2003 Ford Escape Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 55 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2003 Ford Escape, 10% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 69,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “automatic transmission control” (18% of reports).
- 55power train complaints
- 69,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 31%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Automatic transmission control: mentioned in 10 of 55 complaints (18%)
- Module TCM PCM: mentioned in 9 of 55 complaints (16%)
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 45 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 55 complaints, 1 a fire, 1 an injury.
Ford Escape power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Escape | 3 | 12% | — |
| 2024 Escape | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2023 Escape | 23 | 23% | 33,000 |
| 2022 Escape | 31 | 13% | 21,500 |
| 2021 Escape | 44 | 13% | 79,845 |
| 2020 Escape | 241 | 15% | 50,000 |
| 2019 Escape | 127 | 21% | 64,460 |
| 2018 Escape | 275 | 15% | 80,000 |
| 2017 Escape | 391 | 15% | 75,456 |
| 2016 Escape | 320 | 28% | 88,000 |
| 2015 Escape | 286 | 26% | 94,000 |
| 2014 Escape | 481 | 23% | 89,804 |
| 2013 Escape | 401 | 15% | 81,500 |
| 2012 Escape | 66 | 11% | 41,967 |
| 2011 Escape | 268 | 20% | 45,380 |
| 2010 Escape | 508 | 25% | 51,430 |
| 2009 Escape | 301 | 18% | 65,000 |
| 2008 Escape | 329 | 17% | 68,100 |
| 2007 Escape | 44 | 17% | 74,500 |
| 2006 Escape | 80 | 17% | 80,000 |
| 2005 Escape | 117 | 8% | 91,928 |
| 2004 Escape | 27 | 5% | 72,000 |
| 2003 Escape | 55 | 10% | 69,000 |
| 2002 Escape | 105 | 10% | 74,000 |
| 2001 Escape | 128 | 13% | 68,308 |
| 2000 Escape | 1 | 20% | 76,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift; power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Problem: 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 11, 2015 through July 15, 2015. These service repair part transmissions have a shift lever bolt that may not be properly tightened. As a result, the shift control lever could disengage from the transmission without warning.
Risk: If the shift lever disengages from the transmission, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the gear selection indicator may show that the transmission is in the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not actually be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Fix: 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. The recall began on October 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S28.
Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with 3.0l v6 engines, during deceleration, the engine can stall.
Risk: Should the engine stall, a vehicle crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the power control module (pcm) with the appropriate calibration. Owner notification began on april 21, 2004. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Driving down the interstate coming from georgia, it would downshift suddenly without warning. I have not been able to drive it in about 4 months.i thought i had everything repaired, then my truck stopped pulling in drive at a red light. My safety neutral switch is brand new and the position sensor…
I have a 2003 ford escape and i have had to replace 2 of the shifter cables. The cables to allow the truck to go from prnd12.on the dashboard if the black bold square isn't around the p when i turn off the truck then i cannot take my key out of the ignition when parked.i do not want the vehicle to…
Vehicle moved forward when in reverse gear when i was trying to back up at work. I had to have people at work come help me pull the vehicle backwards to avoid crashing into the wall. It still only goes forward, even in reverse gear. It is not safe to drive!!!
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Ford Escapes have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 55 owner complaints about power train for the 2003 Ford Escape (10% of the 558 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Ford Escape power train?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 69,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2003 Ford Escape?
The most frequent phrase is “automatic transmission control”, in 10 of 55 complaints, followed by “module tcm pcm” (9).
Other 2003 Ford Escape problems
- Structure problems (121)
- Suspension problems (90)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (90)
- Air Bags problems (60)
See all 2003 Ford Escape problems or power train problems across all Escape years.