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Ford Escape Electrical Problems

130 messages,  Last post on May 20, 2013 at 8:42 PM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Escape, SUV

Messages Page 10 of 13

#90 of 130 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 130 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 130 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 130 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 130 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 130 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!

#96 of 130 Re: 2003 Ford Escape stalling and other electrical issues [corey03escape] by davicho

Nov 22, 2011 (3:10 pm)

Replying to: corey03escape (Nov 22, 2011 11:38 am)
I was going to suggest the ignition switch until I read your post further down...I would definately replace the ignition switch before you get into more expensive fixes.
 
Part# 98AZ-11572-A
MSRP $70.53

#97 of 130 Re: 2004 Ford escape/battery drain [woodla] by jlt3

Dec 06, 2011 (3:33 pm)

Replying to: woodla (Sep 20, 2009 5:32 pm)
I can't believe Ford doesn't know what this is. We also have a 2004 Ford Escape XLT, V6, New battery, both the battery and the alternator test OK. In cool or cold weather, if it sits for more than 48 hours, it doesn't have enough battery power left to crank the starter and I have to hook up a charger. This is getting really old. Also from Arlington Heights Ford, and they haven't found a problem.
 
Also, one other thing I wonder if we have in common - the dealer installed a remote starter for us when we bought the car (new).

#98 of 130 Re: Ford Escape Electrical? Problems [jyrzygyrl] by escape_solved

Dec 26, 2011 (10:13 pm)

Replying to: jyrzygyrl (Oct 10, 2011 7:51 pm)
I had the jumping gauges and engine felt like it would miss a few times when this happened. After doing major online research to fix the problem myself, I was unable to find a solution. I decided to just change out all of the spark plugs and coil packs before taking it to ford to run diagnostics. This repair solved the missing engine and the jumping gauges jump no more. The spark plugs were purchased from autozone for 3.10 each and the coil packs from AM-Autoparts.com for 72.00 for the set of 6, way cheaper than the oem's for 100 each. The complete changeover took me about 2 1/2 hours. There are very good instructions for the complete job here http://www.ford-trucks.com/article/article.php?id=281 .
I hope that this will help others that have been having similar issues.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. - John 14:6
Trust in The Lord

#99 of 130 Re: 2003 Ford Escape XLT - battery light & other strangeness [escapemom] by demonwizard

Jan 13, 2012 (8:13 am)

Replying to: escapemom (Oct 24, 2011 10:06 am)
I had the same exact problem and it is simple to fix. What's happening is that the battery has a bad ground. The cable can be tight to the battery but can be loose some where else. Sometimes there is a smaller wire coming off the battery and is grounded to the fender well or some where thats a ground point. Get a test light or mutli meter and check your ground points.
 
Tips: If you have a flashing engine light that means a mis fire.
The light can sometimes come on and off. If you have an engine code and are un sure of it, let me know and I can tell you what exactly it is. Having being a Master ASE Certified Mechanic I will help you. Just email me at
www.DementedMotorsportsmsn.com

Messages Page 10 of 13

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