2003 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK VIOLENTLY AND EXHIBITED AN ABNORMALLY LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BOLTS WERE SLIDING OR BREAKING OFF AND AS A RESULT, THEY WOULD NEED TO REPLACED THE ENTIRE WHEEL ASSEMBLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,045.

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH, BACK TIRE BLEW OUT, CAR SPUN, LOST CONTROL, ROLLED X 2. CAR LANDED ON ROOF. DRIVER HAD MINER INJURIES, CUTS, BRUISES, TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE, RELEASED FROM E.D. IN 2 HOURS.CAR IS TOTAL LOSS. TIRES ALL WITH MINIMAL WEAR, LOTS OF TREAD, WARRATIED FOR 60,000 MILES, THIS TIRE FAILED AT 30,000 MILES. *TR

THE VEHICLE STALLS (LOSES ALL POWER AND COMES TO A HALT) AT LOW SPEEDS EVEN SOMETIMES IN REVERSE GEAR. IT HAS HAPPENED AT PARKING LOTS AT LOW SPEEDS OR WHEN I AM JUST ABOUT TO TAKE OFF AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS. ONLY HAPPENS AT LOW SPEEDS. HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES, HAVE GOTTEN THE COMPUTER MODULE REPROGRAMMED, CHANGED BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, IDLER CONTROLLER VALVE AND RELAY SO FAR. NONE OF THESE HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM, THE CAR IS BACK WITH THE MECHANIC FOR OTHER CHECKS. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN VERY INTERMITTENT, IT SOMETIMES HAPPENS AND SOMETIMES DOES NOT!. TAKING THE KEY OUT AND PUTTING IT BACK AND STARTING THE ENGINE AGAIN GETS ME MOVING AGAIN!. SO FAR I HAVE BEEN LUCKY NOT TO BE HIT BY ANYONE FROM BEHIND!. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE LOW SUB FRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. A LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUB FRAME FAILED DUE TO RUST. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

PAINT OF FORD ESCAPE 2003 PEELING ON THE FRONT. THERE ARE TWO LARGE SPOTS ABOUT 1 SQUARE FOOT EACH. I HAVE CALLED FORD IN GREENVILLE, SC FEW TIMES BUT TO NO AVAIL. THIS PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO WITH TWO 3/8 OF AN INCH SIZE FLAKES. THE SUV HAS BEEN GARAGED AND HAS BEEN TAKEN GOOD CARE OF HOWEVER NOW THE PAINT IS FLAKING WITH SECTIONS AT A TIME. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND HAVE SEEN THE EXACT SAME MODEL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. AT ONE POINT I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO ENTER ANOTHER FORD ESCAPE ASSUMING IT WAS MY CAR BECAUSE OF THE SIMILARITY WITH THE PAINT. THERE ARE SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM: HTTP://WWW.EDMUNDS.COM/FORD/ESCAPE/2003/CONSUMER-DISCUSSIONS.HTML MY CONCERN IS THAT FORD HAS FAILED TO REMEDIATE THIS ISSUE WITH ITS ACTIVE CUSTOMER BASE AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE NOTED AS GROSS NEGLIGENCE. *TR

ABS LIGHT ON 2003 FORD ESCAPE KEEPS COMING ON....WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY FORD ABOUT A RECALL ON THIS...ALSO HAVE HAD TO REPLACE AN ENGINE IN IT ONLY HAD IT FOR 37,000 MILES WHEN I HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE....FORD DOES NOT NOTIFY CUSTOMERS OF POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CONTROL UNIT MODULE WAS CORRODED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED BY THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V156000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRUALIC:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 89,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR THIRTY MINUTES WHEN SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM THE ENGINE. THE HOOD WAS THEN RAISED AND FLAMES WERE ALSO COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED TO THE SCENE, BUT THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE HIMSELF. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FILED A REPORT WHICH WAS AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AND THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS LOCATED AT THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE CONTROL BOX. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND REPORT THEIR FINDINGS TO THE CONTACT. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER, NOR INSURANCE COMPANY WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPENING THE REAR LIFTGATE AND RETRIEVING AN ITEM FROM THE BACK SEAT, THE LIFT GATE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE AND STRUCK THE CONTACT ON THE HEAD. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND MADE THE CONTACT AWARE OF THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V602000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH) RECALL, BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,995 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IMMEDIATELY, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY DETECTED THAT BOTH FUEL TANK STRAPS WERE CORRODED. ONE OF THE STRAPS WAS COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE FUEL TANK AND THE SECOND STRAP WAS PARTIALLY ATTACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000. UPDATED 09/27/11 *BF UPDATED 11/07/11