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2008 Ford Escape

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Escape.

Body SUV

The 2008 Ford Escape is a compact SUV whose service basics — a 4.5-quart oil capacity and 5W-20 API lubricant specification — are unremarkable, yet whose ownership record places it firmly in the middle of a 2000–2024 model history that ranges from just 5 complaints in the 2000 model year to 2,744 in 2013. With 2,415 owner complaints logged against it, the 2008 sits well above the line's quietest entries and within striking distance of the worst, a positioning that tells a researcher this is a generation to examine closely rather than take at face value. Steering is the standout trouble area, and six recalls attached to the vehicle reinforce that chassis and control issues defined the ownership experience. Read in context, the 2008 Escape is best understood as a mid-tier year in an uneven reliability arc — neither a clean outlier nor the trouble peak, but a model year where the warning signs concentrate heavily on how the vehicle steers.

Model year2026 2025 2024 2023 2021 2020 2019 2018 2008

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 40R · 590 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 40R · 590 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP225-65R17OEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	174.8 in
Overall width	71.3 in
Overall height	68.1 in
Wheelbase	103.1 in
Curb weight	3547 lb
Track (front / rear)	61.4 / 60.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	59/41

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Escape of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.0–9.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.00 sec — 2008 XLT V6

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2008	XLT V6 3.0L V6	9.00 sec	16.90 sec	200 hp	AWD
2008	Limited V6 3.0L V6	9.50 sec	17.30 sec	200 hp	AWD
2006	XLT V6 3.0L V6	8.50 sec	16.40 sec	200 hp	FWD
2006	Hybrid 2.3L I-4 + Elec 70-kW	8.90 sec	16.90 sec	155 hp	FWD
2005	Hybrid 2.3L I-4 + Elec 70-kW	9.50 sec	17.40 sec	155 hp	AWD
2005	Hybrid 2.3L I-4 + Elec 70-kW	9.60 sec	17.10 sec	155 hp	FWD
2005	Hybrid 2.3L I-4 + Elec 70-kW	9.90 sec	17.70 sec	155 hp	AWD
2005	XLT Sport V6 3.0L V6	10.60 sec	17.40 sec	200 hp	AWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	Ford Mercon LV
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	5
Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	USE FORD PREMIUM GOLD COOLANT
Engine Oil	5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt
Engine Oil	5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	6.0 qt

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	15 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	13 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	21.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	21.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug	AT: 25.0, MT: 35.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug	10.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	222 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub	221 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order	1-4-2-5-3-6
Spark Plug Manufacturer	Motorcraft
Spark Plug Gap	0.049-0.053 in
Spark Plug Torque	9.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.57 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	5.00 oz
Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	2.00-3.00 lbs
Standard BCI Group Number	40R

Service checks

Pressure Test	20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	17-21 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	194-223 °F
Pressure Test	20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	17-21 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	183-190 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	39
RPM	39 @ Idle rpm

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	37 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	129 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.118; Rear: 0.118 in
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.118; Rear: 0.118 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness	0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	0.944 in
Drum Discard at-or-over	10.09

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

74 ft. lbs., step 2: 90 degrees.

74 ft. lbs

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

89 ft. lbs., step 2: 360 degrees, step 4: 37 ft. lbs., step 5: 90

89 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 6 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Coat new bolts with the specified engine oil.

1	30.0 ft. lbs.	30 ft. lbs
2	90 degrees	90 degrees
3	Loosen bolts 360 degrees	360 degrees
4	30 ft. lbs.	30 ft. lbs
5	90 degrees	90 degrees
6	90 degrees	90 degrees

Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

35 ft. lbs., Step 2: 35

35 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 10,000 mi	Hybrid Battery Compartment Air Filter (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Brake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
Every 20,000 mi	Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Parking Brake System (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Temperature Controlled Seat Air Filter (replace)
Every 50,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 mi	Wheel Bearing (repack)
At 100,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2008 model sits at the peak of the generation’s complaint curve, with 2,415 federal complaints—far above the surrounding years (720 in 2006, 393 in 2007, and 1,691 in 2009). While recall activity in 2008 (six recalls) is modest and comparable to the surrounding years (four to six recalls from 2006‑2009), the high complaint volume is driven largely by steering issues (1,088 reports), followed by power‑train, service brakes, and vehicle‑speed‑control problems. Crash‑related complaints (72) and fire complaints (7) are relatively low compared with the overall complaint count, suggesting most concerns are non‑safety‑critical. This spike indicates that 2008 experienced a concentration of non‑recall‑related defects, so prospective buyers should scrutinize steering and related systems and consider a thorough pre‑purchase inspection. Overall, the data suggests 2008 is a riskier year to buy than adjacent model years.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

2,415

Owner complaints

72 involved a crash · 7 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07’08’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’22 ’23 ’24

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 2,415 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering1088

Power Train248

Service Brakes204

Vehicle Speed Control105

Engine55

Electrical System52

Steering,Electrical System41

Engine & Engine Cooling34

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15E045000Suspension:Front:Wheel BearingReported 03/06/2015

The Timken Company (Timken) is recalling certain aftermarket front wheel bearings, part number 510072, sold from January 22, 2015, to May 21, 2015, to be used as service parts on 2001-2012 Ford Escape, 2001-2011 Mazda… Remedy: Timken has begun notifying distributors who will offer purchasers replacement wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015. Owners may contact Timken customer…

14V526000Hybrid Propulsion SystemReported 03/09/2014

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 Ford Escape hybrid electric vehicles manufactured October 13, 2003, to June 20, 2008, and 2006-2008 Mercury Mariner hybrid electric vehicles… Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the original Motor Electronics Coolant (MEC) Pump with an improved brushless pump, free of charge. The recall is…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 46 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
SSM 54601	2026-02-23	Electrical System	Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory…
SSM 52476	2024-04-24	Equipment	All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the…
SSM 51536	2023-04-04	Structure	For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis…
SSM 47201	2018-03-30	Equipment	Replacing the original equipment SYNC/Navigation system with either an aftermarket…
SSM 47009	2018-01-10	Equipment	The Accessory (Wireless) Keyless Entry Keypad can only be used with vehicles that are…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Escape. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 40R battery Vehicles taking 4.5 qt

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 Escape take?

4.5 qt of 5W-20 API MEETING FORD SPECIFICATION WSS-M2C945-A, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 Escape have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.