We have had Our escape since sept ,so far I LOVE IT .I HAVE HAD IT IN FOR FUEL SMELL ,THEY SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH FUEL LINE? I have not detected the odor since. one thing , small as it may be,while washing the escape the black rubber small glass rests under the rear window popped out,hard to find in driveway,I HAVE SINCE PUT SOME SUPPER GLUE ON THEM, I hope they stay PUT.
Found out yesterday that Mazda/Ford is modifying (redesigning) the windshield wiper linkage (it broke without warning on Nov. 10 - see previous post) on the Trib (and the Escape too I would suppose). So far, Mazda is saying sometime between now and Dec. 30 - Yeah right!. So, that would mean about almost 2 months at the dealer which seems like a bit much.
For those of you sitting on the fence, I suggest you "sit" a bit longer until problems like these get resolved.
Escape production is going up to 285000 for the next year. Mazda is 30% of that. There are further price cuts on both cars... Thatis, suppliers are "invited" to present ideas where the cost saavings can be achieved. With these cars you either hit or miss. If you are willnig to gamble, get Escape or Tribute.. if not... check out Rav4, Grand Vitara or CRV
Manufacturing cost reduction does not necessarily result in a lower vehicle price. All companies seek ways to reduce costs as a business necessity, if successful it will result in higher profits, happy shareholders and the CEO gets to keep his (or her) job, unlike the American Daimler-Chrysler CEO.
I just returde from the dealership after trying to test drive an Escape and I was told they cant' show them, test drive them or sell them until further notice from Ford. I asked what the deal was and the salessman said Ford was being very quiet about what the problem was. Anyone have any insight?
they have been told to stop sale for the defective windshield wipers. atleast that's what I told at a dealership today - but i was aloud to drive one. i'm going for the santa fe - too many recalls on the tribute.
Bought an escape on wed, traveled 300 miles to west virginia, got caught in a snow/ice storm and the escape ran great and handled all situations very well, climbed a gravel road in the snow and dodged a deer, the anti lock brakes work great..... nice milage went 250 on a tank and still had some left....goood luck to all.....
I ordered a new Tribute about 2 months ago and was supposed to pick it up on Friday. Was told they could not deliver due to windshield wiper problem. Should know on Monday if my car is affected. After reading the previous posts, I am a bit scared of the other problems people talked about. I'm thinking extended warranty may be a good thing!
I saw the the Tribute featured in a home and garden magazine in June and was attracted to it because of the good looks and safety features (EBD, abs, safer driving in bad weather). I have a '98 Sebring and hit a curb on ice last year and did about $1000 damage in the wheels department. I have wanted something with the Trib.'s safety features since then. I ordered a Trib in September hoping I would have it to drive now, but as far as I'm concerned, they can keep it till they get the bugs worked out of it.
I ordered the ES in Galaxy Blue in September. I was very drawn to it. I have been very happy with leather seats, as being able to clean it easier than cloth, with my dogs being in the car. I wanted the premium audio, and in the brochure it says that is an option. It does not say that you have to choose one option over the other, if you are getting the ES. I did not want the sun roof, so I did not want to have to get the Luxury package with the sunroof, just to get the best sound system. The salesman said he wasn't able to order the Premium audio without the Luxury Package. I was ticked and almost decided against the purchase, but then I realized I didn't need the best sound system anyway and could add the tape player for a lot less money.
I think I'm going to lease it now, and keep my Sebring--haven't had any mechanical problems with it yet. If I drive the Trib. in the winter I can keep the miles down and hopefully, they will have it perfected--better reliability, Premium audio with ES, gear shift out of way of sound system etc. Hopefully.
