66 complaints reported

2006 Ford Escape Engine

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
66
Crashes
1
Fires
5
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jan 2025

The idler pulley on the subject vehicle has failed numerous times, with the mounting bolt shearing at the connection to the timing cover. Upon failure of the pulley the serpentine belt will either fail or become dislodged; when this occurs the steering, alternator, and water pump all stop operating. The vehicle becomes difficult to handle due to the loss of power steering, and is subject to shutting off due to the lack of an alternator and water pump. This particular issue has happened to me on four separate occasions in the last two years; the first time occurred while operating in traffic; the subsequent occasions were noted during startup and were detected before driving. New replacement pulleys will only last approximately 4000-5000 miles before they fail. The power steering pump and air conditioning compressor have been replaced due to concerns that they could be placing extra strain on the serpentine belt, however the issue has occurred even after replacing these components. Internet research notes that this is a common problem of the 2.3L engine in the Escape and other Ford/Mercury models of the same time frame. Nobody has reported a permanent solution; later model vehicles using the same or similar issue came equipped with electric power steering, which likely reduced the load on the pulley and its undersized mounting bolt. The idler pulley on this vehicle has proven to be an Achilles heel and should have been addressed by Ford via a recall and redesigned pulley.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2023
Sep 2023 Fire

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while pulling into the driveway, the check engine warning light illuminated and there was smoke coming from under the hood. The contact parked the vehicle and noticed that the smoke had increased. The contact stated that as he exited the vehicle, the smoke became darker. The contact stated that upon looking through the passenger's side wheel well, he saw flames under the engine compartment. The contact then walked away from the vehicle. The contact stated that the entire front end of the vehicle and dash had significantly burned and melted. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. A fire department report was filed. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle remained at the residence. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 164,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2023
Sep 2021

KNOCKING, KNOCKING WHEN ACCELERATING, HESITATION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2021
Oct 2020

AFTER ABOUT 2 YEARS, 2008, CAR WAS DRAGGING TOOK IT TO FORD, WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG, IT WAS SOME TIME LATER, 2016 /2017 THAT THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, HAD IT REPLACED, LESS THAN 1 YEAR IT WENT OUT AGAIN, WHICH FORD REPLACED, WHEN THE SERVICE PERSON ASKED WHO DID IT, HE JUST ROLLED HIS EYES. 3 YEARS AND 2 MONTHS LATER, MORE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, NOW THEYARE TELING IT THE PTU UNIT WHICH IS CAUSING OIL TO LEAK THROUGH THE ENGINE AND NOW THEY WANT 5,000.00 TO REPLACE IT. A TRANSMISSION SHOP WAS QUESTION AND THEY SAID THAT YEAR HAD LOTS OF ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS AND WHEN FORD REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION THE PTRU UNIT WAS PUT IN WRONG, THAT THEY WERE CONSTANTLY FIXING IT, ALSO THAT THE HILLTOP FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS THE WORSE ANYONE COULD GO TO, ALSO WHEN I TOOK MY CARE TO FORD, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ON, AND WHEN I PICKED IT UP AND TOLD WHAT WAS WRONG, THEY HAD ON IT THE I WANTED TO FIND OUT WHY MY ENGINE WAS, I DID NOT, IT WAS NOT ON, I WAS TOLD THAT HE HAD TO PUT THAT OR THE CHARGES WOULD BE MORE, I WAS ALREADY BEING CHANGED OVER $200 WHEN I WAS NEVER TOLD ABOUT THE CHARGE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2020
Oct 2019

THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING AND IDLE.AFTER WARMED UP.THE RED SECURITY LIGHT FLASHES ON THE DASH. IT HAS SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2019
Feb 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. IN ADDITION, THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE COOLING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED DAY FORD (LOCATED AT 2124, 3696 WILLIAM PENN HWY, MONROEVILLE, PA 15146, (412) 856-0600) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 187,621.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2019
Dec 2018

SEE ATTACHED REPAIR INVOICE # 68143 DATED 01/04/2018. LANDMARK FORD TUALATIN, OR 97281 DEFECTIVE HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY COOLING FANS & DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODY ASSY PAID INVOICE AMT $2208.95. *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2017
Apr 2018 Crash Injury

