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Ford Escape Mazda Tribute Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • bessbess Member Posts: 972
    To base a purchase decision (or non-purchase in your case) based solely on what you read on a forum labeled, 'post any problem you've had here', is your choice.

    As with any tool you used to do research with, its my opinion that you should weigh the source of the information.

    Does Toyota and Honda have a numerically higher 'reliability rating'? According to many publications, they do have an edge over Ford. So is your criteria to only buy the vehicle that has the 'highest' rating?

    Does this mean that any other vehicle is 'unreliable'?.

    Is that vehicle also rated 'highest' in other categories that might be important to you such as: value, performance, appearance, and dealer service?

    Also sidekick:
      You imply that the Escape spare tire is under the vehicle, it is not. If spare tire location was important to you, and you were really considering buying an Escape, then I would have thought you would be aware of this fact.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    those comments on the door-mounted spare were in reference to the CRV, I believe.

    Anyone who thinks that Toyo/Honda drivers have no complaints about their vehicles ought to check out certain other threads on these boards. that point is well made.

    Ford botched two new-model deliveries very badly a couple of years ago - the Escape and the Focus. After three years for Focus and almost two for Escape, most of these problems have been addressed and rectified, so if you are contemplating buying either new now, chances are pretty good you will find yourself in a reliable vehicle (this is more true for Escape, however - still one or two lingering things with Foci).

    It is the style sometimes of the Big 2.5 to use their first-year customers as their testing guinea pigs, probably saves some R&D $$, but once things are sorted out they will mostly run with the best of them.

    Rabuck: get a Tribute! Quicker handling and a firmer ride. I borrow my friend's Tribute occasionally, and it makes my 4Runner feel like the Queen Mary.

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

  • psouthardpsouthard Member Posts: 10
    I posted the following statement back on Dec. 7, 2000 when we had our little defective wiper motor problem.

    'There are people out there who might consider purchasing another poor quality Mazda/Ford product after this experience, we however, will not. When our vehicle is finally fixed, we will be waiting for the next thing to go wrong or wonder if that trip out-of-town will include a breakdown.'

    If I had only known what could go wrong back then I would not have waited to replace the vehicle.

    I think everyone realizes when they buy a vehicle that they could be getting one with major problems. Everyone has their opinion on what is the better vehicle. Mine is based on experience with a number of cars over the years and talking to lots of people about their experiences. I have yet to find one person that regrets buying a Toyota or Honda. Also, I have looked through the problem areas for both the Highlander and CR-V and can assure everyone that a little wind noise, squeaky doors and the like are not a PROBLEM from my perspective.
  • 1badsidekick1badsidekick Member Posts: 135
    I was posting a message, it was long, and for some reason, it dissappeared when I clicked "post my message." Don't have time now, but I'll be back later to finish it. I hate this thing sometimes.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    I can appreciate exactly what you are saying, and it truly sucks to get stuck with a "lemon" when you plunk down so much $$ for a new vehicle.

    But you should travel over to the Camry thread, and ask how many of those owners regret their purchase. I know how some of them will answer, because they have already posted that they regret it. Why? Because of all the squeaks and rattles in the '02 after it was released. Toyota has a handle on many of these now, and will fix cars for no charge, but the damage is done for a few of these folks, and they won't be back. Same thing for stinky '03 corollas using the high-sulfur fuel of the other 49 states (and no fix there yet).

    I bet some of the folks with the affected transmissions in Honda Accords, TLs, and more have had second thoughts about ever buying Honda again too.

    A lot of car buying comes down to playing the odds, and no carmaker is immune from producing a bad batch once in a while. Some are more prone to it than others, that is all. In general, it is best to avoid a first-year run of a given model, especially if it is an American make.

    Regarding those owners of HLs and CRVs with wind noise and squeaky doors you mentioned: it may not be a problem to you, and I know you are suggesting they get some perspective, but believe me, it is a problem to them.

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

  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    You'll also be surprised by how many times you read the words "I thought this wasn't supposed to happen to Honda's." in regard to a "problem" if you take the time to read their boards. I'm betting that the same goes for Toyota.

    nippononly is right, some manufacturers are more prone to failures than others when you compare new models (as a whole the percentages may even out a little more). You're taking a chance no matter what you buy. Just make sure you're happy with the vehicle before you buy. You're the one who has to drive it every day. You don't want to end up driving something you hate for many years to come.
  • varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    "You'll also be surprised by how many times you read the words "I thought this wasn't supposed to happen to Honda's."

