2003 FORD Escape

My Rear Window Blew out while sitting Idle

Engine ACCELERATES HIGH SPEED ON ITS OWN. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN QUITE A FEW TIMES AND VERY DANGEROUS. I have it at a qualified mechanic now and they can verify the problem since when i took it to Village Fords in dearborn mi they told me to clean throttle body , they did and told me ice builds up in the throttle not allowing the butterfly valve inside body to shut. I dont believe this was issue or is the issue. I had my accelerator cable replaced once.. and i removed my engine cover before they did that recall..These so called fixes did NOT work… as i said earlier my engine races only when cold temperatures begin and its interrmitent..IAC WAS REPLACED.. 3 TIMES..AS OF RIGHT NOW IM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR.. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AT A PARKING GARAGE AT AIRPORT. SHE COULD NOT STOP AND CRASHED THRU THE WOOD BARRIERS. SHE PARKED CAR CALLED ME. THEN WHEN SHE GOT OFF WORK.. IT SEEMED OK.. THIS WAS IN WI TER AS WELL.. I DROVE THE CAR MYSELF THINKING MY WIFE WAS EXAGGERATING AND WHEN I WAS ON FREEWAY THE CAR KEPT GOING FASTER FASTER. I TRIED STEPPING ON GAS TO KNOCK DOWN THE IDLE AND NOTHING IT KEPT SPEEDING.. I EXITED THE FREEWAY WITH MY FOOT ON BRAKES DOWN A QUARTER MILE EXIT RAMP..BOTH FEET ON BRAKE.. I DIDNT EVEN THINK TO PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL..I WAS IN SHOCK I GUESS PANIC…. I WOULD APPRECIATE HELP WITH THIS MATTER AS WOULD THOUSANDS OF OTHER ESCAPE OWNERS.. WHEN I SEARCH ONLINE TO TRY FIGURE OUT IF SOMEONE HAS HAD SAME PROBLEM. ITS IN THE THOUSANDS.. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS.. THANK YOU..

Accelerator stuck and was repaired under recall in early 2005. Accelerator stuck again a few years later (approx 2010). Called Ford and they denied an issue. I had to break the cruise control tip to get it unstuck on the side of a major highway. Now, there is a recall for exactly what happened, but they refuse to pay to replace my broken cable, that I reported broken years before the recall was issued. This is their fault and was due to a safety issue. They should have to pay and Clarence Ditlow (executive director of the center for auto safety) made a statement including that opinion as well. Airbag light came on in an accident in 2005. Insurance company repaired, then light illuminated again later. Wasn’t repaired again. Computer controls have an issue that Ford cannot diagnose. Vehicle has “surged” at idle for years and no one can explain why. It is completely random and can happen rarely or frequently, for an unknown amount of time. The paint began to peel in 2005. It was no longer under 36,000 miles so ford said sorry. The color is “gold ash” which is a VERY common paint to peel per a lot of research. If there is a class action suit, I would support for the paint. It is peeling on the entire vehicle, and it’s clear that it is a primer/paint defect. What’s left of the paint still looks great. The body issue is more just the trunk latch is defective and has been for years. There was a recall issued for this problem, but per Ford my VIN did not qualify. Not a major deal, but it’s clearly a problem that Ford should fix by expanding that recall.

I have seen in the news the problem with the Ford Escape and this happened to me not once but twice (after the made the repair) after the second time of this terrible scare I got rid of the car I could no longer trust it or the dealer I really was afraid to drive the car. Unfortunately,within the last month, I purged all of that car’s information files but I have the information from the car I purchased to replace that car. The dealer where I bought the car and it was replaced was Bev Smith Ford in North Palm Beach Florida. It really scared me, I vowed never to purchase another Ford or any product from Bev Smith (anything). Since my life was endangered not only once but 2 times. You guys need to get them for this I wish I had my paperwork to help you. I had planned to keep the car I even bought the extended warranty instead I took the loss and traded in the car for fear of my life.

When the temperature is warmer, the Escape intermittedly will not start. Takes anywhere from 4 to 7 times of cranking before Suv starts. Occured first in Aug., the Ford shop reprogrammed the computer. One month later doesn’t start again. Ford shop left ticket open because they can’t find problem. In October, happens again. Now they have installed a piece of equipment that I have to push a button as I’m cranking if the car doesn’t start. The piece of equipment is only good for 1 week, have to keep going in to have it reset.

We had a oil leak for the third time on our 2001 ford escape. we took it in and the head gasket is messed up. the transmission was also leaking. they have not been able to stop the leak and so are replacing the transmission at 41k miles and less than 2 years old.

Vehicle was involved in an accident, frontend received massive damage, airbag did not deploy.

Vehicle has been maintained and driven according to the owners manual provided by FORD. The transmission had to be replaced at 40,000. When asked for assistance with this problem, the regional representative from FORD explained that because we have not had our vehicle serviced at a FORD dealership for routine maintenance, our request for assistance was denied. The warranty was good for 3 years or 36,000.

The hood latch was released inside the car and inadvertently I drove and the safety exterior front hood latch released. This caused the hood to land on the windshield basically blinding my vision .I was able to see out a of a small space to steer over to the side of a road.If i did not do that I .would have crashed into cars causing injuries or death. I can not get any help from FORD or any answers as to that hood safety latch should not let go when driving.I had to fix the hood to drive 1200.00 . I can not get any answers.

My wife pulled into parking lot of condo to park. Just before she pulled up to parking block, the car accelerated vigorously spinning the wheels, jumped over the parking block into wall of condo unit causing injury and $6421.00 damage to car and $5500.00 damage to wall. Plus loss of use and car rental expense of $900.00. Medical expense unknown at this time.Also, airbag did not deploy. Ford denies any problem.

My 2003 Ford Escape, has 2003 miles on the odometer, I have had a wheel bearing replaced on the right rear tire. My present complaint is during the present weather conditions in Indianapolis In. Is the inside windows frost up. Especially the windshield. The side windows do not frost up as bad. It requires scraping on both inside and outside of window. These are unusual problems for a new vehicle. My concern is that I may have bought a lemon.

My 2003 Ford Escape which I purchased in April of 2003 caught fire in the engine due to a defect in the fuel injectors. Within 20 minutes the entire front end of the car was engulfed in flames and destroyed. The flames also penetrated through the fire wall within little time. I am currently working with my Insurance company as the car is a total loss. At this time I have had no response to my calls to Ford regarding this extreme malfunction.

I took my 1 year old Ford Escape to the car wash and immediatley noticed the paint flaking off and bubbling on the hood and sides of the car. I called the dealer and they said it is from “stone chips” which is verbatim from the warranty under “not covered” items. This would be possible only if someone dumped a cup of stones on the hood while I was driving 70 mph! I called Ford and complained to them. They said it was something I would have to discuss further with the dealer. I then found tons of info on the internet about Fords and paint problems yet the dealer and Ford say they have never heard of this problem.

Both rear tires threads seperated. Had to have car towed to Cutter Ford Aiea, Hawaii. Dealer would not cover tires, said coverage was good on tires for only 12,000 miles or 1 yr. Tires had less than 14,000 mile, SUV driving only on paved roads. The defected tire caused damage to bumper and under structure. Cost of repair unknow at this time, only tires have been replace and not replaced at dealer.

Air bag is inoperable due to the known issue of insufficient seat belt tension.They told me that the problem is common of this model and there is a TSB on the issue.Neither the repair nor the labor are covered under any of the extended warranties offered by ford.Why would’nt this company recall a known defect with a safety system, and cover the cost under a warranty or not?

01-10-05: FIRST ATTEMPT TO FIX AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATION WAS COVERED UNDER THE 5/50 WARRANTY…NO CHARGE.05-17-05: AIR BAG LIGHT “ON” AGAIN. THIS SECOND ATTEMPT TO FIX SAME AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATION WAS NOW A 572.00 CHARGE TO ME.

The paint is peeling from the exterior of the car. This issue appears to be identical to the "paint peeling" issue described on the CAS web site.

Customer wants to know if air bags for 2003 ford escape have been recalled. **cc the air bag light blinks on then off. consumer not sure what this indicates. *nm

Complaint concerning 2003 ford escape. *ts *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the air bag light illuminated because the seat belt pretension code was faulty. the front air bags fail to deploy when in a crash. on october 16, 2007, the contact took her vehicle to the dealer because of a beeping sound and they replaced the instrument panel and ignition switch. when she retrieved her vehicle, the air bag light was still illuminated. the failure has occurred since february of 2007. the dealer informed her that the repair for the air bag sensor was her responsibility. the current and failure mileages were 82,629.

The airbag light was illuminated on the dashboard of our 2003 ford escape. i took it to the dealer and was informed that the sensor under the passenger seat was defective and must be replaced. the cost quoted was $450. i then did an internet search and found several hundred similar complaints. i also found two different ford technical service bulletins, which clearly indicates that ford knows this is a problem. on another site a technician from a ford dealership stated that the problem could simply be fixed by spraying the contact points with an electrical contact cleaner such as wd40. i took the vehicle back to the dealer and told them to follow this procedure and the problem has not returned in the past 8 months. *tr

My airbag light had been coming on, and after several weeks it stayed on constantly. i took my vehicle to the dealership where it was purchased to have it checked. i was told that the connector under the passenger seat for the side mount air bag needed replacing. i was also informed that if this was not repaired, the airbag may not deploy if needed! i asked if there had been any other complaints made to ford on this issue and was told that they were not aware of any. i feared for the safety of anyone that might be a passenger in my vehicle if it should be involved in an accident, so i went ahead with the repair. i voiced my dissatisfaction with the cost of the repair and was told that all i could do about it was call the manufacturer. this part cost $36.49 and $210 for the labor. *tr

The air bag light came on in our 2003 ford escape. we have taken it to a ford dealership who informed us that the sensor has failed for no apparent reason and that if we are in an accident, the air bags will not deploy. the cost for this repair is quoted at approximately $500.00. at this point we are not in a financial position to make this repair and we are forced to drive the vehicle and hope that we will not have an accident. this is clearly a safety issue. there has been no prior warning nor any accident that would cause this failure. *tr

I've read online several others that have had problems with the air bag light in the 2003 ford escape. my air bag light goes on and stays on about 2ce a week. *jb

Tl* - the contact stated that while driving 35 mph in 2003 ford escape noticed on 09/20/06 that air bag light on the dash board turned on. the contact stated that she did have a passenger in the seat at that time. as per owners manual directions, the contact took vehicle to dealership who performed some type of repair and charged the consumer $100. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer on 10/28/06 for the same failure. the contact went back to the dealership and they told her that they did see that the light was turning on and off, and they told her that they were going to grease the cable. the contact was not sure which cable they were talking about. the vehicle was driven for 3 more weeks when the same failure occurred. she took vehicle in to dealership again and they found nothing wrong , but the light didn't come back on for another 3 weeks. the failure occurred again and the vehicle was taken to the dealership, and the dealership greased the same cable and told the contact that the cable is under vehicle code #1877. the contact stated that on 11/27/06 the vehicle's air bag light on the dash stayed on while driving. *ak updated 1/22/2007 - the consumer was told not to worry about the light and that and that the air bas was working properly. he went on to say that he believes the problem is with the light itself. *nm

I purchased my vehicle with 38,000 miles on it. within the first 2 months the airbag light started flashing and sometimes staying on sometimes going off. after about 2 to 3 months it went off and stayed off for another couple of months. eventually it started coming on again and is now staying on the majority of the time. i am a little concerned about this because i don't know if my airbag is working when the light is on. *jb

Dt:the contact states the air bag light came on intermittently. the light can came on at any time while the vehicle was being driven. once the light was on it stayed on until the vehicle was no longer in use. the vehicle was taken to the dealer ,and they could not duplicate the problem, therefore , the vehicle has not been repaired. *ak

The air bag check light remained on, and had been repaired 6 times, but the problem recurred. owner was informed that the air bag may not deploy if her vehicle was involved in an accident.*ak

Beginning in april 2007, my 2003 ford escape xlt (current mileage 118754) experienced an intermittent problem with the air bag warning light. if the power driver's seat had been moved, then the light would appear and flash on the instrument panel for a period of time, then disappear without any action taken. this series of event happened 2-3 times between april - june, 2007. the last time the problem surfaced was june 25, 2007. the light was flashing when i started my vehicle on june 26, 2007. approximately 5 minutes after starting my vehicle on that date, i was stopped at an intersection when a truck approaching from my left lost its trailer. the trailer crashed into the front driver's side of my vehicle at approximately 60 miles per hour. none of the air bags within my vehicle deployed. my vehicle sustained severe damage to the front end. although no injuries were sustained as a result of this accident, i believe that an impact of this force into my front bumper should have deployed my front air bags, and that the failure to deploy can be attributed to the faulty sensor on my instrument panel.

Driving down the interstate coming from georgia, it would downshift suddenly without warning. i have not been able to drive it in about 4 months.i thought i had everything repaired, then my truck stopped pulling in drive at a red light. my safety neutral switch is brand new and the position sensor. 10/12/2020 when problem arose after replacing sensors 02/09/2021 any ideas why it is doing this?

The vehicle was moving at 35 mph, the front passenger side wheel started making noise and got wobbly. i took it to a ford dealer. the service department took a day to diagnose the problem. they indicated that the sub frame has rusted out and the lower control arms are not secure in the sub-frame and may separate anytime. they refuse to fix the problem as per the recall saying that they put a cross brace and the recall is fixed. the cross brace that was put, is a band-aid fix and does not address the failure of the defective sub-frame. the sub-frame will fail even after installing the cross brace that ford seems to think will fix the problem. the lower control arm will separate and the cross brace will not prevent any accidents that could result from lower control arm separation.

The front passenger side lower control arm failed while my son was driving the vehicle. he was going straight, and the right front side just buckled under while he was in motion. luckily he wasn't on a heavily-traveled road when it happened, because there would have been a serious accident. the vehicle, although it is a 2003 ford escape, is not part of recall #14s02. why, i don't know? no one at ford can explain this to me, as it is exactly what has been happening with this make and model/year. we had it repaired at great cost to us, with exactly the parts/labor that ford had been describing in the recall. our mechanic even got the replacement crossmember from ford! ford themselves wanted nothing to do with the repair. in addition to the lower control arm, and crossmember, the tire had to be replaced, along with the right front axle assembly, as they were severely damaged from the frame failure. i would really like an answer as to why my vehicle is not included in the recall, when the recall describes exactly what has happened to my vehicle. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the vehicle was repaired. while driving approximately 5 to 10 mph, there was a grinding noise. the vehicle was coasted over to the side of the road and towed to a mechanic. it was diagnosed that the subframe was completely rusted. the manufacturer was notified. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 115,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 33 mph and attempting to turn, the front passenger side wheel failed and the vehicle became difficult to control. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the contact was able to pull the vehicle over to the shoulder and discovered that the front passenger wheel was rusted and twisted outward. the failure caused the rear control arm to almost fall off. the vehicle was not diagnosed. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 140,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 20 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the failure recurred numerous times. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 04v165000 (power train). the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 10 mph, the passenger side of the subframe was rusted and detached from the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to mark thomas ford (located at 3098 elm rd ext ne cortland, oh 44410) where it was diagnosed that the frame needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened case number: cas13677317. the failure mileage was 174,522.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while the contact's daughter was driving 40 mph, the driver struck a pothole and the vehicle began to pull to the right. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front passenger side lower control arm and subframe were bent due to rust and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. a dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that they could not assist because the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the approximate failure mileage was 135,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 50 mph, the vehicle was unstable and there was loss of steering control. the vehicle was towed to a local dealer (arlington heights ford located at 801 w dundee rd arlington heights, il 60004, 888 481-8607) where it was diagnosed that the subframe was cracked. the vehicle was repaired with a brace. two months later, the vehicle was towed to a local dealer (fox ford lincoln located at 2501 n elston ave chicago, il 60647 773-687-7800) where it was diagnosed that the subframe was fractured. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened case numbers: casdash12577845 and cas12593478. the failure mileage was 96,000.

2003 ford escape xlt 4x4 rear frame rusts causing control arm bracket to rip front the frame. driving down the road came up to a stop light all of a sudden my brakes locked up got out and looked too see the frame had rusted allowing the lower control arm on the rear driver side to rip the bracket from the frame.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start several times without warning when the key was turned in the ignition. in addition, the vehicle stalled without warning more than once. the rpms raced and, at times, the instrument panel would become dim upon experiencing an electrical short or internal failure. the dealer was notified of the failures and stated that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. the manufacturer was not notified. the contact was uncertain if the vehicle would be repaired because the dealer stated that there was a manufacturer recall for these failures; however, the vin was excluded. the recall details and failure mileage were not available. *tt *js

We had a recall done for the frame on our 2003 ford escape in april, 2014. on monday, april 3, 2017 i was driving home from work on excelsior blvd (about a 40 mph road) and heard a loud noise in the front of the truck and could hardly steer. we had it towed to metropolitan ford in eden prairie, minnesota and to find out that the frame was broke. they said they will not cover it. they replaced it and cost us $1,300.00 we feel like they should pay for this since the damage was from the recall that they had done.

I have a 2003 escape that has a interesting problem with the rear hatch. when it is hot out side or the sun is shinning on the rear hatch the lock will not unlock,all the other doors do. when it gets dark or the door cool down the nit will unlock with the rest of the doors. our rear hatch. intermittently working and then not working at all. after looking in the search engine on this forum, under "rear hatch won't open" i found a posting listing the part # for the solenoid only, from an aftermarket source. (ford makes you buy the whole handle and actuator assy. for $200 or so). the solenoid was $10 plus shipping. installation was straight forward except the rod that connects the solenoid to the mechanism needs to be modified and the wires spliced instead of the modular plug on the stock one. if your not that mechanical, you may want the dealership to do it , but if you have some skills, you can save a lot of money! (if ford had put a freaking key hole on the rear hatch it wouldn't be such a big deal) search the threads and you will find the post for the part. hope this helps.

My vehicle was setting in my driveway on 4/14/2017 and the neighbor came pounding on my door stating my vehicle was on fire. he tried putting the fire out to avoid the fire from reaching the gas tank and also spraying the side of my house to try to keep it from catching the siding on fire. the front drivers side tire blew up so he dropped the hose and ran.when the fire dept got here it had already burned my vehicle all the way up and melted the siding on the house. the fire chief was unable to determine the cause of the fire because of the way everything was burned! nothing was left but the 2 rear tires and wheels and the 2 back tail light lens. i had drove it 2 1/2 hrs before the fire started so the motor was already cooled off! i've checked for recalls but none to be found on this yr model. i also filed a complaint with recall center and with ford motor corporation.all they said was i would receive the report within the next 15 days. it's been 11 days now and still haven't received anything! complaint #: 10978773 (ford corp) fire department incident #: 17-1703168....keith fitch. fire chief...

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control) and 14v165000 (structure); however, the parts for the recall repairs were unavailable. the contact stated that the undercarriage of the vehicle, especially near the control arm, was corroded to the point that it failed inspection. also, the vehicle's rpm monitor fluctuated between 0-5, failing to correctly indicate an increase in rpms. the failure caused the vehicle to rev up without the contact purposely causing an increase. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. the approximate failure mileage was 244,310. parts distribution disconnect.

My father took my escape to have the brakes assessed and while it was up on the lift, the owner of the service station made mention to the excessive, abnormal rust in the chassis. he stated that the condition of the chassis is very dangerous and that the support arm, that was installed due to the recall #14v165000 and 14s02, is attached to rust and not supporting anything to make the truck safe. i have tried a number of times to ask for help from ford customer relations and they are unwilling to assist in any way. this truck was well cared for and the engine and transmission are in great working order. i should be able to continue to drive this car, however, because of the rust issue, the truck is not safe to drive. undertaking a new car payment would be a huge financial burden that i am unable to afford at this time. it is very disheartening that a large corporation such as ford manufactured a substandard vehicle and they would rather its customer(s) drive an unsafe car than maintain responsibility and offer some kind of assistance.

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 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.

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.

My abs lights is on. i then was able to find the issue with the wires under both seats. the way they were stabilized to the seat glide has caused the wire to frey.i am in need of new wiring under both seats,driver side being the worst of the two.this is not anything i have done it is due to poor designs.

The car was parked in a shopping center parking lot no one was in it. it some how caught on fire, when we got the fire out and towed to the shop, it was the alternator that caused the fire and did several $1000.00 damage. there were no issues with the car no warning lights.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 45 mph, the steering failed and the subframe fractured. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the local dealer was not contacted. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided case number: 17653427. no further assistance was offered. the failure mileage was 172,907.... .updated 11/16/17 *bf updated 11/28/2017*js

I pulled into work at 7:00 am 9/15/16 and at 9:00 am a fellow working told be my window was blown out. it look like it blew from the inside out.

While driving on highway the steering started to become unstable and loose. moments later the lower control arm (sub-frame) on passenger side separated causing loss of control almost ending in crash. never received notice of the recall below to fix this problem which was issued about two years ago. dealership contacted. they are dragging their feet on an answer as to whether they'll fix. recall # 14s02 2001-'04 ford escape recalled for rust, steering problem ford is recalling 385,762 2001-'04 ford escape suvs because a rust problem may cause the lower control arm to separate, potentially resulting in diminished steering control. | april 8, 2014 | ford motor company recall title: front subframe crossbrace installation nhtsa recall number: 14v165000 ford recall number: 14s02

While driving, the front right tire felt like it was going to fall off the vehicle. i took it to my mechanic who stated that the sub-frame was cracked and ford had a recall in place. i had it towed to the nearest ford dealership who stated that it would be covered under the recall. instead, they put a cross-bar on the cracked sub frame because they determined it was "not broken" only "cracked". the sub frame had "rusted and corroded" due to ford's own admittance of "faulty parts". i asked if the vehicle was safe and they stated "no". i asked if the vehicle would pass inspection and again they stated "no". i asked if this was a "bandaid" that they put on to make themselves feel better about the fact that anyone operating the vehicle could lose total control. i asked to speak to a manager, who told me there was nothing he could do. he did state he would makes some calls and called me a day or two later to say, that his manager said if i wanted the vehicle fixed, i could pay $1,200 for the part and an additional $600-$800 in labor to fix the vehicle, or i could trade it in. i am beyond frustrated that ford will not back up their product. the vehicle has less than 65,000 miles on it!

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

I have a 2003 ford escape and i have had to replace 2 of the shifter cables. the cables to allow the truck to go from prnd12.on the dashboard if the black bold square isn't around the p when i turn off the truck then i cannot take my key out of the ignition when parked.i do not want the vehicle to keep moving .

While replacing the control arms on my 2003 ford escape xlt 4x4 i noticed on the passenger side there was alot of corrosion so much so the control arm is barely hanging on there is a flat bar running from drivers side to passenger side which has been rendered useless because the bolt that is used to hold it in place has nothing to bolt to this was supposed to fix the issue with corrosion well it hasn't its now gonna cost me god knows how much to fix i would like to know if this issue is still covered under, the recall

Recall #14s02 (nhtsa campaign # 14v165000) covered replacement of lower control arm & ballpoint for every nearby state, but not virginia. both lower control arms on my vehicle are corroded and in need of replacement, but there is no open recall for my vin because 14s02 did not include virginia. driving vehicle with corroded control arms is deemed dangerous, but costs of replacing approach vehicle value.

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.

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.

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. 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.

Vehicle moved forward when in reverse gear when i was trying to back up at work. i had to have people at work come help me pull the vehicle backwards to avoid crashing into the wall. it still only goes forward, even in reverse gear. it is not safe to drive!!!

Ford escapes from the 2001 through 2004 model years for corrosion of the front subframe. the subframe carries the engine, transmission, steering gear and the front suspension, brakes and wheels ford says the corrosion can lead to separation of a control arm -- part of the suspension that holds the wheel and tire in the right place i was told that this part needs to be replaced on my car. it’s corroded by a mechanic. than i read the usa today 2014 article. i was never notified. i just took video and pictures of the part. on my cell phone i can submitt. according to this article ford knew about this. what r my option to get the repair.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 25 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. mark mclarty ford located at 4400 landers rd, north little rock, ar 72117, (501) 945-1200, was contacted and made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with nhtsa campaign number: 15v606000 (power train) and 04v165000 (power train), however the vin was not included. the manufacturer was not informed of the failure. the failure mileage was 229,000.

While my 2003 escape was in motion, the vehicle jerked and kicked ad i pressed accelerating on a heavy city highway. the vehicle couldn't drive or move forward. i believe it is the transmission went out. the gears were slipping or not going in position. i was using more gas, having a recall on transmission was announced on 2003 ford escape. recall id 234608 on powertrain automatic transmission. and recall id 234607 automatic transmission: gear position indication. recall id 234607 i called the ford service center. i was told no recalls under my vin number. i asked for assistance to fix my transmission. no was answer. i took my car back to place i purchased it carter's radiator, purchased 5-8-2020. carter radiator did diagnose, found it was the transmission. i was told car will not go into gears. 4th gear is in-operative. ony 1st & 2nd gears operating. to repair faulty transmission will cost $3900, but because i purchased vehicle from them, repair cost is $2400.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while entering the driveway to park, there was smoke present. the contact exited the vehicle and opened the hood when a fire was discovered. the contact grabbed a water hose and extinguished the fire. the abs module connector was melted along with wires. at the time of the incident the contact was pregnant and had her 4-year-old daughter in the vehicle. no injuries were sustained. the fire department was not contacted. no police report was filed. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was contacted but there was a recording stating that no calls were being accepted at the moment. the local dealer (unknown dealer information) was then called where they mentioned that nhtsa action number: pe06048 (service brakes, hydraulic) was previously performed on the vehicle. the failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

I brought braces drums for back wheels still idonot have braces they donot work took to auto place was told to contact dealer

Sense we bought this 2003 ford escape we have replaced 5 altenators transmission problems .3 neutral safety switches. and still having problems the transmission problems are the same reason for the recall but my car is just a month newer go figure

The mechanic told me that the sub frame was broken and would be about $1000 to replace. i was driving down a dirt road , it was a little bumpy and the steering wheel stopped working due to the frame breaking. the 2003 ford escape has124000 miles on it. luckily nobody was hurt, but i can't believe the frame of n suv could break so easily.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that upon taking his vehicle to an independent mechanic to be inspected, the mechanic discovered severe corrosion on the driver side rear wheel tubular frame. the mechanic informed him that the failure could cause the collapse of the driver side rear wheel. prior to the discovery, the vehicle had been repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000(structure). the contact spoke with germain ford of columbus (7250 sawmill rd, columbus, oh 43235, (614) 356-9743) where he was informed that the dealer was not authorized to repair the vehicle. the contact was then referred to the manufacturer who then referred him to nhtsa for assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 254,000.

