I just bought a 2006 Escape Hybrid at auction, I've worked on a bunch of normal Escapes, Mazda Tributes over the years, so I thought I'd give the hybrid a try. Also, it was only $500...no one else bid on it. The truck is fully loaded, new tires, and is immaculate both inside and out.

But..of course it doesn't run.

I was just Googling some of the codes, and ran across this forum, and the thread "What have I gotten myself into" really resonated with me. :-)

I haven't had a chance to do much with it yet, except for putting in a new 12v battery, and doing the jumpstart procedure. It seems to start, but dies after about 10-15 seconds.
I pulled the codes with Forscan: P1A10, C1477, P0A7D and P0A1F.

I got the Factory service manuals real cheap on ebay, so I'll dig into them when I get some time.

I just became semi-retired a month ago, and I'm looking forward to working on a bunch of cars over the next few years. I've been working on cars since I was 14 or so, but work and children have limited that.
But now the kids have moved out, I only work part time, and I can have some fun!
I doing the "work" thing for the next few days, cleaning up a ransomware attack for a local company, but after that I'm going to get started getting this beast back on the road!

 

P codes are all battery. Maybe the jump is not enough.

C code is for the brakes. Air in the system or something with the HCU module. The famous expensive one.

 

If the HV battery spins the engine, it's not the main problem.

Remove the plastic engine cover and disconnect the inlet fuel hose at the driver's end of the fuel rail. Confirm you're getting fuel. My '05 fuel pump failed, and it seems to be common. There's also a fuel pump drive module that can go out.

Here's the pump:

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...assembly,10147

The drive module is right below it.

 

Are you certain it is actually running?

 

Hi SKelly,

Welcome to the forum. Hope you can get your car running well. The main thing to wrap your mind around with the Hybrids is that the computer network and all its modules control virtually everything on the car, including the power and energy flow between all the parts of the drivetrain - the Internal Combustion Engine, the Traction Motor and Motor/Generator in the transaxle, and the High Voltage battery. Literally nothing on this car happens without a computer being involved somewhere, including turning on the windshield wipers. If you've never had a Hybrid or EV before it can take a while for the concepts to "gel" but it sounds like you're working with computers so it shouldn't take too long. You have to approach repairs on this vehicle methodically in order to achieve good results for economical amounts of money. Luckily the internal combustion engines are pretty straightforward and uncomplicated (with the exception of the fiendish PCV system's location.) The transaxles are good for 300,000 miles or more with fluid changes and there is almost nothing inside them to break or fail. 4WD vehicles are slightly different, and there are a couple of other wrinkles, but basically the Escape platform from these years is a reliable steed that is not hard to maintain, there are a LOT of them still on the road, and parts are available.

Get a good code scanner or -- really -- get a laptop and download FORScan (google it) and pay for a year license (use Paypal to pay - it is Russian software) - and get yourself a compatible OBD-II/FORScan recommended connector. Those things will help you immeasurably while maintaining this car.

There is a LOT of good information here on this forum if you are curious and willing to spend some time searching and reading. Ford Tech Makuloco on YouTube also has a great collection of very helpful videos pertaining to the Hybrids.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the welcome!

My son and I have been working on Fords for a bit, we LOVE both Forscan and Ford Tech Makuloco, his stuff has been really helpful for our F150.

The hybrids are definitely a different beast, but I'm looking forward to getting familiar with them.

 

[QUOTE=GatorJ;272853]Are you certain it is actually running?

Seems to be, but being a rookie..won't know until I get some time to dig deeper into it.

 

[QUOTE=Skelly;272877]If it's running only 10-15 seconds, it's likely just the HV battery spinning the engine.

 

[QUOTE=Skelly;272877]Just to chime in here with +1 to GatorJ and SKeith: That video GatorJ links to was IIRC the very first one by FTM I watched on this car. All by itself it tells you a great deal about how this vehicle operates on startup. Note that there is no conventional 12V starter motor and the traction motor in the transaxle is capable of spinning the ICE at enough RPM to appear as though the engine is running (and you can see what the actual cold idle looks like when he completes his repair). This is why you are immobile if the HV battery goes flat.

After watching it, I actually considered wiring in my own fuel pressure sensor and/or gauge in line with the fuel rail, maybe switched by a relay with power supplied from some accessory 12V source when the key is on. I was a little lazy and decided not to do it since it is so simple to pull the line (and my car wasn't actually suffering from the problem) -- but it baffles me that Ford did not decide to put a sensor at the fuel rail in addition to the other PIDs for duty cycle in the fuel pump circuit.

Something like that might have saved that poor guy in Chicago half a dozen trips to different shops that were fooled by the tachometer and didn't understand the car, and decided to replace his high voltage battery instead. That hack wiring job on pump was a red flag, but isn't it always nice on a fuel-injected car to have a true fuel pressure reading? But nooooo, you have call Scotland Yard. As usual it didn't fool FTM because he is methodical.

"What I found happened on here was...there was some corrosion on the terminals...and the terminal for the positive to the fuel pump broke off, you can see it's wedged in the connector there. So what they did they just kind of spliced in right here, and twisted it around, drilled a hole through here, pulled the pump out and they wired it up directly. ... The problem is that the pump itself has now failed."

 

[QUOTE=AlexK;272880]Hmmn....FINALLY had a chance to spend a few hours looking at the beast. Strangely enough, my 2006 Hybrid DOES have a Fuel Pressure Sensor on the rail while my gas powered 2002 V6 and 2010 2.5L 4 cyl Escapes do not.

Anyway, it looks lie a fuel problem, I disconnected the hose to the fuel rail when it should have been pressurized and just got drops of fuel. I swapped out the FPDM with a good one I had lying around, but no change.
I did lean back and put my hand on the fuel pump (with the cover off) while turning the key. I felt a thump, but nothing after that. I tried the banging on the gas tank trick...no change.

I'm getting voltage at the FP (I also checked the fuel shutoff switch), and in Forsscan the FP Sensor reads 2V, can't remember the other readings at the moment.
I'll probably swap out the fuel pump and filter when I get a chance. I have a V6 donor Escape, but the FP's are different...

Also, stomped the brake pedal a couple of times, now I have a puddle of brake fluid under the right front wheel. I assume the crappy rubber brake line issue on early Escapes applies to the Hybrids as well?