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Ford Escape Mazda Tribute Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • shona99shona99 Member Posts: 6
    My IAC was replaced under warranty. I don't know how much it was the receipt said N/C. I guess you will have to contact your dealer.
    Hope it works for you too.
    Shona
  • shona99shona99 Member Posts: 6
    Thanks again for the help. My dealership had no clue what was wrong. They kept telling me I was the "only one" with this problem....until I kept bringing up that they check with Mazda Corp. about any bulletins etc that refer to the IAC. Then FINALLY! THANK GOD! They listened. MY CAR RUNS! THANK YOU THANK YOU AGAIN!
    Shona
  • scarrcopscarrcop Member Posts: 3
    Thanks everyone for the input. It was never my intention to let the Dealer do my brakes unless I can convince them it's under the warranty, but I can't imagine they'll go for that. It is under warranty but I doubt that includes the brakes (but maybe the rotors) Anyway, I've been looking at raybestos pads and rotors. CarQuest caries them. $66.76 ea for the rotors and $70.82 for a pair of pads. Does anyone think that the "Drilled and Slotted" rotors are worth the money or try? I'm not sure if I should go with the cheapest rotors or a more expensive one on the idea that they may last longer.

    This is the first vehicle I've owned that's had Anti-lock brakes. First NEW vehicle too, I've always bought used. I've always done my own brake work in the past. Is the Anti-Lock feature something that will prevent the changing out of the pads and rotors. It's always been a pretty easy job in the past.

    Again, Thanks to all you have given their advise.
  • wijocowijoco Member Posts: 462
    The main thing to remember when working on ABS equipped systems is to never push brake fluid back into the lines. If you have to force caliper pistons back into their bore to install pads, always use a hose-pinch tool and open the bleeder screw on the caliper to force fluid out the end of line. Pushing dirty fluid back up into the brake lines can ruin your ABS valves and pumps. As far as drilled or slotted rotors, I believe that would be overkill. A semi-premium set of rotors from any of the major parts retailers will probably be sufficient. Isn't it ridiculous how much Ford charges for their rotors, considering they're not any better than the aftermarket parts?
  • scarrcopscarrcop Member Posts: 3
    Thanks wijoco!

    I appreciate the advise on hose clamp and brake fluid. I'll follow your advise. Other wise I may have just pushed the pistons open. I'll be sure to bleed them a little when I'm done, just in case.

    The Drilled and Slotted rotors I found are only $40.00 more for the pair and I think I'll give them a shot. But yes, I agree. The dealer wanted $660.00 to do the front brakes and rotors. I'll be able to do it for about $200.00.

    Thanks everyone again. I'll keep you posted on whether After Market Rotors wear better than OEM parts. I sure hope so.
  • melloyello27melloyello27 Member Posts: 2
    Hello,

    I have 2003 LX with Luxury Package, Perimeter Alarm, Rear bumper step plate and Cargo Net.
    Just the other day my alarm system went off.
    No one near the car or anything at all for that matter. I check the car and "thinks" there was a door open and wouldn't allow me to arm the alarm system or anything. The overhead lights were on and the door ajar light on the dashboard was on. After a while everything went back to normal and I was able to arm the car. This has happened twice. Any Ideas?

    TIA
  • wijocowijoco Member Posts: 462
    Might not be an alarm problem at all. Sounds more like a door sensor problem. Next time it happens try opening each door individually and playing with the door-open switch to isolate the problem.
  • buyusmadebuyusmade Member Posts: 4
    Odie:

    Thanks for the suggestions. It does confirm that it was not something unique to the vehicle.
    I may have to buy new tires with life time warranty as you have done.

    But when you had the cupping problem: Did they replace the tires at the tire dealership easily or you had to fight for the same?
  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    the olny Problem I had is the tire that was on my Escape (Wrangler RF-A) was no longer being produced so I got a credit toward any other tire, which made most of them VERY cheap or FREE. I can vouch that the warrenty on the Tires was the best thing I got for ther car. every 6000 miles I get FREE re-balanceing, Rotation, and 4-wheel alignment.

    Odie
  • khparkkhpark Member Posts: 3
    I've been looking into buying 2004 model of Ford Escape and as I was doing more research I've been reading these random stall problems. Does anyone know if this problem has been fixed in 2004 model? I've read that 2003 model is still experiencing this problem... Are there any Ford Escape 2004 model owners who have experienced this random stall problem? I would appreciate it if you can post the reply here and send me an email to real_ki@yahoo.com also. Thank you in advance.

