2004 Ford Escape Engine
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 2004 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, SMOKE EMERGED FROM THE HOOD AND THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (DON'S FORD, 5712 HORATIO ST, UTICA, NY 13502) AND WAS INFORMED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AT 1-800-392-3673 AND GOT THE AUTOMATED SYSTEM BEFORE THE CALL DISCONNECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 82,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.
VEHICLE AT IDLE, MISFIRED. PULLED OFF AND WENT TO DRIVE ONTO THE HIGHWAY. VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND IT GOT WORSE. A SMELL CAME FROM THE FRONT AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE DASH. HAD THE DRIVER, TWO TODDLERS, AND I (PASSENGER) IN THE VEHICLE. DRIVER AND I WERE COUGHING FROM THE SMELL AND THE SMOKE. HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS IN THE FRONT AND PARTLY ROLL THEM DOWN IN THE REAR DURING THE RAIN. MADE IT 2-3 MILES BEFORE WE TURNED AROUND AND WENT BACK HOME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE SERVICING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THERE WAS A HESITATION WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE DETERMINE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 11 MONTHS AGO, ON FEB 13,2015 AS I WAS DRIVING MY CAR BEGAN TO MAKE A VERY LOUD NOISE AS WELL AS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE UNSTABLE. THE MECHANIC REPORT STATED THAT 3 SEPARATE SPARK PLUGS HAD BLOWN OUT AND EJECTED CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MULTIPLE MECHANICAL MECHANISMS TO MY VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY UN DRIVABLE, ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON THE DASH BOARD OR THE MACHINE. ALSO PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT MY VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE WHILE DRIVING AND ALSO IN PARK. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED, WHICH LOCATED A FAILURE AT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
COULD NOT TURN CAR HEATER ON AS THE INTERIOR FILLED WITH ENGINE FUMES ESPECIALLY WHEN IDLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO 2 DIFFERENT FORD DEALERS AND THEY COULD NOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. NOW, SUMMER OF 2013 WHEN THE AC IS TURNED ON THE SAME THING HAPPENS. IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN THAT MYSELF AND 3 YEAR OLD SON ARE BREATHING THESE FUMES IN JUST DRIVING TO THE GROCERY STORE! ALSO, TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WITHOUT ANY POSITIVE RESULTS! I HAVE BEEN DRIVING WITH NO HEAT AND NO AC FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW. WHAT CAN SOLVE THIS PROBLEM? *TR
I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN I HAVE WITH MY 2004 FORD ESCAPE. WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE 2007 (MILEAGE 102,000) AND HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT STALLING WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. I HAVE HAD 4 EXPERIENCES WHERE THE CAR WOULD STALL WHILE IN MOTION. IT APPEARS TO OCCUR WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE ABOVE 80 DEGREES AND I HAVE TRAVELED IN THE CAR FOR >30 MINUTES AND HAVE MADE A SHORT STOP (FOR GAS OR SHOPPING). AFTER CONTINUING MY DRIVE AFTER A SHORT STOP, THE CAR SUDDENLY SHUTS OFF AT SOME POINT ON THE WAY HOME WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, LOSING ALL POWER TO THE STEERING AND BREAKING SYSTEM. THE CAR WILL START UP AGAIN (WHILE COASTING) WITH NO ISSUE BUT STALL AGAIN AFTER A SHORT WHILE. THESE HAVE BEEN VERY HARROWING EXPERIENCES ON BUSY ROADS AND FORTUNATE THAT IT WAS ME AND NOT MY PREGNANT WIFE, AS I DON'T BELIEVE SHE WOULD HAVE HAD THE STRENGTH TO EXECUTE THESE EMERGENCY ACTIONS WITH NO POWER. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP FOR >1 WEEK BUT THEY HAVE FAILED TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CAR REMAINS AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP UNTIL THE CAUSE CAN BE DETERMINED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE A SMALL DISTANCE, SHE SMELLED A BURNING ODOR FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 129,790. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON A CROWDED INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT ILLUMINATED THE VEHICLE SLOWED AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY. AFTER SWITCHING THE ENGINE OFF AND WAITING A FEW MINUTES, I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND MOVE FORWARD FOR ABOUT A MILE WHEN THE SAME THING HAPPENED. AFTER THE THIRD TIME THIS HAPPENED, I DECIDED THE CAR WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN TRAFFIC AND PULLED OVER TO CALL A TOW TRUCK. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON IT. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER INDICATES NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. LOSING SPEED IN FAST-MOVING HIGHWAY TRAFFIC IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS; THANKFULLY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY IN THIS CASE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH DOWNHILL AND THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL REPEATEDLY HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DECELERATE UNTIL THE GEAR LEVER WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 12V353000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 215,198.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING AND JUMPING ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE ALL OF THE SPARK PLUGS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 111,500.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED AND WAS REPLACED BY HIS PERSONAL MECHANIC. ONE YEAR LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL AND PROVIDED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 177,000.
THE #5 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD ON MY 2004 FORD ESCAPE WHILE I WAS DRIVING APPROX 30 MPH IN AUGUST 2010. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED TO ME IN A YEAR (IT HAPPENED 1ST TIME IN AUG 2009). IT HAPPENED AGAIN 12/5/10 AND I AM AWAITING REPORT ON WHICH SPARK PLUG IT HAPPENED TO THIS TIME. THE FIRST TWO WERE THE ORIGINAL FACTORY INSTALLED SPARK PLUGS, NOT REPLACEMENT PARTS. *TR
THE #5 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD ON MY 2004 FORD ESCAPE WHILE I WAS DRIVING APPROX 30 MPH. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED TO ME IN A YEAR (IT HAPPENED 1ST TIME IN AUG 2009). THESE WERE BOTH THE ORIGINAL FACTORY INSTALLED SPARK PLUGS, NOT REPLACEMENT PARTS. *TR
ENGINE WOULD REMAIN AT FULL THROTTLE AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING AND WOULD NOT RETURN TO IDLE. FOUND THAT THERE WERE PING PONG SIZE YELLOWISH ICE CHUNKS STUCK IN THROTTLE BODY KEEPING IT HELD OPEN. ALSO FOUND THAT THROTTLE BODY WAS SEVERELY ICED. REMOVED THROTTLE BODY AND REMOVED ICE AND CLEANED THROTTLE BODY. CONCERN HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES WITHIN 9 DAYS. *JB
THE ENGINE STALLED AT 55 MPH, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR CHECKUP FOUR TIMES, BUT THE CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED. *AK THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED 3 ADDITIONAL FAILURES. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD TO PRESS A BUTTON WHENEVER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE DEALER INSTALLED A SPECIAL COMPUTER. *SC *JB
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT INTERMITTENT STALLING AT LOW SPEED THAT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED FROM A STOP POSITION OR COMING TO A STOP. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER ON EIGHT OCCASIONS, AND DEALER UNABLE TO RESOLVED / DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY DIFFICULT TO START AFTER SITTING ALL DAY (I.E. 8 HOUR WORK DAY). IT WILL CRANK, BUT WILL NOT CATCH. HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. HAS TAKEN UP TO 4 TIMES TO START. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND SUGGESTED CHECKING TSBS. *JB
ONGOING MUSTY MILDEW ODOR FROM VENTS AND A/C UNIT. HAVE BROUGHT IT FOR SERVICE 3 TIMES, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT PROBLEM. AFTER DRIVING IN THE CAR FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, I FEEL ILL AND HAVE SLIGHT DIFFICULTY BREATHING. *AK
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Quick Summary
The 2004 Ford Escape has 21 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.