler after less than 40,000 miles. ford recognized problem with cd4e transmission manufactured before 2/18/2008 with tech service bulletin #08-5-7. loss of transmission fluid could result in dangerous vehicle operation or fire. part was replaced with upgraded cooler by ford service at owners expense. *tr

2008 ford. escape transmission cooler. it is leaking fluid and is very dangerous. it causes the transmission to fail. i am surprised ford has not done anything about this matter. i have read hundreds of complaints and failures. *tr

Automatic transmission fluid cooler faulty. causes vehicle to jerk forward suddenly while accelerating. vehicle has 37,000 miles and has followed all regular service. ford dealer states the part is not covered under warranty. *tr

2008 ford escape - transmission line / condenser leak causes car to stall. this is all over the web and is a common problem. ford has tsb's on this (#08-5-7, #08-16-12, #09-9-4). this a serious safety issue and should be the subject of a recall before people get killed when this occurs on the highway! see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6xq2zyqmoi&nr=1. *tr

Over the last several weeks i noticed my car running sluggish and jerky with no pep at all going up hills either. on 2 occasions my car almost stalled as i was pulling from a stop sign which almost caused 2 accidents. i also began noticing oil spots on my driveway. i thought i might have an oil leak since i just had an oil change about a month ago. when i called the dealer to explain my situation the ford tech. advised it had nothing to do with my oil change but rather a problem with my transmission fluid and a/c condenser. i questioned the tech on how he can diagnosis the problem so quickly with out even looking at the vehicle and he advised ford has tsb for this. i brought the car in for service and asked if this is a recall or covered under my warranty. i was advised it was neither and that i needed to pay for the repairs directly. the dealer replaced part # 818z19712j. i did some research on line and found numerous complaints with the same vehicle year and make dealing with the same problem i'm dealing with ie: transmission & ac condenser. *tr

Tccf transmission cooler condenser failure- july 16,2008 repaired; -leaking -slipping on shifting-had very little transmission oil on dip stick when repaired at dealership under the 36,000 limited warranty--after 4 days july 20, 2008 wife was rear ended by a dwi traveling at estimated more than 75 to 80 mph(my wife traveling on a state highway at normal regulated speed of 50 mph) -damages of over $13,500 to our car-all shop and repairs done by ford dealership , our only shop and service place for this escape 2008. on february 9, 2010(at 21,000 miles later the 2nd tccf-leaking fluid seen in snow-dealership after contact with ford.com replaced and repaired under good will customer plan of the dealership. they also replaced on our complaint of a "clacking" type noise , a steering right front assembly at no cost to us) there evidently a tsb on it. in addition we have a heating-cooling flow of air from our heat and air vents problem-temperatures not as we regulate them.. the dealership had replaced a actuator in behind dash(have record of that along with all service dates on ford ownership home page-believe it about on previous service for oil change) on completion of recent repairs and our vehicle returned to us on february 18, 2010 we advised the service manager of the continuing air-heat regulator problem-advised they would reexamine it on next service or at our convenience. the dealership has stood behind the ford, we must admit that-but our inconvenience and the so many that have seen by others on the internet seem to warrant a recall as to all three related problems--some of which seem to be related to the same tcc problems. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated that while at a stop light before entering the freeway. when he tried to move forward after the light, the vehicle completely shut down. the contact shifted to neutral and re-started the vehicle and the problem seemed to correct itself. he noticed the problem again and was able to re-start the vehicle almost immediately. there were no warning lights on the dashboard indicating a possible reason for failure. he took the vehicle to the dealership and the dealer told him that there was a flaw in the design of the vehicle and a leak in the transmission fluid compartment and the radiator was also destroyed. he was also told that the radiator, air conditioning condenser, the transmission fluid compartment and other components (not known to the contact) needed to be replaced. he called the manufacturer and filed a complaint. the manufacturer offered to cover half of the repairs if he signed a contract stating that he would no longer complain about the problem. the vehicle was being repaired at the time of the complaint. the current and failure mileages were approximately 49,000.

