CoolScoop

There are usually quite a few TSBs with different numbers that are repeats for some reason. Some are updates to a previous while others are just repeats, plus some cover multiple vehicles. Most TSBs start out saying some of the listed vehicles may exhibit the problem... so they may not be wide spread issues. Because of all the electronics in cars now, many TSBs seem to be software related issues that are easily fixed with an update to the PCM or one of the many other modules. TSBs are a good thing, they make life easier for technicians and also for home mechanics trying to identify and correct an issue after the warranty has expired... they've helped me many times over the years.

-CR only sends surveys to thier members and the surveys are voluntary. -They only received 329,000 responses for all makes and models sold in the US... Toyota sold more Camry's than that in 2019. -All data was collected in the 2020 calender year, but model years are different for each vehicle and the calender year isn't over yet. It asks for problems that occurred over the last twelve months, so it doesn't identify trends like early launch problems that improve over time. -The 'average' number of samples for each model is 200 to 300, but they go as low as 100. -CR has been asked by other groups to provide the algorithms they use to weigh thier results and rank the vehicles but they always refuse. They basically say consumers don't need to know, while the other groups say consumers have a right to know to help make more informed decisions and as a nonprofit they must be transparent.

I agree... it's a stunning red. I admired a Mazda in a very similar color at my bus park and ride lot but Rapid Red/Red Carpet is even better, it didn't take long for my daughter to decide what color Escape to get. We had to go out of state to find a Titanium 2.0 with premium package in Rapid Red.

Red Carpet is the same color as Ford's Rapid Red, both are color code D4. My daughters new Escape Titanium is Rapid Red and it's drop dead gorgeous in that color. The gloss black roof and grill and dark grey/almost black lower plastic trim really contrast well with it. It was a $400 option on the Escape because it's a tinted clear coat paint, but it was worth the extra cost!

No recalls yet... knock on wood! Yep, the Aviator looks awsome in Blue Diamond... and with all of the chatter about how bad the 2020s are and how everyone should wait to see if CR gives their all important blessing to the 2021 models, the fact that Blue Diamond has been discontinued for '21 gives us a good reason to be glad we didn't wait!

My daughter's Escape didn't have any of these issues... but being a June build, it was well into Job 3 production. We've had fleets of each generation of Escapes at work since the early boxy models so I've driven them all extensively... and IMO the new 2020s are light-years better in every way than even the last Gen models.

Yes, 2020 Job 2 builds for Explorers and Aviators started around 8/19/2019. But Aviator Grand Touring production didn't start until the first week of December.

Not sure about Atlas Blue, I think its lighter and brighter (sportier) ... here's another pic of Blue/Blue Diamond without sun:

It's the now discontinued Lincoln Blue Diamond / Ford Blue Metallic. Here's a pic when it's clean:

See my post from yesterday in the similar Lincoln thread. My sisters Explorer XLT was built August 2019 and my daughters Escape 2.0 Titanium was built this June... both were defect free and they absolutely love them. Our Aviator GT was built December 5th 2019 and hasn't been back to the dealer for anything. The fit and finish is perfect. If we still trusted anything CR prints we would have missed out on three fantastic 2020 Ford products, and in my case I would have missed out on the finest vehicle I have ever had the pleasure to experience. My dealer sent these pics shortly after it was unloaded and I picked it up the same day, they didn't have to fix or adjust anything.

Here's a couple more photos I found. The red F150 Lariat 5.4L in the background was purchased new in 1998 and I just sold it last month... so we had it for 22 years!!! I just left it in its normal spot in my driveway with a for sale sign on the dash and sold it in three days... and I'm not even on a busy street in my plan! It only went back to the dealer for yearly state inspections, I do my own maintenance and the only repairs I had to make over 22 years were: fixed one blown spark plug (number 3); replaced both exhaust manifolds using revised stainless steel studs/nuts; installed stainless steel brake line kit; replaced starter; replaced A/C clutch and serpentine belt; replaced both power window motors; repaired hvac blend door; replaced shocks once; replaced front pads and rotors several times (never had to replace the rear shoes); replaced battery twice. Can't remember how many sets of tires I went through. The exhaust system was original but the muffler finally had a hole in it, but sold as is.

