2002 Ford Escape Electrical System

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while shifted in park(P), the key failed to release while the engine was running. The contact drove to a local O'Reilly's where one of the employees was able to remove the key from the ignition. The failure had gotten progressively worse. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the ignition lock cylinder had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 227,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT WALKED OUTSIDE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE ENGINE WAS NOT TURNED ON AND THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT INTO THE VEHICLE NEAR THE CONSOLE. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND QUICKLY EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT WAS LATER NOTIFIED OF RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V005000 (ELECTRICAL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED FIFTEEN TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

WHILE DRIVING AT AROUND 65 MPH ON A FREEWAY, THE CAR TURNED ON ABS LIGHT ALL OF SUDDEN AND IN A LESS THAN A MINUTE THE CAR'S ELECTRICITY ALL SHUT OFF, ENGINES SHUT OFF, STEERING SHUT OFF, BRAKES SHUT OFF, RADIO SHUT OFF. I'VE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM PREVIOUSLY MORE THAN 6 TIMES, BUT BEFORE, IT WAS WHEN I WAS DRIVING LESS THAN 30 MPH, BUT THIS TIME, IT HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY. IT HAPPENED WHILE PUTTING ON MY BREAKS, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS ONE OF THE RECALL PROBLEM THAT THE CAR STOPS WHILE DECELERATING. HOWEVER, THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT RECALL WORKS HAVE BEEN ALREADY DONE ON THE CAR BEFORE IT HAPPENED. SO I SUSPECT THAT THE DEALER DID NOT FIGURE OUT THE MAIN REASON WHY THE CAR IS STOPPING WHILE DECELERATING OR JUST DIDN'T WORK ON THE RECALL AND LIED. *TR

ON MARCH 7,2012, SOMEONE KNOCKED ON MY DOOR AND TOLD ME MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. IT HAD BEEN PARKED ON MY CARPORT FOR OVER 2 HOURS.THERE WAS AN ABS RECALL BUT I WAS TOLD BY MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP THAT THE PARTS WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL AT LEAST JULY, MAYBE LONGER.THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE SAFE TO DRIVE SINCE I HAD NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH IT.THE ESCAPE WAS TOWED TO A SECURED LOCATION TO BE INSPECTED BY MY INSURANCE AND A FORD REP. NO CONCLUSSION @ THIS TIME. *TR

2002 FORD ESCAPE ELECTRICAL FIRE. VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN THAT DAY, BUT HAD GONE LESS THAN A MILE WHEN IT WAS NOTED THE SUV HAD A SMOKY SMELL AND WE PULLED OVER. WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS INVOLVED. IT APPEARED TO START NEAR THE BATTERY, THE BATTERY WAS APPROXIMATELY 8 WEEKS OLD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN SPARKS STARTED TO SHOOT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RAPIDLY MOVE THE VEHICLE FROM OFF THE ROADWAY AND AS THE HOOD WAS LIFTED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE DISPATCHED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE AND THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED AS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FIRE BUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ADVISED THAT THE FIRE COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 9/16/11 *CN UPDATED 2/9/12 *CN

2002 FORD ESCAPE COLD PARKED, KEY-OFF VEHICLE FIRE - TOTAL LOSS UNINSURED AND FORD SO FAR HAS REFUSED COMPENSATION. *TR

I DROVE MY 2002 FORD ESCAPE TO CHURCH SUNDAY MORNING, ABOUT 5 MILES, WHEN THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY DRIVEN THAT DAY. WE PARKED THE CAR AND WENT IN FOR SERVICES THAT MORNING AND AT THE END OF MASS WERE CALLED TO THE BACK BY THE PRIEST WHO INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A FIRE. SURE ENOUGH THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS THERE AND HAD EXTINGUISHED A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE OFFICIAL REPORT STATED THE FIRE ORIGINATING IN THE CRUISE CONTROL/ BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR AREA. THE ESCAPE WAS A TOTAL WRITE-OFF. ALL RECALLS PERTAINING TO THE ABS/CRUISE SYSTEMS WERE SERVICED ABOUT 2 YEARS PREVIOUS TO THIS EVENT.

