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Ford Escape Mazda Tribute Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • drumbolddrumbold Member Posts: 22
    What year is your Escape and what engine does it have?
  • zmeenowzmeenow Member Posts: 341
    .. was at the supermarket today and stopped to read consumer reports on 2002 cars.Tribute/Escape was given "best buy" status in spite of some of a couple af minor issues that needed to be taken care of under warantee.average score for the category was like 45... tribute got 56...crv got around 65 and also received a best buy label.
  • zmeenowzmeenow Member Posts: 341
    id like to echo tidesters comments.... i come here expecting to have people talking about the issues in a dispassionate way... satisfied or not... aftermarket products.. prices..and deals.. instead.. it becomes an EGO driven defense of one brand or another... as if its a sports bar.. and were arguing over which team is better! we know the issues pro and con we know the prices... go drive the cars/ pick the one that you like... and let us all enjoy our purchase(or not)... which EVER car... without the need to defend that decision!!!
  • missi1missi1 Member Posts: 3
    Baggs32,
    I have a 2002 manufactured in 11/01. They reprogrammed the software on 6/21/02. They have had my car for going on 4 weeks now. I have not heard a word from the dealer since 8/28/02 saying they were going to download new software once Mazda put it up on the webpage.
  • howards2howards2 Member Posts: 11
    In response to post 1704 I must respectfully but strenuously disagree. In Consumer Reports, for reliability, out of the five rating categories, the 2002 Escape receives the worst possible and for consumer satisfaction, it is average. For reliability the 2002 Mazda Tribute also receives the worst reliability rating and Satisfaction of Below Average. Neither vehicle is recommended by Consumer reports.
    (the Auto Issue "The 2002 Cars" June 19, 2002)
    Perhaps you were refering to a different magazine?
  • bsapolabsapola Member Posts: 2
    Our 2002 Tribute stalled once at 7000 miles, going at about 35mph, it just quit. We treated this as a fluke, but it just happened again today (at almost 14000mi). From previous posts, it sounds as if this problem is well documented, and I will take this into the dealer ASAP with the hope that they can do something with the vehicle to fix it. Hopefully the software update thing will work on our vehicle. If not, I don't know what to do. My wife is afraid to drive the car now. We bought a Hyundai Elantra to be my commuter car, and we bought the Tribute to be the "family car" and right now I feel that, compared to the Elantra, the Mazda Tribute is "half the car, twice the price, and ten times the headaches."
  • myfordlemonmyfordlemon Member Posts: 3
    I had previously posted my stalling issue with my 2002 Ford Escape, and like Baggs32, had the dealer perform TSB (02-11-06) in July, and hoped that the stalling issue had resolved. Well, to my dismay, my ford lemon stalled again this week on the way to work. One of my friends at work said there was a recall out on the Ford Escape that she heard on the local news, so I called my dealer and my dealer has received many calls from owners, but the Dealer claims they have heard nothing from Ford yet on this issue. So, here I sit once again seeking some insight from my fellow Ford Escape owners. Does anyone have any new news or heard of this recall? Any help would be appreciated.
  • cttribute1cttribute1 Member Posts: 1
    Our 2002 Tribute stalled at 1010 miles while sitting in traffic. The service dept at our dealership acknowledged that he's seen this a few times (funny, the salesman said he never heard of any stalling problems when I asked before buying...) They planned on having to do the PCM thing, but he said that wasn't the problem and that we had to replace the Throttle Body. A week later we had our new throttle body...and so far so good...hopefully it never happens again.

