2002 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN YARD WHEN SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WE RAISED HOOD AND SAW WIRES ON FIRE UNDER THE MASTER CYLINDER. WE PUT THE FIRE OUT. WIRES FROM ABS SYSTEM CAUGHT ON FIRE *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE XLT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS THE ACCELERATOR WAS RELEASED, THE VEHICLE MAINTAINED SPEED AND DID NOT SLOW DOWN AND THE RPMS MAINTAINED AN ABNORMALLY HIGH READING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000. UPDATED 11/23/11*BF

IN MARCH 2004 WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, I CLIPPED THE CORNER OF A PARKED VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED MY FORD ESCAPE TO OVERTURN. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. IN SEPTEMBER 2009 WHILE ENTERING A FREEWAY DURING A HEAVY RAINSTORM, DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, THE ESCAPE HYDRO PLANED, SLAMMED INTO THE CEMENT BARRIER RENDERING THE VEHICLE USELESS. DESPITE THE VEHICLE HAVING SPUN MULTIPLE TIMES AND BEING SLAMMED INTO THE BARRIER AT SUCH AN IMPACT THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED SEVERAL INCHES, NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM BUTTERFIELD FORD IN SALT LAKE, AT A COST OF $22, 200. IN THE 5+ YEARS OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE, I SPENT MORE THAN $10,000 IN REPAIRS - FOR A BRAND NEW VEHICLE. DESPITE MY PLEAS TO THE DEALER SHIP, I WAS NEVER PROVIDED ANY REMEDY. DESPITE A DPF SENSOR GOING OUT 3 TIMES AND ONLY BEING COVERED ONCE BY WARRANTY, CALIPERS GOING OUT AND THEN BRAKES SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLES WARRANTY EXPIRES WHICH FORD WILL NOT COVER DESPITE THE CALIPERS HAVING JUST BEEN REPLACED. THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, THE LATCH TO THE TAIL GATE DID NOT WORK. THIS VEHICLE WAS A LEMON AND FORD NEVER EVEN TRIED TO PROVIDE A REMEDY. MY PRIMARY CONCERN, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DESPITE THE VEHICLE TURNING OVER DURING THE FIRST ACCIDENT NOR WHEN I HIT A CEMENT BARRIER WITH SUCH FORCE THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED SEVERAL INCHES. *TR

METAL STRAPS HOLDING UP THE GAS TANK RUSTED AND BROKE ON JULY 28, 2011 WHILE FILLING THE GAS TANK. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY REPLACED THE TWO METAL STRAPS ON AUGUST 1, 2011. ON AUGUST 2, 2011 A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON SIMILAR FORD VEHICLES THAT WERE MANUFACTURED DURING THE SAME YEAR. DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED IT WAS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WAS CITED IN THE RECALL AND STATED THAT I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME THIS OCCURRED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED AN INSPECTOR WOULD GO OUT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V156000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS BUT THE TECHNICIANS STATED REPAIRS WERE NOT NEEDED. THE CONTACT STATED THE FIRE BEGAN WHERE THE ABS MODULE WAS LOCATED AND BELIEVED THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE ABS MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.

ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, 25A FUSE BLOWN- UPON REPLACEMENT SMOKE AND SPARKS FROM ABS MODULE CONNECTOR, INSPECTION REVEALS MELTED CONNECTOR COVER AND WIRING HARNESS, CORRODED WIRE TERMINALS AND ALSO A WIRE ARCING AT A BREAK INSIDE THE CONNECTOR COVER. THE 60A FUSE WAS REMOVED TO ISOLATE THE ABS SYSTEM FAULT FOR A LIMP HOME. ED MULLINAX FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT ACKNOWLEDGES ABS MODULE RECALL; HOWEVER, DEALERSHIP DENIES APPLICABLE TO THIS VEHICLE. *TR

