2004 Ford Escape Brakes Problems

Your brake master cylinder is leaking brake fluid, and you notice the leak gets worse each time you press the brake pedal. This is a safety issue that needs immediate attention since brake fluid loss can affect your braking ability. The fix will likely involve replacing the brake master cylinder.

ON 916/17, WE WERE JUST GETTING OFF THE ENTRANCE ONTO ROUTE 276, EAST BOUND, NORTH OF PHILLY. I WAS STARTING TO ACCELERATE AND MERGE WITH TRAFFIC WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SUDDENLY WENT TO THE FLOOR ON ITS OWN. I THEN TURNED OFF THE ENGINE WITH THE KEY AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER WE WERE TOWED A MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO LIFT THE PEDAL AFTER DETANGLING IT FROM THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL (STICKING ACCELERATOR PEDAL) IN 2015. I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR THE RECALL AND IT WAS REPAIRED BY A FORD DEALER ON 6/1/15. THE RECALL NOTICE # IS 12S37/NHTSA RECALL 12V-353 I DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO SCAN A REPAIR BILL, WHICH AMOUNTED TO A MECHANIC TYING THE CABLE UP OUT OF THE WAY OF THE PEDAL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED DURING THE INCIDENT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

I WAS LEAVING MY PARKING SPOT WHERE THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND MY BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I DISCOVERED THAT BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING OUT OF THE BRAKE LINE IN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL WELL. THE RUBBER HOSE HAD DETERIORATED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. YESTERDAY I WAS DRIVING WHEN MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AGAIN. WHEN I PARKED THE CAR I FOUND THAT BRAKE FLUID IS LEAKING FROM THE BRAKE LINE IN THE FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE WHEEL WELL. THE VEHICLE NOW HAD APPROXIMATELY 137000 MILES. IT APPEARS THAT THE RUBBER BRAKE LINE HOSE HAD DETERIORATED ON THAT SIDE AS WELL. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS BOTH TIMES I WAS DRIVING MY KIDS AND HAD TO WORRY ABOUT INJURING THEM AND POTENTIALLY ANYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD AT THE TIMES THIS OCCURRED.

RUBBER BRAKE HOSE ON PASSENGER SIDE FRONT RUPTURED CAUSING ALL BRAKE FLUID TO DRAIN FROM SYSTEM. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS FOUND THE DRIVER SIDE REAR RUBBER BRAKE HOSE WAS NEAR FAILURE. FORD SERVICE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT HE HAD SEEN SEVERAL FAILURES ON FORD ESCAPES. THIS FAILURE CAUSES THE BRAKES TO FAIL COMPLETELY WITH NO BRAKE PEDAL RESPONSE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ABS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ABS MODULE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V156000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME ELAPSED, THE CONTACT BEGAN TO NOTICE A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND A GRINDING SOUND WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONTACT HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 203,258.

DRIVING ON A STATE HIGHWAY APPROACHING A RED LIGHT, I APPLIED BRAKES AND FELT A PULSING SENSATION IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT BECAME VERY HARD TO STOP AND I HAD TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL MORE TIMES SINCE, AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND WITH NO WARNING. THE ABS LIGHT ON THE DASH DOES NOT COME ON AND THERE ARE NO OBD CODES. THE VEHICLE BECOMES VERY HARD TO STOP. I HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED BY MY MECHANIC THIS WEEK. HE FELT THE PROBLEM ONCE, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS OR OBD CODES, EVEN AFTER RUNNING DIAGNOSTIC TESTS. AT THIS POINT I AM IN A QUANDRY; I NEED TO USE THE VEHICLE, BUT FEEL IT IS UNSAFE TO DO SO AND WILL PROBABLY PARK IT UNTIL SOMEONE CAN TELL ME WHAT IS HAPPENING AND FIND A RESOLUTION. I HAVE READ OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE 'TONE RING' IN THE ABS SYSTEM, BUT MINE IS NOT DEFECTIVE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, SHE WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT ALL OF THE LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

TL*THE DRIVER OWNS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE DRIVER APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL EXCESSIVE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME WHERE THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LINE HAD FRACTURED AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LINE WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 140,000.