    True, but when you ask many of the same posters what they expected, you get, "zero problems for the first 100,000 miles", which we all know is unrealistic. Honda's reputation as a solid car maker has fooled some people into thinking that it's possible for them to be a perfect car maker.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    www.alldata.com and ask yourself why Honda is hiding TSB information?? There have been questions as to whether Honda hides information. I own both a Honda and a Ford. My 2000 Accord has been back to the shop 3x, the 2001 Escape 1x. Get out on the net you will find plenty of peeved off Honda/Toyota owners.
    In a second note, get out on the net and you will also find plenty of satisifed Escape/Tribute owners.
    Sorry about your Tribute. But I own a 2001 Escape with just over 21,000 trouble free miles. It has performed wonderfully. I also conducted a personal non-scientific poll. over the last year I approached well over 30 Trib/Escape owners of different models/trims/years. Not one had such huge problems it would cause them to dump their vehicle or never buy a Ford/Mazda. And with sales on the upward, looks like the word is spreading. These are reliable/quality built vehicles.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    is the number one selling small ute, I believe...they moved more than 11,000 in January.

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

  • 1badsidekick1badsidekick Member Posts: 135
    I do not want this to sound mean, please don't take it as that, but honestly, 21k miles isn't long enough to judge a certain vehicle's overall reliability. If it has been nearly problem free thus far, that's great, I hope it continues to do so well, however some people can't afford a brand new vehicle. They always buy used (like myself) and the vehicles they are looking at on the used lots are ones such as your Escape, with 20k to 40k miles on them. It may have performed great for you, nary a problem. But when the next poor soul buys the vehicle, it becomes a problem on wheels. Thats hypothetical, but it does happen. Ideally, if a vehicle is going to have major problems, it should get them over with in the warranty period, and be taken care of for free. However, some of them don't, so I look at how the vehicle performs in the long run, 100k or better, because I expect to keep and drive the vehicle for that long. I can't afford a new car every 2 or 3 years. That is also why I research exactly what I want, because it will be a vehicle I intend on keeping a long time. So yes, I want to be happy with driving it, but, most importantly, I want it to get me from point A to point B, and not get stuck in between.

    Also, nippononly, you are exactly right. Last night I went to post a message and it disappeared, and it was saying the same thing you are saying. All car companies have Lemons. Its hard to avoid. But, its sad that one bad car turns some people against going back to that company. I have had some trouble with my Suzuki, and I at times have said I'd never buy another one, but I really like the XL7. The reliability rating on it isn't great, but its just below the industry standard at -6% (industry standard is 0%), versus the Escape/Tribute which is -32%. The Honda CRV is 30% above industry standard, via consumer reports. So, to make this shorter, reliability and dependability should be "job one," not whether it looks good, rides good, or performs good. IF you can get all of those in one package, good for you, but I doubt it happens very often.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    According to Autosite, the Tribute sold ~4,000 copies in Jan. so total sales for the twins was about 15,000. The CR-V moved 10,797, with the Liberty right behind. But only the Escape/Tribute were trending upward for these 4 models.

    Steve, Host
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    "Honda's reputation as a solid car maker has fooled some people into thinking that it's possible for them to be a perfect car maker."

    You think?! :)

    What's the term scape always uses? I think it's "Brain washed by Honda" or something to that effect.

    "So, to make this shorter, reliability and dependability should be "job one," not whether it looks good, rides good, or performs good."

    If that's what you look for in a vehicle, then so be it. On the other side of the coin is someone like me who loves to drive. I don't care if it can get me from A to B reliably. Especially if that rating came from a magazine. I'd rather enjoy each trip in a vehicle I love than look forward to ending them in a vehicle I don't really love, but will last for a long long time. I don't think I could ever live with one vehicle for ten plus years anyway. I'm ready to push our 96 Civic off of a cliff just to have an excuse to get something new!

    scape,
    Not to add any fuel to the fire, but...
    I just ran a CarFax report on our 96 Civic the other day. Guess what it said at the bottom under 'Recall Information'. You guessed it. I don't have the report in front of me for the exact words, but it went something like this: 'Honda Motor Co does not report recall information to CarFax...'. From what I've gathered, most if not all other manufacturers do.

    The only place that you can find Honda recall/TSB info is on the NHTSA's web site. So it's not completely hidden. But it does seem to be hidden from all the popular consumer sites where you have to pay to see the info.

