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Ford Escape Mazda Tribute Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • wijocowijoco Member Posts: 462
    1. Yes, some Tribute/Escape owners have reported rapid tire wear, but that is often due to the quality of the tire itself. Your quality replacement set is the best bet for longer tire wear. Just remember "traction" and "treadwear" are two different grades. Decide which is most important when purchasing a set.
    2. Low coolant sensors were common problems on the first E/T models. If you are still getting check engine lights, then it needs to be diagnosed. ANY time the CE lights, there is a code stored. There are different methods of retrieval and some techs are not well trained enough to retrieve the intermittent codes. Or too lazy. If they can't read the codes, take it some where else!
    3. It is common to confuse the coolant lamp and battery lamps, this is a typical complaint, and partly Ford's fault because they made the two lamp cutouts too similar in shape. Are you sure you're not seeing the coolant light? If it is the battery light, then your belt tension needs to be checked. You may have a slipping alternator drive belt. Often the case when the light only comes on after startup in cold/wet weather.
    3 (b?). I'll give the old Dr Bob Newhart psychiatric advice: "Don't do that!!!" Steve is right, you shouldn't hold any steering all the way at the stops. Ford steering pumps tend to be a bit noisier that other makes, but it's usually normal.
    4. Don't do that!
    5. Since I don't know how big your tank is, I can't confirm that you mileage is low. But if you are certain it is, then it could be related to your check engine light. There were a lot of PCM programming issues and a few other things like intake leaks on the first E/Ts, you could be having a problem like that, assuming you've eliminated all the obvious stuff like driving style or bad gas.
    6. Don't know. You could indeed have a loose suspension bolt, bad bushing, loose exhaust parts, etc. If the noise gets worse, have it inspected.
    7. DON'T give Ford any more of your hard-earned money for their crappy rotors! They use a lightweight, expensive alloy in their rotors that, when everything is lined up perfectly, works great. But if you have a lug nut mistorqued, a hub miscut but 1/1000 inch, a tire slightly off balance, etc., what you have are a ridiculously costly set of rotors that chew up like tinfoil. Do yourself a favor and buy a good quality set of aftermarket rotors, like Bendix, next time, and save over half your cost while getting better parts.
    8. Some late model Fords have the parking brake adjustment actually mounted in the handbrake assembly. I don't know if that's the case with the E/T, but if so, then the handbrake istelf has to be replaced because no amount of adjustments at the wheel will fix it.
  • 4bib4bib Member Posts: 17
    got engine, battery, and oil lights on this afternoon - not driveable. it has only 14k. All this in addition to recall letter I got a week ago from Mazda. Now this 'excellent' zoom-zoom going to the dealership (not for the first time of course) :(
    I'm definetly not buying mazda again.
  • njdevilsrnnjdevilsrn Member Posts: 185
    To start, I am neurotic about vehicles not making noises.

    My wife's 2004 XLT is making some noises that I don't know if I should just live with them or have them looked at.

    1) When parked on even the mildest incline with the rear end facing downhill, the emergency brake will creak and groan whenever you put something in the vehicle (including an occupant)

    2) Steering makes a ratcheting type sound when turning at slow speeds (i.e. around a corner in the city, pulling into a parking space)

    3) Front shocks pronouncedly "whoosh" when going over speed bumps.

    Maybe it's just me, but I thought $25000 vehicles that were 4 months old should run quiet.
  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    the ratcheting sound is actually your lug nuts..they need to be torqued a little tighter because they are loose (or come loose over time of not properly torqued). I had this problem and found out. the service manager didn't even have to write up a ticket, and also told me it's best to have you nuts torqued to 110 lb-ft rather than the normal 100 lb-ft.

