2003 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

MY VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR THE FORD RECALL # 14S02 AND A CROSS BRACE WAS INSTALLED. THE RECALL WAS DUE TO A SUBFRAME CORRODING AWAY IN SOME PARTS OF THE US INCLUDING MY REGION. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT FORD DID NOT CORRECTLY FIX THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR CROSS BRACE. THEY SIMPLY BOLTED A CROSS BRACE FROM ONE SIDE OF THE FRAME TO THE OTHER AND IT DOES NOTHING WHEN THE SUBFRAME ACTUALLY CORRODES AWAY. I WAS LUCKY TO NOT GET IN AN ACCIDENT A WEEK AGO WHEN MY FRAME THAT HAS THE CROSS BAR INSTALLED FINALLY GAVE WAY AND MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARM COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE CROSS BRACE AND SUBFRAME THAT HAS CORRODED TO NOTHING. FORD HAS CLAIMED THAT SINCE THE RECALL WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE THERE IS NOTHING MORE THEY CAN DO. I THINK THE NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE AND MAKE FORD ACTUALLY FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT. IT WAS ONE OF THE SCARIEST MOMENTS DRIVING THAT I HAVE EVER HAD. DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH MY 7 YR OLD SON IN THE CAR AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I LOSE STEERING ALMOST ALL TOGETHER. THANKFULLY I WAS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES THAT DAY. IF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ADDRESSED THEN I'M AFRAID MANY PEOPLE WILL BE HURT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE ONLY FUNCTIONING WARNING INDICATOR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS EMAILED, BUT DID NOT REPLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 202,871.

THE ENGINE WILL STUTTER AND STALL (AFTER DRIVING FINE) AND WILL THEN THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. I LOSE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES - IF THE CAR RESTARTS, IT WILL SHUT DOWN AGAIN WHEN I PRESS ON THE BRAKE. I HAD IT TOWED RECENTLY TO A SHOP AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. IT HAPPENS OFF AND ON - I FOUND A SIMILAR ISSUE WITH PREVIOUS FORD ESCAPES AND THERE WAS A RECALL IN 2004, BUT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED (IT WAS MADE AT THE SAME PLANT AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES. THIS HAPPENED TO MY HUSBAND IN A BUSY INTERSECTION AND HAPPENED TO ME IN A PARKING LOT - IT IS VERY SCARY WHEN IT HAPPENS.

2003 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE FRONT SUBFRAME CROSSBRACE RECALL ISSUES. *SMD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLID ON ICE, CROSSED OVER TWO LANES, AND CRASHED INTO A CEMENT WALL HEAD ON THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED HEAD, SHOULDER, NECK, AND LOWER BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A POLICE TOWING LOT. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WERE ACCELERATING INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT OFFER ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. *TT *TR

THE FRONT FRAME OF THE CAR HAS CORRODED TO THE POINT THAT THE CONTROL ARM HAS COME LOOSE AND THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE. THERE IS A RECALL OF THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM FOR THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR BUT I AM BEING TOLD MY VIN IS NOT PART OF THIS RECALL. THE CONTROL ARM DETACHED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT BUT WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. I HAD THE DAMAGE ASSES BY A LOCAL MECHANINC, WHO INFORMED ME OF THE RECALL.

ON MANY OCCASIONS, THE ENGINE HAS STALLED WHILE AT A STOP OR GOING ABOUT 10 MPH. TWO TIMES THE ENGINE HAS STALLED ON THE FREEWAY GOING OVER 60 MPH, CAUSING MY CAR TO BE SIDE SWIPED AND STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY.

ON OCTOBER 31ST I TOOK MY CAR IN TO FORD DELACY TO BE LOOKED AT FOR THE FRONT SUBFRAME CROSSBRACE RECALL. WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR IN, THE FRONT TIRES WERE TILTED IN A DECENT AMOUNT AND MY STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED COMPLETELY. I BROUGHT MY CAR IN, THEY AGREED IT WAS NOT DRIVEABLE AND THAT THEY HAD TO TAKE PICTURES AND SEND THEM TO FORD AND GET THE OKAY ON WHAT TO DO AND IF I CAN GET THE RECALL. AFTER WAITING 10 DAYS, THEY FINALLY 'FIXED' IT BY JUST PUTTING A METAL CROSSBRACE ON TOP OF THE ALREADY ROTTED OUT SUBFRAME. AFTER LESS THAN A MONTH, MY SUBFRAME IS NOW POPPED OUT AGAIN AND MY WHEEL TURNED ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT AND TIRES TILTED AGAIN. I AM NOW WITHOUT A CAR AGAIN. I WILL UPLOAD PICTURES OF THE METAL PIECE THAT SUPPOSEDLY 'FIXED' MY CAR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, A CRUNCHING SOUND WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY COULD NOT BE DRIVEN PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED IN 2014 PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V165000 (STRUCTURE). THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE LATER EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SPOUSE WAS DRIVING 30 MPH, A LOUD POP WAS HEARD AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY LOOSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SWERVED TO THE RIGHT AND THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO OURISMAN FORD & LINCOLN OF ALEXANDRIA (6129 RICHMOND HWY, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22303, (703) 660-9000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V165000 (STRUCTURE), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.