MY 2006 FORD ESCAPE WAS PURCHASED IN AUGUST OF 2005. FOUR MONTHS LATER, NOVEMBER 2005, I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SLOT IN FRONT OF A RESTAURANT, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN IT SURGED AHEAD, WENT OVER A CONCRETE BLOCK, TOOK DOWN TWO POLES, AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. AT THE TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BRAKES, BUT NO ONE COULD FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. PEOPLE SAID I PROBABLY STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR, BUT I WAS CONVINCED THAT I DID NOT. I COULD NOT PROVE ANYTHING. JULY 22, 2018, TWELVE YEARS LATER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SLOT IN THE BACK OF MY CHURCH PARKING LOT. THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND THE CAR SURGED FORWARD, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY, THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO. I WENT OVER A CONCRETE BLOCK AND SMASHED INTO THE SANCTUARY WALL. I WAS INJURED AND HAD PROBLEMS FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF. I READ AN ARTICLE ON THE INTERNET FROM THE NHTSA ON TORQUE NEWS THAT THE NORTH CAROLINA CONSUMERS COUNCIL (NCCC) SAYS THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY SYSTEM THAT COULD FAIL - CAUSING THE ENGINE TO EITHER SURGE OR STALL. THIS IS ONLY UNDER INVESTIGATION NOW, NO RECALL. I AM SURE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE, BUT I CANNOT PROVE OR DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY ESCAPE FOR 13 YEARS AND ONLY HAD 50,000 MILES ON IT, BUT I HAD IT TOTALED. IT COULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED, BUT I COULD NOT TAKE THE CHANCE OF IT HAPPENING AGAIN. WHAT IF I HAD HURT SOMEONE OR WILL SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THEY HAVE A RECALL ON THE ESCAPES? IT IS TOO LATE FOR ME TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT MY 2006 ESCAPE, BUT PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR DIES. I DID PURCHASE ANOTHER ESCAPE, A 2011. I HOPE NOTHING HAPPENS TO THIS ONE. PLEASE HAVE A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2018
Mar 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE "STOP FOR SAFETY/HIGH MOTOR - COOLING" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COOLANT PUMP WAS FAULTY. A DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,300.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2018
Jul 2017

HYBRID MEC PUMP FAILURE: MY VEHICLE HAD THE MEC HYBRID COOLANT PUMP FAILURE THAT IS COMMON TO THIS VEHICLE. MY PARTICULAR VIN # WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE LARGE SCALE RECALL UNDERTAKEN BY FORD. I HAD THE PUMP REPLACED BY A FORD DEALER IN 2011, AND THEN AGAIN IN 2012 AFTER A SECOND FAILURE. THIS COST ME OVER $3000 IN TOTAL. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY MY CAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. IT SHOULD BE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2011
Dec 2016

WHILE DRIVING, A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON STATING " SAFELY PULL OVER AND STOP NOW", THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT, NO POWER AT ALL. I PULLED OVER AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES RESTART IT. EVERYTHING SOUNDED FINE. I TALK TO A FORD DEALER WHOM SEEM NOT TO KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT. I HAVE AN ENGINE CODE P1A0C (ETB), FROM MY ACTRON@ DEVICE. I STARTED TO HAVE IT FIXED BUT I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH ISSUE AND THE SOLUTIONS GIVING BY THE DEALER'S SERVICE HAVE BEEN ALL DIFFERENT I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OF THEM FIXED THE ISSUE. SOME HAVE STATED THAT THEIR VEHICLE STALLED OUT WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. I'M NOT SURE IF IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2016
Sep 2016

ENGINE LOST ALL OIL. THERE IS NO OIL SPOT ON THE ROAD NO LEAK DETECTED EACH OIL CHANGE AT 3K MILES. I HAD GONE TO LUNCH, NO PROBLEM, NO NOISE, NO WARNING LIGHTS. I GOT IN THE VEHICLE TO GO HOME AND HEARD A LOUD BANGING SOUND. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND TOWED IT HOME. I CHECKED THE OIL AND IT WAS GONE. I HAD JUST HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND WITHIN 2 WEEKS THE OIL IS JUST GONE. THERE ARE 36 OTHER REPORTED INCIDENTS OF OIL BEING LOST IN THE ENGINE AND FORD WILL DO NOTHING. THE COST OF A REPLACED ENGINE IS ANY WHERE FROM 5OOO TO 9000 DOLLARS. IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE YOUR ENGINE QUIT WHEN YOU ARE ARE AT WORK LIKE ME YOU CAN GET A TOW. SOME HAVE REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE JUST STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY. HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT IS DEADLY FOR SEVERAL PEOPLE. FORD AND DOT NEED TO LOOK INTO THIS AND REPLACE THESE ENGINES. THE DAY PRIOR TO MY ENGINE ISSUE I HAD CHECKED THE OIL AND IT WAS FULL. BUT THE NEXT DAY IT DISAPPEARED . WITHOUT A TRACE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2016
Mar 2016

