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Ford Escape Seats

255 messages,  Last post on Feb 21, 2013 at 7:27 PM

You are in the Ford Escape Forum.

What is this discussion about? Ford Escape, SUV

Messages Page 6 of 26

#47 of 255 Problem seats by baylady

Oct 24, 2009 (8:39 am)

Hello All,
 
I just purchased the 2010 Ford Escape XLT with fabric seats 3 days ago. I had a 2002 Ford Explorer w/leather seats and loved it. So I didn't even question purchasing an Escape. I thought it was just a smaller version of the Explorer which I was very happy with. However, I did hesitate about buying a car with fabric seats but thought since the kids were grown, I wouldn't have a problem cleaning them once in awhile. Then I started researching reviews on the Escape and came upon this forum. Now I'm wishing I had read it before I made the purchase!
 
I brought the car back to the dealership after a slight chocolate stain and asked them what to use to clean it. A nice lady in the sales dept. offered to clean it for me. The stain came out, but then there was a dark mark left behind!
 
The next day I called the Salesman who sold me the car and told him about the stain. He suggested I bring it in and have someone in the Service Dept. clean it. So I brought the car in that afternoon.
 
I told them all about this forum, the complaints, how everyone HATES the fabric and how even water stains them. Everyone there sighed and said they knew all about the problems and felt awful.
 
After discussing the issue for awhile, a guy from the garage took my car and cleaned it. The dark discoloration was gone and it looked new and clean again. I asked what he used and how he cleaned it.
 
The Ford guy handed me a can of Sprayway Glass Cleaner! I was shocked to say the least that this would be used on fabric. But after reading the cloth is made out of waste from plastics, etc. I can understand now why the product worked. HOWEVER, he said you have to clean the ENTIRE seat to have continuity of color or else the spot where you cleaned would be darker than the rest and still look dirty.
 
Later that day I went to Walmart and purchased stretchy seat covers and will keep them on when out & about to protect the seats. However, after shelling out money for a brand NEW car, this shouldn't be !!!
 
I have printed out alot of the comments made here and may go back to the dealership to show them. Then I plan on getting an estimate to have all seats re-uphostered in leather and try and get the Dealership to pay for it. This is the 4th car I've purchased through them in the last 7 years and I am hoping that they'll eat the cost to keep me as a happy customer.
 
For those who can't afford to reupholster, at least you now know that Sprayway Glass Cleaner works and its necessary to clean the ENTIRE seat. Keep in mind that the seat you cleaned, won't look discolored or different from the rest of the seats. You or anyone else won't be able to tell that it was cleaned.
 
Maybe if enough of us go public, Ford will do a recall on the seats and replace with other fabric.
 
baylady
 
P.S. Other than the seat fabric/staining I LOVE my new Escape. I have a 6 cyliner, 3.0 liter engine and love the way it handles and drives. Like the looks of it too. Great little SUV!

#48 of 255 Re: Problem seats [baylady] by explorerx4

Oct 24, 2009 (5:44 pm)

Replying to: baylady (Oct 24, 2009 8:39 am)
other than the smaller size of the escape compared to your explorer, what do you find different in a better way?

#49 of 255 Stained Seats in 2008 Escape by karen0256

Oct 30, 2009 (4:04 pm)

I have my 3rd escape a 2008 that has horribly stained seats from my daughter's water bottles. I read in one of the Ford magazines that they send you that they used recyclable material for the seat covers. Big mistake...I am embarassed to let anyone in my car. I sent an email to Ford customer service and never got a reply back. Is there any way we can get them to respond to this since it is not a safety issue????

#50 of 255 Re: seat wear [joe19403] by karen0256

Oct 30, 2009 (5:31 pm)

Replying to: joe19403 (May 03, 2008 8:01 am)
My drivers seat has the same creasing on the side near the door in addition to the stains on all of the seats from plain water. I read somewhere that they used recyclable material for the seat covers. I emailed customer service and they ignored my email which really pissed me off. This is our 5th Ford vehicle.