    Just thought it was interesting how these little "hidden info" messages keep popping up.
  • varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    "What's the term Scape always uses? I think it's "Brain washed by Honda" or something to that effect."

    In my experience, the people in question have frequently been first time Honda buyers. They got wind of Honda's reputation through others who have had "perfect" experiences and expected the same. So I doubt it.

    "Brain washed" are those who feel that Honda can do no wrong. "Brain washed" are those who cannot accept that FWD cars can handle as well as some RWD cars. "Brain washed" are those who assume that ladder frames are safer than unit-bodies. "Brain washed" are those who (despite personal reports, statistics, industry commentary, and the writing on the wall) believe that the Escape is perfectly reliable.

    You can find brain washed people for every car make, design, or model.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    With all due respect, the phrase "I don't care if it can get me from A to B reliably." coming from the owner of a '96 Civic tends to carry less weight than it would coming from, say, the owner of an early 90s Land Rover, or 80s Jag, or something like that. You have what is statistically one of the most reliable vehicles on the road. Try driving one of the below averages and having a few towing experiences for a while - you may speak differently!

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

  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    nippononly,
    Our other vehicle is a 2002 Ford Escape which replaced a 98 Escort ZX2 (one of the first off the line in the Spring of 97) when we bought a house and needed extra cargo space.

    The Civic was bought solely by my wife, before we were married, because she thought it was "cute". She was going for looks, not reliability and I had no say in the matter. I would have never picked it myself which is shown by my choice of the ZX2. I could have just as easily bought a Civic. Sorry for the confusion.

    "You have what is statistically one of the most reliable vehicles on the road."

    The Civic's engine has been very reliable. Unfortunately I can't say the same for the rest of it. If things keep breaking or falling off of it, we'll have a nice replacement lawn mower engine in the future.

    So no, I don't care if my vehicles get me from A to B reliably. The Civic will now most likely be replaced with a 2004 or 2005 Mustang. CR is probably already rating its reliability at about 50% below the average. ;)
  • firstovfirstov Member Posts: 31
    The cars are not perfect and they never will.
    I'm pursuing the case with my wife's 2001 Toyota RAV4.
    We have tons of problems with RAV4 and every month dealer "could not replicate the problem".
  • 1badsidekick1badsidekick Member Posts: 135
    I admire a person who can honestly say they don't care if their vehicle doesn't get them from point A to point B. I'm cursed with this "needing reliable transportation" thing. There are so many vehicles out there that I would love to have, but they aren't rated as reliable. However, sometimes you'll get one of those that is rated thus, but will be the best car you've ever owned. It just depends on what kind of luck you have. Mine is always rotten, so I just about expect problems. However, it's been good lately. Don't want to jinx it.
  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    The dealer can only duplicate the problem you say you had AFTER the warranty expires, that way YOU have to pay for it. LOL

    Odie
  • 1badsidekick1badsidekick Member Posts: 135
    They always do that. Of course, when you get a lawyer involved, they sometimes change their tune.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    Carfax also states that Honda does not supply TSB/recall information to Carfax?? please give me the link or web site. Time to let this one fly around the net too! I wonder if the car/review industry is taking note of this garbage Honda is pulling. I never received a recall notice on my wifes 2000 Honda Accord LX either for the iginition switch. I had to bring it in after I heard about here at Edmunds..
    I agree 21,000 miles is not that many miles. There are other web sites around the net with people reporting upwards of 40K - 50K on their Escape/Tribs and not having any problems. So far my 2001 Escape XLT V6 4wd has performed flawlessly after 21,000 miles.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I think there are three manufacturers who try to limit consumer access to tsb's in the US - Honda, BMW and ? (anyone remember who else?).

    The justification is usually that the tsb info is meant for mechanics and consumers will just come to the dealer demanding that work will be done, even though the tsb may not apply to their model or VIN, or their car may not be experiencing the problem addressed by the tsb.

    Sort of like reading a Merck manual and deciding you have some rare disease :-)

    Steve, Host
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    Steve,
    Our Civic's CarFax report stated that Honda will not report recalls to them. Since recalls almost always address some sort of safety concern it does not seem right to hide them. TSB's I can understand, although not condone.

    On the other hand, CarFax could pull the recall info from the NHTSA. I don't know why they just don't.

    scape,
    CarFax does not include TSB's with their reports no matter who the manufacturer is.

    *edit*
    I did a little reading on the CarFax site. It seems that you can get vehicle recall information from them, but only nine manufacturers will give you recall info on your specific VIN. Honda obviously is not one of them.

