2003 Ford Escape Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 90 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 2003 Ford Escape, 16% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 120,831 miles. The words owners use most often: “control arm” (52% of reports).
- 90suspension complaints
- 120,831median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 13%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.
- Control arm: mentioned in 47 of 90 complaints (52%)
- Sub frame: mentioned in 24 of 90 complaints (27%)
- Front passenger side: mentioned in 14 of 90 complaints (16%)
- Cross brace: mentioned in 8 of 90 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 72 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 90 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
Ford Escape suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Escape | 5 | 2% | 48,500 |
| 2021 Escape | 7 | 2% | 41,513 |
| 2020 Escape | 9 | 1% | 19,000 |
| 2019 Escape | 3 | 1% | 54,000 |
| 2018 Escape | 11 | 1% | 45,000 |
| 2017 Escape | 8 | 0% | 34,000 |
| 2016 Escape | 7 | 1% | 57,099 |
| 2015 Escape | 13 | 1% | 31,301 |
| 2014 Escape | 18 | 1% | 46,000 |
| 2013 Escape | 27 | 1% | 49,098 |
| 2012 Escape | 12 | 2% | 46,000 |
| 2011 Escape | 32 | 2% | 84,000 |
| 2010 Escape | 34 | 2% | 108,000 |
| 2009 Escape | 19 | 1% | 65,000 |
| 2008 Escape | 31 | 2% | 129,000 |
| 2007 Escape | 19 | 7% | 88,618 |
| 2006 Escape | 65 | 14% | 111,000 |
| 2005 Escape | 459 | 33% | 121,000 |
| 2004 Escape | 154 | 31% | 123,481 |
| 2003 Escape | 90 | 16% | 120,831 |
| 2002 Escape | 80 | 8% | 125,000 |
| 2001 Escape | 42 | 4% | 100,199 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists suspension for the 2003 Ford Escape. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Driver had uneasy feeling with stability of vehicle as if it was swaying. He got it looked at and was told he probably needed lower control arm and links to take care of the problem. After ordering parts, the vehicle, while driving to work, a loud popping sound was heard and then the vehicle…
While replacing the control arms on my 2003 ford escape xlt 4x4 i noticed on the passenger side there was alot of corrosion so much so the control arm is barely hanging on there is a flat bar running from drivers side to passenger side which has been rendered useless because the bolt that is used…
Recall #14s02 (nhtsa campaign # 14v165000) covered replacement of lower control arm & ballpoint for every nearby state, but not virginia. Both lower control arms on my vehicle are corroded and in need of replacement, but there is no open recall for my vin because 14s02 did not include virginia…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Ford Escapes have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 90 owner complaints about suspension for the 2003 Ford Escape (16% 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 suspension?
No recall currently lists suspension for this vehicle.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 120,831 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 2003 Ford Escape?
The most frequent phrase is “control arm”, in 47 of 90 complaints, followed by “sub frame” (24).
Other 2003 Ford Escape problems
See all 2003 Ford Escape problems or suspension problems across all Escape years.