Most common 2004 Ford Escape problems
Share of the 499 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Escape complaints by model year
Best Escape years: 2025, 2012, 2023. Years to avoid: 2017, 2020, 2013, 2018, 2014. Compare all years →
2004 Ford Escape recalls (6)
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Floor shift
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2001-2008 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured March 31, 2001, to September 1, 2009. The affected vehicles are equipped with either a 2.3L or 3.0L engine and have had their CD4E transmission replaced with remanufactured one that was rebuilt between June…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmissions and either tighten the manual shift lever bolt or replace the manual shift lever assembly. These repairs will be performed free of charge.
Structure › Frame and members
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2001-2004 Escape vehicles manufactured October 22, 1999, through January 23, 2004, originally sold, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a newly designed reinforcement cross-brace, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle speed control › Cables
Ford Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2001 through 2004 Escape vehicles equipped with 3.0L V6 engines and speed control manufactured from October 22, 1999, through January 23, 2004.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles by increasing the engine cover clearance, free of charge. The safety recall began August 3, 2012.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with antilock brakes (ABS), the ABS module connector May have missing or dislodged wire seals. This condition could allow contamination to enter the module connector, creating a potential for an electrical short.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the wire harness connector to the ABS module for missing or dislodged wire seals, and repair or replace the harness connector as appropriate.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Certain 2004-2005 sport utility vehicles and certain 2001-2003 sport utiity vehicle having rear liftgate components serviced with 2004 equivalent components fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear liftgate latch release rod, the release rod attachment clip and the door handle return spring. The recall began on March 31, 2005. Owners should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle speed control › Cables
On certain sport utility vehicles built with 3.0l v6 engines, the accelerator cable May prevent the throttle from returning to the idle position.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the accelerator cable. The recall began on January 10, 2005. Owners should contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 6 possible defects involving the 2004 Ford Escape:
Engine compartment fire
In letters dated March 30, 2007, Ford motor company (Ford) and Mazda north American operations (Mazda) notified the agency that they will conduct recalls 07v-156 and 07v-157, respectively, to remedy a safety defect that May result in fire in a wiring connector used in certain model year (my) 2001-2004 Ford escape and Mazda tribute vehicles equipped with ABS.the recall campaign prescribes an inspection of the subject…
Stuck Throttle
In a letter dated July 25, 2012 Ford Motor Company (Ford) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR), NHTSA Recall No. 12V-353 to NHTSA identifying a safety defect involving inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector, which could result in a stuck throttle condition.The vehicles involved are model year (MY) 2001 through MY 2004 Ford Escape vehicles equipped with 3.0L V6…
Engine Compartment Fire
Ford and Mazda recalled model year (MY) 2001 through 2004 Ford Escape (07V-156) and Mazda Tribute (07V-157) vehicles due to non-crash fires or non-fire thermal events originating in the engine compartment at or near the ABS control module.Approximately 545,700 vehicles were subject to the initial safety recalls and approximately 424,700 vehicles were serviced under those campaigns.
Cruise Control Cable
On July 8, 2012, The Center for Auto Safety has petitioned NHTSA to open defect investigations on Model Year (MY) 2002 ? 2004 Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute vehicles with certain cruise control cables.The Center for Auto Safety has also petitioned for a hearing to address whether Ford Motor Company (Ford) and Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) met their obligations to notify owners and correct a defect in…
Engine compartment fire
The office of defects investigation (odi) received a defect petition dated March 5, 2009 alleging that the petitioner never received the recall remedy for 07v-156 and that, as a result, the petitioner's my2003 Ford escape caught fire at the ABS control module.in response to odi follow-up, the manufacturer verified that the petitioner's vehicle had in fact received service related to safety recall 07V156 - a fact…
Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three…
What 2004 Ford Escape owners say
Suspension all 154 →
in an attempt t improve the safety and drivability of m 2004 ford escape I went to have my shocks, struts, control arms, sway bar end links and ball joints and steering arms replaced. upon the installation I was informed that the rust on the sub frame is at a critical level and in danger of catastrophic failure. I did some research and found that the recall on the sub frame existed. however my local dealership denied that this recall existed for my vehicle. I was able to get the majority of the parts installed but there is issues with the threads inside the subframe that the hardware attaching the suspension components to the vehicle. I am reading that the "fix" for this recall is installing a support brace but do not fee that is an acceptable repair as the wheels may literally fall off of the car taking the front suspension with them as they go.
