2003 Ford Escape Structure
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SHE FELT HER VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000. UPDATED 9/19/14*CN UPDATED 2/20/2015 *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE SUBFRAME FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V165000 (STRUCTURE), IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SUBFRAME WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 164,429. UPDATED 10/01/14 *BF UPDATED 1/7/2015 *JS
2003 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO LOWER CONTROL ARM CORROSION RECALL NOTICE PROBLEMS. *SMD THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND THAT WAS IN MAY. THE DEALER STATED TO CALL BACK IN JULY. TO DATE, THE RECALL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL # 14V165000. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE INTERIOR DOOR WAS CORRODED AND AS A RESULT, EXHAUST FUMES WERE EMITTING INTO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
2003 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO WAITING FOR VEHICLE PARTS TO COME IN. *SMD
I HAVE ENTERED THE VIN CORRECTLY BUT YOUR SYSTEM DOESN'T RECOGNIZE IT. FIRST FLAT TIRE IN THE 10 YEARS I HAVE OWNED CAR PURCHASED NEW. JACK, JACK TOOLS AND TEMPORARY SPARE NEVER USED BEFORE.. FOLLOWING OWNER'S MANUAL INSTRUCTIONS, JACK DOES NOT RAISE VEHICLE HIGH ENOUGH TO REMOVE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WHEEL AND SPECIFIED STANDARD-SIZE TIRE. ATTEMPTED FLAT REPAIR ON FLAT PAVED SURFACE. I HAVE 50 YEARS EXPERIENCE WORKING ON AUTOMOBILES.THIS FLAW COULD BE LIFE-THREATENING IF SOMEONE IS TRYING TO REPLACE A FLAT TIRE IN DANGEROUS CONDITIONS (DARKNESS, WEATHER, DANGEROUS LOCATION,MEDICAL EMERGENCY). THE JACK WORKS MECHANICALLY AND LIFTED THE RIGHT REAR CORNER OF THE VEHICLE BUT LACKED 4 TO 6 INCHES OF LIFTING VEHICLE HIGH ENOUGH TO REMOVE WHEEL. THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT AND NOT AN INCOMPETENT USER. JACK WAS POSITIONED AS SHOWN IN MANUAL. MY FIRST CAR WAS A 1931 MODEL A FORD AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE ENCOUNTERED AN OEM JACK THAT WOULDN'T WORK AT LEAST ONCE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
MY FORD ESCAPE IS RUSTING ABOVE THE BACK WHEELS I ALSO NOTICED THE SAME RUST ON SIMILAR MODELS AND YEARS OF THE ESCAPE IS THERE A RECALL THERE SHOULD BE. *TR
ON BOTH SIDES OF MY CAR JUST ABOVE THE TIRES THE PAINT HAS PEELED OFF AND HAS STARTED TO RUST. *TR
THE EXTERIOR PAINT IS PEELING OFF IN LARGE PIECES. STARTING TO RUST. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE LOW SUB FRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. A LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUB FRAME FAILED DUE TO RUST. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
PAINT OF FORD ESCAPE 2003 PEELING ON THE FRONT. THERE ARE TWO LARGE SPOTS ABOUT 1 SQUARE FOOT EACH. I HAVE CALLED FORD IN GREENVILLE, SC FEW TIMES BUT TO NO AVAIL. THIS PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO WITH TWO 3/8 OF AN INCH SIZE FLAKES. THE SUV HAS BEEN GARAGED AND HAS BEEN TAKEN GOOD CARE OF HOWEVER NOW THE PAINT IS FLAKING WITH SECTIONS AT A TIME. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND HAVE SEEN THE EXACT SAME MODEL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. AT ONE POINT I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO ENTER ANOTHER FORD ESCAPE ASSUMING IT WAS MY CAR BECAUSE OF THE SIMILARITY WITH THE PAINT. THERE ARE SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM: HTTP://WWW.EDMUNDS.COM/FORD/ESCAPE/2003/CONSUMER-DISCUSSIONS.HTML MY CONCERN IS THAT FORD HAS FAILED TO REMEDIATE THIS ISSUE WITH ITS ACTIVE CUSTOMER BASE AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE NOTED AS GROSS NEGLIGENCE. *TR
PAINT DEFECTIVE ON 2003 FORD ESCAPE WITH GOLD ASH PAINT. *TR
PAINT DEFECTIVE ON 2003 FORD ESCAPE WITH GOLD ASH PAINT. PEELING AROUND BACK WINDOW AND 3 LARGE PATCHES, OVER 6" IN DIAMETER, ON ROOF. *TR
