NHTSA complaint: 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID — SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED YELLOW, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE RED BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED SIMULTANEOUSLY. A MESSAGE ON THE DASH SAID "REGEN BRAKES DISABLED". THE NORMAL BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED TO WORK. THE MANUAL (FAIL SAFE) BRAKING SYSTEM WAS INADEQUATE TO STOP PROPERLY. I HAD TO PUT THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AS HARD AS POSSIBLE AND THE CAR STILL DID NOT BRAKE PROPERLY. AFTER MUCH ROLLING, THE CAR FINALLY CAME TO A STOP, BUT HIT A POLE IN THE PROCESS CAUSING A CRACK IN THE FRONT BUMPER. DUE TO THE LONG STOPPING PROCESS, THE POLE WAS UNAVOIDABLE. IT WAS THE POLE, THE DITCH, OR ANOTHER CAR, SO I HAD TO CHOOSE TO BUMP INTO THE POLE FOR THE LEAST AMOUNT OF DAMAGE AND TO BE SURE NOT TO HURT ANYONE ELSE. TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND MY YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN!
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation