2004 Ford Escape engine problems

“RECENTLY PURCHASED CAR, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DIAGNOSTICS SCAN SHOWS 2ND CYLINDER MISFIRE, IGNITION COIL FAULTY. WENT ONLINE TO CHECK COMMON ISSUES WITH THIS MODEL..IT IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH MOST 04 ESCAPES. LOTS OF COMPLAINTS FOR WHEEL WELL RUST..UPON INSPECTION, MINE TOO IS CORRODED AND THE SHOCK IS COMING THROUGH THE FLOOR BOARD IN THE HATCH. I HEARD NOISES WHILE DRIVING BUT HADN'T INSPECTED IT UNTIL NOW, AS I JUST BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE. THE CORRODED SPOTS WERE CONCEALED UNDER THE CARPET. UNSAFE TO DRIVE. MY PHOTOS ARE TOO LARGE TO UPLOAD.”

“THE VEHICLE WAS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. IT WAS PARKED ON THE STREET, EVERYTHING WAS TURNED OFF AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING. I WAS IN WORK WHEN I WAS INFORMED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. NOTHING WAS ON TO START THIS FIRE, IT HAPPENED SPONTANEOUSLY. THE FIRE SEEMS TO HAVE STARTED IN THE VICINITY OF THE DRIVERS SIDE ENGINE BAY. PREVIOUS TO THIS INCIDENT, THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”