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Ford Escape Mazda Tribute Maintenance and Repair

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    carseeker4carseeker4 Member Posts: 228
    After my discussion with the Faulkner Mazda manager, he mentioned that the fix for the stalling was a complete reprogram of the PCM.
    This verifies what baggs32 said. This is now in the Mazda factory sites (and I guess in Ford's too), so new Mazda's coming off the line will have the new program. I have no idea how this affects Tribs/Escapes sitting on the lot near your house, but you may want to inquire of your dealer about this.... let's see how it goes from here...
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    baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    PCM! That's the acronym I was trying to remember. I keep calling it the "engine computer" because I couldn't remember PCM with all of the other three letter part names that were running around in my mind while I talked to them. Again, I'll post what happens when I get the reprogram sometime within the next couple of weeks. Unless someone beats me to it.
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    scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    Yeah, and see what Ford did to Jaguar quality/reliability??
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    mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Our IT guy here at work (office next door to mine) has a Tribute that stalled on him last week. He was going down a hill near my house, going about 40 mph.

    Hmmm ... should I reinstate my Mazda-built-by-Ford rant here, or go back over to the B-series topic?

    J/K!

    Meade
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    jrfishjrfish Member Posts: 10
    Does anyone know the mileage expectancy of the Firestones that are standard with the '01 Tribute (they are not the recalled ones)? My paperwork is very vague on the subject, and no one has been able to give me a good answer. I have 23,000 miles in 16 months, have been dutifully rotating the tires,kept adequate air pressure (29 psi, as posted on the Tribute door), correct alignment, and the tread is still almost gone. Is this all I can really expect from these tires, or do I have a valid warranty claim?
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    dinu01dinu01 Member Posts: 2,586
    Why would you buy a Ford product or a Ford-manufactured MAzda? Haven't you learned that this company gets recalled or gets a massive # of complaints from owners every few weeks. I check my local paper for the car section every weekend and Ford is there weekly!

    Dinu
    Had a Ford once. 50 yrs from now will say: Still had a Ford once.
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    mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    has opened an investigation into the stalling problem. Hopefully our government will come to some sort of determination within our lifetimes.

    Meade
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    audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    I sure feel good now the governments involved...they do a great job with everything they handle....isnt this the same goverment that pays $600 for toilet seats and gave us the tax code that is 30,000 pages long?

    I couldnt resist the sarcasm since they are opening an investigation now that problem has been solved...glad to see they are on top of things.
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    carseeker4carseeker4 Member Posts: 228
    I'm an IT type and, while I *think* this PCM reprogramming is GREAT news for Trib/Escape owners, I want to wait to judge how it works out. As we in the computer geek community well know, you may fix one bug and create another. I heard that Ford came up with the fix... if it were Mazda, I might trust it more...
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    mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    My Ford-built Mazda B2300 pickup (I don't own it anymore) had a similar problem when I first purchased it. They also claimed a reprogrammed PCM would fix the problem and installed it at their expense (around $500). Well, guess what? It didn't solve the problem. Turned out to be a design flaw -- coil packs that weren't designed to take high temperatures, mounted right above the exhaust manifold. Mazda/Ford tried everything and never really did fix the problem. That truck pinged, hesitated and stalled the entire four years I owned it. (Would've traded it in earlier, but I was upside-down and had to get out of the debt I was in.)

    Sorry, maltb, but the subject did come up. I'm just responding. And I've kept the above as factual as possible without inserting any personal opinion.

    BTW, my IT buddy next door hasn't experienced the stalling problem in his Tribute again. Intermittent problems are a real pain, aren't they? I love picking up my car from the dealer to find the words, "Could not duplicate problem," on the service invoice!

