2002 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE FIRE INITIATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER FIWAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

ABS MODULE CONNECTOR CAUGHT FIRE WHILE CAR WAS PARKED. RECALL FOR ABS MODULE CONNECTOR INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED 7/6/2007. BROUGHT VEHICLE BACK IN 1/7/2008 DUE TO ABS LIGHT REMAINING ON. NO MENTION OF ABS, NOTED ROTORS BELOW SPECS AND BRAKE PADS NEED REPLACING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN SPARKS STARTED TO SHOOT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RAPIDLY MOVE THE VEHICLE FROM OFF THE ROADWAY AND AS THE HOOD WAS LIFTED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE DISPATCHED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE AND THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED AS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FIRE BUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ADVISED THAT THE FIRE COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 9/16/11 *CN UPDATED 2/9/12 *CN

GAS TANK SHIELD AND STRAPS ARE RUSTED SO BADLY THAT THERE IS A 5" X 6" HOLE IN THE GAS TANK SHIELD. THE STRAPS HOLDING THE SHIELD ARE ALSO BADLY RUSTED. *TR

APRIL 25, 2001 I DROVE THE CAR 5 MINUTES TO THE LOCAL POOL AND CAR WAS PARKED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. |THEN DROVE FRIEND BACK HOME FROM LOCAL POOL TO HER HOUSE ABOUT A 5 MINUTE DRIVE, I THEN TURNED THE CAR IGNITION WAS OFF, SUDDENLY THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. TRIED TO OPEN HOOD, GREY SMOKE BILLOWED OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, THEN SPARKS FELL ON THE PAVEMENT FROM UNDER THE CAR AND THEN FLAMES BURST OUT THROUGH THE OPEN CRACK OF THE HOOD. THE FIRE SEEMED SPONTANEOUS, THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL LIKE DIRTY AIR JUST BEFORE THE SMOKE STARTED. FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE AND AMBULANCE WERE CALLED. IT HAD NEVER OCCURRED BEFORE THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP AND WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER LOCATION BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. I KNOW THAT RECALL WORK WAS DONE ON THE CAR TWICE AND CAN VERIFY WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I BELIEVE THAT WORK WAS DONE ON THE BRAKES AND THE GAS PEDAL AS INSTRUCTED IN THE RECALL NOTICES. I BELIEVE THE CAR IS STILL BEING EXAMINED BY THE INSURANCE INVESTIGATORS AS OF MAY 8, 2011. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THE INSURANCE APPRAISER THAT THE VEHICLE IS A COMPLETE WRITE OFF. *TR

FRONT LOWER SUB-FRAME IS ROTTED OUT AND THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. (MY SERVICE GARAGE, WHO HAVE MAINTAINED MY VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY SINCE I BOUGHT IT, SAYS THIS IS VERY PREMATURE FOR THIS CONDITION TO OCCUR.)

HAVE NOTICED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION THAT THE SUPERLATCH ON OUR XTSL IS LOOSENING TO A VERY UNSAFE LEVEL. IT IS INSTALLED FORWARD-FACING AND CHILD DOES NOT TOUCH THAT PART OF THE SEAT GETTING IN OR OUT. WHEN I'VE CHECKED THE SECURITY OF THE SEAT, IT WILL WOBBLE AT THE BOTTOM BACK & FORTH BY 3-5 INCHES. TIGHTENING IT ONLY FIXES IT TEMPORARILY SO IT IS NOT AN INSTALLATION PROBLEM, IT IS A FAILURE OF THE SUPERLATCH. I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MY CHILD'S SAFETY IN THE EVENT OF A CAR ACCIDENT. I WILL BE SWITCHING THE SEAT BACK TO OUR OTHER CAR, A 2010 FUSION SEL AS I DID NOT NOTICE IT IN THAT CAR, BUT I WILL BE MONITORING IT VERY CLOSELY. (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2002, MAKE=FORD, MODEL=ESCAPE). *TR

MY AIRBAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON EVERY TIME I START MY FORD ESCAPE. UPON REVIEW OF THIS IT'S BEEN ON COMPLAINT WEBSITES SEVERAL TIMES BY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE. HOW MANY OF THESE PEOPLE NEED TO DIE DUE TO MALFUNCTION OF THE AIR BAGS BEFORE WE HAVE A RECALL. THIS LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE I'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE. ALSO MY WINDOW STOPPED GOING UP. THE DIPSTICK CAN'T GIVE A CLEAR READING OF THE OIL AMOUNT. THESE THINGS LEAD TO DEATH, CONSTANT AND COSTLY REPAIR, AND CONSTANT PROBLEMS. *TR

2002 FORD ESCAPE ELECTRICAL FIRE. VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN THAT DAY, BUT HAD GONE LESS THAN A MILE WHEN IT WAS NOTED THE SUV HAD A SMOKY SMELL AND WE PULLED OVER. WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS INVOLVED. IT APPEARED TO START NEAR THE BATTERY, THE BATTERY WAS APPROXIMATELY 8 WEEKS OLD. *TR

DRIVING TO DOVER DE. PULLED INTO GAS STATION OUTSIDE LANCASTER PA FOR FUEL. FILLED TANK AND WENT TO PULL AWAY FROM PUMP. HEARD SOMETHING DRAGGING AND FOUND FUEL TANK STRAP HAD SNAPPED AND LEFT FUEL TANK DRAGGING ON DRIVESHAFT. *TR