Ford Escape

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Comments

  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    After 46K I was able to dump the Continentals for some new Yokohama Geolanders. A huge diffence in handling and road feel, along with noise reduction...
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    If those Contis were original tires, I'd say you did real well getting 46k miles out of them.

    Good luck with the Yoko Geos. They were my replacement choice too, and so far (24k miles), so good.
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    Could any 4 cyl.Escape owner tell me about the acceleration, performance with cargo etc. I am debating between I4, V6 Escapes, or Equinox. But leaning towards Escape...
    Thanks...
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    All I can interject is the new 2.3 is a vast improvment over the 2.0 Zetec. Have you tried a Mazda Tribute?
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    I tried v6/04 Trib, I4/05 Escape. I4 looked OK for commuting. But adding passenger and cargo, turning on AC, I think v6 is better.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    Ford Escape not as unreliable as you may think. visit MSN auto and link to thier reliability section. Escape rates very well...
  • idleidle Member Posts: 8
    Can someone tell me how to adjust the cold idle rpms on a 2002 Ford Escape? Is there a mechanical way to do it or do I have to reprogram the PCM. If I have to reprogram the PCM, how do I go about it? Thanks.
  • mschmalmschmal Member Posts: 1,757
    Cold idle. On all newer cars, the computer will rev the engine seemingly high when the engine is cold. THIS IS NORMAL. This is to bring the catalytic converter up to operating temperature more quickly. Which will reduce smog forming emissions and make the world a better place.

    Mark
  • idleidle Member Posts: 8
    Sounds good but what about the extra fuel consumed and the wear and tear on the engine because the oil has not had a chance to circulate. This will offset the small benefits you describe and not make the world a better place.
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    Your statement is correct within it's own limits...
    Not every cold idle is normal, it all depends how high the rpm needle and how long...
    Any car that exceeds 1500rpm (cold) and hangs there more than 30 seconds may have problems...
  • mschmalmschmal Member Posts: 1,757
    Make sure you are using 5w20 oil...this thinner oil circulates better.
  • osprey971osprey971 Member Posts: 3
    Hi all,

    I have a 2003 Ford Escape which is 18 months old. It only has 24,000km or 14,300 miles on it. The original tires which are General Ameritrac tires are shot. The tires have no tread left. The wear started on the outside edge and moved inward. I have had the tires balanced twice and two wheel alignments done and it had no effect. Has any one else had problems with pre-mature tire wear on these awful tires?
  • cheapskate7cheapskate7 Member Posts: 25
    Is SIRUS satellite radio now available as original/factory installed option in '05 Escape? Not looking for post factory/dealership add on [per Circuit City & others].
  • dc_driverdc_driver Member Posts: 712
    It is with the 05 Mazda Tribute, but am not sure about the Escape.
  • guyerguyer Member Posts: 1
    I tried to post a similar concern a couple of weeks ago, but I guess it never showed up. I too am only getting about 11mpg around town. I drive conservatively, and I've been doing everything I can to inch the mpg up to no avail. The dealership said higher octane wouldn't make much difference. I have over 1500 miles after 2 months, so "break-in" shouldn't be a factor. Mine is a '05 escape limited. I'm starting to think I should have gone with the CRV!
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    You mean you would rather have a CRV= Combustable Recreational Vehicle. (engine fires)
    Give your engine time to break in. 1500 miles is hardly a good break-in period. Also, look around the net and even right here at Edmunds forums. There are CRV owners that are also getting way below the MPG ratings Honda gives the CRV.
  • mschmalmschmal Member Posts: 1,757
    Ford will do factory Sirius next model year.

    read this :)
    http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=19442
  • ahodgesahodges Member Posts: 9
    My sister has a 2002 Escape it has been stalling alot lately. She has taken in to the dealer and they can't find the problem. last year they had a recall on it ( it would stall) The dealership said they fixed the problem but it is doing it again. Any advice.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Since no one has hopped in with a stalling suggestion, try asking in Mazda Tribute/ Ford Escape problems. And do a Search This Discussion in there.

    Like your Escape but want to go upscale?

    Mercury dives into compact SUVs (Chicago Sun Times)

    Talk about in the 2005 Mercury Mariner discussion.

    Steve, Host
  • mschmalmschmal Member Posts: 1,757
    Take it to a different dealership than the one that supposedly fixed the recall.

    Mark
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Long-Term Test: 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid

    Talk about it in the Ford Escape Hybrid discussion.

