2013 Escape impressions after 11K miles

[svtenthusiast]

An update.....not much help from Ford's regional customer service on the MyFord touch rear camera "disappearing overlay" issues. They claim they haven't heard of the rear lines disappearing in 3.5.1 even though I have heard of several owners here, my parents factory fresh 2013 Escape that came with 3.5.1 from the factory and read several on their own owner forums website with the exact same problem:

 

http://boards.synccommunity.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=fordsyncmb&tid=6386

 

http://boards.synccommunity.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?sr=y&msg=6345.1&nav=messages&webtag=fordsyncmb

 

Frustrating to say the least because customers continually get stuck between Ford and the dealer, my dealer did what they could about it and I called Ford to report it myself. I don't expect immediate resolution, just a simple thank you for reporting it and that they will work on it. Didn't even get that, just an argumentitave CSR that tried pushing me back to the dealer to waste more of my time.

 

As these vehicles get more technical, the technicians at the dealer level can do less and less about these things and rely on Ford for SSM's, TSB's, and IDS updates for about anything electronic or overly technical. Ford needs to up the way they treat customers and dealers and take some responsibility to go the extra mile instead of pawning it back to the dealer and ultimately an inconvinience to the customer with a non-resolution.

 

I guarantee the next update to MyFord touch will probably resolve the issue. Very frustrating when I never had a problem with the camera before the 3.5.1 update.

Edited January 10, 2013 by svtenthusiast

[svtenthusiast]

Well finally got tired of the rear parking lines disappering randomly and lack of Ford's response (started happening on mine after upgraded to 3.5.1, my parents just got a 2013 with 3.5.1 loaded from the factory with the same issue, both of ours w/o navigation).

The MFT runarounds are real old now, they started for me years ago when I had my 2012 Focus. I just want MFT to work consistantly, and it seems like it's too much to ask, and Ford is far from changing their customer service attitude, which you would think they would start to learn with all the MFT embarrasment. As far as the CSM support for this---a week later, she has fallen off the map and I haven't heard from her. Not like her initial attitude towards me gave me any hope in the process anyway.

So this weekend I began documenting this and other issues with video recordings. Long story short, I videotaped the MFT screen until the lines disappeared on their own, showed the settings they were turned off, turned them back on manually, and videotaped the lines back on when put in reverse. If that's not evidience enough there is a problem even though they have never heard of it, I don't know what is. Amazing I have to provide what their own engineers supposidly have never heard of (which I doubt she did the legwork before she called me to see). Wish the customer service part of Ford would wake up, great vehicles but service on technical problems is a joke.

[svtenthusiast]

Added to my issues list on original post: exhaust vibration, "B" pillar wind noise, and cargo area rattle.

 

Captured a video this weekend of the exhaust, brake squeal, and cargo area rattle and sent it to the dealer. It's going in next week and will be there for awhile.

 

Seems like I got an early build warranty nightmare vehicle again. Sigh. It's such a great vehicle otherwise if it could just stay away from the shop (visit #4)

Edited January 14, 2013 by svtenthusiast

[howie411]

Well finally got tired of the rear parking lines disappering randomly and lack of Ford's response (started happening on mine after upgraded to 3.5.1, my parents just got a 2013 with 3.5.1 loaded from the factory with the same issue, both of ours w/o navigation).

 

The MFT runarounds are real old now, they started for me years ago when I had my 2012 Focus. I just want MFT to work consistantly, and it seems like it's too much to ask, and Ford is far from changing their customer service attitude, which you would think they would start to learn with all the MFT embarrasment. As far as the CSM support for this---a week later, she has fallen off the map and I haven't heard from her. Not like her initial attitude towards me gave me any hope in the process anyway.