    Meade
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    bob360bob360 Member Posts: 5
    Well I am keeping my fingers crossed as all the problems now appear to be fixed on my Escape . First it was the smell of fuel , second the creeking followed by the stalling which only happened once about 4 months ago. My dealer said back then it was just a progamming problem , so I am surprised to read on this board that Mazda doesn't know how to fix the problem. But this forum is losing it's value to the people who actually own a Triscape and are seeking help, because there are so many other people who appear to be either salespeople for other products , remember the early posts from the Sant Fe owner, or feel it necessary to tell us how much better Japanese products are. I don't know if I will buy another Ford , but my decision will not be based upon comments made on this board by people who do not currently own a Ford.If I didn't own an Escape , or wished to buy one , I would not be visiting this site .
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    tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Bob,

    I certainly hope this isn't your last post! One can always ignore the posts that one has no interest in. Unfortunately, I don't have that option!

    tidester
    Host
    SUVs
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    scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    purely make a decision from these Edmunds boards. Get out on the net. There are hundreds of other car boards/chat rooms on the net. Get other peoples experiences with the Scapes/Tribs.
    I agree this is supposed to be an informative chat room not a bashing room.
    visit www.auto.com and www.alldata.com and see the TSB's and recalls on the Escapes/Tribs for yourself. Read the data...
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    coachrickcoachrick Member Posts: 1
    Jrfish, As you know, you can light up the front tires fairly easily on the Trib. Mayhaps, your foot is a touch heavy...I know mine is! However, after 15k and two rotations, my Fire HTs are showing reasonable wear. Good luck!
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    jafo2001jafo2001 Member Posts: 98
    Personally I can't stand the arrogance of Ford. It's as if Ford is thumbing its nose at the car buyer.

    Who would dare design an expensive SUV with hard plastic interior parts, hard plastic armrest, no heated seats for leather seats, etc.
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    bessbess Member Posts: 972
    huh?
    The escape is not expensive.. Personally I don't want heated seats, and the plastic trim I think is just fine.. Its solid and doesn't rattle, which is more than I can say for alot of other vehicles out there..
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    drumbolddrumbold Member Posts: 22
    I own a 2001 Land Cruiser and just ordered a 2002 Escape. They are different vehicles aimed at different markets. If you want the softness and the heated seats, the Land Cruiser is a nice truck... but you'll spend twice as much.
    Thanks to those who posted X-plan information. I used it, it was easy, and it saved me money.
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    varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    Ummm... This is an entry level SUV. Quite frankly, I'd rather see more of the base models. When you start offering leather, heated everything, nav systems, and the rest of that stuff, you make it more expensive to produce the vehicle (even if it doesn't have that stuff).

    When the "mini-suv" class first arrived on the scene, the average costs were between $18-21K. Now we see cars coming close to $30K in comparisons. I can get a nice mid-size for that kind of cash.
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    jafo2001jafo2001 Member Posts: 98
    Well all I can say is that after testing out the VUE and Liberty, it was hard to go back into the spartan interior of the Escape.

    IMHO
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    audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    make sure the interior on the Liberty is nice when your upside down. lol
    the vue's interior isnt what I would call exciting. Did you see something I missed ??
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    scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    with the constant bashing of the Escape interior??
    This is an ENTRY LEVEL SUV folks. The plastics in the Liberty are not that much better. VUE?? I would say about equal. I have to admit, the Liberty has nicer interior, but you don't base a vehicle nor buy a vehicle soley on interior.. you must find balance..
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    my1stsuvmy1stsuv Member Posts: 4
    First new pads required at 20k miles (30k Km), then the rotors are near minimum already, how bad can it get. Actually the pads would have gone another 3k miles (5k Km) so why new rotors. We have heard of soft pads here, but why the need for soft rotors too. Rotors usually last even one machining at a minimum. The sad thing this story will be repeated at 40k miles, because Ford used same pads and rotors. This is with 50% highway/urban travel and very little just city use. Anybody had a similar experience with any other car or SUV. My other Japanese car has had two machinings and will probably get a third at around 100k miles. As good as the Tribute/Escape is to drive the maintenance costs are going to be high. I can see the Firestone HT tires will be lucky to see 30K miles (45k Km). Time to look at a replacement before long, and it will not be a Ford.
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    baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    If you thought the pads and rotors were that bad in the first place, why did you get them replaced at a Ford dealer? You're most likely going to pay a lot more and get the same OEM parts if you do that. I don't know what kind of Japanese car you are talking about, but our Honda went through a set of pads and rotors in about 25,000 miles. Japanese automobiles aren't perfect either people. It's hit or miss no matter what you buy.
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    mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    I was very impressed with their service and quality of parts when I got their lifetime brake package installed on my Mazda B2300 pickup. No more worries about brakes, ever!

