Ford Escape

drgums · November 2008

Should I buy a used 2001 ford escape 6 cylinder 4 wd with 57000 miles on it for my daughter?

Any issues?

dealer asking 8k...i would offer much less...5K

should i move on?

thank you

gheimur · November 2008

I bought my wife a 2001 Ford Escape new in 2001. The reliability has been pretty
good. Not perfect. We gave the car to my daughter to use for her internship at college and now that she has a job we gave it to her, My wife bought a new 2008
ESCAPE Hybrid . Perfect car. The 01 Escape needed a brake booster and rear shocks t 94k The Maryland inspection station said they were leaking. Besides that nothing except normal maintenance. My daughter is even surprised how the 01 Escape has held its value. I feel that the car is solid, I saw one in an accident a month ago, the airbag went off and the girl walked out. Check out values on edmunds or kelly blue book and than make an offer. I also have a Saturn, that has been reliable. The saturns book value drops dramatically after a few years so you can probably get a great deal. The Escape runs great at 96k. would buy it again. Good Luck

drgums · November 2008

Thank you for your help

vrdr9 · November 2008

hi, just purchased an escape and already are having some noise issues. at low speeds there is a loud whine like tires . but as the speed gets higher around 65 or so it becomes more pronounced. it sounds like wheel bearings. anyone have any thoughts. thank you.

vg33e power · November 2008

2001-2007 Escapes are notoriously road noisy in general. We have a 2004 Limited 4WD and it came with the crappy Continental tires which were horrible from the begining. A week into owning our Escape we had the dealer re-balance and rotate the wheels and the noise improved a little bit, we even took it back to have them check the wheel bearings, but to our surprise they were fine. We continued to accept the noisy cabin due to the tires for the next 30k miles when they finally got about half worn and the noise coming from those things was short of a houling wolf at speeds above 35mph, just imagine traveling at highway speeds. I chucked those pieces of crap and replaced them with a set of Goodyear Wrangler tires, which were far more quiter and confirmed that the real noise proble was indeed the tires and not the bearings. I cannot say that our Escape is now nice and quiet, because it is not. I think it is just an aspect of the truck to be a bit noisy, but changing tires out (if you have the crappy Continentals) will definately improve road noise, unless of course you do have bad wheel bearings.

vrdr9 · November 2008

im taking it back to the dealer on friday. thank you for your input. ill let you know what i find

vrdr9 · November 2008

another issue i was having is my 4x4 light comes on every minute or so on dry pavement at highway speeds. can anyone tell me if this is normal? if not what might the problem be? thank you.

vg33e power · November 2008

Usually a 4x4 light comes on under two circumstances. 1. the 4WD system is on and engaged (working) or 2. malfunctioning or overheated.

I see that your Escape is a 2005 which is the first year Ford changed over to their "smart 4WD system" which essentially turns on by itself whenever it senses loss of traction on the front wheels.

This is actually the only reason (and the great rebate as well) I opted to buy a 2004 model rather than an 2005. We bought our Escape in Sept. 2004, so they were only 4 2004 Escapes left in the lot, 2 of which were Limited 4WD and out of the two only one was the color we wanted- Dark Shadow Gray/Black (call it luck).

2001-2004 Escape have the so-called "smart 4WD system" (although back then Ford did not call it that, who knows why since it works the same way as 2005 and up) as well, however, in addition to that it also has a rotary knob on the dash where you can select 4x4 and lock it on constantly. I loved that feature rather than not having the option to do so on the 2005 and up Escapes.

I would have the system checked, unless it only goes on when your driving over slippery roads (black ice, water, etc.) then if thats the case it should be normal and its letting you know that the 4x4 is engaging. If you still have warranty, it would not hurt to get it looked at. Good luck, let us know what you find out.

twoplankr22 · November 2008

in 2005-2008 models the 4x4 light on the dash only comes on if there is a problem with it (overheated usually). there is no way to manually lock it in 4 wheel, and no notification light to tell when it's engaged. this is a MAJOR design flaw, and i wouldn't have purchased this vehicle if i had known this. You should get it checked out asap.

vg33e power · November 2008

...there you go vrdr9. Light operation clarified. So you should definately get your 4WD system checked out.

twoplankr22, sorry about your misfortune, like I mentioned earlier, that was the only reason I chose to buy the 2004 model rather then the 2005. IMHO, if your going to get 4x4 vehicle, then you should also have full control of when to turn it on. I dont want to rely "only" on sensors and electronics to determine when I should have 4WD on or not.

vrdr9 · November 2008

thanks. i appreciate everyones input.