    - Ki
      real_ki@yahoo.com
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    ...reply here and send me an email to...

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  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    I forget where I saw it, but I remember seeing somewhere that the Escape will be getting an available 3.5ltr V6 in 2005 that will push 245 - 260 HP.

    Odie
    Http://www.geocities.com/odie442/albert_family.html
  • mckee4mckee4 Member Posts: 47
    With 42K miles on my '01 XLT V6 FWD, I have very
    little to complain about other than brake pad/
    rotor change at 29K miles and IAC valve
    replacement at 40K miles. The thing that blind-sided me the most about the brake job was
    the complete rotor replacement which added an
    additional $250.00+ dollars to the receipt. I
    know that there is a direct corollary between
    how much your foot is on the brake and brake wear.
    Brake pad wear is normal and occurs worse on
    some cars than others. As mentioned in another
    post, I intend to change out the rotors (next
    time) with high quality, turnable, rotors which
    should in the aftermarket by now. I intend to
    change the pads with ceramic ones which will
    reduce and / or eliminate brake-dust. Problem
    solved. Ironically the brake shoes have about
    50-60% (according to mechanic friend) left. I
    wonder if the rear-brake drums are disposable ?

    I saved my old-bad IAC valve, cleaned it up
    (used throttle/carb cleaner, good quality)
    and re-installed it just to see what would
    happen. Fired right-up and kept it connected
    for a day or so. No problems. But I re-installed the new one in any case. For those
    who've changed IAC's, try and keep your old
    one and maybe do the same thing. It may be a
    good spare one for emergencies if it still
    works. Apparently, at least in my area, the
    IAC's were back-ordered at most of the Ford
    dealerships, but I got mine within two days
    from a parts house. Makes me think that Ford
    may have a batch of factory defective ones
    that are being installed unbeknownst. Ford
    needs to put a little heat on the part manu-
    facturer and do some solid QC and figure what
    may be going wrong. Just by judging by the
    number of people posting, it could be larger
    problem outside the posting. Of course as
    mentioned, the IAC fix may not solve all the
    drivability issues which have been posted. I
    don't discount that some people may have
    poorly built vehicles either. We all know
    that happens.
     
    By an large this vehicle has been no more
    problematic than most of the other cars I've
    owned (Chevy, other Ford's, Honda, Toyota,
    Nissan) and less than some. My wife (I'll
    say this because she doesn't read these posts),
    bought an '03 Toyota RAV4 in March. It's got
    more rattles, buzzes, and sounds than my Escape
    does by far. She frustrated that her RAV is
    like this because it was assembled in Japan.
    Don't think it makes much difference these
    days.

    Would like to upgrade to '05 with possible
    engine size/HP increase as previously posted.
    It's good that Ford is doing this, as I've
    read that the new V6 option in the Saturn VUE
    is Honda-made (smooth) ~w/240 HP.
  • rudy32rudy32 Member Posts: 3
    Mckee4,
     Called the dealer and he suggested the same thing - remove IAC and clean. Can you please describe for me what the IAC looks like and where it is located?
      The other night I removed a black plastic piece that goes into the air hose near the air filter. This part is hollow with a few thread like pieces-- as you can tell I am not mechanically gifted. Thanks for your time and assistance. I sprayed this part and towards the manifold and airfilter with carb and intake cleaner. Car started with no problems. Now, I am back to the same issue. Car takes forever to start

    rudy32
  • rotarykidrotarykid Member Posts: 191
    this part has been replaced regularly since the mid 90's on all our ford/mazda trucks. there appears to be NO effort at all to improve or redesign it. If there has been an internal change, it has not been an improvement. the same goes for the DPFE sensor(egr flow) if everyone in here hasnt replaced it yet on their tribscape, you will. This part has been noticeably redesigned over the years with no improvement. By the way, if anyone is interested in a 2002 complete intake assembly(including injector rail and the notorious IAC valve), leave your email and I will contact you. It came off an 02 trib that had a bad crankshaft @ 10k miles. Engine was replaced as a whole.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Please take it to eBay. No buying and selling on Town Hall!