MY 2005 FORD ESCAPE JUST SUDDENLY STARTED SURGING AND STALLING WHILE IN MOTION AND WHEN STOPPED. THE WRENCH/ SECURITY LIGHT FLASHES THAN PROBLEM OCCURS. THIS IS TOTALLY UNSAFE CAN AND WILL CAUSE ACCIDENT OR DEATH IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY. I READ ABOUT OTHER ESCAPES HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, IS THERE ANY ANSWER FROM FORD AS TO FIX SUCH PROBLEM. THANKS [XXX] ('PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).')*JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2016
Nov 2015

I PURCHASED MY 06 FORD ESCAPE IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR. IT HAS 92,000 MILES ON IT. I TEST DROVE THE CAR AND HAD IT INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC AFTER PURCHASE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WASNT AN ISSUE THE DEALER " FORGOT " TO MENTION, ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE MY OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I ADDED OIL BUT DID NOT GET AN OIL CHANGE BECAUSE I WASN'T DUE ONE FOR 1400 MILES. AFTER THAT THE CAR WAS FINE.... FOR ABOUT A WEEK WHEN THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, IN THE MEAN TIME I WAS DILIGENT ABOUT CHECKING THE OIL AND ALSO INSPECTING BENEATH THE VEHICLE TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO OIL ON THE GROUND. THERE WASN'T. THE OIL LIGHT STOPPED COMING ON BUT I CONFINED TO CHECK THE OIL DAILY. AND I'M GLAD I DID BECAUSE , THE OIL IN MY CAR CONTINUED TO DISAPPEAR. I HAVE NOW HAD THE CAR 9 MONTHS AND THE PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. THE CAR BARELY DRIVES NOW AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS INDICATING A CYLINDER IS MISFIRING. I'M GOING THEY A QT OF OIL A DAY AND DRIVING ONLY 30 MILES ROUND TRIP TO WORK AND BACK .I'VE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS A CONSISTENT AND ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. FORD HAS LEFT ME WITH 4,000 DOLLARS LEFT OF A LOAN, NO WAY FOR MY HUSBAND AND I TO GET TO WORK OR BRING OUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL AND WITH XMAS COMING, NOT ONE EXTRA DIME TO PUT TOWARDS A NEW VEHICLE. I KNOW FORD HAS BEEN INFORMED OF THESE PROBLEMS. WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THEM TO ISSUE A RECALL? WHEN THE 06 ESCAPES ENGINE FAILS ON A BUSY HIGH WAY AND GOD FORBID PEOPLE ARE HURT ? OR WORSE? AND FORD CAN'T SAY THEY WEREN'T WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAD IT WITH THE 05 ESCAPE TOO AND STILL USED THE SAME ENGINE IN THE 06. NOW I'M PAST THE LEMON LAW TIME FRAME AND I HAVE NO OPTIONS BUT TO PAY FOR A 6500 DOLLAR LAWN ORNAMENT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2015
Sep 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2010
Jul 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, A WARNING INDICATOR TO SHUT THE VEHICLE DOWN ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2013
Mar 2015

