Ford escape

[Epixstar]

Im looking into getting a ford escape soon.(still keep the ranger) I dont know much about them. Does any one know the most reliable motor trans setup and any weak points i should avoid.

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

I would not get a V6, by any means.

 

[PickupMan04 FX4 L2]

i know that during first gen testing they ran one fully loaded and pulling a trailer @ 100mph on a test bed for 12 hours straight! My uncle had a mariner, the same damn thing and has never had a problem with it

 

[PickupMan04 FX4 L2]

I would not get a V6, by any means.

whats wrong with the six?

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

Working on it

 

[Ranger Kip]

get a first generation if possible, those things wont die! Out of all of Ford's Creations, the Escape and Escort were the best.

The Escort is my choice though, lightweight, VERY durable, and the engines kick like a mother when old, but dont ever stop working unless you stop caring.

 

[backroad101]

When you say first generation, what do you mean? Other than some restyles and a recent bump in horsepower, arent they esentially mechanically the same since introduction?

.

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

eh, mostly. I just would shy away form a 6 if you want a escape. There are TONS harder to work on, and to boot the stuff cost more for 'em.

 

[backroad101]

I would also say working on them is not so easy. On my Mazda6 with the 3.0L (for example), the intake manifold has to be removed just to change the back 3 spark plugs ($300+ job at the dealership) While my 3.0L is slightly different than the Ford version, they are not to far off.

Good car (and motor), not as easy and cheap as the Ranger to work on

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[trail B2]

We have a 01 2.0 five speed in the house it's been real good.It's been real reliable and handles snow well.It's loud on the road and you can't be in a hurry though its got slow problems.The thing to remember though 4x4s that hold a whole family and gets thirty miles per gallon is a short list.

 

[dirtcowboy]

We bought an '08 with the 4cyl and manual tranny. It's a great little rig. No you won't be doing Johnson Valley with one, but for a DD it's pretty sweet.

 

[lindsay_elaine]

My mother has an '02 with a 3.0 and average mileage for the year. I have to say it is the LEAST RELIABLE car she has ever owned. She is absolutely in love with it it but it's had several issues, all of which have been fairly major and expensive to repair or just very annoying. She bought it I think two years ago, It spent half of the first year that she owned it broken down, in the end it needed the computer replaced. Last month it died while going up hill on the highway, it needed all three catalytic converters replaced and now the exhaust is loud even after being repaired. Now it doesn't always want to start, the shifter never wants to move out of park (you have to FORCE it) and the check engine light is on AGAIN. It also has done weird stuff since she first bought it, like while sitting in traffic at idle it does all sorts of weird revving and acceleration things. Iif you take your foot off the gas in traffic it will slow down, rev up and accelerate on its own for a few seconds, then slow down again. Add all that to the fact that it's FWD (it does have 4x4) so it feels like a weird little FWD car, it has cheap feeling plastic interior panels and the most uncomfortable leather seats in existence (I took it on an 1200 mile road trip last year and my ass was asleep after the first 20.) I would never buy one. I miss her '94 Explorer.

 

[adsm08]

The 3.0 is a good engine, but as stated before, they are harder to work on than the 4-cyl.

While very similar the 2nd gen (08 and up) V6 version is slightly easier to work on. They really opened up the engine bay.


The 4x4 system's have a few minor, but common issues. The biggest one is seals. The outer seal on the PTU go bad frequently. There is a revised one out now, but its too soon to say if it is any better. The other big 4x4 issue is tires. Short wheel-base 4x4 and AWD vehicles chop tires bad. If you buy one used make sure the tires are new. If you buy one at all rotate them EVERY TIME you change your oil. They will still chop, but they will be down to the last 1/4 of their life before it gets bad.

My mom on the other hand went about 15k miles without rotating and now needs new tires because they are chopped so bad. She drives a lot of curvy back roads though.



All in all they are good vehicles with mostly proven components. The 3.0 DOHC is a good engine. The 2.3 Duratec isn't too bad either. The 1st gens with the CD4E have a great trans, the new 6-speeds are in service in the Escape, a few other Fords and the Chevy Cobalt with relatively few problems. I've only seen one actually completely blown up so far and we are pretty sure that the owner did it on purpose, so that doesn't count.

 

[adsm08]

My mother has an '02 with a 3.0 and average mileage for the year. I have to say it is the LEAST RELIABLE car she has ever owned. She is absolutely in love with it it but it's had several issues, all of which have been fairly major and expensive to repair or just very annoying. She bought it I think two years ago, It spent half of the first year that she owned it broken down, in the end it needed the computer replaced. Last month it died while going up hill on the highway, it needed all three catalytic converters replaced and now the exhaust is loud even after being repaired. Now it doesn't always want to start, the shifter never wants to move out of park (you have to FORCE it) and the check engine light is on AGAIN. It also has done weird stuff since she first bought it, like while sitting in traffic at idle it does all sorts of weird revving and acceleration things. Iif you take your foot off the gas in traffic it will slow down, rev up and accelerate on its own for a few seconds, then slow down again. Add all that to the fact that it's FWD (it does have 4x4) so it feels like a weird little FWD car, it has cheap feeling plastic interior panels and the most uncomfortable leather seats in existence (I took it on an 1200 mile road trip last year and my ass was asleep after the first 20.) I would never buy one. I miss her '94 Explorer.

Sounds like a previous owner beat the living piss out of that thing. Working on these things day in and day out for 5 years I have seen only one or two that bad.

 

[lindsay_elaine]

Sounds like a previous owner beat the living piss out of that thing. Working on these things day in and day out for 5 years I have seen only one or two that bad.

I bet you're right, I haven't really heard any bad things about them but my experience with this one has been absolutely terrible. Honestly though, even if it didn't have problems at all I still don't like how it drives and the seats are like sitting on cinder blocks. That's just my opinion though, the OP should go test driving, lol