2008 Ford Escape Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 329 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2008 Ford Escape, 17% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 68,100 miles. The words owners use most often: “transmission cooler” (16% of reports).
- 329power train complaints
- 68,100median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,500typical repair cost reported by owners
- 20%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Transmission cooler: mentioned in 54 of 329 complaints (16%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2008 Ford Escape at $1,500, and half of them between $1,200 and $4,300.
Based on 37 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2019), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 301 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 329 complaints, 2 mention a crash.
Ford Escape power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Escape | 3 | 12% | — |
| 2024 Escape | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2023 Escape | 23 | 23% | 33,000 |
| 2022 Escape | 31 | 13% | 21,500 |
| 2021 Escape | 44 | 13% | 79,845 |
| 2020 Escape | 241 | 15% | 50,000 |
| 2019 Escape | 128 | 21% | 64,460 |
| 2018 Escape | 275 | 15% | 80,000 |
| 2017 Escape | 391 | 14% | 75,456 |
| 2016 Escape | 320 | 28% | 88,000 |
| 2015 Escape | 286 | 26% | 94,000 |
| 2014 Escape | 481 | 23% | 89,804 |
| 2013 Escape | 401 | 15% | 81,500 |
| 2012 Escape | 66 | 11% | 41,967 |
| 2011 Escape | 268 | 20% | 45,380 |
| 2010 Escape | 508 | 25% | 51,430 |
| 2009 Escape | 301 | 18% | 65,000 |
| 2008 Escape | 329 | 17% | 68,100 |
| 2007 Escape | 44 | 17% | 74,500 |
| 2006 Escape | 80 | 17% | 80,000 |
| 2005 Escape | 117 | 8% | 91,928 |
| 2004 Escape | 27 | 5% | 72,000 |
| 2003 Escape | 55 | 10% | 69,000 |
| 2002 Escape | 105 | 10% | 74,000 |
| 2001 Escape | 128 | 13% | 68,308 |
| 2000 Escape | 1 | 20% | 76,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift; power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2001-2008 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured March 31, 2001, to September 1, 2009. The affected vehicles are equipped with either a 2.3L or 3.0L engine and have had their CD4E transmission replaced with remanufactured one that was rebuilt between June 11, 2015 through July 15, 2015. These service repair part transmissions have a shift lever bolt that may not be properly tightened. As a result, the shift control lever could disengage from the transmission without warning.
Risk: If the shift lever disengages from the transmission, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the gear selection indicator may show that the transmission is in the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not actually be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmissions and either tighten the manual shift lever bolt or replace the manual shift lever assembly. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S28.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle and driving from a parking lot at 5 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle, and the transmission skipped second and forth gear, and remained in third gear. The vehicle hesitated and…
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the powertrain malfunction warning light and the ABS warning light were illuminated. The driver was able to pull over, the battery was disconnected and reconnected, and the contact was able to continue driving. The brake pedal was…
Hazard flashers turn on by themselves any rime night or day even while driving. Transmission oil cooler leaks. Transmission shift lever bushing in shift cable broke [ Thankfully while not on the road ] This car only has 25,000 miles on it
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2008 Ford Escapes have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 329 owner complaints about power train for the 2008 Ford Escape (17% of the 1,974 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Ford Escape power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 68,100 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2008 Ford Escape?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,500 (half paid between $1,200 and $4,300), from 37 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2008 Ford Escape?
The most frequent phrase is “transmission cooler”, in 54 of 329 complaints.
Other 2008 Ford Escape problems
- Steering problems (1,127)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (175)
- Electrical System problems (136)
- Service Brakes problems (120)
- Engine problems (83)
See all 2008 Ford Escape problems or power train problems across all Escape years.