My transmission has went out the previous owners had a transmission put in 2013 with a three year warranty and i bought the car 2019 and it went out 2 months later. it will back up but won’t go forward.

My car had a recall #14s02 for a rusted subframe. fords fix was to put a $20 piece of metal that they call a reinforcement brace. this reinforced brace has failed and the original problem has reoccurred. the original recall problem was that the car was almost impossible to steer and could cause serious accidents. now ford is telling my there is nothing they can do since they put the cheap reinforcement brace! now i have an undriveable vehicle that has the same problem as the original recall! i believe they should be responsible to fix the problem since what they did to fix the recall has literally failed again!

Tl* the contact’s mother owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact’s mother received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure) the vehicle was repaired at hopkins ford of elgin inc. located at (1045 e chicago st, elgin, il 60120) however, the failure was experienced. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle moved from left to right independently. the contact stated that it was difficult to control the vehicle. the contact stated that there were no warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. the contact was informed that the driver and passenger’s side control arms and the front subframe needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was informed of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 86,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 10 to 20 mph, the vehicle hesitated and the air bag indicator flashed on and off. the vehicle was taken to beach ford (888-869-6079, located at 2717 virginia beach blvd, virginia beach, va 23452) and the contact was informed that there was no recall. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the contact stated that the vehicle failed inspection due to the air bag indicator. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 193,481.

Bearing are making noise

After driving car, parking and starting again, it will start but will not keep running. usually can wait a few minutes with hood up and will be ok. today (10/26/2019) it would not keep running. had it towed. purchased new 06/2003 and has always happened. ford mechanics other mechanics do not know why.

Plug on wire to driver's side airbag under driver's seat separates when adjusting seat. must be reconnected each time. purchased new and has always been like this.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while his vehicle was not running and sitting in his driveway, the vehicle caught on fire without warning. the contact was able to extinguish the fire on his own, no injuries occurred and no fire report was taken. upon investigation the contact associated nhtsa campaign number: 07v156000 (electrical system) with his failure. the contact spoke with a dealer (apple ford 3250 cape horn rd, red lion, pa 17356 717-429-0726) and was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer to determine the cause of the failure/fire. the dealer informed the contact that the fire was related to the recall associated with the vehicle. when the contact informed the manufacturer of the failure, they informed him that his vehicle was not included in the recall. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was 175,000.

The left front control arm broke through the subframe, causing a very expensive repair. my father was driving it at the time. when he went to accelerate on a state hi way it pulled very hard to the left into oncoming traffic, nearly ending in a bad way. i subsequently test drove it and discovered the problem. i immediately checked for any recall information and found this specific information. my father had taken it to his local ford dealership and they said it was ok as of 2014.i noticed only some models were included in the 2014 recall. the subframe in the left front is soft and rotted out, while the right front and the rear is in good condition. i contacted ford directly and found no relief or even a satisfactory explanation why my father's vehicle was not included. i'm quite appalled with ford motor company's lame explanation of how vehicle doesn't qualify for reimbursement. without being overly dramatic, my father or i could have lost our lives to to this rare type of damage. this escape has been well taken care of and is in good condition for a 2003 from the rust belt. i've owned dozens of vehicles, as has my whole family, we've never seen this type of problem and it's not subject to a recall. i am hoping others have complained as well in hopes of sparking an expanded recall. thank you for your time. i included a couple of general pictures for now as the escape is at a repair shop. 2003 xlt v6 3.0 with available full 4x4 capability. approximately 165,000 miles. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).” *pm

Tl* the contact owned a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while the vehicle was parked on a ranch, someone looked out the window and found the vehicle on fire. the police and the fire department were called to the scene and the fire was extinguished. a fire report and police report were filed. no injuries were reported. the vehicle was totaled and was not towed away. the dealer was not called. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the contact inquired about nhtsa campaign number: 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic) however the vin was not included. the failure mileage was approximately 98,500.

While i was driving on hwy 45 my escape jumped out of gear and overdrive indicator showed it had turned off at the same time. also it caused my vehicle to almost stoll while traffic was behind me and beside me. i had to shift gear shift until light showed again then shift it to drive. also had to click overdrive back on several times until it kicked on. i had my sister and my 2 children 9yrs and 10 yrs old in vehicle when it happened. also had my vehicle to start jumping and shaking like it was missing . engine light is on all the time now, and airbag light. is it safe to drive?

While in motion,on two of my vehicles a 2003 and a 2004 ford escape one cylinder blew out the spark plug and coil pack (#5)on both vehicles i'm trying to find out if there's a recall on ? same type of vehicles model one year apart.

Hello the car is making a noise like bearing when i drive more than 35 miles it going worse when you move a little bit the stearin weell and never end just when get less than 30 or 35 miles somtimes it doit less than 30 miles and everyday it going worse please can you doble check recall for from bearing i really appreciate

Bearing have a wired noise on from of vehicle when i get 35 miles or more

O/d off light flashes. no check engine light. transmission column shifter moves properly in all gears p,r,n,d,2,1 but vehicle only moves in reverse and engages in park and neutral. vehicle will not move in drive, 2 or 1. transmission fluid condition and level is normal.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact noticed that the k frame was corroded and the air bag warning indicator illuminated continuously. in addition, while the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle accelerated independently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the k frame needed to be replaced, the power control module needed to be repaired, and the air bags needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 172,470.

The air bag stay on and keeps blinking and won't turn off. i have done everything possible to check this issue out, having no luck so far.

I was driving my car out of my driveway and the steering wheel turned off center making it difficult to correctly steer the car. i took it to a mechanic and was told the sub frame rusted and cracked in half.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact heard a knocking sound coming from the vehicle. an independent mechanic discovered that the subframe was rusted and quoted a repair cost of $2,000 to have the frame replaced. several unknown dealers were contacted and quoted repairs costs as high as $4,800. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 88,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 60 mph and passing another vehicle, the contact raised her foot off the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle accelerated independently to 75 mph. the contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle slowed down to 70 mph. when the brake pedal was released, the vehicle began to accelerated to 75 mph. the contact depressed the brake pedal again with excessive force, but the vehicle failed to stop. the vehicle slowed down to 45 mph, but the engine was still revving. the contact was able to coast the vehicle to the side of the road at 40 mph and quickly powered off the engine. due to depressing the brake pedal with excessive force, there was a burning odor coming from the brake pedal. the vehicle was restarted while in the park position and the engine started to accelerate. the contact quickly powered off the engine. the contact's father inspected the vehicle and noticed that the cable connected to the throttle was caught in between the engine and the plastic engine cover. the contact's father maneuvered the cable and the vehicle drove normally. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to nhtsa. the approximate failure mileage was 128,000.

Front sub frame rusted out and split half way across pulls vehicle when driving 14s02 complaint

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving various speeds, the vehicle decelerated on its own and completely stopped. the contact also stated that the gear selector did not engage in the selected gear. an unknown dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the vin was not included in a recall for the failure. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 200,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while turning at low speeds, the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle shook. in addition, the check engine indicator illuminated. the vehicle was taken to bob chapman ford (1255 columbus ave, marysville, oh 43040, (937) 642-0015) where it was diagnosed that the control arm and subframe were fractured and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 121,000.

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.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the subframe was rusted, which created an abnormal rubbing sound when the vehicle was turned. the vehicle was towed to the contact's home. the vehicle was taken to ricart ford (4255 s hamilton rd, groveport, oh 43125, (614) 836-6260) where it was diagnosed that a new subframe and lower control arm were needed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. the failure mileage was 196,703.

My escape started to miss, first it wasn't bad then started jerking and it started idling rough when i stopped at red light. when i started moving again it acted as if it would die and would go. if i get to 40 mph it is really bad. but this happened on main highway with other vehicles all around me and had 18 wheeler behind me and all of sudden my speed decreased and me and my children almost was in accident because of decrease in speed. it scared me and my two children. when i got it looked at the codes said it was missing on one cylinder then at one point all cylinders.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving various speeds, the subframe would rub against the body of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to ricart ford (4255 s hamilton rd, groveport, oh 43125, (614) 836-6260) where it was diagnosed that the subframe was corroded. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 195,000. the vin was unknown.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape equipped with cooper discoverer m+s sport tires, size: 235/70r16. while driving over 70 mph, the contact heard a loud, rumbling noise coming from the rear driver's side tire. the contact stated that the tire tread separated from around the tire, which damaged the rear passenger side tail light and fractured the bulb. also, the rear bumper and body of the vehicle were damaged near the rear driver's side tire. aaa arrived and replaced the shredded tire with a spare tire. the vehicle was taken to a tire repair facility and all four tires were replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was waiting to hear if there was a related recall. the vin and tire and vehicle failure mileages were not available. *bf*jb

Lower control arm separated from sub frame. high corrosion area. separated at a speed of about 65 mph going over highway bridge. right front tire tipped out and sent vehicle into a uncontrolled swerve to the left and right. ford's recall 14s02 cross brace patch was installed but still almost caused a major crash. i don't believe the inspection by ford was done properly when they installed the brace. if they had they would be replacing the sub-frame also.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the air bag warning indicator was illuminated, which was a safety concern. the dealer (gus johnson ford, 8300 e sprague ave, spokane valley, wa 99212, (509)-924-1000) was contacted and stated that the vin was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue and stated that the vin was not included in an air bag recall. the failure mileage was 180,000.

Control arms are in terrible condition. passenger side control arm dislocated while i was driving on a city street due to corrosion and poor manufacturing. there was a recall for it on some escapes during those years but since my vin number isnt on their recall lists for it im not covered. ford needs to be held responsible for it and do the right thing. how are only some of the ford escapes during those years covered for bad control arms? please help and hold ford accountable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. upon inspection of the vehicle, the contact discovered that the subframe was rusted near the lower control arm. the failure was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer and local dealer (balise ford of cape cod in hyannis, ma) were both notified, but no assistance was offered. the contact was informed that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the contact indicated that the vehicle experienced the same failure listed in the recall. the failure mileage was 123,000.

The entire engine sub-frame requires replacement due to excessive corrosion. the mechanic has informed me the car is unsafe to drive in its current condition. the internet is full of stories of ford escape corroded engine sub frame. there is current no recall from ford

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's daughter owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that his daughter noticed that the subframe looked rusted and loose. the vehicle was towed to brondes ford toledo (5545 secor rd, toledo, oh 43623) where it was diagnosed that the subframe had rotted. the vehicle was serviced per nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). after the vehicle was driven over 20 mph, the wheels turned at different angles and the vehicle made a screeching sound. the vehicle was taken back to brondes ford, but the dealer and manufacturer (who was made aware of the failure) declined to provide further assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

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.

The front sub frame is rusted and the vehicle is unsafe to drive.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 35 mph, a loud noise was heard coming from the front passenger side of the vehicle and the vehicle swayed back and forth. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the contact was able to drive the vehicle home and, upon inspecting underneath the vehicle, noticed corrosion and separation of the lower control arm from the frame. the vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. the contact researched online and found nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the manufacturer confirmed that the vin was not included in a recall. no further assistance was offered. the failure mileage was 153,207.

My son was driving this vehicle when the front control arm snapped off from the front subframe! thankfully, he did not get killed or injured. the vehicle was towed to a local garage who informed me that ford recall # 14s02 applies to this very condition. upon calling ford's customer assist line, i was completely shut down. i told the rep that i need a tow since the car was not drivable. she told me that ford will not pay for a tow or any consequential damages. this makes no sense to me. obviously, ford has acknowledged a problem. i don't think it is fair for them to take no responsibility & leave the consumer footing the bill. please look into this when you get a chance. thank you. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving at any speed and when the vehicle was started occasionally, the air bag warning indicator illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer (napa lincoln ford, 300 soscol, napa, ca, 94559) and the contact was informed that there was no recall. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to nhtsa to file a complaint. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated while driving at various speeds, the front end of the vehicle shook violently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where he was advised that the sub frame was rusted out. the vehicle was not repaired. a local dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case #cas13006709 and advised the contact to follow up. the vehicle was serviced under nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure) however the remedy failed to repair the vehicle. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was unknown.

My daughter was driving home from work and went over the railroad tracks and the whole front end felt like it was going to collapse the steering got thrown way off and when she went to apply the brakes at the light she almost went through them because of the front-end being way out of line. when i had a chance to look underneath it the next day it is so corroded and split and cracked where the crossmember is. and these railroad tracks she went over every day with no problems that are very smooth except for that night when they just gave out. you can tell that the metal for the vehicle is not quality

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while the vehicle was being inspected, the contact noticed that the subframe was completely fractured. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the approximate failure mileage was 134,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while in park, the air bag warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a dealer on two separate occasions where it was diagnosed that the air bag connector underneath the front passenger side seat needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired both times; however, the failure recurred. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 100,000.

I began merging onto i 820 when my vehicle (by itself) floored the accelerator. i tried pressing the brake (it wouldnt press down, it was hard as a rock). i used both feet to no avail. at 75-80 mph i jammed it into neutral. the rpm's were still at max. by this time it had slowed (i was on the shoulder of the hiway) to about 20 mph, then jammed it in park. i looked at the instrument panel and all the instruments were on 0. i hesitated then gave the car some gas, it was still running! i couldnt even hear the engine until i revved it. i proceeded to turn off the ignition. the car did turn off. i noticed a 17 yr old boy dying back in 2012 -13 from the same act my car did. its bad enough to lose a child but to lose a child because of a malfunction from a vehicle and the company stating they will have to look into it further, is nothing short of total negligence and refusal to accept responsibility for ones error and we want to know what has happened to our youth? look who's raising them and giving them excuses.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact was informed that the vehicle would not be repaired per nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure) due to excessive corrosion on the subframe. the vehicle was unsafe to drive. the frame needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that within months of owning the vehicle, that there was a progressing failure with a loss of the battery power, and the anti-theft alarm and horn randomly sounded without warning. the contact attempted to recharge the battery, but the failure continued with the anti-theft alarm sounding whether the door was opened or closed. after a while, the horn and anti-theft alarms stopped, but the failure progressed to the point that the vehicle was unsafe to be driven. the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. the manufacturer was to be notified to determine a repair solution for the vehicle. the vin and failure mileage were not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 60 mph, the transmission failed. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 136,000.

In may of 2016, i took my ford escape in for repair of a recall. my understanding of the recall was to prevent a failure of the lower control arm as i read the recall notice and the conversation that i had with repair center agent. a month later the lower control arm separates. after i had my vehicle towed to ford, it was expressed to me that recall was not to prevent failure but merely to stabilize the vehicle in the event of failure. had i not had the recall performed on my vehicle they would have repaired the escape at cost to them, but because i had the recall performed then i most pay for it. why would ford authorize such a ridiculous recall effort. first of all if it's know issue, why not repair the issue. secondly, had i know the ramifications, i would never have had the recalled performed. the control separated while driving and i hit a bump.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while the vehicle was being serviced for routine tire maintenance, the contact was informed that there was severe corrosion to the rear axles of the vehicle. the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 150,000. updated 07/12/16*lj

2003 ford escape. consumer writes in regards to corrosion of the subframe lower control arm recall notice repairs and seeks reimbursement. *smd the consumer stated six months after the recall was performed, his wife heard a terrible noise and the vehicle became impossible to steer. the consumer arrived to where his wife was and did an inspection, and discovered the frame on the passenger side was completely rusted through and broken in half. the next day, a mechanic inspected the vehicle and found the front cross member was rusted out and broken on the passenger side and the vehicle was unsafe to drive. the consumer was informed he was not entitled to reimbursement, because the lower control arm separated from the subframe after the recall was performed. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 20 mph and turning right, the vehicle made a clunking sound. the contact had to turn the wheel to the left in order to drive straight. when slowing down to approximately 5 mph, the vehicle made a clunking noise from the front passenger side. the contact exited the vehicle and discovered that the passenger side wheel was slightly detached from the vehicle. the vehicle was towed, but was not diagnosed nor repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.

0n apr 22, 2015 while driving from shady spring wv to princeton wv on i-77 to a drs appt, my wife and i noticed a popping sound coming from the right front of the veh when veering or turning right. i had to work that day after i returned from the dr and had planned to take the veh to a mechanic after i got off to find out the problem. while driving home from work on pluto road in shady spring, i rounded a curve to the right at 20 mph and something broke causing the veh to come to a sudden stop. i had the veh towed to a&r service ctr in shady spring and was notified that afternoon that the sub frame broke/ lower cv joint had came loose and that there was excessive rust and corrosion covering the whole underneath of the veh. i notified kc preowned auto whom i had purchased the veh from in sept 2014. he went to the mech and looked at the vehicle and called me and stated the good news is there is a recall on the sub frame that had broken and could be taken to mountaineer auto in beckley wv for repair. the veh was taken on apr 27 2015, and after being sent to a body shop for a rusted and broken bolt, a new sub frame was placed on the front. my wife picked it up on jun 20 2015 and noticed driving home a vibration coming from the front right and a grinding sound coming from the middle of it. i took it back to mountaineer auto the next day and was told by the svc rep (j t) that ford was not going to put anymore money in to this veh and there was nothing they would do. i notified the wv atty general for help and after trying to rectify the issue received a letter that nothing could be done. the veh sat in my driveway until feb 3, 2016, when i saved up money to fix it myself. i took it back to mountaineer auto and was told the carriage bearing was broke, and nothing could be done due to excessive rust and corrosion. took it to 2 brothers and received the attached statement.

The ash gold paint is bubbling all over the outside roof rear door sides (all over) the car to include the interior. the roof has rusted and ford won't do anything. i went to two ford dealers in san diego and called ford direct. the passed me over to the highway safety admin hotline that told me to call ford, they will handle the complaint. everyday more paint peels off.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 10 mph, a loud thumping sound came from the front of the vehicle and the steering malfunctioned. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the subframe seperated due to severe rust and corrosion, which caused the lower control arm to fracture. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 167,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximatly 25 mph, the vehicle appruptly stopped. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who discovered that the frame fractured near the front passenger side wheel well. the vehicle was repaired by the manufacturer but, while driving, the vehicle experienced severe shaking and vibrations. the cause of the failure was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notied of the failure. the vin and failure mileage were unknown.

I was driving home from work on a highway(60mph) when my steering became loose, weaving left and right. had to slow down to 20mph until i got home. the vehicle was inspected, found that the passenger side subframe had broken in 2. ford is recalling 385,762 2001-'04 ford escape suvs because a rust problem may cause the lower control arm to separate, potentially resulting in diminished steering control. ford dealers will install a reinforcement crossbrace on the affected escapes. the subframe has broken apart due to the corrosion, and it's unsafe to drive. since ford is aware of this, they should have both subframe replace as a recall and not adding a crossbar as a recall. currently the vehicle is parked on my driveway. the estimated cost to repair was too costly.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 40 mph, a thumping noise was heard from the passenger side of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the subframe was severely rusted and fractured. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact also stated that a brace was placed on by the dealer in the subframe as part of a recall in 2014. the approximate failure mileage was 121,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 75 mph, the contact smelled smoke coming from the engine. the contact noticed the vehicle was smoking and rushed home. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake system module harness and master cylinder needed to be replaced. in addition, the abs warning light illuminated and the braking system caught fire. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. the failure mileage was 148,000. the vin was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving at various speeds, there were abnormal noises coming from the front of the vehicle. in addition, both front tires leaned inwards. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front control arm, sway bar, and tie rods needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired; however, the mechanic also stated that the subframe corroded and needed to be replaced. a week later, while reversing at a low speed, the contact heard a loud noise coming from the front of the vehicle. upon inspection, the contact noticed that the control arm and axle fractured. the contact was aware of nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure) however, the vin was not included. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 90,470.

My ford escape had recall 14s02 completed, which was supposed to "fix" the rusting out sub-frames made of inferior metal due to salt-belt states salting of roads, by installing a flimsy brace across the sub-frame, but i'm honestly not sure what it does besides prevent your car from "completely" losing control. ford refuses to truly fix the problem and it posses a serious risk to me, my family, and others on the road. if the sub-frame does detach on my car, which it is one nasty pot-hole away from detaching, than i will lose control of my car when the control arm breaks off the sub-frame and i will be in a potentially life threatening situation. my local independent mechanic warned me of the danger of this problem just recently while it was stationary, but ford did not. ford simply brushed me off and didn't explain to me how dangerous this supposed "fix" is. i am student, and in order for me to fix this on my own the cost will be unbearable. i do not think this is fair or following federal law, and i don't know how this pathetic brace held on by a couple of bolts was considered a real fix for a very dangerous problem. the manner in which ford has handled this situation has been deplorable as well, and i have received nothing but rudeness from their service department, and customer service representatives. the danger of this particular problem is that when the car is in motion and it does detach, especially on a highway, then i, and others will be at a risk due to loss of control of steering.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving at a high speed, the vehicle veered to the right and failed to remain in position. the contact had to steer the vehicle in excess in order to keep the vehicle in position. the vehicle was taken to a dealer who repaired the vehicle under nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure); however, the local dealer stated that there was corrosion around the attachment area and the subframe needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 109,000.

My wife owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving it down the road she noticed the steering was getting uncontrollable. she pulled the car off the road and called aaa for a tow. the car was towed to midas where we usually have our work done on our vehicles. midas looked at the car while still on the tow truck. they said that it should be covered by the recall on the car. midas called waikem ford and was told to tell us to bring it there. we had the tow truck driver take it there. this was on 11/05/15. i was called on 11/6 and told they would not be able to look at the car that day and monday 11/9 they would look at it. this was in a message to my phone. monday i received another message from a guy named craig that he had taken pictures of the problem and sent it to ford motor company. that was all the message said. tuesday i received a message from craig that the car was done and we could pick it up anytime. i took my wife over to get the car and she drove it home which is three blocks away. she didn't notice anything wrong do to the short trip and slow speed. saturday 11/14 she took the car out and once again the steering felt uncontrollable. i went over to waikem ford and ask why the car wasn't fixed. i was told that ford motor company had denied the fix on the car. cross brace was installed which is what they do on the recall. how ever the frame rusted out where the control arms attach and the cross brace did nothing. the car was released to us without being told that the problem wasn't fixed. we were not told ford motor company had rejected the request for repair. this is a known defect in the car, and ford should have authorized the fix. ford motor companies decision along with waikem ford releasing that car to us put my wife and the public in danger.

I own a 03 ford escape and when driving at about 30mph my tire started rubbing the fenderwell and pulling hard to the right i had to fight to keep my car from hitting things and about 5 seconds after all of a sudden there is a very loud clunk sound from my passenger front tire. and my front end dropped and wheel locked up. causing me to lose control of my vehicle. nearly missing parked cars. i was told my lower control arm separated from subframe. which has a corrosion issue (this is a know problem with this model, recall reference number --- 14s02) .. i was advised by a private mechanic that my subframe needed replaced. i googled and found out about this recall and had it taken to my local ford dealership and so far have heard nothing.. this is ridiculous. and because of this safety recall, it damaged my car even further, broke my c/v joint. probably messed up the axel to

Last year i returned my vehicle to the dealer for the sub frame recall. i had the new support installed. this year when i went for my annual vehicle inspection i was told to stop driving the vehicle as my subframe was so badly rusted that it could break at any time. why was the subframe replacement not included in the recall?

The right front sub-frame is dangerously rusted through, and my mechanic says it's not safe to drive as it may collapse an any moment. i took it to the ford dealership in north canton, ohio this summer (approximately june or july) and they said the vin number wasn't on the recall list, so they refused to fix it. the situation is such that i have a vehicle that is unsafe to drive, and ford motor co. will not fix it. as of now, i am afraid to use this vehicle. the question is: why has ford recalled and repaired most of these rusted sub-frame problems, but not mine?

Steering lose with little control. mechanic states a separation of the lower control arm due to excessive corrosion in frame. matches ford recall 14s02. yet recall was performed june 2014. so safety recall failed.

I was driving along a highway getting ready to turn when the frame broke and i was barely able to get off the road when it stopped because i found out later the frame that kept the c v joint in place came apart and my tire twisted into the wheel well. the recall that was to keep this from happening had been performed but the repair did not keep this from happening to my vehicle.

I was pulling out of my driveway and started to hear a loud clunking noise. i pulled the car back in and it has sat the past few days. i took it to my mechanic and was told that the whole front end and frame are rusted and needs to be replaced. i researched online and am now aware of all the issues that involve rust on these models. i am scared to even drive the car in the shape that it is in. i will call the recall hotline but according to what i have read i don't expect much help from ford. i will never purchase another ford and am sorry to say that as consumers we should expect these companies to stand behind their cheaply made products

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the ignition coils, spark plugs, and manifold gasket were replaced. one month later, the failure recurred twice. the vehicle was taken to two different independent mechanics where the ignition coils, spark plugs, and manifold gasket were replaced again. the failure persisted. the technician stated that the power train control module would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was unavailable.

Went to get car inspected and the exhaust y pipe and engine cradle subframe has corrison. called the ford recall and for some reason my vehicle did not have a recall, but there were other 2003 recalls for the control arms and corrison of the frame and members. this seems to be a problem with a lot of ford vehicles but not on the recall list and should be. vehicle has 100,078 miles. there is also noise come from an area around the tires not sure which one.

