2005 Ford Escape

SMART JUNCTION BOX FAILURE. PART# 5L8Z15604GA THIS PART CONTROLS MANY OF THE ELECTRONIC ELEMENTS OF THE VEHICLE; DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS, HAZARD LIGHTS INSTRUMENT PANEL, HORN, LOCKS, WINDOWS, SECURITY SYSTEM. VARIOUS ELECTRICAL ELEMENTS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART. THE PART IS ON BACK-ORDER AND CONTINUES TO BE PUSHED TO A LATER DATE. AS OF 11/16, THE PART IS ON BACK-ORDER UNTIL JAN 17, 2011. I HAVE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND SEE THAT THE PART HAS BEEN ON BACK-ORDER SINCE (AT LEAST) AUGUST 2010. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A HIGH DEMAND FOR THIS PART, OR IT IS BEING REDESIGNED AND FORD IS TRYING TO AVOID A RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE BRAKING FROM 65 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT ADDED BRAKE FLUID TO THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE HE DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AT THE BRAKE LINES AND MASTER CYLINDER. THE DEALER STATED THAT A BRAKE LINE WAS HITTING AGAINST THE POWER STEERING CAUSING THE BRAKE LINE TO FRACTURE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE BRAKE LINE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED THEREFORE THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,894. UPDATED 01/13/11*LJ UPDATED 04/04/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO FUEL THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCEPT THE FUEL BUT THE PUMP WOULD TURN OFF ALTHOUGH THE TANK WAS NOT FULL. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VENT LINE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE; THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THAT TIME. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AGAIN WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED AGAIN. THE FAILURE PROGRESSED AFTER THE LAST REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO TOOK A COMPLAINT AND ADVISED HIM THAT SOMEONE WOULD CALL HIM BACK. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 36,000. UPDATED 01/13/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. UPDATED 04/19/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN; THERE WERE NO POWER BRAKES OR STEERING. SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT IT CONTINUED TO STALL ON HER WAY HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER CONTROL MODULE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 105,000.

I AM WRITING IN CONCERNS TO A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS FAILED TO ADDRESS. I AM AN OWNER OF A 2005 FORD ESCAPE WHICH I PURCHASED NEW IN NOVEMBER OF 2004. I HAVE BEEN WAITING TWO MONTHS TO HAVE A FAULTY ELECTRICAL PART, THE SMART JUNCTION BOX, REPLACED. SINCE AUGUST 23RD MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN UNSAFE TO OPERATE WITHOUT THIS PART AS MY TURN SIGNALS, HEAD LIGHTS, AND HAZARD LIGHTS ARE INOPERABLE, AS WELL AS POWER WINDOWS, INTERIOR AND DASH LIGHTS, POWER LOCKS, RADIO AND CLOCK DISPLAY AND MY ABILITY TO UNLATCH THE REAR DOOR. AFTER RESEARCHING THE INFORMATION MYSELF I WAS FORCED TO WAIT ANOTHER WEEK TO BE SCHEDULED TO HAVE MY VEHICLE SCHEDULED FOR REPAIR. ON SEPT. 7TH THE FORD MECHANIC CONFIRMED THE PART I TOLD HIM I NEEDED WAS CORRECT AND SAID PART WAS ON BACK ORDER AND SHOULD BE AVAILABLE IN TWO WEEKS. ON SEPT.21ST, I CALLED TO ASK IF THE PART WAS AVAILABLE. IT WAS THEN THAT THE MECHANIC SAID THAT HE NEGLECTED TO MENTION THE PART WOULD NOT BE ORDERED UNLESS I PAID IN ADVANCE. I PAID FOR THE PART ON SEPT23. ON SEPT. 29TH THE GENERAL MANAGER AT WORDEN-MARTIN CALLED TO SAY THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO. I ASKED IF IT WERE POSSIBLE TO HAVE A USED PART PUT IN TEMPORARILY WHILE I WAIT. I RECEIVED A REPLY THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $350 TO HAVE THAT PART PUT IN WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT THE PART WOULD FUNCTION PROPERLY AND NO COMPENSATION IF THE REPLACEMENT PART WERE TO FAIL. NOT WANTING TO THROW AWAY $350 FOR A FAULTY PART, I FELT I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO WAIT ANOTHER WEEK FOR THE PART TO ARRIVE. AFTER WAITING TWO WEEKS I NEVER RECEIVED A CALL, SO I CALLED THE DEALER TO INQUIRE ON THE PART. I WAS TOLD THE PART MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL OCT. 25TH. I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO TOLD ME IT WAS THEIR DISTRIBUTOR AND NOT FORD'S RESPONSIBILITY AND THE PART SHOULD BE AVAILABLE BE AVAILABLE OCT. 15TH BECAUSE THE PART, ORDERED BY MANY, WAS BEING REDESIGNED. ON OCT. 19TH I CALLED AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THE PART MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL NOVEMBER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE ONE OF THE SIX COIL PACKS WAS REPLACED IN THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES. A TOTAL OF EIGHT ENGINE COIL PACKS HAD BEEN REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE MAIN COMPUTER AND ONE SPARK PLUG WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERN OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