2004 FORD ESCAPE - A B S RINGS ON AXEL CRACKED AND ALLOWED THEM TO MOVE .RESULT IN BRAKE FAILING -HAVE TO LET OFF THE BRAKE SO IT CAN GRAB AGAIN AND A SENSOR MAKE IT PULSE THE BRAKES. USING GASKET REPAIR TO HOLD THE RINGS IN PLACE...BOTH SIDES HAVE THIS PROBLEM. WE KNOW OF THREE ESCAPES DIFFERENT YEARS THAT HAVE NOW THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V156000 COMPONENT: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE. THE REPAIR WAS DONE AND NOW THE FAILURE HAS RECURRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT TO REPAIR IT AGAIN THE COST WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 200.00, AND THEY ARE ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRING IT ONE TIME. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 56,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 82,000.

TONE RINGS ON FORD ESCAPES BREAKING. THESE RINGS ARE FOR THE ABS SYSTEM. TRUCK DOESN'T STOP PROPERLY. I READ ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THESE TONE RINGS. FORD CHARGES $250 PER SIDE. IN MY CASE BOTH SIDES ARE BROKE . SOUNDS LIKE A FACTORY FAULTY PART. *TR

THE BRAKES ON MY 2004 FORD ESCAPE, WHICH ONLY HAS 23,000 MILES ON IT, STARTED SQUEALING, AND I WAS HAVING TO PUSH A LITTLE HARDER THAN USUAL. ON DECEMBER 26, 2008 MY HUSBAND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP TO HAVE THE BRAKES CHECKED, INSTEAD OF NEW BRAKE PADS, WHICH WERE CURIOUSLY IN GOOD CONDITION, WE ARE GOING TO NEED NEW FRONT DISCS, FRONT AND BACK CALIPERS, AS WELL AS BRAKE PADS. WE WERE ABLE TO AFFORD THE BRAKE PADS AS WELL AS THE RIGHT FRONT DISC AT COST OF 400 DOLLARS BUT WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO SHELL OUT ANOTHER 400.00 PLUS TO REPAIR THE REST. THE WAIT WOULDN'T BE SO BAD IF I DIDN'T NEED THE ESCAPE TO TRANSPORT MY DAUGHTER BACK AND FORTH TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. *TR

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE BUTTON ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON MY 2004 FORD ESCAPE LIMITED EDITION HAS BROKE. THE FIRST TIME WAS FIXED UNDER WARRANTY, THIS TIME FORD IS REFUSING TO FIX IT FOR FREE. THIS IS SAFETY EQUIPMENT THAT HAS FAILED TWICE ON A SUV THAT IS LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL # 07V156000 CONCERNING SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE, BUT WAS UNACKNOWLEDGED BY THE DEALER. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER WAS UNAWARE OF THE RECALL IN A TIMELY MANNER, AND FEARED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY CATCH ON FIRE. THE VEHICLEWAS NOT BEING DRIVEN , AND THE CONTACT HAD AN APPOINTMENT ON MAY 2, 2007 TO GET THE RECALL REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 32,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *AK UPDATED 05/23/07. *JB

PREMATURE FAILURE, EXCESSIVE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE BRAKE ROTORS. VEHICLE SERVICED BY TREBOUR FORD EVERY 5,000 MILES ACCORDING TO SERVICE SCHEDULE. AT THIS VISIT, INFORMED THAT BRAKE PADS WERE CLOSE TO NEEDING REPLACEMENT. THIS IS NORMAL AND UNDERSTANDABLE. HOWEVER, WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE BEYOND THE POINT OF BEING USED FURTHER. THEY WERE WORN SO BADLY THAT THEY COULD NOT BE MACHINED EVEN ONCE. MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT BRAKE ROTORS WHEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED PROPERLY AND HAS 34,917 MILES WHICH HAS BEEN PRIMARILY HIGHWAY USAGE. THE NEED FOR BRAKE ROTOR REPLACEMENT AT THIS POINT WAS DUE TO DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT INSTALLED AT TIME OF PRODUCTION.*AK