2003 ford escape. consumer writes in regards to vehicle front subframe crossbrace recall issues. *smd

When pulling out of my parking spot my car steering itself sharply. i pulled the wheel back to straight. as i was doing this, i heard a crack. i have been hearing similar cracks in the past months when i go over bumps at slow speeds. i came upon recall #14s02. i brought my car to apple ford in apple valley, mn to get my brace installed. my tech said the cars sub frame failed inspection. the frame was so bad you could stick a pen though it. he submitted photos to ford motor company to get a new frame approved. ford denied the repair as the sub frame is not broken all the way through. this fix is on the customer for $2200. i cannot pay that. i asked, since my frame was so bad if it was safe? it was recommended i stay off the highway, or stay under 60 mph. this is not a solution. i don't feel safe in my car anymore. i understand that ford is only legally liable for the solution they came up with as a fix that the nhtsa approves. that is the brace only. please look into making ford replace significant corrosion to the frame instead of a complete break. i should be able to drive as normal with this recall fix. now, i have a car that i want to get rid of. who will want to buy this car for what it would have been worth if it was 100% road worthy? please take another look at this recall. i have repair documents and my ford technician says he will be happy to speak with anyone who needs his input. he was very surprised the repair was denied due to the poor condition.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving at 65 mph, the cruise control failed to engage without warning. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the vehicle speed control cable needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control). the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 131,496. updated 11/23/15*lj *cn

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving over a bump in the road at approximately 10 mph, the front passenger side wheel well fractured and damaged the suspension. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the subframe was rusted. the failure was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 145,000.

While i was driving back from the shooting range the engine did a hesitation and then when i pushed down on the gas to see if it would clear up the instrument panel gauges went haywire. the fuel, speed, rpm and heating cluster level arms all went to the max point and when i let off the acceleration to pull over the cluster panel gauges died like there was no power and when the engine idle leveled off the gauges went back to normal. the instrument panel did it 4 more times before i actually got home. i am afraid to drive it to work and this is my only transportation. what is causing the issue with this? i need to know as soon as possible. thanks.

My daughter was driving at a slow rate of speed and the front wheel fell off the truck. there had been a recall on this part and we had the service completed. ford added a cross member to the part as the parts were rusting. this was done within the year. the truck is now at a ford dealership and the ford motor company refuses to pay for the repair. i am grateful that my daughter was not hurt however this is the second time this wheel has fallen off. a year earlier during a service visit a ford certified mechanic forgot to put a bolt back on. that dealership did pay to have the truck repaired and apologized. again it was fortunate that my daughter was not hurt.

Tl* the contact owned a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 5 mph, there was smoke coming from the front driver side of the vehicle without warning. the contact discovered flames underneath the vehicle. a police officer extinguished the fire. the vehicle was destroyed and towed to an independent mechanic. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 180,000.

The lower control arm on my 2003 ford escape is rusted through and ford didn't include my vehicle in the recalls. they are obviously having a wider issue with this control arm since recall number 14so2 has affected my escape as well. they claim that my lower control arm wasn't part of the factories that was listed so they won't include me in the recall. i have had this issue for a while and if i was going down the highway my entire wheel could have disconnected and cause a horrible crash. they must include all ford escapes from 2001 through 2004 as listed in this recall since my escape is obviously included in this recall and i should not be charged for the repair or at least notified of the danger. they should not be allowed to pick and choose which car they deemed acceptable for the recall if there is obviously a defect which could cause harm to the owner and is documented as being harmful,, *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 30 mph, the engine began to rev unexpectedly and the throttle became stuck even though the accelerator pedal was not depressed. the brake pedal was engaged and the vehicle resumed normal operation. in 2012, the vehicle was serviced under nhtsa campaign number: 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control); however, the failure recurred twice after the remedy was performed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the idle air control was replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the issue. the approximate failure mileage was 52,000. updated 6/3/15*cn updated 10/06/2017*cn

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer to be serviced under nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure) and the dealer installed reinforcement cross bar to the under carriage of the vehicle. the vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the cross bar was not a permanent repair. as a result, the front sub frame needed to be replaced and the front passenger side lower control arm was rusted through. the contact felt that the recall remedy was not an adequate repair. the manufacturer was notified of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure.

A recall on our ford escape was performed last august.the recall was for rusted frame/cradle area that holds front suspension together.at the time of the recall i informed the dealer that the cradle was weak and very rusty over and above any other rust on car.the dealer installed a brace between the two rails of the frame and told me that was the extent of the recall.the other day while driving the cradle gave out and the engine,the steering gear dropped down a few inches rendering the car undriveable.i was able to maintain control and get it to the dealership. i was told they are only responsible for the brace not the weak cradle. i guess my question is how can this recall stop anyone from a wreck or damage when the entire cradle is affected by this problem. this recall had to be approved by someone im sure. this brace will not stop a car from being out of control at any givin time as the cradle rot will affect a lot more than just the lower control arm area.i understand its an old car but ford knows there is a serious rust issue with this part.if ford and the nhtsa feel this bandaid repair is good enough for safety of my family then i have my doubt on whether there is anyone in either organization that knows anything about a car or safety at all. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure); however, the recall repair was not effective. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the rear frame was completely rusted due to corrosion. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 114,000. ma 08/10/15 the dealer informed the consumer, the rear frame was in the process of rusting. however, the front frame was already rusted. updated 08/18/15*jb

Vehicle stalls or will not start as described in ford recall number 04s13. i have replaced multiple parts including fuel pump, gas cap, fuel filter,etc. and now i found that there was a problem with the pcm programming on this vehicle. i purchased this truck used and do not know if this was serviced. this is a dangerous problem as stalling can cause an accident. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving at 67 mph, the cruise control failed to disengage. as a result, the contact crashed into an embankment and the vehicle rolled over multiple times. the air bags failed to deploy. the contact sustained minor scrapes and bruises and the two passengers in the rear of the vehicle sustained bumps, bruises and scrapes that required medical attention. a police report was filed. the vehicle was destroyed. the vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling , vehicle speed control). the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 160,000.

Vehicle went in for control arm brace recall in 2014 due to poor metzl used on the subframe, march of 2015 it failed leaving limited control of steering, ford was contacted and stated that they are only responsible for the control arm recall and to contact the dealer. they said they did what they were told to do and the rotted subframe was not a part of the recall. ford needs to recall the subframe part before someone gets seriously injured or killed. *tr

2003 ford escape. consumer writes in regards to excessive rust on vehicle sub-frame recall notice. *smd the consumer stated the arm cross bar was replaced. however, the subframe was not covered. the consumer has been unsuccessful at getting the sub frame replaced, because no was willing to sell the part. the part was being used for certain vin's. the consumer referenced recall # 14v165000. *jb

Had my 2003 escape in to the dealer for a wheel bearing problem, while it was in the shop they did the open recall 14s02 sub frame brace installation. drove the car 2 times. the wife decided to drive to the store on a 3rd time and called me to say car was pulling hard to the passenger side. after getting the car home i remove the passenger front tire thinking that we had a sticking brake caliper and could see right away that the sub frame had ripped apart right where the lower control arm bolts up. after more investigation and many photos it appears to me that the bolt that was used to install the brace per the recall has cause the upper part of the frame to rip apart from the lower part (split it open) there is significant rust on the frame but this really looks like the bandaid caused a bigger problem. i called the dealer, they said to call ford, i called ford they said take it back to the dealer and they would evaluate it. but after reading comments here i decided against that and will probably just haul it to scrap yard. what a waste. *tr

I have been having multiple problems with my hitch not wanting to open i have to lock and unlock multiple times or turn car on go in reverse then forward and put in park shut car off some times multiple times before it will allow me to open it. last fall (2014) my hinge that holds my window on fell out. and around the same time i started having issues with my back driverside door not opening due to the lock getting stuck it is now completely unusable until i find some one to fix it i have seen on many sites this issue with recall code 04v6020000 date of announcement 12/23/2004 recall begin date 3/31/2005 but when i called ford they told me my car was not on the list but here is the same issue?!?!? *tr

2003 ford escape. consumer writes in regards to vehicle tires issue. *smd the consumer stated the tires had to be replaced after only 33,000 miles of driving, when they were suppose to have an 85,000 mile tread warranty. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while having a routine inspection performed, the vehicle failed to pass inspection due to rust on the right wheel well, the right fender, the cross member and the frame. the inspector determined that the components deteriorated and needed to be replaced. the contact was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 14v165000 (structure). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 57,600. updated 5/4/15*cn

Daughter driving her vehicle home from work noticed severe vibration in front of vehicle and gradual loss of control of steering. following day, vehicle brought to repair shop for inspection. discovered that right lower control arm broken. discovered that there was a massive recall for exact issue. remedy said to be support brace/cross member. vehicle brought to ford dealership for repair. recall device installed, however, dealership failed to advise vehicle owner of rotting sub frame in right front of vehicle. inspected by independent auto shop after install and severe rotting and structural defects found in right front sub frame. support brace supplied by recall essentially useless as it bolts in to rotting sub frame. independent shop advises that vehicle is unsafe to drive for both occupants and other drivers due to serious likelihood of loss of control. note that there are multiple complaints on same issue. also note that a significant number, (over 50%), of these complaints reveal severe rotting and structural failure to right front sub frame. contacted ford about sub frame issues and concerns and was referred back to ford dealership. advised to express concerns over workmanship! ford dealership installed the replacement cross member just fine. but they bolted it to a rusted defected sub frame!! come on people. do we have to wait until some young unsuspecting mother with a car load of kids loses control of her vehicle and hits a tree, or a pole, or oncoming traffic before the real issue is addressed? i can only imagine the lawsuits!! certainly have enough people for a class action.

On 1/19/1993, i experienced uncontrolled acceleration in my 2003 ford escape. i turned off the engine and coasted to a stop. fortunately, i was on a low traffic road. after towing the escape to my mechanic, he identified that the acceleration cable was binding against the engine cover. after further identifying a recall related to this (nhtsa campaign number:12v-353), the car was taken to my ford service center, who performed the modification. upon picking up the car after repair and leaving the lot of the ford service center, i immediately experienced uncontrolled acceleration a second time. quickly hitting the breaks and performing a u-turn back into the ford lot, i again turned off the engine and coasted to the garage area. this time i was on a multi-lane road in a high traffic area during 5:00 traffic and suffered near collision with multiple other cars. upon investigating the cause with the service personnel, we observed that the cruise control cable had come loose and bound with the acceleration cable, resulting in the unintended acceleration. on multiple attempts to reconnect the cruise control cable, it became apparent that it would easily come loose and bind again with the acceleration cable. the cruise control cable was disconnected and fixed into location away from the acceleration cable. the dealer did not know or recommend any other method to fix the problem. my observation is that there was significant wear on the cruise control cable connection, possibly as a result of the interference condition with the throttle cover. the current ford recall does not appear to adequately correct the problem or look for this additional problem. *tr

While backing out of drive felt an unusual tug of steering wheel, and steering wheel was rotated approx. 30 degrees. drove it to repair shop where they discovered the lower control arm had rusted away from the subframe mount and the subframe was significantly rusted. also was notified of safety recall 14s02. made appointment and slowly drove vehicle to ford dealership to have recall addressed. dealership replaced only sub frame crossbrace as directed by ford motor co. subframe is still rusted in other areas surrounding newly installed crossbrace and unsafe to drive. dealership wanted over $2000 to replace subframe. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact noticed that the subframe was fractured. the dealer diagnosed that the subframe needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 116,994. updated 3/12/15*cn updated 9/11/2017*cn

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact heard a constant noise coming from the front of the vehicle near the wheels. the dealer stated that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the dealer provided the recall remedy of a newly designed cross brace as an interim repair, but the noise failure recurred. within three months, the power steering failed. the front passenger side wheel was leaning due to the fact that the lower control arm fractured. the subframe was rusted to the point of corrosion. the dealer was notified of the failures. the vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop for diagnostic testing. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

Seems we own a ford escape 2003 which needs a cross brace for the sub frame. the reason for the recall is that the sub frame corrodes and the brace will keep the two sides from breaking apart and splitting them into two halves. that is because it can rust and break. the top of the sub frame of the ford escape is rusted and looks very unsafe. ford would not replace the whole sub frame because it does not effect where they can attach the brace. problem solved ford will not cover the top of the sub frame only the bottom where the brace is installed. question 1: would you or the owner of the ford corp have his daughter and/or his grand daughter drive down rte. 495 doing 65 mph with a rusted-out top sub frame? question 2: i have a brand new ford escape 2014. how long are the iron frame parts of the car good? should i sell it at 5 years or 6? i know that 10 years is too long. *tr

2003 ford escape xlt. airbags didn't deploy when the consumer hit a deer. *ta the consumer stated the front of the vehicle caved in, upon impact. *jb

Severe corrosion caused steering failure. i had taken the car in june 2014 for recall from ford motor company that sever corrosion may cause steering failure. they installed a new bracket. apparently the new bracket did not help because it still failed 6 months later. love driving a car you can not steer safely. ford will not take any responsibility to actually make their car safe. it is heading to the junkyard with 46,000 miles on it. case 5501030 denied by ford. if you are driving an escape, look out. it will fail and ford will do nothing to help you. you may die. *tr

Fuel tank strap broke. strap failure resulted in exhaust system supporting fuel tank. strap failure due to corrosion. photos available....updated12/17/14 *bf updated 9/29/2015*js *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 55 mph, the vehicle accelerated independently and no indicator lights illuminated. the engine rpms went from 800 to 4,000 in one day. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the approximate failure mileage was 160,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 15 mph, the subframe fractured. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the subframe needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 122,000.

I took my 2003 ford escape to dealer to have cross brace put on due to recall. i know more than left their parking lot and notice car driving funny. ever since being put on i have to replace control arm on passenger front, new tires and 2 alignments. now i have to have cv joints replaced because of excessive vibration. i called the dealer and complained about car driving funny they basically told me its not there fault. i have soaked almost $1000 in repairs due to crossbar being put on my car. this needs to be fixed there are flaws in the cross brace being installed on cars. i have had vehicle for almost 3 years with no problems and since dealer messed with my car i have had nothing but problems. *tr

Separation of the lower control arm from the sub-frame causing hard steering and loss of proper control. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure: frame and members). the contact took the vehicle to the dealer to have it repaired according to the recall. the mechanic installed a newly designed reinforcement cross-brace; however, the mechanic could not complete a front end alignment due to an excessive amount of corrosion present. the front end alignment was an enforced procedure per the manufacturer, which was included in the remedy for the recall. the manufacturer was notified and informed the contact that nothing could be done. the contact had not experienced the failure listed in the recall; however, the steering became affected due to the recall. the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. after the vehicle was repaired according to nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure), it was discovered that the front passenger side subframe was corroded and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired and the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 164,429. updated 10/01/14 *bf updated 1/7/2015 *js

This vehicle is part of the ford recall 14s02 (nhtsb #14v165000 ). i had the recall directed cross-brace installed in june 2014 (3 months ago). i was turning a corner at about 5-10 mph, heard a pop in the right front of the car and then heard a scraping sound and had difficulty steering. i had the vehicle towed to the dealership who found that the cross-brace had failed because the subframe gave way. i was told that the brace was only to provide an envelope of safety if the subframe failed but it was not meant to prevent frame failure or correct frame weakness. i was also told that the subframe repair was not covered as part of the recall and that the repair would cost about $2000. i don't think that a quality vehicle would have a frame failure after only 10 years. i think this is a design flaw and that similar to toyota, ford is trying to say they put in a fix but not really fix the real problem. i believe that my frame was severely weakened before the cross-brace was installed and that the subframe should have been replaced instead of the patch fix designed in the recall which ford admitted to me was only to help prevent injuries, not to fix a known design problem. you would think the mechanics would want to protect customers from potentially lethal structural failures. maybe they do but management is only concerned with profits. failing to stand behind the quality of their product will cost ford; they certainly have lost me. *tr

On june 9 2014, i took my escape to the ford dealer to have recall 14s02 performed. we had recently purchased the car and had gotten the recall notice. the service writer called me to say that "the car wasn't safe to drive" because of the rust spots that had eaten through the engine cradle. he warned me that if this went unrepaired, the frame could collapse under the weight of the engine. he reassured me that he was working with ford to replace the engine cradle as part of the recall. he took pictures (twice) of the car and submitted them and a request to ford for the repair. on july 13 2014, more than a month later, the service writer let me know that ford had rejected the repair claim, saying that "they didn't think the rust was significant, it was surface rust, and the car was actually safe to drive." the dealer installed a bracket across the bottom of the rusty cradle. i understand that the bracket is part of the recall. i picked the car up on july 14 2014 and was told that it was safe and not to worry about the rust. we subsequently spent over $1,500 making other repairs to the car, believing it was a good investment. less than 2 months later, on september 5 2014, my daughter experienced a catastrophic failure of the engine cradle, bending the drive axle on the passenger side and rendering the car unable to drive. the service writer had been correct, it was unsafe to drive and it did fail. we had the car towed to the nearest dealer. on september 9 2014, i was told that ford had again rejected the claim to repair the (broken) engine cradle. this time, the reason given was "they had already done the recall" that was meant to address the cradle damage from rust. i have appealed the rejection through ford customer care and through the special services group and they continue to reject the repair. i would like ford to repair the vehicle at their expense. *tr

At a slow speed, steering all of the sudden became erratic. it could not be driven, so my local dealer took a look at it. he is a certified ford mechanic. he said the subframe was damaged and it was directly related to the recall #14s02 which is for a crossbar to the subframe due to a potential loss of steering. we had to have it towed to the only ford dealership in our area, oneonta ford. the put the crossbar in and performed only the specific recall work. they are telling me now that it still cannot be driven as the subframe is damaged. this is directly related to the issue and the recall. i don't feel i should have to pay for this. oneonta ford is not doing the right thing.

My 2003 for escape refuses to start after being driven until several hours if not days later. i have replaced the starter twice the first time it worked for 2 months and it did it again on 9-2-14 replaced the starter again and it will not start still there is no power going to any of the electrical parts in the engine compartment and there is a strong smell of fuel. i have replaced all relays and fuses and still nothing. i was stranded with my 5 month old and 16 month old in 100 degree weather. *tr

As i was driving, i pressed the accelerator approximately 3/4 of the way to pass a vehicle. when i released the pedal- the vehicle continued to accelerate. i was eventually able to get the vehicle to stop after placing the transmission in neutral and firmly applying the brakes. as i came to a stop, the vehicle was beginning to smoke, and i feared it was going to catch on fire. i immediately exited the vehicle, and the engine was still running at full throttle. after several minutes, the vehicle began to smoke worse and then i heard a loud bang. the vehicle motor stopped and a large puddle of oil and metal was on the ground under the vehicle. i have since learned that there is an active recall for this exact problem from ford due to a throttle cable sticking. ford has refused to repair the additional damage caused to my vehicle caused by an active recall. *tr

2003 ford escape. consumer writes in regards to lower control arm corrosion recall notice problems. *smd the dealer informed the consumer, the parts were not available and that was in may. the dealer stated to call back in july. to date, the recall has not been fixed. the consumer referenced recall # 14v165000. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (suspension); however, the part needed for the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the rear driver side interior door was corroded and as a result, exhaust fumes were emitting into the vehicle. the vehicle had not been repaired or diagnosed. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 82,000.

I am writing about a recall for my ford escape. this recall included the front control arms and the subframe. they were being recalled for corrosion on the control arms and if separated from the subframe it could cause significant steering loss and loss of control of the car and increasing chance of an accident. i took my car in for the recall fix, they installed a reinforcement part and sent me on my way. after this, slowly, my steering wheel started becoming cock-eyed. after driving it like that for a few days,i noticed that after i take a left turn the car would jerk as the steering wheel straightened. i immediately called the ford dealer that fixed the recall, since the recall clearly stated that it could lose steering control and asked them to look at it again, thinking that he recall was not fixed properly or something else to do with the recall is failing. they looked at it and said that the subframe is corroded and it has nothing to do with the recall. and that it would cost 1800 dollars to fix. i asked why it wasn't included in the recall since the steering is effected, they said that the subframe wasn't included. i have read several documents about this recall and several of them state that the subframe is included. so i called ford customer care, they stated that the recall only included the subframe if the control arm separated from it before the recall was fixed not after. i think this is so unfair, since clearly the subframe was corroded when they did the recall fix. they had to have seen that, just because it wasn't separated at the time doesn't mean it shouldn't be included. anyway, i ended up taking it to my own mechanic who can fix it for alot less, but it is still costing me 1400 dollars!! i can't afford it, can something be done about this, i think it should be fixed for free, and that the sub frame should be included. please help, thanks. recall 14s02. *tr

Driving vehicle and heard a loud pop and sudden loss of steering. limped the vehicle home and took to dealer who contacted ford for further instructions. they installed a cross brace that does not fix the problem. ford will not do anything to the subframe because it has not fully detached. there is no steering control at all over 15mph and in their eyes it is safe to drive. service manager at the local dealership drove the vehicle and experienced for himself that there is no control over the vehicle. the recall has not fixed the problem at all. *tr

2003 ford escape. consumer writes in regards to waiting for vehicle parts to come in. *smd

The enclosed form with the things fixed should help. i was turning and the wheel almost fell off. i was in the parking lot so nothing was hit or hurt. *tr

Hi, i took my 2003 ford escape into the dealership to have a recall fixed and since the repair the vehicle has gotten worse, the recall was for a steering stabilizer and my steering has gotten more wobbly....i have email both the dealership and the company and so far nothing and that has been since the beginning of june. thank you. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the frame was rusted. the contact mentioned that she felt her vehicle was unsafe to be driven. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure mileage was 56,000. updated 9/19/14*cn updated 2/20/2015 *js

Tl* the contacts owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while parked, the vehicle caught on fire from under the hood. a police report was filed and it was stated that the fire started near the abs brakes. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vin number was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic). the failure and current mileage was 162,063.

While driving to and from work, i have used my speed control at speeds of 75 to 80 and have the speed increase with no input from me. the speeds have gotten up to 90 before i could get it to disengage and this is only after numerous hard inputs on brake pedal and this has happened several times, this problem is after i had the repair done per recall12v-353. the repair was done on 8/17/13, mileage at repair was167,183. this vehicle did not have any problem with speed control before recall work was done. as of now 7/10/14 it is in repair shop to investigate this problem. appr. 186890 miles on vehicle at this time. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the subframe became separated from the passenger side wheel area and also became bent. the power steering assist also failed, which caused the vehicle to veer to the right and slide. the vehicle was towed to a dealer, but there was no diagnostic testing performed. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 123,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the brakes failed after the contact applied force to the brake pedal. the steering wheel began pulling to the right. the vehicle came to a complete stop after applying force to the brake pedal. the manufacturer was notified and did not offer a remedy. the vehicle was driven to a local mechanic, who diagnosed that the abs anti-lock system needed to be replaced. the repairs were not completed on the vehicle. the failure and current mileage were 127,000.

My escape is part of the hhtsa 14v-165 recall. ford dealer inspected suspension/sub frame area on 6/11/2014 and determined it was bad. hole size was approx. 3inx6in. service man said he was only authorized to put on cross brace but also said he would talk to rep about replacing sub frame. he and i both took pictures. i did not feel safe after seeing the flimsy cross brace installed due to the fact that where it bolts on was where a majority of rust is. he even said he wouldn't want to be driving vehicle. after 3 1/2 weeks still can not get an answer if they will replace the bad part. if subframe breaks the cross brace area will not be strong enough to support the weight of vehicle. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated while driving approximately 45 mph, the front end of the vehicle began to shake violently which caused a loss of steering. the contact was able to regain control and maneuvered to the side of the road. the vehicle was towed first to an independent mechanic and then authorized dealer. the technician informed that the passenger's side engine cradle was completely rusted. there was a voluntary recall issued by the manufacturer related to a newly designed engine cradle cross member bracket. the vehicle was repaired under the recall and the problem persisted. the remedy failed to correct the problem. the vehicle had not been repaired for the most recent failure. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

Tl - the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (lower control arm corrosion); however, the part was unavailable to repair the vehicle. the manufacturer was notified. the contact had not experienced a failure. jcc updated 08/19/14*lj updated 08/23/2017*ct

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that he received a notification for recall nhtsa campaign id number 14v165000 (lower control arm). the vehicle was taken to the dealer and a reinforcement cross-brace was installed. the contact stated that the cross-brace was not working for his vehicle due to the front lower control arms being completely rusted. the manufacturer was notified about the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 122,000.

I have taken my car to a ford dealer three weeks ago and they had to order the part. i'm still waiting for them to call me for my repairs. mike castrucci st. rt.28 milford,ohio 45150. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that she received nhtsa recall campaign notice 14v165000 (steering) in may 2014 and attempted to have the vehicle repaired but the parts were unavailable. the manufacturer was notified of the delay. there were no failures at this time.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the latches and locks on three of the doors were inoperable. the rear passenger side door was the only door that was operable. the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 145,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the lower control arm failed and caused a loss of steering control. the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (suspension). the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it remained for two months however, once the vehicle was returned to the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 78,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. additionally, the contact stated that the lower control arm fractured. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the sub frame failed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 102,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the air bag warning indicator remained illuminated. the dealer was notified of the failure however, they stated there were no recalls. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 112,000...updated 08/11/14 *cn

Tl * the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 65 mph, she heard a loud popping sound and lost control of the vehicle. the contact mentioned that the vehicle went across four lanes, rolled over twice, landed into incoming traffic and none of the air bags deployed. a police report was filed. the driver sustained three broken vertebrae, and lacerations to her head. the vehicle was destroyed. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 68,000.

