2003 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

MY FORD ESCAPE IS A 2003 MODEL AND WAS PURCHASED CERTIFIED USED IN 2007 BY US. WITHIN A YEAR THE PAINT ON THE ROOF AND REAR HATCH STARTED PEELING. TWO YEARS LATER, IT IS RUSTING WHERE THE PEEL IS GONE AND STILL CONTINUING TO PEEL. WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS OR INCLEMENT WEATHER THAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND SEEN WHERE THIS IS COMMON IN FORDS MY VEHICLE'S AGE. *TR

PAINT IS PEELING FROM THE ROOF AND TWO SPOTS ON THE TAILGATE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT SLOAN FORD IN EXTON, PA WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT IT. A REP FROM FORD ADVISED THAT A DEALER SHOULD LOOK AT IT. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT KENNEDY FORD COLLISION IN CONSHOHOCKEN PA WAS KIND ENOUGH TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE AND CONFIRM THAT IT IS DEFECTIVE. FORD DECLINED ASSISTANCE. THE FORD REP WOULD NOT ADMIT THAT THERE IS A DEFECT DESPITE ADVISING ME THAT FORD SERVICE MANAGERS HAVE SUPERIOR EXPERTISE IN EVALUATING FAILURES. *TR

AUG 2007- AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. DEALERSHIP FOUND DEFECT IN DRIVER/PASSENGER AIR BAG CIRCUIT LOCATED UNDER FRONT SEATS (DTC CODE - D1990/D1994). REPLACED CONNECTORS & HARNESS($490). SUGGESTED CAUSE WAS MOTION OF ADJUSTING POWER SEAT. NOW, OCT 2009 (MILEAGE - 85,000) AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. FIRST FLASHING, THEN OFF FOR A FEW DAYS, THEN SOLIDLY ON AGAIN. IS THIS CIRCUIT LOCATED IN A PLACE WHERE IT SHOULDN'T BE? IS THIS WHY THERE ARE COMPLAINTS ABOUT ESCAPE AIR BAGS NOT OPENING IN A CRASH? CAN SOMEONE CHECK OUT THE LOCATION OF THE WIRING FOR THIS CIRCUIT? IS IT CAUSING AIR BAG FAILURE IN ESCAPES? DO WE NEED DEATHS? HAS FORD MADE CHANGES IN THE NEW ESCAPES? *TR

IN AUGUST, 2009 I PURCHASED A 2003 FORD ESCAPE XLT FROM ECONOMY HONDA IN CHATTANOOGA, TN. THE VEHICLE HAS CONTITEC P235/70R16 TIRES ON IT. A ROUTINE OVERALL VEHICLE INSPECTION WAS DONE AT THAT TIME. ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19 I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A LOCAL LUBE SHOP TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED AND WHEN THE ATTENDANT PUT AIR IN THE TIRES, HE NOTICED CRACKS AND TREAD WAS PULLING AWAY FROM ALL FOUR TIRES AND ADVISED ME NOT TO DRIVE TOO FAR BEFORE I REPLACED THEM (I HAD PLANS TO GO TO NC THIS WEEKEND). THE FOLLOWING MORNING I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CONTINENTAL TIRE DEALER WHO VERIFIED THE CONDITION OF THE TIRES AND RECOMMENDED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT, WHICH I DID FOR $483.00. I SEE SEVERAL RECALLS OF CONTITEC TIRES ON YOUR WEBSITE FOR VARIOUS REASONS. COULD THERE HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THESE TIRES. THE CAR ONLY HAD A LITTLE OVER 45,000 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT. IT ESPECIALLY UPSETS ME TO KNOW MY GRANDSON HAS BEEN IN THIS VEHICLE WITH ME RIDING ON POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS TIRE. THANKS. *TR TAHONA TATE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE ABS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SINCE THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM RECALL # 07V156000 ( SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTI-LOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE) HE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

2003 FORD LIMITED GOLD ESCAPE PAINT PEELING AND BUBBLING ON HATCH AND ABOVE FRONT WINDOW. FORD WILL DO NOTHING WHEN I CALLED SINCE THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS PAINT ISSUE. *TR