AS I WAS TRAVELING ACROSS INTERSTATE 86 IN NEW YORK STATE, AT 65 MILES PER HOUR, MY FORD ESCAPE COMPLETELY LOST POWER. FORTUNATELY FOR ME I WAS RIGHT NEXT TO AN OFF RAMP AND A CONVENIENT MARKET. WHEN I CHECKED THE ENGINE FOR SIGNS OF WHAT COULD HAVE GONE WRONG I FOUND THAT MY ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF OIL. I MAINTAIN MY OWN VEHICLES DUE TO THE COSTS OF THE REPAIR SHOPS AND CHECK MY VEHICLES FLUIDS REGULARLY. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF OIL LOSS WHERE I HAD BEEN PARKING MY VEHICLE AS WELL. WHEN I HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED AT MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP THEY TOLD ME IT WAS OUT OF TIME. HOW DOES A CHAIN DRIVEN VEHICLE BECOME OUT OF TIME? AS I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ON CAR FORUMS ON THE INTERNET I REALIZED THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE FACING THIS ISSUE. MANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE REPLACED ENGINES IN THIS MODEL YEAR AT VERY UNREASONABLE PRICES SOME ONLY TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE REOCCUR. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHERE THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER COULD HAVE CREATED AN ACCIDENT. I HOPE MORE INDIVIDUALS TAKE THE TIME TO COMPLAIN SO SOMETHING MAY BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE AND THE VEHICLE HAS A REPUTATION FOR FAILURE WHICH UNFORTUNATELY I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT BEFORE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE. I WORK PART TIME AND CAN NOT AFFORD TO REPAIR THE ONLY VEHICLE I OWN. I AM WITHOUT A VEHICLE DUE TO A MAJOR COMPANY UNWILLING TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY OF THEIR INFERIOR PRODUCT. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE FACT IT WAS AMERICAN MADE AND ASSEMBLED IN THE U.S. NEXT TIME I GUESS I BUY A FOREIGN PRODUCT THAT AT LEAST I WILL RECEIVE A PRODUCT THAT IS WORTH MY INVESTMENT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2013
Mar 2015

I OWN A 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID- I RECEIVED NOTICE LAST YEAR OF RECALL FOR STALLING. I ASKED DEALER IN DEC TO REPLACE. WAS TOLD PART WAS LIMITED AND AS LONG AS NO PROBLEM THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET PART.( ALSO ASKED IN JAN- NO CHANGE.. IN FEB THE VEHICLE STARTED STALLING NUMEROUS TIMES. AFTER THEN HAVING THE CAR 3 DAYS. WAS TOLD THEY NO LONGER AM ABLE TO GET THE PART. TOOK IT BACK TWICE MORE AND AM NOW BEING TOLD THEY ARE NO LONGER MAKING THE PART . AND MY VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALL.- IS THERE A NUMBER TO CALL AT FORD TO SEE WHY NO PART.. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2015
Feb 2015

I BOUGHT A USED 2006 FORD ESCAPE FROM PASADENA AUTO PLANET IN SOUTH HOUSTON TX. ON 1/31/15. ABOUT A WEEK LATER I THOUGHT I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER MY HOOD BUT I DISMISSED IT BECAUSE THERE WAS A CAR IN FRONT OF ME WITH SMOKE COMING FROM THE MUFFLER. ON ANOTHER DAY THE SAME THING. I WASN'T BEHIND ANY CAR AND I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER MY HOOD SO I PULLED OVER. I COULD SMELL COOLANT. MY CAR DID NOT INDICATE OVERHEATING BECAUSE IT IS COLD OUTSIDE. WHEN I LIFTED MY HOOD SMOKE GALORE CAME OUT FROM THE RADIATOR. IT WAS DARK SO I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. THE NEXT MORNING I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND WE DISCOVERED THE RADIATOR WAS CRUSHED FROM AN APPARENT PRIOR ACCIDENT AND THE FANS WEREN'T WORKING EITHER. I CALLED THE CAR LOT THE NEXT MORNING AND SPOKE WITH A MAN NAMED [XXX]. I TOLD HIM THE SITUATION. HE TOLD ME WHEN HE GOT TO THE CAR LOT HE WOULD PULL MY FILE AND CALL ME BACK. 3 HOURS WENT BY AND NOTHING. SO I WENT TO THE CAR LOT AND THERE HE WAS. HE DID NOT LOOK HAPPY TO SEE ME. I WENT INSIDE AND TOLD HIM AGAIN ABOUT THE DAMAGED RADIATOR. WE WALKED OUTSIDE AND HE LIFTED THE TOP OFF THE COOLANT SYSTEM AND SAID TO ME, "WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY FLUID IN HERE." LIKE HE WAS TRYING TO DANCE ALL AROUND IT. I FINALLY MADE HIM GET ON HIS KNEES AND LOOK AT THE DAMAGE AND HE SAID, "OH, THAT'S JUST THE CONDENSER." SO I ASKED HIM WHAT WAS HE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT. HE SAID HE WOULD "TRY" TO GET APPROVAL TO FIX IT AT NO COST TO ME. I DECIDED I DON'T WANT THEM FIXING IT BECAUSE AT THIS POINT I DO NOT TRUST THEM. I WANT MY MONEY BACK. AFTER RESEARCHING, I FOUND OUT THAT FIRE CAN RESULT FROM A CAR OVERHEATING SO HE SOLD ME A SAFETY HAZARD. MY 1ST CAR PAYMENT IS DUE THIS SATURDAY, 2/28/15. I'M NOT PAYING IT FOR I JUST WANT MY MONEY BACK. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2015
Jan 2015