My car is a part of a recall for rust and the lower control arm, but i think that scope is too narrow. my escape has rusted wheel wells and a rusted gas tank cover that i can see. i have also ready had to replace anti-lock brakes for rust, along with the exhaust system and all of its parts, the front lower control arms, sway bar links and all parts of the oil pan. all of this is due to rust. this was at the mileage of 58,465. i still have less than 80,000 miles but i am afraid to drive my car the 90 miles from my home to the jersey shore. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that there was a loud abnormal noise heard as the vehicle stalled. the contact mentioned that the lower control arm became detached from the sub frame, which had extensive corrosion. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the lower control arm, the sub frame and the cv joint needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign id number: 14v165000 (suspension). the approximate failure mileage was 230,000.

My airbag light stay on, had ford dealer check out the problem, inform of the defect with the seat belts harness is not working up to stander. if i got into a crash, the seat belts would not hold me back. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign id number: 14v165000 (suspension) and stated that the parts were not available. the dealer did not give a specific date when the parts would become available. the manufacturer could not provide an estimated date for when the contact's vehicle would receive the recall repairs. the contact had not experienced a failure.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the air bag failed to activate when the seat occupant was utilizing the seat. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where the failure was unable to be replicated. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 230,907. updated 09/02/14*lj the consumer stated the vehicle was taken to be repaired. it was advised that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. the failure continued. updated 09/12/2014 *js

We bought my 2003 ford escape june 13th 2012 for 8k. we drove around town and made a quick stop before going home. the escape would not start back up. we bought a new battery had that placed. attempted to drive and the truck started and shut back off. we finally got it to start got it back to the dealer and they replaced the entire fuel system. we got on the highway a few day later the car stalled out. so for the past 20 months of owning the car it stalls out at home, on the road, and on the highway. i drive to work and home. once it has been driven it shuts off. i have taken it to two dealerships including the one that i bought it from groove ford in colorado and 8 other mechanics. they cannot diagnose what the problem is as the computer does not state what's wrong. i have put thousands of dollars into this suv. as well as asking other ford escape owners that i see driving around town if they have had this experience. it is totally unsafe to drive a vehicle that stalls while you are driving. please tell ford to look into this. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign id number: 14v165000 (suspension-lower control arm regional) and was taken to the dealer for repairs. the dealer confirmed that there were rust holes on the surface of the frame and made an interim repair, which included attaching a cross member and support bar to the subframe. the contact stated that shortly after the recall repairs were performed, the vehicle would exhibit an abnormal popping noise from the front end. the contact was traveling approximately 25 mph and attempting to complete a turn when the loud, popping noise was heard. the lower control arm became detached from the subframe on the front passenger's side. the vehicle then began to shake violently and the contact was not able to control the steering wheel. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where it was diagnosed that the entire subframe needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the failure multiple times. the approximate failure mileage was 121,716.

I cant remember i just remember my head lights going out and i tried to control my car and couldn't. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, there was a loud noise from the rear of the vehicle. the vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the roadway where the contact fuel tank straps were fractured. the vehicle was taken to a dealer, who stated that both fuel tank straps needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 100,489.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated while driving approximately 70 mph, a loud noise emitted from the rear exterior on the driver's side. the vehicle was taken independent mechanic where an unknown repair was performed. after the vehicle was repaired there was a slight reduction in noise. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 145,920.

Accelerator stuck causing driver to lose control and go off road into a building. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle abnormally accelerated without warning. the vehicle was serviced under nhtsa campaign number 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling vehicle speed control) however, the failure was not corrected. the vehicle later stalled while traveling 60 mph and the contact was able to stop the acceleration failure by forcefully applying the brakes. the manufacture was made aware of the failure. the dealer inspected the vehicle and advised that the throttle needed to be cleaned or replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the current and failure mileage was 140,000. *tr

We purchased the vehicle 30 minutes prior. we were in stop and go traffic until leaving the freeway 1 lights prior to the accident. when my daughter tried to use the brakes the pedal went straight to the floor. when she pumped them numerous times, there wasn't any change. she didn't have any brakes. she rear ended my newly purchased vehicle from the same dealership. police were at the light where she rearended me. they confirmed no brakes, my husband did, the tow truck driver too. when it was received to the body shop on monday morning the brakes were very soft according to the technician. after sitting for a week, the brakes worked fine. they cant determine why the brakes failed. the dealership was the first call i made at the accident and they told me they know it had legal brakes. come to find out the brake fluid was black and has an outstanding recall with the abs that had never been taken care of. there is also a recall on certain master cylinders which were faulty/leaking and the stock numbers. unfortunately the stock number was removed from the master cylinder. we have a vehicle that never even made it to our home that is now totaled. the dealership is only going to "make it right" with proof that the brakes failed. the police report states such and i have the report from the bodyshop, but after waiting for the insurance to have the test done, they cant confirm loss of brakes. they can only state the fluid being black. we now are having to fight to not lose our trade in value and to not have a reportable accident against my daughter vs a mechanical failure. this is a nightmare both the dealership and the insurance are not making this easy. the most expensive vehicle i ever owned for 30 minutes is all i can say. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving downhill at approximately 5 mph, a loud noise emitted as the vehicle suddenly came to a stop. the contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the front passenger's side tire was collapsed inwardly which caused the control arm to fracture. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 149,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated while driving approximately 65 mph he tried to accelerate and the rpms increased. the brake failed to engage until he put the gear shift into neutral. the contact was able to maneuver the vehicle to the side of the road, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the mechanic diagnosed that there was to much air going into the throttle body, and the cold air was freezing the throttle body and prevented it from functioning properly. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 76,000. updated 3/5/14*cn *tr

I took my vehicle in for the recall due to involuntary acceleration and had the recall completed about 1-1.5 years ago. today, when i was leaving work for lunch, the vehicle automatically began accelerating when it was taken out of park. when i would try to stop, the vehicle would stop for a second, then begin to try to accelerate again. i was able to make it home safely only because i thought to put the vehicle into neutral at any stop signs or stop lights, then back into drive when the lights turned green again. i only knew to do this because i had had the same type of issues prior to the recall. in this incident, i never once used the cruise control though. it accelerated all on its own. i had one other situation similar to this about a year ago, but that was when i was using my cruise control and it wouldn't disengage. my local ford dealership will not look at it unless i pay the $80 diagnostic fee, which is ridiculous because this issue was supposed to have been fixed. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph with the cruise control activated, the vehicle began to accelerate independently. the contact shifted into neutral and the engine revved. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the they could not diagnose the cause of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 107,000. . ..updated 03-12-14 *bf the consumer stated over the course of 2 years, the vehicle has accelerated on its own. the consumer took the vehicle to 2 garages and 3 ford dealerships, and no one could find anything wrong. updated 04/01/14

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while riving 45 mph, the vehicle accelerated and continued to accelerate as the contact applied the brakes. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and had not been diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 136,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the vehicle stalled as the battery warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the contact mentioned that the failure recurred several times. the technician diagnosed that the rear plugs had popped out, causing damage to the coil pack. as a result, the coil pack needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 120,000 and the current mileage was 181,000.

I have entered the vin correctly but your system doesn't recognize it. first flat tire in the 10 years i have owned car purchased new. jack, jack tools and temporary spare never used before.. following owner's manual instructions, jack does not raise vehicle high enough to remove original equipment wheel and specified standard-size tire. attempted flat repair on flat paved surface. i have 50 years experience working on automobiles.this flaw could be life-threatening if someone is trying to replace a flat tire in dangerous conditions (darkness, weather, dangerous location,medical emergency). the jack works mechanically and lifted the right rear corner of the vehicle but lacked 4 to 6 inches of lifting vehicle high enough to remove wheel. this is a factory defect and not an incompetent user. jack was positioned as shown in manual. my first car was a 1931 model a ford and this is the first time i have encountered an oem jack that wouldn't work at least once. *tr

While driving my ford escape the egr valve blew apart. this has happened 3 times. it was replaced all 3 times and it continues to happen. when it happens the entire vehicle shakes violently and is very hard to steer. it is very dangerous. i have joined a few message boards online and found that this is a common problem with this make and model. i feel this is some type of internal problem and needs to be addressed before someone gets hurt or worse. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle would independently accelerate. the vehicle was serviced under nhtsa campaign number: 12v353000 (engine, speed control) however, the speed acceleration failure persisted. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 36,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 65 mph, the vehicle began to jerk and lunge. in addition, there was a burning odor. the contact shut off the engine but after restarting, he was unable to shift into any gear. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 195,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while having routine maintenance performed on the vehicle, the mechanic informed the contact that the sub frame was rusted. the vehicle was repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. the approximate failure mileage was 110,000.

I had the alternator go out in the middle of a busy intersection in the middle of rush hour traffic. i was very fortunate not to have gotten hit. however, there was an accident involving 2 other vehicles due to my being stopped. an alternator going out is not normally something to file a complaint on. it went out again in 4 days. ok, bad alternator, it happens. i get on google to find out that this is an ongoing problem with the 2003 escapes and it's listed all over the internet. i had no advanced warning that this was going out. i'm almost afraid to drive out of town. i don't know about you all, but, i am financially in bad shape due to the economy. i am working full time for the same wages i made in the 1980's i can't afford multiple automobile repairs for a problem that requires as much time to replace as this does. the front axle has to be removed in order to replace it so it is not a cheap repair. why would a repair shop want to honor a faulty part when evidently it's an ongoing problem with the vehicle. i sure wouldn't!!! when is this alternator defect going to cause a serious accident and someone's kids get killed. had i been farther into the intersection, it would have been much worse.[xxx] like i said, i had no warning, it just died. i have 160,000 miles on the vehicle so i can understand the first one going out. but what about the 2nd 4 days later? and this is a nationwide problem that has been going on for several years and ford is aware of it!!! information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle was included in and repaired under nhtsa campaign id number: 04v574000 (vehicle speed control). the contact stated that there were no failures prior to the recall service. after the recall service while the contact was driving approximately 40 mph, the driver released the accelerator pedal but the vehicle would not decelerate. the accelerator pedal released after the brakes were continually depressed. the failure recurred three times. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 104,000. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while in after shifting into drive from reverse, the contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle erroneously accelerated and the contact crashed into a fence and a tree before coming to a stop. the contact sustained cuts to the arms and face as well as bruises to the knee, shoulders, and back. the contact also mentioned that the vehicle was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign number 04v574000 (vehicle speed control) and nhtsa campaign number 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control). a police report was filed. the vehicle was destroyed. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure and current mileage was 68,000.

Loss of use of brakes while coming to a stop at a busy intersection. jamming the brakes all the way to the floor brought the car to a stop, but was very slow to respond. mechanic inspected hoses and lines and found the passenger front brake hose to be split and leaking. this was a horrifying experience as i had my young kids in the vehicle. fortunately, i was not stopping from a faster velocity when this issue occurred. i have learned that the tight bends in the brake hose(s) on this make/model of vehicle may be a factor for his happening to various consumers, so this is worth investigating. *tr

While that vehicle was being operated; decelerating from about 35 mph, a very loud pop noise was heard and the front passenger side became unstable and steering became unreliable. vehicle was stopped immediately. upon initial inspection is appears that the wheel became partially detached from vehicle. after a thorough inspection is appears that the rear mounting bolt of the front passenger side control arm had detached from the sub-frame. this part of the sub-frame show excessive corrosion which led to the failure of the control arm mounting point. as a result of the failure the vehicle lost all ability to maintain effective stability. luckily the vehicle was already decelerating and being operated on a roadway that had sufficient room to make corrective measure otherwise the outcome of this failure easily could have been catastrophic and fatal. the vehicle has less than 100,000 miles. the body and other parts of the frame do not have significant amounts of rust. *tr

On may 2 2013, my daughter lost the ability to steer the vehicle while driving at 35 mph on a busy city street. the vehicle made a left turn in front of oncoming traffic and eventually came to a stop in the entrance driveway of a fast food restaurant. it was towed to the local ford dealership, where it was determined that the subframe had failed due to corrossion which caused the right front passenger tire to become partially detached from the vehicle. it appears the failure may be related to the vehicle air conditioning discharging condensate on the affected part. the ford dealer advised they had seen 1 other vehicle recently with the same issue. i have asked for a factory representative to investigate the failure but so far my request has not been honored. *tr

On may 8,2013, the anti-theft alarm sounded while my car sat in the driveway. it had not been driven for 3 + hours. upon investigation of the alarm, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. the wiring harness attached to the abs had a small flame and smoke from its wiring insulation. after extinguishing the flame and disconnecting the battery, i called for a tow . the safety features worked well and locked out the entire auto system. the service technician said there was a recall ( recall 07s51 suppl #2 dtd 9 oct 2009 ) and that ford should probably provide a fix or credit toward said fix. the car was then towed to a ford dealership. the current status is: 1.) the wiring harness is no longer manufactured by ford and the dealership has no approved provisions to secure a harness. 2.) recall 07s51 was implemented per their records so there is no provision for the dealership to fix this issue even if they could get a wiring harness and then troubleshoot the extent of the damage.3.) my private insurance's comprehensive plan does not cover a vehicle sitting static for a wiring fire. 4.) i am awaiting forms from ford quality group to plea for consideration. once the forms are completed and received by ford corporate offices, their lawyers will require approx 15 days to make a determination if my claim has merit. *tr

The incident occurred during rust hour traffic. my vehicle was on the highway at 70 mph, i had the cruise control on. i tried to slowdown by pressing on the brake but the vehicle started to accelerate. i had to move to the slow lane (2 lanes to the right) to get to the shoulder.i had to literally stand on the brake pedal with my whole weight on the peddle to stop the vehicle. i was able to slow down the vehicle and stop by forcing the gear lever in to park position. when the vehicle stopped, the engine was still accelerating. i had to turn off the ignition to stop the engine acceleration. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the rpm increased excessively and the vehicle suddenly accelerated which caused the contact to crash into a building. the contact was rushed to the hospital where he sustained back and neck injuries. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic where it was not diagnosed for the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number : 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling , vehicle speed control). the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure and current mileage was 150,000. *tr..updated 06/24/13 *bf updated 06/28/2013 *js

Upon start-up the engine immediately revved to 4000 to 5000 rpm & would not return to idle. gas pedal was not depressed. this happened multiple times. moving the gas pedal had no effect. car was shut off. reaching by hand to the end of the pedal assembly where the throttle cable is attached, it was determined that the cable did not return to the idle position. by pushing the end of the cable the throttle returned to idle. the car was started & ran at normal idle speed. *tr

The front brake line hoses blew out (r & l) while driving in the city. the parking brake was ineffective in slowing the vehicle as it was traveling down hill. with no means of slowing, the vehicle was turned into a parking lot in an attempt to get on level ground where it was more controllable and could be stopped more easily. the parking lot was not large enough to slow the vehicle and a choice had to be made to crash into a building or drive off the edge of the parking lot to another lot that was approximately 4 feet lower. the 2nd option was chosen. once the vehicle had landed with great force, it was directed uphill where it eventually came to a stop and put into park. unfortunately, extensive damage was done to the frame and underside of the vehicle including oil pan, exhaust system, engine mounts, radiator support frame and under body engine and transmission mounting points. i was told by the tow truck driver, the firestone auto center and found in other research that ford escapes are known for rubber brake line failures. i have had vehicles much older than this and have never had a rubber brake line dry rot and rupture like these. this seems to be a known issue and should be addressed before more damage is done and more people injured or worse. we were lucky. this could have been much worse. safety issues like this need to be addressed with an immediate recall. *tr

Back in oct 2012 took the car to malcolm cunningham ford dealership in camblee ga b/c of the recall of the cruise control cable which causes the throttle to get stuck-gas peddle. they claimed they fixed it. sunday morning @11:30 am on april 14th while on my way to church on i-285 my gas peddle got stuck & i could not stop the car. for 6 miles i tried everything to stop the car emergency brake was all the way up, pump the brake. shift the gear to one but car kept on going fast. the car speed was between 60 & 80mph. finally called 911 & they advise me to put the car in neutral . the car finally stopped and back tire blew. i had my friend and her daughter in the car. if the car did not stop i was going to crash it into the guard rail. i had the car towed back to malcolm cunnigham ford and yesterday the provide me with a rental and also called me today to advise that in fact what they claimed they fixed in october was never fixed all they did was disconnect cruise control cable. which i already knew when i looked under the hood sunday with the police officer. i want others to be warn about this recall in there car because there has already been one death because of this recall issue. sunday for me could have turned out bad because of the negligence of this dealership. *tr

My ford escape is rusting above the back wheels i also noticed the same rust on similar models and years of the escape is there a recall there should be. *tr

2003 ford escape . subframe rotted and control arm came off. left passenger. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that she received notification of nhtsa campaign id number 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control) and took the vehicle to the dealer for recall repairs. the contact stated that approximately six months after having the vehicle serviced under the recall the vehicle began to exhibit acceleration issues. the contact was driving approximately 20 mph and the vehicle would not accelerate over 60 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they advised her that the catalytic converter failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was approximately 86,900. the current mileage was approximately 88,841. *tr

Left work and driving on a back road at 15 mph and was approaching a stop sign, applied the brakes and heard a loud snap/pop. the right side of the vehicle instantly slammed down/dropped to the road; steering locked; i had no control over the vehicle; slid a few feet and stopped. the passenger tire was pinned between the ground and the vehicle. the axle was hanging and the sub frame was visible. it was clear that the subframe had literally snapped at a weld joint without warning. weld joint snapped on subframe. this vehicle is only 9yrs w/70k miles and mostly garaged; a major safety concern. this would have worse at high rate of speed, if not fatal. vehicle then towed to a ford dealership. i requested to have a ford rep review the case. the dealership told me i had to call ford. after calling, they then told me i had to request this through the dealership, but gave me a case number. the dealership then informed me that ford were not interested in reviewing the vehicle and wouldn't do anything and that i had call ford. i called ford back who escalated my case and an acct mgr called me back who explained there was nothing they could do at this time. over 1100 in repairs are required due to a faulty frame. i asked repeatedly that this particular subframe failure be investigated as a quality/mfg problem and i requested an investigation and informed the company of several other cases that log the same Â??exactÂ?? description and failure of the subframe. the company told me "keep my receipt". i stressed my dissatisfaction with how this was handled, but nothing could be done at this time. ford should at a min. issue a service bulletin to have the sub frame inspected to all of the escape owners, so failures can be avoided before they happen. this is from a very dissatisfied customer and will choose no longer to purchase any ford products, based on this experience. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that an unknown fluid was leaking from the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the torque converter became cracked and would need to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 63,085 and the current mileage was 80,000.

The vehicle was being operated on city streets. as the vehicle approached a stop sign the brakes were applied, a loud crash and screech was heard as the vehicle fell to the ground and tire was dragged along. the front passenger side control arm has come detached from the vehicle because the front sub-frame had failed. the vehicle had to be towed to the shop. the failure was reported to be caused by corrosion. the vehicle only has 94,160 miles on it. *tr

I preface my comments by stating that i am a powertrain engineer for an american auto manufacturer. i owned a 2003 ford escape which i sold to my mother-in-law in 2011. we have experienced throttle sticking with the vehicle both before and after the cruise control recall. after receiving a frantic call from her this evening that the throttle had stuck while traveling 70 mph on the highway, i have grown sick of remaining silent. there is another large problem that the cruise control recall does not address. in cold temperatures, the throttle can freeze due to introduction of humid air from the pcv (positive crankcase ventilation) system. the humid air combines with the sub-freezing fresh air to freeze on the throttle valve and render the gas pedal useless. while i owned the escape from 2007-2011, i experienced the frozen throttle several times. after the dealership was unable to resolve the problem, i grew frustrated knowing that the vehicle was unsafe but was morally withheld from selling the vehicle to an unsuspecting customer. i began to investigate the issue and the circumstances which caused it. this was when i discovered the pcv issue. i created a fix for the system and saw all throttle sticking/freezing issues go away. after driving the vehicle for two years with no issues, i felt comfortable selling the vehicle to my mother-in-law. however, when she took the vehicle to the dealership this summer for the cruise control recall, the dealership removed the pcv fix i had in place. i was unaware of this until tonight when i received her frantic call that the throttle was stuck (it is 15 deg f here). upon inspecting the vehicle, i saw that the pcv system had been restored to the original faulty configuration by the dealership which created the freezing conditions again. disaster was avoided tonight, but i don't want it to happen again. *tr

My wife's has a 2003 ford escape. we were driving luckily at a low speed when we heard a pop in the passenger front end and lost control of steering. the subframe on passenger side control arm popped and subframe is rotted. this should not happen to a vehicle that is only 10 years old. i saw that nhtsa did an investigation that deemed 2003 windstars unsafe do to the same exact problem safety recall notice 11s16. my wife is pregnant and if she was driving any faster and this had happened ford company could have put my wife and our baby in danger. i do not feel that i should have to pay for repairs on this vehicle when the same year vehicles have issues with them. my next contact is my lawyers office because if this would have happened to my wife the day before when we were on the freeway ford would be responsible for knowing other vehicles in the same year had the exact same issue. i do not want to see other people in danger and ford needs to step up and take responsibility for there vehicle defects. *tr

I took off on a 4 lane highway one morning and depressed the gas pedal mostly as i was merging in traffic. when i attempted to let off the pedal, the car continued to accelerate. this was the second time this has happened to this car. currently there have been two recalls regarding a random acceleration problem. the first was repaired when it happened due to an accelerator cable problem. this time, i quickly shifted to neutral and pulled over...coincidentally next to a state police officer. he assisted me in releasing the throttle body on this car as it was clearly stuck. the date i provided is not an exact date, however, i called ford the day it happened and they said they couldn't do anything about it because the original recall was said to be fixed. i left the engine cover off up until today, which is because it's being fixed due to the current recall. this brings me to my current issue. i have called ford once more since the incident asking them if they found the solution and if they would repair my cruise control cable, as it was damaged (which also is the description of the recall). they say it's a pre-existing condition which is very untrue because i have called twice about this issue, long before the recall. i verified that they do show record that i called. i want them to pay for this $35 cruise cable because it's their fault it broke, due from a safety issue, and i called about it long before this recall which should prove i have a legitimate complaint. fortunately for ford and myself, i was intelligent enough to know how to stop the vehicle prior to an accident. *tr

I entered my car to see the dash board lights were illuminated even with car in off poistion and key removed. tried starting car and there was no response. tried several times and eventually got car to start. drove several blocks, parked and the car and even after removing key, could not get car to turn off. after several attempts, the car turned off. i could hear what sounded like a fan running in the area near my break fluid. after letting the car sit for about 2 hours, i needed to drive home. i drove serveral hundred yards before i started to smell burning rubber. when i saw black smoke coming from under my hood i pulled off the road. the flames started to get bigger. i call 911 but they did not arrive in time to save the car. the car was engulfed in flames. the engine and interitor were torched. cause of fire has yet to be determined.

Sudden and rapid uncontrollable acceleration after removing my foot from accelerator. despite my best efforts to brake and arrest my movement the vehicle still was moving forward. i impacted the rear end of a truck that thankfully was heavy enough to completely stop my forward movement. i had this vehicle in my local ford dealer to address the cruise control recall. i was assured by the technicians that it was indeed modified (that the plastic engine cover was fitted with new longer fittings/bolts). this uncontrollable acceleration incident happened after alleged recall/repair. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that she received recall nhtsa campaign id number: 12v353000 (vehicle speed control:cables). the contact stated she took the vehicle to the dealer for repair in august of 2012 and was told that she would have to wait until the parts were available to get the vehicle repaired. the contact stated that she called back in october and was told that the parts were still unavailable. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer to have nhtsa campaign id number: 12v353000 (vehicle speed control: cables) performed, however the defect was not corrected. the contact stated that while driving with out the accelerator pedal engaged, the vehicle accelerated to 45mph and the rpm increased to 1,000. the vehicle was driven to the dealer for further inspection. the vin was not available. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 157,000.

The exterior paint is peeling off in large pieces. starting to rust. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for recall repairs associated with nhtsa campaign id number 12v353000 (vehicle speed control: cables). the remedy part was unavailable at the time and as an interim remedy the speed control cable was disconnected and reconnected when the recall part became available. however, the cruise control failed to operate after the remedy repair was performed. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer who informed they were not liable and the repair would be at the owner's expense. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 166,310.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 25 mph, the contact noticed a loud snap and a knocking sound coming from the front end of the vehicle. a few days later the contact noticed that the steering wheel became uncontrollable and continued to pull to one side. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the mechanic stated that the a frame was corroded and detached from the vehicle, causing damage to the abs and the tie rod. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a complaint was filed. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 45,000.

My car is misfiring and stalling on de-acceleration (when we slow down). it started recently. first it had the engine light come on. we had it tested by a mechanic with the electrical reader and it said we needed a new coil. we replaced the coil, did a full tune up and it still is not working. after many hours of research we see that the ford escape pcm has been a consistent manufacturing problem and the 2003 ford escape had this problem. i call ford and they tell me my car was not covered under that particular recall. however, it is clear that this is a serious problem with ford escape. what i am to do? drive the car like this and risk it stalling in an intersection or on a hill and have the possibility of a crash? ford should be held responsible for this manufacturing problem that they have documented over the years. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started to shake abnormally. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the passenger side axle was fractured and the frame was corroded, and cracked. in addition, the wheel bearings and the brakes were defective. as a result, the frame and axle needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 102,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while sitting at a stop sign, there was an increase in engine rpms up to 7,000. the contact mentioned that she shifted to park and shut off the engine in order to maintain control of the vehicle. after inspecting and restarting the vehicle, the contact realized that the failure was not caused by a stuck accelerator pedal since the engine remained revved up. the vehicle was towed to dealer who diagnosed that the failure was caused by carbon build up in the throttle body plates which kept the plates open and did not allow it to close. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 199,000 and the approximately current mileage was 217,000. updated 8/30/12 *cn updated 09/05/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph, he heard a noise coming from under the hood. he pulled over and opened the hood when the smell of fuel and smoke emitted from under the hood near the spark plugs. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnosis. the dealer stated that they needed to replace the head of the engine. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and stated that there were no recalls for the failure. the failure and the current mileage was 100,200. updated 09/11/12*lj the consumer stated the spark plugs blew out of the engine head and stripped the treads in the heads. updated 09/13/12

While driving my escape, the front brakes started to make a knocking/thumping noise. when i got home, i removed the tires and notice that both the front disk brakes rotors where de-laminating. with you finger nail you could pull off hunks of metal. i still have both rotors. and the brakes had only about 15,000 miles on them. brake job was done by a ford dealer. the disk where turned and they are original equipment. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape xlt. the contact was traveling 35 mph when the air bag warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 133,000 and the current mileage was 133,400. updated 8/28/12 cn updated 08/29/12. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated there was a recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling). the authorized dealer and manufacturer were notified and they both informed the contact that the part was unavailable. the dealer stated until the part became available a temporary repair would be performed which consisted of disconnecting the cruise control cable. the contact had concern of the safety issue regarding the recall temporary repair. the contact had not experienced a failure.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while attempting a left turn, the vehicle suddenly accelerated as if the cruise control was engaged. the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a fence. the police were notified and a citation was issued. there were no injuries and there were minor scratches to the vehicle's front bumper. the vehicle was drivable after the crash. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 97,016.