FOR THE CURRENT FORD RECALL, THE RECALL DOES NOT INCLUDE FORD ESCAPES. I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE; MALFUNCTIONING CRUISE CONTROL (CRUISE WILL JUST DISENGAGE ON THE FREEWAY OR WILL ALL OF A SUDDEN START ACCELERATING), BRAKE LIGHT ON DASH, AND DIFFICULTLY WITH DISENGAGING VEHICLE OUT OF PARK. I CONTACTED FORD AND WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE IS NOT ON THE RECALL AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. THEY ISSUED ME A "CASE NUMBER". *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE DRIVEWAY AND SURROUNDING TREES WERE DAMAGED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. UPDATED 06/24/09 *BF UPDATED 06/30/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED. SHE QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC, BUT HE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. SHE RECEIVED TWO RECALL LETTERS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, NUMBER OF CYLINDERS, POWERTRAIN, AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. ON FEBRUARY 9, 2007 THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE GARAGE AND BURNED TO THE FRAME. THE FIRE BEGAN ON THE ELECTRICAL INSTRUMENT PANEL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE. THE FIRE MARSHALL AND INSURANCE COMPANY HAVE PHOTOS. THE FIRE MARSHALL STATED THAT THE SWITCH OR SENSOR CAUSED THE FIRE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY INVESTIGATOR STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE BURNED 20 DAYS AFTER IT WAS PURCHASED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 86,000. *AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A SLIGHT ODOR, BACK FIRED ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND RAN POORLY. IN OCTOBER 2005 THE VEHICLE HESITATE D AT 20 MPH. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS THE IGNITION COIL AND REPLACED IT FOR $400. IN MAY 2006 THE VEHICLE RAN POORLY AND BACK FIRED AGAIN. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS THE COIL ONCE AGAIN AND WAS REPLACED AT 52,980 MILES. IN JULY 2006 THE VEHICLE RAN POORLY FOR A THIRD TIME. THE FORD DEALER STATED THAT TWO COILS FAILED AT 53,011 MILES. IN APRIL O 2007 THE CONTACT FELT THE VEHICLE RAN POORLY AGAIN, AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, SUSPECTING COIL FAILURE FOR THE FIFTH TIME. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 60,000 , AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.*AK

2002 FORD ESCAPE. PARKED> 3 HRS. CAUGHT FIRE. ENGINE AND FRONT OF CAR COMPLETELY DESTROYED. HAVE DETAILED PICTURES UNDERSTAND INVESTIGATION INTO THIS PROBLEM BEGAN IN NOVEMBER 2006 WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE BEFORE CAR IS TOWED TO JUNK YARD. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKING A BYSTANDER NOTICED SMOKE BILLOWING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN OFF SO THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED AND THE SMOKE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO COLLISION FACILITY, WHERE IT HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. *AK

THE KEY LOCK CYLINDER HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE FOR QUITE A PERIOD OF TIME IN THAT IT ALLOWS ME TO TAKE OUT THE KEYS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. CAR HAS ROLLED ON SOME OCCASIONS. SO FAR I HAVE CAUGHT THE PROBLEM BEFORE ANYTHING IS DAMAGED BUT I KNOW FOR ALL THE CARS I HAVE OWNED IT IS NOT PROPER THAT THE KEYS CAN BE WITHDRAWN WHILE IN DRIVE. I JUST REPORTED IT TO THE FORD DEALER 10-22-06 AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT CORRECT BUT THERE HAD BEEN NO RECALL SO PROBABLY I WOULD HAVE TO REPAIR AT MY OWN COST. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE ABS LIGHT AND EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER. WHILE BEING INSPECTED BY THE DEALER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE ABS WIRING AND THAT ALL THE WIRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $1600. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO HONOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THE OWNER REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR COSTS OUT OF POCKET. DEALER THEN REFUSED TO RETURN THE VEHICLE TO OWNER WITHOUT REPAIR DUE TO FIRE HAZARD. THE DEALER ASSISTED THE OWNER WITH THE PURCHASE OF A 2006 MERCURY MARINER BY PAYING OFF THE REMAINDER OF THE LOAN BALANCE ON THE FORD ESCAPE UPDATED 10/25/2006 - *NM

2002 FORD ESCAPE XLT CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. *KB THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE BOOSTER, HCU AND HCU HARNESS. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE FIRE WAS THE RESULT OF A FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. THIS SWITCH HAD BEEN RECALLED IN 1994-2002 FORD F150'S, NAVIGATORS AND EXPEDITIONS. . *NM

