I will first admit I know nothing about cars. I am sure that gets me taken advance of sometimes but what are you gonna do?
My 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid (only 90,000 miles) started making a clunking sound 6/8/22. I took it into Les Schwab on 6/18/22. Upon inspection they told me I needed a new tie rod, new wheel bearings and a wheel bearing hub. They also said I needed new rear brake pads and rotors. I okayed the work order and got a call back 10 minutes later saying they won’t do my brakes. The mechanic at Les Schwab said the FEH are the only brakes they won’t do because they don’t have a particular tool. My total for the tie rod, and wheel bearings was 740.
I called Meineke and spoke to a store manager there and he said he had never heard of such a thing and quoted me to do the brakes and I agreed.
After I left Les Schwab I noticed a small popping sound, seemingly coming from the front tire, it was just a single pop whenever I was braking or beginning to accelerate. I thought this might be the brakes and decided not to worry until my brake appointment today 6/25/22 with Meineke.
Today I took my car into Meineke. I reiterated that Les Schwab wouldn’t do my brakes and the manager assured me he had all the tools. I also brought up the popping sound and asked him to see if he could see anything lose or what not.
I got a call back from him an hour later saying yes my rear brakes were bad and he thought the “popping” which he said he only heard once on the test drive was most likely because of bad sway bars. I okayed the work order for the brakes and the sway bars for the tune of 800 dollars.
I picked up my car and immediately noticed the “popping” did not go away. I was disappointed and felt like I may have been taken for the sway bars, especially since Les Schwab didn’t flag them the week before. While irritated I decided the “popping” doesn’t sound dangerous and since it was only 200 dollars of my total bill I guess I got new sway bars even if they weren’t needed.
It was hot today and I didn’t pay much attention on the drive home, I was too busy focusing on the “popping” that never went away, that I didn’t pay attention of my car went into EV mode. But I’m fairly sure it didn’t looking back.
Fast forward to now, I just ran to the store. It’s dark now and the temperature is in the high 70s so shouldn’t be a problem. I have a bad habit of sitting in my driveway scrolling my phone when I get home and my car usually cycles between EV and engine. There is always a little rumble down when it goes to EV so I always notice. Tonight after who knows how long ideling I realized I didn’t go into EV once. I put my phone down and watched and still no EV after many minutes. I thought maybe it wasn’t warm enough after a quick trip to the store and I backed out and I drove a few miles now really paying attention. My car did not go into EV mode once, not completely stopped at red lights or stop signs and not while purposely driving 10 miles per hour. I came back and sat in the driveway again. I was in park, engine ideling, all fans off and it did not go into EV mode.
My only conclusion is that it has to do with the back brakes. Can not having the “right” tool as Les Schwab claimed cause a problem with the hybrid battery. I know that battery takes energy from braking? I don’t want to make accusations but this is really concerning.
I am not out over 1,500 dollars. My front end is still popping and now my EV system doesn’t seem
to working when it was all fine days ago.
Does the A/C work? You need it for EV mode in the summer. The brakes would throw a code and a triangle with check brake system. If the electric brakes are out you don't get ev mode, and if the a/c is out you don't get ev mode too. BTW the rear brakes are drums.
Does the A/C work? You need it for EV mode in the summer. The brakes would throw a code and a triangle with check brake system. If the electric brakes are out you don't get ev mode, and if the a/c is out you don't get ev mode too. BTW the rear brakes are drums.
Yes, the AC works, well as well as it has always worked. I don’t run it at max because I have wanted to the EV to kick in. But it is blowing cold enough that’s I’m not melting in 95°+.
Turn off the cabin a/c and make sure it comes on for the back. The clutch should stay on as hot as it is right now. BTW the regenerative braking only happens at the front.
As @ShadyEscape says (I'm expanding on what he means here, sorry if it's too long) the regenerative braking only occurs at the front of the car. What happens is that the computer knows you are braking (because you press the brake pedal) AND/OR it also knows when you are giving the ICE engine no throttle, for example, on a downhill, and at that point it uses the motor/generator in the transaxle to RECAPTURE some of the energy from braking/going downhill and turn that generator to recharge the High Voltage Battery. This is how your Hybrid works to save energy by "taking it back" in essence from the kinetic energy of the vehicle. It's a clever scheme when it works! It's using gravity + braking to recharge the battery!
When these cars were first made, there was supposed to be a set of front brake pads that were specific to the Hybrid model:
MOTORCRAFT BRF1047 OE Design Info
Front; w/ HEV Regenerative Brake System
However, I do not see that there is any real difference - as long as quality parts with new hardware were installed competently, it shouldn't adversely affect the Regenerative Braking. Remember: what this actually is an electric motor inside the transaxle that is "taking back" some of the kinetic energy of the vehicle and using it to generate electricity to charge the HV battery. So good parts should work. I don't think it really makes a difference but the last time I had my front rotors and pads done, I went with the Motorcraft BRF1047s and bought a NEW hardware kit for my mechanic to install. I also replaced the rotors with genuine Motorcraft.
The POPPING SOUND: That sounds like maybe they didn't actually replace the front sway bar links. Those are notorious "clickers" when the joints on their ends get worn out. It's not "dangerous" but it can drive someone nuts. This is a very good video. They are INEXPENSIVE. You should get in there and make sure the front (and possibly rear) sway bar links are actually NEW
It sounds like you have more than one problem going on. The first is possibly an incomplete or fictitious repair. But the rear brakes have ZERO to do with Regenerative Braking. That all happens on the front end.
Note that the A/C compressor on your car is ENGINE DRIVEN. In 2010, Ford switched over to an ELECTRIC AC COMPRESSOR, but the 2007 model is ENGINE DRIVEN which means that any time the computer commands the A/C system ON to cool the battery, the car will NOT enter EV Mode. You also cannot turn that off using the climate control buttons in the center console. It is commanded ON by the computer independently, to cool the battery. [That is, incidentally, why the 2007 has a better system than my semi-crappy 2010.] So it is 100% possible that you can sit in hot weather with the AC completely OFF in the cabin and yet: the engine is on to turn that A/C compressor to cool the battery using the A/C evaporator in the back of the car.
The key is to understand that your car really has TWO air conditioners: one in the front that you control, one in the back that the computer controls. No matter what buttons you press on the center console, the computer will do whatever it wants with the rear A/C system. Since the car only has one compressor driven by the engine, it must turn the engine ON to drive it.
The real test is mileage that you're getting. If it is VERY HOT where you are, it may well be that the the car NEVER enters EV mode because the computer is ALWAYS turning on the A/C compressor to cool the battery.
Hope this helps. The "clicking/popping" sound should be carefully investigated. Did they really replace the front sway bar links? Did they use new hardware when they installed everything? DO YOU ALSO PERHAPS HAVE A BAD CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT? They will "click/pop" when they need to be replaced.
Also, and I'm saying this for the umpteenth time: if you have not replaced the fluid in the transaxle and do not have a history showing it was done, you should do it right away.
The manual says that it is "filled for life" but you are driving a 2007 car and the life expectancy ran out in approximately 2017 and is therefore a legalistic euphemism.
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06-25-2022, 11:51 PM
No EV mode after rear brake job