 

So this weekend I began documenting this and other issues with video recordings. Long story short, I videotaped the MFT screen until the lines disappeared on their own, showed the settings they were turned off, turned them back on manually, and videotaped the lines back on when put in reverse. If that's not evidience enough there is a problem even though they have never heard of it, I don't know what is. Amazing I have to provide what their own engineers supposidly have never heard of (which I doubt she did the legwork before she called me to see). Wish the customer service part of Ford would wake up, great vehicles but service on technical problems is a joke.

 

Need to start posting it on Youtube and send these issues to the Consumerist. Only way Ford will listen is when they start getting loads of bad press.

[svtenthusiast]

Filled up last night immediately when the low fuel light came in, only took 11.5 gallons. It's major conservative for a 15.1 gallon tank.

[svtenthusiast]

Need to start posting it on Youtube and send these issues to the Consumerist. Only way Ford will listen is when they start getting loads of bad press.

This Escape is a replacement for a 2012 Focus lemon believe it or not. If I had to lemon another vehicle I am not sure if Ford has anything else I would be interested in at this time. If I didn't have the association with someone in the business I would of looked elsewhere after the terrible corporate Ford customer service I received when dealing 2012 Focus lemon that had a mind of it's own.

 

I really like this vehicle, but it's becoming harder to justify the true loyality and support I once had towards Ford. I just want a vehicle I can drive, enjoy, and rely on during the many miles and long work hours I have to work. Seems like Ford simply isn't mindful of that by asking me to hang out at the dealer several times a month. I have owned about 18 Ford vehicles in the past 15 years, and until the 2012 Focus, and now this Escape they vary rarely saw warranty work. Guess that's why their standing has suffered in the surveys the past few years.

[rscalzo]

Right now my dealer has slightly over a hundred. $4500 off msrp so if I'm still in the market in the spring they should be heavily discounted.

[svtenthusiast]

Well, dropped my vehicle off at the shop on Monday. I have been driving an 2013 Escape rental for the past few days, which is 4wd. My Escape is FWD with Michelin Xice Xi3 tires on it.

 

It's nice having the off the line traction of the 4wd, but the OEM continental all season tires are downright dangerous in the snow. My FWD with snow tires, once going down the road, is much more stable. Just shows AWD doesn't make a difference once rolling down the road unless you have snow tires on it.

 

I guess my point is even with AWD if you are running the Continental tires, be careful. You are going to stop and steer just like any other vehicle on the road.

 

BTW this Escape does have the 4WD readout and it's pretty interesting to watch since it is in real time for each individual tire.

[ScapeTom]

Thanks for this informative thread. I haven't even hit 400 miles on my Escape so I can't make any major judgements other than I like it so far.

 

Have to agree with the tire statement - having lived in Ohio for my first few decades, I grew to appreciate tires with an agressive tread in the winter. Most (not all) all-season tires seem to be a compromise that favors summer over winter driving. Not necessarily a bad thing here in Tennessee (especially when one has a 4WD truck in the garage with some gnarley tires on it just in case) but up in snow country, the choices ought to lean towards a more "wintery" all-season tire at least.

[ScapeTom]

Filled up last night immediately when the low fuel light came in, only took 11.5 gallons. It's major conservative for a 15.1 gallon tank.

 

I ran mine down to just about a needle's width on the low side of "E" today. Had "0" miles to empty showing for a couple of miles. Filled it up with 13.6 gallons, and I topped it off pretty good. So, even in an extreme case, I still had 1.5 gallons left.

 

Side note on mileage, just an observation and I don't know how accurate it is yet. When I filled up today, I calculated the MPG like I always do, but I also reset the "average MPG" readout on the car. As I drove, I was seeing pretty crappy mileage in the highway with the cruise set at 71 mph. I mean like 22.2 - 22.5. I pulled up the climate control on the screen and saw that the AC was on, even though it was showing off on the regular climate control panel. So I double hit the button which turned it off on the touch screen as well.

 

From that point on, my mileage jclimbed to the 25.2 - 25.4 range.