I'm glad I canceled my Mazda Tribute order when I did. 5 recalls in 3 months from the National Highway Safety Association and now a problem with the windshield wipers! Everybody says "oh ya but at least Ford/Mazda are finding the problems and fixing them". NO COMPANY SHOULD HAVE 5 RECALLS IN 3 MONTHS ON A NEW CAR....NO COMPANY AT ALL. You should work out the bugs and test it BEFORE you start selling a car. Ford is just being sloppy and what else are we going to hear about? I bought a Hyundai Santa Fe the beginning of October and it's a new car for Hyundai and there is not 1 Recall on the Santa Fe. I hope Ford fixes all of their mistakes soon.
Tribute Owners! Does anyone notice a hissing noise problem when the air condition is set to AC or Max AC. The sound can heard from inside the engine compartment, especially a brief tap on the gas padel or accerleration. My Mazda service center people, near Marietta in GA. told me it's "NORMAL" as usual. Does anyone agree? It's driving me crazy... I heard one owner has a similar problem and it is resolved by replacing the switch for the ac? Does any one can provide any suggestion?
What you describe is a remarkably ordinary problem. Understand that vacuum from the intake manifold is used to power the various air doors in the ventilation system. There are vacuum switches and solenoids connected by tubing. Manifold vacuum is greatest when you let off the gas pedal.
In short, the people you talked to at the dealership are idiots. They should at least learn to say, "I don't know."
Well, the wipers cut out on me last night, during the first rain and snow of the season (and really the first real rain since I bought it in October). I could tell it was the linkage
Dealer found out today it is a nation-wide problem, and Mazda should be releasing instructions to the dealer today or tomorrow. They gave me a loaner, but I had real plans for my tribute for the Thanksgiving holiday.
I really hope this gets settled quickly and that there are NO MORE PROBLEMS.
Even so, I still really like the truck! I pray no more recalls.
checked the first tank of gas and with mixed city(75%)& hwy(25%)driving got 251 miles on 12.6 gals so the math comes out to around 20mpg. i'm pretty happy with those pre-breakin numbers. took her up to go skiing over the weekend and it made the trip a breeze, very fast uphill, down hill and everything in between:) don't have any of the reported fuel, wiper, etc issues. that's all for now.
I have about 1800 mi on mine: City: 16 to 18 Highway: 21 to 23 dependant on speed. Fuel line fixed. No other problems and I love the way it handles. Keeping my fingers crossed! I drove the Escape and the Santa Fe. Hyundai felt underpowered but had a great interior.
hyundai did a good job on the overall design, many good comments on the interior appointments. haven't driven one but many have reported the general lack of power. after 3 years in a sportage i was gun shy of the korean auto manufacturers. i guess i just needed the 200 hp and now that i have it the grin is from ear to ear.
Stopped by the dealer this morning to visit with my wiperless Tribute. Found out that Mazda has issued a stop sale order (like Ford) due to the windshield wiper problem. So far, I only have Dec. 30 as a tentative date for the replacement parts which I understand will consist of the entire windshield wiper module - wiper mounting arm, pivot shaft and wiper motor.
I also confirmed my initial thought that these must be FORD parts/design. My previous Mazda vehicles never experienced problems like this. I was told by the Mazda technician that the typical Mazda wiper system design is different than Fords - and apparently better since it works. I hate to sound anti-Ford, but, this just proves what happens when you send 30 Ford staff to help Mazda in Japan - it really messes things up.
Checked the www.blueovalnews.com site for recent news and found that Ford has issued Safety Recall 00S49 (for the Escape) which covers windshield wiper module inspection and possible replacement. It says that "a certain portion of the vehicle population may experience inoperative wipers". It also says that "service inspection/repair instructions and parts requirements" are under development and no date for part availability is known.
That 4-Runner or Pathfinder sounds like a pretty good idea right now.
Got a new one for everyone. I have owned my Tribute ES for three months, and today both driver and passenger airbags suddenly went off while I was slowing down for a red light, causing me to crash into the car ahead of me, (no the airbags didn't go off as a result of the crash). Has anyone heard of this or had this problem? contact me at thelastfalconfan@aol.com
I swear, if they are readily admitting to the 5 or 6 recalls this quickly I wonder what else might be wrong.
