I really appreciate all of your input on this. So I just bought the vehicle used 2 weeks ago. I have stored in my Daughter's garage in North Carolina. I live in Florida. So currently I don't have the vehicle handy to check things out. I will contact her this weekend and have her husband go through all the check points that you have provided. Once I get it started (two or three tries usually gets it going), it runs like a charm.

Another thing that I thought of is it could be is a bad contact on the key switch. What do you think. Maybe jamming the brake pedal to the floor jars the switch in the column and it starts.

Anyway, I'll certainly get back to you on the following:

Battery voltage
Listen for the quiet click when you press the brake to take it out of park
Try to shift it out of park without pressing the brake pedal

I really do appreciate all of your assistance.

 

So I had my son-in-law perform the following tests. I wasn't sure if the car needed to have the key switch in the run position or the accessory position. These tests were done with it in the accessory position.


1. Tested the voltage of the battery. Reading was 12.5 volts
2. Placed an ear close to the stick shift, pressed on the brake pedal to see if it clicks. NO CLICK.
3. Tried to put the car in drive WITHOUT pressing the brake pedal down. IT WOULD NOT GO INTO "D" position.
4. Tried to put the car in drive WITH the brake pedal pressed down. IT WOULD NOT GO INTO "D" position.

Should these tests be performed IF the car will start instead of just accessory mode?

 

With the key in the on position the car should be shifting into drive with the brake pressed even if the engine has never been started. I have pushed mine around without starting it by shifting it into neutral with the key on.

Is everything electrical working on the car? Does the radio operate and the fans come on? Does it sound like the contactor is coming in from the back of the car?

What it sounds like is going on is that you either have a broken shift park interlock or you have an electrical issue somewhere in the truck that will need to be tracked down that one of the symptoms is the truck not shifting into neutral.

 

Do the brake lights come on when you press the brake pedal? You could have a bad brake switch, but that doesn't really explain the no start condition.

 

All other electrical components work fine. Radio, lights, brake lights, etc. So it sounds like it could be the brake switch.

Also, in doing more research, some people report that the ignition switch doesn't work correctly all the time and they have to push the key in very hard to get it to make contact to start.

What is your opinion? Could it be the ignition switch along with the brake switch?

 

It's more likely to be the brake switch or park shift interlock since it won't go into drive. It doesn't need the electrical ignition switch activated to go into drive. It could be another system entirely like anti theft though too. Are there any lights flashing on the dash when you try to start it?

 

If the brake lights are coming on it's more than likely the park shift interlock or something controlling that. Since the vehicle will start and go into drive with the brake pedal pressed the interlock itself seems to be functioning properly.

Honestly with something this weird it could come down to it needing a flash. A 2008 shouldn't require a brake press to start like the newer Fords do.

 

I hate to say it, but if you can get the vehicle to start reliably and that's the only issue you are having then it's probably not worth the time and money to track it down until or if it becomes a hard failure.

 

I'll be in North Carolina next week where my Escape is located. I'll go through everything and pay real close attention to all of the dash lights, brake lights, etc. Hopefully it comes down to something simple.

I'll post my results either Wednesday or Thursday next week.

As to reliable starting, it takes three or four turns of the key to get it to start. So my first thing to try is see if it will start up without pressing the brake pedal.

Then I'll try all the other testing.

 

If it's taking multiple attempts to start to get the command to start then it's probably the electrical switch inside of the column that's on the driver's side. One thing that tends to work for a while is to push the key inward while turning it and that forces it to make a contact. If that's the problem then it's either the switch or the tumbler, I have heard of both, but the the switch is much more common, cheaper and easier to do.

Either of those problems have nothing to do with the brake pedal and the car should start without touching them.

May the odds be ever in your favor.