Leak in the transmission, cooler thru the ac condenser. kept leaking transmission fluid. *tr

Leased 2008 ford escape in march 2008. mileage is 27,412. noticed atf fluid leak on driveway right side of car near front. opened the hood to find the entire right front side of the engine compartment was covered in atf fluid. trans fluid level at very bottom of dip-stick. washed out the area to check for leak and found at trans cooler. took vehicle to dealer for repair. they said they couldn't find source of leak and kept for 3 days eventually replacing the trans cooler per tsb 09-09-04 and overhauling the trans. forward clutches burnt from low fluid level. fortunately this happened while still under 36mo/36k mile warranty. did some quick internet searches to find this is a very common problem with this vehicle with most happening around 40k miles and out of warranty. this is absurd that ford knows about the problem with two or three tsb's yet chooses not to recall/repair. *tr

1) limited use of vehicle, 28,000 miles on a 2008 escape (used moderately in cold weather situations) 2) transmission cooler failure, leaks cooler fluid and transmission fluid all over engine compartment. vehicle "springs" forward or stalls after coming to a stop (daily). vehicle loses a quart or more of fluid monthly. vehicle shifts very loudly and roughly (daily - is an automatic) 3) repair is quoted at $1000 dollars for replacement cooler piece. even though vehicle is still under power train warranty and under bumper to bumper warranty (for miles, not time which ended a week ago). dealer and ford motor company is uncooperative. *tr

We own a 2008 ford escape xlt. the transmission cooler suddenly began to leak and leaked out all of the fluid. the vehicle is still under the 100k power train warranty. we researched on-line and discovered that this is a common problem with this vehicle and has been going on for over 3 years. ford would not honor repairs under the power train warranty saying it is "not an internal part." this defect is very dangerous since it can cause a total failure of the transmission which could cause a crash. we ended up having to pay ford $675.34 to make the needed repair. *tr

Transmission fluid leak, making transmission fluid leak. causing little to no fluid. i was told this was the 4th or 5th vehicle, in the past month. that the dealership has seen with the same problem. *tr

Purchased new in 06/2007, 2008 ford escape. transmission cooling system leaking due to rust. discovered at 40,000. this was due to defect in cooling system, not wear and tear as explained by ford service manager. warranty expired at 36,000. cost for repair $800. problem may have occurred during warranty period, but not discovered until 40,000. feel this should be covered, initial service bulletin issued 03/01/08. *tr

My 2008 ford escape has 'sprung' a transmission fluid leak causing my accelerator to 'rev' instead of driving properly and changing gears efficiently. if fluid gets too low, the rear end makes a loud thud noise when it kicks into gear. my suv only has 39,555 miles on it, but since it is over the 36,000 miles, i no longer have any bumper to bumper warranty. this leaking seal is not covered by the 60,000 power train warranty as this is an external transmission part, and not an internal transmission part. as transmission fluid is designed to flow through the air conditioning coolant system, i now have to pay $800.00 to have this replaced. i have been told this is not a good design. also, after researching this vehicle, i see there are other escape owners experiencing the same problem. my transmission first acted up last week. i will be having it fixed at mike reichenbach ford in florence, sc this monday, february 8, 2010. this is not good...needless to say, i am a very dissatisfied ford customer. we have owned several in the past. my husband was planning on purchasing a 2010 f150 truck, but has now said he will not. we feel very let down by ford. this suv should not have sprung a leak this soon. *cn *tr

I have a 2008 ford escape just past warranty at approx. 38,500 miles. first i noticed a jerk upon take off at a stop sign. then it did it again another time. then we noticed a puddle of transmission fluid in my garage. my husband (a mechanic) has diagnosed that the transmission fluid cooler is leaking. currently making arrangements to get it fixed. this vehicle is way too new to have a big repair bill like this. i see that many other owners are having the same problem. *cn

Vehicle is leaking severe amount of transmission fluid just at warranty mark. dealer will not cover repair. there are a lot of complaints on internet in regard to this, it could cause a potential fire in vehicle or accident due to low levels of fluid, the control panel does not alert driver if transmission fluid level is low. *tr