    Steve, Host
  • mckee4mckee4 Member Posts: 47
    The IAC on the 3.0 V6 is located on the top
    middle of the engine. You can see it and
    access it very easily. It almost looks like a
    small t-stat sitting on top. It is bolted on
    w/two 10mm (I believe) screws and has an
    electrical connector that will have to be detached
    (easy). The best I can say is that it is
    connected near to the black plastic FORD cover
    but more on top as opposed to eiter side.
    Unfortunately I don't have a digital camera and
    cannot post any pictures. If someone does then
    it would be good and it'd be easy to point out.

    If you know anyone mechanically inclined or you
    run the vehicle by the dealership or a shop, I
    believe a service advisor could point it out
    (for free). However, let me say again, that I'm
    not a mechanic and this fix may not work for your
    particular drivability issues. A friend who is
    a mechanic and who does some of my car
    maintenance work diagnosed the problem within
    minutes and admitted the IAC is problematic in a lot of other Ford vehicles, trucks, cars, etc.
    He's replaced his IAC on his Ford F-150 with only
    20K miles. Actually. I am surprised that Ford
    hasn't latched onto this as a TSB at least. As
    rotarykid has said the EGR may be problematic
    as well. I did receive a certificate of
    acknowledgement from Ford corporate indicating
    that if I have problems with the EGR flow that
    it will be replaced for free using the
    certificate that Ford sent.
  • wijocowijoco Member Posts: 462
    Be careful with that "threadlike" part: it's your Mass Air Flow sensor. Break one of those threads, and it's all over, very expensive.
  • mckee4mckee4 Member Posts: 47
    I concur and agree completely with your statement
    about the MAF sensor. Really when jacking around
    with anything having to do with engine air-intake
    one needs to be real careful. Don't know what
    a MAF runs for the Escape but judging by parts
    costs for other makes/models it's not cheap.
    Foreign car MAF's have been known to cost in the
    high 100's and even 1000's of dollars.
    Sorry if I can't be more explanatory about the
    IAC location, but it literally is a 5-minute
    change-out for that sensor. I am surprised if
    a dealer cannot diagnose the problem. A good,
    reputable, independent shop should be able to.
    I've heard of the a good independent shop actually
    calling the dealership with the proper fix on
    other repair issues. Any shop is only as good as
    their owner/manager and techs. whether private
    or dealership.
    I have found a shop that is close to home, offers
    some the same amenities as the Ford dealership and
    most of their techs. have 20+ years at the same place and are ASE certified with most at Master
    level. That tells me something. For small things
    I still use a mechanic friend if he's available
    and to pick up some extra cash.
  • neo1973neo1973 Member Posts: 1
    With all the issues I've had with Mazda, I just decided to have a look online and see what people had to say. I found this forum and found some very familiar experiences, so I decided to voice my own. I like my DX-V6 AWD 2001 Tribute, but Mazda has me so ticked with their pathetic service, and the brakes I had to get replaced a few days ago blind sided me too. $600 to get the front pads and rotors replaced at 68,000 kms (42,000 miles), and I've been doing about 95% all highway driving since 40,000 kms (25,000 miles), which surprises me a little. The pads I could understand, but rotors too. After reading a few posts here though, I realize this is just a common trait of the Tribute apparently.
