Problems with 2002 Ford Escape ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Tl* the contact owned a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle caught fire while parked in her driveway. the fire department extinguished the fire and filed a report. the fire department stated that the master brake cylinder and the cruise control cables were melted. the vehicle was deemed a total loss, but was not towed from the contact's residence. the dealer (lithia ford of missoula, 3943 brooks st, missoula, mt 59804) and the manufacturer were called and the contact was awaiting a call back. the contact stated that she had not received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic) and 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control). the failure mileage was 145,000. .*bf *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving 10 mph, the steering wheel shook without warning. the vehicle was towed to a local dealer (blackwell ford, 41001 plymouth rd, plymouth, mi) where it was diagnosed that the cross frame, lower control arm, and exhaust needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was approximately 185,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that exhaust fumes entered the cabin of the vehicle. when the heater and air conditioner were activated, the amount of exhaust fumes increased. the contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who was unable to identify the cause of the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 250,000.

Tl - the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving approximately 5 mph, the entire exhaust system detached from underneath the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who stated that the exhaust system and catalytic converter needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 97,000. jcc

Tl* the contact owned a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the driver of the vehicle parked the vehicle and moments later, the vehicle ignited into flames. there were no injuries and the vehicle was destroyed. a fire report was filed. the contact stated that the cause of the fire was unknown. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 80,000.

Received notice from ford regarding safety recall 11s24 for escape 2002 dated january 2012. advised not to park car near any structures to prevent a potential fire from spreading in unlikely event that your abs module develops an electrical short. ford dealer inspection performed 2/9/2012 states car will need safety recall parts but will not be available for 45 days or later. contacted ford mfg, customer service supervisor tried to locate parts- unavailable. supervisor says notice is not official yet, there are no implementation plans or parts available for older cars, no repair procedures available. offered to help me qualify for a new car and work with local dealership. 2nd offer to place aftermarket parts at my cost and apply for reimbursement/partial reimbursement/no reimbursement based on if the recall is going to go through. is this official or not official, and is ford releasing themselves of liability if there is property damage and that is the nature of the letter. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle was parked outside of her home when she noticed smoke coming from under the hood of the vehicle. the smoke cleared within moments, before the contact could reach the vehicle and investigate. the vehicle was taken and left with the dealer. the dealer later contacted the owner of the vehicle to inform him that the vehicle had exploded while at the dealer and damaged five other vehicles. the vehicle was destroyed. the current and failure mileage was 99,000. updated 05/24/12*lj

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 65 mph, the vehicle decreased while depressing the accelerator pedal. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they diagnosed that the catalytic converter was clogged. the vehicle was repaired with a new catalytic converter. the failure mileage was 142,000 and the current mileage was 143,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that a burning odor was exhibited form the vehicle while driving 70 mph. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that there were two leaks coming from the engine. the vehicle was repaired however, the burning odor remained after the vehicle was repaired. the contact also stated that she received notification of nhtsa campaign id number 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module) but was informed that the parts would not be available to repair the vehicle until the second quarter of 2012. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 100,000.

When attempting to start the vehicle it would take along time to start. vehicle checked nothing found, no trouble code. changed things like fuel filter, air filter and other simple thing. now vehicle stalls while driving but the vehicle will start back up immediately. again no trouble codes. the truck stalled in traffic 5 times in less than one mile, a road that is traveled several times a day. *tr

2002 ford escape. catalytic converter problem. problem began last week when dpfe tubes came off and dpfe sensor melted. the next day the valve next to the dpfe sensor blew a hole and all parts were replaced. the next day one of the dpfe tubes came off again. this was replaced again. the next day the car did not have good gas power. when going up a small incline the car would not go past 40 mph. went to car repair shop and o2 sensor was removed to see if it was the catalytic converter. this car has 3 catalytic converters. this car is at another car repair shop now to see what the cause is for the catalytic converter(s) to go bad. one repair shop advised that this is a common problem with ford escapes. i contacted ford motor company and was told that there have been no recalls for this problem. i went out to the ford forum and there are entries from 2007 to present with many 2002 escape owners that have experienced the same problems that i am experiencing. this problem can cause major engine problems that could cause an accident. no engine light has come since the dpfe tubes and sensor and valve was replaced. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated while the vehicle was parked in the garage, the engine caught fire. the fire department stated that the fire initiated in the engine compartment. a fire department report was filed. the manufacturer fiwas made aware of the failure and the insurance company was investigating the cause of failure. the failure and the current mileage was 110,000.