    Meade
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    jafo2001jafo2001 Member Posts: 98
    Has anyone noticed they changed the mirror design on new Escapes. Is this new one quieter?
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    scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    My wifes 2000 Accord has 18,000 miles and the pads are already at 20 percent!! So, this is NOT a Ford thing.... Brakes and rotors are considered a wearable item. It really depends on your driving habits. Don't ever go to a dealership for brakes. You can get better aftermarket brakes and rotors for much less money..
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    rotarykidrotarykid Member Posts: 191
    being a mazda tech for over 14 years has shown me over and over that the money you "save" by taking your car/truck/whatever to a MIDAS or similar for brakes/tune up/whatever is spent 3 times over when you have to bring it back to me so i can fix it right.anyone who is going through front pads in 20k or less is definitely going to eat up rotors as well due to the fact that they are just about overheating the brakes. i have 30k on my 2000 mpv and its driven in and out of the city everyday, and the pads still have over 50%. something to think about is that some/most of the aftermarket brake shops make most of their money on parts therefore selling you rotors and calipers when they are not needed. be sure to look at the brakes with the mechanic no matter where you take your car. im sure that some new car dealerships try to sell unnecessary parts as well but mine is not one of them.how many of you have taken your car to a jiffy lube for an oil change? did they try to sell you a pcv valve?nickel and dime parts is what the aftermarket is all about.BTW- that pcm reprogram for the tribs has worked well for at least 5 of my customers- none returned for repeat problem.
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    baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    rotarykid,
    First off, thanks for the info. It's always good to have someone around that actually does the work. Second, do you happen to know exactly what the PCM upgrade is changing? For example, is it only changing how the engine manages low RPM situations, or is it changing a bunch of things to make everything more efficient? I'm just curious as to whether or not it will affect performance in any way. I can't find anyone here or on the other boards that can say for sure. All who have had the upgrade done seem to have left the boards because their troubles were over (crossing fingers) so it is hard to get the "after" that matches the "before".

    Thanks!
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    farmertullfarmertull Member Posts: 14
    1 out of 4 times the starter doesn't engage. The dealer says to not turn the key again for at least 30 seconds. Sometimes that works but most of the time the key turns after many minutes. Dealer seems bewildered. Anyone with this problem?
    bertloehrer@dpla.net
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    tribute_girltribute_girl Member Posts: 4
    Rotarykid,
    I have a 2002 Tribute LX. I haven't had any problems...yet. Would you suggest getting this PCM upgrade?
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    chuckles4chuckles4 Member Posts: 4
    My wife's Tribute would periodically not start. All the dash lights lit up, but no cranking. We found a little jiggling of the transmission shift lever would make the contact in the gear selector switch to tell the starting circuit the transmission was in park. Then it would start. We originally thought it was a security lockout, but if it lasts greater than 30 minutes (security reset) then it is something else.

    After describing this situation to the service manager, he called Mazda and had me bring it in to change the switch. It took about 90 minutes. The switch is on the transmission so he had to take a lot of interference off on the driver side of the engine bay to get to the switch. Its been a month and have not had the problem recur. Final fix we hope.
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    murphdawg69murphdawg69 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2002 Mazda Tribute LX, and every time it is below freezing and I start the truck, my battery light comes on, and the electrical system flickers. I checked the connections and they are tight - I'm about to take it to the dealer and ask for a new battery, but first wanted to see if anyone else had come across this problem.

    Also, I was wondering if anyone knows of an aftermarket hitch that can be used for this vehicle, given the only way to get a Mazda installed hitch is originally from the factory.