I had just stepped down on the accelerator (harder than usual) to pass two semi's. the throttle stuck in full speed. i was able to stop by turning the key off and pulling off to the shoulder. after calling the ford dealer at albert lea minnesota he suggested that i look around in the are where the rubber air intake is and if possible take the rubber intake off and feel around inside. while doing that i could see that the shaft at the end of the cruise cable had jammed up against the engine cover and locked up at full speed. i was able to force it back into drivable position and called the albert lea dealer to tell them what the issue was. then i stopped at the ford dealer in rochester minnesota to take a look at tell me if the car was safe. they took the engine cover off and told me it was good to drive. later i took it to my regular mechanic and he took it one step farther by disconnecting the cruise from the throttle control shaft. i will be insisting that ford do the fix to raise the engine cover and replace the cruise control as the cable for the cruise is bent near throttle control end. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the vehicle accelerated on its own. the contact had to place both feet on the brake pedal before stopping the vehicle. the vehicle was then towed to the dealer for a diagnosis. the dealer stated that they needed to replace the accelerator cable. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 98,000 and the current mileage was 103,000. updated 8/23/12 *cn the consumer stated the vehicle accelerated for 60mph to over 100mph in 2 miles. the engine reached 7000rpm. the brakes and parking brake locked. the vehicle was stopped by turning the ignition off. updated 09/06/2012 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle would stall without warning. the vehicle would also accelerate suddenly. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the power train control module needed to be replaced, but that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa recall campaign id number:04v165000(power train: automatic transmission: control module(tcm.pcm). the failure mileage was 118,000 and the current mileage was 119,000.

While driving approximately 35 mph, i lifted my foot from the accelerator pedal as i approached a red traffic light at an intersection. the pedal stuck and the vehicle continued to travel at approximately 35 mph. the vehicle traveled partially through the intersection, before i was able to stop the vehicle by braking. fortunately, no other vehicles were traveling through the intersection and i escaped being involved in a serious traffic accident. this vehicle's accelerator pedal has since stuck on other occasions. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact was driving approximately 40 mph and the srs warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel until the engine was turned off. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the wiring harness was replaced. most recently, the malfunction recurred. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 35,000.

Friend had just installed fuel filter on car. was testing car - had car in park - floored accelerator, accelerator became stuck. wouldn't budge. they opened up hood and had to cut cruise control cable to make shorter this auto had previously been recalled for vehicle speed control cable and been repaired. i believe the accelerator became stuck as a result of this not being done properly. i believe it was done before they corrected the way they were doing it. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle abnormally accelerated. the contact stated that he had to shift the vehicle into neutral and coast to the side of the road in order to stop the failure. the contact restarted the vehicle after allowing the engine to cool and took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection. the dealer cleaned out the throttle body and stated that ice was building up around the carburetor. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. the failure mileage was 95,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated the air bags light illuminates and there was a constant beeping sound in the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who ran a diagnostic test and there was a code#b1869 stating the wiring harness for the driver and passenger seats and body harnesses needed to be replaced. this would be an expense of $686 to the contact. the manufacturer was notified who offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 86,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated the abs light illuminated intermittently and the brake pedal bounced abnormally when depressed. in addition, there was a burning odor released from under the hood. the vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who inspected the vehicle and located the failure at the abs module. the manufacturer was made a ware of the failure and denied assistance with the repair, stating that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic: antilock: control unit/module). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 60,000.

Sudden abs failure small accident.took abs relay out after this brakes work fine. *js

Airbag warning light repeatedly flashes warning code#47. lic mech can clean connector contacts and reset computer code but if won't reset, bag(s) may not deploy. mech advises prob is well known occurrence w/ 1999-2005 ford escapes. codes#46/47 (drivers seat/rt frt passenger seat) appearing as a result of original equipment defective wiring harnesses for airbag/pretensioner seat belt system. only fix if light stays on and can't be reset is to replace wire harnesses; cost $550+ (must remove seats, pull up carpet to gain access to harness and replace same) . nhtsa investigated issue in 1999 (action# sq99026 nov.'99-may.-2000) but closed case with no further action. internet inquiry indicates large number of complaints about above and also failure of airbag deployment in accidents. internet indicates issue involves mazda tributes also as ford associated with mazda and uses same harness and system. ford apparently has a replacement harness to fix problem but owners must pay for part and labor as ford doesn't acknowledge defective original equipment. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape xlt. the contacted stated that the vehicle was inspected by a private mechanic who informed the contact that there was corrosion of the sub frame ball joints and control arms. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the failure and the current mileages were 124,000.

When i am driving my car will try to die and all gauges will go to the highest rpm, speed, and full gas, then it will go back to zero and then proceed to the speed i was going, the battery light will keep flashing but no check engine light comes on. when i researched it, it seems that on more than ten occasions if not more are having the same electrical problem and no garage can figure out, they try replacing alternators, batteries, and wires and grounds and nothing is working, it can't be read on codes because nothing is showing up. if you ask me this should be a recall because if you search it in bing over two hundred matches comes up with the same complaint!!! *tr

This vehicle has a bad misfire problem,rough idle as well as bad hitching on highway. looked it up on yahoo answers and a lot of people are having the same problem. is there going to be a recall on these vehicles. i'm hearing faulty computers. *tr

When i recently had my routine maintenance check on my vehicle i was horrified when my mechanic informed me that the front sub frame was rusted from the inside out! can you imagine my utter shock when my mechanic advised me that this vehicle is prohibited to be driven since catastrophic outcomes would be likely? how very fortunate nothing fatal took place while being in this vehicle; because based on the condition of the sub frame it could have been my reality to suffer detrimental consequences. my young children are in this suv every single day and to think their lives were at risk just by being a passenger has sickened me beyond words. i had no other choice but to get it repaired asap, so i informed the customer relationship center of ford motor company as instructed by their website and all they could do was apologize for any inconvenience. this frightening situation goes far beyond from being an inconvenience it could have been a major life threatening issue. i was not asking ford for a new vehicle, i simply was asking for assistance towards a major expense that was not caused by my lack of protecting my major investment with routine maintenance checks but by ford having defective sub-frames installed in their vehicles. my mechanic has never seen such a structural defect as this ever before! ford has already manufactured vehicles that involved major recalls for the exact same problem, so quite naturally other ford models could suffer the same dangerous consequences with regards to the front sub frame . i believe an investigation on this horrific issue is deemed a necessity due to the history of ford's sub frames. this has been very devastating to me and i can't imagine allowing another consumer to endure this major fear. your attention to this is appreciated. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated several times without warning. on one occasion, the contact was turning right at 20 mph and the vehicle accelerated before pressure was applied to the accelerator pedal. the contact stated that the vehicle continued to accelerate until it stalled. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on several occasions, but they were unable to diagnose the failure. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 70,000. the vin was not available.

On both sides of my car just above the tires the paint has peeled off and has started to rust. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle was parked in a residential driveway when there was a loud noise and the entire vehicle became engulfed in flames. the fire department was called and extinguished the fire. the origin of the fire was unknown and a fire report was filed. there were no injuries and the insurance company was contacted. there had been no maintenance performed on the vehicle prior to the failure for at least six months. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 157,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that she noticed a leakage on her driveway. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and they informed her that the brake hose fractured and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer had not been notified. in addition, the contact mentioned that the lift gate would not open. the vehicle had not been inspected by a dealer nor had it been repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

2003 ford escape. consumer states cruise control will not turn on *tgw

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while decelerating at various speeds, the vehicle would stall. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on several occasions, but they were unable to duplicate or diagnose the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 04v165000 (power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm, pcm)). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the vehicle started to jerk violently and exhibited an abnormally loud noise. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised that that the front driver side wheel bolts were sliding or breaking off and as a result, they would need to replaced the entire wheel assembly. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 120,000 and the current mileage was 120,045.

The vehicle stalls (loses all power and comes to a halt) at low speeds even sometimes in reverse gear. it has happened at parking lots at low speeds or when i am just about to take off at traffic lights. only happens at low speeds. have taken it to the dealership multiple times, have gotten the computer module reprogrammed, changed battery, alternator, idler controller valve and relay so far. none of these have fixed the problem, the car is back with the mechanic for other checks. the problem has been very intermittent, it sometimes happens and sometimes does not!. taking the key out and putting it back and starting the engine again gets me moving again!. so far i have been lucky not to be hit by anyone from behind!. *tr

Driving on interstate at 70 mph, back tire blew out, car spun, lost control, rolled x 2. car landed on roof. driver had miner injuries, cuts, bruises, transported to hospital by ambulance, released from e.d. in 2 hours.car is total loss. tires all with minimal wear, lots of tread, warratied for 60,000 miles, this tire failed at 30,000 miles. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 25 mph, the low sub frame on the passenger side separated from the vehicle and the contact lost control of the vehicle. a local mechanic diagnosed that the sub frame failed due to rust. the dealer and manufacturer denied any assistance with repairs to the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 70,000. the vin was unavailable.

Paint of ford escape 2003 peeling on the front. there are two large spots about 1 square foot each. i have called ford in greenville, sc few times but to no avail. this problem started about 4 years ago with two 3/8 of an inch size flakes. the suv has been garaged and has been taken good care of however now the paint is flaking with sections at a time. i have researched and have seen the exact same model with the same problem. at one point i have attempted to enter another ford escape assuming it was my car because of the similarity with the paint. there are several discussions about this problem: http://www.edmunds.com/ford/escape/2003/consumer-discussions.html my concern is that ford has failed to remediate this issue with its active customer base and i believe it should be noted as gross negligence. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while opening the rear liftgate and retrieving an item from the back seat, the lift gate separated from the vehicle and struck the contact on the head. the contact was not injured. the dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure and made the contact aware of the nhtsa campaign id number: 04v602000 (latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch) recall, but the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 104,995 and the current mileage was 105,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the anti-lock brake light illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, where the contact was informed that the control unit module was corroded. the contact was also informed by the dealer and manufacturer that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 07v156000 (service brakes, hydrualic:antilock:control unit/module). the failure and current mileages were 89,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle was parked for thirty minutes when smoke started to emit from the engine. the hood was then raised and flames were also coming from the engine. the fire department reported to the scene, but the contact extinguished the fire himself. the fire department filed a report which was available if needed. no injuries were reported and the origin of the fire was located at the anti lock brake control box. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer, who would inspect the vehicle and report their findings to the contact. neither the manufacturer, nor insurance company were made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 170,000.

Abs light on 2003 ford escape keeps coming on....was never notified by ford about a recall on this...also have had to replace an engine in it only had it for 37,000 miles when i had to replace the engine....ford does not notify customers of potential problems with this vehicle. *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while parked, the contact smelled a strong odor of fuel inside and outside of the vehicle. immediately, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where they detected that both fuel tank straps were corroded. one of the straps was completely detached from the fuel tank and the second strap was partially attached. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 49,000. updated 09/27/11 *bf updated 11/07/11

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated the vehicle started hesitating and sputtering prior to the failure. the contact took the vehicle to a mechanic who changed was the spark plugs and the coils were replaced prior to the catalytic converter failing. the catalytic converter failure ruined the engine. the failure mileage was 141,000 and the current mileage was 142,000.

Fire emerging from hydraulic anti-lock control unit the subject to ford recall # 07s51 after recall work was completed, *kb

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle suddenly stalled. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where they were unable to diagnose the failure. the failure occurred approximately seven different times intermittently. the mechanic stated also that there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number 04v165000 (power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm, pcm)). the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 50,000.

My 2003 ford escape has all the symptoms of the recall nhtsa campaign id number 04v165000 (power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm, pcm)) but dose not have one of the vins that fall into the list. *tt

2008 ford recalled my 2003 escape for abs module connector. i had it repaired. my escape has began to "grab" when i apply brakes. new rotors & pads did not help. while online to carcomplaints.com, i saw another recall for abs module connection for 2003 ford escape has been reopened.(jan 2010) but i was not notified. i have had trouble with brakes on this vehicle for the past 4 years. *tr

While driving on an expressway, my car suddenly would not engage and i had to coast off the exit ramp, getting stuck at the top of the ramp. the car would not go into gear, and i had to be pushed off the ramp and into a parking lot. this was at 5pm on a weekday, and had someone not come to help me push the car out of the way, it could have been a major accident. *tr

I have a ford 2003 escape 6 cyl. bought in may of 2004 new - 76 miles on it test driven from a dealer in schulenburg, tx - the check engine light came on - the pcm computer went out and blew a spark plug on 1/16/2011 - i had to replace the pcm (which i was told should have been a recall on the 2003 ford escape) since this should never go out on the car. the mileage was only 43,625 on 1/16/2011 when this happened. i have the car for 7-8 yrs. now. i had to replace the pcm with a remanufactured (since it would cost way more for a new one) pcm - electronic ignition costing me just over $2,100. again, this part was intended to never go out for the life of the car, period. this should have been a recall on ford motor companies part - and i was told to complain and record this to nhtsa as others have, and if enough do, they would have to recall. i am not sure if i am in the right place to place this complaint. *tr

Front brakes and rotors shot at 50 thousand miles and were replaced, rear brakes showed very little wear, 100,000 miles and rotor and brake wear are again excessive and need replacement soon, rear brakes still ok and are the originals. the brakes on this vehicle always have seemed inadequate, as if the rear brakes do not self adjust they were checked and cleaned and determined to be working ok. i do perform the reverse and brake technique to adjust them. bottom line "the rear brakes do not self adjust and braking is wholly on the front brakes prematurely wearing out rotors and pads!" *tr

I parked my car in my garage (as i always do, my car is garage kept)after returning home from a sporting event at a local arena. i was in my home for approximately 10-15 minutes, my dog started acting funny, then the smoke alarm went off in the house. i went to check it, saw smoke coming in my kitchen from the top of the door to the garage. my husband opened the door to find fire coming out from underneath the driver's side fender of my 2003 ford escape xlt. he grabbed the fire extinguisher located just outside the kitchen in the garage and proceeded to attempt to put out the fire. the fire extinguisher did nothing to help put out the fire and it just started to get bigger. i called 911 and was advised to exit the home. we went outside grabbed garden hoses to continue to put out or contain the fire but it kept growing. the fire department arrived and attempted to put out the fire. my entire garage went up in flames and was completely destroyed, my kitchen is completely burned as well. my entire house is completely destroyed from heat and smoke damage. the house and all it's contents are considered unusable and we have lost everything. the fire investigator confirmed the origin of the fire was the drivers side of the vehicle, but gave no indication as to what exact part. *tr

Sudden failure of abs system. abs light not operating on dashboard indicator panel.

We have a 2003 ford escape the airbag light has came on and went off sporadically in the past 3 years but went out. this time it has stayed on so we took it to the ford dealer and they said the seat belt wiring harness on both the front seats was bad and if there was an accident the air bag might not deploy the vehicle has never been in water so there is no reason for the wires to be bad other then they where inadequate to begin with. they said to fix it they would have to take out the seats pull the carpet back and replace the harnesses. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the trunk latch would sporadically open independently. in warmer temperatures, the trunk would not open at all. the dealer was contacted and advised that there were no recalls on the vehicle. the manufacturer confirmed that the vehicle was not on recall and offered no further assistance. the failure mileage was 118,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated the throttle body would become stuck in the open throttle position whenever the outside temperature was below zero. the contacts personal mechanic advised that the failure occurred because the throttle was freezing in the open position and seemed to be a manufacturing defect. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 70,000 and the current mileage was 90,000.

2003 ford escape recall - #07v156000 recall for service brakes, hydraulic : antilock : control unit/module i have owned this vehicle since august 2005. apparently in 2007 there was a recall on this brake issue. i was never notified, nor did any dealer attend to this issue during a routine service. i contacted ford september 2010 when my anti lock light started to appear on my dash. ford did not list me as the owner even though i purchased this vehicle through a reputable dealer and had my info stored on their owners web page, and have all bill of sales info on file. while talking to the ford customer service person it was clear that he was editing the record to somehow show that i either knew about the recall or that some dealer inspected this issue and found nothing wrong. when i asked to talk to a manager, i was put on hold for over 30 minutes and finally hung up. i then sent an email complaining. ford wrote back they will do nothing about this as the campaign is over. i now have a very serious anti lock brake issue. the anti lock mechanism has now failed. i wish the nhtsa to help me get ford to fix this issue since i owned the vehicle since 2005, the recall was in 2007, ford never tried to contact me on this recall, and no ford dealer ever inspected my vehicle for this issue. thank you for your time. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 5 mph the brakes failed. the brake pedal extended to the floor without stopping the vehicle. the vehicle crashed into a snow bank. there was no damaged to the contact or the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic who repaired the brake hoses at the contacts expense. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 114,120.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle suddenly shuttered and completely stalled. the contact was able to restart it. the vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. the contact called the manufacturer who stated that there were no recalls on the vehicle. the failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Paint defective on 2003 ford escape with gold ash paint. peeling around back window and 3 large patches, over 6" in diameter, on roof. *tr

Paint defective on 2003 ford escape with gold ash paint. *tr

Sensor rings broken on a ford escape 2003, brakes lock up causing loss of control of the vehicle. *tr

We have a 2003 ford escape limited. the paint has started peeling off around the hatch at the back. it's just bubbling up for no apparent reason. we have never abused the car and it still has less than 70,000 miles on it. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated while attempting to brake at a relatively low speed onto an entrance ramp, the brakes would not engage. the abs light also illuminated when the failure occurred. the vehicle was taken to a local repair facility for repairs. the contact was able to locate nhtsa campaign id number: 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic: anti-lock: control unit/module) but was advised by the manufacturer that his vin was not included in the recall. the failure and current mileages were approximately 150,000. updated 11/03/10. *lj updated 12/14/2011 *cn updated 03/09/11 *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the vehicle stalls without warning while driving at any speed. the vehicle was towed to the dealer once for the failure. the dealer was not able to duplicated the failure.the failure recurred on june 27,2010 while driving on the highway at 55mph. the manufacturer was contacted,they stated the vehicle had no open recall and the vehicle was not in included in recall 04v165000 power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm, pcm) . the failure mileage was 150,000 and the current mileage was 157,000.

I have never trusted the 4 wheel drive. after first winter usage, the sounds it made when engaged and when turning the wheel sounded like a rubbing bushing or something within the gearbox. 2 dealers said you couldn't really test it in the summer, as you needed the snow for it to activate properly, but it still bucks when turning the wheel, so much so, that i do not trust it to use. i've owned jeep 4wheel and all- wheel versions, so that is why i don't trust it. i know ford has over the years upgraded this system, but it was still a $1600 option when i bought it, and expect it to work. have there been similar complaints, as i have never received a recall notice for this problem, but have had 2 other recall fixes made. after the toyota braking problem, i feel this is of equal consequence. it always seemed to be worse when going in reverse. *tr

I own a 2003 ford escape, recently purchased pre-owned. after having the vehicle approximately 3 weeks, while putting it into reverse to back up, suddenly it was as if the accelerator got stuck, the motor was revving up to 4 grand....i put the vehicle drive thinking maybe my floor mat was stuck under it, as i pulled to a redlight, i almost ran through the redlight with oncoming traffic because acceleration increased and it took all i had to stop the car by pushing the brakes with both feet as hard as i could. the floormats were not the problem.... i pulled off the side of the road, with my one year old baby in the back seat. i then turned the escape off, and restarted it, the engine sounded as if it were going to blow, it was revving up to 4 and 5 grand. i then called a mechanic i knew, he came to get my vehicle to drive it back to his shop. during his very very short drive, he never had to put his foot on the gas at all, and the vehicle drove 40 miles per hour by itself... so far, all we know is that the iac valve had went bad...(idle air control)....i have had it back a few days and not had any more problems at this time, although i am very careful and scared this will happen again.... during research, i found their were almost 500,000 2003 model ford escapes recalled for similar problems with the acceleration. i contacted 2 different people with ford motor company, on 2 separate occasions, explaining what had happened. they both assured me that "my vehicle" was not one of the half million involved in the recall. i find something very wrong with this because this was not just a freak thing that happened. this is dangerous and could have cost me and my baby our lives. there are to many other complaints by people with the same exact thin that has happened to them, and they are being told the same stories. something isn't right, and ford motor company needs to investigate further into this potentially deadly problem. *tr

I owned a 2003 escape and had a head on accident in which the air bags did not go off. not sure why there has not been a recall one the air bags with so many people having the same problem. air bag light never came on or gave me any problem. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated when the vehicle is put into drive it would abnormally accelerate without depressing the accelerator pedal. the contact was able to stop the unintended acceleration by applying the brakes. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 145,000 and the current mileage was 150,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the rear lift gate would not open. the vehicle had not been inspected by an authorized dealer but the dealer stated that the vehicle was not included in recall 04v602000, latches, locks linkages, doors latch. the current and failure mileages were approximately 130,000.

2003 ford escape vehicle was driving down interstate highway when the vehicle began to accelerate uncontrollably. the driver accelerator pedal would not respond to being pushed/pulled while the engine revved. brake was fully depressed and vehicle continued to accelerate through braking. vehicle transmission was disengaged to neutral, engine revved to 5500 rpm. vehicle was coasted to a shoulder and shut down. vehicle continues to rev to 5500 rpm as soon as it is started without response from accelerator. accelerator was not caught/stuck to anything just non-responsive. vehicle behavior caused a near accident situation - failure to disengage transmission by another 10 seconds would have caused a serious collision. vehicle has been towed & remains in a repair shop. vehicle continues to exhibit behavior and mechanic has determined this is due to a stuck throttle cable. ford dealer was contacted & service mechanic noted he has seen this issue before but a recall has not been issued. dealer has refused to honor any type of warranty/coverage of repairs. research of ford website & nhtsa indicates no open/previous recalls regarding issue. third-party site cites recall of throttle issue as recall id 57885 w/ ford contact #, however. *tr

The paint is peeling around the wheel wells and has started to rust; causing possible instability to the body of the car. i did some research online and this seems to be a common problem in 2003 ford escapes. can something be done? there were some claims that ford improperly prepared the escape for painting. please advise. *tr

On 4/25/2010 i had a person run an intersection causing me to hit them. my air bags did not go off like they should have. my front bumper and grill were pushed all the way to the engine causing engine damage as well. i have heard of others doing the same thing. i drove a 2003 ford escape xlt. it was totaled in the crash. i was wearing my seat belt which was the only thing that keep me safe. i still got hurt with a hurt neck and back. *tr

The transmission on my 2003 ford escape has failed twice. talking with my transmission guy i am convinced that the transmission is not heavy duty enough to handle this usage. *tr

Rear liftgate and rear window just stopped working in 2008, in my 2003 ford escape. the rear liftgate and rear window will not unlock or open. i can not replace my tail lights, brake lights, or have any repairs done that require access to the rear liftgate. there was a recall for this problem for 2003 ford escapes. rear liftgate latch release rod, the release rod attachment clip and the door handle return spring. i have been trying to get the ford motor company to fix this defective part since 2008. i called all the ford dealerships in the greenville, sc area and the ford motor company in 2008. i did send all my paperwork and information to the ford motor company, nhtsa, better business bureau and wyff "looking out for you" by e-mail and mailed a hard copy. so you should have a copy of this paperwork and information. i feel like since there was a recall for this problem with the rear liftgate and i did not do anything to my rear liftgate to cause my rear liftgate to stop working, it should be repaired at no expense to me. i have gotten no satisfaction from the ford dealerships or the ford motor company. this is a safety hazard since i can not change my tail lights or brake lights, because this requires access to the rear liftgate. updated 05/07/10.*jb the consumer stated a recall was issued for the problem. updated 05/11/10. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated upon staring the vehicle, there was an abnormally increase in engine rpms. he proceeded to drive the vehicle, merging onto the highway. the vehicle accelerated without driver intent to speeds of up to 45 mph. the contact stated he had to use extreme force on the brake pedal in order to stop the vehicle. the dealer advised that he no longer drive the vehicle until it could be inspected. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where they replaced the iac valve in an attempt to remedy the failure. the contact had not experienced the failure since the date of repairs. the failure mileage was approximately 96,000 and the current mileage was approximately 97,000.

Paint peeling prematurely on 2003 ford escape. *tr

A wiring harness for the airbag/safety restraint system in my 2003 ford escape frequently has problems causing the airbag light to illuminate -- and according to ford the airbag is disabled. i have had this problem off and on since approximately 2005. ford is aware that this model year has problems with this wiring harness and issued a technical bulletin that owners must replace the harness. if wiring harness is faulty and causes airbags to disable, shouldn't this be a safety recall instead of a technical bulletin for consumers to repair at their own expense? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. intermittently, the vehicle failed to accelerate while the contact was driving approximately 60 mph up an incline. the vehicle would also suddenly accelerate without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the gasket recirculator was repaired. the contact was informed to drive the vehicle on the highway at a high speed. as the contact was attempting to accelerate to a high speed she suddenly heard a loud sound. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the gasket recirculator was repaired for the second time and the catalytic converter was also serviced. in march 2010 while traveling at 60 mph the contact attempted to accelerate and the pedal had fallen to the floor and the vehicle would not accelerate. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted and stated that they would not offer any assistance with the repairs. the current mileage was approximately 100,000 and the failure mileage was approximately 80,600.