April 25, 2001 i drove the car 5 minutes to the local pool and car was parked for about an hour. |then drove friend back home from local pool to her house about a 5 minute drive, i then turned the car ignition was off, suddenly there was smoke coming from under the engine compartment area. tried to open hood, grey smoke billowed out from under the hood, then sparks fell on the pavement from under the car and then flames burst out through the open crack of the hood. the fire seemed spontaneous, there was a burning smell like dirty air just before the smoke started. fire department, police and ambulance were called. it had never occurred before the car was towed to a local body shop and was taken to another location by the insurance company. i know that recall work was done on the car twice and can verify with the service department. i believe that work was done on the brakes and the gas pedal as instructed in the recall notices. i believe the car is still being examined by the insurance investigators as of may 8, 2011. i have been informed by the insurance appraiser that the vehicle is a complete write off. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that after starting the vehicle, burning oil fumes were emitted into the vehicle through the vents. the contact mentioned that the brake warning lamp was illuminated and that he was constantly replenishing the brake fluid reservoir. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module ). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 120,000 and the current mileage was 134,000.

The vehicle was parked in the driveway. while turning the ignition to start, there was a catastrophic engine explosion. the hood largely contained the fire. luckily no one was injured and the fire did not last long and did not spread to the surroundings. a tow truck was called and the repair shop technician found the "intake manifold had blown to pieces". a code on the system indicated a misfire on cylinder 5. the vehicle was repaired for $1720, including cam position sensor, intake manifold, and ignition coil, relating to the incident.

Spark plug blew out of the head which also broke the ignition coil housing. i tapped the spark plug hole in the head to accept a "heli-coil" insert and reinstalled the spark plug. also had to replace the coil to securely mount the ignition coil. fix appears to be working... for now.

while starting the engine after overnight parking, a loud explosion was heard and white smoke was seen coming from under the hood. the ignition was immediately turned off. examination of the engine revealed a damaged decorative cover over the intake manifold and shattered intake manifolds. two spark coils were later found to be damaged by the explosion. the heads were reconditioned as ignition leakage thru the unseated valves was a factor contributing to the ignition of the residual gases in the intake manifold. secondary contribution was the original intake manifold was of an old style and not capable of withstanding the backfire force. a new, modified composite intake manifold was available but not on a recall. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that there was an abnormal burning odor emitting from the vehicle. the cruise control, abs and check engine warning lights suddenly illuminated as smoke begin emitting from the front end of the vehicle. the contact then noticed that the vehicle was on fire as flames poured from under the hood. the fire was extinguished but independently re-ignited . the fire department was called and extinguished the fire. a police/fire report was available. the vehicle was then towed to the contact's residence. the vehicle was not repaired and had not been driven since the failure. the contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. the current and failure mileage was approximately 134,000.

The car had the original plugs in it at the time of the first incident. it had always ran great so we had no reason to change them. while driving down the road it went from fine to a loud bang and running terrible sounding like it had open headers. the spark plug blew out of the head breaking that cylinder 3 coil pack as well. we had it heli coiled and changed the plugs torqueing them to spec with a torque wrench and changing all the coil packs as well just because, about 30000 miles later (2-21-12) it happened again on cylinder 6. obviously this is a casting issue with the head being too thin at the plug threads. i have researched this and it is extremely common online. please have them recall. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated the vehicle was parked and erupted into flames without warning. the fire and police department were called to the scene. the fire department extinguished the flames. the fire originated from the engine compartment. the vehicle was towed to the residence. the vehicle had been taken to the dealer prior to the failure for an unknown repair regarding the anti-lock brake system warning light indicator illumination. the vehicle remained at the dealer for five days to perform the service repair. the contact stated at the time of the complaint the vehicle had not been inspected by the insurance company to declare whether the vehicle was completely destroyed; and to determine the cause of failure. the failure mileage and vin were unavailable.

