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Ford Escape Mazda Tribute Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • idntnvuidntnvu Member Posts: 254
    I had a similar problem with the lights on my '99 Explorer. I had one signal light on steady, the a/c fan wouldn't work above 3rd setting, one headlight was extremely dim, and when the fan was turned on the highest setting, headlights would turn on dim even without the switch. Turned out to be a wiring harness that melted near the a/c fan. Not sure if this problem would be the same as mine, but I'd almost say yours sounds like a computer glitch or something. All I can suggest is take it to your dealer, since you have plenty of warranty. Good luck.
  • windsurf40windsurf40 Member Posts: 3
    2001 Ford Escape
    About 20% of the time when starting, my Escape will start, but the speedometer, RPM needles go up to the max. The engine does not rev high. I give it 2-3 seconds and they come back down and I drive away. Some days it starts up with no problems. Other days I have to try 3 or 4 times to get it to start. Is something gradually going bad. I hate to take to dealership until I know what needs replacing.
  • windsurf40windsurf40 Member Posts: 3
    I had same problem on my 2001 Ford Escape. It had to get Brake Booster replace. This is the cylinder behind your brake fluid that controls that vacuum that gives you Power Assisted Brakes.
    Very expensive . I think I paid $250 - 300 just for the Rebuilt part. The labor will add another 100.
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    Same thing happened to us on our former '02 Escape and a few others on a dedicated Escape forum. Turned out the battery was bad and had to be replaced. Ours was done under warranty because we only had about 6000 miles on it IIRC.

    They did check everything out before replacing the battery, basically the whole electrical system because the battery power was well below spec, and all else was fine. After it was replaced our Escape ran better than the day we drove it off the lot leading me to believe the battery was bad from the beginning.
  • windsurf40windsurf40 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks. I have had batteries go bad on other cars, but never with these symptoms. I will swap batteries and see if that solves it
  • mazdaguymazdaguy Member Posts: 2
    Hey guys, I have had my 05 S Tribute for about 2500k, and for a while I have been hearing a noise (similar to when someone blows into a fan, or in other words a really fast puttering noise) ONLY when I have turned the steering to the maximum (or near maximum) it can go. This happens whether I turn the steering clockwise or anti-clockwise and it is particularly apparent at 25+ MPH (generally when I take an off-ramp). I want to take it to the dealer but I would love to have some idea as to the source of the problem before I go. Thanks so much!
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    Have some one in the driver seat while you are looking at pulley in the engine compartment. Sounds like you may have defective pulley or loose belt causes pulley to make that noise...
  • philgphilg Member Posts: 1
    Hello,

    I purchased my '02 Tribute in January '02... Which means it is still under warranty for another 3+ months. I have purchased several new vehicles over the years, and this one does not make the top of the most favored list. I would put most of the blame on Mazda and the Dealership. I had engine problems before I had 3000 miles on the vehicle, and the sunroof broke and had to be replaced, which the dealership took two months to complete. Now I am having transmission problems, brake problems, and even the radio is having problems. Perhaps my luck was bad and I happened across the worst in the barrel, but the dealership's, and Mazda's, help in correcting problems has been poor at best. I was willing to chalk it up to the dealership being a bunch of losers, but after contacting Mazda and getting no assistance, I have made up my mind never to buy another Mazda product again. My Mazda just went over 31,000 miles, and is considered low mileage, which should get me a good trade-in, about the only thing it has going for it...
  • mazdaguymazdaguy Member Posts: 2
    what pulley are you talking about?? I am not that well versed in car repair so if you could elaborate somewhat it would be extremely appreciated!! thanks for the quick reply!
  • tdevanetdevane Member Posts: 35
    Mine is doing the exact same thing. It's driving me crazy. It's not all the time but enough to be annoying. I had my brake pads and rotors replaced recently so it can't be that. I took the truck back in but they didnt see anything wrong.
  • tdevanetdevane Member Posts: 35
    So now I'm told my steering rack needs to be replaced at 50k miles due to a leak. Does this sound crazy for this part to be going up?
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    Where did you get your rotors and pads replaced? Low quality rotors and pads squeaks when they get hot...
  • tdevanetdevane Member Posts: 35
    how funny..i just found out mine is leaking as well. This isn't a part that I should need to be replacing this soon. And Im 2k miles out of warranty.
  • tdevanetdevane Member Posts: 35
    Seems to squeek mainly in the morning. Just had them replace 2 months ago.
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    Morning squeeks are harmless, don't worry about it. It should go away within 3-4 miles of driving...
  • 204meca204meca Member Posts: 369
    Bought it new, sold with 36K, all options except leather. It had 1 stall (reflashed & no problem for next 18 months), 2 leaky brake fluid reservior porblems, 1 coolant light problem, squeek hatch 2x. I changed my tranny fluid at 20,000 (no problem just did not want to take any chances due to reports of shudder & failures). All in all was a fairly good rig, but I did not have confidence in it for the long haul. Was in excellent condition, but resale was not very good -- got $14,500 on private party sale --took about a month.

