Just bought a nice 2001 Escape XLT 3.0L and so far so good. Only minor issues I need to clean up. But I did have a couple of questions if anyone has a clue (I'm not very mechanical and don't know much about cars - computers yes, cars no).

1) On all four doors, the fabric around the door handles is peeling off. I guess I could probably just hit Auto Zone and get some sort of adhesive to stick it down. Just wondering if anyone had this issue and would recommend one adhesive over another.

2) In the engine, at the very back in the center is an engine component that is maybe 6-7" long and shaped like a pill (rounded on each end), black, and is attached via a small metal line. The entire left half is covered in duct tape (and it' pretty well worn), which I'm guessing isn't factory original, ha.

Just wondering what that piece is, how much it might cost to replace, etc.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,
Rob

 

The door panels will not stick with adhesive. Several of us have tried and it always fails. The guy that did my truck seats says he uses vacuum to do something to it and it stays. Since he only charges $50 a panel I may have him do mine one day.

I do believe the pill thing is part of the vacuum system.
Is it this:

 

Yup, that big pill thing in the back of the engine is it. Has duct tape all over the left half of it.

I don't seem to be having problems that I can tell with it, but I'd think I would want to replace or fix that.

One other weirdness - sometimes when I turn the volume down it goes UP. This happened on my old car too. Not sure this can be fixed.

 

My wife an a radio issue with her two previous vehicles. She would start them and the station would be Spanish. I'm still driving the most recent and it has never happened to me.

 

I used 3M adhesive and a credit card to working from the middle to the outside on my panels after spraying both sides. A year later and they are still holding. It is hard to get them to lay smooth when doing this.

 

My radio did the same you have to turn it down super slow when its cold.I took same electrical contact cleaner and sprayed it around the volume ****. I worked for mine. If you want to learn about the pill thing see if there's any pull a parts by you and see how much work to get one off of another Escape.