general problems of the 2004 Ford Escape

A few times I have pressed the brakes when coming to a red light and stop signs but instead of my vehicle stopping it propelled me forward as it excellerated out of no where and pushed me into oncoming traffic, I almost was hit by other cars and I almost hit other cars and even have had to swerve onto the side walk to prevent myself from getting g hit by another car. If there were people walking, I would have definitely hit them! when I press the brake, I’m not expecting to accelerate instead also apparently this recall of this issue was already done back in 2005 but I just purchased this vehicle in the fall of 2023 and the dealer says there is no recall since it’s already been fixed by the previous owner years ago but it needs to be fixed as it’s still doing it to me.

On Thursday 15 November 2018, I parked my 2004 Ford Escape ltd in a parking-lot and went into my office. Within one hour, a fire began in the engine compartment that quickly spread to the rest of the vehicle. The cause of the fire is unknown. The vehicle was determined a total loss by my insurance company.

The vehicle was a 2004 Ford Escape. It was parked on the street, everything was turned off and the vehicle was not running. I was in work when I was informed that my vehicle was on fire. Nothing was on to start this fire, it happened spontaneously. The fire seems to have started in the vicinity of the drivers side engine bay. Previous to this incident, there were no mechanical or electrical issues with the vehicle.

On December 2, 2016 I bought a 2004 Ford Escape from car hop in tacoma, wa. With a $ 800 dollar down payment. After about 3 months the car started overheating. Had it flushed. Seemed to fix the problem. Started again in Feb of 2017. Took it into a shop of car hops and they said it was water pump. Went back to have replaced and was told they no longer worked with car hop. I need my car for work I am a caregiver so my car is needed. Well I had my car towed to a shop towards the end of may of this year, the shop was a and m automotive. I paided 533. 69 to get water pump put in. Problem was not solved. Still over heating they said it was a head gasket and needed a new engine car towed back home set there for about a week and half. On June 7th had the car towed to meineke, because car hop works with them. In the mist of all this from the start I called car hop and told them to come get the car I was not paying for something that does not run. This it took 3 or 4 times to get to them because they can not communicate. I was 130 late from my may 15th payment. Thy kept asking for that not even talking about repairs. Finally, after a week they had mt tow the car to meineke on June 7th. Was told it would take up to 48 hours to get an estimate. Well after 4 days I called them and they said they still have not received the estimate but continued asking for the 130 and still have not applied the 533 to my account. Called again after 2 days same thing. On June 18th I called meineke and got estimate within 15 mins. I emailed it to car hop, now they are saying they not applying the 533 and did not decide what to do. Plus, they are saying they won't help because it is not covered by warranty. They knew this from the day I told them to come get it. They told me they would help get fixed. I have received nothing but lie after lie, poor poor customer service. Please help me.

It seems one day I noticed my airbag light on. It is usually on constantly or blinking. I am not sure why it stays on. I see a lot of complaints about these airbags on this site. I wish I knew this problem prior to purchasing this car. I also just recently had the hood release cable break on me. Call the dealership and they don't make them anymore. Great! wonderful! when I went to the parts store the counter person said that this was the 5th Ford hood release that they had people looking for in less than a month. Is there some kind of recall for the hood release cable? should there be??.

Cpsc:about a month ago I noticed a loud noise coming from the rear passenger side of my vehicle when going over bumps in the road. Upon inspection, I found the shock casing on the rear passenger side is completely rusted out and my shock mount is no longer attatched to my vehicle.

I believe I have been a victim of odometer fraud. I purchased my 2004 Ford Escape XLT from first choice rental cars & sales 3517 old petersburg rd martinez GA 30907. I purchased the vehicle for $4700 in cash. I recently found out through carfax that I am the 4th owner and the odometer was previously at 186,475. My car odometer is currently reading at 147,355 and counting because I drive this car daily. When I purchased the vehicle the bill of sale did not have the mileage on it, the bill stated exempt. I would like to know can I get my money back for the vehicle, because I would have never bought this vehicle if I would have know the odometer had been rolled back.

The back latch to the widows fell off. Not safe! was not moving, parked.

Dangerous failure of my car frame, while I was driving on a public road. This failure happened after the frame problem was identified and remedied a few years earlier. It was a separation of the lower control arm where it meets the frame. Very scary.

In April 2016, I purchased a used 2004 Ford Escape with approximately 130,000 miles on it. The vehicle had a recent state inspection sticker verifying that it passed all state safety standards. However, after driving the Escape for only a few days, the check engine light would come on intermittently and the vehicle would quit running properly and stall. This would occur intermittingly while the vehicle was in park and other times while driving in traffic. I brought the vehicle into two different mechanics and they could not properly diagnose the problem due to the complexity of the stalling issue. The check engine light no longer comes on, but the stalling problem keeps getting worse. My spouse no longer drives the vehicle because of the safety issues of stalling on the highways and it store parking lots. On July 21, 2016, I drove the Escape for a 200 mile round-trip. During the first 100 miles, going to the destination, the vehicle ran great without a single problem. Unfortunately, during the return trip home, I became scared as the vehicle began intermittently stalling in 4 lanes of interstate traffic that was traveling at 55+ miles per hour¿and I had to try restarting my vehicle several times, while traveling in neutral in the middle of 4 lanes of interstate traffic. I plan to bring our vehicle back to another mechanic, so they can try to properly address this safety issue¿hopefully before someone gets hurt accidentally with the vehicle intermittently stalling in heavy traffic or in a dangerous situation. Unfortunately, diagnosing the problem seems to be an issue. I have read several articles online about this intermittent stalling problem with Escapes and realize that the stalling problem is quite prevalent. Personally, I believe this is a serious safety issue that needs to be addressed by Ford, with a safety recall done to fix the problem.

