[juliacpht83]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone had any insight into what is going on with my Vehicle? I would be very appreciative for any help anyone could offer. Ok first off I have a 2008 Ford Escape 4WD XLT. Here is the problem I've been having:
1. For about 3 weeks my Airbag Light would randomly come on and go off.
2. Then about 2 weeks ago my ABS, Traction Control, Brake, and Wrench Light all came on. They all come on at start up and then as I travel down the road sometimes the ABS and Brake Light go off and Just the Trac Control and Wrench light stay on.
(I've had the ABS Wheel Speed sensors tested and they all tested fine.)
3. About 3 days ago while driving on the interstate my Airbag Light, Abs Light, and Brake light started flashing on and off for about 20 min. Then after that I randomly lost Power Steering, RPM readout, MPH Readout, and Mileage readout. The Check Engine and Oil lights also illuminated during this episode. I pulled off and took the negative post off of my battery and waited about 10 min. Reconnected the battery and it drove home just fine. Since then I havent had any more Power loss, just the constant on and off with the ABS, brake, traction control, and wrench light.

Does anyone have any ideas of what is going on here? Or any tests I can preform to figure out what is happening here? Thanks so much for your time and ideas.

 

[tomw]

I would look for an electrical problem. A corroded ground or a loose connection could cause the symptoms you describe. The PDB - 'power distribution box' - could have some corrosion or poor connections that cause intermittent loss of power or ground. It is the box under hood that has all the fuses, breakers, and relays. It can become corroded on the underside or internally and lead to problems.
tom

 

[Mountain Escape]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone had any insight into what is going on with my Vehicle? I would be very appreciative for any help anyone could offer. Ok first off I have a 2008 Ford Escape 4WD XLT. Here is the problem I've been having:
1. For about 3 weeks my Airbag Light would randomly come on and go off.
2. Then about 2 weeks ago my ABS, Traction Control, Brake, and Wrench Light all came on. They all come on at start up and then as I travel down the road sometimes the ABS and Brake Light go off and Just the Trac Control and Wrench light stay on.
(I've had the ABS Wheel Speed sensors tested and they all tested fine.)
3. About 3 days ago while driving on the interstate my Airbag Light, Abs Light, and Brake light started flashing on and off for about 20 min. Then after that I randomly lost Power Steering, RPM readout, MPH Readout, and Mileage readout. The Check Engine and Oil lights also illuminated during this episode. I pulled off and took the negative post off of my battery and waited about 10 min. Reconnected the battery and it drove home just fine. Since then I havent had any more Power loss, just the constant on and off with the ABS, brake, traction control, and wrench light.

Does anyone have any ideas of what is going on here? Or any tests I can preform to figure out what is happening here? Thanks so much for your time and ideas.

Welcome to the city, Julia.
I am suspecting your 12 V battery is dying

To verify, you can go by your local auto parts store and they will 'bench test' your battery for free.

when you find a great escape, don't second-guess it! ( :

 

[tomw]

I did not suspect battery as there was no report of having problems with starting the engine. A starter draws hundreds of amps for the short time it is cranking the engine, so if there was lack of battery capacity, I expected problems to show there before problems with 'accessory' items.
The conglomeration of multiple items all at once, more or less, points me to a common problem area, such as connectors or terminals, or the wiring to the underside of the PDB, where one bad connector can interrupt power to multiple items.

tom

 

[juliacpht83]