FOLLOW UP TO AN EARLIER REPORT REGARDING A 2002 FORD ESCAPE XLT WITH IGNITION COIL PROBLEMS. ON MAY 30, THE VEHICLE LOST ANOTHER IGNITION COIL (3 PREVIOUSLY HAD DIED) AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT IN A RAINSTORM. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO MANIFEST ITSELF WHEN IT HAS BEEN RAINING OR VERY HUMID. THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO MACQUIRE FORD AND WAS AGAIN DIAGNOSED WITH A FAILED NUMBER 1 IGNITION COIL. THE COIL WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $390. THE TRUCK WAS PICKED UP FRIDAY, JUNE 2, DRIVEN HOME AND PARKED. WHEN WE WENT TO DRIVE THE TRUCK AT 6PM THAT NIGHT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TRUCK RAN ROUGH. THE DEALER WASN'T HAPPY TO SEE US BACK SATURDAY MORNING. THIS TIME COIL NUMBER 3 HAD GONE. NO ONE KNOWS WHY 5 COILS HAVE NOW FAILED AT THE COST OF $1300. THE FINAL ORIGINAL COIL HAS ALSO BEEN REPLACED. NO ONE AT FORD CAN GIVE AN ANSWER AND I AM OUT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND I SOMEHOW DOUBT THIS PROBLEM WILL BE RESOLVED. *NM

I OWN A 2002 FORD ESCAPE XLT WHICH I PURCHASED NEW IN 2001. LAST JUNE, I DID NOT USE THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL DAYS DURING WHICH TIME IT RAINED. WHEN I WENT TO START THE ENGINE, IT RAN SLUGGISHLY AND SHUDDERED. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TRUCK BEGAN EMITTING SMOKE. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER, VARNEY FORD, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED THERE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE #3 "SPARK PLUG COIL" (IGNITION COIL) HAD BURNED OUT. I WAS TOLD THAT MOISTURE HAD ENTERED THE COIL. NO EXPLANATION FOR HOW THAT WAS HAPPENING WAS GIVEN. COST $180 TO REPAIR. YESTERDAY, AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF RAIN, I WENT TO ONCE AGAIN START MY TRUCK. IT EXACTLY REPEATED THE PREVIOUS INCIDENT. THIS TIME HOWEVER, I DROVE THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER...IT COULD NOT TRAVEL MORE THAN 30 MILES AN HOUR. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS TIME COILS NUMBER 4 AND 6 HAD FAILED. COST THIS TIME $325. ONCE AGAIN I WAS TOLD MOISTURE HAD SOMEHOW GOTTEN INTO THE COIL SYSTEM. SO IN OTHER WORDS, I OWN A TRUCK THAT CANNOT SIT IDLE FOR EVEN A DAY IN RAINY OR DAMP WEATHER WITHOUT A COIL BURNING OUT. FROM WHAT I GATHER FROM READING THE TRAVAILS OF OTHER ESCAPE OWNERS IS THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM. FORD SAYS "THERE MUST BE A PIN HOLE SOMEWHERE THAT THEY WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO FIX". WHILE THIS WOULDN'T PRESENT A PROBLEM IF I ELECTED TO LIVE IN A DESERT ENVIRONMENT, IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN EXPENSE AND RENDER THE TRUCK USELESS IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. THANK YOU. HEIDI ROBBINS. *NM

IN WATCHING THE NEWS ABOUT FORD SUV'S CATCHING ON FIRE, ONE OF THE WARNING SIGNS WAS A BRAKE LIGHT GOING OUT OR THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT ON THE DASH. I HAVE A 2002 ESCAPE, AND RECENTLY HAVE REPLACED TWO BRAKE LIGHTS GOING OUT. I ONLY HAVE 40000 MILES, YET I DID NOT SEE A RECALL ON THIS CAR CONCERNING THIS. HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ANY ESCAPES MODEL YEAR 2002 ??

DT: THE CONTACT STATED 2002 FORD ESCAPE CAUGHT ON FIRE ON 4-4-05 IN FRONT OF THE DEALERSHIP WHERE SHE BOUGHT IT. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE DAY BEFORE ON SUNDAY SHE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING THE CAR. HER BROTHER HAD TO JUMP IT TO GET IT STARTED; HE THEN DROVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK. WHEN HE TOOK THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING. SHE PUT THE KEY BACK IN, PUT IT IN GEAR, AND PUT IT BACK IN PARK AND TURNED THE IGNITION AND TOOK THE KEY OUT. SHE DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE SHE BOUGHT IT. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF WHEN SHE LEFT. THE NEXT DAY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED HER AND TOLD HER THE CAR HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AT THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOTALED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DID TELL THE CONTACT THEY THOUGHT THE FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL.*AK

THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70 MPH IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN DRIVER HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. DRIVER PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY DUE TO SMOKE COMING INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER GOT OUT AND WATCHED THE VEHICLE BURN WITHIN 7 MINUTES. *AK THE WHITE SMOKE SEEMED TO INDICATE A FUEL LINE. *SC