    Replaced with a 04 Audi A4 1.8T FWD CVT. Audi's have their detractors also, but we have zero problems in the 1st 12,000 miles. The Trib had 4 trips to the dealer in same span. The A4 better than Tribby it in every category.
  • czr216czr216 Member Posts: 1
    When the gas pump is locked in, once it finishes filling the gas tank and it shuts off, the gas overflows and spills out on to the side of the Escape. This doesn't happen at all gas stations and at some it's worse than others. Has anyone else had a similar problem?
  • normkolnormkol Member Posts: 135
    Yes, my rack had to be replaced on my 02 Tribute at about 30k. It was leaking, I saw the resevoir going down and brought it in. It was done under warranty.

    I was surprised the dealer had the rack in stock. Must be common.
  • idleidle Member Posts: 8
    It looks like you know a lot about Escapes. I'd like to ask you a question. I have a 2002 Escape 3.0L that idles at 2200 - 2500 rpm when starting cold. It used to idle at 1400 rpm but Ford did a reflash related to stalling when decelerating below 60 km/hr. Ford says the idle at 2200+ is normal. How can I adjust the cold idle? Is there a mechanical way of doing it or do I have to re-program the PCM? Will a Diablo or Super-chip tuner do the trick? Thanks.
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    2200-2500 does sound a bit high. I remember our former '02 did idle a bit higher on a cold start after the stall recall. However, it crept down gradually, within 30 seconds, to the normal idle of about 700-800.

    From what I've read on another forum you can adjust the idle mechanically via the throttle body by basically turning a screw. However, that method supposedly can cause other driveability problems and I don't know exactly what they are.

    Apparently the safest way to adjust the idle is via the PCM and sometimes simply resetting it (disconnect the battery) does the trick.

    More info can be found on Escape-Central if you're interested.
  • burb72burb72 Member Posts: 1
    Does the 2005 escapes 2.3 four cylinder have the stalling problems. Or what other issues should I be concerned about, also is the mileage posted on the ford website accurate. my other option is a pontiac vibe. thanks for your help mike
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    Before you go further, go to Vibe problems forum and read it...
  • wijocowijoco Member Posts: 462
    Only the first models of the Escape had trouble and it was mainly the V-6 models. 2005s are fine.
  • ottawanottawan Member Posts: 31
    I checked Vibe out before ordering escape.
    Vibe is much smaller, and ride is so-so, and that strange placement for antenna...

    Plus, if you plan to lease, the monthly payments will be at the same range, as Escape have much higher residual.
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    No Escapes are affected by the stalling problem anymore as a recall was issued earlier this year to correct it. Only 2001, 2002, and most 2003 models were part of the recall.
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    For those replacing their pads and rotors for the
    first time on 2004 and older models, please note to use the best quality materials and possible and only use a reputable shop or mechanic to do the work. I used PROSTOP ceramic-enhanced from
    PepBoys. I also used the same make rotor. I'm not sure if Ford is stilling using the dust-ridden
    pads and disposable rotors like I had on my '01
    XLT 2WD V6. The new pads are way better and don't dust-up near as much as the Ford OEM pads.
    The PROSTOP rotors are turnable too, instead of
    throw-away. The front disk system on the '05's seems to be beefier and still does a good job stopping the Escape, which is one of it's better
    attributes. A friend who's a mechanic helped put them on, paid him instead of the dealership or shop.

    So far, 58K miles but no signs of trouble ahead on the tranny or steering rack that I've read from the postings. I've had two (2) complete BG chemical flushes, on the cooling system, transmission, and power steering systems. Maybe this has helped, I don't know, but it's peace of mind insurance for me so far.

    Then only other issue is that my mileage has gone down from 19 mpg city to about 16.5-17. I've been in touch with the dealer who did the recall
    PCM re-flash, and they claim it has nothing to do
    with the recall. However, oddly enough the mpg drop didn't seem to start happening until after the recall re-flash. I've checked alignment (often overlooked as cause for low mpg), brand new spark plugs, tires balanced, etc... all the
    obvious or what I think obvious stuff, but no better mileage. If any body has ideas let me know. Oh, and btw, I've run BG44K fuel additive,
    (super-concentrated) at $20 a bottle for about the last 40K miles, from what my shop has told me, would circumvent the need for a fuel-induction/injection service. I add it about every
    5K miles to the fuel tank.

