I realize that this is an older post, but I read this article and that's exactly what my 2008 Escape did - first in the evening 3 nights ago going 55 Mph into DC pulling onto the Roosevelt Bridge from I66. I pulled over and restarted the car and made it home slowly - the light did not come back on. I found this article online about the MECS pump.

http://blog.yagelski.com/2011/02/for...ric-motor.html

The next day I only had a short drive in the city and all was well until heading home on the highway after about 40 minutes sriving at 50MPH+ the triangle light came on again with the same message - I was able to restart and continue but the light came back on abput every 10 minutes at speeds up to around 40. Being about 10 miles from home I kept my speed to about 25 and made it home without issue. That night I purchased a DTC code scanner and to my surprise it showed a "No codes message". Today I drove the car at normal speeds a few times over 50MPH+ and could not make the light come on.

I have 134K Miles so I'm thinking I should replace the MECS pump anyway but still would like to be sure that I'm addressing the real problem.

I'll appreciate any advice on this...

Mike

 

On mine I was able to be sure because when it caused me to "stop safely now" I went home and parked it. I stuck my finger in the transaxle coolant bottle *the small coolant reservoir* and it was cold. Upon letting it sit and run the mecs pump came back on and I could see the tank slightly aerated, later it was warm after not having been drive, that showed that before coolant was not circulating, making it certain it was the pump.

On yours pop the hood open the next time it "stops safely" and open the mecs cap. Don't worry, it won't be hot enough to burn you, just don't stick your face right in front of it in case it lets off pressure. Only because you don't want coolant in your eyes. Look in there and see if the coolant looks aerated. It will have really tiny little bubbles and you will see them slowly moving. They won't even look like bubble, just like the coolant is rather opaque, but that is what the impeller does to the coolant. If you don't see that the pump isn't running. Nine times out of ten or even greater, if the pump isn't running, the pump is the problem. That's the best way to test it.

If you see that it isn't running, go under it and tap it, it will be a small pump with two hoses and a bare grounding wire right under the air dam in the middle of the truck. If it starts after tapping it, and you will hear it, the pump is likely the problem. That's how you can test it even if it's dark.

 

Thanks for the quick response - Today I had the car up on stands and the pump was running. I unplugged it and it stopped then plugged it back in and it resumed. From the descriptions the pump failure an intermittant issue, terms like "tap on it" would suggest the way you would an old starter motor. If that is the case then I probably should order one ASAP. I'm wary of driving any distance after the multiple failures the other day. I was also concerned that the sensor may have failed - is there are way to test that?

Thanks again...

 

They can be very intermittent. Mine went about 8k miles between failures when I finally replaced it.

 

Thanks everyone, will order a new pump ASAP. Looks like and easy job to replace it... I figure it can't hurt. On the Escape city site one reponse said that a standard OBD II scanner won't pick up proprietary Ford codes and suggested getting it checked by a tech with an advanced scan tool.

 

I replaced mine at 55k on spec summer of '09. I'd seen enough entries to say it usually first failed about 50-60k. Ford had an upgrade kit, so ask for it. The new pump assembly is about 4" in length the old type was maybe 8" or so. Make sure you get the new one. Can't imagine there's one of the old ones on the shelf but check.
I now have 185k and the MECS Pump is going strong.
You can put it in without jack stands but they'll give you better access. Don't forget to burp the transaxle. There's a procedure in the shop manual for doing it.

 

I still have the stock OEM MECS pump in my 2005 FEH but I carry a replacement one in my vehicle.

 

No real need to "burp" the system, it's self-purging.

 

My SECOND mecs pump has failed.

First one at about 50,000 miles (I forget exactly, was a long time ago, 2007 or 2008).

Second one just now at 158,000 miles, so it lasted twice as long.

Funny, I never got a stop safely now.
I got "High Motor Temperature".

With a scan gauge attached I could see Motor Inverter 250 degrees, while motor coolent was 111 degrees.... and unchanging.

Also generator inverter was hot but only 212. Normally both stay 180 or less I believe.
What is amazing to me is the inverter can raise 50 degrees in 5 seconds when you brake hard, and cool almost as quickly by air cooling if you coast in Neutral so there is no amperage going through the motor. I never knew how important liquid cooling was for those inverters.

For those of you who get "Stop Safely Now" that means yours exceeded 400 degrees. (F)

 

Not sure if the 400(F) degrees is accurate or not, at that temperature I would think that the coolant should have overflowed the system (even with a pressure cap you are not going to get much over 230). My fluid reservoirs are at the full marks and there was no sign of overheating when I pulled over with the warning on. At that high temp. one would think that damage is already in progress on the circuitry- not arguing but don't want to help spread worrisome numbers that are not verified (I worked as a professional mechanic from 1972 - 1990).

As stated my MECS pump seems to be running all the time and the warning has not come on since I've avoided highway driving (the car has basically been parked). I've gotten three quotes on the MECS pump - $191 + $20 shipping online, $277 at Autozone, and $296 from Ford. My main concern is that the pump is not the issue. As mentioned above the proprietary Ford codes may or may not display on the consumer code scanners which may point at a sensor or...

I've got the Ford Service manual through 2007, and the tests and T-shooting chart is pretty vague (as well as the illustrations). I'm thinking the best thing to do is remove the pump, drain and flush the system and try to make sure there is no blockage. Then replace the pump, this is the first time the warning has come on, so it must be original.

What is confusing is that it looks like the MECS it is tied into the main cooling system. This is the first car I've ever owned that was this difficult to work on - just concerns over the high voltage section. It's frustrating as I'm tired of going to the dealer and shelling out $700+ for a $300 job.