Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Ford Escape owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The front passenger side lower control arm failed while my son was driving the vehicle. He was going straight, and the right front side just buckled under while he was in motion. Luckily he wasn't on a heavily-traveled road when it happened, because there would have been a serious accident. The vehicle, although it is a 2003 Ford Escape, is not part of recall #14s02. Why, I don't know? No one at Ford can explain this to me, as it is exactly what has been happening with this make and model/year. We had it repaired at great cost to us, with exactly the parts/labor that Ford had been describing in the recall. Our mechanic even got the replacement crossmember from Ford! Ford themselves wanted nothing to do with the repair. …
Had my 2003 Escape in to the dealer for a wheel bearing problem, while it was in the shop they did the open recall 14s02 sub frame brace installation. Drove the car 2 times. The wife decided to drive to the store on a 3rd time and called me to say car was pulling hard to the passenger side. After getting the car home I remove the passenger front tire thinking that we had a sticking brake caliper and could see right away that the sub frame had ripped apart right where the lower control arm bolts up. After more investigation and many photos it appears to me that the bolt that was used to install the brace per the recall has cause the upper part of the frame to rip apart from the lower part (split it open) there is significant rust on the frame but this really looks like the bandaid caused a bigger problem. …
Right rear passenger tire failed on 2003 Ford Escape. Tires in question are Firestone destination le, (dot vn08, 0107) just days and one year after purchase new. After tire failure vehicle one veered violently into left lane of the two lane interstate highway and vehicle two collided with vehicle one sending vehicle one skidding on its drivers side before coming to a rest on the right breakdown lane. Total time when vehicle one noticed a noise to end of incident was less than 1 minute. Normal driving conditions on interstate highway, speed traveling at time of mishap was approximately four MPH above posted 70 MPH speed limit. Temperature was approximately 90 degrees ambient fahrenheit on a clear visible day. Tire in question were purchased as a set of two totally four June 5, 2007 and accident occurred June 22, 2008. …
Tl* the contact's daughter owns a 2003 Ford Escape. The contact stated that his daughter noticed that the subframe looked rusted and loose. The vehicle was towed to brondes Ford toledo (5545 secor rd, toledo, oh 43623) where it was diagnosed that the subframe had rotted. The vehicle was serviced per NHTSA campaign number: 14V165000 (structure). After the vehicle was driven over 20 MPH, the wheels turned at different angles and the vehicle made a screeching sound. The vehicle was taken back to brondes Ford, but the dealer and manufacturer (who was made aware of the failure) declined to provide further assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
My daughter was driving at a slow rate of speed and the front wheel fell off the truck. There had been a recall on this part and we had the service completed. Ford added a cross member to the part as the parts were rusting. This was done within the year. The truck is now at a Ford dealership and the Ford motor company refuses to pay for the repair. I am grateful that my daughter was not hurt however this is the second time this wheel has fallen off. A year earlier during a service visit a Ford certified mechanic forgot to put a bolt back on. That dealership did pay to have the truck repaired and apologized. Again it was fortunate that my daughter was not hurt.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Escape. While driving approximately 33 MPH and attempting to turn, the front passenger side wheel failed and the vehicle became difficult to control. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact was able to pull the vehicle over to the shoulder and discovered that the front passenger wheel was rusted and twisted outward. The failure caused the rear control arm to almost fall off. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle had a recall on the frame and was repaired. While driving 20 MPH, the vehicle shook and the steering wheel wobbled. The front driver side wheel was straight while the front passenger side wheel faced outward. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the subframe was completely fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 145,000.
Driving on interstate at 70 MPH, back tire blew out, car spun, lost control, rolled x 2. Car landed on roof. Driver had miner injuries, cuts, bruises, transported to hospital by ambulance, released from e.d. In 2 hours.car is total loss. Tires all with minimal wear, lots of tread, warratied for 60,000 miles, this tire failed at 30,000 miles.
While that vehicle was being operated; decelerating from about 35 MPH, a very loud pop noise was heard and the front passenger side became unstable and steering became unreliable. Vehicle was stopped immediately. Upon initial inspection is appears that the wheel became partially detached from vehicle. After a thorough inspection is appears that the rear mounting bolt of the front passenger side control arm had detached from the sub-frame. This part of the sub-frame show excessive corrosion which LED to the failure of the control arm mounting point. As a result of the failure the vehicle lost all ability to maintain effective stability. Luckily the vehicle was already decelerating and being operated on a roadway that had sufficient room to make corrective measure otherwise the outcome of this failure easily could have been catastrophic and fatal. The vehicle has less than 100,000 miles. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Escape equipped with cooper discoverer m+s sport tires, size: 235/70r16. While driving over 70 MPH, the contact heard a loud, rumbling noise coming from the rear driver's side tire. The contact stated that the tire tread separated from around the tire, which damaged the rear passenger side tail light and fractured the bulb. Also, the rear bumper and body of the vehicle were damaged near the rear driver's side tire. Aaa arrived and replaced the shredded tire with a spare tire. The vehicle was taken to a tire repair facility and all four tires were replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was waiting to hear if there was a related recall. The VIN and tire and vehicle failure mileages were not available.
Wheel & Tire complaints in other Escape years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 2003 Ford Escape?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 2003 Ford Escape, 5% of the model year's 558 complaints. The component named most often is tread/belt (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Ford Escape wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires recall for the 2003 Ford Escape, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Ford Escape wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 miles, and 26% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 5 injuries to wheels & tires problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.