2001 Ford Escape Wipers & Visibility Problems

THE REAR WINDOW OF OUR ESCAPE EXPLODED FOR NO REASON. IT WAS JUST SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE SUNROOF GLASS AND FRAME SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE SUN ROOF GLASS SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

SITTING AT TRAFFIC LIGHT AND REAR GLASS SHATTERED INTO CAR. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE IN WI, AND OUT OF NO WHERE MY REAR WINDSHIELD SHATTERED. THE REAR DEFROST WAS ON AND THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMP WAS APPROXIMATELY 16 DEGREES F. THERE WAS NO COLLISION AND NO EVIDENCE FLYING OBJECTS TO CAUSE THE SHATTER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE IN RAINY CONDITIONS, SHE NOTICED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT A PLASTIC PIECE WITHIN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER'S MOTOR ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V387002 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GLASS ON THE REAR DOOR SHATTERED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD REPLACE THE GLASS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 2,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

THE REAR WINDOW OF MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE THAT WAS PARKED IN MY ATTACHED GARAGE EXPLODED SOMETIME DURING THE NIGHT. THE WINDOW WAS NOT CRACKED AT ANY TIME. I DROVE IT AT AROUND 10:30PM LESS THAN 1/4 MILE THE PREVIOUS NIGHT AND PARKED IT IN THE GARAGE. THE NEXT DAY AROUND 1:30PM, UPON ENTERING MY GARAGE, I NOTICED SOMETHING BLACK BEHIND MY CAR - TURNED OUT TO BE PIECES OF MY REAR WINDOW ON THE FLOOR AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE. I NOTICED MANY CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS ON LINE REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. FORD HAS NOT ISSUED ANY TYPE OF RECALL OR OFFERED ANY LEGITIMATE EXPLANATION. CALLED AVIS FORD IN SOUTHFIELD, MI - NO SATISFACTORY RESULT - ONLY $402 COST OF REPAIR - CLAIMS NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE DANGER OF INJURY TO PASSENGERS IN THE REAR SEAT IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN IN THE CAR. *TR

I AM HAVING THE EXACT PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN EA0515. THE DEALERSHIP HAS SAID IT HAS SEEN THE PROBLEM BEFORE. MY LEAK HAS RUINED THE GEM MODULE ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE TOTAL DAMAGE $980.00. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS THE BELIEF THIS IS A MANUFACTURES DEFECT AND IS NOT RESPONSIBLE EITHER. *TR

ON OR AROUND APRIL 15, 2005 MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE VIN [XXX]SUNROOF BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. THAT IS, THE ROOF DID NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE ADVISOR NOTIFIED ME THAT THE RACK FORD PART NUMBER [XXX]WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I FEEL THAT WITH SUCH LITTLE USE (MAYBE A TOTAL OF 3 HOURS OVER 4 YEARS) THIS FORD PART SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE BELLY UP. IN MY OPINION, UNDER NORMAL USE, THIS PART SHOULD NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED IN SUCH A SHORT TIME WITH SUCH LITTLE USE. *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

WHILE PARKED, THE BACK GLASS SHATTERED OUT OF THE FRAME. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.

CONTROL KNOB FOR HEATING/AIR CONDITIONG SWITCH BROKE OFF. *JB

WINDSHIELD WIPER QUITS. FORD WILL NOT HONOR THEIR RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NO. 00V387002/FORD RECALL NO. 00S49). *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. A RECALL WAS ISSUED. HOWEVER, THE RECALL HAD BEEN CLOSED. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WILL WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND IT WILL HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO SEE DURING RAINY WEATHER. DEALER NOTIFIED.TS

THE RIGHT PASSENGER WINDOW BECOMES SCRATCHED WHEN ROLLED UP, THERE IS ALSO A POP/SNAPPING NOISE WHEN THE WINDOW IS ROLLED INTO PLACE. NLM

EXPERIENCING AN ODOR AND FUMES COMING IN THROUGH VENTS. *AK

OWNER HAS BEEN WAITING OVER 6 WEEKS FOR CALL FROM DEALERSHIP TO HAVE VEHICLE SERVICED UNDER RECALL 00V-387. CJ

GAS FUMES SMELL WAS COMING THROUGH VENTS, CAUSING HEALTH HAZARD. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER 3 TIMES, BUT HAD NO SOLUTION.*AK

