2003 Ford Escape engine problems

Owners reported engine problems in 71 complaints for the 2003 Ford Escape, 10% of the complaints on file.

Complaints: 71 10% of this year's complaints
Typical mileage: 80,000 miles 59 complaints with mileage
Crashes and fires: 4 and 8
Injuries and deaths: 5 and 0

Source: NHTSA owner complaints

When engine problems show up

Based on 59 complaints that include mileage. 37% were reported before 60,000 miles. The amber marker shows the median: half of these complaints happened before that mileage.

View the numbers

Mileage	Complaints
0k to 20k miles	11
20k to 40k miles	6
40k to 60k miles	5
60k to 80k miles	6
80k to 100k miles	7
100k to 120k miles	5
120k to 140k miles	5
140k to 160k miles	7
160k to 180k miles	3
180k to 200k miles	1
200k+ miles	3

What the data shows

Of the 59 engine complaints that report mileage, the median is about 80,000 miles, and 37% were reported before 60,000 miles.

These complaints mention 4 crashes, 8 fires, 5 injuries.

What owners wrote

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. The contact stated that while driving at 67 MPH, the cruise control failed to disengage. As a result, the contact crashed into an embankment and the vehicle rolled over multiple times. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained minor scrapes and bruises and the two passengers in the rear of the vehicle sustained bumps, bruises and scrapes that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed.

Reported at 160,000 miles, March 2015 CrashInjury

While driving at 50/55 MPH vehicle died out without warning. This resulted in loss of power steering and brakes.the cost for repairs were $114.21.

Reported at 3,500 miles, July 2003

Engine problems in other years

Engine problems across all Ford models