    Another question: A few times I have turned the key and the car wouldn't start...my wife says I do it wrong (how do you turn the key wrong?)...anyway, has anyone else ever have any trouble starting their Tribute?
  • bruin6bruin6 Member Posts: 2
    My 2002 XLT had its original transmission replaced at 4600mi. At 7600, the transmission was leaking (again) and the same dealer replaced half of the casing on the new transmission. The dealer said that they had never had to replace a trans on an Escape. Any comments on this one?
  • missi1missi1 Member Posts: 3
    I own a 2002 Tribute. What should the RPMs be while idling? Also at 30mph and 55 mph? I think mine are running alittle low.
  • thrift607thrift607 Member Posts: 5
    I own a 2002 tribute with 7000 miles. I just had to have the battery replaced because it left my wife stranded on a weekend day with no service dept. open. Roadside assistance not much help in our case because battery had leaked from a crack in the bottom which made a mess under the hood. while at the dealership the next day, i had someone ride with me to listen to the roaring i talked about in a previous posting. turned out my front wheel bearing was already shot. the service dept. said both cases were a first for them. anyone else had these problems?
  • mikegunnermikegunner Member Posts: 8
    BSAPOLA and MYFORDLEMON

    Your complaints sound just like mine --- so do what I did --- contact 1)customer service 2)your state attny general 3)ask your dealer for a Dispute Board form 4) Have an attny write Ford/Mazda demanding the vehicle be replaced.

    Ford dragged their feet a bit, but relented and gave us full credit of the sticker price of our Escape and no milage charge. We got a 2003 Explorer (my wife was afraid to get another Escape) and only had to pay the difference between the stickers.

    mikegunner
  • marys235marys235 Member Posts: 23
    My 2001 Ford Escape has 27,000 miles on it, and I just found out the front brake pads are worn out, and the rotors are worn so thin they have to be replaced (indicating the brake pads have been bad for quite a while). That seems unusual for that mileage, with just normal driving (about 50% highway, 50% town). Has anyone else had problems with the brakes? Also, my emergency brake light had come on and wouldn't go off a few months ago. I thought it was just a problem with the light (since I knew my emergency brake wasn't on), and didn't rush in to get it checked, but the service tech tells me the light was an indication my brake fluid was low, due to the fact that my brake pads were going bad. And here I thought the emergency brake light just meant your emergency brake was on.
  • bsapolabsapola Member Posts: 2
    as a follow-up to my previous post #1706, i did take the vehicle in to get it checked out.
    they "reflashed the PCM as per the TSB." let's hope this works.
    powertrain control module. glad it's under warranty, because it sounds like they just performed an awfully expensive adjustment of the idle.
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    marys235,
    When brake pads wear thin, more fluid is required to push them far enough to reach the rotor. When the pads are really thin (needing replacement) enough fluid is usually drained from the reservoir, each time you use the brakes, to trip the low brake fluid sensor.

    On brake wear. From what has been posted here and elsewhere, the Escape's brake pads are pretty soft. There is a good side and a bad side to this. The good side is that you get excellent braking performance from the softer pads. The bad side is, they wear faster.

    Don't worry about it. If you want the pads to last longer, a lot of people have been using the Raybestos brand. Apparently they don't decrease braking performance too much, they wear much better, and they don't produce a whole lot of dust to get stuck on the wheels.
  • marys235marys235 Member Posts: 23
    Thanks for the info, baggs32, I'll just make sure to get my brakes inspected more often. Can anyone tell me if $420 is a reasonable price to replace the front brake pads and rotors? That's what the dealership charged me, but it seemd outrageously high.
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    That is pretty high. Pep Boys or one of the other large chains would probably do it for about half that.
  • nytrusnytrus Member Posts: 2
    Imagine buying a brand new tribute, paying cash for it, driving it for 300 feet only to find out that is has what sounds like a differential howl? I have gone through the dealer, through a Mazda rep and even to Mazda itself. They say to live with it, the noise is acceptable!!!
    For the full story and to actually hear for yourself visit my web site I built. I truly cannot believe that Mazda could take such a stand on this! I can't stand the noise!!!
    www.issintl-inc.com/mazda_lemon.htm
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    so much for test driving the car before you bought it, eh?
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    you never noticed the noise when you test drove it? I am sure there must be a reasonable explanation...

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • middlemackmiddlemack Member Posts: 6
    Anyone have a creaky ride when driving at slow speeds? My 2002 Escape XLT sounds like the doors are rubbing against the body when I'm driving in parking lots, my street and driveway, etc. It's driving me nuts. I'm not on smooth pavement when it creaks (smooth pavement is rare where I live!) and it's getting more frequent. I'm wondering if the dealership can/should fix this.
  • muckyduckmuckyduck Member Posts: 219
    Very curious why you would not have taken a test drive before buying. You state on your web site 'if you had the chance to do a test drive' you would not have bought it. I've never bought a car without a test drive. Some dealers try to limit how much you test a car sitting on the lot to avoid putting a lot of miles on a car you may not buy, but heck, the car you are actually going to buy, I can't imagine any dealer not letting you take it for a spin. If that happened, I would have walked away and found another dealer. They may have known there was a problem also.

    Sorry for your problem - keep on complaining (I don't think the doggie email you sent will do much good) in a civil manner and you may get some resolution.
  • nytrusnytrus Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for all of your replies, I sure have learned my lesson when buying a new vehicle, always always test drive BEFORE you buy. I never would have guessed that a new vehicle would have this kind of noise. By the way, I talked to a Mazda service rep yesterday and she said "when it blows up you can get a brand new transmission!" Now isn't that wonderful! Will keep you all posted, thanks.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    I too own a 2002 XLT V6 AWD Escape. I too have had the "creaking". This is more than likely caused by the rearhatch or glass not latching securely. If you are mechanicaly inclinded you can make the adjustment yourself, otherwise take it to the dealer they can adjust it. I had to adjust mine after about 5,000 miles and am now at just over 15,000 on my Escape and have not had anymore creaking noises. I am going to take my Escape in Friday for its 15,000 mile check-up. No probs to complain about here...
  • smk32smk32 Member Posts: 1
    I bought my 2002 Tribute in May and it has stalled twice on me now. The first time they said they couldn't find anything wrong with it, however the second time the said that the mass airflow sensor was bad and they replaced it. So far it has not stalled again, but I do have to say I do not feel safe in the Tribute at all. Both times it stalled it happened on an on-ramp to an interstate. Not very fun!

    Has anyone tried to use the Lemon Law on their Tribute?
  • crashproofcrashproof Member Posts: 19
    I can't imagine anyone shelling out over $20K on a vehicle and not test driving it first. You can read what others have written and received some good word-of-mouth but it's you that is driving the car. I would have to feel satisfied with this sort of expensive purchase.

    My 2002 ES is almost a year old. It will be a year at the end of this month. Drives great and no major problems whatsoever. Wiper holes were blocked but it was my fault. Door frame rubber was loose. The dealer said the Tribute was made that way. It was pushed back in and it's fine now. No stalling to report. Yes, there is some wind noise but you do get used to it. I always have my music on so I tune the noise out.

    I just looked at the 2003 Tribute. There doesn't appear to be any change except the names of the paint options.

    I'm a very happy camper with my Trib! Zoom, Zoom!
  • tributewontributewon Member Posts: 1
    I experienced a complete stall of my 2002 Mazda Tribute twice in the last two days. I was approaching a stop and traveling downhill both times. It was very frightening since I had to use the emergency break to stop on the second stall. I called the Mazda dealership here. The service rep thought it might be the Idle Air Control Motor based on his extensive experience with Mazdas. (This motor keeps the idle going when the vehicle is approaching a stop.) Sure enough, that's what it was. It was covered by the warranty so it didn't cost a dime and a new one was installed within 45 minutes.
  • howards2howards2 Member Posts: 11
    The National Highway Traffic Safety folks are investigating stalling for both model years. There are lots of consumer complaints on thier web site for each yar (total of about 200). (anyone who has this problem who hasnt seen that web site should - its the Federal Safety agency) What is interesting just now is that they closed one investigation one Sept 10, 2002 and immediately opened another the very same day. Im not certain why they did this or what it means. Does anyone know?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Maybe they were juggling funding since the Feds' fiscal year ended on Sept. 30? (wild guess - I have no clue!).


    Here's their home page.




    Steve

    Host

    SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

  • a_handlesmana_handlesman Member Posts: 7
    Steve_Host and Howard,
    Some folks on another Escape site said that the one that is closed, PE###, was the "preliminary evaluation" the one that opened on the same day is EA###, "engineering evaluation". Hopefully, for the sake of everyone's safety, it will reach "DP###" which is defefect petition/recall.

    -begin vent- Personally, I don't care if it makes Ford bankrupt, I want what I paid for, a vehicle that drives, not stalls. Besides, wouldn't us tax payers just bail them out like we did with Chrysler in the 80's? -end vent-
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    We'll give you a big CE# for that one (Confusion Ended). Thanks!

    Steve
    Host
    SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
  • middlemackmiddlemack Member Posts: 6
    Scape2, thanks for the tip. I am almost at 6,000 miles and it's interesting to hear you had creaking at 5,000. My creaking seems to come from the front doors though--I don't think I'd be hearing it up where I'm driving so much if it was the rear hatch. However, I'm not mechanically inclined. Had the rear wiper replaced recently--first one wasn't clearing the glass--so maybe it is worth looking at the rear hatch.
  • howards2howards2 Member Posts: 11
    This is a letter sent by the Ford Motor Company to NHTSA as part of their investigation. Note that I did not edit it in any way, just scanned it in.You will be relieved to know that Ford herein states that while undesirable, "it does not represent an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety". Note that Ford elsewhere indicates that as of the end of Jan 2002 (when this investigation was presented to Ford aparently) a total of 230,658 subject vehicles had been produced. Note this when doing the math as per the figures that follow:

    April 12, 2002

    Ms. Kathleen C. DeMeter, Director
    Office of Defects Investigation Safety Assurance
    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
    400 Seventh Street, S. W.
    Washington, DC 20590

    Dear Ms. DeMeter:

    Subject: PEO1-043:NSA-l2am

    Enclosed is Ford?s response to your February 1, 2002 letter requesting information relating to 3.OL V6 engine stalling complaints on 2001 through 2002 model year Ford Escape vehicles. Complete answers to Requests I through 4, 6 and 7 and a partial answer to Request 5 were provided in our March 15, 2002 response. Complete answers to Requests 5 and 8 are attached.

    Ford does not believe that engine stalling in the subject vehicles presents an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety. This is consistent with the Agency?s findings in an earlier engine stalling study entitled ?Analysis of Stalling Problems,? prepared by The Transportation Systems Center (Report No. HE7021S7502). Of the 4,162 reports and claims involving approximately 3,627 alleged stalling occurrences, there have been no collisions with other vehicles. None of the reports submitted by Ford in response to this information request alleges a fatality. One report alleges some tire, suspension and steering damage. Another report makes no mention of vehicle damage but claims the customer was injured twice; the injuries are not specified. Ford has not verified that either of the incidents are in any way actually related to engine stalling. Even if Ford accepts that both of these reports are ?accidents? this results in an accident rate of 0.086 per 10,000 vehicles and an injury rate of 0.043 per 10,000 vehicles. While acknowledging that stalling is not desirable, Ford concurs with the Agency?s PE98-057 closing resume position that ?... there is no data indicating that occupants of a stalled (subject vehicle] are exposed to greater risk of injury due to the [stalling] condition.? This is also consistent with closures in other safety investigations of engine stalling where the Agency concluded that even with a high number of reports of stalling the risk of injury or fatality is low.