Found out from the dealer that Mazda faxed repair instructions to dealers this morning. My dealer doesn't have the parts yet, but they "expect" the new part to come in on Monday, since the Richmond distribution center is closed tomorrow and Friday.
I ordered a fully loaded Escape from a dealer here in Cincinnati in September. I have been stopping by the dealership to see the status of my order. It has a partial vin number. As a matter of fact it's had a partial vin number for five weeks! When I asked about delivery the dealer told me late Jan if I am lucky! They told me today the vehicle is on a "sale hold" until the wiper issue can be resolved. My wife really wanted a Tribute, for the looks, but I refuse to pay sticker. Now I'm beginning to wounder if I want either vehicle after reading some of the comments! The dealer told me that Ford is prepared to honor the vehicles warranty up to 50,000 miles, like the Tribute's, if I hang in there and wait. I said "will you put it in writing"! He said he would as long as the vehicle is maintained at his dealership he see that it is covered. Anyone had a similar response? I'm going to sit tight and see what happens before I purchase!
I ordered a fully loaded Escape from a dealer here in Cincinnati in September. I have been stopping by the dealership to see the status of my order. It has a partial vin number. As a matter of fact it's had a partial vin number for five weeks! When I asked about delivery the dealer told me late Jan if I am lucky! They told me today the vehicle is on a "sale hold" until the wiper issue can be resolved. My wife really wanted a Tribute, for the looks, but I refuse to pay sticker. Now I'm beginning to wounder if I want either vehicle after reading some of the comments! The dealer told me that Ford is prepared to honor the vehicles warranty up to 50,000 miles, like the Tribute's, if I hang in there and wait. I said "will you put it in writing"! He said he would as long as the vehicle is maintained at his dealership he see that it is covered. Anyone had a similar response? I'm going to sit tight and see what happens before I purchase!
OK, these trucks cost 31 to 36 grand each! Not a valid comparo to say the least. I paid 22 even for my LX. Also, check out the HP to Weight ratio. I bet it is fairly similar for the Tribute. Both nice rigs though if you have the denaro.
smcginnis, you have got to be kidding me!! Airbags went off?? Not good. Can you say lawsuit? Have any pics? What did the dealer say? Insurance company? What dealer are you with?
jrfish: I would like to know if you hear anything else re:wiper replacement parts. I look forward to having the Tribute back soon - sounds like it might be fixed by late next week if the parts begin shipping on Monday. It would be nice to ditch the rental wheels - I'm the only person under 80 still driving a Buick from what I can see.
mtnbiker: You have a point, an apples to oranges comparison maybe. But, the verdict is still out, is it worth having a vehicle that would cost slightly more (our Tribute LX:$31,900 CDN vs. $35,800 for Pathfinder XE - O.K., I know it's the entry level Pathfinder!) or a Tribute that has now been at the dealer gathering dust for the last 13 days. I guess I'm just a bit depressed - go figure. Nothing like a car payment and NO car. Maybe I'll go visit the Toyota or Nissan dealership this weekend to cheer myself up - I hear they have vehicles that actually work.
this is strange news, airbags inadvertently exploding as you're driving down the road. can't wait to hear the explanation for this one. i'm thinking it must have happened to someone, in some other vehicle but couldn't remember reading such news. hopefully no one was hurt, it must be startling to have both bags explode at once as you are driving down the road.
Ford Motor Company will (or Has) issued another stop sale order on the Ford Escape. The recall is for Escape modes made from October 22 through 16 November 2000. The affected vehicles may have a potential safety issue with the windshield wiper system. dealerships are instructed to not drive, demonstrate or deliver any vehicles affected by this recall until inspection and repairs can be performed.
We've had our Tribute ES with V6 for about 3 weeks now, about 1700 miles (I commute 90 miles per day total)and it's GREAT so far, BUT there are a few items of concern too.