ON RT. 59, JUST SOUTH OF NORTHWEST HWY (RT. 14) IN BARRINGTON, MY 2002 FORD ESCAPE XLT WAS INVOLVED IN A BIZARRE INCIDENT OR ACCIDENT. WHILE SITTING STATIC ON LEVEL ROAD IN A LINE OF TRAFFIC WITH A TRAIN-CROSSING BARRIER ARM KEEPING TRAFFIC SAFELY WAITING FOR THE TRAIN TO PASS, MY VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD IN AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHILE MY FOOT WAS FIRMLY PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE ENGINE RACED AT >= 4000 RPM. WITH CONTINUED BRAKING ACTION ON MY PART WITH NO VEHICLE RESPONSE, THE PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE HIT THE 1988 FORD F150 TRUCK IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF ME. AS A SIDE NOTE, I HAD THE 2005 FORD RECALL WORK PERFORMED ON THE DEFECTIVE ACCELERATOR CABLE, WITH THE CABLE REPLACEMENT AT PACKEY WEBB FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER IN WHEATON, ILLINOIS. THERE IS A SAFETY-HAZARD RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THE VEHICLE, AND I REFUSE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE EVEN IF THE APPROXIMATELY $4000.00 DAMAGES ARE REPAIRED, WHICH I HAVE NOT AUTHORIZED. I AM AN EXPERIENCE COMPUTER IT SOFTWARE/HARDWARE PROFESSIONAL, AS WELL AS AN ENGINEERING DESIGN CONTROLS EXPERT IN THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY, WORKING FOR A MAJOR PRODUCT MANUFACTURER (SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE). THERE IS A DEFINITE SAFETY RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VEHICLE MAKE/MODEL, AND I WANT TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT TO THE PROPER AGENCY. THE INSURANCE COMPANY, FORD DEALERSHIP, AND THE AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER HAVE DONE NOTHING TO IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSE FOR THE VEHICLE MALFUNCTION ON DESIGN DEFECT; THEY ONLY TREAT THIS AS A LOSS AND DID NOT PERFORM INITIAL COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS PRIOR TO COMPROMISING THE VEHICLE IN THEIR ACTIONS TO APPRAISE DAMAGES TO THE VEHICLE. I NEED THIS INCIDENT PROPERLY INVESTIGATED AND REPORTED TO THE PUBLIC IF A SAFETY RISK IS CONFIRMED. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR WHEN IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE MODULE CAUSED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND HAD NOT BEEN MOVED SINCE THE FIRE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 153,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE CONTACT SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THE WIRES THAT WERE CONNECTED TO THE BRAKES MASTER CYLINDER HAD MELTED. THE MECHANIC ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT OF NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 07E023000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER) AND THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT STATED THIS WAS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000.

2002 FORD ESCAPE. CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROBLEM. PROBLEM BEGAN LAST WEEK WHEN DPFE TUBES CAME OFF AND DPFE SENSOR MELTED. THE NEXT DAY THE VALVE NEXT TO THE DPFE SENSOR BLEW A HOLE AND ALL PARTS WERE REPLACED. THE NEXT DAY ONE OF THE DPFE TUBES CAME OFF AGAIN. THIS WAS REPLACED AGAIN. THE NEXT DAY THE CAR DID NOT HAVE GOOD GAS POWER. WHEN GOING UP A SMALL INCLINE THE CAR WOULD NOT GO PAST 40 MPH. WENT TO CAR REPAIR SHOP AND O2 SENSOR WAS REMOVED TO SEE IF IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THIS CAR HAS 3 CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. THIS CAR IS AT ANOTHER CAR REPAIR SHOP NOW TO SEE WHAT THE CAUSE IS FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER(S) TO GO BAD. ONE REPAIR SHOP ADVISED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD ESCAPES. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM. I WENT OUT TO THE FORD FORUM AND THERE ARE ENTRIES FROM 2007 TO PRESENT WITH MANY 2002 ESCAPE OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT I AM EXPERIENCING. THIS PROBLEM CAN CAUSE MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEMS THAT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. NO ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME SINCE THE DPFE TUBES AND SENSOR AND VALVE WAS REPLACED. *TR