WHEN TURNING REAR DEFOGGER ON INSIDE OF VEHICLE, AND WHEN CONSUMER TURNS VEHICLE OFF REAR DEFOGGER STILL STAYS ON FOR DAYS AT A TIME. *AK

SINCE DRIVING VEHICLE OFF LOT, I'VE NOTICE A FUEL ODOR COMING FROM THE UNDERHOOD AREA INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN THROUGH THE HEATING/COOLING VENTS. THIS REGULARLY OCCURS DURING WARM RESTARTS AND WHEN IDLING IN TRAFFIC WITH A WARM ENGINE. ODOR IS MORE NOTICABLE WITH DASH VENTS BLOWING. FUEL LINE RECALL WAS ACTED UPON BUT DIDN'T PROVIDE SOLUTION.

THERE IS A GASOLINE ODOR THAT COMES THROUGH THE HVAC SYSTEM DURING A WARM RE-START; NEVER ON COLD START. OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE ALSO SEEMS TO HAVE A BEARING ON THE ODOR. THE GASOLINE ODOR IS NOT APPARENT WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 32 DEGREES. THE ODOR SEEMS STRONGEST ON THE RIGHT HAND (PASSENGER) SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.*AK

WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NAMED IN THIS COMPLAINT IN OCT. 2000 AND WITHIN FOUR DAYS OF THE PURCHASE RETURNED IT TO THE DEALER BECAUSE WE EXPERIENCED GASOLINE FUMES (NOT EXHAUST) COMING THROUGH THE AIR VENTS WITH EITHER HEAT/AIR OR A/C ON. THE DEALER KEPT THE CAR FOR OVER A WEEK AND SAID THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT, THOUGH SERVICE PEOPLE SMELLED THE GAS FUME SMELL. WE RETURNED THE CAR A SECOND TIME AS THE SMELL WAS GETTING STRONGER. IT OCCURS ON WARM STARTS, NEVER WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED UP COLD. THE FUME SMELL IS APPARENT FOR 5-10 MINUTES, AND THINS OUT WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING AT HIGH SPEEDS AND AIR IS COMING IN. THE SECOND TIME THE DEALER HAD THE CAR THEY KEPT IT A WEEK AND COULD NOT FIX IT. THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE WITH ANOTHER. TEN DAYS LATER WE TOOK OWNERSHIP OF ANOTHER VEHICLE EXACTLY LIKE THIS ONE. FORTY-EIGHT HOURS INTO DRIVING IT THE GAS SMELL WAS NOTICEABLE AGAIN. WE NOTIFIED THE DEALER WHO SAID THAT FORD HAS NO FIX FOR IT. THE DEALER HAD NO COMMENT OR IDEA ON WHEN/IF/HOW THIS WOULD BE RESOLVED. WE WENT OUT TO THE INTERNET AND IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS, EDMUNDS.COM AND YAHOO ESCAPE CLUB AMONG OTHERS, WE FOUND TESTIMONIAL AFTER TESTIMONIAL OF CUSTOMERS OWNING THE V-6 ESCAPE, AND THE MIRROR CAR, THE MAZDA TRIBUTE, HAVING EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEMS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED. THIS IS CLEARLY NOT AN ISOLATED EXCEPTION WITH OUR VEHICLE. ONE PERSON EXPERIENCED HIS CAR BURNING TO THE GROUND WITH 800 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. WE WANT TO ALERT YOU TO THIS PROBLEM AND THE FACT THAT FORD/MAZDA ARE BEING TOTALLY UNCOMMUNICATIVE TO THE CUSTOMER ABOUT THIS SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW. WE DO NOT KNOW IF THE CAR IS EVEN SAFE TO DRIVE. OUR DEALER HAS NO INFORMATION ON A FIX AND HAS NOT OFFERED TO TAKE THIS CAR BACK. WE INTEND TO MEET WITH THEM AGAIN, BUT IF THEY FOLLOW THE SAME SUIT AS MOST OF THE DEALERS THAT OTHER TROUBLED ESCAPE CUSTOMERS HAVE APPROACHED, IT WILL BE A PROBLEM. *AK

FUEL VAPORS ENTERING PASSENGER COMPARTMENT VIA VENTILATION DUCTS. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT OPERATING. DEALER NOTIFIED AND WAITED FOR PARTS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND IT WAS RAINING, AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS DIDN'T WORK AT ALL. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERDERED. *AK