2003 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

TWO OF THE OEM TIRES ON MY 2003 FORD ESCAPE XLT WERE REPLACED ON 8-12-05 BECAUSE OF TREAD/SHOULD SEPARATION. THEY WERE CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC SUV 235/70-16 (DOT#A3084533602). THE TIRES HAD 17,250 MILES ON THEM AND HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVEN ON PAVEMENT AND NOT FASTER THAN 70 MILES PER HOUR. THEY HAD NEVER BEEN UNDER INFLATED NOR DRIVE FOR LONG DISTANCES. THE OTHER TWO TIRES ON THE ESCAPE ARE LOSING CHUNKS OF RUBBER, BUT THE CONTINENTAL ADJUSTER AT DISCOUNT TIRE COMPANY SAID THEY ARE NOT SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE CARCASS SO CONTINENTAL WILL NOT REPLACE THEM. HE ATTRIBUTED THE LOSS OF CHUNKS OF RUBBER TO DRIVING ON GRAVEL ROADS. THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVE ON GRAVEL ROADS. *NM

IN JANUARY 2005 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE ACCELERATOR CABLE ON MY 2003 FORD ESCAPE SO I PROMPTLY HAD THE CABLE REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP. AS I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON JUNE 2, 2005 THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK DOWN TO THE FLOOR OF MY VEHICLE AND THE BRAKES WOULDN'T ENGAGE. AS THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN, NOW AT ABOUT 50MPH, I JERKED THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID THE FAST APPROACHING INTERSECTION AND DROVE UP ON SOMEONE'S LAWN. MY VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED WHEN I HIT A TREE. I HAD EMERGENCY SURGERY TO REPAIR AND CLOSE AN OPEN COMPOUND FRACTURE AND DISLOCATION OF MY ELBOW, HAD ADDITIONAL SURGERY 6 WEEKS LATER TO REPAIR A TORN LIGAMENT IN MY WRIST, AND HAVE A CHIP FRACTURE IN MY HIP SOCKET. I HAVE BEEN OUT OF WORK ON DISABILITY FOR 2 MONTHS ALREADY (HOPING TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK IN SEPTEMBER) AND HAVE TO GO TO PHYSICAL THERAPY 3 TIMES A WEEK FOR MY ELBOW, WRIST, AND HIP.

DT: THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHICH INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE DISENGAGED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER IN ONE WEEK.. FIFTH TIME TOTAL. THE DEALER SAID THEY WILL FIX IT BY FIXING A BROKEN WIRE OR RESETTING THE COMPUTER. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WILL TRY TO FIX IT. *AK *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND HE BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE REPAIR WORK DONE AROUND JANUARY 27, 2005. THE ACCELERATOR CABLE WAS REPLACED. ON JANUARY 30, 2005, HE STOPPED AT A RESTAURANT WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR JUST TOOK OFF GOING 20-25 MPH. HE AIMED FOR A SNOW BANK AND THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED. THE NEXT MORNING HE WAS GOING TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. AS HE WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR THE RED LIGHT THE CAR TOOK OFF THROUGH THE RED LIGHT. HE HAD TWO PEOPLE LOOK AT IT, AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. THE HEAD OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DROVE THE CAR, AND SAID HE FIXED IT. ON FEBRUARY 26TH, 2005, THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING FROM GEORGIA TO VIRGINIA GOING 55-60 MPH. WHILE MERGING THE CONSUMER TOOK HIS FOOT OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL AND THE CAR LUNGED, HIT SOME GRAVEL AND SPUN INTO THE RAVINE. *AK RECALL CAMPAIGN # 04V574000. *SC *JB

POTENTIAL SAFETY DEFECT IN THE 2003 FORD ESCAPE.*MR THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER DID NOT STATE IF HE WAS INJURED. *JB

SITTING IN VEHICLE IN GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT AND HEARD LOUD POP SOUND. I NOTICED THE REAR WINDOW HAD SHATTERED. I LATER CONCLUDED THAT THE REAR WINDOW SHOCKS HAD EXPLODED AND SHATTERED THE REAR WINDOW.

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. SHE STATES VEHICLE HAD A FLAT TIRE. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO TOLD HER THAT TIRES WERE DRY ROTTED. HAS PURCHASED ONE NEW TIRE, BUT SHE WAS GOING TO PURCHASE THE OTHER NEW TIRES TOMORROW.*AK

DT: THE TIRES SIDEWALL BLEW OUT ON TWO DIFFERENT TIRES ON PASSENGER'S REAR TIRE.. WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR. CALLER HAS NOT CALLED DEALER OR MANUFACTURER YET. A RECALL ON A SIMILAR TIRE BUT NOT ON THESE TIRES. TIRE SIZE P235/70R16.*AK

THE PRESENT IS IN REFERENCE TO AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE 2003 FORD ESCAPE. I PURCHASED THIS SAID VEHICLE ON MAY 05, 2004, WHICH WAS SOLD TO ME AS A DEMO. SINCE THEN I'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR. THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT YET HASN'T BEEN RESOLVED DUE TO THE FACT, THAT THEY CAN'T FIND ITS SOURCE. SINCE AUGUST 2004 I'VE BEEN REPORTING THAT WHEN MY CAR SITS FOR A WHILE EITHER IN THE MORNING OR IN THE AFTERNOON IT GIVES ME A HARD TIME TO START UP, THIS IS NOT A SEQUENCE LIKE PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THAT WITHOUT FINDING THE PROBLEM IT CAN'T BE DIAGNOSED, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND I CAN'T AFFORD BEING IN THE DEALER ALL THE TIME MISSING HOURS OF WORK WITHOUT PAY AND ALSO STAYING WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION. NOT TO MENTION THAT I'M HAVING EXTRA EXPENSES WITH THE VEHICLE THAT I REALLY CAN'T AFFORD AND ALSO MANAGE TO PAY FOR THE CAR MONTHLY. BEING THAT ALL MY EFFORTS HAVE BEEN FRUITLESS I RESORT TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS. ON FRIDAY APRIL 22, 2005, I SPOKE TO MR. ESCOBAR WHICH IS A TECHNICIAN FROM PUERTO RICO AND HE ARRANGED THAT ON WEDNESDAY APRIL 27, 2005 I LEAVE MY VEHICLE ON THE PREMISES OF METRO MOTORS OVERNIGHT AND THEY WOULD PROVIDE ME WITH A LONER FOR THE TIME BEING. MANAGEMENT CHANGED THE DATES AND MY CAR STAYED ON THE DEALERS PREMISES ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2005 TIL MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2005. YET STILL NO PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND. THANKS GOD I HAVEN'T HAD NO ACCIDENTS BUT I WOULD REALLY WANT TO FIND OUT WHATS THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM FOR MY OWN SAFETY.

ACCELERATOR PEDAL GOT STUCK WHILE DRIVING DOWN ON 96 EAST IN MICHIGAN. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 85 MPH AND REALIZED MY ACCELERATOR PEDAL GOT STUCK OF FORD FOCUS SE MY2003. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD AT THAT TIME. SO I STOPPED MY CAR (WHILE ENGINE WAS STILL ROARING HEAVILY), PUT IT INTO THE NEUTRAL & KEY OFF THE IGNITION. AFTER I KEY ON, PROBLEM DISAPPEARED.