    Hope this helps

    Odie
  • aspareteamaspareteam Member Posts: 1
    It just so happens that my Tribute's check engine light went on last week. It was having trouble accelerating and felt like it would stall. So I took the vehicle in today, first available day, and was told that if the problem was related to the recall that was issue a couple weeks ago, I would still have to pay because my Tribute was out of warranty. I have over 80k miles on it. Does anyone know what my rights are in this matter? I'm in Illinois. I always thought that when there is a recall, the manufacturer had to pay for it because it was a defect in their design. That's how it's been with my other cars but the dealership told me it was a Mazda policy.
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    Recalls and Warranty are not related. If there is a recall, they have perform it regardless of your mileage. You can call Mazda and ask, if they say the same thing contact NHTS and your local authorities.
  • norrmanndonorrmanndo Member Posts: 81
    Your sleasy dealer probably just wants to get paid twice. My dealer told me that Mazda requires them to fix a recall even if it was only dropped off for an oil change. In other words it is madatory. Recalls are tracked by VIN and every vehicle is expected to be fixed.
  • kozikowskikozikowski Member Posts: 19
    I think that my problem has finally been resolved after multiple trips to the dealer and a transmission flush. I had a BG transmission flush at a local shop in early April, but the hard upshift and shudder did not get any better. Around the same time I had a recurring problem with the check engine coming on and had this looked at during my 60K service at the dealer. The problem was attributed to a fouled plug and after paying about $200 (in addition to the $450 that I spent for the 60K service) for a set of platinum plugs and the labor to remove the intake and exhaust manifold the car ran much better. I spoke to the service writer about the continuing transmission problem and asked if reprogramming the PCM would have any impact and was told no.

    I began to doubt whether this repair was legitimate when the check engine light came on just two days later. I returned to the dealer and they found a problem with the EGR, IAC, or MAF (I forget which one) and they fixed this for free, even though the car is 4K miles and six months out of warranty. Since they had the car for more than a day I questioned if they were just covering for something that they missed last time, but I felt that they were trying to make things right and it didn’t cost me any more. I also got a free rental of a GMC Canyon, so it gave me a chance to test drive a potential car for my daughter.

    A few weeks later I received a recall notice from Mazda stating that the PCM needed to be reprogrammed to fix a problem that other Tribute/Escape owners were having with their vehicles stalling during deceleration. While I had not experienced this problem, I took advantage of this since reading several message boards I found references to transmission problems like mine being resolved by flashing the PCM. I also had the check engine light come on for a third time which was attributed to a pinched (crimped?) plug wire which was fixed at no charge. Well, after a week the car runs great, with much smoother shifting and no recurrence of the shudder that I felt when the car was in overdrive. I also had a small increase (8%) in gas mileage and look forward to seeing if this improves during a trip to Philadelphia this weekend. I have been getting around 17mpg with local commuting and 23mpg on the highway.

    As mentioned previously, if you receive a recall notice from Mazda, the PCM flash is FREE!!!. I don't know, however, if the recall affects every 2001 Tribute, so you may need to check the NHTSA website to verify which VINs are included.

    Overall, we still like this car and just hope that the PCM flash has cured the issues that we have been having. With luck the upgrade corrected a bunch of ills that were causing problems.
  • normkolnormkol Member Posts: 135
    I was just told by my Mazda dealer that my 02 Tribute with 27k miles needs a new steering rack, the present one is leaking.

    I'm kind of dissapointed at having to replace the rack at such a low mileage. They had the rack in stock, but are waiting for a new seat track to come in so they can do both jobs at the same time.

    BTW, they did the PCM reflash, even though I wasn't having any problems. Can't say I really feel a difference.
  • yellowperilyellowperil Member Posts: 22
    http://www.lemonlaw.com/lemonlist.html

    Do you guys think that this list reflects real world? I am surprised that the Escape is fifth worst because it's regarded as one of the best small SUVs. We want to buy an Escape, but such (bad) news scares me.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Nope, I think it's just an ad for a law firm.

    The complaint index is based on a ratio of the number of complaints for each vehicle to the sales of that vehicle.

    The problem with this is that any one can make multiple complaints with the NHTSA, whether you own the car or not. The web site doesn't make it clear whether the dupes have been weeded out and VINs etc. aren't required to be entered when you file a NHTSA complaint.

    So I think you have to take the complaint index with the usual grain of salt. Ditto advertising.

    Steve, Host
  • wijocowijoco Member Posts: 462
    Hmmm...Kimmel and Silverman?

