8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Cheap Build
Date of Review: Apr 9, 2005
The Bottom Line: Don't buy it. The questionable transmission is reason enough to stay away.
I have a 2005 Escape XLS with a 4 cyl with about 2000 miles on it. I am not pleased with the over quality of this SUV.
The entire dash is plastic, thin plastic. The shifter is made of plastic and the silver back is plastic and it's hollow. I tapped on it and it sounds like a plastic easter egg.
There is a high frequency buzz throughout the steering wheel while driving at parking lot speeds and a whirring sound from the power steering pump.
The door handles are plastic and are known to break. The hoop inside the door breaks - I take it easy on the handle when I open the door. The tailgate handle bends when I squeeze it to open the hatch. It doesn't inspire confidence.
The salesman stripped the cheesey plastic anchors that hold on my license plate and I lost a screw - Why is everything plastic?
The transmission is clunky. Driving the vehicle with the OverDrive off going down a slight grade the transmission drops hard into gear from 2nd to 1st. I dont drive around with it off anymore. When accelerating the transmission hesitates going from 1st to 2nd and it feels like a kick in the pants when it does shift. The torque coverters are known to blow on the trannies. And the transmissions drop out add different mileages, even as low as 2500 miles.
All of the problems can be found at:
http://www.escape-central.com/1forum/
http://warnerrobert.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=000338;p=
The Board on Edmunds has been yanked for some reason.
I am trading this vehicle in. Only those wearing rosecolored glasses would rave about this vehicle.