betsyh1 · December 2008

I have a 2003 2WD Escape with 30,000 miles. I just replaced my automatic transmission for $4200. Note that this car was never driven in adverse conditions, on-road only, no towing, etc. Complained to Ford and the response was, 'sorry, out of warranty'. So, since apparently Ford is ok with transmissions failing at 30K miles, I will buy from a more reliable manufacturer next time. Ford buyers beware!

temahi · December 2008

I hope someone out there can help me! For over 3 1/2 yrs. I have had the lock feature that auto locks when I reach about 5 miles an hour. It just stopped operating, and has been to 2 dealerships, put on the diagnostic computer, and now I am being told I NEVER had these locks! The email I got from Ford claims that feature was not on vehicles between 2001-2005. How could I have had it and now do not? Ford says to refer to page 78 of owners manual which is the luggage rack page?! I followed the instructions on page 86 for reactivation of the locks but to no avail. So did 3 of the service mechanics. All the salesmen at my dealership agreed that I have this feature. It is a HUGE puzzle to all of them, as well as to me and everyone that has driven in and driven my car. I LOVE this feature and miss it...will anyone be able to help me? Please!!

explorerx4 · December 2008

i have never heard of an escape having this feature, but maybe it does exist.
try escape.central.

gheimur · December 2008

our 2001 Ford Escape XLT loaded did not have this feature. Check the manual
of your 2005

temahi · December 2008

Thank you for answering. I have never done this before, but I am desperate. I have checked the owner's manual and have had this feature for 3 1/2 yrs. since I bought the car.

vg33e power · December 2008

...really??? WOW, ours is a 2004 Limited 4WD with all the bells and whistles and it has never had that feature. Maybe it's part of an aftermarket alarm system you have???

I know that higher end Ford vehicles have this feature, but Escapes as nice as they are, are still an entry level small SUV. Nevertheless, mine has never had it...although it would be nice if it did.

Let us know what you find out.

temahi · December 2008

Thanks for responding...I have never come to this site before this happened but am at my wit's end. I did not have an aftermarket alarm system put on the car. On the test drive, the doors locked and I asked what that sound was. The salesman told me it was the doors locking automatically and that it was a standard feature on the XLT. I really liked that idea and the feature has been working for over 3 1/2 yrs. until it just stopped. How could I have it and then it go away? The dealership service manager told me that when the car was built, the assembly line may have run out of "wiring harnesses" for that model and had to use a "higher end" harness. He claims that Ford always goes up for parts, not down. I feel that if this happened, maybe the computer does not recognize that my model has the upgraded "harness" and that is why it cannot diagnose the issue. I got an answer from Just answer.ford that is very technical and refers to a "smart junction box" and what to do to diagnose and replace the box. I replied to them with another question before I got back to the service department, and am waiting for an additional answer. Thanks again for caring!

zipper18 · February 2009

Is there any way I can get control of my door locks? First of all, After about 30 seconds of running in drive, all doors lock. I do not want that as I feel it is dangerous and do not want to be in a crash, unconscious, and my rescuer cannot open the doors.
Additionally, every time I get out and then want to open a back door or rear door, I have to go back and hit the unlock button on the driver door panel. Some one told me that can be over ridden with a code entered on the radio dial.
Help!
thanks

bdyment · February 2009

What year is your Escape? I was able to delete this frustrating item om my 2007 Escape and our new 2009 Escape. The procedure is in the owner's manual. Good luck.

temahi · February 2009

If you have a remote key entry system, you only have to press the unlock button twice to open all doors avoiding going to the door panel to unlock back door. On page 85 or 86 of your owners manual is the way to set and unset the feature. It must be done very quickly so read it a few times to get familiar with the process. It works!

explorerx4 · February 2009

in our 04 escape, now with 70k on it. 3 people and luggage over 6 days.
the good: steering tracked very well and easy to adjust in turns. back seat was no problem for me(over 6 foot in height).
drove well at 70-75, although tried to keep in under 70 most of the time.
heat worked well. radio/sound system worked well. throttle easy to modulate in stop and go traffic.

the bad: wind noise, road noise from the tires at some speeds. some bumps, the ride a bit harsh. also 4-3 downshift was somewhat abrupt, at times.

the ok: cruise had some trouble maintaining exact speed on some large hills.
could maintain 70 up the long I-81 grades, but downshifted to 3rd to do it.
handling never seemed sloppy. driver's seat is not real comfortable for me, but never got really uncomfortable. after 5 years, the leather still looks good. at one point, i drove for over 4 hours(270 miles) before stopping. cross winds didn't seem to affect us too much.
fuel mileage averaged 22.5 (epa 23 highway). per tank 21.2, 21.5, 23.2. 24.1, 22.4.
last tank was from washington dc area up through I-81 and I-84 to just about ny state border.

