2004 Ford Escape Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2004 Ford Escape. Part of Generation 1 — 2001–2007.

20032005
Complaints
715
Crashes
49
Fires
21
Injuries
27
Fatalities
1
Recalls
3

Worst 2004 Ford Escape Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1148 complaints

Suspension Failures

Avg mileage:129,735 mi
Crash-related:1
#2111 complaints

Body Structure

Avg mileage:127,903 mi
Crash-related:3
Fires:1
#376 complaints

Unintended Acceleration

Avg mileage:106,321 mi
Crash-related:22
Fires:4
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2004 Ford Escape.

Suspension Failures
148
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
129,735
Body Structure
111
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Avg Miles
127,903
Unintended Acceleration
76
complaints
Crashes
22
Fires
4
Avg Miles
106,321
Airbags
41
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
1
Avg Miles
85,405
Wheel Issues
33
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
129,454
Engine Problems
31
complaints
Crashes
Fires
4
Avg Miles
109,221
Electrical Faults
26
complaints
Crashes
Fires
5
Avg Miles
104,275
Steering Defects
26
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
103,392
Brakes
18
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
2
Avg Miles
132,761
Transmission / Drivetrain
15
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
105,283
Structural Problems
15
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
122,491
Engine & Cooling
13
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
84,142
Vehicle Speed Control:Cables
11
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
58,876
Automatic Transmission
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
46,444
Seat Belt Issues
10
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
81,143
Fuel System
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
123,586
Hydraulic Brakes
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
77,700
Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
56,317
Gasoline Fuel System
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
112,000
Structure:Frame And Members
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
97,051
Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
46,220
Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension:Rear
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Visibility
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Side/Rear Glass
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electronic Stability Control
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Frontal
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Instrument Cluster
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2004 Ford Escape. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2004 Ford Escape

3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~878,726 vehicles.

15V606000Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
~57 affected

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.

14V165000Structure:frame And Members
~348,950 affected

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 York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. These vehicles may experience excessive corrosion at the forward attachment of the lower control arm.

12V353000Vehicle Speed Control:cables · Engine & Cooling
~529,719 affected

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. Inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector could result in a stuck throttle when the accelerator pedal is fully or almost-fully depressed. This risk exists regardless of whether or not speed control (cruise control) is used.

Other Ford Escape Years

2004 Ford Escape — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2004 Ford Escape reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 2004 Ford Escape has 715 NHTSA complaints, 49 crash-related, and 3 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Suspension Failures with 148 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2004 Ford Escape?
Top reported problems: Suspension Failures (148 complaints, avg 129,735 mi); Body Structure (111 complaints, avg 127,903 mi); Unintended Acceleration (76 complaints, avg 106,321 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2004 Ford Escape?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 112,955 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2004 Ford Escape?
NHTSA complaints for the 2004 Ford Escape include 49 crash-related reports, 21 fire reports, 27 injuries, and 1 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2004 Ford Escape have any recalls?
Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 878,726 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2004 Ford Escape?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Ford Escape reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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