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Ford Escape Mazda Tribute Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,256
    have an '04 escape. just had the tires rotated for the first time. it got very loud, especially around 60 mph.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    Did they rotate front to back or did they use the "X" pattern?

    The latter usually causes some noise because what was the inside of a tire is now the outside. Depending on the suspension, tires will "seat" in different ways. When you move them to the other side of the vehicle they need to be re-seated. This ususally puts the side of the tire with less wear on the outside and causes more noise.

    I wish I had some graphics to explain this better so hopefully you caught my drift.
  • mazdasucksmazdasucks Member Posts: 2
    Zoom-Zoom, more like Boom-Boom

    On August 22, 2004, I was driving my 2001 Mazda Tribute with 57,000 miles on it. All of a sudden, the engine started making some loud and strange noises. I found out from the dealership a few days later that the engine needed to be replaced. I gave the dealership copies of the maintenance records proving the vehicle was serviced in full compliance with Mazda’s maintenance schedule. The dealership then said they would discuss the issue with the regional manager. On Monday, August 30, I found out that the regional manager asked the dealership to look into the problem in more detail (did they not look as hard into the problem before telling me I needed a new engine?) On September 1, I found out that they still did not know the exact problem and what caused it. The regional manager did offer to cover the cost of the engine if I covered the cost of labor. At this point the dealership had my car for a week and a half, and my choices were slim on what to do. I need a car so I agreed to pay the labor.

    An engine should last more than 57,000 miles when the vehicle is properly maintained. My expectation for a Mazda vehicle was that the engine should last at least 120,000 miles. I did not even get half of that. If the dealership had come back and identified the problem and said it was caused by my actions, I would understand. However, nobody knows what happened and what caused it and as I mentioned, I was in full compliance with Mazda’s maintenance schedule and drove the vehicle in a manner consistent with the recommendations in the owner’s manual.

    The vehicle also has a past history of components that needed to be replaced prematurely. At 41,800 miles, the brake power booster failed and at 46,500 miles, the ignition switch failed. These are failures that should not have happened at those mileages, I was just lucky that they were covered under warranty. This history leads me to question the durability of the Mazda Tribute.

    To top the whole experience off, the repair on my vehicle was not completed when promised and again I was not offered a rental car or any discount for my inconvenience. The dealership put the blame on the shipping carrier that Mazda uses. When I picked my Tribute up (three days late) I was only able to drive it 2 miles before the engine warning light came on and I had to turn around and take it back. The dealer determined a wire on a sensor came loose. A week later the catalytic converter went when I was driving down the freeway. The vehicle just stopped accelerating. They took a week to repair it- again the dealership blamed the shipping carrier for not delivering the parts on time. A picked my Tribute up again and this time the air conditioner stopped working – I now have to take it back to the dealership again for a repair as a side effect to the engine replacement.

    I requested from the dealership the opportunity to speak to the Mazda rep and was told they cannot give out his phone number, so I requested he call me. The dealership never made this happen. I’ve also sent a letter to The Mazda Corporation and they too have ignored me.
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    FWIW, I finally figured where Ford/Mazda put most of their insulation improvements for the '05's as compared to my '01 Escape... where the spare is on my Escape there is only foam/jute insulation
    with a hard surface over it, then carpet for the '05's. I looked at a friend's '05 Tribute last night and sure enough it's there and looks like if you took it out you could make a dog's bed with it. There are probably more subtle insulation improvements, because his definitely rides quieter even with the OEM Conti's.

    I changed my serpentine drive belt last night, and if you do yourself you'll need small hands to work around the tight spots, but it can be done.
    Also a 16" - 18" 3/8" ratchet which would serve as breaker bar to fit in the tensioner pulley,
    to torque the pully and rotate or walk the old belt off. Be sure and follow the belt-route diagram to fit the new belt on properly. Took about 20-minutes total with 2-guys trying to figure out the bets method. Replacement procedure says to take left-front wheel off and and fender-well liner out to access the belt. That may be the way to go, but would've eaten-up another 20-minutes or so. Also fixed (I hope) and resealed the right-front light housing which had moisture/water standing in it. Had to partially dissemble the front fender (held on by plastic/metal clips) to get the housing out to work on it. Dried it out and re-sealed with a automotive silicone sealer. This was about a 1-1/2 hr. process total because it's a pain taking out all the plastic connectors for the fender liner and putting everything back in place.
  • mazdasucksmazdasucks Member Posts: 2
    I had the same problem around 45,000 miles. It was the power booster and was covered under the warranty. I just had to have the engine replaced at 57000 and faught the dealership. They brought in the regional manager - he agree to pay for the engine if I paid the labor. Sounds like you got a lemon like me. Get ahold the the regional mazda rep.
  • gregghgreggh Member Posts: 1
    I have an 03 Tribute with 11k miles. When I apply the brakes and come to a stop (car still in drive) there is a whining noise coming from the brakes/engine/?? I also seem to feel a vibration coming through the brake pedal. When I left my foot from the brake the whining noise goes away. Anyone have an idea what could cause this annoying problem?? Thanks for your response!
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    Sorry to hear about your problems with your Tributes. We had a Mazda Protege that was problematic and prone to breakage from the get-go. It was my wife's and she had had enough after
    6-years ownership and traded for a Nissan.

    I bought the '01 Ford Escape V6 based on early reports of how much better a job Ford was doing on quality, etc.. Probably would not do it again
    after more-thought. The vehicle was not proven,
    and some of the recall-issues and early production problems had not been solved yet.

    However for me the vehicle with 59.7 miles has been good and pretty dependable. I do expect to start replacement of some components before too long, but hopefully not the same issues that you face with complete engine replacement, etc..
    I never discount anything happening though.

    From what I've heard-seen the '05 Escape and Tribute are quantum leaps ahead of the '01-04; it's just too bad that it took Ford/Mazda four (4) years to get some stuff worked out. Good luck with your current or future vehicles.
  • wijocowijoco Member Posts: 462
    With the car still under warranty I wouldnt even bother speculating, just describe the symptoms as best you can to your dealer service manager and let them worry about it.
  • wcw1wcw1 Member Posts: 44
    I have leased several cars and never had a problem. They were business leases. Since I no longer do a business lease I finally decided leasing is not a good idea for me. Purchased my last car and will purchase whatever I replace this Tribute with. The warranty on the 2001 model was 36 months/36000 miles. And yes I did lease the vehicle in December 2000. As to whether I like the Tribute, some yes and mostly no, and I am ready to get rid of it.
  • crazjim31crazjim31 Member Posts: 4
    I have the same problem with my 02 Tribute.It runs fine until I put in Park.I took It to the dealer they replaced the same parts as yours.I took it to the dealer today. They had it all day.They called and told me We can not find the problem. So they are keeping it over the weekend .stay tuned.
  • crazjim31crazjim31 Member Posts: 4
    I just picked up 02 tribute at the mazda dealer they said we could not find the problem.We checked this problem with another tribute and its normal ? This started a month ago. they said we re flashed the computer anyway. Then charged me $115.00 I am so mad!!! If anyone has had a problem with rough Idle. Please tell me how the problem was fixed. thanks.
  • wijocowijoco Member Posts: 462
    Can you describe the symptoms in detail?
  • crazjim31crazjim31 Member Posts: 4
    when I first start the car in the morning. It feels like it has a mis . after I drive It and put it in park. It Idles rough. Its most noticed at 900rpms.It Feels to me like a bad spark plug wire. But I know it dont have wires.
  • ahodgesahodges Member Posts: 9
    My sister has a 2002 Ford Escape that has still been stalling after the recall. She has taken it in to the dealership and they can not find anything wrong with it. They have even joked say she was losing her mind. The stalling is starting to happen more often and ford can not figure out what is wrong with it can anyone help, Please.
  • koolaidkidkoolaidkid Member Posts: 1
    I have a friend that has recenlty purchased a 2004 Ford Escape 6cyl. It is approx.6 months old and has has noticed that the gas consumption is extremely high ,a full tank of gas will give approx 300km. its all city driving.She has mentioned it to the dealer and they say that it's normal during break-in period. I don't buy that responce to her problem...Is this mileage normal do any others Escape owners have the same issue and if you didi how did it get resolved ..looking for advise and info related to this matter, thanks
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    Your dealer is actually correct about "break-in period". Give your vehicle a good 5,000 miles before you start to judge MPG. I have an 01 Escape XLT V6 4wd and average about 22MPG. On Hwy trips I can go as high as 26. You mention you do mostly city driving, your MPG is not going to be that great. Maybe you should opt for a new 05 with the 2.3 4cyl for better MPG. I highly recommend this if you are not towing or hauling anything anyway.
  • idnas71idnas71 Member Posts: 4
    Hello... this is my first post on this board, although I've been reading off and on for quite some time. It's been very helpful to me, especially with the stalling issue which plagued me for quite a while. My service shop wouldn't believe me and kept saying nothing was wrong until I finally printed off some messages from this board to show them. But since the computer reprogramming, no more stalls.

    Anyway, just recently I've noticed a very noisy problem with the steering wheel on my 2002 Tribute with 39,000 miles, but only when turning it to the right. No problem at all for turning to the left. If there's a problem with the power steering pump, wouldn't it make a noise no matter which way I turn the wheel?

    The noise is kind of a whine... not sure how better to describe it right now. I've got an appointment with the dealer in a couple days but I'm just trying to speculate what the problem could be. Thanks so much!
  • jhouse1jhouse1 Member Posts: 7
    Hi,
    I noticed you think your getting bad fuel economy. I noticed your from Canada as am I. So you actually are getting just a little less than what I get now. I have an 02 Tribute V6 and I get about 360 to 390 City km per tank. So don't expect it to get any better.
  • kaye3kaye3 Member Posts: 4
    Hi,
    I'm considering test-driving a 2005 Tribute and am a bit discouraged by the accounts of engine stalling while highway-driving.

    Has this problem occurred in manual transmission vehicles, or only the automatics?

    Kaye
  • vangroovyvangroovy Member Posts: 5
    This stalling only occured in the 01 and some 02 models, the recall was put out for this problem.

    The tribute is a solid vehicle, I have an 05 Trib GT and it is a great vehicle.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    This is an old issue with some 01/02 Trib/Escapes. I own an 01 Escape XLT and it has never stalled on me. The wife owns an 04 Trib ES and she has never stalled either. Your safe, test drive and I know you will fall for the Trib. Sounds like you are also after the 4cyl model, the stalling was only on the V6's in 01/02...
    Come back and let us know what you think.. and buy...
  • kaye3kaye3 Member Posts: 4
    I was all set to buy a Forester but decided it was a bit too expensive... at 19,600 (last quote). The $3000 rebate for the Tribute (manual) is a substantial incentive but I haven't driven it yet. I loved my test drive in the Forester and hope the Tribute is similar: solid, strong, and high-quality.

    I also learned that it would cost me $1650 or so (per year) to insure the Forester, which was surprising considering it's such a safe vehicle. Haven't yet learned whether the Tribute will be similar.

    To save $$$ on the purchase, gas, and insurance I may end up with a Scion xB...although it felt like my old Toyota Tercel.... not a very impressive test drive with manual transmission - difficult shifting.

    Any opinions about Forester vs. Tribute? Are they about equal in gas mileage? Lots of questions here...
  • tennistennis Member Posts: 2
    Does anybody have this problem with their 2001 Mazda Tribute, 4 cylinder, manual transmission?
    I drive the car around town and it runs fine. I stop and go into the store and come out 10 minutes later and start the car. It will start but dies and will not keep running. If I let the car sit for 3-15 minutes it will start right up and does not act up again for a month or so. The dealership cannot find anything wrong because they cannot reproduce the problem and Mazda said keep bringing it in. It does not stall while I am driving and does not do it when the engine is cold in the morning. If you have had this problem please give me any information on how to get it fixed. I loved my car until this started happening in January.
  • tiggersp2tiggersp2 Member Posts: 1
    Have you had any luck? It's funny because I've had the same problem as your sister. Prior to the recall I took my car in to get checked and they refused to thoroughly check the car because when they turned the car on, they had no problems. They said "the tech will not look for any problem if the car starts without problems". Now since the recall my car stalls more frequently and today my car actually shut off about 4 times while trying to park it. Now my big problem is that I'm about 10k miles over my warranty and I'm afraid the dealer will not bother with my problem. If anyone has any suggestions as to what I should do, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE let me know. I USED to love my car.
  • metrowmnmetrowmn Member Posts: 10
    I have an 02 Escape XLT and have similar problems (among other things...). The dealer told me that this is a problem that there is no fix for as of yet and that engineering is trying to work on a fix. In the mean time they lubed the wheel which should work temporarily.

    I am also having a lot of trouble with the front end of my car. Last month they had to replace the engine mounts and now the tie rod is shot. Since I'm 500 miles over warranty, Ford is giving me the cold shoulder and telling me they won't fix it. I spoke to my independent mechanic and he told me this is an engineering problem with these cars. I called the dealer back and spoke to the service manager who didn't disagree but still told me that there's nothing he could do. Has anyone else had this problem???? My car is only 2 and a half years old and has never been off road! Just driven around the suburbs of NY.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    I own an 01 Escape XLT V6 4wd and this vehicle has been taken off road. I use my Escape to visit the Cascade range of mountians for skiing and fishing. Granted, I use only access roads but it still puts the little Escape through its paces. I find it hard to believe the front end tie rod being an engineering issue. I have almost 50,000 on my Escape and mine are fine. I am sorry for you problems. The only advice I can give you is to try to reach the district manager for Ford in your region. Personally speak with the person. Keep it politically correct and professional. Ask that Ford at least split the cost with you or you pay for parts or labor... Negotiate.. Good luck..
  • bigebige Member Posts: 2
    I had the same problem on two different times with my 01 Escape. Both times it threw a "P3" OBD2 code. The problem is you have a hairline crack on the top of one of your coil packs. This car has 6 coils. The bottom 3 (4-5-6) are very easy to replace. Moisture gets into the coil and shorts it. It dose not happen all the time,even in driving rain. But when it dose happen, it goes away after the engine gets nice and hot. Find someone with a scan tool and it will tell you exactly the number coil that is shorted (i.e-P304). If you have an AutoZone store near you, they will do it for free. They also carry the coil for about $50.All you need is a 8mm socket. If its one of the back coils (1-2-3), you have to remove the upper intake plenum to get to the coils (1-2-3). This is more involved than the bottom. The first time this happened to me , I bought the coil from Ford and paid $95. The second time I got it after market for half the price and found the same decal on it as the one that came from Ford. So save your money and go aftermarket. Hope this helps.
  • bigebige Member Posts: 2
    Replace your idle air speed control motor (IAC). They get gummy over time and cause the symptoms you are describing with no trouble codes. It is easy to do it yourself. It is located on the side of your throttle. It is a silver colored cylinder with a plug at the bottom with two small bolts mounting it to your intake. After market might not have it so you need to get it from your Mazda dealer.
  • lovaleahlovaleah Member Posts: 2
    I bought my Tribute brand new (Feb 02). On cold days, it will not start. It's not the battery because everything else works fine. It seems to be the starter, although no problems have been found. Sometimes, I just have to wait a half hour or so, and it starts right up. I have taken it to the dealership where they kept it for 2 days and of course it started right up and they couldn't find anything wrong with it. Now it is out of warranty and they will not pay for a loaner, cannot guarantee Mazda will stand by my previous warranty, since I had the vehicle in prior to my warranty expiring. I'm really frustrated and would like to hear from others who have had this probelm.
    Thank you.
  • metrowmnmetrowmn Member Posts: 10
    Thanks for your response. It kind of confirms my belief that I got stuck with a lemon. (maybe they dropped it off the carrier???) Anyway, I've run up against a brick wall in dealing with Ford. They are ABSOLUTELY horrible to deal with and won't stand by their product! I am in the process of writing complaints to the BBB and the NYS attorney General's office but I don't expect much to happen. I finally took my car to MY mechanic (who is great). He fixed the tie rods on both sides and also re-aligned the car. In other words, he did it properly. The dealer actually only wanted to replace the tie rod on the right side (even though the tie rod on the left side was the one making the noise, he said the noise was "transferring" to the left side which I believe was a bunch of hooey) and never said anything to me about aligning the car until I mentioned it to them. Ford actually has come out with a new design of their tie rods for this car which leads me to believe as my mechanic has confirmed, that the prior design was poorly engineered and was not meant to last. I am going to put the car up for sale and buy a japanese car... Never had anywhere near the number of problems with one of those cars before. I would NEVER buy another Ford or Ford subsidiary car again!!!
  • lovaleahlovaleah Member Posts: 2
    I had the same problem several months ago. Bring it back to the Dealership. It may just be a computer "bug" now that you have replaced the gas cap.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    Sorry once again for your grief. But.. All Japanese cars are not perfect. CRV is having engine fire issues, along with having its share of recalls, Toyota same..Don't buy Mitsubishi they are in serious financial straights..
    Believe it or not.. go to MSN and look under their reliability data.. the 01/02 Escape rates pretty high. I too think you just got a lemon. It really bums me out when a car company will not at least try to keep a customer or what could be a future customer. Good luck...
  • freddyaudiofreddyaudio Member Posts: 6
    Hi all:

    I recently bought a used '01 Tribute DX 4 cylinder with a 5 speed manual. Since we got our first batch of snow today, I was wondering if anybody has found a way to have the the 4WD indicator light come on whenever the 4WD has been activated due to the front wheels slipping? Right now, the only time the 4WD indicator comes on is when you hit the 4WD LOCK button on the dashboard. For curiosity, I'd like to know when the 4WD is active and when it is not.

    freddy
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    You would probably have to mess with the computer code to do something like that or be good at soldering wires from transmissions to dashboards.

    In older Escapes the 4WD light comes on when the switch is turned to the "ON" position because the axles are, for all intents and purposes, locked together. As a result of this "locking" you can experience binding/crabbing of the driveline on dry pavement. I'm sure Ford put that idiot light there to make extra sure you know it's on and not to drive on dry roadway.

    The only time you'll see that light when the switch is in the "Auto" position is if there is a problem with the 4WD system. So you see, it's not a good thing to see that light in "Auto" mode anyway. :)
  • ahodgesahodges Member Posts: 9
    Her car finally would not start at all. The dealership came and picked it up and found that her throttled was sticking. They replaced it and only charged her for half the part$45.00 and no labor. Hope you can have the same luck
  • metrowmnmetrowmn Member Posts: 10
    Thanks for the note. Looking at various sites and going to trade the car in while it still has low milege and looks good. Thinking of the Santa Fe. At least it has a good reliability record and a 10 year warranty! While I understand every once in awhile one can get a bad car, the fact that Ford has been so awful in backing up their product tells me No more Fords in my future!
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    One thing you have to understand is that dealers and their service departments are not owned or operated by the manufacturer. Unless you called Ford directly and they gave you the cold shoulder your complaint is with the dealer and not Ford.

    The best thing to do in that situation is to call Ford and complain and/or try another dealer.
  • rboccellarboccella Member Posts: 5
    2001 Tribute ... anyone out there have trouble opening the door from the outside?? Problem started after I used remote lock. I unlocked and then couldn't open the passenger door. Only way to open is from the inside. Any service bulletins out there that I missed??
  • metrowmnmetrowmn Member Posts: 10
    I've been dealing with Ford directly to no avail. Trust me, corporate doesn't want to deal with this, nor does the dealership.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    scape2:

     

    "CRV is having engine fire issues, along with having its share of recalls, Toyota same.."

     

    What do you mean, "Toyota same?"
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    I guess I worded that one wrong.. It sounds like Toyota is having engine fire issues.. What I meant is Toyota has had its share of recalls and issues throughout its car/truck line-up.
  • jzm1jzm1 Member Posts: 2
    All my gauges do not work, they were alright when I turned off the engine, but after I sarted the engine they did not work.What would the problem be?
  • wijocowijoco Member Posts: 462
    I would start by checking your fuse block for any instrument cluster related fuses. If nothing obvious there, you may be best paying the dealer to diagnose. To many electronics to imagine unless you work on them all the time.
  • texasladytexaslady Member Posts: 1
    What are the symptoms of the mentioned issues? I have a 2003 Ford Escape and the only problems I have had was the sticking gas pedal( which was repaired) and the brake dust on the front rims. I did have one episode: I was trying to pass a semi on the interstate and my car started to shimmy......I pulled off the road and looked for a low tire or any other problem but found nothing, it was scary but it hasnt happened again.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    "What I meant is Toyota has had its share of recalls and issues throughout its car/truck line-up." -scape2

     

    Sounds like you are implying that Toyotas and Fords are on a par, quality-wise.

    But that doesn't wash.

    It's just more of your wishful thinking, scape.
  • escapeprescapepr Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2003 Ford Escape manual transmission and four cylinders that shudder when I press the clutch and try to release it to engage the first gear. When I do the opposite, press the clutch and release it to leave it on neutral tends to stall. Is this something happened to anyone or am I overreacting. 7,000 thousand miles on one year 3 times taken to Ford service and nothing found. Help me on this please.
  • jzm1jzm1 Member Posts: 2
    Thank you for your response. We did check the fuses and even tried to reset the computer by disconnecting the battery. We have an appointment with the dealer and will share the results later.

     

    Thank you again. Still love my tribute and have owned is since 2000!

    jzm
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    "More of my wishful thinking".. Boy, I have heard this over and over again. I bought a Ford Ranger in 1997 and was told this truck was going to fall apart, junk.. blah, blah from the Tacoma crowd.. Well, it didn't and ran great for many years. Cost was a good $1800 less than a comparably equipped Tacoma. Now I own an 01 Escape and hear the same from folks just like you. Well, it has been almost 50,000 miles and the Escape has not had any problems.. Yep, I guess Its wishful thinking.
  • drurex99drurex99 Member Posts: 10
    Late last night I had something weird happen. I was in and out of the Trib all day then the inside door latch wouldn't work. I have to open the window and pull the exterior latch handle.The door wouldn't open any way else. Any one have any thoughts on this? Has this happened to any one else? What's the price tag on this kind of repair or can I do this myself? Help!
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    Still under warranty? Taking a door panel off can be tricky. However, once you have these off most of the mechanicals are easy to get to. This all really depends on how confident you feel..
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