    Our analysis of the data submitted to the Agency resulting from this investigation has identified many potential causal factors that can result in the engine stalling. Some of these are not associated with the design or manufacture of the subject vehicles?such as running out of gas, contaminated fuel and poor vehicle maintenance, to name a few. However, Ford has identified four potential root causes involving the design and/or manufacture of certain components on the subject vehicle that may account for approximately 90% of the alleengine stalling incidents provided to the Agency in our March 15, 2002 response. These potential root causes are: 1) a sticking pintle within the Idle Air Control Valve (lACy); 2) a malfunctioning check valve in the On-board Refueling Vapor Recovery System (ORVRS);
    3) power interruptions to the Power Control Module (PCM) involving the PCM Power Relay; and, 4) power interruptions to the PCM caused by loose or out-of-position connectors in the Power Distribution Box (PDB). Ford has instituted design, supplier resourcing, and manufacturing process changes to correct or minimize the effects of these four conditions on engine performance as it relates to stalling. Directions on how to address these issues have been sent to our dealers by prior service messages and will be the subject of a Technical Service Bulletin to be published later this month.

    As a result of an extensive ongoing investigation into these four causal factors, Ford has determined that the vehicles will restart in almost every occurrence. A telephone survey by Ford personnel of 64 customers of 3.OL V6 Escape vehicles that alleged engine stalling, and a similar survey by Mazda personnel of 97 customers of 3.OL V6 Tribute vehicles, found that more than 95% of the owners have been able to restart the engine immediately after the stall, some without even stopping the vehicle. Only in rare instances would factor #4 result in a no restart condition.

    Ford agrees with the Agency?s observation, as stated in a previous resume for PE98-057, that when an engine stalls while the vehicle is in motion, which is true of nearly all of the complaints on the subject vehicles, ?[t]his gives the driver time and momentum with which to maneuver onto the roadway shoulder, away from traffic lanes.?t Although this condition may be undesirable, it does not represent an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.

    If you have any further questions, please contact me.
    Sincerely,
    James P. Vondale
  • hislanderhislander Member Posts: 67
    1)Can some one explain to me how flashing the PMC would fix the four faulty conditions that Ford mentioned as root cause?
    2)If your vehicle is in middle lane of busy three-lane highway and it is stalling, would you have enough time and momentum to steer your vehicle to either side? If not, does it pose an undue risk to the vehicle itself and/or other vehicles behind you? I am not talking about who is at fault for not stopping the vehicle in time but about the risk of causing an accident to yourself or others....
  • caly58caly58 Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone know if the 2003 Escape Limited is also experiencing the "stall" problem? I realize it hasn't been out long, but I am trying to decide whether or not to purchase one.
  • batting500batting500 Member Posts: 1
    My 2001 Ford Escape V6 four wheel drive shuddered when the automatic transmission shifted when it was accelerating. This would happen at about 45 mph, it would not do it all the time, and was more likely to do it after it had been driven about 1/2 hour. The shudder was more severe the SLOWER the acceleration was. Also the Tach would move up some during the problem. I took it to the dealership several times before they found the problem. Here is what they wrote in my work order...

    EEC5 TEST NO CODES TRANS DIAG PID MONITOR TEST FOUND CONVERTER SHUTTER CALL HOT LINE R&R TRANS REPLACE CONVERTER & HUB SEAL R&R VALVE BODY FOUND VALVES STICKY REPLACE VALVE BODY FLUSH COOLER LINES TEST DRIVE.

    It was alot of transmission work that would have cost about $2000 if not under warranty. I had about 34000 miles when I first noticed the problem, and it did get a little worse. I too thought it was perhaps the road surface or my tires, but noticed the tach acting funny when it happened.

    I have not had other problems with my Escape, no stalling, howling or anything like that.

    Good luck...
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    search the net... this stalling issue is blown way out of porportion here at Edmunds.. visit other chat rooms and get input from other Escape/Trib owners.. there are thousands of satisfied Escape/Trib owners out here.. good luck..
  • bessbess Member Posts: 972
    a. No one I know claimed that a PCM flash would address the 4 problems mentioned.

    b. When the vehicle stalls, its not like it comes to an abrupt stop. The driver also has steering and braking control and all signal lights are still functional, in addition to the vehicle can be restarted even while it's still moving.

