CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2004 Ford Escape looks pretty good compared to other Ford Escape model years, but still has a trend of transmission problems, and engine problems from the NHTSA complaint data — so it's not a model year we can recommend.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
22 / 4
Injuries / Deaths:
11 / 1
Average Mileage:
89,309 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Vehicle was U able to control, constant issues with transmission and idle kept getting stuck, speed up on its own and was unable stop without throwing car in park while driving
The contact owns a 2004 Ford Escape. While driving at an unknown speed, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a ditch. The steering wheel air bag deployed. A police report was not filed. The driver sustained bruising to the legs and was unconscious. Medical treatment was received. The contact was uncertain if the front passenger and curtain air bags deployed. The vehicle was towed to a police impound lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed by an independent mechanic or a dealer. The manufacturer issued NHTSA campaign number: 12V353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control); however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and inquired about access to the vehicle to investigate the cause of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 177,000.
Driving down the road about fourty five miles per hour I pushed the gas to go up a hill and lost all power to the engine. I removed my foot from the engine and it picked up enough speed to get to the side of the road. After being towed home it would crank but if you moved shifter knob or pressed gas it woukd die out.
The contact owns a 2004 Ford Escape. When the gear was shifted into drive, the vehicle independently accelerated in excess of 30 mph. As a result, the contact's vehicle crashed into another vehicle. The contact was able to stop the vehicle by shifting into neutral and shutting off the engine. A police report was filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic (ct conveyor llc located at 320 terryville rd, bristol, ct 06010; (860) 637-2926) where it was diagnosed that the cruise control cable needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 12V353000 and 14V165000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control and structure). The parts to do the repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 199,400...updated 08/31/17
- Bristol, CT, USA
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My 04 Ford Escape has a 4 cylinder and is a manual. It has begun to accelerate by itself. It will accelerate whether it is in gear or in neutral. I assumed there would recall for this problem, as I know other vehicles have been in serious accidents with similar problems. I can take my foot off of the pedal and it will stay at a steady speed, or accelerate, on its own. Often when I'm switching gears, put it in neutral, it will self-rev itself up to 4000+ rpms! I will have to wait and coast for about 10 to 30 seconds for it to bring itself back down to a reasonable RPM to get it into the next gear. So, it is intermittent, but happens about 50% of the time you are driving it, and at times can be very dangerous. I assumed Ford might pay for the repair as this is a dangerous situation, however my dealer says "no" because there is no recall.
When pressig on the gas pedal to pass another vehicle, my vehicle began to incress in speed and would not stop.the pedal stuck and I had no control of the speed of this vehicle. Speed reduced when gear shift placed in netural and then when slow enough into reverse. Whew!!!! wife and I thought we were a gonner. This happen on the highway. Seed reached colse to 90 mile an hour befor brought under control.
Unable to accelerate car while driving forward on a city street. After getting the vehicle to a safe location we noticed the cable connecting the accelerator pedal had sheared and completely detached from the pedal.
The contact owns a 2004 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle revved and unintended accelerated, while driving at low speeds. The contact was able to engage the brake pedal, shifted the gear into neutral, engaged the emergency brake, and coasted the vehicle out of traffic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer informed that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 12V353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control). The approximate failure mileage was 113,000. Updated 01/05/2017 the consumer stated on January 18, 2016, the dealer replaced the PCV hose connector. On February 14, 2016 it froze up again and on February 17th they cleaned it again and replaced the vacuum coupling. On decemebr 15, 2016 while driving down the highway, the throttle stuck wide open again. The pvc area was completely frozen again. The consumer cleaned it, only to freeze again. Updated 02/14/17.
The contact owned a 2004 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 20 mph, the speed accelerated independently, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond causing the vehicle to crash into a guard rail. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was destroyed. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 12V353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Vehicle airbag light goes on and off intermittently. This happens whether parked or driving, whether there is a passenger or not. Vehicle will "rev" in park, if the steering wheel is turned slightly, bumped or move. Twice vehicle has "jumped" while in parked when this has happened. Major issue: Door locks will not open. There is no manual lock on the doors, only electronic. No place for a key. Passengers have been locked inside with no way to exit vehicle except to climb over seat. Will happen to various doors, most often the front passenger door, but not all doors at the same time (we believe this may happen, ) door lock will click 3 times but will not unlock.
Was driving 25 miles an hour down small hill, the car in front of me stopped. I hit the brakes and the car didn't stop it felt as if I was pushing the accelerator like when pushing button! to speed up cruise control and it slowly increases speed. I slammed both feet to the brake and went to reach for emergency brake but never made it. I hit the other car. Last thing I remember is hearing metal crunch, the next thing I remember is smoke, top of my head on left side hairline ached looked in mirror and saw blood. Started looking for my phone on the dash but it was broken.could hear someone talking, then people were walking up to car. When the officer got there he asked what I hit my head on I didn't know, he asked if I had my seatbelt on I said yes. I told him my car wouldn't stop. Realized when E.M.T asked same question I knee I had it on but couldn't remember taking it off, and I told him that. He looked at chest didn't see marks or bruising, he asked again if I was sure, I was sure I put it on. After crash, when got to tow yard next day saw my seat belt broke, I cracked the windshield with my head and broke all under steering wheel with my knees...but the airbags deployed must have been after I hit everything because it hit me in the arm only based on that stinging red raised rash that later bruised on my forearm, no airbag to face injuries, just hit top of head on windshield and knees on lower dash under steering wheel, bruising on stomach lower abdomen near pelvic bone may have been steering wheel. My car kept going faster brakes didn't slow me at all witness said and my seatbelt latch is in pieces, my airbag went of late. My bumper is folded like a flat piece of metal about one inch wide hit it pushing it into my radiator. My SUV was going 25 miles an hour, my SUV bumper hit a small car bumper, that car was stopped. What went wrong?
The contact owns a 2004 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after setting the cruise control at 75 mph, the vehicle started to accelerate independently. The contact was unable to deactivate the cruise control and stop the vehicle. The contact applied the accelerator pedal several times in order for the vehicle to stop accelerating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the plastic piece covering the throttle body fractured. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 12V353000 (vehicle speed control) but the recall remedy failed to repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000. Updated 7/21/15 the dealer replaced the part. Updated 07/28/15
On three previous occasions throttle stuck on high when stopped or in park while parking vehicle. After googling information on possible causes I found a complaints already filed with this issue. Ford acknowledged recall number 12S37. When I contacted my local Ford dealer Saturday morning 11/15/2014 with this number they where unaware, and found no reference this issue. Please assist.
The contact owns a 2004 Ford Escape. While driving 45 mph, the vehicle accelerated abruptly and the rpms increased. There were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact examined underneath the hood and noticed there was an electrical component that was burned on the driver side of the engine compartment. When the contact depressed the accelerator pedal while the vehicle was in the park position, it shut off. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure only occurred once. The failure mileage was 160,000.
2004 Ford Escape. Consumer writes in regards to cruise control cable recall notice. The consumer stated she received a recall notice, in 2013, and the part is still not available.
Had speed control on, when to slow down, stepped on brakes cruise control light came off but the car didn't slow down it speed up! I did have a recall call done on the car for this. But the fix didn't work. The car speed up to 90 mph. I had to take it out of gear to slow the car down. I did everything I could think of to stop the car from speeding up. Stomped on the brakes, push the cruise control button on and off. Towed the car and the repair guy said there was snow in the cruise control casing, that was causing it. He disconnected it.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Summerville, SC, USA