    Jimmy and Sarah???
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    That's the lemon law firm that zueslewis was working for, last we heard from him.

    [Aside: Where'd he go, and why?]

    One of the law firm locations in the linked ad is in my neighborhood, but the sign outside the building has been changed. Appears they're not located there any more.
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    I recently replaced the rotors abd front brake pads on my '01 Escape XLT 2WD V6 with 51K miles
    with aftermarket. I went with the ProStop brand sold at Pep Boys for boh components. The total
    cost for parts was ~$110.00 and I had a mechanic
    friend do the work with me. The pads are ceramic- enhanced and the rotors are turntable, unlike the Motorcraft brands. Guess what ? After one (1) week no brake dust on the front wheels and stopping power seems as good as before. If I had
    gone to the dealer as before, then I'd have paid $300.00 for the parts alone. Definitely worth it to go with aftermarket, though Raybestos and EBC
    make pads and rotors at a higher price, I opted to go with the store brand. I paid my mechanic buddy $100.00 for his time, so I still came out
    $260.00 ahead of the last front brake job from the dealer. Rear brake shoes have ~50% wear left on them at this point.

    Since I changed my spark plugs @50K miles, I've been getting worse gas mileage than before. ~16-17
    mpg current in town to 18-19 before. Spark plug
    type is correct Motorcraft part, can't figure out why. Truck runs fine after PCM upgrade at dealer,
    but plugs were changed after PCM flash. Mechanic
    friend seems to think it may be oxygenated fuel for the area/summer months. I pour a bottle of
    BG 44K in the gas tank every 5K miles to keep carbon build-up to minimum. Any ideas ?
  • norrmanndonorrmanndo Member Posts: 81
    Did you check the spark plug gap? Maybe the gap is too wide or too narrow.
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    When the plugs were changed my mechanic friend gapped the plugs, but I never told him what the
    plug gap was until after installation. It is
    .054 for the 100K plugs. He couldn't remember
    what he set the plugs at, but he thought it was .054. Well, you may be right, I'm going to
    pull a front-plug tonight and check the gap.
    The three front plugs are easy to get to once the
    decorative valve-cover is removed. The three
    rear plugs are a pain because you have to remove
    the upper/lower intake manifold and replace the
    gaskets. The process took about 1-hour because so much plumbing had to be disconnected and
    reconnected again.
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    Just a 'head's-up' concerning a part which may
    wear out and start causing underpinning noises,
    i.e, clanking at low speed, coming to stops, and going over bumps. Originally thought it may be springs or shocks. However, it turns out to be
    a part simply called a 'link-assembly'. It connects to the front strut and front sway bar
    parallel to the strut. The units are 'ambi' and and cost $20.15 each from a Ford dealer. Worn bushings and clanking sound are the result.
    Since there are no grease-fittings, I tried injecting some grease, which worked for about 1-week, but the noise is back. As I understand, it is not a safety issue but just a
    noise annoyance. However, the dealer warned that
    when changing the links, my alignment may be affected slightly. Shouldn't be a big deal changing them out though.
  • drurex99drurex99 Member Posts: 10
    I love my Trib and have absolutely no real problems with it up to now. I have replaced the original tires at about 50,000 miles and now like a lot of you are faced with a front brake job .I will have a brake shop do them as I really don't have the space,tools,time or knowledge to do a good job. I also have a weird stiffness in the accelerator that may be the throttle body needs either cleaning or replacing. Can anyone tell me if this is something that a weekend warrior can attempt? I have gotten a long (4 items) laundry list of things that my Mazda Manager wants to do on the truck. It would really make my day if I could take some things off it like the throttle body and the cabin filter replacement.
    Since I haven't had many problems I really haven't had my hands inside the engine compartment. Any comments on the difficulty of these repairs? Thanks!
  • mtnbiker2mtnbiker2 Member Posts: 6
    2001 LX. When the car is cold/cool and I make a left hand turn under power I get a weird whirring/grinding sound from the passenger side front. If I stop and idle, the whirring sound varies as I rev the engine. Very strange. Almost sounds like something rubbing. Any ideas?
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    Go to a competent shop to do the brake job and ask them if they can provide you with non-Ford
    parts. The Ford brake pads cause excessive dust
    and the rotors are non-turnable. Ask for Raybestos brand and if you can afford it, the ceramic enhanced pads, they're worth the money.
    You may wnat to have the shop (if they do other mechanical work) if they can do your 50K service, it may be cheaper than at the dealer. But ask them specifically how much each service costs. Usually you get a better price in bundle package of services. Cleaning the throttle body and changing the cabin filter aren't difficult, but can be frustrating especially if your engine drowns out in intake-cleaner fluid of you can't get the cowl off to replace the filter element.
    May be best to pay the labor since they're doing some other maintenance items anyhow.
  • normkolnormkol Member Posts: 135
    I haven't serviced the throttle body, but I have had it replaced under warranty for the same symptons you describe. Apparently there is a special coating in the throttle body, and cleaner will ruin it. Opinions vary over whether it is safe to use cleaner on it or not.