Developed leak in automatic transmission cooler on 2008 ford escape. led to no shift in traffic condition.*cw

The car started to drive sluggish and hesitated in the middle of the street. after checking the transmission fluid i found that i was nearly empty. i refilled the tranny with about 3 quarts of fluid. the next day i checked it again and there was no fluid on the stick. i looked at the right passenger front side of the vehicle and saw were fluid was leaking from under the radiator. after having this checked out i am told that this is the transmission cooler and lines and there is no fix for the problem. it can be replaced but it will happen again according to the dealer. now, i have to put a quart or more in every day. there is no recall and the warranty does not cover this repair. this fluid leak could possible cause a fire under the hood and by dripping out so fast it could cause the vehicle to stop in traffic without warning. *tr

The transmission/ a/c cooler is bad (per the my local ford dealer) and leaking transmission fluid at a rapid rate which could cause transmission failure. my wife and kids travel in this vehicle and do not want to them to be injured or worst, killed because ford want own up and replace this part. the cooler has transmission fluid running thru it and it keeps the transmission from overheating and failing, so it is part of the transmission and ford needs to replace it free of charge. my vehicle only has 44,500 miles on it; this is way to soon to have a transmission problem, unless it has had abuse, which it hasn't. my local ford dealer wants $ 800.00 to fix the problem and i am not paying it. i am going to keep the fluid topped off until they recall it. it's is not right to have this many complaints and not do something about the problem. unfortunately it will probably take someone getting killed before anything is done! *tr

My 2008 ford escape had experienced major transmission slippage due to a faulty transmission oil cooler. there appear to be numerous complaints about faulty transmission oil coolers for 2008 escapes. i understand that a tsb has been issued by ford to its service technicians; however, the general public is unaware of the problem that creates a major safety concern. in my case, the cooler developed a leak shortly after 37,800 miles of use. the leak caused the transmission oil to drop below an acceptable level for the transmission to function properly. i noticed the slip when entering onto a highway (us rt 22). the slip caused a major delay in the acceleration of the vehicle and almost resulted in major accident. i had my 2 young children in the vehicle at the time. the transmission oil cooler is currently being replaced. although the part appears to be an integral part of the transmission it is not covered under the manufacturer's 5yr/50,000 mile powertrain warranty. instead, the part is covered under the vehicles general 3yr/36,000 mile warranty. the cost of my repair was $930. ford appears to be aware of this common occurrence as evidenced by the tsb but there has yet to be a recall. although a crash and/or death were not my end result, it easily could have been. please take the time to investigate and ensure that the problem is resolved. thank you. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 ford escape. the contact stated that his vehicle was leaking automatic transmission from the transmission cooler. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated this was a common problem; however, there was no related warranty. the contact is responsible for the repair cost. the failure mileage was 42,000.

No prior warning transmission failed while traveling 40 mph, moved to side of road, towed to dealer, transmission was filled with metal chips and was burnt, replacement transmission installed 1/4/2010, lasted a month, would lurch when starting out, when entering intersection it lurched into it, returned vehicle to dealer 2/10/2010, internal crack was found, now on 3rd transmission with no confidence in this vehicle. *tr

Leaking transaxle fluid from condenser. *tr

Transmission fluid leaking from transmission cooler. have to replace the transmission / ac cooler with new one. part # 8l8z-19712-j. *tr

2008 ford escape - : drove vehicle without any problems for 10 months. all of a sudden vehicle would not go into any gear with the exception of park. had experienced no problems with this whatsoever prior to this incident. had vehicle towed to dealership that it was purchased. transmission repaired under drivetrain warranty, service department said the inside had blown apart. warranty did not replace but did repair. trans. condenser and cooler assembly replaced, not under warranty, (missed bumper to bumper warranty by 2,000mls). this part 8l8z19712j is the new part replacing the cooler. ford service bulletin on this problem #tsb 09-9-4. fluid leaked under hood, could have been a real problem if i had not chosen to have it towed.*tr