    Thanks!
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    scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    Its your battery, its bad. Insist the dealer give you a new one right away before you get stranded someplace. Any U-haul can install a hitch on you Trib also...
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    jafo2001jafo2001 Member Posts: 98
    Why is it that every car mag that runs a long term test on the Escape runs into problems - either they have to replace drive shafts or the door handles come off or the dashboard rattles....

    Why do buyers put up with the ford quality problems?
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    tccmn1tccmn1 Member Posts: 278
    I know this is not related directly to this thread, but, I have been researching the new MPV 3.0V6 - '02 unit and am wondering about the dependability of this engine. I hear some scary things here about stalling, gas smells, etc. and am wondering if the MPV will have the same issues once they get them out in force on the road....?
    I know it's the same Ford engine. It would be a tragedy if the screwed up the nice MPV by adding more power but a crap engine.
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    scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    who has taken someone elses word....
    First off the MPV does NOT use the 3.0 Duratec engine. The MPV uses a 2.5 liter DOHC aluminum block and heads engine. 170HP@ 6250 rpm/165ft/lbs of torque at 4250rpm. So.... if there is a stalling issue that you claim its not Ford its Mazda! There is an article about the MPV in Motor Trends April issue. They acutally wish Mazda would have USED the Ford 3.0 Duratec 200HP and 200ft/lbs of torque V6 in order to compete in this market by the way.... The Duratec 3.0 by the way is proving to be extremly reliable/durable and low maintenance..
    jafo2001... You come into this room claiming every long term test of the Escape/Trib has parts falling off or engines blowing up.. Please link me to these reviews or better yet list them so I can read them myself.. Thank-you.
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    maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    the 2002 MPV is the same 3.0 Duratech from the Trib.

    The 2.5 was flawless in the 00-01, I'd expect the same from the 3.0.
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    audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    Why correct him....I love reading rants and raves when they are wrong....haha
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    tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    I love reading rants and raves when they are wrong.

    We all make misteaks! ;-)

    tidester
    Host
    SUVs
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    jafo2001jafo2001 Member Posts: 98
    "jafo2001... You come into this room claiming every long term test of the Escape/Trib has parts falling off or engines blowing up.. Please link me to these reviews or better yet list them so I can read them myself.. Thank-you"

    scape2, why don't you go read Edmunds OWN long term test - February. And why don't you go out and BUY Automobile magasine, turn to page 94 and READ it.
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    lescapelescape Member Posts: 3
    Hi I posted this to the general Escape forum, then I discovered this one. I have a 2001 XLT with 11K on it that will be one year old at the end of March. I have had very little problem with it. I did have the rear hatch rattle which was fixed by tightening the glass latch. It came back 6 months later and they added some extra insulation under the hatch panel. I just got it back, so we'll see if this truly fixes that. It wasn't too annoying except that a new car should not rattle like that IMHO! The moonroof is something else. Last week it jammed and made grinding, rat-a-tat noises. They replaced the track assembly but now it's like the motor is out of synch and it now does not close completely on the first try and when you push the button again it closes and goes beyond closed and opens up the other way. They have another one on the lot that does the same thing so they thought this was "normal". However a third Escape worked perfectly and they admitted mine and the other one were wrong. So they have ordered yet another moonroof track unit for my Escape and the other one on the lot. They found it very odd that they had two of these with the same problem and wondered if it was a factory defect in some moonroofs. Has anyone else had a moonroof problem like this? I would like to mention it when I write my letter to Ford Motor Co. Except for the moonroof, I have been quite happy with my Escape and it has had none of the other issues I see written about - thank goodness and knock on wood!
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    bessbess Member Posts: 972
    I do find it amusing how editors opinions about what is considered 'excessive' number of problems changes.

