2003 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

LEFT WORK AND DRIVING ON A BACK ROAD AT 15 MPH AND WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, APPLIED THE BRAKES AND HEARD A LOUD SNAP/POP. THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE INSTANTLY SLAMMED DOWN/DROPPED TO THE ROAD; STEERING LOCKED; I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE; SLID A FEW FEET AND STOPPED. THE PASSENGER TIRE WAS PINNED BETWEEN THE GROUND AND THE VEHICLE. THE AXLE WAS HANGING AND THE SUB FRAME WAS VISIBLE. IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE SUBFRAME HAD LITERALLY SNAPPED AT A WELD JOINT WITHOUT WARNING. WELD JOINT SNAPPED ON SUBFRAME. THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY 9YRS W/70K MILES AND MOSTLY GARAGED; A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. THIS WOULD HAVE WORSE AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED, IF NOT FATAL. VEHICLE THEN TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. I REQUESTED TO HAVE A FORD REP REVIEW THE CASE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME I HAD TO CALL FORD. AFTER CALLING, THEY THEN TOLD ME I HAD TO REQUEST THIS THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP, BUT GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER. THE DEALERSHIP THEN INFORMED ME THAT FORD WERE NOT INTERESTED IN REVIEWING THE VEHICLE AND WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING AND THAT I HAD CALL FORD. I CALLED FORD BACK WHO ESCALATED MY CASE AND AN ACCT MGR CALLED ME BACK WHO EXPLAINED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AT THIS TIME. OVER 1100 IN REPAIRS ARE REQUIRED DUE TO A FAULTY FRAME. I ASKED REPEATEDLY THAT THIS PARTICULAR SUBFRAME FAILURE BE INVESTIGATED AS A QUALITY/MFG PROBLEM AND I REQUESTED AN INVESTIGATION AND INFORMED THE COMPANY OF SEVERAL OTHER CASES THAT LOG THE SAME ??EXACT?? DESCRIPTION AND FAILURE OF THE SUBFRAME. THE COMPANY TOLD ME "KEEP MY RECEIPT". I STRESSED MY DISSATISFACTION WITH HOW THIS WAS HANDLED, BUT NOTHING COULD BE DONE AT THIS TIME. FORD SHOULD AT A MIN. ISSUE A SERVICE BULLETIN TO HAVE THE SUB FRAME INSPECTED TO ALL OF THE ESCAPE OWNERS, SO FAILURES CAN BE AVOIDED BEFORE THEY HAPPEN. THIS IS FROM A VERY DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER AND WILL CHOOSE NO LONGER TO PURCHASE ANY FORD PRODUCTS, BASED ON THIS EXPERIENCE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN UNKNOWN FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER BECAME CRACKED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,085 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

