2003 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVE FELT AN UNUSUAL TUG OF STEERING WHEEL, AND STEERING WHEEL WAS ROTATED APPROX. 30 DEGREES. DROVE IT TO REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY DISCOVERED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED AWAY FROM THE SUBFRAME MOUNT AND THE SUBFRAME WAS SIGNIFICANTLY RUSTED. ALSO WAS NOTIFIED OF SAFETY RECALL 14S02. MADE APPOINTMENT AND SLOWLY DROVE VEHICLE TO FORD DEALERSHIP TO HAVE RECALL ADDRESSED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED ONLY SUB FRAME CROSSBRACE AS DIRECTED BY FORD MOTOR CO. SUBFRAME IS STILL RUSTED IN OTHER AREAS SURROUNDING NEWLY INSTALLED CROSSBRACE AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. DEALERSHIP WANTED OVER $2000 TO REPLACE SUBFRAME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT HEARD A CONSTANT NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE NEAR THE WHEELS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V165000 (STRUCTURE). THE DEALER PROVIDED THE RECALL REMEDY OF A NEWLY DESIGNED CROSS BRACE AS AN INTERIM REPAIR, BUT THE NOISE FAILURE RECURRED. WITHIN THREE MONTHS, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WAS LEANING DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM FRACTURED. THE SUBFRAME WAS RUSTED TO THE POINT OF CORROSION. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

SEEMS WE OWN A FORD ESCAPE 2003 WHICH NEEDS A CROSS BRACE FOR THE SUB FRAME. THE REASON FOR THE RECALL IS THAT THE SUB FRAME CORRODES AND THE BRACE WILL KEEP THE TWO SIDES FROM BREAKING APART AND SPLITTING THEM INTO TWO HALVES. THAT IS BECAUSE IT CAN RUST AND BREAK. THE TOP OF THE SUB FRAME OF THE FORD ESCAPE IS RUSTED AND LOOKS VERY UNSAFE. FORD WOULD NOT REPLACE THE WHOLE SUB FRAME BECAUSE IT DOES NOT EFFECT WHERE THEY CAN ATTACH THE BRACE. PROBLEM SOLVED FORD WILL NOT COVER THE TOP OF THE SUB FRAME ONLY THE BOTTOM WHERE THE BRACE IS INSTALLED. QUESTION 1: WOULD YOU OR THE OWNER OF THE FORD CORP HAVE HIS DAUGHTER AND/OR HIS GRAND DAUGHTER DRIVE DOWN RTE. 495 DOING 65 MPH WITH A RUSTED-OUT TOP SUB FRAME? QUESTION 2: I HAVE A BRAND NEW FORD ESCAPE 2014. HOW LONG ARE THE IRON FRAME PARTS OF THE CAR GOOD? SHOULD I SELL IT AT 5 YEARS OR 6? I KNOW THAT 10 YEARS IS TOO LONG. *TR

FUEL TANK STRAP BROKE. STRAP FAILURE RESULTED IN EXHAUST SYSTEM SUPPORTING FUEL TANK. STRAP FAILURE DUE TO CORROSION. PHOTOS AVAILABLE....UPDATED12/17/14 *BF UPDATED 9/29/2015*JS *TR

SEVERE CORROSION CAUSED STEERING FAILURE. I HAD TAKEN THE CAR IN JUNE 2014 FOR RECALL FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY THAT SEVER CORROSION MAY CAUSE STEERING FAILURE. THEY INSTALLED A NEW BRACKET. APPARENTLY THE NEW BRACKET DID NOT HELP BECAUSE IT STILL FAILED 6 MONTHS LATER. LOVE DRIVING A CAR YOU CAN NOT STEER SAFELY. FORD WILL NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO ACTUALLY MAKE THEIR CAR SAFE. IT IS HEADING TO THE JUNKYARD WITH 46,000 MILES ON IT. CASE 5501030 DENIED BY FORD. IF YOU ARE DRIVING AN ESCAPE, LOOK OUT. IT WILL FAIL AND FORD WILL DO NOTHING TO HELP YOU. YOU MAY DIE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND NO INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE RPMS WENT FROM 800 TO 4,000 IN ONE DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE SUBFRAME FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

I TOOK MY 2003 FORD ESCAPE TO DEALER TO HAVE CROSS BRACE PUT ON DUE TO RECALL. I KNOW MORE THAN LEFT THEIR PARKING LOT AND NOTICE CAR DRIVING FUNNY. EVER SINCE BEING PUT ON I HAVE TO REPLACE CONTROL ARM ON PASSENGER FRONT, NEW TIRES AND 2 ALIGNMENTS. NOW I HAVE TO HAVE CV JOINTS REPLACED BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. I CALLED THE DEALER AND COMPLAINED ABOUT CAR DRIVING FUNNY THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME ITS NOT THERE FAULT. I HAVE SOAKED ALMOST $1000 IN REPAIRS DUE TO CROSSBAR BEING PUT ON MY CAR. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED THERE ARE FLAWS IN THE CROSS BRACE BEING INSTALLED ON CARS. I HAVE HAD VEHICLE FOR ALMOST 3 YEARS WITH NO PROBLEMS AND SINCE DEALER MESSED WITH MY CAR I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. *TR

SEPARATION OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM FROM THE SUB-FRAME CAUSING HARD STEERING AND LOSS OF PROPER CONTROL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V165000 (STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS). THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT REPAIRED ACCORDING TO THE RECALL. THE MECHANIC INSTALLED A NEWLY DESIGNED REINFORCEMENT CROSS-BRACE; HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC COULD NOT COMPLETE A FRONT END ALIGNMENT DUE TO AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF CORROSION PRESENT. THE FRONT END ALIGNMENT WAS AN ENFORCED PROCEDURE PER THE MANUFACTURER, WHICH WAS INCLUDED IN THE REMEDY FOR THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, THE STEERING BECAME AFFECTED DUE TO THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.