My 2002 ford escape caught fire while parked and was recorded as a total loss. the consumer stated the fire started under the hood. updated 06/23/10 *tr

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) i am requesting that you obtain a history on the *flex hose* for the ford escape. my daughter owns a 2002 ford escape and on friday march 5,2010 narrowly escaped a major tragedy. she was traveling with her two children when she was required to stop at a railway crossing as a train was approaching. she was successful in coming to a complete stop, however, at that precise moment her brake pedal went right to the floor board. she was fortunate to be ale to move her vehicle out of harms way. we went to a nearby service station and requested the mechanic make arrangements to tow the vehicle and make the necessary repairs. when we informed him what the problem was and what type of vehicle was involved, he informed us (without having seen the vehicle) that he had no doubt it would be the *flex hose*. he informed us that the ford escape was notorious for that problem. he researched and confirmed there was no call back. when he returned the vehicle to us, he showed us where one of the flex hoses had blown, where another one should have blown and that the other two were within kilometers of being blown. this is a terrible and dangerous situation. i am amazed no accidents have not already happened due to the *flex hose* safety issue. for the safety of all concerned, please ensure that this matter is researched an appropriate steps taken. [xxx] *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the engine caught on fire while parked in the garage. the fire department extinguished the flames. the vehicle was completely destroyed. the cause of the failure has not been determined. the failure mileage was 130,000.

2002 ford escape v6 four wheel drive, rear exhaust manifold cracks. drive this car reasonably, not like a teenager, and the manifold cracked. since this manifold has built-in catalysts, repair is extremely expensive. ford has not recalled, but the exhaust fumes that build up in the vehicle are extreme (we get headaches). also, mpg has fallen to 14 mpg, and still no cel-on condition. *tr

While my daughter was eating diner at a local restaurant, her 2002 ford escape caught fire while parked with the engine off. according to our local ford dealer all recall work on the vehicle has been completed. i have learned today that this model ford has a history of fires in the engine compartment. *tr

Hi; i just want to report my incident with my suv ford escape, model 2002 , the truck was on fire form the front side of it. *tr

Tl*the contact owned a 2002 ford escape. the contact's neighbor informed him that his vehicle was on fire in his driveway. the contact used two full fire extinguishers and a water hose in an attempt to extinguish the fire. he was unsuccessful. the fire department arrived and successfully extinguished the flames. a fire report was filed and the fire department stated that an electrical fire started in the engine compartment. the fire marshall verified that numerous ford vehicles had caught fire as well. the vehicle was completely destroyed. the grass outside of the contact's house, a large tree, and the driveway all sustained major damage. there were no injuries. the failure and current mileages were less than 89,000.

2002 ford escape caught fire around 3:00 am, had not been driven since 5:30 pm on previous day. *tr

Recently as i was leaving work i went to start my 2002 ford escape. when i turned the key there was a slight hesitation followed by what sounded like a really bad backfire followed by smoke pouring out from under the hood. when i lifted the hood, the plastic engine cover and intake were blown to pieces under the hood. *tr

Catalytic converters blew up on our 2002 ford escape. *tr

While driving, usually first thing in morning, the rpm's will rev up to approx. 2000. the vehicle becomes harder to stop... *tr

Tl*the contact owned a 2002 ford escape which was purchased in october 2001. the vehicle was parked in the driveway and he smelled something burning from inside the house. he later heard a loud explosion from outside and upon further investigation he saw flames coming from under the hood on the driver's side of the vehicle. he was successful and extinguishing some of the fire. the police and fire department were called and had to use excessive force to open the hood and extinguished the remainder of the fire. the sheriff stated the fire originated from the master cylinder. the failure and current mileages were less than 100,000. updated 1/5/09 *cn the consumer stated the vehicle was a total loss. updated 01/09/09. *jb

Warped rotors on my 2002 ford escape. has been ongoing problem. have had to replace rotors several times but rotors keep warping dealer says to have rotors turned. this only works for a short time. i had brakes completely redone in oct.08, problem recurring in jan. 09. *tr

