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Hey, is your Ford Escape flashing that
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FordWD system off warning on the dash?
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Usually, it's something simple like a
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low battery or a dirty wheel speed
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sensor, and you can troubleshoot it
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yourself at home. Ignoring this could
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mess up your car's drivetrain over time,
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costing you over $1,000 in major repairs
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down the road. Okay, so let's dive right
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in. First thing, grab your car's battery
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tester or multimeter. Most folks have
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one lying around. Check the voltage on
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your vehicle's battery. It should read
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at least 12.6 6 volts when the engine's
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off. If it's lower, that battery is
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probably on its last legs and causing
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the warning during startup checks. Well,
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um, just replace it with a fresh one
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from your local auto parts store. Costs
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about 70 to 100 bucks. That alone fixes
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a ton of these intermittent Ford
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glitches and escapes. All right, then.
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Next, plug in an OBD2 scanner to your
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car's diagnostic port under the dash.
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You know, the one that reads trouble
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codes from your vehicle's computer. If
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you don't have one, grab a basic model.
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links in the description below. Scan for
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codes related to the AWD system or ABS.
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Stuff like wheel speed sensor faults
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show up as C codes often. Honestly, if
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you see something like C003A or similar,
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that's pointing to a rear wheel speed
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sensor issue on your Escape's axle.
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Those sensors monitor how fast each
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wheel spins for traction control and
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all-wheel drive. The thing is, dirt,
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debris, or even a loose wire can throw
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them off. Pop the wheel off safely. Jack
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up your car first and inspect the sensor
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on the hub assembly. Clean it with some
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brake cleaner spray if it's gked up.
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Check the wiring harness for any brakes
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or corrosion, too. A quick visual does
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the trick. If it's damaged, swap in a
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new sensor. They're about $50 and bolt
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right on with basic tools. I mean, while
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you're at it, peek at the fuses in your
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car's fuse box under the hood. Look for
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the one labeled AWD or four-wheel drive.
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A blown fuse can shut the system down
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easy. pull it out, check if it's fried,
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and replace if needed. Super cheap fix.
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For newer Escapes, like 2020 models,
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sometimes it's the AWD module itself
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acting up due to a bad ground
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connection. Anyway, if your scan shows
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module codes, you might add an extra
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ground wire from the module case to the
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chassis, but only if you're comfy with
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wiring. That's a bit more advanced, so
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test everything else first. Okay, so
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after any fix, clear the codes with your
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scanner and take your escape for a short
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drive. The warning should stay off if
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you nailed the problem. If it pops back,
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might be time for a shop to check the
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rear differential or PTU. That's the
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power transfer unit in your car's
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drivetrain. But most times it's not that
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serious. You know, these escapes are
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solid, but little electrical gremlins
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sneak in. Hey, if this helped your Ford
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Escape, give it a thumbs up and
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subscribe to Car Justify for more DIY
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tips. Drop a comment below. What year is
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your escape? Catch you next time.