    For example: Look at the Edmunds long term test on the Honda Odyssey (which they absolutely LOVED):
    --------------
    Our long-term Odyssey certainly lived up to our expectations for Honda reliability. Aside from scheduled maintenance (every 7,500 miles for normal duty), it required very little. We had three recalls performed, but all were minor and addressed in short order. Additionally, on one occasion while the van was residing in Detroit, the rear hatch wouldn't open. This was repaired by a dealership the same afternoon and covered by the 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty. The front brake pads were replaced at 23,000 miles. And the rear window developed a rattle near the end of our lease. That's it.
    --------------

    So this indicates to me they had 6 different problems that had to be addressed, and yet there is no ding on quality..

    But let the same thing happen to a domestic vehicle and the same editors will claim shoddy workmanship..

    hmm, thats it indeed.
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    bessbess Member Posts: 972
    More from Edmunds on a long term test for a Camery.. (Where they indicate they had 4 problems)..
    --quote--
    One was associated with a recall for a potentially faulty solenoid that would allow drivers to remove the ignition key before `park' had been engaged fully. Our car did not suffer this problem, but Toyota dealers were on the ball, and we had the solenoid replaced not once, but twice, by eager-to-please service departments.
    -------

    Again, domestic manufactures will offer recalls and TSB's to vehicles that do not suffer the problem describe in the recall or TSB, but no one seems to claim that they were 'on the ball'..

    Double standards abound..
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    baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    My wife and I put up with our Honda problems too. Everyone has to put up with some car problems every now and again. Read Edmunds own report on the Ferrari 550 Maranello. They just added it to their one-year fleet last week, and it completely died on them after 108 miles. It's brand new. If they were to sell as many vehicles for the price that Ford, GM, Honda, etc. do, you would see "Ferrari Problems" in this hall too. We really like our Escapes/Tributes. That's why we put up with the problems. If I liked and owned a CR-V, or a TrailBlazer, I would put up with their problems too. I think most would agree?
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    srich_grsrich_gr Member Posts: 3
    Hi,
    Was driving my wifes 2001 XLT with 5500 miles on it and the check engine light went on. I called my sales rep via cell phone while on the NYS Thruway. and she told me to check for a loose gas cover, I pulled over and reseated the gas cover ( No Change) Called her back and she said don't panic just drive it over to service. I was about 40 miles away but did attempt at 4:20 in the afternoon. She assured me that service will be open till I get there. Made it there at 4:50PM.
    Spoke to Service Manager . He checked out the car. Found out that we had a bad sensor and it was replaced. Time out 5:30PM. They say that Fords Service is not good. But I say at Sunshine Ford they did take care of my needs. Thanks Sunshine.
    I am also a previous Saturn owner so I am accustomed to a quality service dept.
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    scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    Yep, Read the article a little more and in one sentence it does say for 2002 that Mazda did switch to the 3.0 Duratec. Please read the article in April Motor Trend.. Motor Trend likes the 3.0 Duratec...
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    jcggggjcgggg Member Posts: 1
    I bought a Tribute that the paper work from the dealer says is a 2002, however the VIN # indicates it is a 2001 model. What can and should I do about it.
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    bessbess Member Posts: 972
    What most folks would look at is the tag thats on the door jamb what give the month/year of manufacture..

    While that doesn't always corespond with the model year, it might shed some light on the subject.

    If the date is past 9 or 10/2001 then it might be a 2002.. If it's past 01/2002 then for sure its 2002. If its prior to 9/2001 then I would guess its a 2001, but thats just a guess. Sometimes they introduce model years very early in the previous year.
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    tincup47tincup47 Member Posts: 1,508
    The VIN is the definitive ID on model year, not the build date. The 10th digit is the year designator, if it is a 2 then it is 2002 MY. A 2001 will have a 1 as the 10th digit. Nothing else matters, everyone uses the VIN to determine year.
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    jafo2001jafo2001 Member Posts: 98
    I recently rented an Escape for the weekend to test it. There's a lot to love about the car (handling, roominess, looks, etc).

    But the noise in the car was too high. The engine growled all the time and on the highway it was so loud even the radio couldn't cover it. Also the seats were very firm and unforgiving.

    Is the Tribute any quieter than the Escape?
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