- Handling is GREAT - much better than I had anticipated overall.
- Power is VERY good in normal driving - very responsive, but when you hit the throttle hard, like for a ramp merge, it doesn't feel as strong as 200 hp implies.
- Came with Firestone Wilderness HT tires, which are NOT on the recall, but Firestone's woes leave me a little non-confident. I have to admit though that the ride is good, the noise low, and the handling really good.
- Despite all the national publicity about low tire pressures in Firestone tires, the dealer delivered my Trbute with all 4 tires 4 to 5 pounds underinflated compared to the 29 psi called for by the doorpost label. I corrected that at once of course.
- The headlights came from the factory misadjusted so low that they lit up the bumper instead of the road. A quick adjustment by the dealer cured that, and night visibility is ow very good.
- Getting a spare key made was a major hassle beacuse of the new anti-theft and anti-duplication systems. The dealer took 45 minutes to do it, and felt so badly about the time taken that it was "no charge". I learned later that this saved me a LOT of money, as the microprocessor equipped keys require simultaneous re-programming of ALL the keys, and it costs a lot. Sort of "key control", like "gun control": doesn't slow down the bad guys much, but sure inconveniences and costs the good guys.
- No wiper problems - at least so far. We have 17 days straight of rain and snow here in Minneapolis right after I got my Tribute, so they've gotten a good workout.
- No fuel smell or fuel leakage problems - at least so far.
- Gas mileage has not been impressive. Runs between 18.5 and 20 mpg, using very careful and consistent measurements at each fillup. Because I put on most of my miles on my off-peak hours commute, and drive mostly freeway, I normally hit or exceed the EPA hwy rating for a vehicle, but on this one, I'm missing the 24 mpg EPA hwy rating by a LOT. Still hoping for improvement with time, but my experience with other vehicles has been that those early tankfuls ARE representative of what's to follow. One possible contributor: we are required by law to use VERY ethanol-enriched fuels here in Minnesota in the winter, because the corn farmers have a strong lobby. The mileage will improve somewhat in the summer when we use normal fuel.
- The seatbelt anchor on the doorpost on the driver's side (only) drives us crazy with a "clicking" noise that appears to be caused by slight movement of the seatbelt through it when we hit minor road bumps or seams. Haven't been able to solve this one. It'll be on the "punchlist" for the dealer to correct.
Overall: Very happy with the vehicle overall. Not as perfect as the two Miata's were, but still VERY good overall.
you are probably on the right track with thinking the ethanol laced fuel is giving you less than epa posted figures. our ES-V6 got around 20mpg on the first tank with mixed driving. the second tank got ~23mpg with all hwy driving, but with substancial elevation change at a constant 75mph. seems like i could squeeze out 24 or maybe even 25 mpg on level, all hwy driving.
I went to my Mazda dealer to order a Tribute. This would have been the fourth Mazda through this dealer in 6 years. They did not have the model I wanted and were actually trying to dress up DX's and pass them off for LX's and ES's with after market leather and sun-roof if you can imagine that. Anyway, I offered them 3% over invoice and even let them keep the holdback to order the vehicle. They looked at me like I was crazy. Told me they could put whatever they wanted on these and sell them for full retail, no problem. They refused to order the vehicle for my price. I left and probably won't return. After reading a lot of these posts, I think it was for the best. Maybe I'll wait a while, or find another dealer, or product. Seems like too much Ford and not enough Mazda for me anyway.
We ordered our Tribute LX with everything but the leather pkg. on September 2nd, for $500 over invoice. We were told it would be about Six weeks. Six weeks became 8 weeks,and 8 weeks became 12 weeks.This weekend we were told it would be some time next year due to a problem with the anti-lock brakes.
We cancelled our order.