    Still love the Escape though, it's still got plenty of power for my needs and has been a reliable, good vehicle to date... just keep up with the maintenance.
  • sacksack Member Posts: 1
    My wife and I bought a 2004 Escape in March and have about 4500 miles on it. Our mileage is about 17 mpg. Is this about average. It has the v-6 FWD
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    My mileage seems to fluctuate from the time the PCM was reflashed for the recall to now. Like I said it was about 19-MPG before. Now, it seems
    to be 16-17 MPG. Of course a lot has to do with
    personal driving habits. I don't consider myself a hard driver. Most posts about MPG seems to be in the 18-19 City / 22+ Hwy range, which should be about right with the exception of the '05's which d/t some retuning seem to be getting a couple more MPG better.
  • marielmariel Member Posts: 1
    Hello - I can't believe my luck - I also have an '02 Tribute purchased in Jan 2002 - my sunroof just broke (switch seems to work but the window is stuck open) and I am just barely over 50k miles. Because of the mileage, it's not under warranty anymore - the dealer told me it would cost over $2000 to fix. If it hadn't been raining the past week, I would have noticed it wasn't working and it would have been under warranty. I'm not sure what we are going to do, but I know I'm not buying another Mazda or Ford or going back to that particular dealer.
  • tincup47tincup47 Member Posts: 1,508
    I agree you should find another dealer if they can't fix this for less than $2000. Unless someone does a circuit test you can't tell whether the switch is working. It could be something simple, have you checked for a blown fuse? The motor could also have gone bad, that would certainly cost less than $2000 to fix. Also, this could have happened to any vehicle with a sunroof, regardless of brand.
  • LampasasLampasas Member Posts: 2
    My 2005 Tribute is a wonderful SUV, and am happy with the choice I made.

    However, here's my problem: When removing my foot from the accelerator (like to slow down for a stop light), it seems that the flywheel or drive chain keeps outputting RPMs. The vehicle does not slow down at all and keeps the same speed for maybe 100 yards. This causes me to hit the brake pedal, and "ride" the brakes for too long.

    Anyone notice a problem like that? Any suggestions?
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    Was your previous car stick?
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    a must. I am also approaching 50,000 miles on my 01 Escape. I too have flushed the transmission at about 30K, Flushed the cooling system 2x. Changed air filters 3x, and oil every 3K. My Escape is in great shape. Took it to the dealership to have my coolant system flushed and at the same time had them to a quick check on my vehicle. The tech told me my Escape was in "Great shape" and he could see nothing wrong or anything that may even become a problem. Spread the word to other Escape/Tribute owners to perform the maintenance on their vehicles. This can save them some serious headaches in the future.
  • osprey971osprey971 Member Posts: 3
    Hi all,

    I have a 2003 Ford Escape which is 18 months old. It only has 24,000km or 14,300 miles on it. The original tires which are General Ameritrac tires are shot. The tires have no tread left. The wear started on the outside edge and moved inward. I have had the tires balanced twice and two wheel alignments done and it had no effect. Has any one else had problems with pre-mature tire wear on these awful tires?
  • refund97refund97 Member Posts: 2
    My 01 Tribute, with 53,000 miles, has started
    emitting a low volume but still audible tone.
    I have tracked it down to the boot which the
    brake pedal bracket hits when you apply the brakes. With the vehicle in park and idling,
    if I gentle move the boot around the tone will
    come and go. If the vehicle is moving, I hear the tone. As soon as I apply the brakes it stops. Since this makes the 5th problem with the
    vehicle, since the warranty ran out in March 04,
    Any ideas before it goes back to the dealer?
  • idleidle Member Posts: 8
    I have a similar problem caused by a safety recall which re-flashed the pcm. Ford wanted to eliminate a stalling when decelerating problem. I believe they went too far in increasing the idle rpms so that the vehicles now don't slow down quick enough when you take your foot off the gas. The result will be more wear and tear on brakes.
  • idleidle Member Posts: 8
    Thanks. Do you know where I find a diagram of the throttle body so that I can make the adjustment? I have tried disconnecting the battery, it doesn't solve the problem.
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    I tried, but I can't find one. The best I could find are these pictures. I have no idea which nut to turn.

