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Ford Escape Electrical Problems

129 messages,  Last post on May 16, 2013 at 3:07 PM

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Messages Page 10 of 14

#86 of 129 Ford Escape Electrical? Problems by candij

Oct 01, 2011 (1:13 pm)

My 2004 Ford Escape XLT started having issues about 2 weeks with the guages jumping all the way up and down. My battery light had come on flashing and the next day it was off. I had taken to the parts store and they tested it telling me my alternator was only charging 30 amps. should be 100. I took it to the mechanic they run a power system check, (starter, battery, and alternator) Their finding was that the alternator was bad. After having the new alternator put in the guages are still "freaking Out" Any Advise????

#87 of 129 '03 Escape Electrical(?) Issues by toadie

Oct 07, 2011 (8:23 pm)

One thing I do not consistently see in these posts is the mode/bodyl type. My Escape is a 4WD v6 XL base model. I am having the faint glowing theft light, high-pitched whine that gets worse when accelerating, stalling out, radio buzzing, dash dials pegging out to max then going to normal, battery dying, air bag light flashing (3-7 at first, now 4-6 if I remember right) then staying on, turning the car off and then trying to immediately re-start and all I get is a click-click noise, etc, ect, ect.... I have replaced the battery twice, just had a top of the line new alternator put in. The high pitch whine is now barely audible but still there. My husband and I, on two different occasions, have each gone to start the car and it turns but doesn't catch, but after you try to start it about four times it finally does catch and start. I have not driven the car in over a week after it did the "try four times to start" thing. I went to start it today and it protested a little but did start. It was running rough so I turned it off and walked away. The airbag light is still flashing (4-6 I think). No check engine light YET. I am sooooo tired of this who-ha. I don't trust the car so I won't drive it. I was told that the ROOM fuse controlled electrical stuff associated with the XLS/XLT/Limited versions (lighted visors, power seats, etc.... All that good stuff I don't have). So, that may not be my problem. As I said in the beginning, I don't consistently see model types listed, so I have a hard time figuring out if we are all really discussing the same problems. Having written my dissertation on this, has anyone gotten more info yet?? thanks.

#88 of 129 Re: '03 Escape Electrical(?) Issues [toadie] by davicho

Oct 10, 2011 (7:32 am)

Replying to: toadie (Oct 07, 2011 8:23 pm)
Sorry to hear your story. MY wife's Escape is a 2004 Escape Limited V6 4x4, and it was doing all of the above that you listed minus the radio buzzing but that may be because it has an aftermarket radio. I had the alternator replaced with a factory Motorcraft unit and the whine has gone away and everything is good (knocking on wood, fingers crossed) after 4 weeks. Everything seems to be back to normal. If you still have a whine, I would put my money on the "quality" alternator you got installed, it sounds like you may have gotten a faulty alternator. Hope this helps...

#89 of 129 Re: Ford Escape Electrical? Problems [candij] by jyrzygyrl

Oct 10, 2011 (7:51 pm)

Replying to: candij (Oct 01, 2011 1:13 pm)
I have the same issue right now. I too have a 2004 escape and had a new alternator and battery put in a few months ago and all of a sudden the other day my gauges jumped around and I notice that at night when I accelerate the battery light comes on faintly but goes off when I let off the gas. If you get any answers please post and good luck!

#90 of 129 Re: Ford Escape Electrical? Problems [jyrzygyrl] by mars2618

Oct 11, 2011 (8:39 am)

Replying to: jyrzygyrl (Oct 10, 2011 7:51 pm)
I'm having the exact same problem!...Escape 2003 LTD. after replacing the alternator and the battery a few months ago, still have problems with it. I could event start the car this morning. Radio shutdown, light, ABS sensor was on, air bag always blinking 3-7 time, etc, etc... after trying for a couple time, finally the car started. When I accelarate the battery light comes on faintly and goes off when let of the gas. ELECTRICAL PROBLEM = FORD.
I hope someone out there will find THE solution!

#91 of 129 2003 Ford Escape XLT - battery light & other strangeness by clearh2o

Oct 13, 2011 (9:40 am)

My 2003 Ford Escape XLT (2WD, v6, 112k miles) is at the dealership again - literally, as I type, for some sort of ongoing electrical issue.
 
My battery light came on a couple years ago. It randomly turns on and off. Only recently did I see something strange happening with the gauges. As of now I've been through at least one alternator and two batteries. It turns on an off while driving, while stopped, while devices are on (under load), and while devices are off.
 
Took it in, they said it was a bad alternator. Had that replaced, went on my way, and less than a day later, the light was back on. Took it in again, this time, they blamed the battery. Had that replaced. Belts and connections look good according to the mechanic. They hooked up to the device that reads error codes...nothing showing. Alternator is new factory (not reman) and is now 16 months old. Battery is now two days old, but the light still turns on and odd. Solid - not a dim glow or anything like that.
 