I suppose it was for the best. We bought a 2001, 2WD, 4.7, V8 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab (the 4x4's are a lot more), with everything but alarm and leather for 25K including tax and license. Lousy gas mileage, no zoom, but it drives quite nicely, is very quiet, has plenty of passenger room, and its size is more manageable than a full size pick up. It is really a more practical truck for our rural family of five (I hall feed, hay, etc ). I was just tired of driving trucks, and I suppose I got caught up in the whole ZOOM ZOOM thing!
By the way, my sister-in-law and her hubby got their Escape about a month ago and they love it. so far, no problems.
Hi, I just bought ES-V6 4WD and wondering if anybody has the same issue with the car: the car will not stand still on the uphill, it will roll back once I remove my foot from gas. My old car used to stand still on the uphill. Is this really a problem, or all Tributes do this?
I have a question for anyone out there on the oil that is used in the Tribute. First off I love my ES Silver Tribute. I simply love it more and more everyday. I have had no problems yet. I have 2,800 miles on it and average around 22 miles per gallon. I did however get about 25 miles per gallon this past weekend. I am due a oil change soon and was wondering if it would be ok to change the oil that is in it to 10W30 oil or maybe 5W30. I talked to a guy that works on cars and he recemended 5W30 oil. What are anyones thought on this. I know that 10W20 oil can only be found from the dealer and not at just any oil change place or any store. Any help would be great. You can e-mail me at redeclipse@hotmail.com.
We bought our Escape XLT last week and are very happy with it so far...but just one problem! Has anyone experienced a noise when the heat is turned on (low or high)? I can even hear it over the radio sometimes...it is an annoying sound, much like the noise a CD player makes, when the volume is turned down and the CD is still spinning. Please let me know what you think...!
landrade: I've also noticed that heater noise. It happens on mine when I have the blower set on floor only. Other noises that I've noticed: some clicking noise (like flapping paper or something) between the drivers window and door jam, and the same seatbelt noise that another person noticed. That one I fixed by simply spraying some WD-40 behind the plate.
I owned a Tribute LX for approximately 3 months. The vehicle spent half of that time at the dealership getting fixed. There were numerous things wrong with the vehicle - none of them life threatening - (at least that I am aware of), but it became so annoying that I dedcided to dump the Trib. and traded it for a Maxima GXE. No regrets. The Max is a great car. I struggled with the decision to purchase a new Trib. anticipating that there might be problems; however, I felt confident the Mazda/Ford would insure that vehicle would be flawless upon introduction. I was wrong of course, but I still feel that they are on track with the Trib/Escape. The concept, looks, drivability are all major pluses, but if they can't get the fundamental things right, it's a cause for concern, especially when you pay full list for the vehicle. Too bad. I was hoping I would be owning this mini-suv for awhile. Maybe I will give it another shot in a few years. My best to all and I wish you nothing but fun, safe, trouble-free driving. McCale
We have had our Escape for about a month and have had very few problems, although I am now checking out the wiper issue. The couple problems that I found was: - That clicking sound in the seatbelt area - What sounds like valve clatter when the engine idles down
We took it into the dealership for both and the results were: - The acceleration sensor must have been made incorrectly because they replaced the whole seatbelt unit (under warranty). No click. - The engine noise was heard by the mechanic and he checked with Ford, who said it was normal. I guess I'll have to accept that and be thankful that I have a warranty.
In general, we are really happy about the vehicle. It was hard to get via factory order and luckily we found what we wanted on the lot of a dealer 100 miles from home (happened to be traveling in the right area at the right time). As far as I know, the order still isn't filled, and it was started in the last week of Sept.
I have had a chance to try out the drivability in poor (snow, slush, wet) weather and am impressed. We bought into V6 4X4 with few other options and it has performed beyond expectations.
The only thing that I can complain about would have to be the EPA MPG not being close to reality. Ours has also been around 20 MPG, and I don't think we have the Ethanol (I hope, since it is supposed to be labeled at the pump).
To all who have had problems: this is the first run and we bought in early. I am expecting worse, and hopefully it won't happen.