    Although, the brakes are not my biggest disappointment, its actually the Mazda service I'm really ticked about. Firstly, when I went to buy my Tribute, the sales guy was treating me like a highschool kid flipping burger paddies trying to buy a $30,000 SUV. I was insulted with the way he was talking to me. It was pathetic, and I wrote Mazda about that, and kindly got a photocopied apology that I could have read it was so poorly photocopied, and a nice key chain. That's Mazda for you. The key chain made me feel so much better (a little sarcasism there I think). Their apology actually made me more mad than the Sales Rep. It didn't stop there. Last year in Dec 2002 I went in for my regular service at 36,000 kms (22,000 miles), when I was told all my tires were totally worn and down to the metal, and needed to be replaced. On top of that, I was told my rear brake drums were leaking and needed to be replaced. I basically looked at them like a deer in headlights. It didn't seem right at all to be driving a brand new Tribute, not even 2 years old, and the tires don't pass safety. That's ridiculous. I said no to both. The next day I went to a Goodyear dealership and asked them to inspect my tires and brakes. They said my front tires were only 38% worn, and the back were 63% worn, and they had been rotated. He said they were good for at least about another 15,000 kms. As for the brakes, he said no leaks at all, and if the back drums were leaking, they could cease up and they shouldn't have let me leave with them like that. He said the brakes looked like new. So finally, in June (6 months later and 18,000 kms later), I got new tires for my Tribute. Paying Goodyear $50 to look at my brakes, and tires, saved me about $800 from a clear scam from Mazda. I haven't yet, but I intend to write Mazda again, and demand they compensate me for my new tires, and for the $50 it cost to check my brakes to find out they were lying to me. Its only fair they should do that for trying to scam me out of all that money. Where I get my service now is much better, but still some things are there and I have no trust in them anymore. When I replaced my brakes a few days ago, they said it would be good to replace my wipers too. I said thank-you, but you guys did that for me in April of this year already. What? Do I need new wipers every 6 months now? It sad how some shops just try to get what they can from customers. Personally, I don't have time to research all the details about SUV's to know if they are pulling a fast one on me, that's why I'm supposed to be putting my trust in the dealership to do their job properly. I think Mazda makes good automobiles, but from what I've seen from their service, THEIR warranty has run out. It's just sad I think. I think it would be good to have some sort of regulatory body in shops on a provincial/state or federal level, with no biased view, for each service to ensure the customer isn't getting screwed. With more and more vehicles on the road, and the complexity increasing, customers are just not going to know if they are really getting scammed or not. That's my two cents.
  • bri66bri66 Member Posts: 220
    Have 60,000 miles on my 2001 3.0 XLT and have had a slight problem with starting and performance as of late. Decided it was time to change spark plugs. Has anyone attempted this 2 hour project? Not an easy task by no means. I wasn't even aware there were no spark plug wires on this SUV until today. Discovered a small oil leak aroung the last spark plug removed. Gaskets not available at local Ford dealer. I gonna inquire if gaskets will be covered under Ford ESP powertrain warranty. Does anyone know if it is covered under warranty?
  • wijocowijoco Member Posts: 462
    "Have 60,000 miles on my 2001 3.0 XLT and have had a slight problem with starting and performance as of late. Decided it was time to change spark plugs. Has anyone attempted this 2 hour project? Not an easy task by no means. I wasn't even aware there were no spark plug wires on this SUV until today."