I'm still trying to figure out the exact problem. I do appreciate your input. I have had Battery Failure in the past. I bought this Car from a government Auction. When I purchased it a couple months ago, the place I picked it up from said that it had a battery drain and they had installed a battery cut off switch. However, when I started having issues with that, I found out that there was an Air Door Mode Actuator that went bad. Once I replaced that I no longer had issues with the battery dying intermittently. I recently removed the battery cut off switch and haven't had any issues with the battery since. I've checked about 4-5 ground wires so far and they all seem fine. I've only had the issue with the Power Steering shutting off on me the one time. But everyday I have ABS, Trac Control, Wrench, and Brake Lights all Illuminating on and off. Most of the time they stay illuminated for about 30 miles and then they all turn off except the Trac Control Light. It's really a head scratcher so far. I'm wondering if it could still be the Wheel Speed Sensors? When I had them tested, the only light illuminated was the Trac Control and Wrench Light. Maybe it wasn't malfunctioning when they were tested? I don't know. I'm really a novice at car repair. Just a Gal here trying to figure it out all on her own. Once I give up and exhaust everything I can think of I'll take it to a mechanic. Honestly, I really hate to be defeated though.

 

[bluto]

Maybe go to Autozone and get them to scan for trouble codes. The scan they can do is very comprehensive now days.

Beyond that, I would check all ground connections to the frame inside and under the hood for signs of corrosion. Also check the PCM for signs of corrosion. See the video concerning the symtoms and the fix for bad grounds here:

 

[Mountain Escape]

I'm still trying to figure out the exact problem. I do appreciate your input. I have had Battery Failure in the past. I bought this Car from a government Auction. When I purchased it a couple months ago, the place I picked it up from said that it had a battery drain and they had installed a battery cut off switch. However, when I started having issues with that, I found out that there was an Air Door Mode Actuator that went bad. Once I replaced that I no longer had issues with the battery dying intermittently. I recently removed the battery cut off switch and haven't had any issues with the battery since. I've checked about 4-5 ground wires so far and they all seem fine. I've only had the issue with the Power Steering shutting off on me the one time. But everyday I have ABS, Trac Control, Wrench, and Brake Lights all Illuminating on and off. Most of the time they stay illuminated for about 30 miles and then they all turn off except the Trac Control Light. It's really a head scratcher so far. I'm wondering if it could still be the Wheel Speed Sensors? When I had them tested, the only light illuminated was the Trac Control and Wrench Light. Maybe it wasn't malfunctioning when they were tested? I don't know. I'm really a novice at car repair. Just a Gal here trying to figure it out all on her own. Once I give up and exhaust everything I can think of I'll take it to a mechanic. Honestly, I really hate to be defeated though.

Seriously, you rock… Don't give up. The solution will illuminate itself
I will give you a no on the wheel speed sensors.

 

[tomw]

It may not be a bad idea to check the fuses in the array inside the vehicle. A recent post for a no-start was caused by a BCM controlled power lead(fused) that told all the things in the large fuse box under hood to 'wake up, the key is ON now'. Someone had added a non-factory radio and tapped into that fuse, which was working its way loose. Without that fuse, a lot of things just stayed dead when the key was turned to ON.
I am convinced you have a power or ground problem. If you can do a voltage drop test to any and all grounds, it would reassure they are not the problem. A body ground can look fine, but have a layer of corrosion hidden between the body panel and the terminal. A voltage drop test will indicate there is a problem with conduction.
tom

 

[kathyswart66]

Maybe go to Autozone and get them to scan for trouble codes. The scan they can do is very comprehensive now days.

Beyond that, I would check all ground connections to the frame inside and under the hood for signs of corrosion. Also check the PCM for signs of corrosion. See the video concerning the symtoms and the fix for bad grounds here:

I just sent my PCM in to get it rebuilt, visually didn't see anything wrong with it, but the code I was getting, P0352, was for spark plugs/ coils, misfire.
Replaced coil pack, no changes, called circuit medics, sent mine in, hopefully that will be it.

 

[ProjectSHO89]

I just sent my PCM in to get it rebuilt, visually didn't see anything wrong with it, but the code I was getting, P0352, was for spark plugs/ coils, misfire.
Replaced coil pack, no changes, called circuit medics, sent mine in, hopefully that will be it.

Completely different scenario, doesn't apply to this thread.

 

[kathyswart66]

Completely different scenario, doesn't apply to this thread.

I'm new to this, first post, first reply to female up above, am I not able to do this?

 

[Mountain Escape]

I'm new to this, first post, first reply to female up above, am I not able to do this?