zipper18 · February 2009

Thanks temahi, I've got it all fixed now. All I had to do was read the manual. Thanks for showing me where to look...regards...zipper

explorerx4 · May 2009

after looking at several alternatives (MKX, Edge, Escape), we bought an 09 Escape Limited.
we were looking for an additional vehilce, so we still have our 04 Escape Limited.
We liked the 09 because it had all the attributes we liked in our 04, but everything seems better.

gheimur · May 2009

We have an 01 Escape that we bought new and now has 99k on it. My wife had it for 6 years and now my daughter drives it down in Maryland. My wife loved it so much she gought an 08 hybrid loaded. She has it almost 2 years and would not buy anything else. We test drove lexus, Toyota, sabaru, . The car is solid and has not been back to the dealer since June 30, 2007 when we picked it up. I've changed the oil, and had the tires rotated. That's it...........Who ever says that americans can't build cars is wrong. We invented the car and can build just as good as anyone now, People that I know have Toyotas, new and old have issues that need repair also. The reliability on all cars is pretty much the same these days Except the Ford Hybrid is #1...........

east542 · May 2009

Hi,

Last week after a 100 mile drive, I stopped to get some gas. When I got back in my Escape it started, but the engine light came on.

This week at the end of the same drive, I stopped to get a few slices of pizza. When I got back in my car, it would start but it had no idle. I had to rev it up and pop it into drive to get it working, then drop it to neutral at stops or let it die on it's own every time my RPM went down to around 1200 or below.

I was able to make it to my destination and three hours later when it was dark and the engine was cold, it started fine.

The problem seems to occur after a long drive and then after I let it sit for at least 15 minutes. Probably the engine is getting hotter because of no air flow.

I suspect something is cracked or stuck or whatever, but my ford escape is a far cry from a VW Bus which is the only vehicle I have any sort of expertise in.

Thanks in advance!

Scot
Bellingham, WA

explorerx4 · June 2009

there is some kind of tube 'IAC'? that has something to do with idling that can get clogged.
i have read it can be cleaned, but eventually, it should just be replaced.
hope this helps.

explorerx4 · June 2009

after about 5 weeks or so.
wife is driving a v6 limited model, which replaced her '04 v6 limited (passed on to one of the kids).
the new one has all the goodies: lux pkg, nav, sirius.
wife really likes the bluetooth phone setup, eventhough her phone is really old,
half nav/half equalizer display, asked me about continuing the sirius radio.
the other thing is, the mileage is much, much better than the '04,
not to mention it is much quieter!

arunm · June 2009

I have this since new.
I had engine mount problems .
That was fixed and this started.
It is annoying..the vibrations!

east542 · August 2009

I figured out why my 2003 Ford Escape appears to be overheating, AFTER the engine is off. After I stop the engine after a long hot drive and then try to start it back up after fifteen or so minutes, the car won't idle. It will drive, but when RPM gets down to 1100 or so, the engine dies. I'm sure this is related to the overheating of a component (dash temp gauge is fine).

However, if I open the hood and spray it down with water or just leave the hood open for that time period, there are no problems when I start up.

I recently noticed that the fan sound that comes on sometimes when I stop my car doesn't come on any more, so I'm thinking there's some sort of thermostat or sensor that controls a fan that helps dissipate engine heat when the engine is off, and this is not working.

Any tips?

Thanks!

Scot

vg33e power · August 2009

I hope you are not spraying it down with cold/cool water while engine is off...if you are you are looking for BIG trouble. The engine is extremely hot after normal operation and parts (specifically) the block and heads get very hot, spraying it with cold/cool water will cause stress on the metals/alloys/aluminum and possibly create cracks or at the very least weak spots. DO NOT ever spray your engine bay with any liquid while off after it has reached normal operating temperature. If you want to spray the engine bay down do it while engine is iddling never when it is off.

ford2honda · August 2009

Check your catalytic converters (there are 3 of them).

phaddad · January 2010

Yeah...I own a 2001. The vehicles shifts involuntarily within 45-55 mph range. With cruise control on running constant mph the vehicle shifts from 1500 to 2000 rpm and back down and up continually. Ford told me initially it required a new trani. I had it checked out by a local trani shop and they said it was neither the trani or the torque converter. 2nd visit to ford they said torque converter. Any thoughts?

tommyz4 · January 2010

My 2006 Ford Escape hybrid caught fire in front of my house 8 hours after I parked the vehicle. SUV was a total loss, I contacted Ford and the NHTSA with the details.

How do I post a picture?">

tidester · January 2010

Follow the "help" link at the bottom of this page for full instructions!