    I see a few folks spreading alot of posts how stalling affects so many Escapes, and that the type of stall the Escape is reported to be experiencing is so unusually dangerous. However the NHTSA findings seem to dispute these claims.

    I am not minimizing the frustration that owners of Escapes (or any vehicle that stalls) is experiencing. You should expect better and hopfully FoMoCo or your dealership will continue to treat you as a valued customer and regain your trust.
  • howards2howards2 Member Posts: 11
    The reason that I posted actual numbers was exactly to let you decide what percentage of stalling vehicles is acceptable. As of the end of Jan 2002 there were 230,658 vehicles and 4,162 reports as of approximate that date, the ratio is approximately 1.8% Is that 'overblown'? For me it is not overblown, for others perhaps so. The good news is that apparently in spite of (my dealer for example speaking with Ford who denied any problems whatsoever according to my dealer) claims of no problems, they have been working pretty hard at fixing the stalling problems. Note the plural. They have identified several failures in the design and equipment that have caused these stallings - These 'improvements' have been brought on line - eg incorporated into the manufacturing line - over time, apparently the latest being in the 2003 rollout. Fortunately for you techies who know way more about what you're about to read than I do, Ford did supply NHTSA with some tech data on the causes and the fixes beyond what Ive read on this list so far. Please do read it and then tell us all if you feel this will solve the problem once and for all. I too would like to own a fine new 03 and am waiting to see if the 03's get the same stalling complaints on NHTSAs website. Check my next post for the unedited report.
  • howards2howards2 Member Posts: 11
    Note that this is not the whole letter, just the relevant part concerning cause and fix.

    Furthermore, Ford believes it has identified the primary causes of stalling in the subject vehicles and has provided dealers with service information to assure prompt and proper repair of the vehicles. Ford?s investigation into the alleged defect in the subject vehicles has identified four potential root causes that account for approximately 90% of the alleged 3.OL V6 engine stalling reports on the subject vehicles. These potential root causes are: 1) a sticking pintle within the Idle Air Control Valve (lACy); 2) a malfunctioning check valve in the On-board Refueling Vapor Recovery System (ORVRS); 3) power interruptions to the Power Control Module (PCM) involving the PCM Power Relay; and, 4) power interruptions to the PCM caused by loose or out-of-position connectors in the Power Distribution Box (PDB).

    Following is a more detailed explanation of these potential root causes.

    IACV: Sludge deposits resulting from crankcase gases entering the intake manifold via the Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system may inhibit free movement of the pintle?the component within the IACV that regulates the amount of air required to maintain engine idle speeds. If the pintle does not move to its proper setting the engine may stall from lack of air.
    The PCM calibration has a feedback loop that checks for the amount of air at idle when vehicle speeds are less than 10mph. If the pintle valve does not move to the proper setting to maintain idle speed, the calibration directs more current to the solenoid that controls the pintle until the valve moves to the correct setting. This feedback loop was not operative for vehicle speeds over 10 mph in vehicles manufactured prior to January 16, 2002 and may be a contributor to engine stalling incidents that occurred during vehicle decelerations with the engine at idle. If the engine stalls for this condition it may be restarted immediately and does not result in a stranded vehicle.

    On December 14, 2001 Ford made a service calibration change that leaves the idle air feedback ioop active at all vehicle speeds (see Appendix S of Ford?s March 15, 2002 response, Special Service Message #15589). In addition, Ford is redesigning the IACV to make it less sensitive to deposits from the PCV system and plans to incorporate this new component at Job #1 for the 2003 model year.

    ORVRS: After refueling the ORVRS purges the vapor recovery canister by drawing fresh air through a rubber vent hose with the air inlet located in the engine compartment. Foreign debris and/or spider nests may plug this vent hose. If the vent is plugged and the check valve in the ORVRS that allows the discharge of clean air from the empty vapor recovery canister during refueling is stuck in the open position and then suddenly closes while the throttle is closed, the ORVRS would then send a fuel rich mixture into the intake manifold and the engine may stall. If the engine stalls for this condition it may be restarted immediately and does not result in a stranded vehicle.