I own a 2003 ford escape with a 6 cylinder engine which i bought new from harrold ford in sacramento 11/2002. i noticed a strong oil burning smell. and oil leaking from the engine. i was unable to locate the source of the leak, so i took the vehicle into harrold ford on 12/30/2009. the dealer informed me the oil was leaking thru the oil pan, and that ford had a retrofit for the problem. i asked if this was a seal problem. i was told no, the material the oil pan was made of allowed the oil to eventually start leaking directly thru the material. i asked if this was a recall due to the fire danger, and was told no. the repair was completed and the oil pan was replaced. i kept the old oil pan. *tr

I have a 2003 ford escape, the gas pedal sticks. i have taken numerous times to have it fixed at the ford dealership. they say i need to use different gas which i did. they told me to change my fuel filter, which i have done numerous times. and it still sticks. my wife will not drive the vehicle, she is afraid to drive it. when i say it sticks, when you put your foot on the gas pedal you have to push it down hard then let up or you go to fast. i am getting no where. i will never buy another ford product ever. i really need help in this matter. i see all this on toyota, and i can't get any were with ford. help! *tr

I was traveling at approx 40 mph in my 2003 ford escape, when my vehicle began to increase in speed. i took my foot off the gas & it went faster. i pressed hard on the brakes, but the acceleration continued. i panicked & put the vehicle into park, where we slammed to a stop but the engine continued to rev and the car was hopping forward. i was 9 months pregnant and i had 4 yr old & 9 yr old child with me. i turned the car off & removed the keys & called a tow truck. at the ford dealership, the service manager was able to duplicate the trouble originally, but then it stopped. they charged me nearly $100 for 2 days of testing, but couldn't figure out what was causing it. at that time i hadn't heard about the toyota acceleration problem, so i thought it was a fluke. *tr

Just as i parked my 2003 ford escape in my driveway, i heard a huge crashing sound. the back window had exploded. i called ford company of canada. while, acknowledging that it was a defect and a recurring problem, they would not cover the cost of repair ($360) since the vehicle was out of warranty. the man who fixed the windshield told me that the back window exploding has been an ongoing issue with the ford escape--- more than any other car/truck/suv on the road today. why hasn't there been a recall? *tr

Ford is not allowing my car to be included in the safety recall: 04s13 for powertrain control module re-calibration. i have notified ford and they are saying they never miss a vehicle that gets recalled. my vehicle has stalled more than 7 times when decelerating under 40pmh. i have brought my car into a mechanic two times for the same problem. everytime it was determined that there was no reason for the vehicle to stall. *tr

2003 ford escape - key won't turn. steering is locked, as well.

Paint is peeling from the roof and two spots on the tailgate. the service manager at sloan ford in exton, pa wouldn't even look at it. a rep from ford advised that a dealer should look at it. the service manager at kennedy ford collision in conshohocken pa was kind enough to look at the vehicle and confirm that it is defective. ford declined assistance. the ford rep would not admit that there is a defect despite advising me that ford service managers have superior expertise in evaluating failures. *tr

My ford escape is a 2003 model and was purchased certified used in 2007 by us. within a year the paint on the roof and rear hatch started peeling. two years later, it is rusting where the peel is gone and still continuing to peel. we have not had any accidents or inclement weather that caused the damage. i have done research and seen where this is common in fords my vehicle's age. *tr

In august, 2009 i purchased a 2003 ford escape xlt from economy honda in chattanooga, tn. the vehicle has contitec p235/70r16 tires on it. a routine overall vehicle inspection was done at that time. on thursday, november 19 i took my vehicle to a local lube shop to have the oil changed and when the attendant put air in the tires, he noticed cracks and tread was pulling away from all four tires and advised me not to drive too far before i replaced them (i had plans to go to nc this weekend). the following morning i took the vehicle to a continental tire dealer who verified the condition of the tires and recommended immediate replacement, which i did for $483.00. i see several recalls of contitec tires on your website for various reasons. could there have been a recall on these tires. the car only had a little over 45,000 miles on it when i bought it. it especially upsets me to know my grandson has been in this vehicle with me riding on potentially dangerous tire. thanks. *tr tahona tate

Aug 2007- air bag warning light came on. dealership found defect in driver/passenger air bag circuit located under front seats (dtc code - d1990/d1994). replaced connectors & harness($490). suggested cause was motion of adjusting power seat. now, oct 2009 (mileage - 85,000) air bag warning light is on again. first flashing, then off for a few days, then solidly on again. is this circuit located in a place where it shouldn't be? is this why there are complaints about escape air bags not opening in a crash? can someone check out the location of the wiring for this circuit? is it causing air bag failure in escapes? do we need deaths? has ford made changes in the new escapes? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the abs warning light was illuminated on the instrument control panel. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the technician stated that the wheel speed sensor needed to be replaced. since the vehicle identification number was excluded from recall # 07v156000 ( service brakes, hydraulic:anti-lock:control unit/module) he was ineligible for a free remedy. the failure mileage was 90,000.

2003 ford escape ... paint peeling on roof around sun roof opening. *tr

2003 ford limited gold escape paint peeling and bubbling on hatch and above front window. ford will do nothing when i called since there is no recall on this paint issue. *tr

My 2003 ford escape 6 cyl 2 wheel drive was stopped at a stoplight when the engine suddenly revved to over 4000 rpm for approximately 7 seconds. fortunately, i had my foot on the brake at the time. changing from drive to neutral had no effect on the rpms and the engine went back to about 1500 rpms through no action on my part. afterwards, the vehicle drove normally. i recall that similar occurrences have happened in the past so i wanted to get this information to you asap. i do not recall what vehicles were involved at that time. what worries me is if that happens while i am in a parking lot backing out or some other situation where my reaction would be too slow to stop an accident or damage to my vehicle. the vehicle has about 32,000 miles on it and i am the original owner. *tr

Paint is peeling off on the drivers side back under the hatch window and on top of the vehicle just behind the sun roof. this vehicle has 74k miles and is garaged. from nov. 2002 - feb. 2005 it was even in parking garage while i worked. i take great care of my vehicle and it has never been in an accident. i have read a lot of other people are having the exact same problem in the exact same place on the same make, model and year. i called ford and they don't care!!! it is out of warranty and there is no recall.. what can i do? *tr

Purchased 2003 ford escape 04/05/08. air bag light came on a week later returned vehicle for other minor fixes was told light was not important as the bags would not deploy. during oil change on 12/08 told ford service dept. again about air bag light same answer. also inform them about car shaking was told it was because i waited too long for oil change. took vehicle in for oil change 07/08/09 was refused vehicle told it was dangerous for me to drive found rt front lower balljoint loose in steering knuckle worn out steering knuckle need to replace both lower ball joints and rt front steering knuckle probably cause of why vehicle was shaking and would cost about $1700 and were not sure if extended warranty would cover. they were rude and i broke down. this car has had the shakes since i bought it. i finally took my vehicle home to bring it back the next day. i picked it up on the 15th once ford stated all repairs were completed vehicle was road tested and engine light was gone except they did nothing for the air bags. this shop is 12.07 miles from my home approx halfway through the engine light came on and the car started shaking between 45 and 50mph. i called them when i got home gave me another appointment different diagnostic. no one in this shop can tell me if any recalls have been done on this vehicle. i have a handicap daughter who gets her medical care at the veterans administration hospital an hour away. i need a safe vehicle. my family cannot afford another car. these people never give me a straight answer and put down whatever they want on their invoices. this shop is run by a husband and wife team no one cares if my vehicle is safe they just want to make money off of us. can you please help me find out what has been corrected on my vehicle vin . thank you very much. *tr

1) the events leading to the failure are unknown 2) 2003 ford escape has an issue with its exterior paint. the paint is peeling away from the car and the exposed metal is rusting. this rusting leads to the compromise of the structural integrity of the car. this compromise can be detrimental in case of a collision. a google search revealed lots of 2003 ford escape owners complaining of the same issue. 3) nothing has been done to correct the failure. *tr

I have an 03 escape. since fall 08 i have heard, felt this stutter, but didn't know what to call it. at first it was occasional, but has grown increasingly frequent--three to four times in a row accompanied once in a while with a ticking sound, and pulling the car to the left. mechanics couldn't replicate the problem. today they are replacing the tone rings. having a term to use, i got on line and found out it is a frequent problem for owners. *tr

Paint peeling in several spot on 2003 ford escape. *tr

My problem is not mechanical but rather "physical". the paint has been peeling off the roof and hatch of my 2003 ash-colored ford escape limited since 2007. after reading others' blogs i am aware that i am not alone by any means. i purchased the suv for it's nice appearance and color. i wish i'd known beforehand that this was going to happen, otherwise i would never have purchased a ford. apparently ford is doing absolutely nothing about the problem. is there anything you can do to help us? can't ford be forced into a recall for this? these vehicles aren't cheap!! please help. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. sporadically, during deceleration, the engine stalls. the dealer stated that her vin was excluded from nhtsa campaign id number 04v165000 (power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm, pcm)); therefore, they would not assume responsibility for the repair. the contact is in the process of having the vehicle repaired by her local mechanic. the failure mileage was 118,000 and current mileage was 125,000.

The paint on my ash gold 2003 ford escape has started to bubble and peel away from the metal body parts. doors, hood, rear hatch and a large spot on the roof just behind the moon roof window. this is not something you can touch up. the paint is literally peeling off of the primer which then quickly erodes to expose the metal which starts to rust. there are hundreds of complaints on this spanning several years and several ford models. in this age where we have to keep cars longer, this is a terrible thing to discover - the company simply can't figure out how to paint a car!!! i am the second owner and bought from the original owner. he pointed out the peeling but we both thought it could be touched up as he had been doing for a couple years. the roof was not looked at until i was working on the roof rack. this is the worst case and is not going to get fixed by any touch up paint. *tr

Problem with air bag light, take by to dealer on numbers time (5) . every two weeks for the time of purchase (10/11/2008) can't seem to get it right the dealer stated the bag won't work when need. *tr

I have a 2003 ford escape which had accelerator cable replaced under a recall from ford in approximately 2005. i am having the same problems that caused the recall, which is not coming back to idle speed and actually sticking wide open on one occasion. ford motor company refuses to replace this at their cost, so am doing this at my own expense, obviously sooner than later. *tr

I purchased a 2003 ford escape with 24,000 miles on it. i should have known better, as vehicle stalled when i test drove it, but was assured the pcm just needed to be reflashed. 3 days after purchasing the car it stalled out on me when turning a corner, foot not on the accelerator. was only able to get the car restarted after really revving engine hard. took it back, assured me it was my "anti-theft device" two days after getting vehicle back, stalled yet again when pulling into my driveway. symptoms are much like the recall listed for 2003 escapes but of course my vin number is not included. so i took it back to dealer and they "can't get it to stall" but replaced this time the idle air control valve. picked it up, next day stalled out as i turned corner into parking lot. this car is unsafe. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 45 mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own to 65 mph. the contact depressed the brake pedal, but the brakes failed and became locked. she placed the gear into neutral and drove in the emergency lane. she shut off the vehicle and restarted it after some time. once it was restarted, the brakes softened up and the rpms decreased to the original start position. the dealer stated that there were no recalls on the vehicle. she then took the vehicle to a repair shop and was informed that there were a few recalls on the vehicle; however, nhtsa campaign id number 04v574000 (vehicle speed control:cables) was related to the failures with her vehicle. once she found the recall, the contact notified the dealer and they refused to acknowledge the recall information. she later called the manufacturer and they stated that the recall was repaired four years ago on her vehicle. the vehicle has not yet been repaired, but the failure has not recurred since the original incident. she is worried that the issue could cause future failures and that the vehicle should be repaired again since it was not done properly the first time. the current and failure mileages were 115,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 40 mph, the vehicle slowed down but would not come to a complete stop when the brake pedal was depressed. the contact applied the emergency brake, but the vehicle still failed to stop. he was forced to crash into a snow pile in order to stop the vehicle. the contact was not injured and the vehicle did not sustain any damage. prior to the failure, the accelerator pedal became stuck. the contact waited a while before the accelerator pedal returned to normal. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop and inspected by a technician, who determined that the throttle cable was failing. the cost for the repair would be $300. the vehicle has not been repaired. the contact called the manufacturer and was informed that no compensation would be provided because there was no recall. the failure mileage was 68,000 and current mileage was 70,000.

Paint blistering and peeling above the windshield on roof. *tr

I have a 2003 ford escape xlt,white in color and currently have a problem with the paint blistering and peeling on the rear hatch below the window both sides. additionally, the paint peeling has started under passenger side rear cargo window. i visited a local ford dealership and they denied it as a defect. out of warranty. i have had four autobody shops tell me $600.00 to a $1000.00 to repaint. "the problem is factory primer problem" and should expect to see more peeling if not repainted soon. *tr

January 18, 2009, was the last time i drove my 2003, ford escape. the day prior, i drove my kids, two blocks away to a park. i got back home and parked my vehicle at approx 2:30 p.m. the next morning at 11:14 a.m. i received a call from my apartment manager stated that my vehicle was on fire and the fire dept was outside putting out my car fire. the fire captain stated that the fire had started from the abs system and to check online and see if there was a recall on this part. my insurance company came out and claimed it a "total loss". within the last six months to a week ago, ford had worked on my vehicle in which i had spent over $5,000.00 to get it in tip top condition. ford had a recall on this type of vehicle but stated that my vehicle's vin number was not part of there recall. they also stated to my adjuster that this abs part was no longer made, so my insurance company tried to locate this part and no other parts store carried this part. *tr

2003 ford escape with 30,000 miles needed automatic transmission replaced. out of warranty because of age. i paid over $4k to have it replaced. ford refused to compensate for obvious manufacturing / design defect. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact took the vehicle to a repair shop because the emissions indicator was illuminated. the repair shop kept the vehicle for two weeks due to the parts that needed to be ordered. when the gasket was installed in the vehicle, the engine became very hot and the corking (used to seal the gasket) melted onto the catalytic converter. the dealer stated that the failure was due to the catalytic converter and would cost $3,700 just to start the vehicle and determine what other malfunctions were occurring. the manufacturer has not been notified. the current mileage was approximately 70,000 and failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

We own a 2003 ford escape suv. the paint is peeling of the back tailgate. this car has been garage and only has 80,000 miles. this paint should not peel off like this. the dealer said i could pay $300 to have it repainted. *tr

Ford escape 2003 80 000 miles and transmission will not go in reverse and now slips and makes noise in all gears. only ford i've ever owned....might be the last unless this is resolved to my satisfaction. no specific event to determine why tranny is going..seems like thousands of other escape owners have the same problem. *tr

Problem: vehicle is beeping warning beeps from cluster area, electrical system. airbag light/beeper keeps going off, just paid ford dealer $595.20 to replace wiring harnesses to both front seats and both body harnesses for code b1869, removed instrument cluster and replaced bad bulb for air bag system, clear all codes and road test 3 miles. i googled this problem with ford escapes, seems to be an overall problem with electrical airbag wiring. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. when the vehicle was started, it idled at 3,000 rpm's and would not decrease. as a result, when placed into drive, the vehicle will speed off. the dealer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 04v574000 (vehicle speed control:cables). the failure mileage was 67,000.

Paint peeling off the roof and rear tailgate of vehicle. brought the vehicle into the dealer. body shop inspected and reported that it needed to be repainted. internet search shows that this is not an uncommon event and that it has to do with improper prep or parts used. *tr

Paint peeling -- delaminating -- from roof of 2003 ford escape xlt, color code c2. area is above junction of roof and windshield. body shop verified condition a result of bad primer. ford notified as well as two oklahoma city-area dealers -- overall ford and bob moore ford. no resolution from ford as of yet. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. when the contact decelerated and reached a speed of 40 mph or less, the vehicle would stall. it would completely shut down with no power steering or braking ability. she shifted into neutral while depressing the accelerator pedal in order to restart the vehicle. the failure occurred at least once per day. the dealer stated that they would repair the vehicle at the contact's expense. the manufacturer stated that her vin was not included in any recalls related to the failure. the current mileage was approximately 110,000 and failure mileage was approximately 107,000.

Paint peeling down to bare metal on roof of vehicle with paint blistering elsewhere. exposed bare metal rusting due to exposure to elements. attempting resolution via dealer but no help at this time. *tr

Brake rotors failed at 24947 and at 36010. this escape has one adult driver and the brakes pedal was not "ridden". lots of premature rotor wear complaints on the www.nhtsa.gov site but no ford recalls. rotor replacement adds about $250 to bill. *tr

My 2003 ford escape stalls while driving leaving me without power steering or brakes. i contacted ford at 800-392-3673 to ask about a recall. i found out that ford has recalled 363,440 ford escapes for this exact problem. i was told that my vin number did not correspond with the 363,440 ford escapes they recalled but to keep intouch with my service manager at the ford dealership for more updates. at this time they cannot do anything about it. *tr

I purchased a ford escape 2003 on july 2008. last month i noticed the leather interior loosened from all four doors. i would like to know is this a factory defect. *tr

Second time to replace brake rotors on 2003 ford escape. *tr

Dealership failed to notify me of current vehicle recalls regarding my 2003 ford escape limited, failed to identify mechanical problems during scheduled maintenance (oil change) as recommended by the ford motor company, which states its technicians perform a "multi-point inspection" "with the most up-to-date training" which led to subsequent engine failure (locked-up). *tr

Right rear passenger tire failed on 2003 ford escape. tires in question are firestone destination le, (dot vn08, 0107) just days and one year after purchase new. after tire failure vehicle one veered violently into left lane of the two lane interstate highway and vehicle two collided with vehicle one sending vehicle one skidding on its drivers side before coming to a rest on the right breakdown lane. total time when vehicle one noticed a noise to end of incident was less than 1 minute. normal driving conditions on interstate highway, speed traveling at time of mishap was approximately four mph above posted 70 mph speed limit. temperature was approximately 90 degrees ambient fahrenheit on a clear visible day. tire in question were purchased as a set of two totally four june 5, 2007 and accident occurred june 22, 2008. tire rotation in or around 6000 miles was performed at place of purchase. air pressures were checked and in accordance with tire sidewall specifications. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. three months after the vehicle was purchased, the contact noticed a block of paint chipping off of the hood. weeks later, the condition became progressively worse. the paint began bubbling and chipping excessively. when the contact attempts to wash the vehicle the paint will come off. she is in the process of notifying the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 74,000 and current mileage is 100,000. update 06/10/08 *bf updated 06/10/08

I have a 2003 ford escape that i just took to the dealer for repair. the replaced the bushings in the upper and lower control arms as they were coming out. i ask the dealer about the problem, and was told they had seen it before. rare but had seen it. seems to me if the bushings come out of the control arms an accident could occur. seems to me to be a quality problem that ford is ignoring. i did have the car repaired at my expense. hopefully this only occurs once. it all started with a "clunk" noise in the front end as you go over a drive way. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 25 mph, the vehicle made growling and squealing noises, and the front end shook. the dealer stated that the front wheel bearings failed and needed to be replaced. the failure initially began on february 15, 2008 with the passenger side front bearing, then the driver's side, followed by the passenger side a second time, and now the driver's side again. the first time the failure occurred the vehicle was still under warranty; however, it is no longer covered. the vin was unknown. the current mileage was 75,000 and failure mileage was 65,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while attempting to make a left turn at 5 mph, the vehicle shut off. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the current mileage was 78,942 and failure mileage was 75,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle completely shut off and had to be restarted. the vehicle did not restart immediately. the vehicle was diagnosed as having idle air control valve failure. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 04v165000 (power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm, pcm)). the current mileage was 101,000 and failure mileage was 80,000. updated 05/06/08. *lj

Tl*the contact owns a2003 ford escape. while driving 40 mph, the vehicle would stall then shut off. the contact stated that the failure only occurred when decelerating. the dealer was unable to diagnose the failure. there is a recall for the power train: automatic transmission: control module (nhtsa campaign id #04v165000) however, the dealer stated that his vin was not included. as of april 9, 2008, the dealer had not repaired the vehicle. the contact stated that the failure has occurred approximately 50 times. the failure mileage was 65,000 and current mileage was 80,000.

Transmission failure in a 2003 ford escape xlt. this vehicle has 53,576 miles on it and showed no warnings of failure. while operating vehicle in traffic the overdrive light started flashing and the transmission started slipping and no movement from vehicle. this is a safety hazard as there is no way to safely exit drive lanes , and may cause rear end collisions. the cd4e transmission has major design flaws known by ford hence the conversion of transmission manufacturers from batavia, ohio to livonia, michigan in 2006. i have yet to have the problem repaired as i may be using the vehicle for explanatory proof of poor quality and engineering. *tr

My 2003 ford escape xlt paint is peeling in strips off the hood and from the sunroof back. i have made multiple complaints to ford in righting on the phone and in person. they claim to have never heard of the problem. in my research i have found @ least 45 others with the same issue. this is something they should not be allowed to sweep under the rug. it is a defect they are responsible for. *tr

About once a month, for the last four months, my 2003 ford escape will stall out. this has happened when the engine is cold and upon deceleration such as when entering or making a turn. the car restarts without hesitation. there was a safety recall issued about this problem, #04v165000, where the fix seems quite simple but ford's main customer relations dept. says my car is not part of that recall. same car, same problem, but not related to original recall. seems absurd. although there have been no accidents, the threat of one exists if the car stalls while i'm turning across oncoming traffic or, possibly, rear-ended. *tr

Urgent recall notice, i received on my 2003 ford escape after research on the recall vehicle, i believe this caused my daughter accident, she rolled this vehicle. i m very angry that i have followed the law in responeding to the recall notice and when i explained my concerns i was told someone was going to conact me. this has not happen. no deaths but property damage yes ( paying for avehical) i have sitting in my back yard that i m still paying for.bring a single mother, this hardship, i paid 14,000.00 and it only has 60 thousand miles. i have pictures of the accident and i will have this vehicle checked out myself and talk to an attorney. now if you can help me on what i should do next, i would be thankful . *cn

The air bag light goes on. some times it will remain on and sometimes it will flash. i had the air bag module replaced ($600) and it was ok for 2 months and started to happen again. the problem went away and has since reappeared. i have searched the internet and found alot of other escape owners who are having the same issues. i believed that this is a safety issue and should be look at.*cn

The paint is coming off the roof of the car near the front wind shield area and also on the hatchback door. *cn

2003 escape limited 3.0 v6 is diagnosed with a cracked exhaust manifold resulting in leaking exhaust gases. vehicle mileage is 31,200 and has never been off paved roadways. i think this problem has existed for some time but has never been picked up on by regular maintenance visits to the dealership. my dealer explained that the problem is a common one and obviously should have been a recall item as leaking exhaust gases are very dangerous. *tr

I recently noticed that the paint on my 2003 ford escape was peeling and flaking at an alarming rate, both on the roof and on the rear panel. the paint was so loose that a strong wind was able to pick up the edges and strip it off the car. on october 24, 2007 i took it to my local ford dealership, napleton's northwestern ford in chicago, for an appointment with the zone district manager. he declined my request for financial help in repairing this problem, citing that the warranty period had expired. my estimate for repair from napleton's recommended body shop said, in writing, that the peeling paint was caused by delamination of paint and a bad priming prep job. i sent a copy of the estimate, pictures of the damage and a letter of explanation to both the ford customer relations center in detroit and my dealership owner - and received back a short form letter from detroit stating that they would not help me financially as the warranty period had expired. although i realize that the warranty period has expired, i believe that my paint problem was caused by substandard work at the factory, a belief substantiated by the body shop. recalls are done all the time for parts that are faulty, regardless of warranty. my paint job was faulty, and therefore i believe ford should help me fix it. according to the center for auto safety and other web sites, paint should not be peeling off cars that are only 4 or 5 years old. i got the damage fixed, which cost me nearly $1,200. prior to owning my escape, i owned a ford escort for 10 years, which never had a paint problem. up until now i have been a loyal ford customer, but since it appears that cutting corners and doing substandard work is their mode of operation, i will never buy another new ford. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 20 mph, the brake pedal was applied. the engine began to rev and the rpm raced to its maximum potential. the contact turned off the engine in order to stop the vehicle. there were no warning indicators present. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer. the current and failure mileages were 62,900. updated 01/09/08. *lj the consumer stated noise in front end when hitting a bump and performed inspection per recall. updated 12/12/07 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 55 mph, the accelerator pedal became stuck to the floor when it was depressed. the contact applied the brakes and shifted into neutral, but the vehicle would not decelerate. she had to continuously exert pressure to the accelerator to release the pedal. she took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that the strut throttle and accelerator cable failed. the dealer replaced the cable and throttle assemblies for a $500 service charge because the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 04v574000 (vehicle speed control:cables). the manufacturer did not provide any assistance. the current and failure mileages were 82,000. the consumer stated ford did not consider the defect a safety issue because the vehicle was out or warranty. updated 11/15/07 *tr updated 05/09/12 *bf updated 05/30/12

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the air bag light illuminated because the seat belt pretension code was faulty. the front air bags fail to deploy when in a crash. on october 16, 2007, the contact took her vehicle to the dealer because of a beeping sound and they replaced the instrument panel and ignition switch. when she retrieved her vehicle, the air bag light was still illuminated. the failure has occurred since february of 2007. the dealer informed her that the repair for the air bag sensor was her responsibility. the current and failure mileages were 82,629.

