2003 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V353000 (ENGINE, SPEED CONTROL) HOWEVER, THE SPEED ACCELERATION FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

WHILE DRIVING MY FORD ESCAPE THE EGR VALVE BLEW APART. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. IT WAS REPLACED ALL 3 TIMES AND IT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. WHEN IT HAPPENS THE ENTIRE VEHICLE SHAKES VIOLENTLY AND IS VERY HARD TO STEER. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. I HAVE JOINED A FEW MESSAGE BOARDS ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. I FEEL THIS IS SOME TYPE OF INTERNAL PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR WORSE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK AND LUNGE. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE ENGINE BUT AFTER RESTARTING, HE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 195,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

I HAD THE ALTERNATOR GO OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE GOTTEN HIT. HOWEVER, THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING 2 OTHER VEHICLES DUE TO MY BEING STOPPED. AN ALTERNATOR GOING OUT IS NOT NORMALLY SOMETHING TO FILE A COMPLAINT ON. IT WENT OUT AGAIN IN 4 DAYS. OK, BAD ALTERNATOR, IT HAPPENS. I GET ON GOOGLE TO FIND OUT THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 ESCAPES AND IT'S LISTED ALL OVER THE INTERNET. I HAD NO ADVANCED WARNING THAT THIS WAS GOING OUT. I'M ALMOST AFRAID TO DRIVE OUT OF TOWN. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU ALL, BUT, I AM FINANCIALLY IN BAD SHAPE DUE TO THE ECONOMY. I AM WORKING FULL TIME FOR THE SAME WAGES I MADE IN THE 1980'S I CAN'T AFFORD MULTIPLE AUTOMOBILE REPAIRS FOR A PROBLEM THAT REQUIRES AS MUCH TIME TO REPLACE AS THIS DOES. THE FRONT AXLE HAS TO BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO REPLACE IT SO IT IS NOT A CHEAP REPAIR. WHY WOULD A REPAIR SHOP WANT TO HONOR A FAULTY PART WHEN EVIDENTLY IT'S AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. I SURE WOULDN'T!!! WHEN IS THIS ALTERNATOR DEFECT GOING TO CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND SOMEONE'S KIDS GET KILLED. HAD I BEEN FARTHER INTO THE INTERSECTION, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE.[XXX] LIKE I SAID, I HAD NO WARNING, IT JUST DIED. I HAVE 160,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE SO I CAN UNDERSTAND THE FIRST ONE GOING OUT. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE 2ND 4 DAYS LATER? AND THIS IS A NATIONWIDE PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND FORD IS AWARE OF IT!!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN AND REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V574000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO FAILURES PRIOR TO THE RECALL SERVICE. AFTER THE RECALL SERVICE WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE DRIVER RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DECELERATE. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL RELEASED AFTER THE BRAKES WERE CONTINUALLY DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT END EXHIBITED A LOUD NOISE AS THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL SEPARATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE FRONT SUB FRAME AND LOWER CONTROL ARM, WHICH WERE BOTH DETERMINED TO BE CORRODED. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN AFTER SHIFTING INTO DRIVE FROM REVERSE, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A FENCE AND A TREE BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CUTS TO THE ARMS AND FACE AS WELL AS BRUISES TO THE KNEE, SHOULDERS, AND BACK. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 04V574000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 12V353000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

LOSS OF USE OF BRAKES WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT A BUSY INTERSECTION. JAMMING THE BRAKES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BROUGHT THE CAR TO A STOP, BUT WAS VERY SLOW TO RESPOND. MECHANIC INSPECTED HOSES AND LINES AND FOUND THE PASSENGER FRONT BRAKE HOSE TO BE SPLIT AND LEAKING. THIS WAS A HORRIFYING EXPERIENCE AS I HAD MY YOUNG KIDS IN THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT STOPPING FROM A FASTER VELOCITY WHEN THIS ISSUE OCCURRED. I HAVE LEARNED THAT THE TIGHT BENDS IN THE BRAKE HOSE(S) ON THIS MAKE/MODEL OF VEHICLE MAY BE A FACTOR FOR HIS HAPPENING TO VARIOUS CONSUMERS, SO THIS IS WORTH INVESTIGATING. *TR

WHILE THAT VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED; DECELERATING FROM ABOUT 35 MPH, A VERY LOUD POP NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BECAME UNSTABLE AND STEERING BECAME UNRELIABLE. VEHICLE WAS STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION IS APPEARS THAT THE WHEEL BECAME PARTIALLY DETACHED FROM VEHICLE. AFTER A THOROUGH INSPECTION IS APPEARS THAT THE REAR MOUNTING BOLT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARM HAD DETACHED FROM THE SUB-FRAME. THIS PART OF THE SUB-FRAME SHOW EXCESSIVE CORROSION WHICH LED TO THE FAILURE OF THE CONTROL ARM MOUNTING POINT. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE THE VEHICLE LOST ALL ABILITY TO MAINTAIN EFFECTIVE STABILITY. LUCKILY THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY DECELERATING AND BEING OPERATED ON A ROADWAY THAT HAD SUFFICIENT ROOM TO MAKE CORRECTIVE MEASURE OTHERWISE THE OUTCOME OF THIS FAILURE EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC AND FATAL. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. THE BODY AND OTHER PARTS OF THE FRAME DO NOT HAVE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF RUST. *TR