2003 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

I HAD JUST STEPPED DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR (HARDER THAN USUAL) TO PASS TWO SEMI'S. THE THROTTLE STUCK IN FULL SPEED. I WAS ABLE TO STOP BY TURNING THE KEY OFF AND PULLING OFF TO THE SHOULDER. AFTER CALLING THE FORD DEALER AT ALBERT LEA MINNESOTA HE SUGGESTED THAT I LOOK AROUND IN THE ARE WHERE THE RUBBER AIR INTAKE IS AND IF POSSIBLE TAKE THE RUBBER INTAKE OFF AND FEEL AROUND INSIDE. WHILE DOING THAT I COULD SEE THAT THE SHAFT AT THE END OF THE CRUISE CABLE HAD JAMMED UP AGAINST THE ENGINE COVER AND LOCKED UP AT FULL SPEED. I WAS ABLE TO FORCE IT BACK INTO DRIVABLE POSITION AND CALLED THE ALBERT LEA DEALER TO TELL THEM WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. THEN I STOPPED AT THE FORD DEALER IN ROCHESTER MINNESOTA TO TAKE A LOOK AT TELL ME IF THE CAR WAS SAFE. THEY TOOK THE ENGINE COVER OFF AND TOLD ME IT WAS GOOD TO DRIVE. LATER I TOOK IT TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC AND HE TOOK IT ONE STEP FARTHER BY DISCONNECTING THE CRUISE FROM THE THROTTLE CONTROL SHAFT. I WILL BE INSISTING THAT FORD DO THE FIX TO RAISE THE ENGINE COVER AND REPLACE THE CRUISE CONTROL AS THE CABLE FOR THE CRUISE IS BENT NEAR THROTTLE CONTROL END. *TR

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, I LIFTED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AS I APPROACHED A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION. THE PEDAL STUCK AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO TRAVEL AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. THE VEHICLE TRAVELED PARTIALLY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY BRAKING. FORTUNATELY, NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE TRAVELING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AND I ESCAPED BEING INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. THIS VEHICLE'S ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAS SINCE STUCK ON OTHER OCCASIONS. *TR

FRIEND HAD JUST INSTALLED FUEL FILTER ON CAR. WAS TESTING CAR - HAD CAR IN PARK - FLOORED ACCELERATOR, ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK. WOULDN'T BUDGE. THEY OPENED UP HOOD AND HAD TO CUT CRUISE CONTROL CABLE TO MAKE SHORTER THIS AUTO HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN RECALLED FOR VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL CABLE AND BEEN REPAIRED. I BELIEVE THE ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK AS A RESULT OF THIS NOT BEING DONE PROPERLY. I BELIEVE IT WAS DONE BEFORE THEY CORRECTED THE WAY THEY WERE DOING IT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO ACCELERATE SUDDENLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:04V165000(POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: CONTROL MODULE(TCM.PCM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 119,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT HAD TO PLACE BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL BEFORE STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000. UPDATED 8/23/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FOR 60MPH TO OVER 100MPH IN 2 MILES. THE ENGINE REACHED 7000RPM. THE BRAKES AND PARKING BRAKE LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED BY TURNING THE IGNITION OFF. UPDATED 09/06/2012 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AND THE SRS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED. MOST RECENTLY, THE MALFUNCTION RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN ORDER TO STOP THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AFTER ALLOWING THE ENGINE TO COOL AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER CLEANED OUT THE THROTTLE BODY AND STATED THAT ICE WAS BUILDING UP AROUND THE CARBURETOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAGS LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND THERE WAS A CONSTANT BEEPING SOUND IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND THERE WAS A CODE#B1869 STATING THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS AND BODY HARNESSES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WOULD BE AN EXPENSE OF $686 TO THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

SUDDEN ABS FAILURE SMALL ACCIDENT.TOOK ABS RELAY OUT AFTER THIS BRAKES WORK FINE. *JS

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT REPEATEDLY FLASHES WARNING CODE#47. LIC MECH CAN CLEAN CONNECTOR CONTACTS AND RESET COMPUTER CODE BUT IF WON'T RESET, BAG(S) MAY NOT DEPLOY. MECH ADVISES PROB IS WELL KNOWN OCCURRENCE W/ 1999-2005 FORD ESCAPES. CODES#46/47 (DRIVERS SEAT/RT FRT PASSENGER SEAT) APPEARING AS A RESULT OF ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESSES FOR AIRBAG/PRETENSIONER SEAT BELT SYSTEM. ONLY FIX IF LIGHT STAYS ON AND CAN'T BE RESET IS TO REPLACE WIRE HARNESSES; COST $550+ (MUST REMOVE SEATS, PULL UP CARPET TO GAIN ACCESS TO HARNESS AND REPLACE SAME) . NHTSA INVESTIGATED ISSUE IN 1999 (ACTION# SQ99026 NOV.'99-MAY.-2000) BUT CLOSED CASE WITH NO FURTHER ACTION. INTERNET INQUIRY INDICATES LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT ABOVE AND ALSO FAILURE OF AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT IN ACCIDENTS. INTERNET INDICATES ISSUE INVOLVES MAZDA TRIBUTES ALSO AS FORD ASSOCIATED WITH MAZDA AND USES SAME HARNESS AND SYSTEM. FORD APPARENTLY HAS A REPLACEMENT HARNESS TO FIX PROBLEM BUT OWNERS MUST PAY FOR PART AND LABOR AS FORD DOESN'T ACKNOWLEDGE DEFECTIVE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. *JS