My family and i were driving along the insterstate with cruise controll set at 75 mph. we were going up a small hill and about to go into the passing lane. the car sounded like the transmission slipped in over drive and the rpms went through the roof. we were able to coast to the side of the road. we turned the vehicle off for serveral minutes and then turned it back on. the oil pressure light flickered on and off and the engine made a horrible screeching noise. we checked the oil and it was full. the car had to be towed to the mechanic were he then informed us that the car needed a new engine. he stated the the catalytic convereted had gone out causing the engine to fail. the car also will need a new transmission. the total cost to fix this is around $8000.00. i contacted ford today to tell them what had happened and they stated that there was nothing they could do since the car had not been serviced at a ford service station consistantly since the car was first purchased and that they have had no other similiar complaints with this vechile. after researching online i have found many similar complaints where ever one has seemed to contact ford and they say the same things to them. i also have had some smaller problems with this vehicle like the engine light going on and the emergency break light going on and brought them in to the shop and have had to replace the sensors. right now i am not able to replace the vehicle due to finicial reasons.

I recently had $2,900 worth of repairs done to my 2002 ford escape xlt in july. my vehicle was bucking and almost stalled when i pulled into the nearest service center. the check engine light was on. the mechanic diagnosed the problem as clogged cat converters. the car has three sets of them. this is the effect of the cause which he believed was faulty oxygen sensors as well as bad spark plugs. at the end of sept the car was not running well and i went to another mechanic who said the egr valve was blown and their was broken bolts where the mechanic was replacing the exhaust system. i was furious and proceeded to return to the merrick bellmore service center. he told me if the problem was on his end that he will take care of it and then diagnosed that the cats where clogged again. he didn't properly diagnose the cause of the cats getting clogged the first time. the mechanic has since replaced three sets of cat converters and he has a bill for $1600 and has had my car at his shop for two months now. the shop is "trying" to get ford to pay for the exhaust parts. after numerous attempts to speak with the owners of this service station to no avail (the clerks tell me 5 different set of names as to who is the owner) all i want is my car back and let this service station "eat" this current bill due to the fact that on the bill that i paid in july the warranty on parts is one year or $12,000 miles. i am frustrated, angry and don't know where to turn. *tr

2002 ford escape stalls when backing up, going forward going down the road. going around a corner. went to ford dealer and they had the vehicle for a week and found nothing. i can't drive this vehicle because it's unsafe. this is my only vehicle. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving 45 mph, the vehicle shut off without warning. the contact was able to restart the vehicle and drive home. the dealer test drove the vehicle, but could not diagnose the cause of the failure. the manufacturer stated that if the dealer was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure, they could not assist. the failure and current mileages were 80,000.

I own a ford 2002 escape. while visiting my mother on 06/25/08, i had parked my car in her drive and turned the ignition off. the keys were in the ignition. i had been at my mothers for aprx. 30-40 mins when i heard a loud explosion. i ran to the door and looked out and my vehicle was in flames. the fire dept. seems to think that it was electrical. after researching this online, i see that this has happened with several ford vehicles. my car is totaled. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the dealer performed a recall repair on the vehicle to prevent it from catching fire. two months after the repair, the vehicle caught fire in the contact's driveway after it had been parked for two minutes. ford stated that they are not responsible for any damages. the recall number was unknown. the failure mileage was 112,653.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving 60 mph, the accelerator pedal went down to the floor and would not release. the contact was able to place the vehicle into second gear. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the cruise control cable failed and jammed the throttle cover. the transmission became damaged when the contact shifted into reverse gear. the manufacturer may not be able to assist. on november 25, 2007, the vehicle was taken to the dealer due to reverse. the dealer cleaned the throttle body, flushed the injectors, and cleaned the upper intake gasket and spark plugs. the fuel filters, coil boots, and ignitions wires were replaced. the current and failure mileages were 62,000. the consumer stated the battery light comes on while driving, replace fuel filter, and a/c is not blowing cold. updated 03/31/08 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the engine failed to idle in 20 degree weather. the abs module caught fire. there were no injuries. a fire report was filed. the contact reported the fire to ford motor company and they advised him to file a complaint. the current and failure mileages were 130,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the vehicle caught fire after it had been parked for nine hours. prior to parking the vehicle, the abs warning indicator light illuminated. the fire was extinguished by using snow. no repairs were made. there was no property damage. the contact has pictures. the vehicle was inspected in march of 2007, but not repaired for nhtsa campaign id number 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module). the current and failure mileages were 130,000.

