I just purchased a 2007 Escape hybrid. This is a whole new experience for me. After driving it today (my wifes car) I noticed that the heater temp gets cold as soon as I get into EV mode. I hope the place I bought it from might fix it for me (bought as is).

What can I suggest them to look at? They are a small car lot and they admitted to me that this was their first hybrid that they have had.

I asked my wife if she noticed it and she said yes, but she thought that was just the way hybrids work. After reading some threads here, it looks like we should still get heat in EV mode, correct?

 

Your electric heater pump just below the radiator is not working. It could be the relay or the pump that's bad. There are two pumps down there so don't change the wrong one. It is the smaller of the pumps and there is a thread here that list the part number.

GaryG

 

Thanks,

Is this a do-it-yourself job to replace?

I enjoy tinkering with vehicles and hope I would be able to change it out myself. I will check the relays first of course.

 

I'd do it myself, but I have the repair manuals.

GaryG

 

I just got back from the dealer. They said the relays and fuses were good, but because "they don't know much about hybrids", they wouldn't fix the pump.

GaryG- Are there any issues with the High Voltage battery to worry about when changing this out?

I've changed waterpumps, starters, alternators, changed brake pads, etc. on regular vehicles, but nothing on a hybrid.

Any tips or suggestions on changing the pump out will be appreciated.

 

The heater pump is a 12V motor so no HV to deal with. Turn you HVAC system to the Off position and the relay will cut power to the pump. Don't disconnect the 12V battery because the PCM needs to shutdown all the systems so the HV battery will stop draining. That takes about 10 minutes after the key is turned Off.

Make sure you have the heater pump and not the electronics coolant pump below the radiator on the other side. The Ford dealer parts department was confused as to which pump part number I was talking about and so even they don't know much about the FEH. After you gain access to the pump and two bolts, remove the electrical plug and the motor. Remove the two hoses and drain the coolant. Reinstall the new pump, hoses and reconnect the harness. Fill with a 50/50 distilled water and approve FEH coolant and check for leaks. Test drive and recheck coolant level.

You really don't have to change this electrical pump unless you want to go EV and need the heater. The belt driven water pump will always circulate heated coolant to the heater core when the engine is running. In fact, I bypass the heater core in my '05 FEH during the summer and reconnect it if my wife complains in the winter. It takes me ~10 minutes to reconnect my heater core which I had to do a few months ago for my wife.

If you do the pump change yourself takes some pictures and post for everyone else. The heater core by-pass I did is posted on Cleanmpg.com in my photo gallery there. Pictures of the relays are also there for everyone to view.

GaryG

 

First of all- Thanks very much. This is great information.

Second, I'm scratching my head (probably like the Ford dealer parts dept.- that should know this). So we have a heater pump, a coolant pump and a belt driven water pump? I didn't know there were 2 electric pumps.

So I need the heater pump. Thanks

It does get cold up here in Minnesota, although I don't use the EV for too long of intervals. I actually wish it could be used longer. It just seems like the ICE kicks in sooner than I would like. But that another post.

I did look in your gallery on Cleanmpg.com- What is the name of your album or photo you are referring to?

Thanks again.

 

Yes, two electric pumps and a standard belt driven water pump. Two separate coolant systems - one for the engine and heater core and one that is call the M/E pump that cools the eCVT and D/C to D/C converter. The small heater pump is used when in EV to circulate engine coolant to the heater core because the belt driven pump is no longer pumping with the engine Off.

All members of Cleanmpg.com post pictures in the Photo Gallery under their log-in name and mine is the same here - GaryG
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/showg.../500/ppuser/36

GaryG