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

vg33e power · February 2010

Looking for someone that knows for sure what could be wrong with my Escape. I installed an HID kit on my Escape and it works great, I lost my high beams because I got the non-hi/low HID kit. However now my foglights do not work. I checked the fuses and I know for sure that the installation is correct because I followed it step by step. The HID bulb is using the low beam connector/power because when I switch it to high beams the HIDs turn off meaning that they are not using the high beam connector to get power, therefore, it is not a matter of my switch being in the high beam position which turns off the foglights.

There is power to the foglight switch because it still illuminates and all other lamps (parking, turn signals, stop, back-up and HID (headlamps)) are in perfect woking condition. Any help or suggestions???

tommyz4 · February 2010

I see HELP at the bottom but it doesn't help.

tidester · February 2010

Tommy,

Sorry about that. Our help system has been changed and currently does not contain the instructions.

One way to post a picture in the Forums is to first find a place to host the picture you want to display. Your ISP may be suitable. Once you have done that, you can link to the picture by including the following tag in your message: <src="the URL address to your picture">

The actual address must be in quotes.

An easier way to post pictures is to import the picture into your carspace. To login to your carspace account go to the address "http://carspace.com/youredmundsusername" (without the quotes) and "youredmundsusername" stands for your user ID. Your password for that account is the same as you use for accessing these Forums.

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

stever · February 2010

The Forum FAQ has been updated to include "Add a Photo".

Thanks for the catch, Tommyz4!

spjones · June 2010

Any luck solving this problem? My 2003 Escape does EXACTLY the same thing, but no one can figure out why...

Susan

fnamowicz · July 2010

Besides mediocre brakes has anybody had any problems or dislikes with their
2010 Escape.

bj02176 · July 2010

The hoot when accelerating from a stop.

The rear brake noise, sometimes a clicking sound.. There are always some strange noises

The rubber on the bottom near the drivers door which has become unattached because I hit it whith my foot when getting out.

The transmision recall, mileage is now lower with the fix.

This is not the equal of my 2005 Escape which had rear disk brakes that worked well.

Heck, even my 2001 Tribute had better brakesd with rear drums.

c813 · July 2010

I have a 2010 Escape four cylinder with 7700 miles and the tranny has to be replaced, Ford had a recall to supposedly fix the hard shifting problem but a week later the tranny seized up in the middle of RT 1 in Princeton almost causing a rear end collision. Now it has been in the shop for two weeks waiting to be fixed, Ford had to authorize a new tranny and replacement. In the meantime no car and no loaner from them. I had a Honda CRV, wish I did not trade it for the Escape.

bdyment · July 2010

We have a 2009 V6 which has the same drivetrain as a 2009 V6. WE have had no troubles to date. The brakes which I had some apprehension about compared to our 2007 with rear discs, have been fine. Firm peddle, straight even stops. The only downside compared to the 2007 is the gauges. Very hard to read in some daylight conditions. The 2007 had very legible black on white numbers.

bdyment · July 2010

Should be same drivetrain as a 2010 V6.

bj02176 · July 2010

Funny, I have no problem with the gauges.

Now the steering makes wierd noises while turning left and right.

On a brighter note the ac is excellent compared to my 2008 Honda CRV.

Also I don't think the transmission will ever fail.

Did you know the 2005 Escape came with a full size spare with an alloy wheel.

They do not make them like they use to however.

tinycadon · July 2010

I'm reading an Escape Owners Manual and it states that the fuel capacity is 17.5 gallons but in everything I can find online it states that the capacity is 16.5 gallons? Does anyone know what the discrepancy is? Can anyone tell me what the most amount of gallons they've been able to put in at fill up? Thanks.

mf15 · July 2010

Interesting comment on the spare. I have an 05 with the full size spare and just bought a 2010, had to pay $406 for a full size spare on a steel wheel. I let Ford know that I was not real happy about this when I filled out the after purchase survey.
Old Mike

mkliethe · September 2010

Hi,
I am trying to find the best 'Escape' deal that i can. I currently have two options with the exact same Internet asking price.

1. 2006 60k loaded with pretty much everything but the dealer is very irritating. No cost to irritation but I sure am tired of it. Car rides smooth.

2. 2005 59.5 K loaded but additional features are remote start and 4 WD. The dealer was great but the SUV runs rough. They told me that it was probably because of the Cooper tires but I need some verification that might be the case.

I also saw several 'issues' with the 2005 4WD but I am not sure how to reconcile all of the information.

Can anyone help? Should I even be looking at Escape's or is there a better option? My budget is $12K including taxes.

Thank you

davicho · September 2010

With your budget of $12k, you have lots of choices in a small SUV not just a Ford Escape. However, if you like the Escape I would go with the 2006 model year. 2005 was the first year that the Escape came out with the "intelligent 4WD system" that is a little different then the old 2004 and earlier model system. First year anything usually tend to have a little more bugs that need to get worked out. Just my $0.02

Ford Escape

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