Ford Escape Complaints (2003)

558 consumer complaints on file.

#10039301September 22, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN CAR WAS STARTED, IT MOVED ONLY IN REVERSE, REGARDLESS OF THE GEAR SELECTION. THIS WAS ONLY REMEDIED AFTER THE CAR WAS RESTARTED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10033891September 12, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS, STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:POWER STEERING FLUID
THERE WAS A GROANING NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP BUT IDLING. THERE WAS ALSO A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE AIR VENTS. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALERSHIP THE STEERING PUMP AND PRESSURE LINE HAD RUPTURED. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED IT WAS CAUSED BY THE POWER STEERING FLUID BEING CONTAMINATED. *AK *SCC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10039714September 10, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING FROM UNDERNEATH. THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM VENT AREA INSIDE OF VEHICLE. ALSO, THERE WAS A BAD SMELL. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10038407September 8, 2003
STRUCTURE
WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN IN THE RAIN WATER CAMES THROUGH THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW FRAME. THE WATER WENT DOWN INTO THE ELECTRICAL BUTTONS ON DOOR PANEL. FORD REPLACED ALL THE RUBBER SEALS BUT IT STILL LEAKS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10037126September 3, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY 2003 FORD ESCAPE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS WHEN GOING INTO REVERSE. AFTER THE 2ND TRIP TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACED THE COMPUTER, IT IS STILL HAPPENING. NOW IT IS HAPPENING IN DRIVE AS WELL. I'VE HAD THE CAR SINCE DECEMBER 2002 AND IT HAS STALLED OUT A TOTAL OF 11 TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAS 8000 MILES ON IT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10037797August 27, 2003
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WHILE DRIVING FORD ESCAPE 2003 SUV,THE LEFT TIRE HAD A BLOW OUT AND THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL(ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT,TIRE SIZEP235/70R16,DOT#UNAVAILABLE) DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THAT THE CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND COMPLETE THE QUESTIONNAIRE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10034568August 25, 2003
TIRES
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE BLEWOUT. CONTINENTAL SUV TIRE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10032740August 13, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I HAVE COMPLAINED TWICE BEFORE ABOUT MY 2003 FORD ESCAPE STALLING WITHOUT WARNING. IT HAS NOW DONE IT A TOTAL OF 6 TIMES. THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING IN VARIOUS SITUATIONS. THE MOST UNNERVING WAS WHEN I WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 15 MPH. IT HAS ALSO HESITATED AND BUCKED INTO AN INTERSECTION ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. I CONTACTED THE EXECUTIVE OFFICES AT FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND EXPRESSED MY SAFETY CONCERNS, AND I WAS INFORMED THAT BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS NOT REPRODUCABLE THEY DO NOT FEEL THAT THEY ARE IN A POSITION TO REPURCHASE THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. MY DEALERSHIP HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPRODUCE THE STALL AND ARE UNABLE, AS AM I. THEY HAVE PERFORMED A TSB, INSTALLED A NEW THROTTLE BODY AND A NEW CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO PERSIST. I NOW HAVE A VDR IN THE VEHICLE FOR THE THIRD TIME. THIS VEHICLE IS A MAJOR DANGER TO MYSELF, MY PASSENGERS AND ANYONE WHO IS AROUND THE VEHICLE WHEN IT MAY STALL DUE TO THE FACT THAT WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN I LOSE ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. I DO NOT TRUST THE VEHICLE AND I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN IT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10031162August 9, 2003
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