    What type of starting/performance problems? I doubt plugs are your problem. Can you be more specific.

    " Discovered a small oil leak aroung the last spark plug removed. Gaskets not available at local Ford dealer. I gonna inquire if gaskets will be covered under Ford ESP powertrain warranty. Does anyone know if it is covered under warranty?"

    Should be covered, but what gasket? Valve cover? Head?
  • rotarykidrotarykid Member Posts: 191
    I feel for you about getting flim-flammed at the dealership. Having worked for mazda dealers as a cerified tech of 17 years, I can vouch for you that some dealers will try to sell items or services that are not needed from time to time, but this is not common practice at any of the dealers at which I have worked. It starts with the flat rate tech that wants to make the quick buck, but lacks the skills to make money on more complex jobs. I have seen it done and dont agree with it, but it happens. Service managers either just don't know it is happening or they look the other way because some of them are in it for the quick buck, or just dont know how to run a shop correctly/successfully. Most technicians however, do NOT perform their duty this way at the dealerships. Always ask to see the faulty part(s) on the vehicle while it is on the lift if you are able. Most people obviously dont have time to be there when their car is being worked on so they usually ask for the parts to be saved, which is a good idea. My point is simply this: Everybody is in it for the money,including myself, and money can make people do the wrong thing just to get it. I can proudly say that I have never sold anyone anything that wasnt needed on their car, and I am always willing to speak to customers to explain what I did and how things work. Finding a good tech to take care of your car exclusively is the ideal situation. I have many customers that almost bypass the service writers completely when they bring their cars in, and only talk to me when they call etc., Also, find out the credentials of the tech working on your car. Request that your car be worked on by a certified mazda tech. Not all the people working in the shop are certified by mazda, but they do have to have at least one or two working there.
    As for Mazda buying you a new set of tires, you have a better chance of seeing my Red Sox win the world series. I have only seen mazda buy tires ONCE in my career. As for something leaking from the rear brakes, whatever may have been leaking, should have been covered under warranty. I will just take a guess that your mazda dealer is a conglomerate of car lines. Any mazda exclusive dealer should know much better about selling things that are covered under warranty. Perhaps the dealer just hasnt had the mazda car line long enough to know better. I find that some of the people in my store forget that mazda has at least 3yr 50k on all the cars we see. They are used to that domestic warranty of 3yr-36k on that great GM line we also sell. (just kidding about the great part). Try another dealer if possible- depending how far the next one is. Continue making a stink to Mazda and the district rep and let them know you still arent satisfied. Let them know that you probably wont buy another mazda again because of your experience.(they dont like to hear that).
  • dashdrummerdashdrummer Member Posts: 1
    What was I thinking for not reviewing the Edmunds Town Hall in the past. I now realize that I'm not alone. For over a year and half I have been trying to find out what is causing the brake pedal of my Tribute (2001) to make a hissing sound upon releasing the brake. Every time I brought my car to the dealer the sound would stop. I looked like a fool. Do you think the service rep could have taking a minute to call Mazda Tech Services to see if this problem had been reported? No. I was told to bring it back when it made the noise. After several attempts of trying to get a service rep to treat me like a sane person and with my warranty expiring today,I made another attempt. Again I was told to come back when the noise was apparent. I almost drove away, but then I chose to speak with the service manager. He planed to call Mazda Tech services and get back to me, but just then the technician walked in and he said the booster rod needs replacement. Then I come to Edmunds Town Hall today and sure enough I see several message about this. Intermittent problems are the worst. Maybe Mazda will learn to train their reps to be a little more conscientious. A phone call to Mazda Tech Services might have save me almost two years of aggravation. Now I've learned how to how deal with these matters, Read Edmunds. Thanks.
  • scapedad1scapedad1 Member Posts: 4
    My son bought an '03 Escape back in April, and has complained about hearing a bubbling or gurgling noise high up in the dash after every rainfall since. The dealer's service people can't find a cause for it. Called Ford and they suggested resealing the "cowl area". Their body shop spent like 10 hours disassembling the hood, fenders, bumper, and resealing everything in sight. All he got for their trouble is an Escape that Still gurgles, and some pretty bad scratches on the hood. Dealer claims Ford won't research it any farther until they get at least 25 complaint reports on the same problem. Gave him an 800 number to call to lodge a complaint . I'll have to get that number and post it on here for others with the same problem. If someone finds a cure for this, please post it.
  • phalangesphalanges Member Posts: 5
