2003 Ford Escape: jerking or lurching

Filed Aug 4, 2020 · Transmission · 229,000 miles · AR

While my 2003 escape was in motion, the vehicle jerked and kicked ad I pressed accelerating on a heavy city highway. The vehicle couldn't drive or move forward. I believe it is the transmission went out. The gears were slipping or not going in position. I was using more gas, having a recall on transmission was announced on 2003 ford escape. Recall id 234608 on powertrain automatic transmission. And recall id 234607 automatic transmission: gear position indication. Recall id 234607 I called the ford service center. I was told no recalls under my VIN number. I asked for assistance to fix my transmission. No was answer. I took my car back to place I purchased it carter's radiator, purchased 5-8-2020. Carter radiator did diagnose, found it was the transmission. I was told car will not go into gears. 4th gear is in-operative. Ony 1st & 2nd gears operating. To repair faulty transmission will cost $3900, but because I purchased vehicle from them, repair cost is $2400.

Filed Mar 13, 2019 · Acceleration, Electrical · 238,000 miles · MS

My escape started to miss, first it wasn't bad then started jerking and it started idling rough when I stopped at red light. When I started moving again it acted as if it would die and would go. If I get to 40 MPH it is really bad. But this happened on main highway with other vehicles all around me and had 18 wheeler behind me and all of sudden my speed decreased and me and my children almost was in accident because of decrease in speed. It scared me and my two children. When I got it looked at the codes said it was missing on one cylinder then at one point all cylinders.

Filed Dec 1, 2016 · Body, Suspension · 165,000 miles · MI

My 17-year-old son was driving the car home from work and after making a right turn the car severely jerks to the right. He almost went off of the road. We took the car to our local mechanic and were told that there was corrosion and separation of the control arm and we would need a brace to complete the repair. The mechanic said when he took the car for a test drive the steering wheel is out of alignment and he almost hit a mailbox when the car jerked to the right. When investigating how to get a used part I discovered that there is a recall for this exact issue (ford recall #14s02). My car fits the same model year and purchase/registration locations as indicated in the recall, but ford refuses to make the repair under the recall. Currently we are completely unable to drive the vehicle because it is unsafe for my son and other drivers on the road for the car to be driven. Had my son been driving faster when this happened there could have been a terrible accident.

Filed Jul 30, 2014 · Body, Steering · 79,000 miles · NY

I am writing about a recall for my ford escape. This recall included the front control arms and the subframe. They were being recalled for corrosion on the control arms and if separated from the subframe it could cause significant steering loss and loss of control of the car and increasing chance of an accident. I took my car in for the recall fix, they installed a reinforcement part and sent me on my way. After this, slowly, my steering wheel started becoming cock-eyed. After driving it like that for a few days,I noticed that after I take a left turn the car would jerk as the steering wheel straightened. I immediately called the ford dealer that fixed the recall, since the recall clearly stated that it could lose steering control and asked them to look at it again, thinking that he recall was not fixed properly or something else to do with the recall is failing. They looked at it and said that the subframe is corroded and it has nothing to do with the recall. And that it would cost 1800 dollars to fix. I asked why it wasn't included in the recall since the steering is effected, they said that the subframe wasn't included. I have read several documents about this recall and several of them state that the subframe is included. So I called ford customer care, they stated that the recall only included the subframe if the control arm separated from it before the recall was fixed not after. I think this is so unfair, since clearly the subframe was corroded when they did the recall fix. They had to have seen that, just because it wasn't separated at the time doesn't mean it shouldn't be included. Anyway, I ended up taking it to my own mechanic who can fix it for alot less, but it is still costing me 1400 dollars!! I can't afford it, can something be done about this, I think it should be fixed for free, and that the sub frame should be included. Please help, thanks. Recall 14s02.

Filed Sep 3, 2013 · Transmission · 195,000 miles · MI · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle began to jerk and lunge. In addition, there was a burning odor. The contact shut off the engine but after restarting, he was unable to shift into any gear. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 195,000.