MY 2003 FORD ESCAPE 6 CYL 2 WHEEL DRIVE WAS STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED TO OVER 4000 RPM FOR APPROXIMATELY 7 SECONDS. FORTUNATELY, I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AT THE TIME. CHANGING FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL HAD NO EFFECT ON THE RPMS AND THE ENGINE WENT BACK TO ABOUT 1500 RPMS THROUGH NO ACTION ON MY PART. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE DROVE NORMALLY. I RECALL THAT SIMILAR OCCURRENCES HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST SO I WANTED TO GET THIS INFORMATION TO YOU ASAP. I DO NOT RECALL WHAT VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED AT THAT TIME. WHAT WORRIES ME IS IF THAT HAPPENS WHILE I AM IN A PARKING LOT BACKING OUT OR SOME OTHER SITUATION WHERE MY REACTION WOULD BE TOO SLOW TO STOP AN ACCIDENT OR DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 32,000 MILES ON IT AND I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. *TR

PAINT IS PEELING OFF ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BACK UNDER THE HATCH WINDOW AND ON TOP OF THE VEHICLE JUST BEHIND THE SUN ROOF. THIS VEHICLE HAS 74K MILES AND IS GARAGED. FROM NOV. 2002 - FEB. 2005 IT WAS EVEN IN PARKING GARAGE WHILE I WORKED. I TAKE GREAT CARE OF MY VEHICLE AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE READ A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE ON THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. I CALLED FORD AND THEY DON'T CARE!!! IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE IS NO RECALL.. WHAT CAN I DO? *TR

PURCHASED 2003 FORD ESCAPE 04/05/08. AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON A WEEK LATER RETURNED VEHICLE FOR OTHER MINOR FIXES WAS TOLD LIGHT WAS NOT IMPORTANT AS THE BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY. DURING OIL CHANGE ON 12/08 TOLD FORD SERVICE DEPT. AGAIN ABOUT AIR BAG LIGHT SAME ANSWER. ALSO INFORM THEM ABOUT CAR SHAKING WAS TOLD IT WAS BECAUSE I WAITED TOO LONG FOR OIL CHANGE. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR OIL CHANGE 07/08/09 WAS REFUSED VEHICLE TOLD IT WAS DANGEROUS FOR ME TO DRIVE FOUND RT FRONT LOWER BALLJOINT LOOSE IN STEERING KNUCKLE WORN OUT STEERING KNUCKLE NEED TO REPLACE BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS AND RT FRONT STEERING KNUCKLE PROBABLY CAUSE OF WHY VEHICLE WAS SHAKING AND WOULD COST ABOUT $1700 AND WERE NOT SURE IF EXTENDED WARRANTY WOULD COVER. THEY WERE RUDE AND I BROKE DOWN. THIS CAR HAS HAD THE SHAKES SINCE I BOUGHT IT. I FINALLY TOOK MY VEHICLE HOME TO BRING IT BACK THE NEXT DAY. I PICKED IT UP ON THE 15TH ONCE FORD STATED ALL REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED VEHICLE WAS ROAD TESTED AND ENGINE LIGHT WAS GONE EXCEPT THEY DID NOTHING FOR THE AIR BAGS. THIS SHOP IS 12.07 MILES FROM MY HOME APPROX HALFWAY THROUGH THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR STARTED SHAKING BETWEEN 45 AND 50MPH. I CALLED THEM WHEN I GOT HOME GAVE ME ANOTHER APPOINTMENT DIFFERENT DIAGNOSTIC. NO ONE IN THIS SHOP CAN TELL ME IF ANY RECALLS HAVE BEEN DONE ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE A HANDICAP DAUGHTER WHO GETS HER MEDICAL CARE AT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL AN HOUR AWAY. I NEED A SAFE VEHICLE. MY FAMILY CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER CAR. THESE PEOPLE NEVER GIVE ME A STRAIGHT ANSWER AND PUT DOWN WHATEVER THEY WANT ON THEIR INVOICES. THIS SHOP IS RUN BY A HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM NO ONE CARES IF MY VEHICLE IS SAFE THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF US. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME FIND OUT WHAT HAS BEEN CORRECTED ON MY VEHICLE VIN . THANK YOU VERY MUCH. *TR

1) THE EVENTS LEADING TO THE FAILURE ARE UNKNOWN 2) 2003 FORD ESCAPE HAS AN ISSUE WITH ITS EXTERIOR PAINT. THE PAINT IS PEELING AWAY FROM THE CAR AND THE EXPOSED METAL IS RUSTING. THIS RUSTING LEADS TO THE COMPROMISE OF THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE CAR. THIS COMPROMISE CAN BE DETRIMENTAL IN CASE OF A COLLISION. A GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALED LOTS OF 2003 FORD ESCAPE OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ISSUE. 3) NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. *TR