    It's not that big of a deal I guess.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Good research. fwiw, we pull our tsb and recall info from NHTSA for our Maintenance Guide.

    Steve, Host
  • uga91uga91 Member Posts: 1,065
    I know these two vehicles are the same. They may even be made on the same assembly line. My question to you Escape and Tribute owners is: Why did you buy one over the other? Did it even occur to you that they were related when you made your purchase? I like the looks of the Tribute more, but I see many more Escapes on the road. Does it really matter which one you buy--just get the one with the best deal? Thanks.
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    uga91,
    My wife and I liked that the Escape has a slightly softer ride and seemed more trucklike. The Tribute was a little fancier, maybe a bit too fancy, on the inside to us. More carlike would probably be a better term.

    At the time (about 13 months ago), Escapes and Tributes were very hard to find on the dealer lots. But the Escapes came better equipped than the Tributes we were seeing on the lots (very few of each), and on the order sheets. With the Tribute it was pretty much all or nothing and the popular features were grouped with some not so popular features. There were many more flavors of the Escape to choose from because everything was pretty much a la carte. I don't know if this is a problem now though. Mazda tends to do things like that early in the model years.
  • bessbess Member Posts: 972
    I prefered the Ford dealership and service, and the Escape has a more rugged (truck like) look to it than the Tribute.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    I chose the Escape because I felt the look was more fit for a guy than the Tribute. When choosing between the 2 its all based on your styling preference. Some say Mazda programs the transmission to shift faster and at different points than the Escape, giving it more of a zoom, zoom feeling.. You can't loose when making the choice between these two...
    I feel its very, very unfair when Honda/BMW and whomever hides TSB information from the public. It makes other Brands look more problematic or of less quality. Escpecially when other automakers are opening there skeletons in the closet information.. and others choose to hide it... I will post this around the net and see what others think....
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    my friend who owns the Trib ('02 LX-V6) actually bought it based on a test drive he did in the Escape! He was comparing Santa Fe, VUE, and Escape, and he came away liking the Escape best.

    But he did not like the cladding, and when I mentioned to him that the Trib was the same vehicle, only no cladding AND quicker steering, he was onto it like a shot. He loved all the chrome as soon as he laid eyes on it.

    His was built after July last year, has 13K now, and no problems, stalling or otherwise.

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

  • uga91uga91 Member Posts: 1,065
  • dkexplorerdkexplorer Member Posts: 6
    Hi all,

    I just purchased my '03 escape last week. It has only 55 miles on it. Everytime I turn off the engine I hear some metal cranking noise form the engine. It last for a few minutes. I talked to the service dept. and they said the noise is caused by the cooling -off of the heat shield and it is very common (and perfectly normal) for a new car. Is this ture? Does anyone experience the same noise?

    Thanks
    DK
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    dkexplorer,
    Sounds like their right. All vehicles make that noise as far as I can tell. The noise is a little louder in cooler weather for obvious reasons.

    Haven't you ever seen that Cadillac CTX commercial where they guy's driving down the highway and the car turns cherry red to simulate that it's going really really fast? When it stops, and thus begins to cool, Cadillac cleverly added in the heat shield clanking noise for effect. It's not uncommon at all to hear that sound.
  • bessbess Member Posts: 972
    All of my previous vehicles have done it. The Escape does it as does my SuperDuty.
  • bj02176bj02176 Member Posts: 115
    Not on a Liberty, Forester, 626, Camry,just on my 2001 Tribute. Glad it's gone, does anyone remember the gas fumes or has that been fixed.
  • bessbess Member Posts: 972
    Problem was addressed and fixed over a year ago with the 2001 Escapes. There was a TSB issued for this, although I never needed it for my Escape.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    He clearly stated that these noises were after he turns off the car. The creaks heard are from the exhaust system metal cooling down at different rates. It's a noise that any car will make under the right conditions. I know it's been a fun ride home when I pull in the driveway and shut down my Mazda6 only to hear the nearly overheated exhaust finally getting a rest.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    gas fumes, steering wheels falling off, manifold issues were taken care of after the first 6months of production of the Escape. There are no recalls for the 02 and 03 Escapes/Tribs.
    My engine makes the same noise after you turn if off. Perfectly normal. My wifes Accord does the same thing too...
    Personally I like the cladding. I use my Escape to get to my favorite fishing spots, hiking spots and I believe it has helped with less rock chips. As an FYI to all those who have the cladding. Use a product called Black Chrome by Turtle wax and It will make it look like new every time!
  • rotarykidrotarykid Member Posts: 191
    the noise from the exhaust on the tribute is normal but seems to be louder than most of the mazdas. I could hear the noise while working on the enigne (running) while its warming up.
  • officerozofficeroz Member Posts: 25
    We bought ours based on price, as well as looks. To get the same equipment we have on our 03 Tribute, painted cladding and all, we would have had to spend 27K to get the same thing on an Escape Limited. Both of us prefereed the painted cladding since having the rough stuff on a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Leather, heated seats, and sunroof seemed pricier on the Escape. It's the wife's car, and it is less trucky, but she loves it....
    officeroz
  • rverderverde Member Posts: 3
    Trucky or not, Guys car vs. Girls etc.

