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http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0e12f2/5!keywords=#MSG5
You have a I-4 and you are under powered. Some suggestions I would offer you are: Air up your tires as high as you can stand them. Don't drive over 65, don't use the cruise control on any hills, coast up them and slowly regain speed going down a hill. Put a vacuum operated A/C clutch cutout so when you accelerate your extra 6-9 hp used on the A/C compressor is available or turn the A/C off when accelerating. Take the worthless luggage rack off of the roof. Don't stop light to stop light race. Switch to full synthetic everywhere, diff x 2, trans, motor. Switch to Bosch plus four platinum plugs and change ur air filter every 5K miles and do not use K&N unless you oil and rub the inlet side in powdery dirt prior to reinstallation, other wise they don't work.
-Remove the water pump belt cover
-Cut and remove the water pump belt. Discard the belt
-Install the belt on the water pump pulley and position it on the camshaft pulley (sort of like when trying to get a bicycle chain back on the large sprocket)
-Rotate the crankshaft clockwise to seat the belt on the camshaft pulley
-Install the water pump belt cover
Hope this helps!
What does it need, what would be good to do preventively, what would be wasted money "it's not broke don't fix it"?
never owned a Mazda before, looks like I've overlooked a good thing in the past.
thanks, in advance, for the help.
Trans Flush
Coolant Flush
Spark Plugs
Oil Change (if it wasnt done)
Drive Belts
Fuel Filter
Air Filter
can anyone give me an dealer cost for changing plugs? I have lower back problems, oil & tranny fluid changes is about my physical limit, in most cases, unless it's an emergency. then I do it anyway, and pay with pain later........
Thanks again for the help/info.
(my other car is a 1996 Honda Shadow 600..)
Why do they publish that utter nonsense about a $30 labor charge for plug change?I specifically put in that I had a V6 tribute, 4WD. a reputable local non-dealer repair shop quotes $250-$260 for the plug change. Given his expanation about removing the intake, I don't know if it's reasonable or not. I haven't called Mazda, they can't possibly be cheaper.
What say ye?
for plugs and labor. So I printed a step by step instruction sheet (I work for a Ford dealership) and did it myself. It really sounds more complicated then it is. It is time consuming (2hrs for me) but not difficult at all. I saved myself the $140 in labor and that was cool for me. By the way, if you do it yourself, you will have to replace the (6) intake plenum o-rings as well.
(I'm nowhere close to the data people in Santa Monica so I can't walk down the hall and ask myself).
Enjoy the new ride!
Are you close to Louisville, KY because I will do it for $200.00 (assuming you have a 3.0Liter V6).+ parts. The dealer will charge you $400.00 or better just to change the plugs. and while your at it, you might as well change your PCV valve because its right under the upper intake that the dealer has to take off just to get to your back 3 plugs. Trust me, I have done over a Dozen of them. It also wouldn't be a bad Idea to change your upper intake gaskets as well. They are oval individuals not expensive about $20 for all of them. Hopes this helps. I have a 2002 Ford Escape with 98,000 and I already changed my plugs, also I do routine Transmission fluid chages, Coolant changes, and these vehicles are amazing, but just like any vehicle you have to do preventive maintenance on them and they will run seemingly forever. Later
Dave :shades:
Sure you won't do it for $33 though? :shades:
And yep, I'll replace the EGR valve, and all fluids (coolant/differential/tranny) when we go at it. I did think it was interesting that someone posted the Mazda manual stating that the serpentine belt was changed by cutting off the old one & popping the new one on like I used to do with changing tires on a bicycle.......
I'm definitely going to do the sequential flush technique on the tranny fluid, dump out 4, put in 3, etc. I've not had any hint of shifting problems, and want to keep it that way.
I have dealt with the same issue 5 times in the past since purchasing the car in 2002. The inspection and correction was always free when my car had a warranty, Now that it's not, the dealership informs me it would cost $100-$200 to fix it!
Another issue I have is that once and a while, the brake light will be dimly lit but never fully. It comes and goes and I have no clue why...neither did the dealership.
I'm not impressed with the "contact us" response.
Unfortunately, this is a "split-case" design transmission which requires dis-assembly of the unit in order to work on the internals, including replacement of the filter. One of the reasons these designs are used is to eliminate access through the pan area and prevent damage that may occur during removal or installation of components such as the filter. Ford experienced an increasing rate of warranty resulting from scratches on the bore on the inlet, often caused by screwdrivers being used to remove seals.