 

I don't think my observation is adequate to consider this a hard-and-fast fact, but I think it's worth it for people that are having trouble with their mileage to take a look at this. Take a look and see if the AC is reporting to be on on the 8" screen, and if it is, turn it off and see how it affects mileage.

[transitman]

I drove from Minneapolis to Phoenix last week. The car was loaded with two adults, two golf bags and several boxes. As we drove into warmer temps the mpg's increased, but for the most part, driving at the posted or a couple above 75, based on the dash readout, we averaged between 23 to 26 mpg depending on terrain. I tried to hand calculate, but lost track. Now I'm driving around the West Valley, into the mountains and through the city and my average is currently 25 mpg. I'm happy with those averages. I'm sorry to post somthing positive, but once again, my car drives great, gets good mileage and all systems are working.

[ScapeTom]

Transitman, nothing wrong with good news. I've got less than 700 miles on my Escape and so far, I'm very pleased with it. The 2.0 is very lively, and I don't need to rev the "wee" out of it to get the power like I did with my Honda Civic Si (also a good car, but that engine really didn't come to life until around 5700 RPM). I'm enjoying the smoother ride, the decent handling, and the spacious interior so far.

 

I was merely making an observation in my previous post in reference to the mileage hit that "seemed" to occur when the InSync computer claimed that the AC was on. It is certainly worth further investigation, particularly for those that don't seem to be getting the mileage that they think they ought to be getting.

[svtenthusiast]

I ran mine down to just about a needle's width on the low side of "E" today. Had "0" miles to empty showing for a couple of miles. Filled it up with 13.6 gallons, and I topped it off pretty good. So, even in an extreme case, I still had 1.5 gallons left.

 

Side note on mileage, just an observation and I don't know how accurate it is yet. When I filled up today, I calculated the MPG like I always do, but I also reset the "average MPG" readout on the car. As I drove, I was seeing pretty crappy mileage in the highway with the cruise set at 71 mph. I mean like 22.2 - 22.5. I pulled up the climate control on the screen and saw that the AC was on, even though it was showing off on the regular climate control panel. So I double hit the button which turned it off on the touch screen as well.

 

From that point on, my mileage jclimbed to the 25.2 - 25.4 range.

 

I don't think my observation is adequate to consider this a hard-and-fast fact, but I think it's worth it for people that are having trouble with their mileage to take a look at this. Take a look and see if the AC is reporting to be on on the 8" screen, and if it is, turn it off and see how it affects mileage.

This is a good observation, although I don't think the a/c compressors make as much a difference today in fuel economy as they are much more efficient than they used to be. The other part on the display differences between th 8" screen and the HVAC digital display---I have found this as another bug in the system, as sometimes they are not in sync as you have experienced. On top of all this, when in auto or defrost, under 50 or so degrees even though the A/C compressor is being used, the displays show "a/c off" I guess to curb customer questions why it is running a/c when it's cold outside. Well the answer is to keep the cabin windows from fogging up. What I do every time I select AUTO but want to be assured the compressor will not be activated, is toggle the a/c button so it shows "on" and then toggle it "off" and then it won't let the compressor come back on until you select AUTO again. A trick I found being an engineer and taking note of actual compressor activation and display differences. Hope this helps someone.

[svtenthusiast]

Well my vehicle has been in the shop all this week since last Monday (1/21) and I don't have much progress on resolution to report unfortunately. It really takes a toll being a Ford enthusiast, loyalist, and having an engineering background to be going into some Deja Vu just like last year with the 2012 Focus lemon I had. It breaks my heart even thinking about jumping ship at this point but I don't know what else to do to simply get away from the situation. I am not to that point yet but I can't believe I would ever consider buying something other than a Ford. I have owned nothing but Ford, and you can tell alot of them over the years by my signature.

