Hi all,

I've just taken possession of a Ford Escape Hybrid 2008 (AWD).

I'm very happy with the vehicle except for one thing: on startup, when the motor is idle and battery is charging, there's a noticeable stutter/shudder/vibration, which can be heard and felt.

It sounds like the motor is on the verge of stalling. After 10 or 15 seconds, when it goes back to idle (no charging), and the revs drop back down, everything's fine.

To all you 2008 FEH owners out there - is this indicative of a problem? Should I get someone to take a look at it?

many thanks!

 

No idea what you mean by "battery is charging" and "no charging". You able to verify any recent tune-up work like air filter, plugs, correct engine oil, etc? Has the MAF sensor been cleaned? If it's dirty it can command the wrong air/fuel mixture and cause rough running. If those normal things are good I'd start looking at the throttle body being gummed up, or faulty, as there have been numerous posts on the interwebs regarding that particular part:

http://www.fordproblems.com/problems...tle-body.shtml

 

I was referring to the display info screen when it reads 'Idle with Charging' and then goes back to 'Idle'.

In any case, i have since had the emissions light go on and had a mechanic check the code. P0301, Cylinder 1 misfire. So this could be the problem.

In any case, that's the least of my worries now. The mechanic also found numerous problems. Both differentials leaking oil, the steering rack leaking, timing chain cover leaking, as well as a suspension/steering issue. Sadly we will be attempting to get this vehicle returned and our money back.

 

I have no info screen that says anything like that so I take it you have a nav unit or something in yours. What mileage on the car? Tune up done? If there's a misfire, look at the plug and/or coil on that #1 cylinder. Again, likely tune-up issue depending on the mileage.

As for leaks, be very careful of any mechanic saying there are that many leaks unless he specifically points them out. It's a quick and easy way for unscrupulous mechanics to do absolutely nothing to a vehicle yet say later they fixed it, then proceed to charge you out the whazoo.

 

Indeed, this is the display on the nav unit.
The mileage is 120,000 km (74,000 miles) - I'm in Canada.

The inspection was performed by a 'car inspector', who does not do any repairs himself - so luckily he has no vested interest in reporting leaks that aren't there.

As for the leaks, as far as you know have i described any known issues on Ford Escapes?

 

None of those are common issues....your vehicle has had a rough life.

 

Wow, much lower mileage than I expected. I have almost 100k miles on mine and last time I was under it changing the oil I saw no evidence of any leaks whatsoever, and with modern gasket technology and assembly techniques I would not expect yours to be that bad. I'm curious if you yourself have seen these leaks. Maybe someone overfilled the last time an oil change was done and it ran everywhere... or maybe your car was built on a hangover Monday.

As for the shudder, it's a somewhat common problem with all manufacturers' makes and models to have coil on plug issues that could cause a stumble/misfire. For instance, my buddy's 09 Lincoln just needed 2 COPs replaced with less than 70k miles on his 3.5L V-6. Your issue may not necessarily be the COP on that cylinder, but it's the first thing I'd look at besides the spark plug itself. Easy enough to swap COPs between 2 different cylinders. If the problem then exists on whichever cylinder you've put that COP on, then you've verified your issue.

 

I got a second opinion today from another mechanic. Their report is much more palatable

all they found were two axle seal leaks. No sign, they said, of diff leaks, timing chain cover leak, or steering rack problems!

The truth may be somewhere in the middle....

 

Sounds about right. Ask 2 different sets of eyes to look at something and they'll see two different things. And one or both sets may or may not be honest and ethical. I'd be surprised if the axle seals are anything to worry about. LOL

Like I said earlier, since you have a verified P0301 DTC, pull the spark plug and compare it to the 3 others for damage or differences. If they all look identical, look hard at the COP. You can get one from the parts counter (or snail mail) and install it yourself in nothing flat.