Can you help my friend with car trouble?

"Rainbow" (rainbeaux) 01/24/2019 at 20:08 • Filed to: None

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She asked if I knew about cars, and then sent me this, which made me realize I don’t know THAT much about cars: Okay, so I have a 2014 Ford Escape. When I went to leave work I noticed that my ABS light, brake light, and stability control light were all on. Also, all of my info screens (mph, miles to E, etc,) were all wiped to 0. I thought that was weird. So when driving home, the airbag light came on, and the speedometer wouldn’t work, not even the needle on the dash. It wasnt logging miles, wouldnt show my speed, nothing. Then it felt like I lost power steering. I could still drive it, but it was difficult. Then, when stopped at a red light I feel a low vibration in the brake petal. I finally made it home safely, but am worried.

Any guesses? I’m sure it’ s electrical, but that’s as far as I can figure out.

NKato > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:15

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Yup, sounds like a bigly electrical problem. When that many aspects of a car fail in short order, it’s not something I’d diagnose easily. First step is OBD2 reader, check for error codes. 

Monkey B > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:15

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makes me think ECU, being so many different systems.

Dogapult > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:16

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Sounds like what it was like when the alternator was failing in my Volvo, but that’s also a much older car.

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:17

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I can’t speak specifically to your Ford, but on my BMW, if a wheel speed/ABS sensor fails, it does exactly what you are describing (aside from the power steering and airbag lights) . I think it’s the right rear that causes all the stuff to fail on mine, others will only kill the stability control/ABS. I’d bet a few minutes searching Ford forums will find it’s some common issue with a sensor or connector.

Rainbow > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/24/2019 at 20:18

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That’s what her cousin says, too. Looking it up online, I think that’s definitely it.

Maxima Speed > Monkey B 01/24/2019 at 20:19

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Same. Reflash the ECU would t exactly be the first step since it’s not exactly cheap from what I’ve heard but it’s a possibility.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:20

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Whole thing’s fucked, burn it down and start from scratch.

Or go to a parts store and have them do an OBDII scan. Either or.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:22

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I’m guessing some sort of wheel speed or ABS sensor?

NKato > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:23

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 Start by checking for obd2 error codes, that'll help with the diagnosis. 

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:25

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That is some serious electrical nasty going on. Its possible that one of the main breakers or fusible links in the under-hood box is blown, I'd also look for disconnected plugs at the ECU (not sure where it is on the Escape) and any junctions... But to have that large a failure either a large number of circuits are effected (wires disconnected/broken, or power lost due to breaker or fusible link) or a computer module has gone tits up. If she's got Sync there's a good chance she's covered by an extra interior electronics warranty issued under a TSB... But I'm not sure if the Escape was included in that...

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:26

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Battery and alternator. Similar happened on my work Escape and the alternator had failed.

Its pretty scary when the electric power steering loses control and does that stutter when steering issue.

But yeah, 90% it's the alternator. 

Alfalfa > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:27

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Like others have said, that could be a myriad of electrical problems. But a little google-fu reveals that there was a wiring harness recall on that model year Escape with the 2 liter engine. 

RallyWrench > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:27

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Sounds like it threw the belt, possibly due to alternator failure. The initial warnings and equipment failures are consistent with a car that isn’t charging and has either lost enough battery power to supply itself or has entered a consumer shutdown mode, which some cars do when they don’t detect an alternator signal. They’ll shut down nonessential loads to preserve energy to keep it running (Ze Germans I work on do this). The loss of power steering is why I suspect belt failure though. I don’t know enough about these to know if they have EPS or good old belt driven hydraulic PS, or what engine it has, but that’s my take. If it has EPS, maybe it finally lost enough juice to start helplessly losing essential systems.

Boxer_4 > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 01/24/2019 at 20:28

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It sounds like Fords lose power steering with that failure, from what I’m reading. Maybe it’s an electric power steering phenomenon?

Monkey B > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:30

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the more I think on it...

Then it felt like I lost power steering. I could still drive it, but it was difficult. Then, when stopped at a red light I feel a low vibration in the brake petal. I finally made it home safely, but am worried.

...s ounds exactly like my first handful of cars...

random001 > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:34

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Did we check the belts?

f86sabre > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 01/24/2019 at 20:36

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My guess as well.  My car goes nuts when the battery gets weak. Really weird. 

Urambo Tauro > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:39

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Did she check the brake fluid level? I know tha t wouldn’t have caused all of those other problems too , but it would make me feel a little better knowing that she didn’t try to drive it with a brake warning light without at least looking under the hood.

It probably is something electrical, maybe a battery, ground, or charging issue (hopefully not some “software update” BS) . Really pisses me off how sensitive modern electronics are...

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > f86sabre 01/24/2019 at 20:39

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If I leave my dash cam, obd-ii Bluetooth reader and alarm on the parasitic draw will drain the battery after two weeks. I'll be in my living room and here *Berk.. Berk.. Berk..* of the alarm trying to go off. Or if I try to unlock it the locks sort of jiggle 30 times. It's weird. 

Your boy, BJR > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:45

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Problem is that it’s a FORD, which stands for Fix It Again, Tony.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:47

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On my old malibu I had one of the magnetic abs ring rust .

I had ABS, traction all light up with the car then giving a weird speed rating despite steady rpms on the highway .  

for Michigan > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 20:58

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My mom’s MKZ experienced similar symptoms from a loose battery terminal, so along with most of the other people in this thread, I’m going to say look at battery/alternator first. The wiring harness recall Alfalfa mentioned is probably worth looking into as well.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Boxer_4 01/24/2019 at 21:09

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If it’s like my Mini the wheelspeed sensors are part of the ABS system. Ford might change the level of power assistance based on speed and the car may default to a minimum level of assist if it looses speed data.

Khalbali > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 21:23

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I would start with a battery test at AutoZone or something. If the battery light didn’t come on, probably not the alternator. The first half of the symptoms could all be a wheel speed sensor, but the loss of power steering ( which I’m too lazy to Google but I assume is electrically assisted being a 2014) and airbag light wouldn't usually be caused by something like that. It's easy too look at a laundry list of symptoms and get overwhelmed but keep it simple, look for Occam's razor, check the battery first I would almost bet money she has a bad cell, that can do all kinds of crazy voodoo.

His Stigness > Rainbow 01/24/2019 at 21:42

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My professional advice is to have her take her car to a professional repair facility.

I have ideas of what the problem might be, but what does that accomplish other than worrying her and then putting ideas in her head. I mean, this thread is full of doomsday scenarios and conjecture based on experiences they had.

Again, please, just have her take it to a repair shop to be diagnosed. And if her power steering isn’t working properly it needs to be towed, for her safety and everyone else.

StudyStudyStudy > Rainbow 01/25/2019 at 02:46

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Battery going out or alternator problems would be my first uneducated guess. Had something similar happen when the voltage  regulator went out on my car.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Boxer_4 01/25/2019 at 07:06

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Adds to list of reasons to hate electric steering.