Hi Kathy, welcome to the city.
This post is old, you may have to direct message them if they are still around.

did you do a full tuneup, or just replace the COP's?
If you didn't get a code for a failed control module, why are you rebuilding it… Did someone suggest it?

 

[kathyswart66]

Hi Kathy, welcome to the city.
This post is old, you may have to direct message them if they are still around.

did you do a full tuneup, or just replace the COP's?
If you didn't get a code for a failed control module, why are you rebuilding it… Did someone suggest it?

It looks like her post was a couple weeks ago, no direct message, didn't know how this worked.

I had that code, P0352 come up on my vehicle, had cop on all changed, motorcraft, same code, still rough idle, driving vehicle seems to strain, can't go over 45, look over that code again, shows other problems, which anything else seems fine, last one I seen was PCM, looked around, come up with that place in which I was told there had been a recall apparently on escapes between 04-08 I believe for that reason up to 80,000 miles, I never received anything, I just sent in this past week, hopefully that is the issue.
Ford dealership does not deal with PCM from that year, obsolete.

 

[ProjectSHO89]

It looks like her post was a couple weeks ago, no direct message, didn't know how this worked.

I had that code, P0352 come up on my vehicle, had cop on all changed, motorcraft, same code, still rough idle, driving vehicle seems to strain, can't go over 45, look over that code again, shows other problems, which anything else seems fine, last one I seen was PCM, looked around, come up with that place in which I was told there had been a recall apparently on escapes between 04-08 I believe for that reason up to 80,000 miles, I never received anything, I just sent in this past week, hopefully that is the issue.
Ford dealership does not deal with PCM from that year, obsolete.

You have a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT issue than the original thread starter. Hijacking of threads is ill-advised if you should need assistance as you would be best served by starting your own original thread that is focused on your vehicle's issues. I'm not seeing any question in what you've posted so far.

FWIW, there was a TSB (05-11-01) issued for 05 Escape/Mariner with 3.0L engines with misfires that could damage the PCM. There was never a recall although there may have been an Owner Notification Program back in the day that could have provided extended warranty coverage a bit longer, long since expired. Since you didn't identify your model year, it's unknown if it might have applied to your car.

Perhaps a moderator can split this into a new thread and clean it up.

 

[Mountain Escape]

It looks like her post was a couple weeks ago, no direct message, didn't know how this worked.

I had that code, P0352 come up on my vehicle, had cop on all changed, motorcraft, same code, still rough idle, driving vehicle seems to strain, can't go over 45, look over that code again, shows other problems, which anything else seems fine, last one I seen was PCM, looked around, come up with that place in which I was told there had been a recall apparently on escapes between 04-08 I believe for that reason up to 80,000 miles, I never received anything, I just sent in this past week, hopefully that is the issue.
Ford dealership does not deal with PCM from that year, obsolete.

It is just like Facebook, click on her name, you will see the options.

 

[juliacpht83]

Hey everyone. I'm still at it. I still haven't found my issue. I've checked all my fuses and they all are fine. I've sanded down and cleaned up several grounds mainly around the PCM and battery areas. I've even taken out my PCM and opened it up. The electrical board looks pristine and nothing looked burned or anything. I've scanned my vehicle modules again and now my ABS module won't even register anything. I'm having an all around connectivity issue. I have an array of codes going on with the modules. I'll update in a little bit and explain all the codes I'm getting. I'm still trying but losing faith that I'll find this issue.

 

[kathyswart66]

Hey everyone. I'm still at it. I still haven't found my issue. I've checked all my fuses and they all are fine. I've sanded down and cleaned up several grounds mainly around the PCM and battery areas. I've even taken out my PCM and opened it up. The electrical board looks pristine and nothing looked burned or anything. I've scanned my vehicle modules again and now my ABS module won't even register anything. I'm having an all around connectivity issue. I have an array of codes going on with the modules. I'll update in a little bit and explain all the codes I'm getting. I'm still trying but losing faith that I'll find this issue.