    Steve, Host
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    Today while shopping I spotted an Escape that looked very different. Looked to be about an 02 or 03 Escape. I noticed the person had put on at least 17" wheels and had almost looked to have lowered it a bit. Tires were Pirelli and very low profile. Then the good stuff. Dual exhaust coming out the back with chrome tips. Exhaust looked to be real dual exhaust! This Escape was really tricked out. On the back it had a Paxton supercharger sticker, Flowmaster exhaust system sticker, and a K&N sticker. This Escape had dark tinted windows all the way around. The Escape had a "Limited" badge so it was pretty well loaded. I have yet to even see if Paxton even makes a supercharger for the Escape.. All I know is this person put a load of cash into this vehicle..
  • turnerturner Member Posts: 1
    I have a '03 that is horribly uncomfortable in the summer and dangerous in the winter. The heat does not circulate thereby creating a dangerous condition due to the fact the windows remain icy and when driving in the slush the wipers do not work and the windshield wiper fluid is frozen and can't clear the windshield. Many times I have had to pull off the road and manually clean off windshield. Dealership can't find anything wrong with it. Anyone else have that problem?
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,796
    it was 1 degree f when i left for work this morning. my wife just got home with her '04 escape. i asked her if she used the wipers to clean the windshield today(just put new blades on it last week). she said they work just fine using wiper fluid to help clean the windshield.

    are you saying the defroster does not work(no heat at base of windshield)?
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    With all the Ford Escapes I see on the road this forum is dead. I am very surprised this forum has not hit over 5,000 posts by now.

    Anyhoo... my Escape is about 1K from the 50,000 mile mark I thought I would give a quick update on my likes/dislikes.

    This vehicle has been reliable and proved to be quite versitle at times. Getting ready to do a brake job this spring sometime. I do have to say the road/wind noise is annoying at times. New quiter tires did help. Interior is holding up, but after looking at an 05, why couldn't have Ford put this kind of interior in in 01?? Will also change the transmission fluid again very soon.

    Happy New Year!
  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    well I just turned the 60k mark on my '01 Escape. The only major prob I had was the paint chipping on the hood (which resulted in a fully repainted vehicle, FREE of course) I'm loving this car...but with a 2nd child maybe in the works soon....my wife wants to maybe look at either a GC SXT, Freestyle, or Pilot. I was just quoted 16k as a trade on the Escape for each of the above mentioned vehicles. I really don't want to get rid of the escape...but I've put too much into it (at least they are adding all the stuff into Trade$$$)

     

    Scape... on my Yearly Inspection I asked about how did my brakes look (considered replacing)(was at almost 58k then) and was asked how long ago I replaced them,,for they still looked new. So when I had my tires rotated/balanced/aligned at Goodyear (free every 6 months with lifetime warrenty purchase) they said the same thing.. brakes (front and rear) looked almost new.

     

    Odie

     

    P.S. - spent the $2600 and got the Turbo as a birthday present to myself (now at 270HP)
  • rick29prick29p Member Posts: 1
    My wifes 2001 escape just started making a loud creaking noise when turning. Has 90500 miles on it and have never had any problems til now any ideas what the noise might be. checked fluid levels and all is good.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    Wow!@ 61K.. this is good and a Honda owners worst nightmare. You put a turbo on your V6? This must have been quite the job. I mentioned a while back that I had seen what looked to be an 02 Escape in silver limited Edition. This person had put in full dual exhaust. They also had a Paxton supercharger sticker on the window! 17" Wheels and low profiles and looked almost to have been lowered a bit. This Escape looked like a real bad boy. I would bet they were approaching at least 270HP or so..

    There is a great article in last Months Motor Trend about the Freestyle. It actually edged out the Pacifica from Chrysler in a head to head. Let us know what you do
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    Can't help you off hand with the creaking noise. Could be a simple adjustment maybe? Lets hope anyway. Heck, your one of the higher mileage Escape owners I have come across. 90.5K miles! If you end up taking it in let us know what is found. Thanks.
  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    The company that did my engine work had the car for 4 days.

    So now as it stands I have in the Escape;

    1. Turbo (engine makes 270HP)

    2. Rear seat DVD system installed into the Rear of my full back front bucket seats (I hate the little head rests on seats)(installed myself)

    3. Front Grille Guard (with brush guard) (installed myself)

    4. Rear Bumper Bars (installed myself)

    5. Rear Light Protector Bars (installed myself)

    6. Side Mirror Turn signals (installed myself)

    7. upgraded all speakers to Titanium JBL 5x9's in doors, and 12" sub in rear. (installed myself)

    8. 500wt JBL Amp. (for the added power for stereo and dvd system) (installed myself)

    9. Dyno Mat (sound proofing) the entire inside of vehicle. (installed myself)

    10. upgraded light kit to Zenon lights. (installed myself)

     

    All in all I've added about $5000 to the veichle. I have pretty good connections at getting electronics and accesories way below cost, and I use to work at a place to install high-end aftermarket upgrades to vehicles.