We have a 2002 ford escape xlt we bought new in sept of 2002. it has 90,000 miles on it. last week my husband was coming home when it lost power and would not go over 50 miles an hour there was also a whirring sound. he got home and to our mechanic. there was a hole in the egs valve (?) which it turns out was caused by the catalytic converter getting clogged, building up pressured and causing it to blow. based upon my research on the net, this is fairly common. i am wondering if there is anything being done towards a recall. our dealer is trying to get a new cc from the east coast (we are in the seattle area) but it may take up to 2 weeks. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact heard a popping sound when she turned off the vehicle. she then noticed flames coming from under the passenger side bumper. the dealer and manufacturer have not inspected the vehicle. as of august 2, 2007, the cause of the failure has yet to be determined. the current and failure mileages were 89,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that he is experiencing that same failure as noted in nhtsa action # pe06048. he took the vehicle to the dealer to be inspected and they found nothing wrong with the vehicle. the vehicle caught fire under the hood. the contact disconnected the battery before the fire could spread. the current and failure mileages were 65,000.

Replaced cracked catalytic converter asy 5l8z*5g232* catalytic at 121,000 miles. cracked in 2 places. ford told me it was 2nd ford escape in 2 weeks with same problem with cracks in same location. bill cost $1126.91 to repair. *tr

I took my 2002 ford escape to a ford dealer to see if the recent recall of the abs module connector affected my car only to find out that i had an oil leak from the master cylinder which was dropping onto the abs module. maybe this is why the cars are catching fire to begin with. if i hadn't taken my car in to be checked the oil probably would have caused a fire. i had to replace the master cylinder and my car only has 70k miles on it. i have never replaced one on any car i have ever owned and i have driven them over 150kmiles. it cost me 278 dollars..this car also had to have the rotors replaced when i replaced the brakes at 42k. the fuel pump was replaced at 34614 miles,the coolant recovery tank was replaced at the same time as the light was on. at 51k miles ck engine light came on. #4 coil had to be replaced at a cost of 282.17. at 70k the engine light came on. the gas cap failed and had to be replaced . this coast 97 dollars because it had to go on a diagnostic machine to find the problem. i was going to buy a ford escape hybrid but now i will never buy another ford. *tr

(1) approximately 100 miles of highway driving led up to (2) a loss of power at all speeds with excessive rpms for given speed followed by a flashing check engine light, followed by considerable engine and cabin vibration. (3) ford diagnosed the problem as a rare internal engine failure in cylinder #4. no remedy has been provided. the engine can be replaced for about $6,000. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. when the vehicle was repaired under recall # 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module), the dealer stated that the oil pan gasket leaked and needed to be replaced. the dealer stated that the contact would be responsible for the cost to replace the oil pan. the contact is aware of the safety risk involved. the current mileage is 5,360 and failure mileage was 4,800.

I have a 2002, ford escape with 92,000 miles on it. there has been no major problems with ethe vehicle leading up to the failure that i am describing in this statement. on october 31, 2006 i was driving east-bound on m59, just east of schoenherr road in sterling heights, mi. i was approx.15 miles from my home in auburn hills, mi and had approx. 10 minutes left untile i would have reached my destination. this was the first time that i had driven the vehicle all day. it was approx. 47 degrees farenheit and about 3:35pm. it was not raining, but a little windy. upon making a stop just past the trafic light (due to heavy traffic dlays), i noticed smoke coming out of the engine compartment from under the hood. within a minute of noticing the smoke outside, smoke started coming through the dash of my vehicle and into the interior cab. i rolled down the windows and made it into a parking lot, wher i had to evacuate the vehicle. upon putting out the fire and inspecting the vehicle, the fire department was unable to determine the cause of the fire. the insurance adjustor looked at the vehicle today and we are still awaiting the insurance company's opinion as to the cause of the fire and what they will be willing to do about it.