    As for the cabin filter, if you have never serviced it, are you sure you really have one? It does not come standard with the car. I added it myself, and it's a pretty simple job. Instructions should come with the replacement piece.
  • min75min75 Member Posts: 1
    I just had this problem happen to me as well. I have a '01 Escape with 87k. I bought the "link-assembly" from a Ford Dealer, luckily my Uncle is a mechanic so he is going to change them for me. I just couldn't take the clunking noise any more.
    Good heads up!
  • ron_69ron_69 Member Posts: 2
    Car stalling, poor acceleration after stop and go: As mentioned, after the PCM reflash, it should fix the problems, I actually just got it done yesterday free at dealer.

    Wierd sound when turning, or sometimes even when stopping rapidly (especially on cold days): First of all, I had 2 problems that attributed to this problem, and I am guessing that most tribute/escape owners have experienced this as well. When the noise comes when it is cold, it could be the steering fluid, it doesn't have time to warm up to work to full efficiency. OR, it could have been a crack/shrinkage/loose belt. I am not sure what the belt is exactly called, but I was told this by a trusted local non-dealer mechanic. But when I went back to the dealer to get it replaced under warrenty, I was told otherwise, however, the noise seem to have disappeared for a short while after the weather got warmer. OR, it could be a lack of steering fluid, which I refilled(after it nearly bottomed out) in the summer when the noise re-appeared and all dealers failed to find the problem. Yes, it does sound stupid,the fluid be the first thing the mechanics check.

    Banging, "clonk"ing sound when turning, driving over moderately rough roads or speedbumps: I got that checked out yesterday, and found out that the "control arm" on the passenger side was "out of place", or messed up, in another words, because a bearing or something got worn out. The 2 components of the bars are basically lying on top of one another, when they should be separated by a plastic looking component. I have the extended warranty, the dealer are ordering the parts and hopefully the extended warranty will cover it.

    Costly brakes repairs: Been there, done that. If you got another brand of brake pads/rotors that you think are good, please post. =)

    Also, have anyone changed their OEM rims as of yet? mine seem to be almost unmachineable (it has too many of those weights on it), so I am thinking of replacing them. Or if you did, did you get the OEM ones? if so, whats the price? or aftermarket, recommandations?