Until the transmission actually has problems in shifting or performance, it is probably best to leave the filter, etc. in place. It sure wouldn't hurt to replace the fluid, but as I said earlier, this won't remove debris from the system since it is embedded in the felt. If replaced, the fluid would probably be at least 80% to 90% clean and the filter is designed to hold a fair amount of contaminant under normal circumstances.
Hope that helps!
Very little to complain about with the Ford Escape. I bought it new and liked it very much from day one. I was just thinking recently how nicely it was riding.
I had all services performed by the dealer, changed the oil every 3000 miles, and drove the car in a civilized manner. I liked the car so much I planned on keeping it and bought the premium extended warranty (72 months/60K miles).
Unless the dealer gives me some sort of break because it blew up so close to the end of the extended warranty period, it's going to cost $3600 for parts and labor.
I've been reading on the internet about this same thing happening to other Escape owners at approximately the same (fairly low) mileage. Is there a central place where such reports are being gathered? Or is this forum "it"?
1. If it stalls when its hot you are getting vapor lock it may be due to the new gasoline called E-10 Ethanol, the alcohol in the fuel can cause more vapor lock when heat is present then non-alcohol blend of gasoline,
to solve the problem you need to insulate the fuel rail and fuel lines, fuel filter if under the hood from the heat. and switch to a higer octane fuel. and add octane booster.
2. What may be happening is Ethanol fuel has lower lower fuel vapor rating, the time the fuel is injected in the fuel port then the valve opens to allow the fuel in, the fuel vapor has degraded€ to a lower rating, when the spark plugs fire the vapor is to low to burn and keep car running so the computer adds more fuel to keep car running, doing this it causes car to stall. and black exhaust will be noticed by the tail pipe, or the tail pipe will have black residue inside the pipe.
this is unburn gasoline.
so salve this problem you need to have the computer retuned, or a ethanol conversion kit.
take care
_________________________________________________________________
And Ethanol companies are pushing for a 5% increace to 15% Ethanol. some stations has 20% Ethanol or higher in there fuel so becareful where you gas at.
I hate to tell you this but my '01 Escape with a 3.0 was having the same exact issues, no power, bad idle wouldn't go uphill hardly at all. I changed cylinders 5 and 6 injectors (as the computer said) changed O2 sensors changed IAC changed plugs and wires. Which It may have needed all of that, but, it turned out to be the catalytic converters. Notice the plural on converters. Ford was really using their head with this one. There are 2 pre-catalytic converters and 1 standard catalytic converter. I replaced the standard one and the muffler while I was at it. Problem still existed, so I disconnected the exhaust from the manifold for testing and it the car ran fine.
So now I try to get to the other two pre-cats. Guess what! you have to buy the entire assembly which includes parts from the exhaust manifold. The cheapest I could find it was $500 (the Ford garage wanted $1,000) So I'm going to sell the thing and let someone else worry about it. I've already dumped $1,000 in the thing and it's only worth about $2,500 anyways.
Sorry.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
It's not likely that both bulbs would be burnt out at the same time but it's still worth checking. My money would be on the switch as the root problem. Wiring issues would be the hardest to trace.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
'03 Tribute almost for sale!
First of all make sure you are running synthetic blend 5W-20, ford motorcraft is what I always used, but any brand of same viscosity will be fine. I have an 02 escape and changed oil in mine to a 10W-30 and got very bad gas mileage. Changed back to 5W-20 and is fine now.Read your owners manual on this, it says it in there, I promise. Also I dont care what any mechanic tells you, change the Plugs now, dont wait to 100,000 miles. and while your there your PCV Valve as well. Hopes this helps. :shades:
slow to start with then seems ok. its like to shift into high gear going up hill slow.
have to give alot of gas to get it to down shift.Now it will go in to first if i shift it myself but still slow take off at first then it will pick up speed, it has 113,000 mile. 2.3 cyl auto.
maybe needs tranny filter? or overhaul?
any help or ideas?
thanks
Wctoby
I also have problems with the air bag sensor coming on, and the back hatch not opening (it stays locked once it's locked).
1. Bad coil/s (although I would imagine this would through a misfire code)
2. Did you ever overheat the engine? if so, you may have a blown head gasket.
3. Bad PCM or it needs to be reprogrammed.
Also I have the same issue with the airbag light. For my car, if something (kid's toy, water bottle, etc) is pushed under the driver seat the light comes on - it must be a short or something. Hope this helps - good luck!