2003 Ford Escape problems and complaints
Owners have filed 598 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Ford Escape. The most-reported areas: Structure (121), Suspension (92), Vehicle Speed Control (91).
Key takeaways
- 598 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 44 involve a crash, 29 a fire, 32 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 121 | 20% |
| Suspension | 92 | 15% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 91 | 15% |
| Power Train | 64 | 11% |
| Air Bags | 62 | 10% |
| Service Brakes | 61 | 10% |
| Electrical System | 52 | 9% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 52 | 9% |
| Steering | 45 | 8% |
| Hydraulic | 44 | 7% |
| Engine | 24 | 4% |
| Unknown Or Other | 24 | 4% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Ford Escape 4-DR. | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 3/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Air Bags,engine - filed 2025-04-19
I was doordashing as it's my job and all of sudden my car starts not idling won't stay off od off switch that switch stayed consistently flickered either the engine or transmission is slipping or misfiring
Electrical System - filed 2024-09-04
Never received a recall letter or notice
Structure - filed 2024-01-08
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the front wheel would extend outward while turning the vehicle, braking, or during acceleration, causing the vehicle to slightly veer to the right. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the front passenger’s side control arm had slig...
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More for the 2003 Ford Escape
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.