    Thanks all,
    Ron.
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    Other than the 'link' problem and bad gas mileage at present (not what I need) my '01 Escape XLT is running fine. I am planning on prempting a bad-battery at the 3-year mark. Batteries in this area normally last ~3-yrs. and then if not changed could leave one stranded (been there).
    The Motorcraft battery seems strong now, but summers eat batteries up here and spit them out
    wholesale. I still haven't pulled one of the plugs yet to check the gap, but it may be the culprit.
  • junuseanjunusean Member Posts: 2
    does anyone know how to change the fog light bulbs for 2004 tribute?? do i have to drop the whole bumper or is it just a screw thats holding on to the light?
  • drurex99drurex99 Member Posts: 10
    Thanks for all the input . I bought a pair of ceramic Prostop pads (Pep Boys $59) and a friend will install them for me for $100. He tells me that the rotors are fine (surprise surprise the dealership led me on). I'll have him look at the other stuff on the list for me. The list includes Fuel Injection service,throttle body and cabin filter replacement. I got a couple of filters off Ebay for $15 which is a long way from the $80 the dealership wants to do the job.
    Has anyone else been told that Raybestos makes Pro Stop? I was told at Pep Boys that they did but haven't found any written support on it.
    Thanks to everyone taking the time to reply to my thread.
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    total $169 for pad replacement seems higher than shop price to me.
  • drurex99drurex99 Member Posts: 10
    Yeah, Snowman, you're right about that but my friend will install the cabin filter for me and check out the throttle body while he's under the hood. Any way I'd rather give the cash to someone I know.
  • trib2001esv6trib2001esv6 Member Posts: 2
    after i have my IAC sensor changed for stalling problem and PCM flashing/computer upgrade done... heard some annoying shuddering noises and hesitation during acceleration/deceleration.... the first Mazda service in one dealer was not able to fix it.... then brought it to the dealer where i bought it... and have the technician test drive it with me.... and found the noise is caused by uneven tire wear ...but Firestone doesn`t want to do something about it...

    I HOPE THE DEALER/TECHNICIAN DID NOT LIE TO ME... they said he re-upgraded my PCM computer module... so far it fixes the problem....

    ANY SUGGESTION FOR THE BEST TIRE... with AA grade... with less traction noise ?
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    The PCM flash was done on by Escape about 2 mos.
    ago. So far so good, but I didn't really have the problems dscribed in previous posts. I changed the IAC about 1-yr. ago after near impossible starts for about 2 wks. Mechanic friend diagnosed it as IAC. Took about 5-min. to replace. I just changed over to new brake rotors and ceramic pads and does it ever make a difference in brake-dust elimination. They are fantastic. The aftermarket-brand I bought was cheaper that the Motorcraft pads and rotors too.

    A friend recently bought an '05 Tribute V6. Seems like Ford and Mazda have changed their brake hardware; namely larger rotors, calipers,
    and pads. Definitely looks different than my set-up. They seem heftier, and in the month he's had the vehicle, guess what ????, minimal brake dust.
    So, it seems that Ford may be listening to dealer and purchaser complaints and problems. The engine also seems more powerful and gets better mileage to boot. He says he's averaging 20-21 mpg in daily mixed-driving, some stop-go, tollway mileage.

    I am currently averaging 17 mpg in daily commute, little to no highway mileage except when I get it on the highway and wring it out. I believe I may have a problem with the spark-plug gap from previous spark-plug change, but am unsure. Unless the upgraded PCM flash made the mileage worse, but I can't see that happening. I've kept
    the injectors and intake system clean too.
  • tomatnavytomatnavy Member Posts: 27
    I've also had the reflash--and that may have changed my mileage somwhat--perhaps 1-2 mpg.The gap of the plugs may not matter that much as I have taken old plugs out of my ford and they were twice that of the specs. I still got the same mileage with the wrong gap.
  • tomatnavytomatnavy Member Posts: 27
    The firestone tires that come with the car are bad. 25000 miles is about right.I put bridgestone dueler A/T REVO on my car. These are more expensive,about $106. from the tire rack, but a much better and safer tire. They have a full nylon cap around the tire,which tends to keep it together if it fails for any reason.The REVO gets very good marks in almost all categories that they compare tires in. See the tire rack for comparisons.The firestone tires that failed a few years ago did not have a extra nylon wrap that these REVO's have.
  • starbuck246starbuck246 Member Posts: 6
    Does that apply to older Escapes? What about 2003 models?

    A co-worker visited the dealer for an oil change and they told her she needed new front brakes and the rotors turned at 21k miles.

    I thought that was pretty low mileage, so I came here for a second opinion.

    The nonturnable rotors is strange engineering. Does that apply to all Escape rotors, and does 21k seem reasonable on a 2003 Escape for new front pads? I don't think she's unreasonably hard on her brakes. You can save me from jacking up her car and taking off one of the front tires to take a look myself.