The body panel around the rear driver side shock mount has almost completely rusted away. Driving one day, I started to hear a loud clunking noise from the rear driver side. It started to get louder the more I drove it. Upon inspection, I found the body panel had completely rusted around the shock mount tower, which is only now connected to the rear floor panel. Without the support of the rest of the body panel, the metal is slowing ripping away where it is connected to the floor if it is driven. The vehicle is completely unsafe to drive now as the rear shock could rip away from the vehicle at any moment. There have been many complaints of this happening on the rear passenger side, which I also had on this vehicle. Roughly 5 years ago, I had an independent auto body shop repair rust on the passenger side shock mount/body panel where it had rusted through. …
Body & structure all 138 →
The contact owned a 2004 Ford Escape. The contact's son stated while driving at approximately 45 MPH, he lost control of the vehicle and rolled. The contact stated that her son had gone unconscious and did not remember any details. The contact arrived at the scene and saw that the vehicle had rolled into a ditch. The contact stated that the vehicle had been rolled back over onto its four wheels. The contact noted that none of the air bags had deployed. The contact stated that the police were on the scene but had not issued a report. The contact drove her son to a local hospital where he received stitches to close a cut over his left eye on his forehead. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was not aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V165000 (Structure). The manufacturer had not been notified of the failure. …
The body panel around the rear driver side shock mount has almost completely rusted away. Driving one day, I started to hear a loud clunking noise from the rear driver side. It started to get louder the more I drove it. Upon inspection, I found the body panel had completely rusted around the shock mount tower, which is only now connected to the rear floor panel. Without the support of the rest of the body panel, the metal is slowing ripping away where it is connected to the floor if it is driven. The vehicle is completely unsafe to drive now as the rear shock could rip away from the vehicle at any moment. There have been many complaints of this happening on the rear passenger side, which I also had on this vehicle. Roughly 5 years ago, I had an independent auto body shop repair rust on the passenger side shock mount/body panel where it had rusted through. …
Speed control & acceleration all 98 →
A few times I have pressed the brakes when coming to a red light and stop signs But instead of my vehicle stopping it propelled me forward as it excellerated out of no where and pushed me into oncoming traffic, I almost was hit by other cars and I almost hit other cars and even have had to swerve onto the side walk to prevent myself from getting g hit by another car. If there were people walking, I would have definitely hit them! When I press the brake, I'm not expecting to accelerate instead Also apparently this recall of this issue was already done back in 2005 but i just purchased this vehicle in the fall of 2023 And the dealer says there is no recall since it's already been fixed by the previous owner years ago But it needs to be fixed as it's still doing it to me
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Ford Escape. When the gear was shifted into drive, the vehicle independently accelerated in excess of 30 MPH. As a result, the contact's vehicle crashed into another vehicle. The contact was able to stop the vehicle by shifting into neutral and shutting off the engine. A police report was filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic (ct conveyor llc located at 320 terryville rd, bristol, ct 06010; [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the cruise control cable needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 12V353000 and 14V165000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control and structure). The parts to do the repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. …
2004 Ford Escape engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 25 / 22 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Ford Escape a good car?
Based on 499 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Escape rates better than average: 75% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Escape at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 Ford Escape?
The suspension — 154 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about rear. Next are the body & structure (138) and speed control & acceleration (98).
How many recalls does the 2004 Ford Escape have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2004 Ford Escape, the most recent from September 29, 2015 (floor shift). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Escape?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2025, 2012 and 2023. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2017, 2020, 2013, 2018 and 2014. See the full Ford Escape years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 Ford Escape problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 108,000 miles; 16% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.