    In the SSM referenced above Ford directed dealership technicians to disconnect the vent line and blow shop air through the tube to clear any obstructions and replace the check valve if sticking open. Ford is redesigning the ORVRS to eliminate the check valve and reposition the clean air vent hose so that the inlet is located under the fuel filler door. These changes are scheduled to be incorporated into production in the later part of May 2002.

    PCM: From Job #1 2001 through July 28, 2001 Omron supplied the power relays for the PCM on the subject vehicles. Our investigations into alleged stalling complaints determined that internal contacts within the Omron relay were mounted horizontally and could momentarily separate when subjected to certain vertical vibrations (i.e. driving over rough railroad track crossing). When these contacts separate the power is cut-off to the PCM and the engine stalls. Ford changed suppliers of the power relays from Omron to Hella on July 27, 2001. The Hella produced relays are not susceptible to internal contact separation caused by vertical movement/vibration.

    Directions in the SSM referenced above instruct dealership technicians to replace all Omron power relays with Hella relays. As of July 27, 2001 all new vehicles have been produced with Hella relays. If the engine stalls for this condition it may be restarted immediately and does not result in a stranded vehicle.

    PDB: A related manufacturing process issue involving the Power Distribution Box (PDB) was identified while investigating the root causes of PCM power interruptions. The female pins in the PDB into which the PCM power relay is inserted may be pushed out of position by the male pins on the bottom of the relay thereby interrupting power to the PCM and the engine may stall. In rare occurrences the female pins may lose permanent contact with the male pins on the PCM power relay and the engine would not restart. However, in most instances the contacts are found to be only loose and the power interruptions to the PCM are intermittent?most likely to occur when driving on severe road surfaces. Once the vibrations stop the driver could restart the engine.

    As of August 1, 2001, Lear, Inc. (supplier of the PDB) has corrected their manufacturing processes to ensure the positive retention of the female pins in the PDB. Directions in the SSM referenced above instructed dealership technicians to inspect PDB pins for proper retention.

    Based on the foregoing, the information provided in our March 15, 2002 response to this Preliminary Evaluation, and the Agency?s previous findings in starling investigations--that although engine stalling complaint rates are comparable to other safety defect investigations, the rate of stalling-related accidents was lower than in most investigations that have led to recalls, Ford does not believe that the reports of engine stalling in the subject vehicles present an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    That 1.8% ratio is pretty close to the percentage of tranny problems with certain Odysseys, Accords, Preludes and Acuras. Transmissions could slip out of gear, not go into gear, abruptly downshift or refuse to shift. I've read reports that some folks came to screaching halts in the middle of the road when the tranny failed. Fixes were done, but there's no recall.

    Maybe Ford/Mazda will extend the warranty -- that was the carrot Honda threw to their owners.

    Steve
    Host
    SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
  • bri66bri66 Member Posts: 220
    Thanks for your information. Everything you discribed is exactly what is happening to mine and approximately at the same mileage. Mine just went over 36,000 miles, but I have the extended warranty so it will only cost me $50. I will take your info to my Ford dealership. Thanks again.
  • mikegunnermikegunner Member Posts: 8
    Bess wrote: "b. When the vehicle stalls, its not like it comes to an abrupt stop. The driver also has steering and braking control and all signal lights are still functional, in addition to the vehicle can be restarted even while it's still moving."

    That is easy to say matter of factly, but when the engine dies you lose the POWER STEERING and POWER BRAKES! My wife is not as big and as strong as I am , so she has/had a hard time doing either when the stalls occured. The last stall happened in 3 lanes of traffic going up a hill at 45mph ---- and she almost got smashed in the rear end --- under those kind of conditions do you think you could have restarted the engine while moving???? Especially when our infant was in the back seat!!!