I sometimes convince myself I can affect whether the light is on or off by turning the Max AC on or off. I've often noticed that just tapping the brakes will often shut the light off...like it somehow changes the voltage or current and resets the sensor or something like that.
 
Dealership had to drive the car 20 miles today just to see the light turn on and off and experience what I've been trying to tell them for 2 years. Usually they've just driven it around the lot and saw no problems (duh). Hopefully they find something this time around.
 
I've been chasing this ghost for two years and haven't had any luck. It's been four trips to the dealer, and countless checks and double checks at stores that do the free testing of alternators and batteries for you.
 
I feel like at some point we'll hit dumb luck and finally see that a fuse or something isn't seated correctly and is triggering the light. (I wish!!)
 
I like my Escape...but it's going to cost me what's left of my hair and, if I keep buying new batteries and alternators, all of my savings!!!!!!

#92 of 129 Re: 2003 Ford Escape XLT - battery light & other strangeness [clearh2o] by escapemom

Oct 24, 2011 (10:06 am)

Replying to: clearh2o (Oct 13, 2011 9:40 am)
Clearh2o, what did your dealership find out? We have a 2000 XLT 4X4 V6 82K with the same issues. Replaced Alternator, belt with problems still existing. Thanks!

#93 of 129 Re: 02 V6 XLS AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHING [raa1] by terrah75

Nov 04, 2011 (11:23 pm)

Replying to: raa1 (Sep 29, 2009 5:03 pm)
There is a connector under the passenger seat that comes undone all the time. I had to drive 6 miles of washboard gravel road each day and had to push it back together constantly. That worked though. I found the answer on a forum like this, it's a fairly common issue

#94 of 129 Re: Ford Escape Electrical? Problems [jyrzygyrl] by candij

Nov 12, 2011 (6:46 pm)

Replying to: jyrzygyrl (Oct 10, 2011 7:51 pm)
I am not sure if this helps at all but, my cousin put mine on a tester, and he tells me that it is the ignition switch going bad that is causing the guages to jump around and such. However that is the least of my worries, It is now sitting in a shop needing at least 2 cat's and has 2 dead cylinders for some reason.. So frustrating. Good luck to you!! I will not purchase another Ford as long as I live!

#95 of 129 2003 Ford Escape stalling and other electrical issues by corey03escape

Nov 22, 2011 (11:38 am)

I have a 2003 Ford Escape 3.0L. My mom bought it brand new from the dealership. A few years ago she was driving on the interstate about 65 mph and it just shut off completely! It cranked right back up, she took it somewhere the next day and (obviously) they said it was the battery. It did the same thing a few more times over the months. I bought it from her about a year ago. It shut off on me a few times within a week, then went months with not stalling out at all. Then it started the random stalling again, shutting off while driving every couple of weeks. Here in the past 6-8 weeks it has become a lot more frequent! It is usually at lower speeds, around 20 mph. It REALLY seems that about 70% of the time it dies while making a 90 degree turn, or literally just before the turn as I press the brakes to slow down (very crappy place to lose your power steering!) It has turned off in parking lots. It also shuts off just going straight, at low and high speeds. Every time this has happened, the lights on the dash flicker just as everything loses power. I put it into neutral and then restart it- usually I let the car slow down so I'm not shifing it into gear at a high speed. One instance about 3 weeks ago, and also one time last week, the car did its normal stall, but when I put it in D and cranked it back up, it immediately died again, and then again, and finally after the 3rd of 4th re-crank it stayed running. One of those instances was while stopped at a red light and the other was while making a right turn.
     I have been reading up a lot on this and it seems the most common things people have done are: replace battery, alternator, plugs & wires, coils, PCM. I just now read some stuff in the transmission category- I hadn't thought about that yet.
     Also the cruise control doesn't work. The buttons are fine and the green indicator light comes on on the instrument panel, but it does not actually stay at the speed when you set it.
     Just a few weeks ago I was driving it and the gas cap light and a few others came on then dimmed out, but the fuel cap light stayed on for a few minutes and went out; the dome lights came on and off once when the other lights flickered on. I don't know if it is all related to the stalling, but I hope and think so. My brother said one of the guys he works with had an escape that did a lot of the same stuff as mine and he changed the ignition switch and it fixed it.
     Is there anybody else that has had all or most of these same problems? Please Please Please let me know so I don't go through the long and expensive list of the possibilities. All information will be greatly appreciated. Besides everything I have said above, the car always starts fine from a cold crank no matter how long it sits. But one time I was using the CD player in the car for about 30 min without the engine and killed the battery! I thought that was odd. Last but not least, the car has stalled out with the AC on as well as Off. Somebody please help me pinpoint this issue!

Messages Page 10 of 14

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