IN MARCH 2003 VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND ACCELERATE, MAINTAIN SPEEDS WHILE FOOT OFF THE GAS (ONCE AT 65 MPH), & SHAKE LIKE IT WANTED TO STALL. A COUPLE TIMES IT EVEN SPED UP WHILE I WAS BRAKING AT RED LIGHTS. ON 4-10-03 SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT DUPLICATE SYMPTOMS SINCE THEY ARE PARTICULARLY EXAGGERATED AFTER PARKED FOR AN HOUR OR SO. STATED THAT I COULD LEAVE IT OVERNIGHT (NO ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION OFFERED) OR WAIT UNTIL ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SINCE THE CAR DID NOT FEEL SAFE, I BROUGHT IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP WHICH OFFERED ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION. THE PROBLEMS SEEMED TO IMPROVE FOR A WEEK OR 2 BEFORE RETURNING, FOLLOWING EACH OF THE FOLLOWING REPAIRS: 5/16/03 REPLACED THROTTLE BODY/IDLE AIR CONTROL/PCM REPROGRAMING; 6/6/03 REPAIR VACUUM TUBE/HOSE; 6/25/03 REPLACE PCM WITH NEW UPDATED PCM. TWO WEEKS LATER 7/12/03 OPERATION OF POWER LOCKS/WINDOWS, AND REAR WIPERS/DEFROST WERE GOING IN AND OUT WITH DASH ABS, BRAKE, AND BATTERY LIGHTS COMING ON CONCURRENTLY. SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT DUPLICATE CONCERN UNTIL 9 DAYS LATER WHEN THEY ASKED ME TO COME GET THE VEHICLE. THE SYMPTOMS RETURNED IMMEDIATELY AFTER I STARTED THE CAR UP TO LEAVE. 7/21/03 ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. HESITATION, ACCELERATION, SHAKING, AND MAINTAINING SPEEDS, ALTHOUGH NOT AS FREQUENT, CONTINUE AND COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED BY FORD REPRESENTATIVE ON 8/4/03. I AM NOW CONTINUING TO PURSUE LEMON LAW PROCEDURES. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026284August 7, 2003
TIRES
DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONSUMER WAS CURRENTLY WAITING FOR AAA TO HELP WITH THE PROBLEM. CONTINENTAL, CONTITRAC SUV. *AK CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN SHE HEARD A NOISE IN THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. THE TIRE HAD EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING. SHE ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN AND PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER. WHEN THE CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED THE TIRE WAS RIPPED IN A CIRCULAR TEAR. THE CONSUMER DIDN'T SUSTAIN ANY PHYSICAL DAMAGE NOR DID THE VEHICLE. *PH *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10030757August 4, 2003
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
WE BOUGHT MY ESCAPE XLT ON 5/26/03. ON 7/30/03, UPON EXITING MY VEHICLE, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR FELL OFF. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE. FORD WILL NOT ISSUE ME A DIFFERENT ESCAPE UNLESS WE PAID $9K TOWARDS A NEW ONE AND I'VE ONLY MADE ONE PAYMENT ON MY NEW VEHICLE. THEY SAID THEY'VE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE AND IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY MARKINGS IT RECEIVED FROM CONSUMER REPORTS. I FOUND THAT ON MARCH OF 2003 ANOTHER CONSUMER HAD THIS SAME ISSUE. THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE LIKELY NOT THE ONLY ONES TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN TO US, LIKE THE FORD DEALERSHIPS WOULD HAVE US BELIEVE. AFTER THEY RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO ME, THEY SAID IT WAS FIXED, BUT UPON EXAMINATION WE NOTICED A PART HAD BEEN LEFT OFF AND MY DOOR WAS DAMAGED AND SCUFFED. WE HAVE CONTACTED A LAWYER AND ARE PERSUING OUR OPTIONS. *JT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026946August 1, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING AT 50/55 MPH VEHICLE DIED OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES.THE COST FOR REPAIRS WERE $114.21. *AK *CB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10030532July 31, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ESCAPE STALLED FOR THE FOURTH TIME. I DID HAVE A VDR IN THE VEHICLE FOR 5 WEEKS BUT IT DID NOT STALL DURING THAT TIME. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS SAFE TO TAKE IT OUT BECAUSE IT DID NOT SEEM LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DO IT AGAIN. WELL IT DID AND I LOST ALL BRAKING AND STEERING ABILITY. *PH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10031263July 28, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