To everyone else: I still think it is a great SUV. It gets me where I need to go when I need to go. It's a great value. If you are interested but unsure of all of the problems, wait a year or so. I am certain they will be better.
Although the user's manual says to use 5W-20, that oil is unavailable in most places. I went to the dealer to get some, and even they didn't have it. They said that for the oil changes they do, they do not put in 5W-20, but instead use 10W-30 for all the Tributes (given the climate of Southeastern Virginia). I called up Mazda customer service, which then called my dealer, and Mazda told me to trust the dealer.
So, I will go with the dealer's recommendation for my oil change, but I will first get in writing that use of 10W-30 will not void the warranty.
The Dakota has plenty of power, but not the zoom I was looking forward to in the Tribute. I imagined myself zooming around town, whipping into cramped parking spaces, and effortlessly weaving around tractors and cattle trucks on rural roads!
So far I am quite happy with my new truck, which by the way, I probably would not have even considered had I not seen the Dakota Quad Cab listed on Edmund's most wanted list. I just assumed the rear seating in the Dakota would be cramped like it is in other small four door pick-ups. Sites like this one really make car buying a lot easier.
Comments
week...
Vehicle Est. Production Actual Production
Escape 3,275 last week 0 last week
Tribute 1,112 last week 0 last week
one thing , small as it may be,while washing the escape the black rubber small glass rests under the rear window popped
out,hard to find in driveway,I HAVE SINCE PUT SOME SUPPER GLUE ON THEM, I hope they stay PUT.
For those of you sitting on the fence, I suggest you "sit" a bit longer until problems like these get resolved.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/ivoq/default.htm
This report requires the VIN for the vehicle being
reported on.
We were at the Mazda dealer this afternoon testing out the tribute and heard nothing about this no drive, no sell etc ruling.
What does it mean?
I ordered the ES in Galaxy Blue in September. I was very drawn to it. I have been very happy with leather seats, as being able to clean it easier than cloth, with my dogs being in the car. I wanted the premium audio, and in the brochure it says that is an option. It does not say that you have to choose one option over the other, if you are getting the ES. I did not want the sun roof, so I did not want to have to get the Luxury package with the sunroof, just to get the best sound system. The salesman said he wasn't able to order the Premium audio without the Luxury Package. I was ticked and almost decided against the purchase, but then I realized I didn't need the best sound system anyway and could add the tape player for a lot less money.
I think I'm going to lease it now, and keep my Sebring--haven't had any mechanical problems with it yet. If I drive the Trib. in the winter I can keep the miles down and hopefully, they will have it perfected--better reliability, Premium audio with ES, gear shift out of way of sound system etc. Hopefully.
Does anyone notice a hissing noise problem when the air condition is set to AC or Max AC.
The sound can heard from inside the engine compartment, especially a brief tap on the gas padel or accerleration.
My Mazda service center people, near Marietta in GA. told me it's "NORMAL" as usual. Does anyone agree?
It's driving me crazy... I heard one owner has a similar problem and it is resolved by replacing the switch for the ac?
Does any one can provide any suggestion?
In short, the people you talked to at the dealership are idiots. They should at least learn to say, "I don't know."
Dealer found out today it is a nation-wide problem, and Mazda should be releasing instructions to the dealer today or tomorrow. They gave me a loaner, but I had real plans for my tribute for the Thanksgiving holiday.
I really hope this gets settled quickly and that there are NO MORE PROBLEMS.
Even so, I still really like the truck! I pray no more recalls.
city(75%)& hwy(25%)driving got 251 miles on 12.6
gals so the math comes out to around 20mpg. i'm
pretty happy with those pre-breakin numbers. took her up to go skiing over the weekend and it made the trip a breeze, very fast uphill, down hill and everything in between:) don't have any of the reported fuel, wiper, etc issues. that's
all for now.
