2003 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE A NEIGHBOR ALERTED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED THAT THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V005000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AS A POSSIBLE REASON FOR THE FAILURE HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 237,000.

LEFT REAR HATCH WINDOW BOLT BROKE OFF UPON OPENING. WINDOW FELL DOWN BUT LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO CATCH IT BEFORE IT FELL. VEHICLE WAS STOPPED IN MY DRIVEWAY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THAT WHEN DRIVING IT FELT ABNORMAL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUB FRAME HAD EXPERIENCED SEVERE CORROSION AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED TWO YEARS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE VEHICLE WAS REMEDIED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V165000 (STRUCTURE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AND THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY VEERED TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V165000 (STRUCTURE). THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME TO A FAMILY MEMBER'S HOME WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT A CRACKED SUBFRAME DUE TO EXTREME CORROSION WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER DID NOT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

AIR BAG LIGHT GOES ON AND STAYS ON FOR AWHILE ,SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT GO OFF TILL I TURN THE CAR OFF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE DROVE ABNORMALLY. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V165000 (STRUCTURE) PRIOR TO BEING PURCHASED. THE ONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE HAD CORRODED WHERE THE SUPPORT BRACKETS WERE INSTALLED FROM THE PREVIOUS RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. ..UPDATED 02/09/17 *BF

THERE IS A REGIONAL RECALL #14S02 REF# 14V165000. THE RECALL IS FOR THE STRUCTURE AND MEMBERS. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM CORROSION. THE FRAME IS RUSTED OUT WHERE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHING IS CONNECTED. I CANNOT DRIVE MY VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. I WAS DOING A COMPLETE REPAIR MYSELF OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, BALL JOINTS, TIE ROD ENDS TO REMEDY THE STEERING ISSUE AND IRREGULAR TIRE WEAR, I REPAIRED THE DRIVERS SIDE BUT DID NOT NOTICE ANY ISSUES BUT WHEN I TOOK THE WHEEL OFF THE PASSENGER SIDE I SAW THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT AT THE POINT I MENTIONED EARLIER. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A VEHICLE RUST OUT LIKE THIS AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON VEHICLES MY WHOLE LIFE. WHEN I CALLED THE FORD RECALL HOTLINE, THEY TOLD ME MY VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. BUT THE RECALL GOES FROM OCT. 1999 TO JAN 2004 AND I HAVE A 2003. THE ONLY THING I CAN FIGURE IS THAT THE VEHICLE MAY HAVE BEEN ORIGINALLY SOLD IN A STATE THAT IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL? BUT I PURCHASED IT OFF SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN OHIO AND THEY DEFINATELY HAD IT UP HERE DUE TO THE RUST THAT HAS FORMED. PLEASE HELP ME!! THE ATTACHED PIC SHOWS THE RUSTED AREA, PIC #3 SHOWS WITH A NEW LOWER CONTROL ARM HELD IN PLACE TO GIVE AN IDEA OF THE AREA AFFECTED. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THE AUTO PULLS SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT IF TURNED A LITTLE BIT OR SHARPLY TO LEFT TURNING LEFT EASILY. MY NEW TIRES ARE ALSO WORN FROM THIS ISSUE.

MY 17-YEAR-OLD SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME FROM WORK AND AFTER MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE CAR SEVERELY JERKS TO THE RIGHT. HE ALMOST WENT OFF OF THE ROAD. WE TOOK THE CAR TO OUR LOCAL MECHANIC AND WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS CORROSION AND SEPARATION OF THE CONTROL ARM AND WE WOULD NEED A BRACE TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR. THE MECHANIC SAID WHEN HE TOOK THE CAR FOR A TEST DRIVE THE STEERING WHEEL IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND HE ALMOST HIT A MAILBOX WHEN THE CAR JERKED TO THE RIGHT. WHEN INVESTIGATING HOW TO GET A USED PART I DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE (FORD RECALL #14S02). MY CAR FITS THE SAME MODEL YEAR AND PURCHASE/REGISTRATION LOCATIONS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT FORD REFUSES TO MAKE THE REPAIR UNDER THE RECALL. CURRENTLY WE ARE COMPLETELY UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE FOR MY SON AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD FOR THE CAR TO BE DRIVEN. HAD MY SON BEEN DRIVING FASTER WHEN THIS HAPPENED THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. UPON EXITING A PARKING AREA, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SUSPENSION VIBRATION NEAR THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT SUBFRAME FRACTURED AND IMPACTED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE CONTACT AND A MECHANIC INSPECTED THE FACT THAT THERE HAD BEEN PREMATURE RUST AND CORROSION ASSOCIATED WITH THE UNDERBODY, SUBFRAME, AND THE BAR THAT WAS CONNECTED TO THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN AND WAS TOWED BY THE MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO SOLUTION OTHER THAN FOR THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V165000 (STRUCTURE) AND 15E045000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. AFTER SECURING THE SEAT BELT, THE INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT DID NOT FEEL SAFE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,800.