BRAKES SCREECH, SQUEAL, AND FEEL JERKY. ALSO WHEN I PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE ROLLS FORWARD A DISTANCE OF FOUR (4) TO SIX (6) INCHES. MY BOYFRIEND, JODY, IS AN ATTORNEY. HE SAYS THAT ON OCCASION WHEN HE HAS DRIVEN THE VEHICLE, IT ROLLED FORWARD AFTER HE PUT IT IN PARK, AND TOUCHED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE IN THE PARKING LOT. HE ALSO REPORTED THAT MY VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD FOUR (4) TO SIX (6) INCHES IN THE WAL-MART PARKING LOT, WHICH RESULTED IN THE FRONT END BEING BURIED UP AGAINST A HEDGE OF TALL THICKLY WOVEN (WEAVED[?] BUSHY LIMBS WHICH SCRAPED AND SCRATCHED MY FRONT END. ANYWAY, THE PAINT IS NOW SCRATCHED AND PEELING ON THE LOWER PART OF THE FRONT END, WHERE THE "CLADDING" IS PAINTED, AND THE LEADING EDGE OF THE METAL HOOD.*JB

AS MY 2004 FORD ESCAPE TURNED 25,000 MILES, THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL BRAKE SHOP, AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE BRAKE PADS. THE BRAKE FLUID WAS ALSO VERY LOW. THE BRAKE SHOP MANAGER STATED THAT IT IS EXTREMELY UNUSUAL FOR ROTORS TO BE REPLACED AT 25,000 MILES. UPON INVESTIGATING OTHER SIMILAR CLAIMS ON VARIOUS WEBSITES, IT APPEARS THAT FORD MOTOR CO. HAD MANY COMPLAINTS ON VARIOUS MODELS FOR THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO ONE COMPLAINT WEBSITE, FORD MOTOR CO. WAS SUBJECT TO A CLASS ACTION BY FORD CONSUMERS IN 2003 REGARDING THE REPLACEMENT OF WARPED ROTORS ON THEIR VEHICLES AND OTHER BRAKE ISSUES. I'D CONTACTED MY DEALERSHIP, AND THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT IF THE BRAKE PROBLEM OCCURED WITHIN THE 12 MONTH/12,000 MILE PERIOD, IT WOULD BE COVERED; OTHERWISE, IT WAS MY FINANCIAL PROBLEM. SINCE FORD MOTOR CO.HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE INFERIOR BRAKE PROBLEM AND CONTINUES TO INSTALL THE INFERIOR ROTORS ON THEIR NEW VEHICLES, WHY SHOULD THE CONSUMER CONTINUE TO HAVE TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENTS EVERY YEAR OR 25,000 MILES? ACCORDING TO THE BRAKE SPECIALISTS, ROTORS GENERALLY ARE REPLACED BETWEEN 60,000 - 85,000 MILES, AND NOT 25,000, UNLESS THERE IS A DEFECT IN PRODUCT.*AK

1. USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE NORMALY THROUGHOUT THE DAY. 2. ON 10/21/2004 THE EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASE BUTTON FELL DOWN INSIDE THE E-BRAKE HAND GRIP, HAD TO USE THE END OF A PEN TO GET THE E-BRAKE TO RELEASE.*AK 3. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, THEY TOOK IT APART, AND PUT THE BUTTON BACK UP WHERE IT SHOULD BE, AND ORDERED A REPLACEMENT E-BRAKE ASSEMBLY, STILL HAVE OLD ASSEMBLY, THEY WEREN'T SURE WHY IT FELL DOWN AND BECAME STUCK.

AFTER 5000 MILE SERVICE, WHICH INCLUDE INSPECTING BRAKES AND ROTATING TIRES. I STARTED HEARING SOUND FROM THE REAR BRAKE WHILE APPLYING. THE NOISE WAS A TYPE OF THUMP WHICH SEEM TO CATCH ON THE DRUM. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY. MECHANIC RODE WITH ME AND DID HEAR NOISE. SAID THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE THE DRUM BRAKE WAS CATCHING. DEALER MACHINED DRUMS AND TAPERED ENDS OF REAR SHOES. NOISE WAS FIXED BUT I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE. *NM