Yep, there's a Ford oval in the center caps. Pictures don't do the wheels justice... they look awesome in person!

Actually, I can't remember ever test driving a vehicle before buying and I/we have never been disappointed... except for maybe how boring the two Honda's were. Most of our Ford vehicles have been retail orders, except two were located and one was an end of year deal off the lot purchase.

Did you take it back to the dealer and if so, what did they find?

Here's my no turbo lag Limited "custom sport truck" before I drove it off the lot:

^^^^ I'm sure glad we got the Aviator with a 2 rating... looks like it's twice as reliable as the Explorers with a 1 rating, lol. We have three 2020 Ford products in my family, so going by these CR ratings we should all be looking for lemon law lawyers. My sisters Explorer XLT is an August '19 build, our Aviator GT is a December '19 build, and my daughters 2.0L Escape Titanium is a June '20 build. Knock on wood, but all three have been problem/defect free and we're all extremely happy with them. Seriously, we've had a bunch of satisfying Fords over the years and the only one we didn't like was the Contour we inherited from my wife's parents... and all of them have been reliable. But if we had listened to all those CR magazines we used to get in the mail, we would have been driving boring Toyota's and Honda's. And yes, we did have two Honda's because of those CR ratings... that's why I say boring. I agree that the Explorer/Aviator launch was a fiasco that shouldn't have happened and early build Escapes had some issues, but non of us regret our purchases and we wouldn't hesitate buying them again dispite the CR ratings. And it's not just CR car ratings that are misleading, their other ratings for things like TVs and appliances are also suspect at best. IMHO they should modify their logo to CONsumer Reports!

I love my '14 Blue Jeans Limited with blue full grain leather seating surfaces front and back! It was one of the last steel bodies built and I've had several people over the years compliment me on the custom build... then they're suprised when I tell them it's all stock. With its 3.5L, 22 inch wheels and sport tuned shocks it's an absolute blast to drive on the windy mountain roads in WV, and mine has the 3.55s instead of the 3.73s. I've driven several aluminum body F150s of various flavors, but I still like mine better... yes it's a keeper!

No... it's bone stock except for Weathertech MudFlaps.

Then my '14 F150 Limited 3.5 Ecoboost must be disobeying the laws of physics on a daily basis... no noticeable turbo lag! I was a hard core V8 guy too, but after seeing the Limited in Blue Jeans Mettalic I had to have it regardless of its standard 3.5 engine. I purchased it without a test drive and as soon as I drove it off the lot I realized my V8 obsession was over!

When was yours built? My daughters Titanium 2.0L is a June build and both blind spot and cross traffic seem to be working fine.

2021 models are still SYNC 3... changes in the order guide are: adaptive steering deleted across the board (decontenting); soft close doors are now exclusive to Black Labels; the front heated/cooled seats are now automatic; auto cabin air refresh added; some color changes and monochromatic option. It doesn't say anything about deleting the interior temperature displays.

I was curious why the 2020 Escape manual discusses heated windshield wiper park area, if equiped. But it doesn't appear to be included even on the top end Titanium. I checked the 2020 windshield part numbers and sure enough, there's part numbers for windshields with heated park area, both with/without auto wipers. Did some research and the best I could determine is the heated park area feature is only available in Canada now.

I've noticed that most dealers around me have started using these generic images with thier fixed background in the past year or so... but a few dealers are sticking with their own multiple photos of the actual car. The actual photos are way better for online comparison shopping. The computer images are useless.

Ocean Drive Blue is Lincoln's name for Ford's new Infinite Blue... they both have the same color code, (AB). The best photo I've found that shows what it should actually look like is on this Mach-E:

I agree, the dark engined turned would look awesome with the roast interior and would be worth the effort to change over! The light engine turned is standard in the GT with the medium slate inerior and optional with the roast. The light looks fantastic with the slate but I think dark would definetly go best with roast.