WE HAVE A 2003 FORD ESCAPE LIMITED. THE PAINT HAS STARTED PEELING OFF AROUND THE HATCH AT THE BACK. IT'S JUST BUBBLING UP FOR NO APPARENT REASON. WE HAVE NEVER ABUSED THE CAR AND IT STILL HAS LESS THAN 70,000 MILES ON IT. *TR
THE PAINT IS PEELING AROUND THE WHEEL WELLS AND HAS STARTED TO RUST; CAUSING POSSIBLE INSTABILITY TO THE BODY OF THE CAR. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM IN 2003 FORD ESCAPES. CAN SOMETHING BE DONE? THERE WERE SOME CLAIMS THAT FORD IMPROPERLY PREPARED THE ESCAPE FOR PAINTING. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR
PAINT PEELING PREMATURELY ON 2003 FORD ESCAPE. *TR
PAINT IS PEELING FROM THE ROOF AND TWO SPOTS ON THE TAILGATE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT SLOAN FORD IN EXTON, PA WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT IT. A REP FROM FORD ADVISED THAT A DEALER SHOULD LOOK AT IT. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT KENNEDY FORD COLLISION IN CONSHOHOCKEN PA WAS KIND ENOUGH TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE AND CONFIRM THAT IT IS DEFECTIVE. FORD DECLINED ASSISTANCE. THE FORD REP WOULD NOT ADMIT THAT THERE IS A DEFECT DESPITE ADVISING ME THAT FORD SERVICE MANAGERS HAVE SUPERIOR EXPERTISE IN EVALUATING FAILURES. *TR
2003 FORD ESCAPE ... PAINT PEELING ON ROOF AROUND SUN ROOF OPENING. *TR
2003 FORD LIMITED GOLD ESCAPE PAINT PEELING AND BUBBLING ON HATCH AND ABOVE FRONT WINDOW. FORD WILL DO NOTHING WHEN I CALLED SINCE THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS PAINT ISSUE. *TR
PAINT IS PEELING OFF ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BACK UNDER THE HATCH WINDOW AND ON TOP OF THE VEHICLE JUST BEHIND THE SUN ROOF. THIS VEHICLE HAS 74K MILES AND IS GARAGED. FROM NOV. 2002 - FEB. 2005 IT WAS EVEN IN PARKING GARAGE WHILE I WORKED. I TAKE GREAT CARE OF MY VEHICLE AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE READ A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE ON THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. I CALLED FORD AND THEY DON'T CARE!!! IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE IS NO RECALL.. WHAT CAN I DO? *TR
THE PAINT ON MY ASH GOLD 2003 FORD ESCAPE HAS STARTED TO BUBBLE AND PEEL AWAY FROM THE METAL BODY PARTS. DOORS, HOOD, REAR HATCH AND A LARGE SPOT ON THE ROOF JUST BEHIND THE MOON ROOF WINDOW. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN TOUCH UP. THE PAINT IS LITERALLY PEELING OFF OF THE PRIMER WHICH THEN QUICKLY ERODES TO EXPOSE THE METAL WHICH STARTS TO RUST. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS SPANNING SEVERAL YEARS AND SEVERAL FORD MODELS. IN THIS AGE WHERE WE HAVE TO KEEP CARS LONGER, THIS IS A TERRIBLE THING TO DISCOVER - THE COMPANY SIMPLY CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAINT A CAR!!! I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND BOUGHT FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. HE POINTED OUT THE PEELING BUT WE BOTH THOUGHT IT COULD BE TOUCHED UP AS HE HAD BEEN DOING FOR A COUPLE YEARS. THE ROOF WAS NOT LOOKED AT UNTIL I WAS WORKING ON THE ROOF RACK. THIS IS THE WORST CASE AND IS NOT GOING TO GET FIXED BY ANY TOUCH UP PAINT. *TR
1) THE EVENTS LEADING TO THE FAILURE ARE UNKNOWN 2) 2003 FORD ESCAPE HAS AN ISSUE WITH ITS EXTERIOR PAINT. THE PAINT IS PEELING AWAY FROM THE CAR AND THE EXPOSED METAL IS RUSTING. THIS RUSTING LEADS TO THE COMPROMISE OF THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE CAR. THIS COMPROMISE CAN BE DETRIMENTAL IN CASE OF A COLLISION. A GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALED LOTS OF 2003 FORD ESCAPE OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ISSUE. 3) NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. *TR
PAINT BLISTERING AND PEELING ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD ON ROOF. *TR
Trend Over Time
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Quick Summary
The 2003 Ford Escape has 70 Structure complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.