2002 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

MY WIFE'S 2002 FORD ESCAPE HAS APROX 40K ON IT THE STEEL COVER THAT GOES OVER THE PLASTIC GAS TANK IS ROTTING AWAY AND DROPPING OFF RUSTY PARTS I HOPE THAT EMISSIONS WOULD COVER THIS. THE STRAP HAS SOME RUST BUT I AM CONCERNED WE LIVE IN THE NORTHEAST WITH SALT ON OUR ROADS. *TR

THE FRONT SIDE HARNESS SEATBELT FELL APART. ONLY THE LAP BELT RESTRAINT WORKS NOW. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, NOTICED THE HARNESS FELT VERY LOOSE, ONCE ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION, WENT TO UNFASTENED THE SEAT BELT AND IT FELL APART IN MY HANDS, THE ENDS ARE FRAILTY LIKE IT BECAME UNSEWN. IT APPEARS TO HAVE COME UNRAVELED. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THIS WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND WOULD COST AROUND $300 TO REPAIR. *TR

I WAS ALERTED TO A PROBLEM WITH MY 2002 FORD ESCAPE WHEN I HEARD THE CAR ALARM SOUND. I TURNED OFF THE ALARM BY UNLOCKING THE DOORS, BUT NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD, AND RAN WATER IN THE AREA WHERE THE SMOKE ORIGINATED. AFTER DISCOVERING THAT WATER WASN'T STOPPING THE SMOKE, I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. THE SMOKE CLEARED AND IT APPEARED THAT THE PROBLEM HAD ORIGINATED IN THE AREA OF THE ABS SYSTEM/MASTER CYLINDER. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED BY A FORD DEALERSHIP AS A SHORT IN THE ABS MODULE, CAUSING A WIRING HARNESS TO BURN. THESE TWO PARTS ARE BEING REPLACED, AND THE OLD PARTS MAY BE AVAILABLE FROM THE DEALERSHIP OR FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY, PEMCO. *TR

2002 FORD ESCAPE CAUGHT FIRE AROUND 3:00 AM, HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE 5:30 PM ON PREVIOUS DAY. *TR

CATALYTIC CONVERTER CRACKED ALONG WELDS AT AROUND 84000 MILES. RESEARCH ON OPEN SOURCES ON THE INTERNET AS FOUND AT THE V-6 EQUIPPED FORD ESCAPES ARE PRONE TO THESE FAILURES OVER AND OVER. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REPORTED CASES OF VEHICLES LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING AND VEHICLES COMPLETELY DYEING WHILE DRIVING. *TR

HI; I JUST WANT TO REPORT MY INCIDENT WITH MY SUV FORD ESCAPE, MODEL 2002 , THE TRUCK WAS ON FIRE FORM THE FRONT SIDE OF IT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT NORMAL SPEED WITH SMALL KIDS IN THEIR CARSEATS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT LIMP AND THE ENGINE REVVED UP TO FULL ACCELERATION. AFTER MOMENTS OF TERROR AND TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL, THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT DOWN BY FIGHTING THE ENGINE POWER WITH THE FOOT BRAKES AND HAND EMERGENCY BRAKE. IT'S A MIRACLE THERE WAS NO CRASH. AT MY EXPENSE THE FORD DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE AND/OR CRUISE CONTROL CABLE HOUSING. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID, "LOOKING AT THE PART, I CAN SEE WHY IT GOES TO FULL ACCELERATION WHEN THAT PART FAILS" TO ME, THAT IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND DESIGN FAILURE. I NOTICED OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENTS (OID ID # 10199728 AND 10128545). I LODGED A COMPLAINT WITH THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND, NOT SURPRISINGLY, WAS TOLD THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN OR WILL DO TO COMPENSATE ME. NOW I'M TRAPPED OWNING AN UNSAFE CAR. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND REMEDY THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT'S NEIGHBOR INFORMED HIM THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE IN HIS DRIVEWAY. THE CONTACT USED TWO FULL FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND A WATER HOSE IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND SUCCESSFULLY EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE MARSHALL VERIFIED THAT NUMEROUS FORD VEHICLES HAD CAUGHT FIRE AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE GRASS OUTSIDE OF THE CONTACT'S HOUSE, A LARGE TREE, AND THE DRIVEWAY ALL SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 89,000.

2002 FORD ESCAPE REAR DOOR AND WINDOW ARE JAMMED AND CANNOT BE OPENED ALSO REAR DRIVERS DOOR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE DRIVEWAY AND SURROUNDING TREES WERE DAMAGED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. UPDATED 06/24/09 *BF UPDATED 06/30/09.*JB