The contact owns a 2003 Ford Escape. The contact's nephew stated while driving approximately 35 mph, there was smoke coming from under the hood. The contact pulled over and fire started coming from under the hood. The fire department was called out however, the fire was extinguished before they arrived. A fire report was filed. The vehicle was towed back to the contact's sister-??s residence. The vehicle was diagnosed but was not repaired. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable.

- Birmingham, AL, USA

My transmission has went out the previous owners had a transmission put in 2013 with a three year warranty and I bought the car 2019 and it went out 2 months later. It will back up but won't go forward.

- Millen, GA, USA

After driving car, parking and starting again, it will start but will not keep running. Usually can wait a few minutes with hood up and will be ok. Today (10/26/2019) it would not keep running. Had it towed. Purchased new 06/2003 and has always happened. Ford mechanics other mechanics do not know why.

- Cookeville, TN, USA

My Escape started to miss, first it wasn't bad then started jerking and it started idling rough when I stopped at red light. When I started moving again it acted as if it would die and would go. If I get to 40 mph it is really bad. But this happened on main highway with other vehicles all around me and had 18 wheeler behind me and all of sudden my speed decreased and me and my children almost was in accident because of decrease in speed. It scared me and my two children. When I got it looked at the codes said it was missing on one cylinder then at one point all cylinders.

- Hamilton, MS, USA

The entire engine sub-frame requires replacement due to excessive corrosion. The mechanic has informed me the car is unsafe to drive in its current condition. The internet is full of stories of Ford Escape corroded engine sub frame. There is current no recall from Ford

- Fairfax, VA, USA

The engine will stutter and stall (after driving fine) and will then the engine shuts down. I lose power steering and brakes - if the car restarts, it will shut down again when I press on the brake. I had it towed recently to a shop and they could find nothing wrong. It happens off and on - I found a similar issue with previous Ford Escapes and there was a recall in 2004, but my vehicle was not affected (it was made at the same plant as the recalled vehicles. This happened to my husband in a busy intersection and happened to me in a parking lot - it is very scary when it happens.

- Tupelo, MS, USA

On October 31st I took my car in to Ford delacy to be looked at for the front subframe crossbrace recall. When I brought my car in, the front tires were tilted in a decent amount and my steering wheel was turned completely. I brought my car in, they agreed it was not driveable and that they had to take pictures and send them to Ford and get the okay on what to do and if I can get the recall. After waiting 10 days, they finally 'fixed' it by just putting a metal crossbrace on top of the already rotted out subframe. After less than a month, my subframe is now popped out again and my wheel turned all the way to the right and tires tilted again. I am now without a car again. I will upload pictures of the metal piece that supposedly 'fixed' my car.

- Lancaster, NY, USA

My vehicle was setting in my driveway on 4/14/2017 and the neighbor came pounding on my door stating my vehicle was on fire. He tried putting the fire out to avoid the fire from reaching the gas tank and also spraying the side of my house to try to keep it from catching the siding on fire. The front drivers side tire blew up so he dropped the hose and ran.when the fire dept got here it had already burned my vehicle all the way up and melted the siding on the house. The fire chief was unable to determine the cause of the fire because of the way everything was burned! nothing was left but the 2 rear tires and wheels and the 2 back tail light lens. I had drove it 2 1/2 hrs before the fire started so the motor was already cooled off! I've checked for recalls but none to be found on this yr model. I also filed a complaint with recall center and with Ford Motor Corporation.all they said was I would receive the report within the next 15 days. It's been 11 days now and still haven't received anything! complaint #: 10978773 (Ford Corp) fire department incident #: 17-1703168....keith fitch. Fire chief...

- Concord, NC, USA

I have a 2003 Escape that has a interesting problem with the rear hatch. When it is hot out side or the sun is shinning on the rear hatch the lock will not unlock, all the other doors do. When it gets dark or the door cool down the nit will unlock with the rest of the doors. Our rear hatch. Intermittently working and then not working at all. After looking in the search engine on this forum, under "rear hatch won't open" I found a posting listing the part # for the solenoid only, from an aftermarket source. (Ford makes you buy the whole handle and actuator assy. For $200 or so). The solenoid was $10 plus shipping. Installation was straight forward except the rod that connects the solenoid to the mechanism needs to be modified and the wires spliced instead of the modular plug on the stock one. If your not that mechanical, you may want the dealership to do it, but if you have some skills, you can save a lot of money! (if Ford had put a freaking key hole on the rear hatch it wouldn't be such a big deal) search the threads and you will find the post for the part. Hope this helps.

- Pottsboro, TX, USA

We had a recall done for the frame on our 2003 Ford Escape in April, 2014. On Monday, April 3, 2017 I was driving home from work on excelsior blvd (about a 40 mph road) and heard a loud noise in the front of the truck and could hardly steer. We had it towed to metropolitan Ford in eden prairie, Minnesota and to find out that the frame was broke. They said they will not cover it. They replaced it and cost us $1,300 we feel like they should pay for this since the damage was from the recall that they had done.

- Hopkins, MN, USA

Left rear hatch window bolt broke off upon opening. Window fell down but luckily I was able to catch it before it fell. Vehicle was stopped in my driveway.

