2001 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

I HAVE HAD THREE DIFFERENT TIRES EXCHANGED ON MY VEHICLE SINCE THE PURCHASE DATE OF FEB. 7 2001. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN EVERY 5000 MILES FOR SERVICE AND EVERYTIME I HAVE LEFT THE DEALERSHIP THE CAR PULLS IMMEDIATELY TO THE RIGHT. I HAVE GONE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP EVEYTIME AND VOICED MY COMPLAINT. AT 15000 MILES THE TIRE MANAGER EXPLAINED IT WAS MY TIRES AND HAD ME PURCHASE A SET OF 4. AT 35000 MILES THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TIRES AGAIN THIS TIME AT NO CHARGE. I AM NOW AT 64000 AND THIRD SET OF TIRES. I WAS ON THE FREEWAY GOING APPROX 55 MPH WHEN THE TRUCK BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THE TREAD FELL OFF THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED TO THE SIDE AND WILL BE VISITING THE DEALERSHIP ON MONDAY. I AM NOT SURE WHAT THE EXACT NUMBER OF THE TIRES IS BUT IT IS THE GRABBER TIRE. *JB

OVERDRIVE ON/OFF LIGHT FLASHING COINCIDENTALLY WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AFTER DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH FOR 5 TO 10 MILES. WHILE OFF THE HIGHWAY THE TRANSMISSION SHUTTERED WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. DRIVER TOOK TRUCK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD AN INTERNAL BUSHING ON THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. DEALER SAID THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST $3,000. VEHICLE IS 3.5 YEARS OLD WITH 63,000 MILES.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE AUTO SERVICE FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK THERE WAS GRINDING AND A ROUND METAL OBJECT SNAPPED AND BROKE OFF OF THE AC COMPRESSOR. THERE WERE ALSO PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG AND THE STEERING. *SC *JB

WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, BUT DEALERSHIP DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. WHILE THE CONSUMER SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO PARK, THE VEHICLES RPMS WENT UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT SHOP AND THE MECHANIC CLEANED THE AIR IDLE CONTROL. *AK WHEN PLACING THE VEHICLE IN PARK, THE RPM'S ACCELERATED BETWEEN 4000 AND 5000. *SC *JB

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON I-75 NEAR GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA LAST WEEK. I WAS IN THE PASSING LANE WHEN I HEARD AND FELT THE LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD BEATING ON MY CAR. IT HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE WITHOUT WARNING. IT ALL HAPPENED SO FAST, I IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED TO GET ONTO THE SHOULDER SAFELY. MY CAR BEGAN TO PULL TO THE LEFT UNCONTROLLABLY, CRASHED INTO THE GUARD RAIL AT OVER 60 MPH, BOUNCED OFF AND SENT ME SLIDING SIDEWAYS FOR ABOUT 100 FEET. BY THE GRACE OF GOD, MY CHILDREN AND MYSELF WERE NOT PHYSICALLY INJURED. THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR IS ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND $6,000.00. THE TIRES WERE THE ORIGINAL FACTORY TIRES ON MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE AND HAVE ONLY 26,000 MILES ON THEM. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET, THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE BUT APPEARS AS THOUGH THE MANUFACTURERS ARE AWARE OF THE TREAD SEPARATION BUT CHOOSE TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. I AM WONDERING IF YOU CAN ADVISE ME TO WHAT RECOURSE I HAVE IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING TO OTHER UNSUSPECTING MOTORISTS. I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE HAD ONLY CAR DAMAGE, I FEAR OTHERS MAY NOT BE SO FORTUNATE AND THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH TRANSMISSION FAILED, AND VEHICLE POPPED OUT OF GEAR. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WOULD NOT TURN. ITHAD TO BE REPLACED BY A MECHANIC. IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, HOWEVER, IT IS SAID TO BE A REOCCURING PROBLEM PER BRADY, TX FORD DEALERSHIP. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES THE OCCUPANT TO BECOME STRANDED; MAKING THEM A HAZARD ON THE ROAD. PLEASE RECALL OTHERS TO AVOID THIS PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE. *AK

TWICE IN LAST YEAR (EXCLUDING TODAY) I HAD UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE. BOTH TIMES I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND SUV HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN. I STEPPED ON BRAKES - IT DID NOTHING. I TRIED TO PULL UP ON GAS PEDAL - NOTHING HAPPENED. FINALLY STOPPED WITH NEUTRAL AND EMERGENCY BRAKE...TOOK SUV TO FORD - THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY ON 6/18/04. TODAY (7/23/04) WHILE ON THE FREEWAY DRIVING TO WORK (IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFICE), I ACCELERATED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF A TRUCK THAT WAS GOING TO MERGE ONTO THE FREEWAY. ACCELERATOR STUCK; BRAKES DID NOT WORK; I PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL; ENGINE MADE REALLY LOUD "REVVING" TYPE NOICES; I PUT CAR BACK IN DRIVE AND BRADES STILL DID NOT WORK.. I HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. WHAT SAVED ME FROM A POSSIBLY FATAL ACCIDENT WAS THAT THERE WAS NO ONE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME ON FREEWAY. I CALLED FORD AND AM DROPPING VEHICLE BACK OFF.. THEY THINK IT MIGHT BE THE CABLE NOW. I AM AFR AID TO DRIVE IT. I WAS DOING ABOUT 62 MPH THIS AM AND WHEN IT ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN - I WENT UP TO ABOUT 78 MPH.*AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE- WHILE DRIVING MY OD LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. WHEN I STARTED CAR AFTER 8 HOURS, COULD DRIVE APPROX. 100 YARDS. TRANSMISSION FLUID PUMP FAILED WITHOUT EXPLANATION, CAUSING TROQUE CONVERTER TO FAIL, CAUSING BURNOUT OF LOW GEAR. VEHICILE IS INOPERATIVE. NEEDS TRANS. REBUILD OR REPLACEMENT $3,000. - $3,500. SERVICE DEPT AT DEALER CAN'T OFFER AN EXPLANATION FOR PUMP FAILURE. VEHICLE HAS 60000 MILES. TO SOON FOR THIS KIND OF PROBLEM! *LA