Highway: 21 to 23 dependant on speed. Fuel line fixed. No other problems and I love the way it handles. Keeping my fingers crossed! I drove the Escape and the Santa Fe. Hyundai felt underpowered but had a great interior.
haven't driven one but many have reported the general lack of power. after 3 years in a sportage i was gun shy of the korean auto manufacturers. i guess i just needed the 200 hp
and now that i have it the grin is from ear to ear.
I also confirmed my initial thought that these must be FORD parts/design. My previous Mazda vehicles never experienced problems like this. I was told by the Mazda technician that the typical Mazda wiper system design is different than Fords - and apparently better since it works. I hate to sound anti-Ford, but, this just proves what happens when you send 30 Ford staff to help Mazda in Japan - it really messes things up.
Checked the www.blueovalnews.com site for recent news and found that Ford has issued Safety Recall 00S49 (for the Escape) which covers windshield wiper module inspection and possible replacement. It says that "a certain portion of the vehicle population may experience inoperative wipers". It also says that "service inspection/repair instructions and parts requirements" are under development and no date for part availability is known.
That 4-Runner or Pathfinder sounds like a pretty good idea right now.
I swear, if they are readily admitting to the 5 or 6 recalls this quickly I wonder what else might be wrong.
mtnbiker: You have a point, an apples to oranges comparison maybe. But, the verdict is still out, is it worth having a vehicle that would cost slightly more (our Tribute LX:$31,900 CDN vs. $35,800 for Pathfinder XE - O.K., I know it's the entry level Pathfinder!) or a Tribute that has now been at the dealer gathering dust for the last 13 days. I guess I'm just a bit depressed - go figure. Nothing like a car payment and NO car. Maybe I'll go visit the Toyota or Nissan dealership this weekend to cheer myself up - I hear they have vehicles that actually work.
it would be nice to rent an Escape. Does anyone
know any place I can do that?
What's next?
- Handling is GREAT - much better than I had anticipated overall.
- Power is VERY good in normal driving - very responsive, but when you hit the throttle hard, like for a ramp merge, it doesn't feel as strong as 200 hp implies.
- Came with Firestone Wilderness HT tires, which are NOT on the recall, but Firestone's woes leave me a little non-confident. I have to admit though that the ride is good, the noise low, and the handling really good.
- Despite all the national publicity about low tire pressures in Firestone tires, the dealer delivered my Trbute with all 4 tires 4 to 5 pounds underinflated compared to the 29 psi called for by the doorpost label. I corrected that at once of course.
- The headlights came from the factory misadjusted so low that they lit up the bumper instead of the road. A quick adjustment by the dealer cured that, and night visibility is ow very good.
- Getting a spare key made was a major hassle beacuse of the new anti-theft and anti-duplication systems. The dealer took 45 minutes to do it, and felt so badly about the time taken that it was "no charge". I learned later that this saved me a LOT of money, as the microprocessor equipped keys require simultaneous re-programming of ALL the keys, and it costs a lot. Sort of "key control", like "gun control": doesn't slow down the bad guys much, but sure inconveniences and costs the good guys.
- No wiper problems - at least so far. We have 17 days straight of rain and snow here in Minneapolis right after I got my Tribute, so they've gotten a good workout.
- No fuel smell or fuel leakage problems - at least so far.
- Gas mileage has not been impressive. Runs between 18.5 and 20 mpg, using very careful and consistent measurements at each fillup. Because I put on most of my miles on my off-peak hours commute, and drive mostly freeway, I normally hit or exceed the EPA hwy rating for a vehicle, but on this one, I'm missing the 24 mpg EPA hwy rating by a LOT. Still hoping for improvement with time, but my experience with other vehicles has been that those early tankfuls ARE representative of what's to follow. One possible contributor: we are required by law to use VERY ethanol-enriched fuels here in Minnesota in the winter, because the corn farmers have a strong lobby. The mileage will improve somewhat in the summer when we use normal fuel.