     

    Odie
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    Doggone Odie! You have dropped some serious dough into this vehicle. I can fully understand why you would hesitate on selling it or trading it in.

    Myself I have decided on waiting for the 06/07 Escape with the new 3.5 V6. It has been very tempting to trade my 01 in. Beings its paid for now and I could get a decent trade in and low financing.. But, I will wait and be patient.
  • clickagent75clickagent75 Member Posts: 6
    In the process of switching from my '03 CRV to an Escape (03-05?).

     

    Getting conflicting messages regarding reliability and quality control. Anyone have any websites or comments that can provide me with some insight? Love the Escape's performance and features, but fear the possibility of purchasing a lemon.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    Much of the "reliability" jargon you hear is pure stigma. The "Found on Road Dead" stuff you hear. Ford makes reliable vehicles. I have owned Fords since I was 16, I am now 40. I have owned at least 4 different Ford vehicles, none have given me any problems that would sway me away to another brand. Honda/Toyota have enjoyed having the reputation of reliable vehicles. If you get around the net you will find plenty of peeved off owners of Honda/Toyota vehicles that expected perfection and received the opposite. Visit MSN and its vehicle reliability data report. You will be surprised, the Escape/Tribute rate very well. Test drive! its free!

    The Escape/Tribute/Mariner have the styling advantage over the CRV hands down. The lines of these 3 are just more handsome and stylish, My opinion of course :-] Let us know what you decide! Just don't let the Honda dealer bash Ford/Mazda and give you the old Honda reliability pitch....
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    only 2525 posts for Escape here at Edmunds. The Ford Escape is the best seller in its class.. yet posts are very very low. Where are all the Escape owners???!! Do they not own computers?
  • mirage5mirage5 Member Posts: 13
    I was all ready to go and get a Ford Escape until I found out that during the test, it tipped up on two wheels. Consumer Reports says that this is very dangerous and that made me think twice about it. The Escape is an SUV with great value. Has anyone known of any rollover with the Escapes? If it was that bad, why am I not hearing about this?
  • j30j30 Member Posts: 30
    I subscribe to CR as well and the 2005 buyers guide says it has better than average reliability but can not recommend it because of a government tip up test. Here is the result of the test:

    http://www.safercar.gov/NCAP/Cars/3361.html

    A 20% chance of a rollover did not stop me from purchasing an 05 Tribute S a couple of weeks ago. ANY truck/suv has the chance of rollover, just don't drive like an idiot and always check the air pressure AT LEAST once a month. Also, I moved up in car 11 years from an old Acura and my insurance went up $20 dollars per six months so Nationwide must consider it pretty safe as well.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    Fact of the matter is what other small SUV's did they test? All SUV's will tip if pushed hard. This is the character of this style of vehicle. I believe it was 60minutes I was watching on the Toyota 4-runner "tipping". Fact is you don't take a corner at 20MPH above the listed speed in ANY SUV.. no matter the brand..
  • dc_driverdc_driver Member Posts: 712
    Well said. Just because a vehicle has stability control does not mean that you can drive like a moron, because chances are good that it will eventually tip up. I scoured all of the message boards before I bought my Tribute this past November, and I did not find one instance of a user complaining about tipping on this model.

     

    I would like to see stability control added as an option (if not standard) on this vehicle in the future, but it should not stop someone from buying it. Fact of the matter is that ANY suv is less safe than a car (stability control or not), so if somebody is that concerned, they should just buy a car instead.
  • dc_driverdc_driver Member Posts: 712
    Just to clarify less safe than a car with regards to tipping, or rolling :)
  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    Thank God for Extended Warrenties. My front Sway Bar snapped monday night on the way home from work. Service department took care of it 1st thing tuesday morning. All is well, and running fine again.

     

    Odie
  • ottawanottawan Member Posts: 31
    SUV owners group responds to negative ad campaign

     

    Washington, D.C. - A nationwide SUV safety education campaign launched earlier this week warrants some balance, says the SUV Owners of America (SUVOA).

     

    While the pro-SUV group applauds the efforts to educate drivers about the different handling characteristics of SUVs as compared to other vehicle types, the group feels that media coverage included inaccurate stereotyping and the repetition of misinterpreted safety data.

     

    While SUVs have a higher centre of gravity and therefore a greater propensity to rollover, data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) show that SUVs have the fewest occupant deaths of any other vehicle type. Further, larger vehicles in any vehicle class have lower fatality rates.

     

    The best overall measure of a vehicle's safety performance is the fatality rate for that vehicle type, says the SUVOA. Too often the focus is solely on one type of crash like rollovers as with the following factoid: "Single-vehicle rollover crashes accounted for 47 percent of occupant deaths in SUVs in 2003 compared with 36 percent of deaths in pickups and 19 percent of deaths in cars."

     

    This statement does not reveal the entire picture, says SUVOA. Yes, the percentage of "rollover" deaths in SUVs is higher than that of other vehicle types, but SUVs are nearly twice as protective of their occupants in all other types of crashes. Only about 3 percent of all crashes are rollovers. Since drivers cannot predict what kind of crash they may have they are better served by looking at the overall fatality rate of the vehicle type. And the fatality rate will vary with vehicle size.

     

    Moreover, most rollover crashes need not be lethal events. Occupants of SUVs and all vehicles can improve their survival chances dramatically by taking the simple step of using safety belts. Here's the mostly unreported story about vehicle rollovers: Almost three-quarters of people killed in fatal rollover crashes, in various vehicle models, do not wear their safety belts. Similarly, the government estimates that 66 percent of those non-belt users would be alive today had they simply buckled up. Every 1 percent increase in safety belt use would save 270 lives a year in the U.S.
  • gheimurgheimur Member Posts: 88
    Bought 2001 Ford Escape XLT 4/2001. V6 fully loaded. 60k miles at this time. Extremely reliable.We usually keep our cars to +135k-150k or when we feel they should be replaced. I asked my wife what kind of car she would want next if we give it to my daughter as this is her car now. (I offered her any car, (lexus,toyota,cadillac)). She said I want another Escape. Maybe the Hybrid . This has been the most reliable car I have ever owned.
  • shane1vshane1v Member Posts: 11
    I'm considering buying a 2005 XLT from a private owner.

    It has 9440 miles on it. I don't know how to price it on Edmunds as I don't see a mileage area in the new cars pricing section.

     

    Options it has include full size spare, 16" alloy wheels,luggage rack, upgraded stereo CD/Cassette with upgraded pioneer door speakers with XM radio,Trailer hitch 2.5;No

    No Side air bags,No Moonroof, no Leather.

     

    Whats a good price for me to pay? He is asking $18500.

    Thank you!
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    Can you ask him whether he got the rebate?

    Trailer Hitch is around $350, 16" alloy wheels are I believe standart for XLT, luggage rack should be around $70. Brand new 05 XLT is around $22.5K with those options. Since no sunroof, no 6 way seat, and no side airbag and considering 2K rebate plus 10K miles usage should put you in the right spot.And also you can look at carmax page, if you spot similar one, it helps...

    Good luck...
  • dc_driverdc_driver Member Posts: 712
    Is it a 4cyl or V6? Is it AWD, or 2wd?

     

    If it is a V6/AWD, this is a pretty good deal..
  • arizonajoearizonajoe Member Posts: 123
    Hi all - Can someone tell me if the Escape comes with a full-size spare? And with an extra alloy wheel? I'm thinking of the XLT in particular, which comes standard with alloy wheels.
  • mschmalmschmal Member Posts: 1,757
    SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, FORD WINS THE NORTH AMERICAN TRUCK OF THE YEAR.

     

    No one has really said much about the Hybrid in here and I just wanted to say that I LOVE THE HYBRID. I sell for a Ford dealer and the HYBRID is great to drive. It is so smooth with the eCVT that you hardly feel like you are driving a Ford. ALSO in New Jersey, along with the other green statess, Ford is required to give a 10 yr/150,000 mile warranty on the "Unique Hybrid components."

     

    The recommended oil change interval is also 10,000 miles instead of 5,000 miles.

     

    Just don't bother getting one with the navigation system. The Ford system is a pain in the butt to use. You bascially have to pull over to imput an address and you'll spend alot of time putting in something other than what you intended.

     

    Mark
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    I own an 01 V6 XLT 4wd Escape. I am one of those who bought first model year and so far after about 50,000 miles it been fine. I ran into someone this weekend with an 04 XLT V6 4WD. We took a few moments and went through our vehicles. I admit the fit/finish for 01 Escape was not that good. Looking at even an 04 there is an improvement in the way panels fit inside and out. I have looked at the 05 and even a bigger improvement in interior fabrics and plastics. Ford does make improvments..
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,796
    local observation. a honda dealer is advertising an '01 escape w/43k for 12,750.
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    There is a big difference between I4 and V6 resale value. This must be I4.

    Before I bought my twins, I looked around to see how used Escapes were going for, all 01s (V6 4x4 less than 50K miles) were around $15.9K - $17.5K, These were certified prices, couple delaers I looked at, didn't budge more than $1K.
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