[Sewagner]

I bought my used 2014 Titanium 2.0 from a dealer a little over 3 months ago with 68,000 miles on it. Between the annoying chirping somewhere in the lift gate, squealing brakes (dealer says this is normal) , auto trans clunking into gear passing another car, I am so sorry I ever bought this car. I thought I had researched the escape thoroughly but after reading all the issues on this forum I wish I had found this forum prior to the purchase. I’ve owned alot cars over several decade, most of them preowned, but never experienced the issues I currently have or read about with this vehicle. So sad.

 

[wiz043]

The problems you describe are certainly not common to Escapes in general. Every brand of car has issues described in their respective forums but they are in the minority and your only ever hear about the dramas, not the successes which normally refer to the majority of them.

I would be taking the car back to the dealer and making a fuss as the three problems you describe are definately not normal with these cars.

 

[centex]

Problems and buyer's remorse are a bummer, but it's quite possible if not likely that the issues you describe have as much if not more to do with the previous owner(s) maintenance / use history as with problems inherent to the vehicle design / manufacture.

Buying any used car, particularly one that is beyond all the original warranty as your Escape likely was when you bought it (maybe some emissions warranty remaining if you bought in California), on an "As Is" or short-term dealer warranty basis, always presents risks and requires an extraordinary amount of pre-purchase due diligence, competent inspection, etc. (and even that does not guarantee all issues will be 'caught').

Sorry to hear of your woes, but IMO there's nothing in your post that implicates Ford or the Escape at large in your problems; maybe the dealer (depending on their representations or written warranty; likely none if sold "As Is" which is quite common for USA used car sales), but not Ford.

What, if any, written warranty was provided by the dealer when you bought the car?

 

[02fordsvt]

As has been said, all of this is much more normal to used vehicle and much less about one specific car or brand. All should have been pretty apparent on the first test drive, and at least in the case of the rattle and brakes, should have been rectified while still under the 90 day warranty from the dealership.

In the cases of the chirping, all you need to do is poke around the hatch area and see if you can find any loose trim or other things. As for the brakes, squeaking is either going to be worn out brakes or just the fact that the previous owner installed cheap rotors or pads. Get them replaced if it's bothers you that much and see if that helps. The transmission issue with the passing isn't something that can be fixed, but unless you passing 20 cars a day, I don't see why this is an issue. Annoying yes, reason to have buyers remorse, not really.

 

[ralph7up]

Agree with Centex. I do have one question however, did you ask and take the vehicle for a test drive? Did you test the liftgate befor purchase?

 

[Melman]

Chirping in the lift gate, in my own used Escape and in one that a friend bought, was loose screws in the handle on the inside of the liftgate. There was a recall on this for certain build dates, but it's a very simple thing to fix. Check that.