I PREFACE MY COMMENTS BY STATING THAT I AM A POWERTRAIN ENGINEER FOR AN AMERICAN AUTO MANUFACTURER. I OWNED A 2003 FORD ESCAPE WHICH I SOLD TO MY MOTHER-IN-LAW IN 2011. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THROTTLE STICKING WITH THE VEHICLE BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THE CRUISE CONTROL RECALL. AFTER RECEIVING A FRANTIC CALL FROM HER THIS EVENING THAT THE THROTTLE HAD STUCK WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, I HAVE GROWN SICK OF REMAINING SILENT. THERE IS ANOTHER LARGE PROBLEM THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL RECALL DOES NOT ADDRESS. IN COLD TEMPERATURES, THE THROTTLE CAN FREEZE DUE TO INTRODUCTION OF HUMID AIR FROM THE PCV (POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION) SYSTEM. THE HUMID AIR COMBINES WITH THE SUB-FREEZING FRESH AIR TO FREEZE ON THE THROTTLE VALVE AND RENDER THE GAS PEDAL USELESS. WHILE I OWNED THE ESCAPE FROM 2007-2011, I EXPERIENCED THE FROZEN THROTTLE SEVERAL TIMES. AFTER THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, I GREW FRUSTRATED KNOWING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE BUT WAS MORALLY WITHHELD FROM SELLING THE VEHICLE TO AN UNSUSPECTING CUSTOMER. I BEGAN TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH CAUSED IT. THIS WAS WHEN I DISCOVERED THE PCV ISSUE. I CREATED A FIX FOR THE SYSTEM AND SAW ALL THROTTLE STICKING/FREEZING ISSUES GO AWAY. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR TWO YEARS WITH NO ISSUES, I FELT COMFORTABLE SELLING THE VEHICLE TO MY MOTHER-IN-LAW. HOWEVER, WHEN SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THIS SUMMER FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL RECALL, THE DEALERSHIP REMOVED THE PCV FIX I HAD IN PLACE. I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS UNTIL TONIGHT WHEN I RECEIVED HER FRANTIC CALL THAT THE THROTTLE WAS STUCK (IT IS 15 DEG F HERE). UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, I SAW THAT THE PCV SYSTEM HAD BEEN RESTORED TO THE ORIGINAL FAULTY CONFIGURATION BY THE DEALERSHIP WHICH CREATED THE FREEZING CONDITIONS AGAIN. DISASTER WAS AVOIDED TONIGHT, BUT I DON'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR

THE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED ON CITY STREETS. AS THE VEHICLE APPROACHED A STOP SIGN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, A LOUD CRASH AND SCREECH WAS HEARD AS THE VEHICLE FELL TO THE GROUND AND TIRE WAS DRAGGED ALONG. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARM HAS COME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE FRONT SUB-FRAME HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE SHOP. THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO BE CAUSED BY CORROSION. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 94,160 MILES ON IT. *TR

MY WIFE'S HAS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WE WERE DRIVING LUCKILY AT A LOW SPEED WHEN WE HEARD A POP IN THE PASSENGER FRONT END AND LOST CONTROL OF STEERING. THE SUBFRAME ON PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARM POPPED AND SUBFRAME IS ROTTED. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY 10 YEARS OLD. I SAW THAT NHTSA DID AN INVESTIGATION THAT DEEMED 2003 WINDSTARS UNSAFE DO TO THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM SAFETY RECALL NOTICE 11S16. MY WIFE IS PREGNANT AND IF SHE WAS DRIVING ANY FASTER AND THIS HAD HAPPENED FORD COMPANY COULD HAVE PUT MY WIFE AND OUR BABY IN DANGER. I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS ON THIS VEHICLE WHEN THE SAME YEAR VEHICLES HAVE ISSUES WITH THEM. MY NEXT CONTACT IS MY LAWYERS OFFICE BECAUSE IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO MY WIFE THE DAY BEFORE WHEN WE WERE ON THE FREEWAY FORD WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR KNOWING OTHER VEHICLES IN THE SAME YEAR HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. I DO NOT WANT TO SEE OTHER PEOPLE IN DANGER AND FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THERE VEHICLE DEFECTS. *TR