Filed Dec 15, 2011 · Wheels · 120,000 miles · MN

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle started to jerk violently and exhibited an abnormally loud noise. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised that that the front driver side wheel bolts were sliding or breaking off and as a result, they would need to replaced the entire wheel assembly. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 120,000 and the current mileage was 120,045.

Filed Dec 2, 2006 · Electrical, Engine · 54,000 miles · MO · 1 injury

I had a 2003 ford escape that started having problems starting. It was usually when I had left the vehicle for 8 or more hours. I would try to start it and it would hesitate and take a while to start it. After a few tries it would jerk back at me and start. This was a problem for about 2-months. On may 26, 2006 I left my vehicle in the parking lot at work. It was the first really hot day (90+ degrees) of the year. When I got back to my car it hesitated when I cranked it. I cranked it again and it popped back and me and then there was an explosion. There was smoke coming out of the hood. I opened the hood (burning my finger in the process) and found parts and pieces everywhere. I took it to the ford dealership and the upper intake manifold blew apart. The dealer never gave us a reason why (we pushed but we were told that it shouldn't have happened and that the engineer was on vacation). We had the upper intake manifold fixed and it cost us a lot of money out-of-pocket. I asked them for the old upper intake manifold back, but they wouldn't give it back. I was always intending to file a complaint. The ford was 3-years old with 54,000 miles on it, so it was out of warranty, although the dealer stated that it was a faulty part that caused the problem? It is possible that it was n a horrible misfire, but we aren't sure. I do know that it scared me and could have hurt someone. Luckily the vehicle did not catch on fire. The problem was fixed for 2-months when the vehicle started hesitating again when I started it. I was terrified to drive it and the dealer told me it was unrelated but I could pay (again) to have it looked at. I started having panic attacks when driving the vehicle, so we traded it in. I would like a refund and to stop this from happening to other people.

Filed May 17, 2006 · Acceleration · 73,500 miles · NY

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 40mph, the engine revved at an elevated rate and the vehicle lurched forward without warning. The vehicle was inspected by the dealer. A the federal safety agency recall, #04v574000 was performed on the vehicle concerning, the vehicle speed control however, the recall did not remedy the problem. The dealership performed a second repair with charge under the recall, additionally the throttle and throttle body assembly was replaced. Afterwards, the engine revving and lurching persisted.

Filed Jul 26, 2005 · Acceleration · NJ · crash · 1 injury

In january 2005 I received a recall notice for the accelerator cable on my 2003 ford escape so I promptly had the cable replaced at the dealership. As I was driving home from work on june 2, 2005 the accelerator pedal stuck down to the floor of my vehicle and the brakes wouldn't engage. As the vehicle was accelerating on its own, now at about 50mph, I jerked the wheel to the right to avoid the fast approaching intersection and drove up on someone's lawn. My vehicle finally stopped when I hit a tree. I had emergency surgery to repair and close an open compound fracture and dislocation of my elbow, had additional surgery 6 weeks later to repair a torn ligament in my wrist, and have a chip fracture in my hip socket. I have been out of work on disability for 2 months already (hoping to be able to go back in september) and have to go to physical therapy 3 times a week for my elbow, wrist, and hip.

Filed Dec 22, 2004 · Transmission · 12,300 miles · PA

When accelerating, the vehicle jerked forward. Please provide more information.

Filed Dec 12, 2004 · Acceleration · 33,000 miles · AL

Accelerator pedal sticks, from a stopped position. Very hard to push then the truck jerks forward.

Filed Oct 16, 2003 · Acceleration · OH

About 70% of the time, when I try to start up from a stop the accelerator will not go down under gradual pressure. I have to push harder and harder until the accelerator suddenly jerks down and the car surges ahead at a fast speed. Sometimes when the car is moving and I try to speed up, the same thing happens. This is very annoying on good roads, difficult to control in stop and go traffic and extremely dangerous on slippery or snow covered roads. I took the car in to the dealership (germain ford of columbus) and the service manager said that they had received many complaints but had no idea of what the problem was. I have just put a random date down because it happens every day that I drive the car.