- Elizabethton, TN, USA

There is a regional recall #14S02 ref# 14V165000. The recall is for the structure and members. The lower control arm corrosion. The frame is rusted out where the lower control arm bushing is connected. I cannot drive my vehicle at this time. I was doing a complete repair myself of the lower control arm, ball joints, tie rod ends to remedy the steering issue and irregular tire wear, I repaired the drivers side but did not notice any issues but when I took the wheel off the passenger side I saw the frame is rusting out at the point I mentioned earlier. I have never seen a vehicle rust out like this and I have been working on vehicles my whole life. When I called the Ford recall hotline, they told me my vehicle is not part of the recall. But the recall goes from Oct. 1999 to Jan 2004 and I have a 2003. The only thing I can figure is that the vehicle may have been originally sold in a state that is not part of the recall? but I purchased it off someone who lives in Ohio and they definately had it up here due to the rust that has formed. Please help me!! the attached pic shows the rusted area, pic #3 shows with a new lower control arm held in place to give an idea of the area affected. Very dangerous to drive. The auto pulls sharply to the right if turned a little bit or sharply to left turning left easily. My new tires are also worn from this issue.

- Grafton, OH, USA

I pulled into work at 7:00 am 9/15/16 and at 9:00 am a fellow working told be my window was blown out. It look like it blew from the inside out.

- Lapeer, MI, USA

The ash gold paint is bubbling all over the outside roof rear door sides (all over) the car to include the interior. The roof has rusted and Ford won't do anything. I went to two Ford dealers in san diego and called Ford direct. The passed me over to the highway safety admin hotline that told me to call Ford, they will handle the complaint. Everyday more paint peels off.

- Spring Valley, CA, USA

I entered my car to see the dash board lights were illuminated even with car in off poistion and key removed. Tried starting car and there was no response. Tried several times and eventually got car to start. Drove several blocks, parked and the car and even after removing key, could not get car to turn off. After several attempts, the car turned off. I could hear what sounded like a fan running in the area near my break fluid. After letting the car sit for about 2 hours, I needed to drive home. I drove serveral hundred yards before I started to smell burning rubber. When I saw black smoke coming from under my hood I pulled off the road. The flames started to get bigger. I call 911 but they did not arrive in time to save the car. The car was engulfed in flames. The engine and interitor were torched. Cause of fire has yet to be determined.

- Venice, CA, USA

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Escape. Three months after the vehicle was purchased, the contact noticed a block of paint chipping off of the hood. Weeks later, the condition became progressively worse. The paint began bubbling and chipping excessively. When the contact attempts to wash the vehicle the paint will come off. She is in the process of notifying the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 74,000 and current mileage is 100,000. Update 06/10/08 updated 06/10/08

- Millbrook, AL, USA

I recently noticed that the paint on my 2003 Ford Escape was peeling and flaking at an alarming rate, both on the roof and on the rear panel. The paint was so loose that a strong wind was able to pick up the edges and strip it off the car. On October 24, 2007 I took it to my local Ford dealership, napleton's northwestern Ford in Chicago, for an appointment with the zone district manager. He declined my request for financial help in repairing this problem, citing that the warranty period had expired. My estimate for repair from napleton's recommended body shop said, in writing, that the peeling paint was caused by delamination of paint and a bad priming prep job. I sent a copy of the estimate, pictures of the damage and a letter of explanation to both the Ford customer relations center in detroit and my dealership owner - and received back a short form letter from detroit stating that they would not help me financially as the warranty period had expired. Although I realize that the warranty period has expired, I believe that my paint problem was caused by substandard work at the factory, a belief substantiated by the body shop. Recalls are done all the time for parts that are faulty, regardless of warranty. My paint job was faulty, and therefore I believe Ford should help me fix it. According to the center for auto safety and other web sites, paint should not be peeling off cars that are only 4 or 5 years old. I got the damage fixed, which cost me nearly $1,200. Prior to owning my Escape, I owned a Ford escort for 10 years, which never had a paint problem. Up until now I have been a loyal Ford customer, but since it appears that cutting corners and doing substandard work is their mode of operation, I will never buy another new Ford.

- Chicago, IL, USA

I've a 2003 Ford Escape that I purchased from a dealer in 2004. About a year ago, I noticed the paint chipping and peeling from the hood which I attributed to stone chips from highway driving but now, the paint is coming off on the right rear of the car where the roof section meets the main body.

- Philadelphia, PA, USA

Complaint concerning 2003 Ford Escape.

- Alum Creek, WV, USA

Periodically and unpredictably, the key will not turn. Sometimes, it can be forced, if you are strong enough. Other times it cannot even be forced. But then it will work the next day. Moving the stearing wheel does not allow the key to turn even when trying to turn the wheel with force. My car has been towed once because 3 people tried and could not turn either key I have for the vehicle. I've been told by mechanics that this is a common Ford problem. I believe it is a safety concern because you never know where/when you will be stranded, whether or not you will have access to a phone. One mechanic said he could rebuild the stearing column and that had worked for other people with the same problem - however, that dealership would not provide a loaner car so I would be without any transportation for 1-2 days. The dealership where I bought my car has refused to do anything because the problem is sporatic and they say they cannot duplicate it. The ignition has locked 4 times in the past month. Additonally - the ABS brakes only work intermitently which makes it difficult when making the split second decision of whether to slam on the brakes or pump the brake.

- Saint Paul, MN, USA