I TOOK OFF ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY ONE MORNING AND DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL MOSTLY AS I WAS MERGING IN TRAFFIC. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO LET OFF THE PEDAL, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THIS CAR. CURRENTLY THERE HAVE BEEN TWO RECALLS REGARDING A RANDOM ACCELERATION PROBLEM. THE FIRST WAS REPAIRED WHEN IT HAPPENED DUE TO AN ACCELERATOR CABLE PROBLEM. THIS TIME, I QUICKLY SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND PULLED OVER...COINCIDENTALLY NEXT TO A STATE POLICE OFFICER. HE ASSISTED ME IN RELEASING THE THROTTLE BODY ON THIS CAR AS IT WAS CLEARLY STUCK. THE DATE I PROVIDED IS NOT AN EXACT DATE, HOWEVER, I CALLED FORD THE DAY IT HAPPENED AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL RECALL WAS SAID TO BE FIXED. I LEFT THE ENGINE COVER OFF UP UNTIL TODAY, WHICH IS BECAUSE IT'S BEING FIXED DUE TO THE CURRENT RECALL. THIS BRINGS ME TO MY CURRENT ISSUE. I HAVE CALLED FORD ONCE MORE SINCE THE INCIDENT ASKING THEM IF THEY FOUND THE SOLUTION AND IF THEY WOULD REPAIR MY CRUISE CONTROL CABLE, AS IT WAS DAMAGED (WHICH ALSO IS THE DESCRIPTION OF THE RECALL). THEY SAY IT'S A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION WHICH IS VERY UNTRUE BECAUSE I HAVE CALLED TWICE ABOUT THIS ISSUE, LONG BEFORE THE RECALL. I VERIFIED THAT THEY DO SHOW RECORD THAT I CALLED. I WANT THEM TO PAY FOR THIS $35 CRUISE CABLE BECAUSE IT'S THEIR FAULT IT BROKE, DUE FROM A SAFETY ISSUE, AND I CALLED ABOUT IT LONG BEFORE THIS RECALL WHICH SHOULD PROVE I HAVE A LEGITIMATE COMPLAINT. FORTUNATELY FOR FORD AND MYSELF, I WAS INTELLIGENT ENOUGH TO KNOW HOW TO STOP THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO AN ACCIDENT. *TR

I ENTERED MY CAR TO SEE THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED EVEN WITH CAR IN OFF POISTION AND KEY REMOVED. TRIED STARTING CAR AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES AND EVENTUALLY GOT CAR TO START. DROVE SEVERAL BLOCKS, PARKED AND THE CAR AND EVEN AFTER REMOVING KEY, COULD NOT GET CAR TO TURN OFF. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE CAR TURNED OFF. I COULD HEAR WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A FAN RUNNING IN THE AREA NEAR MY BREAK FLUID. AFTER LETTING THE CAR SIT FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS, I NEEDED TO DRIVE HOME. I DROVE SERVERAL HUNDRED YARDS BEFORE I STARTED TO SMELL BURNING RUBBER. WHEN I SAW BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER MY HOOD I PULLED OFF THE ROAD. THE FLAMES STARTED TO GET BIGGER. I CALL 911 BUT THEY DID NOT ARRIVE IN TIME TO SAVE THE CAR. THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE ENGINE AND INTERITOR WERE TORCHED. CAUSE OF FIRE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED.

SUDDEN AND RAPID UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION AFTER REMOVING MY FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR. DESPITE MY BEST EFFORTS TO BRAKE AND ARREST MY MOVEMENT THE VEHICLE STILL WAS MOVING FORWARD. I IMPACTED THE REAR END OF A TRUCK THAT THANKFULLY WAS HEAVY ENOUGH TO COMPLETELY STOP MY FORWARD MOVEMENT. I HAD THIS VEHICLE IN MY LOCAL FORD DEALER TO ADDRESS THE CRUISE CONTROL RECALL. I WAS ASSURED BY THE TECHNICIANS THAT IT WAS INDEED MODIFIED (THAT THE PLASTIC ENGINE COVER WAS FITTED WITH NEW LONGER FITTINGS/BOLTS). THIS UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION INCIDENT HAPPENED AFTER ALLEGED RECALL/REPAIR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V353000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: CABLES) PERFORMED, HOWEVER THE DEFECT WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING WITH OUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 45MPH AND THE RPM INCREASED TO 1,000. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 157,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 12V353000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: CABLES). THE REMEDY PART WAS UNAVAILABLE AT THE TIME AND AS AN INTERIM REMEDY THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE WAS DISCONNECTED AND RECONNECTED WHEN THE RECALL PART BECAME AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO OPERATE AFTER THE REMEDY REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED THEY WERE NOT LIABLE AND THE REPAIR WOULD BE AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,310.