2001 Ford Escape fuel system, gasoline problems

“WE WERE DRIVING AROUND A CURVE AND ONTO A STRAIGHT PART OF THE ROAD ABOUT 40-43 MPH AND THE ENGINE JUST CUT OFF. WE WERE ABLE TO COAST OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOP. THE STEERING AND BRAKES HAD NO POWER. WE TRIED STARTING THE ENGINE AND IT CRANKED BUT ACTED LIKE IT WAS NOT GETTING ANY FUEL (THERE WAS HALF A TANK). WE LEFT TO GET A RIDE AND WHEN WE RETURNED TO TOW THE CAR IT STARTED RIGHT UP AND HAS BEEN DRIVING FINE SINCE. WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT NOW BECAUSE IF WE HAD BEEN IN TRAFFIC WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR”

“TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2001 FORD ESCAPE XLT WIRES UNDER THE HOOD BURNED WHILE SITTING IN THE GARAGE OF HER HOME. SHE DROVE THE VEHICLE ONE HOUR PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THE ALARMS IN HER HOUSE WARNED HER OF THE FIRE. SHE CALLED THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY FOUND NO FIRE IN THE HOUSE. THEY THEN CHECKED THE GARAGE AND THEY SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. THE FIREMAN OPENED AND NOTICED THE WIRES THAT WERE BURNING UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TOWN AND COUNTRY, AND THEY INFORMED HER THAT OLD BRAKE FLUID LEAKED ON THE ABS, WHICH WAS THE CAUSE OF THE WIRES BURNING. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR THE ABS LIGHT COMING ON, AND OFF AT THE LOCAL FIRESTONE, THEY REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER . THE WIRES BURNED WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THE REPAIR. THE TOWN AND COUNTRY DEALERSHIP GAVE THE CONTACT A LOANER VEHICLE, AND SHE FELT THIS WAS ODD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HER THAT IT WOULD COST $2,416.12 TO REPAIR THE WIRES AND THE ABS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE BOTH 67,508. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE WANTS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR ALL REPAIRS DONE TO HER VEHICLE AND HAS PROVIDED ALL INVOICES FOR REPAIR AND THE REPORT FROM…”

“THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED ON 05/01/06 AFTER DRIVING AT LEAST 30 MIN TO 45 MIN. AT A SPEED OF AROUND 50 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED A LOOSE GAS CAP. ON 5/22/06 AFTER DRIVING AGAIN AT LEAST 30 MIN TO 45 MIN. AFTER RETURNING HOME AND BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY MY ESCAPE STALLED AND WOULD NOT START, AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR IT STARTED AGAIN DID NOT TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. THE THIRD INCIDENT HAPPENED MAY 30 AFTER DRIVING 30 MIN TO 45 MIN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE VAPOR MANAGEMENT VALVE WHICH IS STILL NOT CORRECTING THE PROBLEM, SO THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT REPLACING THE FUEL TANK. THE DEALER HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL, BUT AFTER FIVE YEARS I WOULD THINK I WOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *JB”

“FORD ESCAPE 2001, WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVEN'T KEPT WINDOWS CLEAR ENOUGH TO SEE DURING RAIN OR SNOW. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS ONLY GETTING 10-12 MILES PER GALLON ON THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO DRIVE WHEN IT WAS WINDY OUTSIDE. WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND DID NOT COME BACK UP FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE. THE CONSUMER SPOKE TO THE DEALER AND HE SAID THE BRAKES MUST HAVE FROZEN UP. THE BATTERY LOW LIGHT WAS ON. *JB”

“ONE WEEK PRIOR TO FIRE, THERE WAS A UNUSUAL SMELL THAT WAS ALMOST LIKE A "FUNNY WOODSTOVE' SMELL. THIS SMELL WAS ONLY PRESENT UNTIL THE CAR HEATED UP AND THE AIR FRESHENER WOULD COVER THE ODOR. IT GOT VERY STRONG THE AFTERNOON BEFORE THE FIRE HAPPENED. IT WAS MORE OF A STALE TIN CAN IS THE BEST WAY THAT I CAN DESCRIBE IT. I CAME HOME IN THE EVENING AND AT 5:30 AM OF THE 30TH MY MOTHER AND I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION WHICH WE FOUND OUT WAS LATER THE REAR TIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE BURSTING DUE TO THE INTENSITY OF THE FIRE AND THE ORIGIN, THE REAR LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FORD ESCAPE IS DESTROYED AND BURNED AT OVER 1400 DEGREES AND SPREAD SO RAPIDLY THAT BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BUT CONTROL THE FORE AND PUT IT OUT. MY PARENTS VEHICLE WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY NEXT TO MY ESCAPE AND WAS ALSO DESTROYED. SINCE THE INCIDENT I HAVE CONTACTED FORD SEVERAL TIMES TO REPORT THE INCIDENT AND HAVE AN INVESTIGATOR COME OUT TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE AS THE ORIGIN IS ALREADY DETERMINED DUE TO THE WAY THE VEHICLE BURNED. I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE RUNAROUND SEVERAL TIMES, AND IT HAS BEEN ALMOST THIRTY DAYS. THERE…”

“THERE WERE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE EGR SENSOR (DPFE) WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE SOP DRIVER SIDE OUTER BELT MOLDING, FUEL PUMP, SWAY BAR LINKS AND IAC. *BF THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW, WATER LEAKED AROUND THE TAILGATE WINDOW, THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO START, THE IAC WAS STICKING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW SQUEAKED AND RATTLED, THE VEHICLE HESITATED UPON STARTING, THERE WAS PLAY IN THE FRONT SWAY BAR LINKS, THE COOLANT LIGHT STAYED ON, THERE WAS A CRACK AROUND THE OIL PAN AND THE OIL DRAIN PLUG WAS PROBLEMATIC, AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STICKING. *SC *JB”