...Chris, the lights run from the 12V battery. THe HV battery keeps the 12V battery charged.

There are conditions that will leave the HV battery without enough charge to start the car. For instance, long term storage.

 

In which case there are instructions in the owner's manual on how to jump start the HV battery from the rear of the car.

 

I know this was not exactly the question, but do keep in mind that most Fords (FEH included) have the same battery run-down protection that Ford has featured for many years.

Lights operate for about 10 minutes. If there is no activity during that time (like the key inserted/removed or a door opened/closed) lights that are "on" will automatically go "off" to save the battery.

Go ahead and leave a map light on. Or leave the door hanging open. Wait 10 minutes and notice the light has turned itself off. Handy.

 

The procedure in the 08 owner's guide directs you to a panel on the driver's end of the dashboard. You need to open the driver's door to find it.

Is the procedure different for earlier years?

 

David, this is FALSE but a commonly held mis-conception, so you are not alone. The bulbs are 12-15v bulbs, true, but ALL the energy for them comes from a step-down 330v DC to 14v DC converter. I'm positive on this. But you don't have to trust me. Check on it for yourself. This is easy to prove. Make sure your car is in "RUN" ( can be started or not started, does not matter ) and then remove the 12v battery from the car. Your lights will work, the entire car will work, you can start and drive away with the 12v battery left in the garage. I posted this info already.

Test #2. Put a volt meter on the 12v battery. You will get 12.8v to 13.5v in most cases. Now put a volt meter on the headlamp wires when the lights are on. The voltage will be 14.0 to 14.3v at the headlamp. The connection to the headlamp can NOT be from the 12v battery, since it is actually higher than the 12v battery. I speak with authority on this.
-John

 

In a 2005-2007 there is a button in the "fuse box" inside the driver footwell that you press to step up the 12v battery to 330v, if by chance you have a good 12v battery and a dead 330v battery. This is unlikely, but possible. You need 280-330v to start an Escape Hybrid. You cannot start it with 12v.

I suspect the 2008 is exactly the same.

 

I may be going crazy, but I could swear the manual for my '05 said to jump start a dead HV battery from terminals behind the fuel pump cutoff panel in the rear, near the battery.

 

I agree with you. I should have said the 12V system, or the low voltage system. The function of the DC/DC inverter is to keep the low volltage battery charged.

It has the same function as the generator or alternator on a conventional vehicle. Conventional vehicles will continue to run if you disconnect the battery after starting, just as you have done with the hybrid.

 

Text from the 08 owner's guide follows:

Roadside Emergencies

The high voltage battery contains potassium hydroxide (a strong alkaline electrolyte) which can burn skin, eyes and clothing, if contacted.

Do not attempt to push-start your vehicle. This vehicle does not have push-start capability.

If you attempt to start your vehicle and the engine cranks but does not start, the high voltage battery may need to be jump started. The Service Soon (yellow wrench) light in the instrument cluster may also be illuminated and the message center may display a message.

To jump start the high voltage battery, turn the ignition to OFF, open the access panel on the end of the driver side instrument panel and press thejump start button momentarily. After pressing the button, you should wait eight minutes before attempting to start the engine, otherwise the high voltage battery may not receive sufficient charge to start the engine. The high voltage battery will use voltage from the low voltage
(underhood) battery to charge itself.

When the button is pressed, the indicator light on the button will illuminate. After eight minutes has passed, the indicator light will flash rapidly for two minutes. Turn the ignition to RUN. You may now attempt to start the engine. If you attempt to start the engine before the eight minutes passes, the jump starting procedure will stop and will have to be restarted if the engine does not start.

If the engine still does not start after the first complete high voltage jump start, a second jump start procedure can be attempted after a two-minute period (indicated by the button light changing from a rapid flash to no illumination). This jump start procedure can only be done twice before the low voltage (underhood) battery becomes discharged and must also be jump started.

If the jump start button is pressed, but the indicator on the button flashes slowly, the low voltage (underhood) battery may not have enough energy to charge the high voltage battery. If this occurs, refer to the 2008 Escape Hybrid (ehv) Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) USA (fus) Roadside Emergencies

Jump starting your vehicle (Low voltage [underhood] battery only)

section in this chapter for information on jump starting the low voltage
(underhood) battery. You may perform another high voltage battery jump
start by pressing the jump start button after having connected the
jumper cables and starting the booster vehicle.

Once the engine is started, the jumper cables should be removed as described in the Jump starting your vehicle (Low voltage [underhood] battery only) section.