    Thanks all.
  • drurex99drurex99 Member Posts: 10
    I put the REVOS on my truck as well. I like them a lot but then the orginals were terrible.
  • tdevanetdevane Member Posts: 35
    I have strange clanking noises underneath the back of the vehicle which they havent been able to figure out but this morning they determined that the noise coming from the underside of the driver area is the Stabilizer link and I need a new one. Tech says he's checking to see if this is covered under warranty which im thinking it should be..anyone know? Also isn't it Mazdas policy to provide a loaner if you car is having warranty work done for more than a day?
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    2001 Escape still getting 17 -18 mpg in city with A/C on (hot/muggy summer in Houston. Was getting
    18+ before PCM flash. I'm going to call the dealership and ask if the updated PCM flash may have caused an unexpected drop in MPG. May be worth a call to ask. Also, I was talking with
    a mechanic who indicated that spark plug gap is
    less critical on modern cars with computers than 10-20 yrs. ago., so my mileage may not be affected at all if I pull the plugs and attempt
    to re-gap (front 3-plugs are breeze, back 3-plugs are a pain).

    Concerning the posts on brakes, yes, the brakes
    may need to be changed as early as 21K. I had my first change at 24K. Yes, the 2003 models should be the 'non-turnable' variety of rotors. Go with Raybestos or ProStop aftermarket, they're cheaper
    and are turnable. Go with the matching ceramic-enhanced pads, they're worth it, and by the way cheaper that the Motorcraft pads. Also, they cause
    much-less wheel dusting, which is great between care washes.

    Front stabilizer link diagnosed as problem with my front-end noises too. Will change them with a mechanic friend. They're not that expensive but the bushing were out. Plan on changing them if you've got 40-60K miles and are hearing a rumbling sound at low speed or over bumps. Apparently, these parts are not manufactured to last just like the IAC which I changed out 1-year
    ago was Motorcarft problematic. It'd be nice if Ford could engineer 100K from some of these parts.
  • debsdebs Member Posts: 1
    I have had various stalling problems with my 2003 Escape V6 since before the recall.
    They have already done the computer flash TWICE and reset the idle. However, the car still stalls occassionally. Especially when switching gears, mostly into reverse. It does not normally happen while decelerating (as the recall said) and has no regular pattern. It may go for 2 weeks without stalling and then stall 3 times in one afternoon. So, the dealer never seems to see the problem. Does this sound familar to anyone? I'm a bit desperate for help, because the car legally qualifies as a lemon at this point, but I do not wish to go through the legal battles of having a lemon, I just want a car that works.
    Thanks
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    Your stalling problem doesn't sound like the one the PCM/recall fixes. The recall is for stalling during engine deceleration (when you hit the gas to accelerate then let off the gas and the engine decelerates it stalls). \

    I'd try another dealer if I were you. Sounds like the one you're taking it to doesn't have a clue.

    It actually sounds like something's wrong with your transmission but, then again, I'm not a mechanic. :)
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    Sounds like it could be the IAC (Idle Air Contol Motor). The symptoms are quite a bit like what was happening to my '01 V6 Escape. A change of the part seemed to cure the problem. I cleaned the old part and kept it though for a backup, just in case. I am not a mechanic and certainly
    don't want to lead you astray on any diagnosis.