    I purchased a new '02 Escape in August '02. I have about 16,000 trouble free miles. Then the oil drops appeared on the garage floor. The Ford dealership put dye in the crankcase and looked at it about 3 weeks later. The leak was from the rear valve cover gasket. I thought it was an easy fix until the service manager said to get the cover off, the motor, transmission and drive train needs to be taken out.There is not enough clearance to change the gasket. This is quite a drastic remedy for an easy repair. My concern now is that the engine and drive train are put together correctly. I have a feeling this is going to be a long and extended relationship with the Ford dealership. The service writer could not explain why the leak occurred nor is there a technical service bulletin covering the flaw. Oh well......
  • vinnynyvinnyny Member Posts: 764
    Has anyone out there noticed a horrible smell coming from their AC vents? My 2003 Trib ES puts out a dirty diaper stink for the first 10-20 minutes on hot days. Now that the weather has cooled off, I don't really notice it anymore (yes, the AC is still run some days).
  • wijocowijoco Member Posts: 462
    Usually that's the result of an A/C evaporator drain plugged by years of mold+mildew buildup. But on such a new vehicle, that's unlikely. Most likely a drain assembly was incorrectly assembled somewhere and water has pooled up and mildewed. Hard to speculate without opening things up, so take it back to the dealer if it's under warranty. Just hope it's not a dead mouse in your air ducting.
  • scapedad1scapedad1 Member Posts: 4
    The service manager told my son that he should call Ford directly to lodge a "formal complaint" abput the gurgling waterfall noise that they haven't found a cure for yet. Supposedly after they receive 25 calls about a specific situation, they will investigate it further. You will need to have your VIN# for verification purposes. The number is 1-800-241-FORD. Let's see if we can get some action started.
  • zoomer23zoomer23 Member Posts: 1
    I am writing to see if anyone else is having these problems. I had taken my tribute in for service for a vibration, engine turning cutting off/ noise from the driver door/ radio not working/ speakers and subwoofer not working/ vehicle pulling to the left and then to right. SMELL OF ROTTEN MILK from the air conditioner/ Rattle noise that the service department can not find. Not to mention my tribute only has 6000 on it. I have spent months trying to figure out, how did I go wrong with this vehicle. I have done early maintaince on my tribute. I have talked with mazda care about these items I followed all recommend suggestions, The dealership did repair TSB recalls for this vehicle. Please let me hear from you
  • vinnynyvinnyny Member Posts: 764
  • rotarykidrotarykid Member Posts: 191
    Unless there is some type of completely different setup on the escape vs. the tribute, there is no need to remove anything but the intake manifold and minor items to replace the valve cover gasket. I'm gonna guess that it was something other than the valve cover gasket but the service writer did not explain it correctly or he/she was misinformed altogether. Personally, I have removed and replaced the rear gasket in about 20 minutes myself. Not bragging, but just giving real world info.
  • phalangesphalanges Member Posts: 5
    I contacted the service manager this morning. He confirmed that it was only the valve cover gasket that needed replacement. He also defended his position that the motor had to be removed.The motor is now in, but the car doesn't run well. They suspect a wire on the wiring harness is pinched, they have to find out which one.
    Thanks for the response, I am considering contacting Ford and lodging a complaint.
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  • rotarykidrotarykid Member Posts: 191
    I would go down to the dealer and have him show you the workshop manual. it explains in detail how to perform such an operation. would definitely bring my vehicle elsewhere next time. of course this is assuming that the engine setup is the same as a tribute, and i am 99% sure it is.
  • erminiany1erminiany1 Member Posts: 6
    I have a Mazda Tribute LXV6, 2002, 24000. At around 12000 miles the battery went. There was an internal short which caused battery not to recharge. Got a new battery under warrantee. Two weeks ago, my emergency break light would not go off. (23000 miles). Took it in, they removed front brakes and resurfaced front rotors. Warrantee did not cover and was charged $318. (they give me a deal because I raised a stink). This morning, went out and my windeshield wipers were dead. Was snowing out so really needed. Half an hour later they worked, so ended up not going to dealer. Has anyone had problems with windshield wipers?? Really thinking of trading for a Saturn.
  • wijocowijoco Member Posts: 462
    Were the wipers frozen to the windshield?
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  • rotarykidrotarykid Member Posts: 191
    I can see you are frustrated with the trib, but let me go over a few things first before you make any drastic moves. The battery having an internal short is far from normal for any car and is just bad luck. The brake light coming on was due to the low fluid level in resorvoir caused by worn brakes. Anyone attempting to machine/resurface rotors on a tribute should pay close attention to rotor thickness since I have not seen one set that could be machined due to being too thin. these rotors wear at the same rate as the front pads and they both are replaced as sets. Thirdly, the wiper not coming on may have been due to an ice condition and the wiper motor will not activate after sensing stuck linkage. internal fuse/circuit breaker may have tripped and then reset itself. this is a better scenario than breaking wiper linkage or burning out the motor.
  • erminiany1erminiany1 Member Posts: 6
    I don't think they were. I did clean the glass of the snow (about one inch) before hand, and they were completely dead. Not even a trying to get started noise or nothing. I've had frozen wipers before, but I've always got the humming noise when trying to go.
  • erminiany1erminiany1 Member Posts: 6