Airbag light blinks or continuously stays on. . . Also rear passenger shock has broken away from wheel well causing unsafe driving conditions. I just had this vehicle financed back in February 2016.

Right, rear back window hinge bolt rusted off and broke.

Passenger (right) rear wheel well rusted through, causing the strut to detach.

I purchased this vehicle 11 months ago, on Feb 13,2015 as I was driving my car began to make a very loud noise as well as causing the vehicle to drive unstable. The mechanic report stated that 3 separate spark plugs had blown out and ejected causing extensive damage to multiple mechanical mechanisms to my vehicle. My vehicle is currently un drivable, also the check engine light did not come on the dash board or the machine. Also prior to this incident my vehicle would accelerate while driving and also in park.

I was in a head on crash going approximated 35 mph and my air bags did not deploy.

On three previous occasions throttle stuck on high when stopped or in park while parking vehicle. After googling information on possible causes I found a complaints already filed with this issue. Ford acknowledged recall number 12s37. When I contacted my local Ford dealer Saturday morning 11/15/2014 with this number they where unaware,and found no reference this issue. Please assist.

The rightside of my wheelwell was rotted out along with the floor around it that held the wheel well the shock needed to be replaced as well. When I went to the dealship to get the wheel well they told me this was a well known part to be replaced. So I asked why was it not a recall on it no answer could he give me. I was getting a burning smell from my exsalts (muffler fumes) as I drove home many times I felt myself getting sleepy as I droveon to get to my destination I prayed toget safetly there little did I know I was getting fumes in my car that caused this. I have driven with my young grandchildren in this dangerous condition in this car my qquestion is if the Ford dealship knew of this to be a well known problem why did they not recall it I only thank the lord that it did not kill me or my grandchildren. Also it past inspection a year ago how could they have not seen what was happening in this area. I do have pictures of it and it was even worst then the pictures I have seen online proof one more time that god is aiways on yourside if you believe everyone else please check your wheel well god bless.

The right rear wheel well is rusting out so that the shock to break loose. I was told it's unsafe by several mechanics/body shops to drive. This is the only car that I have to transport my three children and it's not going to be a cheap fix. This needs to be recalled before someone gets injured or worse!!!.

The rear hatch glass hinge bolts sheared on both hinges during hatch closure. The rear hatch glass is only held on by rear shocks. The inside bolts both have some corrosion. The rear glass is not damaged.

I'm driving on a newly paved street when I heard a large noise, like a bomb going off, near the right rear of my vehicle. Then I heard something hitting against the right rear tire. I pulled over and looked at the vehicle when I looked under the vehicle to the right rear wheel well the well was rusted out and the shock and mount was now detached from the frame. The Ford Escape is not driveable. The rear wheel well is so rusted out there is a hole into the storage compartment in the rear of the vehicle. When I look from inside the stiorage compartment/hatch area of the Escape I can see the outside through the hole.

I was driving down the road when I hit a pot hole. The body/frame part of the passenger side rear wheel well broke loose around the rear passenger shock. So there is nothing holding the shock in place. It is causing further damage to the area. The body/frame has deteriorated in that area. I cannot drive my vehicle. Ford has issued a recall for the front end rusting prematurely and causing damage. But, I think this is the same reason.

I want to bring to your immediate attention a serious safety concern I have with my 2004 Ford Escape. We have owned the car since 2007 (mileage 102,000) and have recently experienced intermittent stalling while the car is in motion. I have had 4 experiences where the car would stall while in motion. It appears to occur when outside temperatures are above 80 degrees and I have traveled in the car for >30 minutes and have made a short stop (for gas or shopping). After continuing my drive after a short stop, the car suddenly shuts off at some point on the way home while the vehicle is in motion, losing all power to the steering and breaking system. The car will start up again (while coasting) with no issue but stall again after a short while. These have been very harrowing experiences on busy roads and fortunate that it was me and not my pregnant wife, as I don't believe she would have had the strength to execute these emergency actions with no power. The car has been at the Ford dealership for >1 week but they have failed to replicate the problem. The car remains at the Ford dealership until the cause can be determined.

As I was sitting in my car with my 9 year old in the backseat, in park, with the engine on, waiting for my older son, we heard a loud explosion and the back windshield had shattered into a million pieces. I thought someone had shot or thrown something at the car but once I got outside and looked at it I could tell by the way the glass had blown outward (for the most part) that something that I could not explain must have happened/malfunctioned with the windshield. It was very scary and, as I was a half hour from home and it was raining, pretty inconvenient. The explosion was so forceful that it damaged both the rear wiper system and the hydraulic arm which lifts the rear window. I am glad my dog was not traveling in the back of the car as plenty of glass ended up in the back of the car. Also, now I have to pay for all of this to get fixed? this is a problem.

Excessive corrosion in rear wheel wells, straps holding gas tank and underside of running boards. Both running boards completely fell off, the straps holding the tank had to be replaced because the tank was in danger of falling off. This car is in a covered garage 90% of the time.