I OWN A 2005 FORD ESCAPE AND HAVE NUMEROUS ISSUES SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN NOVEMBER 2004. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED AND ONE COIL PACK. THROUGHOUT THE TIME I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE THE THEFT LIGHT COMES ON AND TRIED TO SHUT THE VEHICLE DOWN WHILE I WAS DRIVING (40+MPH). IT CLEARED FOR A LITTLE WHILE AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED, THEN IT RETURNED. FORD CHANGED ONE IGNITION COIL AND SAID THAT IF WE CHANGED THE SPARK PLUGS IT WOULD PROBABLY FIX THE THEFT SHUT DOWN PROBLEM. WELL WE CHANGED THE SPARK PLUGS AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TRYING TO SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE WHILE I WAS DRIVING(40+MPH). NOW THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START AT ALL. THERE IS JUICE FROM THE BATTERY, ALL THE LIGHTS AND RADIO COME ON, BUT THE CAR REFUSES TO TURN OVER. WE HAVE CHECKED EVERYTHING POSSIBLE, INCLUDING: THE BATTERY, FUSES, AND HAVING IT TESTED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC. THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM OR FORD PATS II SYSTEM SEEMS TO BE DEFECTIVE WHICH ALSO BE CONNECTED TO THE PCM. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE 2005 FORD ESCAPE PATS II SYSTEM AND PCM. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN FORCED. THE 2005 FORD ESCAPE WERE INITIALLY RELEASED WITH THE WRONG SPARK PLUGS WHICH CAUSES DAMAGE AND THEY DID NOT RECALL THE SPARK PLUGS. WITH THESE VERY EVIDENT MANUFACTURER DEFECTS, AND TSBS THAT HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED THROUGH FORD - THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL AND ITEMS REPAIRED. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO FIX THE PROBLEMS THAT FORD CAUSED AND WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR. MY VEHICLE IS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE XLT V6 3.0L PURCHASED AT UKIAH FORD LINCOLN MERCURY IN UKIAH, CALIFORNIA. *TR

MY WIFE WAS GOING TO THE BANK IN OUR 2005 FORD ESCAPE WITH 39150 MILES. SHE HEARD A NOISE AND STOPPED TO SEE IF SHE HAD A FLAT. EVERYTHING SEEMED OK SO SHE CONTINUED ON. BEFORE GOING ONE BLOCK THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON SO SHE DROVE AROUND THE BLOCK AND PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE. UPON EXITING SHE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD AREA. WHILE SHE WAS TRYING TO CALL ME AT WORK, MORE SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT, SHE HEARD A POP AND FLAMES AND SMOKE BEGAN COMING OUT. A NEIGHBOR SAW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND CALLED 911. THANKFULLY THE PROMPT RESPONSE OF THE FIRE DEPT. LIMITED THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND THE HOME ONLY SUFFERED SMOKE DAMAGE. WE ARE CURRENTLY LIVING IN A MOTEL WHILE THE HOUSE GETS CLEANED. THE ESCAPE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. UPDATED 11/03/10*JB *TR