 

I do hope things work out and can come with some resolution and hopefully some rest from the constant anguish I have been going through with Ford the past 2 years. These might seem like small niggles but it's sensitve and gives me pause in both how this particular vehicle will age, and also shows how long a road Ford has ahead of them to improve these missteps and also their customer service and dealership business model moving forward. I am driving a 2013 Escape rental with 18K miles on it, and at a high level it experiences so many creaks, rattles, in the dash and seats it has to be embarassing to Ford to have someone experince this particular vehicle as a rental. So I know it's not just my vehicle with these build quality/ material quality issues.

 

Here is a summary for what my vehicle is sitting in the shop for right now:

 

-Wind noise/rattle around the driver's side B-pillar, can be heard mostly through the driver's seat belt buckle opening. Not present on the rental I have been driving the same route back/forth for the past week.

-Another creaking/cracking plastic rubbing noise started in the dash between the "sony" volume interface panel and the glossy grey plastic that goes around the center 2 vents beside the 8" touchscreen.

-Rear camera parking guidelines turning themselves off randomly. Ford directed them to replace the rear camera, it faulted again after a few drives after installation.

-Brake squeal, mostly from rear, some from front, pronounced the most when in reverse and lightly on the brake off idle speed. Dealer replaced rear pads, performed TSB on front calipers, still squeals.

-Low rumble coming from rear of vehicle at 50MPH, no resolution found, nothing checked loose in rear suspension.

-Exhaust rattles near tailpipe area when vehicle is cold, in gear, at high idle. Found factory misinstalled front exhaust hangar and replaced. Unknown if it resolved the rear rattle issue.

-Rattle in rear liftgate when going over any type of crack or bump in the road. Replaced rear power latch, not resolved, cannot tell where the rattle is coming from thus far.

-HVAC comes out of the panel vents after long drives with heat in AUTO mode. After the vehicle sits for 1-2 hours, restarted, heat comes out panel vents even when commanded to the floor. No codes found, no resolution from Ford hotline.

[schield]

I was sitting in the car the other day waiting for my wife at the store. Had the vehicle in accessory mode when I received a call. Answered via Bluetooth and began talking for a while. Then the accessory mode turned itself off in the middle of the call, which did end it. How annoying. MFT 3.5.1.

[ScapeTom]

This is a good observation, although I don't think the a/c compressors make as much a difference today in fuel economy as they are much more efficient than they used to be. The other part on the display differences between th 8" screen and the HVAC digital display---I have found this as another bug in the system, as sometimes they are not in sync as you have experienced. On top of all this, when in auto or defrost, under 50 or so degrees even though the A/C compressor is being used, the displays show "a/c off" I guess to curb customer questions why it is running a/c when it's cold outside. Well the answer is to keep the cabin windows from fogging up. What I do every time I select AUTO but want to be assured the compressor will not be activated, is toggle the a/c button so it shows "on" and then toggle it "off" and then it won't let the compressor come back on until you select AUTO again. A trick I found being an engineer and taking note of actual compressor activation and display differences. Hope this helps someone.

 

Thanks for the insights. I agree, the AC compressor shouldn't draw but a couple of horsepower. I was just making note of my observation, hoping that others would experiment and see if the result is repeatable. Just wondering if what I saw was coincidence (only experienced it once, and haven't tried/checked it again) or if there's something else going on here.

 

I've used the "on/off" technique on the AC a couple of times now. I used it a lot in the Honda, since the manual outlined that as a procedure to use if you did NOT want the compressor running when defrosting the windows. Seems to work on the 8" screen as well.

 

I'm still learning the car, and still liking the car!

[akirby]

I was sitting in the car the other day waiting for my wife at the store. Had the vehicle in accessory mode when I received a call. Answered via Bluetooth and began talking for a while. Then the accessory mode turned itself off in the middle of the call, which did end it. How annoying. MFT 3.5.1.

 

If you had accidentally left it in accessory mode you'd be glad it shuts off automatically, otherwise you'd have a dead battery.

