2003 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE WITH 38,000 MILES ON IT. WITHIN THE FIRST 2 MONTHS THE AIRBAG LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND SOMETIMES STAYING ON SOMETIMES GOING OFF. AFTER ABOUT 2 TO 3 MONTHS IT WENT OFF AND STAYED OFF FOR ANOTHER COUPLE OF MONTHS. EVENTUALLY IT STARTED COMING ON AGAIN AND IS NOW STAYING ON THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME. I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF MY AIRBAG IS WORKING WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED AT THE DEALER, IT DETERMINED THE ROTORS WERE WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING INDICATOR OF A BRAKE PROBLEM.

VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE AND STAY ON. WHEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON, THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN A FAULTY CONNECTOR TO THE FRONT AIR BAGS (3 TIMES), THE SIDE AIRBAGS (1 TIME) AND THE SEAT BELT SENSOR (1 TIME). THE LAST INCIDENT WAS AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND IT WAS A STRUGGLE GETTING FORD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. LESSON LEARNED: DOCUMENT EVERYTHING AND CONTACT A LAWYER BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRES. *NM

SUBMISSION REGARDING LONG OUTSTANDING ISSUE WITH HIS 2003 FORD ESCAPE PURCHASED ON DECEMBER 30, 2002. *TS ***NAR*** THE VEHICLE HAS EXHIBITED TRANSMISSION SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER 15 TIMES BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED SHIFTING AT 35 MPH, LOST POWER THEN OVERHEATED AFTER DRIVING DISTANCES OF ABOUT 10 MILES (CITY DRIVING). BUT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN THROUGH PUDDLES OF WATER THE PROBLEM WOULD DIMINISH AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT NORMALLY AND POWER WOULD BE RESTORED. DURING THE CONSUMERS LAST VISIT TO THE DEALER HE WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO. *NM

INTERMITTENT PROBLEM: WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE ENGINE SPEEDS UP REQUIRING EXCESS PRESSURE TO ENGAGE BRAKES. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE HAD A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE SEAT BELTS WERE WORN HOWEVER THE CONTACT WAS INJURED WITH A STERNUM FRACTURE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EVACUATED THE DRIVER TO THE NEAREST HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BODY SHOP BUT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHY THE AIRBAGS AND SEAT BELTS FAILURE OCCURRED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED BOTH SIDES OF THE OVERHEAD SHIELD SEPARATED FROM THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT. THIS IS A COSCO TOURIVA MANUFACTURED JUNE 23, 2005. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40MPH, THE ENGINE REVVED AT AN ELEVATED RATE AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER. A NHTSA RECALL, #04V574000 WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE CONCERNING, THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL HOWEVER, THE RECALL DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP PERFORMED A SECOND REPAIR WITH CHARGE UNDER THE RECALL, ADDITIONALLY THE THROTTLE AND THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE REVVING AND LURCHING PERSISTED.

THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE BECAME DISCONNECTED FROM THE THROTTLE LINKAGE AND JAMMED IN THE THROTTLE. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLABLE. WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC AND INTO A PARKING LOT WITHOUT CAUSING ANY DAMAGE. *NM

1.) CAR WAS REVVING UP DURING IDLING AND SHIFTING OF THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION. 2.) PER DEALERSHIP, THE ACCELERATOR CABLE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A MALFUNCTION. SEE NHTSA # 04V574000 AND FORD RECALL #04S25 3.) DEALERSHIP HAS TO REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE BUT REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION AND RECALL. RECALL WAS ONLY FOR V6 SUVS WHILE WE HAVE A V4 MANUAL TRANSMISSION EVEN THOUGH THE PART IS THE SAME ONE THAT IS MALFUNCTIONING IN THE V6 MODELS. *NM