2003 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB

UPON TURNING THE IGNITION TO THE "ON" POSITION IN MY 2003 FORD ESCAPE, THE SUNROOF WILL AUTOMATICALLY OPEN. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TURNED OFF BETWEEN 10-15 MINUTES, AND THEN RESTARTED. THIS HAS OCCURRED 6 TIMES WITHIN A 4 WEEK PERIOD. *NLM

I BOUGHT A 2003 FORD ESCAPE IN NOVEMBER 2002 AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH MY SUV OVER 5 TIMES. RIGHT NOW, MY SUV IS IN THE SHOP FOR A COOLANT SYSTEM REPLACEMENT AND A RADIO REPLACEMENT. MY RADIO WAS REPLACED TWICE THIS YEAR ALREADY. MY SUV WOULDN'T START TWICE THIS YEAR. I BELIEVE I HAVE DRIVEN A LOANER CAR AT LEAST 5 TIMES SINCE NOV 2003. I AM NOT HAPPY WITH MY SUV. I FEEL IT IS A LEMON. IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR ME SINCE DAY ONE. *LA

THE SUNROOF COMPLETELY SHATTERED. THE CONSUMER STATED PIECES OF GLASS FELL INTO THE FRONT SEAT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER. *JB

WHEN DRIVING OUR 2003 FORD ESCAPE, THE CAR'S ENGINE SPEED WOULD SUDDENLY JUMP FROM 1,500 RPMS TO AS HIGH AS 4,000+ RPMS WHILE BRAKING. SAME DEAL WHILE TRYING TO COAST TO A STOP - THE PEDAL SEEMED TO BE STUCK IN POSITION AND ENGINE RPMS WOULD NOT DECREASE. THE CAR WAS NURSED TO THE CLOSEST TOWN AND TAKEN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. THE SHOP FOREMAN DID AN ON-THE-SPOT DIAGNOSIS WITHOUT TAKING A REAL LOOK UNDER THE HOOD STATING THAT THE PROBLEM WAS MOST LIKELY DUE TO THE ACCELERATOR CABLE BINDING. THERE WAS ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE CAR'S BRAKES. WE ASKED FOR AN APPRAISAL OF THE BRAKES, AND FOUR INDIVIDUAL FORD PERSONNEL (ONE SHOP FOREMAN, ONE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT MANAGER, AND TWO SEPARATE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSONNEL) STATED THE DAMAGE SUSTAINED WAS UNNECESSARY WEAR DIRECTLY CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE ACCELERATOR CABLE. HOWEVER, NONE OF THE PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH FORD WERE WILLING TO REPLACE THE DAMAGED BRAKES UNDER WARRANTY. THE FINAL PERSON WE SPOKE WITH WENT SO FAR AS TO PUT THE RESPONSIBILITY ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD US THE CAR. THE ANALOGY GIVEN WAS THAT ALL FORD DEALERSHIPS ARE COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT, AND THAT ANY PROBLEMS WITH A FORD VEHICLE IS THE DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SELLING DEALERSHIP. UNFORTUNATELY THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN WE WERE RELOCATING FROM THE EAST COAST TO ALASKA. IT HAS BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE THAT FORD CARES NOT AT ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO SPEND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON THEIR PRODUCTS - PEOPLE WHO RIGHTLY EXPECT A SAFE AND DEPENDABLE VEHICLE. FORD'S CHIEF CONCERN IS LINING THEIR POCKETS WITH MONEY, AND NOT WITH THE SAFETY OF THE CUSTOMER, THEIR FAMILY, AND THE OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROAD. *LA

MY 2003 FORD ESCAPE HAD ONLY 1500 MILES ON IT WHEN THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR TO COME TO A STOP. THE CONTINENTAL TIRE BLEW OUT THE SIDE. *AK

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S ENGINE, AND WINDOWS.*MR PRIOR TO DATE, VEHICLE WAS SERVICED SIX TIMES FOR: DIFFICULTY IN CRANKING, CLINKING NOISES IN THE ENGINE AND DIFFICULTY WITH THE IDLE. DESPITE THE LATEST SERVICE, CRANKING AND IDLING CONTINUED. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THE RECURRING PROBLEMS WHICH CONTINUED TO EXIST. CONSUMER LATER DISCOVERED THE REAR WINDOW LEAKED. CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE IS A DEFECTIVE AND INFERIOR PRODUCT. *PH *NLM

ABOUT 70% OF THE TIME, WHEN I TRY TO START UP FROM A STOP THE ACCELERATOR WILL NOT GO DOWN UNDER GRADUAL PRESSURE. I HAVE TO PUSH HARDER AND HARDER UNTIL THE ACCELERATOR SUDDENLY JERKS DOWN AND THE CAR SURGES AHEAD AT A FAST SPEED. SOMETIMES WHEN THE CAR IS MOVING AND I TRY TO SPEED UP, THE SAME THING HAPPENS. THIS IS VERY ANNOYING ON GOOD ROADS, DIFFICULT TO CONTROL IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ON SLIPPERY OR SNOW COVERED ROADS. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP (GERMAIN FORD OF COLUMBUS) AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED MANY COMPLAINTS BUT HAD NO IDEA OF WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I HAVE JUST PUT A RANDOM DATE DOWN BECAUSE IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY THAT I DRIVE THE CAR. *LA

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT WARNING DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TRUCK, THE SIDEWALL COMPLETELY CAME OFF. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. *AK

SIZZLING NOISE WHEN AIR CONDITION IS USED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN IN TO 2 SEPARATE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIM THAT THEY CANNOT LOCATE ANY PROBLEMS. KEARNY MESA FORD (ORIGINAL DEALER) AND NORTH COUNTY FORD BOTH CLAIM NOT TO BE ABLE TO DETECT A PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST!!! *LA