    RotaryKid, thank you for your reply-- you do make the most sense-- however I never had rotors go at 23000 miles. From reading these messages, it seems that the Tribute does have a break/rotary problem and Ford should address that problem. It is frustrating when on a busy schedule to be stuck in some parking lot, especially when 20 degrees out. Your explanation of the wipers does make sense. They have been OK since yesterday.
  • rotarykidrotarykid Member Posts: 191
    I believe you about never having rotors go at 23000, I have never sold a brake job in 16 years where the car had less than 60k and needed rotor replacement. but this is the NEW ford. try explaining to a customer that they need new pads and rotors, the pads are $95 and the rotors are $135 each. ford is the worst thing that ever happened to mazda. I can almost understand having disposable rotors, but that would only make sense if the pads were made of some type of material that allowed them to last at least 60k. anyone who doesnt think paying for rotors on their trib @ less than 25k is sensible should argue with the service dept until they warranty the rotors at least. I have seen it done. good luck.......
  • bigdadibigdadi Member Posts: 72
    I drove a 2000 FORD Windstar also experienced the noise like you blow bubbles with a straw in the water.
  • erminiany1erminiany1 Member Posts: 6
    rotarykid, sounds like you are a good mechanic. Unfortunately, I gave up the fight and decided to switch already. Now I am looking for something more reliable. Three times stuck is enough. Any ideas? I figured if Ford and Mazda wanted me as a customer they would have covered the rotors since they know they are a problem. They loose.
  • mhaynie1mhaynie1 Member Posts: 15
    Rotarykid, as one of the victims of the rotors problem, I appreciate your honesty - more than I can say about my dealer, who (obviously knowing about the problem) quoted me about $250 for a brake job, only to tell me about the rotors (in a way that suggests that it was totally unexpected) and the additional $250 expense while my Tribute sat on the lift with the tires off.
  • mckee4mckee4 Member Posts: 47
    The beauty of this forum is that everyone has
    access to information that is useful and helpful
    for Escape/Tribute owners. I posted on the other
    the site about 1 yr. ago concerning the issue I
    had with brakes/rotors on my '01 Escape XLT.
    Mine lasted to 29K miles. Ford dealership replaced both for ~$460.00 total. Service advisor did not know that the rotors were unturnable either. I believed him. Bottom line
    is you may get dinged once, but start researching
    aftermarket pads /rotors (Raybestos, Bendix) so
    it doesn't happen again. I plan on keeping my
    Escape (currently 43K miles) for at least 100K+
    miles or for another 2 -3 yrs. I'll probably
    need another brake job this next year anyway. I'll just change out to ceramic pads and hopefully
    turnable afternmarket rotors. There are a lot of
    manufacturers that are apparently going to this
    set-up, probably d/t cost-cutting and standardization. I don't agree with it, but I
    do have a good, reputable, non-dealer mechanic
    that I can take the Escape for service and advice
    on best procedure, etc. Recommend that everyone
    do the same, if they can once out of warranty
    and servicable items. Don't want to take work
    away from Rotarykid though, he's a good one for
    Mazda. Otherwise my Escaoe has been a commendable
    vehicle, once I got past the IAC problem. As
    said before it's better than most vehicles I've
    owned before, including imports for service and
    most aspects of reliability.
  • giorgiogiorgio Member Posts: 1
    My 2002 Tribute lx AWD with 10000 km mileage stalled on busy 4 lane bridge going downhill about 70 km My dealer replaced air intake valve and flushed the pcm claiming this will fix this problem permanently.It scared me a little bit being on a busy highway and no power.So I wonder should I get rid of this vehicle or believe Mazda dealer? I like the Tribute, runs well otherwise is there Anybody with the same problem which was fixed ? Please advise
  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    Just remember a very important skill to recover from the stall (while moving), just drop into neutral and recrank the engine, pop right back into drive and keep going. You don't have to pull over or nothing.

    I wouldn't have even believed there was a stall problem (I've never had it happen to me) until I was riding in my friends Tribute and he stalled on one of the back roads behind our development. He said it only did it on this one particular hill, and he noticed the RPM gauge was running very low before it happens, now he double foots on the hill and hasn't stalled since.

    Odie
    My Homepage
  • junuseanjunusean Member Posts: 2
    i recently purchased 2004 tribute lx... after i drive the car, i hear the clicking noise that goes on for few minutes after the engine has been turned off... is that normal or should i be concerned?
  • chimpsnestchimpsnest Member Posts: 27
    Anybody else have or hear of this problem? I have an '03 ES V6 (top of the line one, the ES, right? I always forget) anyway... I've noticed that when getting off the highway as the speed drops to about 55 my headlights dim. Sometimes also around 30-35mph too. Always when slowing down. ((It's much like when you are putting up a power window and you keep holding the button when it's up, it drains power for a second or two)) then they brighten up again - the dash lights go too.
    Asked the dealership about this when they changed my oil. They checked my altenator and battery (both fine) and they did a s/ware upgrade of some sort as well but the truck still does it. It doesn't do it all the time, but it probably shouldn't at all, correct?
    TIA,
    Chimps
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