2003 ford escape parked in garage located at 7755 sunset drive, elmwood park illinois. vehicle spontaneously burned. the garage was a lofted structure with storage containing 30 years of possessions. the car, garage and personal items were destroyed by the fire. this occurred at 5:00am on a sunday morning after the car had been parked in the garage from the saturday afternoon before. *jb

Had previously asked home dealership to check cruise control for failure to turn on. after traveling for approx. 1 hour on interstate, attempted to turn on cruise control. on third try, cruise control engaged and set at 70 mph. after a few miles i tried to turn it off with no results. engine continued to accelerate when brake applied. i contacted someone who advised me to pull over and turn the car off if possible. i pulled in to a rest area with both feet on brake and was able to stop the car and immediately put it in park and turn it off. (very difficult with engine revving continuously) i tried to turn the car back on to see if the cruise turned off with the car, it did not, the engine immediately accelerated and the engine sounded as if it was going to explode. i turned the car off. the car was towed to a dealership and the cruise control throttle cable was found to be stuck. the cable was disconnected as they said they had no parts to replace the cruise control. i was sent on with a request to have it replaced at my home dealership. i was charged for the service. *tr

The airbag light was illuminated on the dashboard of our 2003 ford escape. i took it to the dealer and was informed that the sensor under the passenger seat was defective and must be replaced. the cost quoted was $450. i then did an internet search and found several hundred similar complaints. i also found two different ford technical service bulletins, which clearly indicates that ford knows this is a problem. on another site a technician from a ford dealership stated that the problem could simply be fixed by spraying the contact points with an electrical contact cleaner such as wd40. i took the vehicle back to the dealer and told them to follow this procedure and the problem has not returned in the past 8 months. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact noticed that the paint on the passenger side door, lift gate, and ledge showed signs of bubbling paint. the dealer stated that the failure was not covered under warranty and does not have a recall. the manufacturer stated that they will speak with the dealer. the current mileage was 19,400 and failure mileage was 19,350. the consumer provided a repair invoice. updated 08/31/07 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. on august 26, 2007, while driving 37 mph, the engine failed. the failure is now occurring at least four times per day when the vehicle is started. nhtsa recall number 04v165000 (power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm, pcm)) was referenced. the powertrain was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 85,834.

My airbag light had been coming on, and after several weeks it stayed on constantly. i took my vehicle to the dealership where it was purchased to have it checked. i was told that the connector under the passenger seat for the side mount air bag needed replacing. i was also informed that if this was not repaired, the airbag may not deploy if needed! i asked if there had been any other complaints made to ford on this issue and was told that they were not aware of any. i feared for the safety of anyone that might be a passenger in my vehicle if it should be involved in an accident, so i went ahead with the repair. i voiced my dissatisfaction with the cost of the repair and was told that all i could do about it was call the manufacturer. this part cost $36.49 and $210 for the labor. *tr

2003 ford escape. noticed paint around lift gate ledge bubbling and peeling. only top layer of paint is peeling, gray layer appears to be fine, no signs of bubbling or peeling. talked to dealer and they said it was because the two layers never bonded when the car was painted at the factory. when i contacted the manufacturer to see if they would cover it, they said to go to the dealer and they would look at it and decide what to do. never heard back from dealer after i made contact with them. *tr

The air bag light came on in our 2003 ford escape. we have taken it to a ford dealership who informed us that the sensor has failed for no apparent reason and that if we are in an accident, the air bags will not deploy. the cost for this repair is quoted at approximately $500.00. at this point we are not in a financial position to make this repair and we are forced to drive the vehicle and hope that we will not have an accident. this is clearly a safety issue. there has been no prior warning nor any accident that would cause this failure. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle improperly accelerated while driving 20 mph. a crash occurred. the vehicle also failed to accelerate when driving uphill. the contact had this failure repaired last year, but it has since recurred. a police report was filed. the current and failure mileages were 40,000. the consumer stated the recall was performed and 18 months later the accident occured. the vehicle accelerated and hit the vehicle just in front at a stop light. the consumer stated ford will not perform recall work a 2nd time. officer field report provided. updated 09/05/07 *tr

Front brake rotors wore out prior to brake pads at 34,000 miles on vehicle. i was told that this was normal by the dealer and will occur again. i explained to them that the rotors should be hardened and the pad should wear first, but they told me that this was normal. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 30 mph and making a left turn, the vehicle failed to cooperate as the contact attempted to steer forward. the failure caused her to drive off the road and down an embankment, where she crashed into a tree. the vehicle was towed to a body shop. the manufacturer advised the contact to leave the vehicle at the body shop and stated that they would investigate the failure. the contact was badly bruised from the crash. a police report was filed. the contact has pictures of the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 99,700.

I was in my driveway after running errands and decided to wash pollen off car. driver's side door was open, so i just "sprinkled" water on the car and when it hit the sunroof, i heard a pop. looking at top of sunroof i saw nothing unusual. when i opened the inside roof, i saw the glass was all splintered. as i closed the driver's door, the glass all fell onto the inside roof. guy at ford told me i must've had a crack in the sunroof & when the water hit, it shattered. my windshield did have a crack in it, and that didn't shatter so that blows that theory! 70 degrees that day.

The 2003 ford escape died when going to a stop or prior to acceleration. no apparent reason. this has continued to happen. i contacted ford ,and they told me it was probably bad gas. this has been going on for months. also, i had to pull to the side of the road and check for fire inside of the vehicle. as there was a very strong smell of burning rubber or wire. no fire found yet. engine will race for no apparent reason. vehicle attempted to roll forward after it has been put in park and even after it has been turned off. today one more nightmare has began. i drove the escape approximately 4 minutes, returned home, and killed the vehicle. it will not start. if i turned the key to the 3rd position all lights went out. it will not move out of park. this has been a complete nightmare trying to keep this vehicle going. i have tried on numerous occasions to get the vehicle into ford for recall on abs. they can give approximate date, but nothing definite. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving under 40 mph, the engine failed. the failure has occurred on four different occasions. safety recall # 04v165000 (power train:automatic transmission control module (tcm, pcm)) does not apply to the vin. the purchase date and engine size were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 66,000. updated 02/01/08. *lj updated 02/01/08 *tr

Car to dealership on 6/1/07 for service. brake pads replaced, rotors turned, tires rotated, replaced stabilizer bar. left dealer and in less than 2 miles, abs dash light came on. went back to dealership for inspection--thinking maybe something had gone awry when car was serviced. per them (and they showed me what was wrong), collar on outside of axel that turns to send signal to abs sensor has a crack that will intermittently make the abs brake system come on. replacement per them--$425.00. *tr

The key cannot be inserted into the ignition switch easily. on several occasions had to move the steering wheel back and forth to get it to engage. it was getting worse, and i would expect this to fail soon. it even happened at the dealer, and they had trouble getting it to engage.*ak

I've a 2003 ford escape that i purchased from a dealer in 2004. about a year ago, i noticed the paint chipping and peeling from the hood which i attributed to stone chips from highway driving but now, the paint is coming off on the right rear of the car where the roof section meets the main body. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact received recall notice # 07v156000 concerning service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module, and was unhappy with the waiting time for the repairs . she stated that the only communication between her and the dealer was their inability to repair the vehicle in a reasonable amount of time. the current and failure mileages were 69,000. *ak returned usps , 2ndattempt made 05/23/07 failed . *lj

I own a 2003 ford escape up to now i have not had any problems i guess knock on wood i have been lucky. lately the airbag light started blinking and then it stays on. from reading some of the complaints there might be several reasons as to why this happens. i have read that there are many people having this same problem, maybe ford should take the first step and recall the vehicles to get this fixed. *jb

Several times in the past while turning the corner the car killed. hit brakes hard to avoid rear-end collision. the car accelerated, causing me to once again hit the brakes.*ak

Vehicle stalls suddenly without notice and the steering and brakes will not function. very dangerous situation that has occurred several times. dealership says they have never heard of this issue. 2003 ford escape. vehicle is the year included in the recall and came from the same kansas plant but it shows no recall. contacted ford directly and was told they have also not heard of this issue. *jb

I've read online several others that have had problems with the air bag light in the 2003 ford escape. my air bag light goes on and stays on about 2ce a week. *jb

Customer wants to know if air bags for 2003 ford escape have been recalled. **cc the air bag light blinks on then off. consumer not sure what this indicates. *nm

Tl* - the contact stated that while driving 35 mph in 2003 ford escape noticed on 09/20/06 that air bag light on the dash board turned on. the contact stated that she did have a passenger in the seat at that time. as per owners manual directions, the contact took vehicle to dealership who performed some type of repair and charged the consumer $100. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer on 10/28/06 for the same failure. the contact went back to the dealership and they told her that they did see that the light was turning on and off, and they told her that they were going to grease the cable. the contact was not sure which cable they were talking about. the vehicle was driven for 3 more weeks when the same failure occurred. she took vehicle in to dealership again and they found nothing wrong , but the light didn't come back on for another 3 weeks. the failure occurred again and the vehicle was taken to the dealership, and the dealership greased the same cable and told the contact that the cable is under vehicle code #1877. the contact stated that on 11/27/06 the vehicle's air bag light on the dash stayed on while driving. *ak updated 1/22/2007 - the consumer was told not to worry about the light and that and that the air bas was working properly. he went on to say that he believes the problem is with the light itself. *nm

Tl* - the contact stated that the car stalls when the car is put into gear or when he comes to a stop. the contact has taken the car to superior ford six times and they have replaced: the throttle position sensor, vapor management vale, mass air flow sensor, valve-air bypass, purge regulation valve, body assist air charge, and ecc processor was recalibrated. the contact said that the car still continues to stall after all theses parts have been changed. the contact said that he has also sent certified letters to ford about the problem. contact can provide all of the repair orders.

Vehicle was stopped with engine running transmission in d with foot on brake. brake pedal unexpectedly pushed to floor and vehicle moved forward. the problem was the right rear rubber brake hose burst. not yet repaired. *nm

Tl* - the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 40 mph, thought there was a tire failure. inspection revealed the tires to be fine. the contact got back in the car and tried to shift into reverse gear with no results. the vehicle was towed to the ford dealership, and the dealership informed the contact that the vehicle needed a new transmission. the contact was concerned about the diagnosis since the vehicle had 43,000 miles on it. *ak updated 2/9/2007 - the failure occurred suddenly and without warning. *nm

My 2003 ford escape stalls when placed in to gear and sometimes when stopping. *nm

Complaint concerning 2003 ford escape. *ts *jb

I had a 2003 ford escape that started having problems starting. it was usually when i had left the vehicle for 8 or more hours. i would try to start it and it would hesitate and take a while to start it. after a few tries it would jerk back at me and start. this was a problem for about 2-months. on may 26, 2006 i left my vehicle in the parking lot at work. it was the first really hot day (90+ degrees) of the year. when i got back to my car it hesitated when i cranked it. i cranked it again and it popped back and me and then there was an explosion. there was smoke coming out of the hood. i opened the hood (burning my finger in the process) and found parts and pieces everywhere. i took it to the ford dealership and the upper intake manifold blew apart. the dealer never gave us a reason why (we pushed but we were told that it shouldn't have happened and that the engineer was on vacation). we had the upper intake manifold fixed and it cost us a lot of money out-of-pocket. i asked them for the old upper intake manifold back, but they wouldn't give it back. i was always intending to file a complaint. the ford was 3-years old with 54,000 miles on it, so it was out of warranty, although the dealer stated that it was a faulty part that caused the problem? it is possible that it was n a horrible misfire, but we aren't sure. i do know that it scared me and could have hurt someone. luckily the vehicle did not catch on fire. the problem was fixed for 2-months when the vehicle started hesitating again when i started it. i was terrified to drive it and the dealer told me it was unrelated but i could pay (again) to have it looked at. i started having panic attacks when driving the vehicle, so we traded it in. i would like a refund and to stop this from happening to other people. *nm

Ford escape 2003 while parked caught fire in braking area spread to speed control electrical harness. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds at night, the instrument cluster panel lights failed to illuminate without warning. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who determined the inner dash panel light that illuminated the instrument panel had shorted out and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was alerted.

We recently hit a deer going in between 45 50 miles per hour. and the air bags never went off. i was wondering why they didn't there is several thousands dollars in damage. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was parked overnight, it erupted into flames along the left front hood area without warning. bystanders extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher. there was moderate fire damage. the police were not alerted. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who determined the hydraulic control unit of the brakes shorted out and caused the fire. the manufacturer was alerted.

Fuel gauge is inaccurate. after filling up the indicator reads empty. twice we have run out of gas even though the indicator shows that there is still gas in the tank. dealer recommended using techron to help clean the indicator. however, after filling up with gas with techron today, the fuel indicator showed empty. this has been and ongoing problem for nearly a year now. *jb

I was driving my vehicle from minnesota to idaho when, i've been told, a connector belt broke and broke through the engine. as a result, the entire engine must be replaced. i was pulling a 5 x 8 trailer with a class 3 hitch and i've been advised by the service technician that the trailer did not contribute to the breakdown. as the vehicle cleared a hill on an interstate, there was a loud noise from the bottom of the truck and spraying liquid and smoke. when we inspected the vehicle, the oil had completely drained from the oil reservoir (i've been advised that the oil cap was firmly in place and did not contribute to the incident). the vehicle was towed to a local dealership and is currently in process of receiving a new engine. there is a hole in the bottom of the truck and "metal parts in the engine." i've asked about why the failure occurred and the service technician stated that they didn't know. when i called ford customer service about this they told me that the engine will be sent to ford for analysis but the findings will not be shared with me. my concern about this breakdown is that this is the second new ford vehicle i've purchased where the engine had to be replaced shortly following the expiration of the 3 year/36,000 mile warranty. this current vehicle has 35,552 miles and the warranty expired on 6/14/06. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was being serviced at the dealer, it determined the rotors were worn and needed to be replaced. there was no prior warning indicator of a brake problem.

I purchased my vehicle with 38,000 miles on it. within the first 2 months the airbag light started flashing and sometimes staying on sometimes going off. after about 2 to 3 months it went off and stayed off for another couple of months. eventually it started coming on again and is now staying on the majority of the time. i am a little concerned about this because i don't know if my airbag is working when the light is on. *jb

Vehicle has been to the ford dealership 5 times because the air bag light will illuminate and stay on. when the air bag light is on, the air bags will not deploy. the problem has been a faulty connector to the front air bags (3 times), the side airbags (1 time) and the seat belt sensor (1 time). the last incident was after the warranty expired and it was a struggle getting ford to pay for the repair. lesson learned: document everything and contact a lawyer before the warranty expires. *nm

Submission regarding long outstanding issue with his 2003 ford escape purchased on december 30, 2002. *ts ***nar*** the vehicle has exhibited transmission since the date of purchase. the vehicle has been taken to the dealer 15 times but they have been unable to correct the problem. the transmission stopped shifting at 35 mph, lost power then overheated after driving distances of about 10 miles (city driving). but when the vehicle was driven through puddles of water the problem would diminish and the transmission would shift normally and power would be restored. during the consumers last visit to the dealer he was told that there was nothing else they could do. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 40mph, the engine revved at an elevated rate and the vehicle lurched forward without warning. the vehicle was inspected by the dealer. a nhtsa recall, #04v574000 was performed on the vehicle concerning, the vehicle speed control however, the recall did not remedy the problem. the dealership performed a second repair with charge under the recall, additionally the throttle and throttle body assembly was replaced. afterwards, the engine revving and lurching persisted.

Dt*: the contact stated both sides of the overhead shield separated from the child safety seat. this is a cosco touriva manufactured june 23, 2005. *ak

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 35 mph on normal road conditions, the vehicle had a collision with another vehicle. the airbags did not deploy. the seat belts were worn however the contact was injured with a sternum fracture. a police report was filed at the scene of the accident. the fire department evacuated the driver to the nearest hospital. the vehicle was taken to a body shop but they were not able to determine why the airbags and seat belts failure occurred.

Intermittent problem: when brakes are applied the engine speeds up requiring excess pressure to engage brakes. *nm

The cruise control cable became disconnected from the throttle linkage and jammed in the throttle. this caused the vehicle to accelerate uncontrollable. was luckily able to get out of traffic and into a parking lot without causing any damage. *nm

1.) car was revving up during idling and shifting of the manual transmission. 2.) per dealership, the accelerator cable had to be replaced due to a malfunction. see nhtsa # 04v574000 and ford recall #04s25 3.) dealership has to replace the accelerator cable but refuses to acknowledge mechanical malfunction and recall. recall was only for v6 suvs while we have a v4 manual transmission even though the part is the same one that is malfunctioning in the v6 models. *nm

Winding noise from under the car. at 40 mph transmission lost power. transmission blew drive gear needs to be completely rebuilt. only 27 days out of warranty, only 26,324 miles on the car. *nm

The air bag light is on 98% of the time. i took it to a ford dealer and they said that this is a ford problem, that ford is working on it and that there is nothing that can be done to correct the problem. they stated that the air bags will not function when the air bag light is on. on a rare occasion the light will go out. *jb

Air bag light would sporadically come on. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the problem was found in the front seat belt buckles, the sensors and wires that help deploy the air bags were defective. n case of an accident the air bags would have not deployed. the dealer repaired all the seat belt buckles. *nm

The cruise control switch stopped working. *nm

Dt:the contact states the air bag light came on intermittently. the light can came on at any time while the vehicle was being driven. once the light was on it stayed on until the vehicle was no longer in use. the vehicle was taken to the dealer ,and they could not duplicate the problem, therefore , the vehicle has not been repaired. *ak

Dt: the contact stated at 55 mph vehicle stalled. the vehicle would turn on immediately after at first. then, the accelerator would have to be pressed for the vehicle to start. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic and multiple components were replaced, but the problem was not fixed until the throttle was replaced. there have been no more problems since then. *ak

Apparently brake fluid leaked from the master cylinder onto the electronics causing an increase in internal voltage causing the electronics to short out causing a fire that destroyed the wiring harness. my concern is ford currently has a recall on going for this issue in it's suv's but the escape is not mentioned. why? *jb

2003 ford escape was involved in a collision, the front end received massive damage. my complaint is that the air bag did not deploy. my daughter was driving , hit her head. the police officer on the scene made the statement that the airbag should have deployed. the car is at the auto shop for estimate, as of 10-10-05 the estimate has hit 9300.00, with more expected. *nm

I was exiting off the interstate and around 35 mph my engine completely died and i lost power steering. i was able to make it to the shoulder and restart the vehicle, but the rpms kept bouncing around. i took the vehicle into my local ford dealer, but they said nothing was wrong with it. i researched online myself and found that ford had a recall that matched my exact situation/problem. the nhtsa id is 04v165000. ford said my vin number was not included in the recall. however, i find it hard to believe that mine should be excluded considering that my vehicle is the same make/model/year/engine type of the recalled ones and my problem matched exactly with what was referenced in the recall. also my warranty runs out in 2 weeks and i don't want the same problem to happen again and then let the dealer find the problem. it also concerns me because my wife drives my car and i'm concerned about my family.*jb

Periodically and unpredictably, the key will not turn. sometimes, it can be forced, if you are strong enough. other times it cannot even be forced. but then it will work the next day. moving the stearing wheel does not allow the key to turn even when trying to turn the wheel with force. my car has been towed once because 3 people tried and could not turn either key i have for the vehicle. i've been told by mechanics that this is a common ford problem. i believe it is a safety concern because you never know where/when you will be stranded, whether or not you will have access to a phone. one mechanic said he could rebuild the stearing column and that had worked for other people with the same problem - however, that dealership would not provide a loaner car so i would be without any transportation for 1-2 days. the dealership where i bought my car has refused to do anything because the problem is sporatic and they say they cannot duplicate it. the ignition has locked 4 times in the past month. additonally - the abs brakes only work intermitently which makes it difficult when making the split second decision of whether to slam on the brakes or pump the brake.

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 caller pulled the hood release and with the hood in the release position and the safety latch on the hood while she was driving the hood flew up. the caller said the latch that held the hood from the outside did not hold when the hood flew up. the dealer fixed it, and said there was nothing wrong with the latch. the manufacturer said there was nothing wrong with the latch. the caller was able to get the vehicle off the road. *ak *sc

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.

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

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 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

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

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.

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.

When the vehicle has been sitting for two days or more, the vehicle would make loud graining noise when applying the brakes. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the dealer clean the excessive rust build up and informed the consumer that was the normal characteristic of that vehicle. the dealer instructed the consumer to put the vehicle in reverse and applied the brakes several times that would help removed the excessive rust build up. *nm

Incident: transmission failure. on 9 march my transmission in my 2003 ford escape (xlt) failed. there was no prior warning except as i drove that morning the car seemed not to want to go forward. after pulling over to the side of the road, the car transmission locked up and would not go forward or in reverse. i called a tow truck to bring the car to the nearest ford dealer. to date, the reason or cause of the failure is unknown.

The consumer had the brakes checked and was told the brake pads separated, and that was why she was not able to slow down the vehicle. the parking brakes froze once the brakes were on and the consumer was unable to release the brakes without getting under the vehicle to pull the cable. *ak *sc

The consumer was involved in a rear end collision in his 2003 ford escape. upon impact the air bags did not deploy. *nm prior to the accident, the vehicle was taken to the dealer on 6 six occasions because the air bag light illuminated. *jb

The air bag check light remained on, and had been repaired 6 times, but the problem recurred. owner was informed that the air bag may not deploy if her vehicle was involved in an accident.*ak

Consumer wants to be sure that he receiving the recall notice for 2003 ford escape. *bf the recall is in reference to the accelerator cable which may prevent the throttle from returning to the idle position. *nm

The consumer is experiencing problems with the brakes. the brakes were completely hardened. the vehicle has been driven over mountainous terrain and the brakes burn out very quickly driving under these mountainous conditions. owner has contacted the dealer and has had the pads and rotors replaced. provide further details.*jb

Nhtsa recall campaign 04v165000, vehicle would not stop when the brakes were applied. consumer's vehicle swerved to miss another vehicle and struck a tree. consumer mentioned the engine stalling. *ak

Ltr to ford concerning a safety defect re defective wiring of the side airbags in 2003 ford escape. *bf the consumer received the recall notice for the faulty air bag wiring. an appointment was made at the dealer to have the vehicle repaired. when the repairs were made the dealer refused to cover the cost of replacing the faulty wiring because the vehicle was 200 miles over the 50000 mile warranty. the consumer explained that the vehicle went over the mileage while waiting for the recalled part to arrive. *nm

I was driving to work on a 4 lane urban street (on a rainy day) and approached as "s" curve. i lifted my foot from the gas pedal to slow down and the car just kept going forward and slid into the next lane to the left. not realizing what was going on, i gently applied the brakes and the car continued to move forward and slid two lanes to the right. the car wouldn't slow down, made a 90 degree turn and crossed all 4 lanes and hit a concrete abutment, going up the abutment until i thought the car would go over it. the airbags deployed and then the car came down from the abutment, slid backwards so the rear end then hit the abutment and then the car flew all the way across the four lanes where it stopped, facing traffic. only because of good luck and it being early in the morning did the car hit no other vehicles. the damage exceeded ten thousand dollars. just last week i received the recall about the accelerator cable. the car is still in the shop (over 7 weeks later) and will then go to a dealer to have the cable replaced. however, my car's value has significantly plummeted. i will pursue this with ford.*ak

While driving the vehicle inadvertently accelerated. this resulted in a head on collision with a tree. the cause of this is undetermined. *nm

When accelerating, the vehicle jerked forward. please provide more information. *jb

Nhtsa campaign 04v165000; ford issued an engine stalling recall. this vehicle is not included in the recall, but the engine stalls unexpectedly. the vin is outside the remedy scope. *nm

Accelerator pedal sticks, from a stopped position. very hard to push then the truck jerks forward. *jb

My wife, donna p. wright, was involved in an accident on 12/10/2004 at approx. 7:15 am on marriottsville road # 2 in eldersburg, md. the accident involved our 2003 ford escape and ford f350 truck pulling a trailer with a bobcat heavy equipment. it was raining heavily at the time. the ford truck was approaching a curve when its trailer jacknifed and hit my wife's ford escape head on. according to the body shop owner who towed our car, the frame was bent in two feet. there was extensive damage to the engine, bumper, hood, radiator and bumper. the car was totaled. however, the airbags did not deeply. fortunately, my wife escaped with minor injuries (cuts and bruises). i immediately notified ford motor company consumer relations. their response was that if i wanted to determine what caused the airbags not to deploy, that i would have to take the vehicle to a ford dealership and pay for the test of the sensor. i find that rather ridiculous.*jb

While driving from i66 to va28 n after regaining 60 mph the car kept speeding up, applied brakes but brakes overheated and car kept gaining speed. then realized gas pedal was stuck open and would not release. shut engine down, restarted and quickly moved to right side of road (had to, cross 2 lanes of traffic) rather dangerous situation. had car towed to ford dealer who said they would replace throttle cable. they said cable became jammed. i can find no recall for this problem in the online database. i think this could be a very dangerous situation to a less experienced driver and perhaps need to be investigated.*ak

How can i get a list of vehicle identification numbers to find out if my vehicle is effected in a ford recall. *jb

While accelerating at a stop vehicle stalled. vehicle was towed to the dealership, but dealership did not resolve the problem. *ak

Since the beginning of 2003 consumer complained about starting problems. there had been incidents where the vehicle stalled at intersections, and could not be restarted. consumer took vehicle to dealer for inspection seven times. could not figure out the cause of the problem. *ak

While on a return long distance road trip my abs dash light came on and remained on. after stopping and restarting the vehicle the light did not return until farther down the road. i contacted the dealership the following day made an appointment and they determined that a speed sensor had gone bad.*ak

I want to know how i can find out if my vehicle was on the list of recalls. recall 04s13 occured back in apr 2004, and i was never notified. i would like to know why and if my vehicle is still in need of repair.*ak

Ford escape xlt 2003 rake pads worn to less than 4 mph and rotors worn to .910 at 15,153 miles. i consider this excessive wear.*ak

1. vehicle had recall 04s13 performed for posible loss of power when decelerating. vehicle is a 2003 ford escape. vehicle was 19 months old with 3600 miles and had not had any prior problems.*aki 2. 2 weeks after recall was performed the vehicle was in an accident due to the exact conditions that the recall was to prevent. the vehicle was returned to service dept. and they supposedly repaired problem. vehicle now unexpectedly accelerates usually when braking. this has happened 5 times and continues to get worse every time. the last incident the vehicle was idling and about half way into a parking space and it accelerated own its own, the front wheels jumped a 6 inch verticle curb, and left 5 foot skid marks in the grass while trying to stop. 3. the dealer has driven the vehicle but the problem did not occur. dealer installed flight recorder for two weeks. the problem did not occur. they removed flight recorder and a technician rode in vehicle the problem occured and technician had vehicle taken back to shop. they could not find anything and returned vehicle. acceleration occured again they reinstalled flight recorder and said they needed three recording to diagnois problem. this has not occured yet and dealer is calkling to get flight recorder back.