    The percentage numbers posted here about 98.2% of Escapes not stalling is meaningless to the 1.8% of us who have experienced the problem.

    Again I will say -- DON'T COMPLAIN and live with the problem or trade in the vehicle (taking a bath on lost value) --- do what we did ---- contact your attny general, the dispute board and have an attny write to Ford --- WE DID AND HAVE A 2003 EXPLORER that we only had to pay the diff. between the sticker on our escape and the explorer --

    Mike
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    "WE DID AND HAVE A 2003 EXPLORER that we only had to pay the diff. between the sticker on our escape and the explorer --"

    You should have waited a little longer. With all the incentives on the Explorer right now, they should be handing you money!
  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    Thou I have not had the stalling hit my 2001 escape xlt yet. I do remember my '86 t-bird having a small stalling problem with it... I would always just pop the car into neutral and restart as I was moving, I never had to pull over or even stop for that matter. Maybe the same thing can be done for the escape...just put it into neutral and restart on the fly. just my $0.02

    Odie
  • thebear2000thebear2000 Member Posts: 4
    I', reposting this- I posted under the general escape catagory- and hope someone will see it here! I love my 2002 Escape. We've had it for a few months now. I bought it with a moonroof, because I love to drive with the windows open. But- guess what? When I do- the WORST vibration is sent through passenger eardrums. so bad- that one feels as if you need to get to the hospital....unless you close the windows. What is more disturbing- the roof itself (if you're sitting in the back seat) vibrates so vigorously I am afraid of the long term wear and tear on the sunroof, luggage rack and even for the safety of anyone in the back seat below the lights.
    Anyone have similar problems? The noise is the worst when the back windows are down. dealership claims that the 2 other Escapes they drove (1 w/moonroof- the other without) did the same thing. So- they're trying to tell me this is an unfixable manufacturers defect
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    odie,
    That is what probably should be done, but the debate is whether people know to do it or not. Not many people really think to do that, or they just didn't know that you could.

    thebear2000,
    Is something in the moonroof vibrating? I have never noticed any vibrations or loud noises coming from our moonroof unless you hold down on the black wind blocker that pops up in the front of the hole when you open the glass (we only did it once to see what would happen). Then you get kind of a deep pitched humming sound from the vacuum.

    Ask the service person to let you drive one of the Escape's that he/she says has the same vibrations so you can judge for yourself. If he/she says no, go to the manager or take it somewhere else for service if you can.
  • mikegunnermikegunner Member Posts: 8
    Unfortunatly the negotiated deal with Ford to take back our 2001 Escape XLT specifically excludes any rebates or incentives. The good thing is, there was NO milage charge or depreciation --- so it was simple -- our Escape stickered at $25155 and the Explorer XLT at $34200 --- so to move up 2 model years and more expensive vehicle -- we paid $9045 ---- while not great, it was much better than trying to trade in that pc of crap and getting low book/price with incentives!

    Mike
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    You do know that I was just joking, right?

    $34,200 for an XLT Explorer? Is it an Eddie Bauer? My father-in-law just leased one of those and loves it.

    A good friend bought a 2002 XLT Explorer (standard XLT package with the V8, pretty well equipped though) a couple of months ago and is paying less per month for it than we are on our Escape because of the 0.0% financing and rebates. I was a little annoyed when I heard that even though I like the Escape better. If only it were a little bigger.
  • thebear2000thebear2000 Member Posts: 4
    We don't really think it's the moonroof necessarily. The wind noise occurs worst when ONLY the rear windows are open. It sends the most irritating pulsating inthe ears through passenger's heads- it's ridiculous! It also happens when the roof is open by itself or w/windows open. Check it out- drive yours and let me know if it happens! Ours is a 2002

    Dealer4 is saying there's nothing they can do. I find it hard to believe- and I smell a huge class action suit if there are many people with this problem. Some say an easy fix is: "keep your windows closed" but- I happen to like the air coming in and that's not a viable solution!
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