[Escapism]

I ran mine down to just about a needle's width on the low side of "E" today. Had "0" miles to empty showing for a couple of miles. Filled it up with 13.6 gallons, and I topped it off pretty good. So, even in an extreme case, I still had 1.5 gallons left.

 

Side note on mileage, just an observation and I don't know how accurate it is yet. When I filled up today, I calculated the MPG like I always do, but I also reset the "average MPG" readout on the car. As I drove, I was seeing pretty crappy mileage in the highway with the cruise set at 71 mph. I mean like 22.2 - 22.5. I pulled up the climate control on the screen and saw that the AC was on, even though it was showing off on the regular climate control panel. So I double hit the button which turned it off on the touch screen as well.

 

From that point on, my mileage jclimbed to the 25.2 - 25.4 range.

 

I don't think my observation is adequate to consider this a hard-and-fast fact, but I think it's worth it for people that are having trouble with their mileage to take a look at this. Take a look and see if the AC is reporting to be on on the 8" screen, and if it is, turn it off and see how it affects mileage.

Yep, mine is doing it as well. When I open the climate screen it shows the AC on even though I have it off using the manual controls below. I wish Ford would not do any default settings in the car.

[schield]

If you had accidentally left it in accessory mode you'd be glad it shuts off automatically, otherwise you'd have a dead battery.

The system should be smart enough to not turn off if on a phone call. That would be something very easy to be programmed.

[akirby]

The system should be smart enough to not turn off if on a phone call. That would be something very easy to be programmed.

 

Not as easy as simply starting the engine.

[Escapism]

Not as easy as simply starting the engine.

Well, I agree with both of you. Im glad the car will shut itself off after awhile to avoid battery drain. I think many of us killed a battery back in the day simple by leaving on the cabin light. Moving forward, it would be nice if a message appeared on the screen saying "continue call", forcing you to press the "yes" button. That way if no one is in the vehicle the accessory mode can shut down.

[svtenthusiast]

The system should be smart enough to not turn off if on a phone call. That would be something very easy to be programmed.

 

I agree.

 

Not as easy as simply starting the engine.

 

Burning expensive gas, adding pollution, etc just to talk on the phone? Heh.......not a great answer.

[akirby]

I agree.

 

 

Burning expensive gas, adding pollution, etc just to talk on the phone? Heh.......not a great answer.

 

You don't need the car to make a phone call. Shut it off completely and use the phone by itself.

 

You guys are asking for a complicated solution to a very simple problem. Crank the car or use the phone without the car.

[sonyxbr]

i do believe that as soon as the car turns off the call goes back to the phone.

[svtenthusiast]

Another update, got the vehicle back after 1.5 weeks but no resolution to the issues. Put new pads, did the TSB for the front caliper brackets, brakes still squeal. Put a new power latch in the tailgate, still rattles. They can't tell where the rumble in the rear end is coming from.

Long story short they are requesting a FSE (field service engineer) to come out as there is 9 outstanding issues with this vehicle that they cannot resolve.


On top of that, I found out a few more items that are not operating correctly:

-The low washer fluid message doesn't work, ran out of fluid the other day.

-Heated seats do not work when remote starting (owners manual entry below)

In cold weather, the system is set to 72°F
(22°C). The heated seats and heated
steering wheel are set to high (if available,
and selected to AUTO in the information
display). The rear defroster and heated
mirrors are automatically turned on.



-HVAC climate in MyFord Touch and HVAC control a/c on/off status readout do not match


-memory seats/mirrors do not respond to outside number pad (owners manual entry below)

4. For memory recall feature, enter the
sixth digit 1·2 to store driver 1 settings
or 3·4 to store driver 2 settings.


-headlamps ("rainlamps") do not come on when wiper selector is in interval (rain sensing) position (owners manual entry below)

Note: If you switch autolamps on in
conjunction with autowipers, low beam
headlamps will illuminate automatically
when the rain sensor activates the
windshield wipers continuously.