#51 of 255 08 ford escape seats by marypal

Oct 30, 2009 (5:59 pm)

Yes, I too, have been duped by the cute little Ford Escape. I have the 08 and I also have the interior issues that everyone else is complaining about. I dropped a small piece of chocolate on the drivers seat and tried to clean it-what a mess. The chocolate came out, but the water stain looks terrible, Now that everyone is so sick with the flu, me and my husband are using the hand sanitizer like crazy, and he was driving and spilled some on the seat, now it looks even worse. I got out the manual and they said to get the Motorcraft cleaner for the upholstery, but that didn't even help, the seats look awful in that SUV, it is very embarrasing for anyone to see my interior, I feel like a total slob, but I just can't get them clean!! I really hope that they are happy with that recycled "green" crap that they are making our seats out of?? And by the way, on a long trip those seats are a killer, my husband has a little 03 VW Jetta that is so much more comfortable than the Ford, if it wasn't for taking our animals on trips with us, we would be taking the Jetta instead!!! Thanks FORD for the $24,000 piece of crap!!!

#52 of 255 Re: how to clean the seats [keytexas] by joe19403

Oct 30, 2009 (6:00 pm)

Replying to: keytexas (Oct 21, 2009 9:50 am)
My escape is a 2008 and received it in April 2007. I cleaned them many times (6) by just spraying the seats with a cleaner and still looked stain. Then I tried the water in the bucket with cleaner on a Hot summer day and soaked the entire seat and they looked like new for a while. It poured here last week and they look like sxxx again. This is my third ford and just may be the last one too..........
 
Thanks ford you suck!!!!!!!!

#53 of 255 Re: how to clean the seats [joe19403] by steve_ HOST

Oct 30, 2009 (7:52 pm)

Replying to: joe19403 (Oct 30, 2009 6:00 pm)
Here's another product you can try (Oxy Carpet) that was recommended over on the Jeep boards:
 
jeepboy08, "Jeep Liberty Interior and Upholstery" #58, 26 Jul 2008 7:24 am

#54 of 255 Re: 08 ford escape seats [marypal] by mariposa7684

Oct 31, 2009 (7:59 am)

Replying to: marypal (Oct 30, 2009 5:59 pm)
i was at the dealership the other day for an oil change. this dealership is quite good--the service manager actually admitted to a defect in the Escape last year (leaking tranny fluid). so i figured they'd be upfront about the upholstery flaw. nope. guy acted perplexed when i mentioned it to him. the only thing he would come up with is ford spray on product to clean it. i know from these boards that it won't work. i plan to keep this car for years so am not worried about the effect of any staining on the trade in. i also don't have small kids or others eating or drinking in the car. the problem is relatively minor for me. still, it's frustrating that the stains won't clean up and that using any cleaning liquid leaves even more of a stain.

#55 of 255 Re: '08 escape seat stain problems [dianita] by pearl09escape

Nov 11, 2009 (4:37 pm)

Replying to: dianita (Dec 05, 2008 5:06 pm)
Hey there I have an 09 escape the same problems have occurred after dealing with the dealership for over 6 months I called Ford.
Finally 4 months later and lots of calls I got a call today from the service manager at our dealership where I bought my escape.
Ford has finally said that the problem is something they are taking blame for.
The fire retardent used on the fabric is causing the staining.
I am happy to say that tomorrow I have an appt at the dealer to have new material ordered for new seat covers and they are going to give me a loaner car once the new materials come in since the car will be tied up for 3 to 4 business days.
the posting was released by ford On 11/6/09 .Good Luck : :

#56 of 255 Amazing by keytexas

Nov 11, 2009 (5:00 pm)

It's good to know that some of the Ford Dealerships out there possess integrity sufficient to solve major issues for their customers. Unfortunately that is not the case here in the Lewisville area. Even writing a letter to the Service Manager at the local dealership that has always serviced our Ford vehicles, I have not received a response by phone or letter. The same goes with the head kahuna at Ford who received a certified letter. Nothing.
So good for you "dianita", at least it seems Ford will come through for you.

Messages Page 6 of 26

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