    My problem was diagnosed as the IAC (Part was ~$50.00 Motorcraft but was bought at O'Reilly's;
    cheaper than dealer). I have had the PCM flash
    done per recall, but curiously, am getting bad MPG. I don't know if it's attributable to the PCM upgrade or not.
  • phalangesphalanges Member Posts: 5
    This is an update to further devlopements to oil leak post #2402. After the replacement of the oil pan gasket the second time, the oil leak stopped. But, the oil would disappear. Dye was put in the crankcase and the oil level marked on the dipstick. The escape lost 2 quarts in 500miles. The day before I took it in, the engine light came on and blinked continuously. The motor ran rough and lost power. On 6/22, I notified Ford of my intent of arbitration through the Florida Lemon Law. The law states if in the first 24 months the car has been out of service for a cumulative of 30 days, the owner is entitled to a full refund, including taxes and expenses. The owner is responsible for mileage accrued. Ford contacted me and we negotiated a new Explorer via the local dealership. The new Explorer was discounted $10,000 off the sticker price and I was given $13,000 for the escape (which didn't run properly) and I paid the balance. I negotiated a 75,000 mi warranty. The only other expense I paid for the new vehicle was tax and license (no admin fee/prep fee or doc fee). I considered it a bargain because I am out of the Lemon Flavored Escape. The dealer will auction the car as is--with the malfunctioning motor. Ford was very responsive. I was discouraged by Ford to enter the state sponsored arbitration. The Explorer is nice, eats gas, is large, rides nice. But I really liked the Escape when it ran properly. I could not accept another Escape as a replacement. I hope this information is useful to others. I was lucky. The Florida Lemon Laws helped me out. Ford does take the lemon law seriously makes the process was very smooth and quick. I thought I would have to fight them the whole way. I appreciate Ford's concern and they should be commended. REMEMBER:ANY CAR COULD BE A LEMON. I have Escaped and I am Exploring.
  • jhouse1jhouse1 Member Posts: 7
    It's to bad I didn't get the same treatment from Mazda about all the problems I've been having. In Canada there's an arbitration program setup through the Better Business Bureau. They didn't think replacing an engine, many problems with the rear wiper breaking down, coolant reservoir needed replaced, headlights, rear hatch need to be centered properly, many leaks in windshield, and rear hatch, and now the control arms and some other part is worn down on the suspension. 2002 Tribute with 50000 km's to many problems. That's what I get for buying a Ford product! FOUND ON ROAD DEAD is right! I had better luck with my 94 Chev. Cavalier with 220000 km's on it and not one problem. Like you said you were lucky....that's for sure.

    Am I supposed to expect that the safety features will actually work if I need them! Give me a break. I can't wait to get rid of this peace of junk. Good luck with the Explorer.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    are there two Escape/Tribute problem rooms???
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    It is probably redundant.

    steve_ "2005 Ford Escape: Problems & Solutions" Apr 27, 2004 11:45am

    Sometimes owners of the latest and greatest don't want to read about problems with older models though.

    (That's the one you mean, right?)

    Steve, Host
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    it is redundant..
  • bigmackebigmacke Member Posts: 1
    My 2004 Tribute has a pronounced wind noise on the passenger side of the vehicle. The dealer has worked on it for a week and is unable to subside the noise. They say is it is a characteristic of the 2004 model. The frame was corrected on the 2005 model to reduce this noise, per the dealer. Any 2004 owners hearing more noise on the right side than the left side of the front passenger areas?
  • otherplanetotherplanet Member Posts: 5
    2001 ES, Automatic, 2WD, 90K miles, $8900. Is it a good deal? How many more miles I can drive on this truck?

    Thanks.
  • norrmanndonorrmanndo Member Posts: 81
    I believe my tires are Continental and they still look new after 23,000 miles.

    According to Edmunds Appraiser, $8,900 is a good price for a 2001.
  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    Maybe for a base model stripped of everything. But then you have us Rizzites out here. And also the people that add / modify some of the equipment to increase the value of the vehicle.

    Rizzite = Uses the Rizzo Method (I myself included)
    http://e46fanatics.com/faq/rizzo.html

    Odie
  • mikey2003mikey2003 Member Posts: 5
    Seems like I have the same type of whining noise with my 2005 Escape XLT 4x4. The noise occurs ~ 65-70mph only. The dealer and Ford engineer can't figure out the problem, so they claim the noise may be normal. Did you ever find out what the problem really is?
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    Can you go into more details? Is it getting disappeared when you pass 70 mph? Is it constant or it occurs when you push the gas pedal? If Escape has auto climate control, can you confirm that AC is not engaging during whining? The noise might be always there but it may be less hearable during low speed driving.
    If I were you, I would ask my dealer to lift the car with a person in the driver seat, have them start the car to listen the transmission.
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