Ford hybrid battery repair — Escape, Fusion, C-Max and Maverick

The Escape Hybrid, Fusion Hybrid and C-Max use a power-split transmission driven by two electric motors — the same basic concept as Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive. In practice that means the car will move on electric alone at low speed, the engine shuts off at stops, and a weakening pack produces the same recognisable pattern: worse fuel economy, the engine running more, and less punch when you accelerate.

The testing process, the way we read block-level data, and the reconditioning-versus-replacement decision all carry over from the work we do every day on Toyotas.

• The nickel-metal hydride generations age the same way Toyota's do in sustained heat — which is to say faster here than almost anywhere.
• Escape Hybrids that spent a life as fleet or taxi vehicles carry very high mileage, and that usually means the whole pack has aged together rather than one weak spot.
• Even ageing generally points toward replacement rather than reconditioning. Block-level data tells us which situation you're in.
• Pack location varies by model — some sit under the cargo floor, which affects both access and how quickly we can do it on site.