I had a P0352 come up on my ford, spark plug and or cylinder, replaced all with COP, motorcraft, same code, driving bad, can't go over 45, read on code again, outside of other issues of what appeared fine, pcm come up, googled about it, found a place that rebuilds or replaces them, called and was told by them these codes, ( named off ) would be the pcm, stated there was a recall on escapes from the years 04-08 I believe with 80,000 miles, anyhow I just sent mine in, hoping that is the issue.

 

[bluto]

Hey everyone. I'm still at it. I still haven't found my issue. I've checked all my fuses and they all are fine. I've sanded down and cleaned up several grounds mainly around the PCM and battery areas.

Just another idea, but you might want to check on some of the interior grounds also. I believe that there are some located on the driver's side behind the kick panel.

 

[tomw]

Have you looked on the drivers side, above the kick panel that is to the left of the footwell? There was a problem reported of water leakage down that side, which apparently got into the fuse panel located nearby. I have not looked. Couldn't hurt to get a good flash light, poke ones head under the dash, and look up to see if there is evidence of corrosion. A surface bit of rust is normal as many of those parts are not painted, as they are not expected to see weather. If there is flaky rust, that is bad.
Have you looked at the underside of the PDB? Pulled and replaced the relays in their sockets, investigated their 'spades' for evidence of corrosion? Done the same with all fuses?
I do not have access to wiring diagrams for your year, but the 06 diagram I looked at indicates the things that lost power were supplied by a relay. If that relay is flaky, or the contacts in the socket it is plugged into are corroded, you would get intermittent problems.
tom

 

[juliacpht83]

Have you looked on the drivers side, above the kick panel that is to the left of the footwell? There was a problem reported of water leakage down that side, which apparently got into the fuse panel located nearby. I have not looked. Couldn't hurt to get a good flash light, poke ones head under the dash, and look up to see if there is evidence of corrosion. A surface bit of rust is normal as many of those parts are not painted, as they are not expected to see weather. If there is flaky rust, that is bad.
Have you looked at the underside of the PDB? Pulled and replaced the relays in their sockets, investigated their 'spades' for evidence of corrosion? Done the same with all fuses?
I do not have access to wiring diagrams for your year, but the 06 diagram I looked at indicates the things that lost power were supplied by a relay. If that relay is flaky, or the contacts in the socket it is plugged into are corroded, you would get intermittent problems.
tom

Ok so I traced down that Ground and Checked it out. It looked fine but I still disconnected it and sanded down behind it just to be double sure it has a good connection. Still my lights came back on.

I've Checked all fuses to make sure they were good. I have pulled several relays and inspected them as well. I've taken apart the PDB and saw there were wires under there but couldn't really get it completely apart to take a 100 percent great look.

I've erased all codes and driven a complete Drive Cycle to just get a fresh start with those.

Here are the codes I'm getting:

4X4, 2 Codes
U0121-20 Lost Communication with the ABS Control Module
U0100-20 Lost Communication with the PCM

ABS, 9 Codes
U0155-20 Lost Communication with the Instrument Panel Cluster Control Module
C1277-20 Invalid or missing data for Steering Wheel Angle Sensor
U0414-20 Invalid Data Received From Four-Wheel Drive Clutch Control Module
U0001-20 High Speed (CAN) Communication Bus
U0114-20 Lost Communication with Four-Wheel Drive Drive Clutch Control Module
U0140-20 Lost Communication with BCM
U0100-20 Lost Communication with PCM
C1963-20 Stability Control Inhibit Warning
B1483-20 Brake On/Off Switch Circuit Failure

IC-Instrument Cluster, 1 Code
U0121-20 Lost Communication with the ABS Control Module

PCM-Powertrain Control Module, 1 Code
On-Board Diagnostic Systems Readiness Test Not Complete


Do you feel that this is a Electrical Issue Still or a Faulty ABS Module Considering 9 of my codes come from that? I really do appreciate your time and effort in helping me.