    image

    image
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    I can assure you won't be able to fix this issue by messing with TB nut. This is an invitation for bigger problem.
    Find a performance shop and have them plug a lap-top to your PCM. These lap-tops have sofware that can read what is in your PCM. If you know what it should be then they can may be modify the settings.
  • osprey971osprey971 Member Posts: 3
    These tires are just awful. Has anyone else had a bad experience with the original tires on their Escape. The ones on mine were Continental/General Ameritrac. Premature wear (less than 15, 000 miles), awful in rain and more road noise than my studded winter tires (which are B. F. Goodridge). Ford must know these tires are crap.
  • tiffany1tiffany1 Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a 2001 Mazda Tribute with pretty low miles. I made a great deal and I really like everything about it but it has a lot of road noise. Not so bad around town but over 50mph and I think that it's pretty loud for a newer car. Anyone else think that their Tribute is a little loud?
  • turksteritisturksteritis Member Posts: 95
    I had a 01 & 03 Tributes. I travel for work 50k a year. I gave up on em...way too much road noise. went to Saturn AWD with 250 hp V6. Way smoother & quieter!
  • tiffany1tiffany1 Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a 2001 Mazda Tribute with pretty low miles. I made a great deal and I really like everything about it but it has a lot of road noise. Not so bad around town but over 50mph and I think that it's pretty loud for a newer car. Anyone else think that their Tribute is a little loud?
  • norrmanndonorrmanndo Member Posts: 81
    I have 25,000 miles on my continental tires and they look almost new. They are off-road tires. If you want a quieter ride, you should get radials with a smooth tread for highway use.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    I have an 01 Escape and it too had road noise issues. I just replaced the factory Continental with some Yokohama Geolanders. Much of the road noise I belive comes from the tires... The Yokohama's are much, much quieter. Granted, it didn't make all the noise go away but a good amount sure did.
    My wife has an 04 Tribute and her vehicle is quieter than my 01 Escape. I looked around the vehicle and noticed some pieces of foam attached here and there around doors ect.. not found on my 01 Escape.
    Just for fun I test drove an 05 Escape and there is a huge difference in noise in the cabin. Ford/Mazda listened to the consumer and did a good job on noise reduction.
  • wcw1wcw1 Member Posts: 44
    I have a 2001 Mazda Tribute with 40,000 miles. The power steering pump starting making crunching noises. The noises get worse if the car idles and gets hot. Mazda wants to charge me $700.00 to replace the pump. I had the fluid flushed and that helped a little. I have been unable to find a power steering pump anywhere so I can do the repair myself or have a garage do it. The idea of paying Mazda $700.00 upsets me. Any ideas appreciated.
  • tincup47tincup47 Member Posts: 1,508
    Any Ford or Mazda dealer should be willing to sell you just the pump if you want to put it on yourself.
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    Looked online at FordPartscheap.com and the discounted online price is ~$132.00 + Shipping
    for the power steering pump. The high pressure hoses are additional if needed and any extra parts will of course be charged by the dealership including: shop rags, power steering fluid, disposal charge, environmental fee, processing fee, etc. You get the drill...
    If the dealership quoted $700.00 then it's either in parts markup or labor and the above mentioned items.
    I don't know the difficulty in changing a power-steering pump, but my guess is at least several hours base labor rate which is pushing $75.00-$80.00/hr. + the part(s) does not equal $700.00.
    For that much money, I'd ask the dealer to justify, quantify the cost(s) in writing.

    All, FYI : Almost pushing 60K miles on the '01 XLT V6 and have noticed that my drive belt(s) will need replacing shortly, passenger-side front
    light lense is fogging and collecting water. Noticed it in some heavy rain here the last couple of days. So a seal must broken, the lense looks good with no breaks noticable. Will take it out, dry it, and re-seal if possible. Noticed clunking in A/C compressor. Was told by mechanic
    friend that A/C clutch is going out with possible
    future failure of A/C compressor. I guess after 3 1/2 solid years of running the A/C about 8-9 months per year, then this may be expected.
  • wcw1wcw1 Member Posts: 44
    Thanks for the input!

    Mazda quoted me $500.00 for the pump and $200.00 installation which I declined of course. I just came from a used parts dealer where I obtained a power steering pump from a 2002 V6 Tribute for $89.00 total with a six months warranty. Does not look too hard to install, two hoses connections and a bracket. The car is a lease and I am going to turn it in soon. FWIW, I have been displeased overall with the Tribute's quality. No more Mazdas for me.
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    FWIW, I have been displeased overall with the Tribute's quality. No more Mazdas for me.

    Just out of curiosity, if you're so concerned with quality why in God's name are you leasing? After all, you are going to turn it in eventually so you might as well drive something you like. Did you like the Tribute?

    Also, if it's a lemon you shoudn't have to pay for any repairs unless you go over the mileage ceiling of the warranty, which would be over the same ceiling for the lease in most cases too. Neither is very smart when you lease.

    If you're '01 Tribute only has 40,000 miles on it how is the pump not covered under the 48 month/48,000 mile warranty? Did you buy it in 2000?
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