I am not sure if this is a defect, but seems to me with a 2003 suv should not have paint chipping off (very small ) , so i was wondering if anyone else has had this problem. 2003 ford escape. *ak

Nhtsa recall 04v165000 subject: engine stalling. after having the power control module (pcm) with the appropriate calibration reprogrammed, the vehicle stall. the consumer tried to restart the vehicle and was unable to do so. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. please provide further details. *jb

The consumer was involved in an accident yet the vehicle's air bags did not deploy. the consumer sustained a sprained neck and hematoma caused by the seat belt. *nm the consumer took the vehicle in for service due to the airbag light intermittently coming on and eventually staying on. consumer suffered injuries to the neck as a result of the air bag not deploying. police report was taken. consumer was taken to the hospital by ambulance. *tc

On 10/15/04 i had just entered a 6 lane interstate (high speed urban traffic) and had to quickly move over 3 lanes as the right 2 lanes were exit only about one half mile from my entrance point. after accelerating to merge into a gap to the left i found that the car was continuing to accelerate even though i was not depressing the accelerator, and was about to rear end a flatbed truck. the brakes had little effect on slowing the car. after some violent maneuvering and several near collisions i was able to get to the shoulder and switch the ignition off. the car was towed to a local ford dealership, where they found the problem was a defective accelerator cable. the plastic covering had frayed/disintegrated, jamming the cable such that the throttle return spring(s) were unable to close the throttle. the service writer said he had not seen this problem before. however, i did a cursory search on the nhtsa website and found a significant number of similar and identical incidents (only searched 2003 model year and only "vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal" component). there were 8 incidents that were clearly the result of defective accelerator cables (10068000, 10015965, 10047388, 10023519, 10051175, 10024424, 10026817 and 10082787) and 6 that were probably/possibly the result of defective accelerator cables (10018602, 10043060, 10062971, 10015506, 10092028 and 10040552). the seriousness and number of incidents would seem to warrant investigation/recall. i requested the defective cable from the service writer, but he indicated that as it was a warranty item it had to be returned to ford. however, i did take 2 pictures if they would be of any help.*ak

While driving tread separated from tire. vehicle was not drivable. general tires, ameritrac, m+s, p225/70r15 100's, dot 0215041 ck 37710-34752, tread wear 420, track a, temperature b. *ak

2001-2003 ford escape recall for engine stall does not extend far enough. dealer says my vehicle was made after the problem vehicles - but i periodically experience this problem, and ford won't do a thing about it. i just happened to learn of the recall through your website.*ak

When stopping at a stop sign, the vehicle raced and surged into the intersection. dealer stated they could not duplicate the problem. *ak *jb

Complete failure of brakes - pads and rotors - with only 19,000 miles on vehicle. replaced at my cost - zero acceptance of responsibility from ford. service advisor said it is a common problem with original ford brakes - replacements generally last longer.*ak

Cable on vehicle accelerator pedal broke and car accelerator unchecked. i needed to"stand" hard on my brakes to get any contol of the speed. i was on the freeway and transitioning to another freeway when this occurred. the only way i could stop the car was to turn off the motor once i got near the shoulder and use the brakes and the emergency brakes to come to a stop. the power ford valencia ford dealer, where i purchased the car, found the broken cable and now tells me that ford does not cover this type of failure.*ak

New car, owned 10 months. 16,000 miles on it. sudden engine failure, no warning what so ever, ie; no overheating, alarm etc. engine replaced, 10 days later drove only 12 miles on new engine. blew head gasket, and engine began to burn. again no warning. *jb

While driving consumer made a turn and vehicle lost power. ford stated that recall04v165000 was issued. *ak

The accelarator cable on my 2003 ford escape stuck at 65 mph. the engine continued to rev until i was able to stop. i was only able to stop by very hard braking and then turned the engine off. the vehicle was towed to mike castrucci ford in milford, ohio. it was like trying to brak while i have to gas floored. very dangerous.*ak

The engine of my 2003 ford escape (v6, automatic) dies when going into reverse occasionally. since mid of june, 2004, it has happened 5 times (today is july 25, 2004). we have sent the car to ford dealer three times already. they could not duplicate the problem and hence could not fix it. *ak

While driving at low speeds the vehicle stalled without warning. please provide additional information. *jb

2003 ford escape shift lever does not lock into park without pushing lever forward, dealer replaced parts and now condition is worse than before. service manager states other vehicles same year model checked and all perform simularly. also stated ford engineers advised him that this is a characteristic of vehicle.*ak

While driving the vehicle stalled. the driver tried to restart the vehicle but was unsuccessful. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic informed the driver that the transmission needed to be replaced due to worn parts. please provide further details. *jb

My 2003 ford escape which i purchased in april of 2003 caught fire in the engine due to a defect in the fuel injectors. within 20 minutes the entire front end of the car was engulfed in flames and destroyed. the flames also penetrated through the fire wall within little time. i am currently working with my insurance company as the car is a total loss. at this time i have had no response to my calls to ford regarding this extreme malfunction.

When the temperature is warmer, the escape intermittedly will not start. takes anywhere from 4 to 7 times of cranking before suv starts. occured first in aug., the ford shop reprogrammed the computer. one month later doesn't start again. ford shop left ticket open because they can't find problem. in october, happens again. now they have installed a piece of equipment that i have to push a button as i'm cranking if the car doesn't start. the piece of equipment is only good for 1 week, have to keep going in to have it reset.

While driving 55 mph a loud noise was heard coming from the passenger side. the rear passenger side tire blew out. the consumer was able to pull over and change the tire with a spare tire. continental, size p235/70r16. *ak *sc the consumer was told the tire incident was due to a road hazard, however the consumer disagreed. *jb

Engine stalls and has a loss of power at times under acceleration. *ak

While driving down rt 10 w at 50 mph my 2003 ford escape stalled. i had to sit with my hazards on, in the left lane of this busy highway, until the police could come and move me to a safe place. i could have been killed. this is the second time this has happened and the dealership has had it in repair for15 days prior to this.*ak

Accelerator pedal sticks. when placing vehicle into gear consumer must apply pressure to accelerator to release it. subsequently, it releases suddenly in a way which causes sudden acceleration. when conditions are icy this common problem will eventually get someone killed. *ak

While driving between 35 to 40 mph vehicle was involved in a frontal collision. upon impact, air bags failed to deploy. driver wore a seat belt. *ak

Transmission slipped into neutral and 2nd gear on its own. *ph the gear indicator stated the vehicle was still in drive, when the incident occurred. on a separate occasion, the consumer stated when he parked the vehicle and then returned, he noticed the vehicle was not in the same place where he had left it. *jb

I purched my new vehicle on 7/12/03 and on 3/3/04 upon opening my driver door, i heard a clanking noise and the driver door fell off. upon further inspection i located the top pin inside the car but the clip was no where to be found. i closed the door & climed out the passenger side. i contacted a local ford dealer (not where i purchased it from) to get it fixed. they said they had never heard of this and they were very suprised. but, from what i just read.... its happened before. i took the vehicle into the local dealership and they did not have the clip so they jerry-rigged something to hold the pin in place. *ak

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

To start, my vehicle is a 2003 ford escape with 36,000 miles. it is a company vehicle that i'm able to use professionally and personally. i was driving home from a quick trip to town and the accelerator began to have a mind of its own. i was traveling on the interstate and the vehicle continued to accelerate without pushing on the gas. luckily i acted quickly and was able to put the truck in neutral and pull over to the side safely. i turned the vehicle off and looked to see if there was anything on the floorboard that was causing constant acceleration, there wasn't. i turned the vehicle back on to see what would happen and the rpm's sored to 4 with being in park. this is the first time this vehicle had performed in this manner. i must say that this was very frightning. i wasn't sure i was going to be able to stop.*ak

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

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

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

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

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

Hello. i recently purchased a new ford escape with continental tires in june 2003. tire model: continental contitrac suv tire model #: 235/70r16 we experienced a complete tire failure while traveling at 60 mph, with sidewall and tread separation, for no apparent reason. as you can imagine this was very dangerous and unpleasant situation, thankfully no one was hurt. the vehicle (and tires) have 5k miles. there was no load or other unusual circumstances at the time. i am writing for several reasons: 1. where do i officially report such an incident as a public safety issue? 2. where can i obtain safety ratings regarding this tire in comparison to other suv tires? thank you, sincerely, john w. cole, md details of incident: ford escape tire blowout ford escape, purchased june 2003, approx 4900 total miles continental tires (stock tire with vehicle) date and time of incident: 9/25/03, 8:20 pm wife and son (10 weeks old) driving east bound on route 50, crossing severn river bridge. traveling at 60 mph in moderate traffic. loud pop heard by wife and driver rear tire blows out. wife and infant son trapped at far side of bridge, very dangerous situation! vehicle undriveable. police called, set up flares, and notified tow company. tow company stated supplied jack would not lift the truck chassis high enough to put on spare!! tow company used additional jack to raise chassis. key issues: suv purchased for safety purposes. tire new, with little mileage. blowout occurs on highway without reason. truck with no load, less passengers, at the time. tire jack did not work adequately. extremely dangerous situation! if this had of been a front tire, vehicle may have rolled? *jb

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

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

While at a stop with foot on brake vehicle began to accelerate on its own. consumer lost control and hit a building. *ak

Exhaust system components radiate excessive heat when vehicle is parked. header, manifold, and catalytic converter combined temperatures cause scorching of grass when parked in a lowly-cut, grassy area. ramifications could be safety impacts to occupants and environmental.

When the vehicle was driven in the rain water cames through the drivers side window frame. the water went down into the electrical buttons on door panel. ford replaced all the rubber seals but it still leaks. *ak

While driving ford escape 2003 suv,the left tire had a blow out and the tread separated from the wheel(original equipment,tire sizep235/70r16,dot#unavailable) driver was able to drive the vehicle off the road. dealer notified and informed that the cause was undetermined. please provide additional information and complete the questionnaire

Without warning vehicle started smoking from underneath. the smoke was coming from vent area inside of vehicle. also, there was a bad smell. *ak

My 2003 ford escape intermittently stalls when going into reverse. after the 2nd trip to the dealership they replaced the computer, it is still happening. now it is happening in drive as well. i've had the car since december 2002 and it has stalled out a total of 11 times. the vehicle has 8000 miles on it.*ak

When car was started, it moved only in reverse, regardless of the gear selection. this was only remedied after the car was restarted. *jb

While driving the left rear tire tread separated and the tire blew out. the driver was able to drive the vehicle off the road. the tire was original equipment (tire size p235.70r16) . dealer notified and informed consumer that the cause was undetermined. the vehicle brakes and rotors failed which caused noise while braking. *ak *nlm

3 weeks after buying vehicle it started making noise when applying brakes. dealer stated that was normal for a new car. *ak

I have complained twice before about my 2003 ford escape stalling without warning. it has now done it a total of 6 times. the vehicle stalls without warning in various situations. the most unnerving was when i was traveling at about 15 mph. it has also hesitated and bucked into an intersection on 2 different occasions. i contacted the executive offices at ford motor company and expressed my safety concerns, and i was informed that because the problem is not reproducable they do not feel that they are in a position to repurchase the vehicle at this time. my dealership has attempted to reproduce the stall and are unable, as am i. they have performed a tsb, installed a new throttle body and a new crankshaft sensor. the problem continues to persist. i now have a vdr in the vehicle for the third time. this vehicle is a major danger to myself, my passengers and anyone who is around the vehicle when it may stall due to the fact that when it does happen i lose all power steering and brakes. i do not trust the vehicle and i no longer feel safe in it.*ak

While driving at 55 mph passenger side rear tire blewout. continental suv tire.*ak

In march 2003 vehicle began to hesitate and accelerate, maintain speeds while foot off the gas (once at 65 mph), & shake like it wanted to stall. a couple times it even sped up while i was braking at red lights. on 4-10-03 service department could not duplicate symptoms since they are particularly exaggerated after parked for an hour or so. stated that i could leave it overnight (no alternative transportation offered) or wait until engine light came on. since the car did not feel safe, i brought it to another dealership which offered alternative transportation. the problems seemed to improve for a week or 2 before returning, following each of the following repairs: 5/16/03 replaced throttle body/idle air control/pcm reprograming; 6/6/03 repair vacuum tube/hose; 6/25/03 replace pcm with new updated pcm. two weeks later 7/12/03 operation of power locks/windows, and rear wipers/defrost were going in and out with dash abs, brake, and battery lights coming on concurrently. service department could not duplicate concern until 9 days later when they asked me to come get the vehicle. the symptoms returned immediately after i started the car up to leave. 7/21/03 alternator was replaced. hesitation, acceleration, shaking, and maintaining speeds, although not as frequent, continue and could not be reproduced by ford representative on 8/4/03. i am now continuing to pursue lemon law procedures. *ak

There was a groaning noise coming from the brakes, when the vehicle was at a complete stop but idling. there was also a burning smell coming from the air vents. upon inspection of the vehicle by the dealership the steering pump and pressure line had ruptured. the dealership indicated it was caused by the power steering fluid being contaminated. *ak *scc *jb

While driving at 35 mph, vehicle accelerated to 70 mph and the throttle stuck. driver had to coast to a complete stop because depressing the brake pedal wasn't slowing the vehicle down.*ak

We bought my escape xlt on 5/26/03. on 7/30/03, upon exiting my vehicle, the front driver's side door fell off. i do not feel safe in this vehicle. ford will not issue me a different escape unless we paid $9k towards a new one and i've only made one payment on my new vehicle. they said they've never seen this before and it won't happen again. we bought this vehicle because of the safety markings it received from consumer reports. i found that on march of 2003 another consumer had this same issue. that means that we're likely not the only ones to have this happen to us, like the ford dealerships would have us believe. after they returned the vehicle to me, they said it was fixed, but upon examination we noticed a part had been left off and my door was damaged and scuffed. we have contacted a lawyer and are persuing our options. *jt

Escape stalled for the fourth time. i did have a vdr in the vehicle for 5 weeks but it did not stall during that time. the dealer said it was safe to take it out because it did not seem like it was going to do it again. well it did and i lost all braking and steering ability. *ph

I have a 2003 ford escape. on april 17, 2003 i took my vehicle into the ford dealership in vacaville with a complaint about the brakes making a grinding noise (25,503 miles). they told me that they could not duplicate the noise and checked the front brakes. they claimed to have measured the brake pads at above 5mm of pad remaining. the noise continued. i took the vehicle back to the dealership on june 27, 2003 (28,720 miles). this time they heard the noise as well as a bearing noise. they measured the brakes at 3mm and told me that the rotors may be warped. i left the vehicle for the bearing repair and received a phone message (on my answering machine) that they re-measured that brake pads and found them to be 2mm not 3mm. they didn't mention anything about the rotors. i asked about the excessive wear of the brake pads and they said that it was normal wear. they told me that they could do nothing about the pads or the rotors. i called my brother-in-law that works for ford and told him about my experience. he made some phone calls and found out from one of ford's engineers that they have problems with brake wear (both pads and rotors) on the escape and the ford focus. today (30,270 miles) i took my escape to midas and had a brake inspection. the midas employee said that the rotors are worn down below specs and need to be replaced. he also said that the rotors should not wear that quickly. as to the pads he said that it was normal wear because they are ceramic pads. i went to the ford dealership in vacaville with this information. they told me that there was nothing that ford could do for me about the brake rotors. the individual told me that ford uses soft aluminum rotors on both the escape and the focus and they wear out very quickly. my concern for ford is that if they use substandard equipment and do not seem to be concerned, are they not opening themselves up to a law suit if their "soft rotors" fail and cause an accident. *ak

While driving at 50/55 mph vehicle died out without warning. this resulted in loss of power steering and brakes.the cost for repairs were $114.21. *ak *cb

Driver's side front tire blew out. the consumer was currently waiting for aaa to help with the problem. continental, contitrac suv. *ak consumer was driving on the freeway when she heard a noise in the left front tire. the tire had exploded while driving. she allowed the vehicle to slow down and pulled over to the shoulder. when the consumer exited the vehicle, she noticed the tire was ripped in a circular tear. the consumer didn't sustain any physical damage nor did the vehicle. *ph *jb

2003 ford escape v-6 automatic vehicle stalled on freeway for no reason. *ak

Previous complaint: stalling of 2003 escape. i returned vehicle back to the dealer and they installed a new eec and trouble shot the system. the work performed did not fix the problem and now it is seven days later and the stalling has returned. the onboard computer does not revel any problems so this more than likely will be an ongoing issue. *jb

While driving 65 mph, the driver's side rear tire experienced tread separation. this was the original tire that came with the vehicle at the time of purchase. the driver was able to avoid a collision. *ak *ts *jb

My 2003 ford escape has a stalling problem. it has stalled at least ten to twelve times in the last 14 days. the conditions during the stalling vary: on an incline, coming to stop and on straight away level terrain. it has also stalled and restarted much like a hesitation. *ak

My escape stalled 2 times last month. i took it into be serviced where i was assured they did everything necessary on the tsb. it stalled again today and i took it back. i was told they don't know why it is stalling and they have equipped the car with a button that i am to push when it happens again and then return. this does not sound safe to me considering i drive almost 50 miles a day, plus it is a major inconvenience. *nlm

After the vehicle was turned off for about 2 minutes a "sizzling" noise was heard. the muffler looked like it turned a reddish color. consumer suspected that muffler was corroded. *ak

Engine stalling. *ak

Binding of accelerator pedal from idle; pedal difficult at times [intermittent problem] to push smoothly, causing uneven and sudden acceleration. *nlm

While driving 55 mph the knuckle separation off the suspension caused accident. *nlm

While driving about 55 mph another vehicle jump in front of the consumers vehicle. the consumers vehicle veered off the road onto the shoulder, hit an embankment and flipped three times. the driver side air bag didn't deploy. *nlm

Gas pedal stuck and there wa ssudden acceleration. this problem similar to odi 10018602, but this vehicle was not included. *ak

Rear hatch - sheet metal around plastic trim piece used for handle and space between window and handle dent easily during normal opening and closing. several body shops we have taken the vehicle to for estimates says this happens alot. area should be reinforced or hatch should be made of composite material like the mini-vans. *nlm

While driving at any speed and without warning the vehicle stalled and it would be hard to start up the vehicle again. *tt

While driving at highway speeds engine shut down and caused loss of power steering. *nlm *scc

Gas pedal sticks at idle when in gear. must press with increased pressure then suddenly releases, lunging forward. this is a company vehicle and everyone else in this company has the same complaint with this vehicle. *jb

When the consumer applied the brakes, the vehicle accelerated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for this problem in march 2003. the throttle sensor was replaced. *jb

When the accelerator pedal was pressed slightly the vehicle surged forward from 0-10 mph. *nlm

I've had my new suv for 4 days (270 miles) - it stalled while sitting in traffic. lost all power. managed to get it over in a empty turning lane, turned everything off, put it back in park and it started right up. luckily i was only 2 miles from the dealership. before purchasing, salesman assured me that the "stalling" problem that occurred on earlier models was corrected with the 2003 model. apparently not. i drive in heavy traffic to and from work - this happened going to work, been in vehicle about 30 minutes. *nlm

I purchased a 2003 ford escape a couple of weeks ago. i drove it 8 days and 650 miles when the transmission went out. it was towed to the dealer and has been there for 6 days. i am requesting from ford an extended warranty on the vehicle which they are unwilling to provide. they are fixing the direct clutch which failed. i do not think an extended warranty is unreasonable. i know gm would provide one should the situation be the same. *nlm

I went to shut my drivers side door and it felt a little funny. i opened it again and when i shut it i heard a clanking noise. when i opened my door again the pin and clip fell out and the door (the top hinge) came off. i had to remove the bottom pin and clip to re- hang my drivers side door in order to go to the dealership to have them do nothing and tell me that i am the only person they have ever seen it happen too and that it shouldn't happen again. *jb

The brake and accelerator pedal was designed to close together, which caused consumer to press the accelerator when the brake was being applied.*jb *jb

2003 ford escape leaks dirt into passenger compartment when driving down a gravel road, at times the dust inside the passenger cabin is so thick it is impossible to see road or instruments. road dust is visible passing by door and seals. dealer has serviced vehicle twice for this condition. last visit the dealer suggested they would be happy to clean the vehicle out anytime we brought it in for service, and we should not operate the heater/air on gravel roads( we live on a gravel road). ford customer care was notified, but never responded.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the front end exhibited a loud noise as the front passenger's side front wheel separated. the vehicle was taken to the mechanic for inspection. the failure was located at the front sub frame and lower control arm, which were both determined to be corroded. as a result, the front passenger's side wheel separated from the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 68,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle had a recall on the frame and was repaired. while driving 20 mph, the vehicle shook and the steering wheel wobbled. the front driver side wheel was straight while the front passenger side wheel faced outward. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the subframe was completely fractured and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 145,000.

I have a 03 ford escape, and the trouble is endless. the car will not start at times and it is a strong smell of gas when this happens. i have had it in and out of the shop about 6 times and has had the car for only 2 years. the failure to start is scary because you don't know if the car is going to explode or what. the dealership tells me that it is a sensor that goes out and tells the car it doesn't have to start. been replaced 6 times and the other day it did it again. i hate to go out of town because of the fear of getting stranded on the highway. and another thing the smell of the engine is crazy my daughter has asthma and talking about a problem for her it is. i can go to work and go back 30 minutes later to my car and you can tell that it is still smelling of course where i got it from they told me that it was no concern it was due to the fact of them dropping oil when they did a change, come on people 2 months later. i fear that one day it will explode i just pray to god that my family is not in there. the airbag light will not go off and from reading in here i am scared to death. something really needs to be done about this problem before some family loses a member. *tr

Intermittently when the brakes are applied, the vehicle accelerates without warning. the outside temperature does not seem to matter. the only way to stop the increase in speed is to apply hard pressure to the brakes and shut of the ignition. the first time was about three years ago. the last time was in december, 2009. i( notified the dealer in 2008 and was told there was no similar occurrences reported. *tr

Beginning in april 2007, my 2003 ford escape xlt (current mileage 118754) experienced an intermittent problem with the air bag warning light. if the power driver's seat had been moved, then the light would appear and flash on the instrument panel for a period of time, then disappear without any action taken. this series of event happened 2-3 times between april - june, 2007. the last time the problem surfaced was june 25, 2007. the light was flashing when i started my vehicle on june 26, 2007. approximately 5 minutes after starting my vehicle on that date, i was stopped at an intersection when a truck approaching from my left lost its trailer. the trailer crashed into the front driver's side of my vehicle at approximately 60 miles per hour. none of the air bags within my vehicle deployed. my vehicle sustained severe damage to the front end. although no injuries were sustained as a result of this accident, i believe that an impact of this force into my front bumper should have deployed my front air bags, and that the failure to deploy can be attributed to the faulty sensor on my instrument panel.

On my way to work yesterday, i was exiting the highway onto an off-ramp. i did not have the gas pedal pressed, yet the truck was accelerating to speeds over 70 mph. i tried pressing on the brakes, but that did not stop the truck. i finally put the truck in neutral in order to avoid an accident. while sitting at the intersection waiting for the light to change, still in neutral, the truck's engine was revving higher & higher. the truck was literally rocking back & forth. when the light turned green, i put the truck in drive & it raced on. i was very careful to allow ample space in-between my truck & other drivers. i had 2 other intersections to go through before arriving at my work location. i would continue to put the truck in neutral while sitting at an intersection. this was a very scary experience. if i hadn't of reacted so quickly, i would have crashed into other vehicles and would have caused an accident. i was lucky that this did not occur while i was in the stop & go traffic closer to my home. this experience shook me up for quite some time. i contacted the nearest ford dealer & was told to contact ford's roadside assistance to have the truck towed to the dearlership. within minutes the tow truck arrived & took my truck to the dealership. the dealership replaced the throttle cable under warranty & within a few hours, i was driving my truck again. after the replacement, there seemed to be no resistance while pushing the gas pedal. therefore, i did not notice this problem that was about to explode. after my experience, i now see there have been other cases such as mine. i was lucky. how many others won't be?

We own a 2003 ford escape. we heard about a recall on the escape. so on december 21, my wife went to the ford dealership to get her car washed. while she was there she asked the services technician if there was a recall on the ford escape accelerator cable. the tech informed her that he had heard there was one, but had not heard anything from ford and said no more about it. on january 4th 2005 at about 5:00 am my wife entered the parking ramp at 12700 whitewater dr, minnetonka, mn. she needed to slow down because there is a speed bump entering the ramp. next she placed here foot on the gas pedal and started forward. next she removed her foot from the gas pedal and started to press the brake pedal. next she started to turn in to a parking space. the next thing she knew, the escape accelerated and hit the concrete pillar and the air bags had been deplored. we called the ford dealership (morries minnetonka ford) and they informed us they would fix the recall, but not the damage to the car. we were told by them to call ford customer relations. we have been playing phone tag with the relations department. i was told by my car insurance company to call you and your recording informed me to fill out this form.*ak