MY ENGINE SEIZED, THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS(OIL, CHECK ENGINE, TEMP) NOTHING. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE CAR. BUT THERE WAS NO ODOR OF BURNING OIL. MY CAR HAD LESS THAN90 THOUSAND MILES ON IT AND IT WAS WELL MAINTAINED . WHAT CAN I DO? *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2015
Dec 2014 Fire

ON MY HOME FROM THE GROCERY STORE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 TO 60 MPH IN OUR 2006 FORD ESCAPE 4 CYL SUV. THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD POP AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. FREAKED OUT I PULLED OFF IN A DRIVEWAY. WE POURED SODA POP FROM 2 LITRES ON THE FIRE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAME. THE MESH PIPE BEFORE THE LAST CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS GLOWING RED. I HAVE READ MANY STORIES OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ON ALL YEARS OF FORD ESCAPE. IT IS IN MY OPINION THE REAR CONVERTER STOPPED UP CAUSING THIS DAMAGE TO OUR ONCE LOVELY RIDE.NOW I AM NOT EVEN SURE IF IT WILL RUN. THE HEAT FROM THINGS LIKE THIS CAUSES MAJOR STRESS ON INTERNAL ENGINE PARTS AS THE EXHAUST HAS NO WHERE TO GO. THEN WHEN THE ENGINE EXPLODES AS IT SHOULD FIRE STARTS. WE ARE NOW OUT OF A RIDE UNTIL WE CAN PAY AN EXTREME AMOUNT FOR THIS DEFECTIVE SUV. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2014
Dec 2014

I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. THE DASH SHOWED A WARNING STATING SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF 'STOP SAFELY NOW'. I STEERED THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND TRIED TO RESTART IT AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND THE CAR STARTED. IT HAS RUN FINE SINCE THEN. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO WITH THIS SAME VEHICLE. I WOULD BE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR WOULD JUST STOP. AFTER A FEW MINUTES IT WOULD START AGAIN. SOMETIMES IT WOULD HAPPEN TWICE WITHIN AN HOUR AND THEN THERE WOULD BE NO INCIDENCES FOR WEEKS TO MONTHS AND THEN IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. A MECHANIC REPLACED AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT AND IT APPEARED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED UNTIL THE INCIDENT ABOVE. I AM THE SOLE DRIVER OF THE CAR AND THE ORIGINAL OWNER. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2014
Oct 2014

I WAS SITTING AT A DRIVE THROUGH AND VEHICLE STARTED SPUTTERING. HAD TO KEEP FOOT ON GAS TO KEEP THE VEHICLE RUNNING. WHEN I WENT TO PULL OUT ON THE STREET, THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT. AFTER 4 OR 5 ATTEMPTS AT RESTARTING, IT STARTED ABOUT 20 MIN LATER. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2014
Sep 2014

I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR SINCE 2006 WHEN I BOUGHT IT NEW. AFTER ABOUT FOUR YEARS THE BATTERY PACK BLEW AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. IT WOULD HAVE COST $4000 BUT THANKFULLY I HAD PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND IT WAS COVERED. ON SEPT. 20, 2014 THE CAR THREW A ROD AND THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE MECHANIC SAID IT WOULD COST $5000 TO FIX IT WITH A REBUILT ENGINE BUT THAT IT WASN'T WORTH IT BECAUSE THE ENGINES FOR THESE CARS ARE NOTORIOUSLY UNRELIABLE AND IT WOULD PROBABLY JUST FAIL AGAIN. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT WE SCRAP THE CAR. THE ENTIRE LIFECYCLE OF THIS VEHICLE WAS ONLY 8 YEARS WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY PREPOSTEROUS. CARS SHOULD LAST LONGER. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2014
Sep 2014

2006 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO UNEXPECTED ENGINE FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE WITH NO WARNING, WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. *JB UPDATED 08/20/14. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2014

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Quick Summary

The 2006 Ford Escape has 66 Engine complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.