Page 12 of 12 · complaints 551–558 of 558

2003 Ford Escape complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2003 record →

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed May 7, 20031,000 milesCT

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND CAUSED LOSS OF POWER STEERING. *NLM *SCC

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Apr 16, 2003GA

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

Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal
Filed Apr 9, 2003MS

WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS PRESSED SLIGHTLY THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD FROM 0-10 MPH. *NLM

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Mar 27, 2003268 milesGA

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

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 19, 2003650 milesMN

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

Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments
Filed Mar 18, 20034,150 milesPA

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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Pedals and Linkages
Filed Feb 10, 2003IL

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

Structure › Body › Door
Filed Jan 11, 2003200 milesMO

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.

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2003 Ford Escape → · Every Escape year → · How the figures are calculated →