general problems of the 2003 Ford Escape

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Escape. The contact's nephew stated while driving approximately 35 mph, there was smoke coming from under the hood. The contact pulled over and fire started coming from under hood. The fire department was called out however, the fire was extinguished before they arrived. A fire report was filed. The vehicle was towed back to the contact's sister’s residence. The vehicle was diagnosed but was not repaired. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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. . .

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 resposible 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.

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.

Back in oct 2012 took the car to malcolm cunningham Ford dealership in camblee GA b/c of the recall of the cruis control calbe which causes the trottle to get stuck-gas peddle. They claimed they fixed it. Sunday morning @11:30 am on April 14th while on iy way to chruch 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 break. Shift the gear to one but car kept on going fast. The car spead 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 negliegence of this dealer ship.

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.

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.

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. Latanya aurora CO.

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.

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 miltiple times before it will allow me to open it. Last fall (2014) my hing 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?!?!?.

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.