3 WEEKS AFTER BUYING VEHICLE IT STARTED MAKING NOISE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. DEALER STATED THAT WAS NORMAL FOR A NEW CAR. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10025019July 28, 2003
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL TIRE THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO AVOID A COLLISION. *AK *TS *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10028964July 23, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2003 FORD ESCAPE V-6 AUTOMATIC VEHICLE STALLED ON FREEWAY FOR NO REASON. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10029006July 23, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
I HAVE A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. ON APRIL 17, 2003 I TOOK MY VEHICLE INTO THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN VACAVILLE WITH A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE BRAKES MAKING A GRINDING NOISE (25,503 MILES). THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE NOISE AND CHECKED THE FRONT BRAKES. THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE MEASURED THE BRAKE PADS AT ABOVE 5MM OF PAD REMAINING. THE NOISE CONTINUED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP ON JUNE 27, 2003 (28,720 MILES). THIS TIME THEY HEARD THE NOISE AS WELL AS A BEARING NOISE. THEY MEASURED THE BRAKES AT 3MM AND TOLD ME THAT THE ROTORS MAY BE WARPED. I LEFT THE VEHICLE FOR THE BEARING REPAIR AND RECEIVED A PHONE MESSAGE (ON MY ANSWERING MACHINE) THAT THEY RE-MEASURED THAT BRAKE PADS AND FOUND THEM TO BE 2MM NOT 3MM. THEY DIDN'T MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT THE ROTORS. I ASKED ABOUT THE EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE BRAKE PADS AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NORMAL WEAR. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT THE PADS OR THE ROTORS. I CALLED MY BROTHER-IN-LAW THAT WORKS FOR FORD AND TOLD HIM ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE. HE MADE SOME PHONE CALLS AND FOUND OUT FROM ONE OF FORD'S ENGINEERS THAT THEY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE WEAR (BOTH PADS AND ROTORS) ON THE ESCAPE AND THE FORD FOCUS. TODAY (30,270 MILES) I TOOK MY ESCAPE TO MIDAS AND HAD A BRAKE INSPECTION. THE MIDAS EMPLOYEE SAID THAT THE ROTORS ARE WORN DOWN BELOW SPECS AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE ROTORS SHOULD NOT WEAR THAT QUICKLY. AS TO THE PADS HE SAID THAT IT WAS NORMAL WEAR BECAUSE THEY ARE CERAMIC PADS. I WENT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN VACAVILLE WITH THIS INFORMATION. THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT FORD COULD DO FOR ME ABOUT THE BRAKE ROTORS. THE INDIVIDUAL TOLD ME THAT FORD USES SOFT ALUMINUM ROTORS ON BOTH THE ESCAPE AND THE FOCUS AND THEY WEAR OUT VERY QUICKLY. MY CONCERN FOR FORD IS THAT IF THEY USE SUBSTANDARD EQUIPMENT AND DO NOT SEEM TO BE CONCERNED, ARE THEY NOT OPENING THEMSELVES UP TO A LAW SUIT IF THEIR "SOFT ROTORS" FAIL AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10028597July 18, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
PREVIOUS COMPLAINT: STALLING OF 2003 ESCAPE. I RETURNED VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY INSTALLED A NEW EEC AND TROUBLE SHOT THE SYSTEM. THE WORK PERFORMED DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND NOW IT IS SEVEN DAYS LATER AND THE STALLING HAS RETURNED. THE ONBOARD COMPUTER DOES NOT REVEL ANY PROBLEMS SO THIS MORE THAN LIKELY WILL BE AN ONGOING ISSUE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10025921July 11, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
MY 2003 FORD ESCAPE HAS A STALLING PROBLEM. IT HAS STALLED AT LEAST TEN TO TWELVE TIMES IN THE LAST 14 DAYS. THE CONDITIONS DURING THE STALLING VARY: ON AN INCLINE, COMING TO STOP AND ON STRAIGHT AWAY LEVEL TERRAIN. IT HAS ALSO STALLED AND RESTARTED MUCH LIKE A HESITATION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026817July 9, 2003
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 70 MPH AND THE THROTTLE STUCK. DRIVER HAD TO COAST TO A COMPLETE STOP BECAUSE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL WASN'T SLOWING THE VEHICLE DOWN.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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