2004 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

WINDSHIELD OF 2004 FORD ESCAPE SUDDENLY CRACKED FROM LOWER SEAL UP TO ABOUT 12 INCHES IN LENGTH. NO EVIDENT SIGN OF IMPACT TO THE GLASS, VEHICLE WASN'T EVEN ON THE ROAD WHEN IT HAPPENED. *JB

AFTER 5000 MILE SERVICE, WHICH INCLUDE INSPECTING BRAKES AND ROTATING TIRES. I STARTED HEARING SOUND FROM THE REAR BRAKE WHILE APPLYING. THE NOISE WAS A TYPE OF THUMP WHICH SEEM TO CATCH ON THE DRUM. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY. MECHANIC RODE WITH ME AND DID HEAR NOISE. SAID THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE THE DRUM BRAKE WAS CATCHING. DEALER MACHINED DRUMS AND TAPERED ENDS OF REAR SHOES. NOISE WAS FIXED BUT I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE. *NM

MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE HAD ITS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BREAK AT 40,00 MILES. IT HAD TO BE REPAIRED 3 MORE TIMES WITHIN THE YEAR,THE THIRD TIME AFTER HAVING THE RECALL FOR THE STALLING PROBLEM. THERE WAS A SEAM WELD BROKEN IN CLUTCH DRUM IN 2ND REPAIR. *NM

VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY DIFFICULT TO START AFTER SITTING ALL DAY (I.E. 8 HOUR WORK DAY). IT WILL CRANK, BUT WILL NOT CATCH. HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. HAS TAKEN UP TO 4 TIMES TO START. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND SUGGESTED CHECKING TSBS. *JB

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, VEHICLE PICKED UP SPEED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CRUISE CONTROL HAS FAILED EVERYTIME IT' S BEEN USED. *NM

ONGOING MUSTY MILDEW ODOR FROM VENTS AND A/C UNIT. HAVE BROUGHT IT FOR SERVICE 3 TIMES, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT PROBLEM. AFTER DRIVING IN THE CAR FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, I FEEL ILL AND HAVE SLIGHT DIFFICULTY BREATHING. *AK

THE DRIVER'S SEAT IN MY 2004 FORD ESCAPE CAUSES SEVERE BACK PAIN AFTER 15-20 MINUTES. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, BECAUSE CONSTANTLY ADJUSTING THE SEAT CREATES A DISTRACTION. *LA

COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT FREEWAY SPEED. NO ACCIDENT, INJURIES, OR PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS INVOLVED. THE VEHICLE A '04, FORD, ESCAPE, 2WD, AUTO, HAD 5,104 MILES AND WAS LESS THAN 90 DAYS OLD. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, WHICH PROMPTLY REPLACED DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION WITH A NEW ONE. TOTAL TIME REQUIRED WAS (6) WORKING DAYS. MOST OF THE REQUIRED TIME WAS WAITING FOR THE DELIVERY OF A NEW TRANSMISSION. DEALERSHIP REPORTED THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE "PLANETARY BEARING". THE "NEEDLE BEARINGS" IN THE "PLANETARY BEARING" HAD FAILED. THEY DISINTEGRATED. SMALL METAL FRAGMENTS WORKED THROUGH OUT THE TRANSMISSION, RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE INTERNAL DAMAGE. TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. ALL COSTS FOR TOWING, REPAIR, AND LOANER WERE PAID BY FORD MOTOR CO. REPAIR WORK WAS PERFORMED BY DICK MASHETER - FORD AND THEY DID A GOOD JOB. I DID REQUEST A 3YR, 36,000 MILE WARRANTY FOR THE NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS WAS DENIED. I STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL FACTORY WARRANTY OF 3 YR, 36,00 MILES; BUT I WANTED THE CLOCK RESET FOR THE NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS WOULD HAVE EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THE NEW TRANSMISSION TO 41,104 MILES. A SINGLE FAILURE MAY HAPPEN, SINCE WE DON'T LIVE IN A PERFECT WORLD. I'M FILING A COMPLAINT FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES, SO THE NHTSA MAY TRACK THIS TYPE OF FAILURE AND PERHAPS DETERMINE IF IT REQUIRES FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND/OR A RECALL. *NM

MY 2004 FORD ESCAPE ROLLS BACKWARD WHEN IN DRIVE ON AN INCLINE (MODERATE TO STEEP). THE DEALER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM. *JB

CONSUMER NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS USING EXCESSIVE FUEL AND WAS NOT SHIFTING INTO GEAR PROPERLY. AT ONE TIME, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. THE DEALER EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. *AK *JB