Gator06

nch734, These are some of the concerns I have as well in terms of long term damage. My g/f had a Dodge Nitro with a similar under the dash leak, the dealer could never solve it, and it ended up destroying the interior of the vehicle. Exposed metal (like the seat frames) completely rusted, the padding/soundproofing under the carpets molded and had to be torn out. We were starting to experience a lot of other electrical gremlins that no doubt were due to corrosion from the moisture. We were both very excited to get rid of that literal rust bucket for the new Escape, only to be potentially faced with the same issues all over again. I'm thinking there has to be a common issue related to the roof racks or seals around the cowling. Its seems the moonroof ironically isn't an issue since vehicles without one are leaking, and that the windshield replacement doesn't always work from what I've read. If we are lucky, Ford issues a TSB, which will not only help the dealers fix the problem, but document that Ford was aware of the problem in case we end up with long term issues down the road.

Yikes, thats not good news. I haven't found the time to take mine in to the dealer yet. It's hard to go without a vehicle when I have a 18 mile commute to work each way. Do you have the moonroof?

That location would make a lot of sense for my leak. Do you happen to have the source story that you can provide a link to?

I have the Huskys too and thats exactly how I noticed it. I kept seeing a small puddle after getting into the vehicle after it had sat through a rain shower in the parking lot at work. After I ruled out my shoes being the souce of the water, I knew there was an issue. I probably never would have noticed it with just carpet. Ironically enough, one of the reasons we traded in the horrible Dodge Nitro for the Escape was water leaking into the cabin. Sometimes you just can't win!

I've got a 2013 Escape 2.0 4x4 with about 5000 miles and I've been experiencing a whining noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. It becomes noticeable around 45mph, is loudest at 50mph and then quickly goes away just before reaching 55mph. Everything feels normal and this happens regardless of what gear the transmission is in. It's really become quite annoying since I noticed it a few weeks ago. Does anyone else with the same drivetrain configuration experience the same? I'm hesitant to have the dealer tearing apart my brand new car if this is normal but concerned it could become a serious issue down the road.

I've got a similar issue on my May '13 built Escape. There is a water leak somewhere on the drivers front side of the vehicle. I haven't seen any staining of the headliner, but its dripping down from behind the dash along the plastic trim by the door frame, around the ODB port. It could be leaking from any number of places to get water to run down that area. Ive yet to take it into the shop but I'll be sure to post their findings when I do.

If you don't mind me asking, what kind of cost are we talking for these? This would be a nice upgrade to make the rear look as modern as the front does with the LED strips under the headlamps. Keep us posted on the project!

My '13 was built in late May. From what I can remember, It seems they partially removed the feature. When I use the intelligent access key by simply using the door handle, the seats/mirrors don't move. However, if I use the unlock button on the remote, the seats/mirrors do move to the last position used with the key. I'll test this further tonight with both key fobs to double check.

Let us know how it fits on the '13. On the '14, It looks like there are two little nubs on the center console that hold the tray in place. I'm curious how the tray will work without the nubs.

<---- Sums up this thread. If you don't know how to turn the ignition on, how in the world did you get to your garage in the first place from the dealership? Whats next, a description of which way to turn the steering wheel to go left or right when the manual mentions something about turning the vehicle? I feel these manuals already go on too much about the common sense parts and skim on the details on things that are new or technical in nature. For example, the settings for the instrument panel are listed but there is no description what they do. Most are obvious, but there are some that need further detail. What the heck is "Parking Slot Chimes" or what does "Quiet Start" actually do different if its on or off? I failed to notice a difference on these types of settings, so I just leave them be, but it would be good to understand them a little better. And for the record, the ignition does not fall into this category. It is clearly described in the manual to push the ignition button once with no foot on the brake to bring the car to an ON state. I don't know how it can be any clearer! Turn Key to On = Push Button.

It's a late availability option listed in the order guide. This is probably the only thing I'll miss by getting a '13. I'm hoping there is a reasonable retrofit as well.

Mine does as well. What I meant was that I didn't like the addition of the chrome on the liftgate of the 2014's.

There were plenty on lots in my area as well. However, no dealer within 500 miles had the configuration I was looking for. To me, it didn't make sense to compromise since I could wait the 8 weeks for a factory build and it wasn't any more expensive than buying one off the lot.

When I saw the changes to the packaging on the 14s, I went into scramble mode to get a 13 before it was too late. I wanted a fully loaded Titanium and didn't like the loss of the sport seats, nor the chrome strip on the lift gate. Luckily I was able to get my order placed the very last week they were still taking 13s. Incentives were also awesome at the time so in the end I got exactly what I wanted at a lower price than if I were to get a 14 today.

Picked her up last Monday. Thanks for the status updates!

I noticed on the Escape product sheet that they mention MyFord Touch is available with Applink! Hopefully this means an update to the 2013's soon.

CyberDMan, I hope your Memorial weekend was great! Could you provide an update please, hopefully with a railcar number and ETA. 1FMCU9J96DUD83827 Thanks!

This is ridiculous. How can everyone simply ignore the lack of a muffler bearing lubricant gauge? I'm cancelling my ordered Escape first thing tomorrow after this discovery. In all seriousness, it is a little surprising that they didn't engineer a sensor in for the washer fluid. My 1991 Mercury Sable had one! But in reality its not a big deal. My Fusion doesn't have one either, so I've gotten used to it. Topping off the fluid just becomes part of the washing and oil change routines.

My apologies to cyberdman if I've broken a rule, as I wasn't sure if a build week was considered a specific date or not. I was just trying to get a specific date. Once I have that, I know to wait a few days after the build date passes before pinging for a railcar number and ETA.

Bump to see if things are still on schedule and if a specific build day is set. 1FMCU9J96DUD83827 Thanks!

I noticed under the trailer tow package the following note: Note: With Hands-free Liftgate – Late Availability I'll be curious to see if this can be retrofitted to existing Escapes once its available. I'm also curious about the Remote Start 63D accessory on the Titanium. Since remote start is already standard on the Ti, I'm wondering if this is some of kind of wireless adapter to allow control from a cell phone?

Just came across this: http://blogs.km77.com/celedonioycogolludo/4058/ford-kuga-circuito-off-road/ Even though its in Spanish, the pictures and videos tell the story. This looks pretty extreme for any 4x4 and it looks like the new Kuga did pretty well! Glad I got 4x4 on my order in case I ever want to get a little dirty!

I don't think Ford starts building '14s until June, so we are a few months out.

Great info, thanks! I think I'll use 87 once my new 2.0 Escape arrives, unless I plan on towing or carrying other heavy loads.

In Florida, we have 87, 89, and 93 at most pumps. I've been wondering if 89 is a viable compromise between additional performance and cost. Is there any advantage to running 89 to get some of the benefit of additional power/mpg at a cheaper price than 93? I'm not sure how the ECU operates on these engines. I seem to recall reading it basically has two mappings, one for regular and one for premium, but I can't seem to find the source of that anymore so I could be wrong. If thats true, then 89 would be a waste if it wasn't enough octane to trigger the "premium" mapping. However, if its truly variable, there could be some benefit of using midgrade. Any thoughts/experiences?