    If you drive mountain roads or enjoy curvey highways, you will prefer the Tribute suspension and better low end pick-up
  • bessbess Member Posts: 972
    I don't think there were any engine changes between the Escape/Tribute. only suspension tuning and steering linkage.
  • zaimonzaimon Member Posts: 124
    The Tribute's AT is supposedly programmed with different shift points for livelier acceleration. Tests have only proven though that acceleration differences between the two are insignificant.
  • bessbess Member Posts: 972
    interesting, so i was wrong, and right. (wrong in there was a computer change, right in that it had no performance impact).
  • marys235marys235 Member Posts: 23
    FYI, I was getting a hissing, whistling noise when I let my foot off the brake pedal in my 2001 Ford Escape 4x4. I was told (after 2 trips to the dealership) there was a defective seal in the master cylinder which caused the noise, and the entire master cylinder will have to be replaced. It doesn't affect brake function, just causes that irritating noise. The service guy told me it is a common problem in Escapes, just thought I'd pass it along. He mentioned they had tried lubricating the seal on some cars, but the noise always comes back. Glad it's still under warranty.
  • lboadalboada Member Posts: 1
    I had an unfixable puncture on my right/rear. Because of the awd system, do I need to replace both tires on that axle or can I get away with putting another of the same type and size? It currently has General Grabber AW 225/70 - 15 on it now all around. They have about 25K on them now.

    Any help greatly appreciated.
  • traveldavetraveldave Member Posts: 2
    I had a previous post describing my brake hissing noises on my 01 Tribute (when I released the brake pedal). Dealer had tried to tell me that this wasn't a problem, but the hissing was incredibly annoying. The car turned out to have a bad master cylinder, but that wasn't the problem. The dealer called the Mazda tech line, which had the dealership replace the brake booster rod. That solved the problem. It took a lot of arguing to get them to call, but it was well worth it.
  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    what's the mileage rated for the wear out on your tires. (ex. 30k, 35k, 40k, 50k, 90k mile tires)

    You say you have 25k on your tires... if they are due to wear out around say 30 or 35 k ... I would just replace all 4. But that's only my opinion.

    Odie
  • utopiautopia Member Posts: 24
    Haven't been on msg. boards in a while. Just an update -- we have now owned our '02 Escape over a year. It's perfect - no problems, drives like a dream, gas mileage is approx. 22-24 mpg around town. We intended to buy the Tribute (after much comparing between Tribute/Escape/CR-V), but once we parked them side by side, decided we liked the sportier look of the Escape. Tribute's are nice too, just "dressier" looking. Anyway, bottom-line, we could not be happier with a vehicle!
  • reb22reb22 Member Posts: 1
    I purchased a 2003 Mazda Tribute and after 4 months, I noticed all of the metal parts under the dash and under the seat were rusting. I took the car to the dealer and they had to remove the seats, carpet and dash to remove the rust. When the car was built, they did not seal the windows correctly and water slowly leaked into the car. The service manager stated that the 2003 Tributes interior metal parts are not sealed like the previous models.

    Anyone else having similar problems.

    If you purchased a 2003 Tribute you may want to look under the dash and under the driver seat.
  • dkexplorerdkexplorer Member Posts: 6
    I have enjoyed driving my Escape over the last month or so, the only complain I have is the excessive wind noise, especially on the highway. I check all the doors, windows and sunroof to make sure they are closed. I do not know where the wind blows in. Does anyone experience the same ? How do you deal with it.

    Thanks.
    dkexplorer
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Did you check the roof racks?

    rotarykid Jan 23, 2003 10:38pm

    Try a discussion search for "wind" for other posts about this issue.

    Steve, Host
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