Faults:

Front flex line blew, alternator replaced, coil packs, front flex pipe.

Crank sensor.

General Comments:

The best vehicle ever owned for winter driving, with all wheel drive and winter tires.

My wife loves driving in the snow. I have spent a bit of money to keep it going for a few more years, and would consider a newer model when required.

Faults:

Rear ignition coils.

Alternator.

Rear shock stud rusted.

Repaired all for $600.

General Comments:

Comfortable to drive on long trips.

Excellent in the snow.

Decent gas mileage.

Faults:

Power steering pump.

General Comments:

Overall, the car is great.

Positive Points:

Very comfortable ride.

Enough room for everything; I can't think of a different car to have for a family with two kids.

High reliability

Negative Points:

It is a bit loud on the highway (wind noise).

Heavy and slow to pick up.

Thirsty.

Faults:

Replaced coils and plug at 50k miles.

Replaced O2 sensors, 2 each, and catalytic converter at 145000 miles.

Replaced serpentine belt at 150000 miles.

Replaced plugs and 3 rear coils at 150000 miles; only replaced coils because of parts that must be taken off to get to plugs. Saved coils in case one may go out.

Replaced alternator at 231000 miles. I didn't remove the axle as recommended by the manufacturer. I figured that if I removed the top end of engine, I could get it out and do a plug change at the same time. It was a little more work, but well worth it. I also put in a new gasket set to the intake and throttle body, while I had it apart.

General Comments:

I love my Escape. I travel a lot with my job.

I've driven it from the frigid winters of Michigan, to the desert of Las Vegas. I spent one winter in Council Bluffs / Omaha Nebraska. To the deltas of southern Mississippi. It's never failed me.

I camp and use it on fishing trips. It's spacious and a pleasure to drive.

I've owned many good Fords and Mercurys.

My Escape is like family to me. It's green, so I've given it the green hornet moniker.

It's about time to retire the hornet. My daughter loves to drive it and wants it.

I'm sure this will be hornet's future.

I can only hope I can get another as well made.

Faults:

I have replaced 4 plug coils over the years. One of the coils caused the rear cat to burn up, because I drove it with a miss for a while.

ABS problems at 170,000 miles. The brake pads usually lasted around 2 years before they need changing.

CDs will sometimes get stuck in the CD changer, sometimes the door will open to put a disk in and the changer is not in proper position. The CD will get stuck on top of the rack and cause it to malfunction. Sometimes someone will accidentally put 2 disks in one slot. It is easy to remove the player; remove two screws, and remove the stuck CDs.

The interior is quite durable, seats are high quality. They wear well, clean easily and look like new. The material on the side of the doors does not stay attached well. There must have been a defect in the adhesive they used to hold them on. The dash is laid out well, and all buttons and switches work without problems.

This is the original motor and trans in this Escape, with 217,000 miles and counting. I change my oil every 10,000 to 15,000 miles. The trans fluid has never been changed since new.

I have had some tranny issues, like what has been mentioned in other posts, but it has always turned out to be a sensor, or electrical problem that needed to be fixed. If you continue to drive a car with a trans electrical problem, it can cause failure of the trans. Also, I work on the Escape myself, and I can't tell you how many times an auto tech will jump and tell you to replace something major, when really it may be a simple problem. Use common sense, read and learn about how your automobile works, or you will get taken to school and the bank.

I have owned many automobiles; they all break. Toyotas, Hondas, Nissans, Chevy, Ford etc., and some years of models are prone to different problems. The only difference I have seen is that most oversea brands are much more expensive to fix when they do break. Good luck with yours.