- The seatbelt anchor on the doorpost on the driver's side (only) drives us crazy with a "clicking" noise that appears to be caused by slight movement of the seatbelt through it when we hit minor road bumps or seams. Haven't been able to solve this one. It'll be on the "punchlist" for the dealer to correct.
Overall: Very happy with the vehicle overall. Not as perfect as the two Miata's were, but still VERY good overall.
seems like i could squeeze out 24 or maybe even
25 mpg on level, all hwy driving.
We cancelled our order.
I suppose it was for the best. We bought a 2001, 2WD, 4.7, V8 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab (the 4x4's are a lot more), with everything but alarm and leather for 25K including tax and license. Lousy gas mileage, no zoom, but it drives quite nicely, is very quiet, has plenty of passenger room, and its size is more manageable than a full size pick up. It is really a more practical truck for our rural family of five (I hall feed, hay, etc ). I was just tired of driving trucks, and I suppose I got caught up in the whole ZOOM ZOOM thing!
By the way, my sister-in-law and her hubby got their Escape about a month ago and they love it. so far, no problems.
used to stand still on the uphill. Is this really a problem, or all Tributes do this?
I'm wondering if you're saying "no zoom" in the Dodge when it's got a ton of hay plus four people in it?!
boomer18
Please let me know what you think...!
Other noises that I've noticed: some clicking noise (like flapping paper or something) between the drivers window and door jam, and the same seatbelt noise that another person noticed. That one I fixed by simply spraying some WD-40 behind the plate.
The Max is a great car. I struggled with the decision to purchase a new Trib. anticipating that there might be problems; however, I felt confident the Mazda/Ford would insure that vehicle would be flawless upon introduction. I was wrong of course, but I still feel that they are on track with the Trib/Escape. The concept, looks, drivability are all major pluses, but if they can't get the fundamental things right, it's a cause for concern, especially when you pay full list for the vehicle. Too bad. I was hoping I would be owning this mini-suv for awhile. Maybe I will give it another shot in a few years. My best to all and I wish you nothing but fun, safe, trouble-free driving.
McCale
- That clicking sound in the seatbelt area
- What sounds like valve clatter when the engine idles down
We took it into the dealership for both and the results were:
- The acceleration sensor must have been made incorrectly because they replaced the whole seatbelt unit (under warranty). No click.
- The engine noise was heard by the mechanic and he checked with Ford, who said it was normal. I guess I'll have to accept that and be thankful that I have a warranty.
In general, we are really happy about the vehicle. It was hard to get via factory order and luckily we found what we wanted on the lot of a dealer 100 miles from home (happened to be traveling in the right area at the right time). As far as I know, the order still isn't filled, and it was started in the last week of Sept.
I have had a chance to try out the drivability in poor (snow, slush, wet) weather and am impressed. We bought into V6 4X4 with few other options and it has performed beyond expectations.
The only thing that I can complain about would have to be the EPA MPG not being close to reality. Ours has also been around 20 MPG, and I don't think we have the Ethanol (I hope, since it is supposed to be labeled at the pump).
To all who have had problems: this is the first run and we bought in early. I am expecting worse, and hopefully it won't happen.
To everyone else: I still think it is a great SUV. It gets me where I need to go when I need to go. It's a great value. If you are interested but unsure of all of the problems, wait a year or so. I am certain they will be better.
E
So, I will go with the dealer's recommendation for my oil change, but I will first get in writing that use of 10W-30 will not void the warranty.
Any other information anybody has is welcome...
The Dakota has plenty of power, but not the zoom I was looking forward to in the Tribute. I imagined myself zooming around town, whipping into cramped parking spaces, and effortlessly weaving around tractors and cattle trucks on rural roads!
So far I am quite happy with my new truck, which by the way, I probably would not have even considered had I not seen the Dakota Quad Cab listed on Edmund's most wanted list. I just assumed the rear seating in the Dakota would be cramped like it is in other small four door pick-ups. Sites like this one really make car buying a lot easier.