2001 Ford Escape Power Train

SHIFTER ON STEERING COLUMN JUMPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. WHEN ENGAGING GEARS FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE AND DRIVE TO PARK, ETC IT MAKES A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE. ENGINEER AS LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND STATED THE CONDITION DISCRIBED IS OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS VEHICLE. THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIX IT.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY SHIFTER POPPED OUT OF GEAR IN A DOWNWARD POSITION, AND BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING. IF SHIFTING VEHICLE FROM PARK TO DRIVE THERE IS A NOISE UNDERNEATH THE PEDAL. *AK

I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH WHEN SUDDENLY I COULD NOT STEER THE CAR. I NOTICED THE OIL LIGHT ON FIRST AND MANAGED TO PULL OVER. ALL THE DASH LIGHTS WERE THEN ON, THE CAR HAD DIED WHILE I WAS MOVING. I WAS ABLE TO START IT BACK UP. IN REVIEWING EDMUNDS AUTO SITE I THEN DISCOVERED THAT OTHERS HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ESCAPE AND TRIBUTE. I PRINTED OFF SOME OF THE RESPONSES, TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO LONG FORD IN EUREKA, MO ON 9-11-01. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANY PROBLEM AND ALSO TALKED WITH THE FORD ENGINEERS. THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE ANY PARTS STATING THAT FORD WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE IT UNLESS THEY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I THEN CONTACTED FORD DIRECTLY SO THERE WOULD BE A RECORD, BUT WAS NOT ADVISED OF ANY "FIX" FOR THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING THE NUMBER OF MILES I DRIVE EACH DAY ON VERY BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS. I AM NERVOUS EVEN MOVING OUT OF THE RIGHT LANE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO BE CLOSE TO THE SHOULDER IN THE EVENT THIS OCCURS AGAIN. I HAVE BEEN TOLD YOU CAN SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTART AND HOPEFULLY IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN I WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT BEFORE THE VEHICLE SLOWS AND I HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I AM ESPECIALLY CONCERNED WHEN MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS AS WELL. SURELY WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS HAVE COMPLAINED, THEY MUST HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHAT IS WRONG AND HOW TO FIX IT. *AK

CONSUMER IS CALLING TO REPORT A FAILURE IN GEAR SHIFT. VEHICLE WILL JUMP FROM REVERSE TO FORWARD WITHOUT GOING INTO NEUTRAL. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTATCED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE SHIFT LEVER WHEN PLACED IN THE "D" DRIVE POSITION DOES NOT LOCK IN PLACE. ADDITIONALLY THE SHIFT LEVEL EXTENDS 3-4" INTO THE RADIO AND CONTROL PANEL FOR OTHER INSTRUMENTS LIKE REAR DEFOGGER AND PARKING LIGHT SWITHCH. IF SHIFTER IS BUMPED WHILE TRYING TO CHANGE RADIO OR TO PLAY A CD OR CASSETTE, THE SHIFTER EASILY GETS KNOCKED OUT OF POSITION. I HAVE REPOTED THIS TO MY DEALER, THEY CHECKED OTHER ESCAPES ON THE LOT. THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I EMAILED FORD DIRECTLY ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY HAVE NOT AS YET RESPONDED. I BELIVE THAT THIS PROBLEM CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS PROBLEM IF NOT FIXED.

THE LEFT FRONT AXLE MADE A CLICKING NOISE AS THE VEHICLE TURNED. THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED BY THE DEALER. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE DEALER REPLACED THE AXLE WITH AN AXLE FROM THE ORIGINAL DESIGN. THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT THIS AXLE MAY CAUSE THE SAME PROBLEM SINCE FORD HAS NOT REDESIGNED THIS PART. I'M ALSO A BIT SUPRISED THAT MY DEALER HAD REPLACED THE SAME AXLE ON ANOTHER ESCAPE AND FORD STILL HAS NO TSB OR RECALL.*AK

THE FRONT AXLE AND CV JOINTS COMPLETELY FELL OFF. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF THE SAFTEY CONNECTOR BOLT BEING INSTALLED AT FACTORY. I HAVE PHOTOS. MIGHT BE CALLED A LOWER BALL JOINT.*AK

ENGINE STALLS WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE. ENGINE HAS STALLED WHEN COASTING IN TRAFFIC. DEALER CANNOT FIND/REPAIR PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO PARK, DEALER REPLACED A BROKEN CABLE. DEALER DID NOT EXPLAIN REPAIRS. *AK

TRANSMISSION LOST REVERSE GEAR. PROBLEM NOT FOUND UNTIL TRYING TO BACK FROM PARKING SPACE. VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE PUSHED OUT OF LOT. NO PREVIOUS INDICATION OF PROBLEM UNTIL IT OCCURRED.*AK

HOSE CLAMPS ON BOTH TRANS COOLER HOSES IN FRONT OF VEHICLE WERE NOT FIXED ONTO HOSE. TOP HOSE BLEW FROM TRANSMISSION COOLER AND RESULTED IN LOSE OF MOST ALL TRANS FLUID. TRANS STOPED WORKING. FLUID WAS ALL OVER FRONT LOWER PART OF VEHICLE INCLUDING BOTH INSIDES OF DISK BRAKES. WE WERE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH AND IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. WARRANTY REPAIR IS IN PROGRESS. TOW TRUCK OPERATOR STATED THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME HE HAD ENCOUNTERED THIS SITUATION WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE.*AK

TRANSMISSION WOULD LEAK FLUID WHILE PARKED. FUMES WOULD ENTER VEHICLE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER 5 TIMES FOR PROBLEM, AND HAD PLUGS AND CASING SEALS REPLACED. PROBLEM OF LEAKAGE WOULD ALWAYS REAPPEAR. *AK

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF GEAR AND GOES INTO NETURAL, CAUSE UNKNOWN. AFTER VEHICLE IS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES IT RETURNS TO NORMAL CONDITIONS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED. *SLC

INTERMITTENTLY GEAR SHIFTER DOES NOT LOCK INTO GEAR. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK *SLC

WHEN TRANSMISSION GEAR IS SHIFTED FROM NEUTRAL INTO REVERSE NOTHING HAPPENS, ENGINE REVVS, BUT VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE. CONSUMER HAS TO SHIFT BACK AND FORTH UNTIL VEHICLE IS FINALLY IN GEAR. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER 3 TIMES, CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM. *AK THE PROBLEM ALSO OCCURS FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. THE GEAR INDICATOR LIGHT GOES OFF TOO. *YH

CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO USE RADIO BECAUSE TRANSMISSION PAWL IS IN THE WAY AND IS TOO FAR, CAUSING CONSUMER TO SHIFT GEAR WHILE DRIVING.*AK

GEAR SHIFTER WILL NOT GO DOWN ALL THE WAY. WHEN MOVING HAND, GEARS WILL CHANGE WHILE DRIVING. *AK THE GEAR SHIFTER HANDLE GETS STUCK HALF-WAY DOWN WHEN CHANGING GEARS DUE TO DESIGN FLAW. *YH

CABLE CAME OFF CLUTCH PEDAL UNDER THE DASH. PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO FLOOR AND WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT CARE. CABLE WAS REPLACED BY VEHICLE OWNER, BUT FAILED TO STAY ON 2 MORE TIMES.