05 Escape safety ratings

[khadma]

We maybe looking at first generation Escapes - 05s possibly. How are the safety ratings and creature comforts on these smaller SUVs? This will be used by a single mom and her 2 month old daughter. Any input from current owners will be a big help. Happy New Year!

[YoGeorge]

Originally Posted by khadma

We maybe looking at first generation Escapes - 05s possibly.

How are the safety ratings and creature comforts on these smaller SUVs?
This will be used by a single mom and her 2 month old daughter.

Any input from current owners will be a big help.

Happy New Year!

Although I'm not a current owner, creature comforts in Escapes have always been quite good, and reliability has been quite good as well.

Here's a link to a page summarizing the NHTSA safety ratings, along with pics of the crash tests. Looks like the Escape is "pretty good", certainly better than many small cars would be, for instance.

2005 Ford Escape Safety and Crash Tests - MSN Autos

Good luck,
George

[tcesni]

Originally Posted by khadma

We maybe looking at first generation Escapes - 05s possibly.

How are the safety ratings and creature comforts on these smaller SUVs?
This will be used by a single mom and her 2 month old daughter.

Any input from current owners will be a big help.

Happy New Year!

Make sure it has side airbags.

[Libra]

Google Consumer Guide automobiles and that website shows trouble spots and recalls for that generation. We will probably be getting an escape too in the future but from what I've read the 05s have a pillar issue so defintely get one with airbags like the previous poster said.

[tcesni]

According to Consumer Reports Reliability surveys, the 2005 Escape has the following ratings:
4-cyl -Better than average
V-6 FWD - Much better than average
V-6 4WD - Better than average
Hybrid - Much better than average
Overall, very impressive.

And what the heck is a pillar issue?

[lostinfords]

I bought an '05 Escape 4wd hybrid in June '08, w/ 33,000 miles, now it has 43,000, it has the leather interior, and it is a great vehicle w/ the exception of the lack of d/s lumbar support, which I am looking to remedy soon.

[khadma]

Well, we bought an 05 XLT 4WD Escape for just under 11,000 dollars.

It has all the air bags that the little SUV comes with from the factory.
It is the V6 model and it has 20,160 miles or so on the odometer.

Very clean, I just need to rotate the tires.

By the way, what kind of motor oil (weight) and what filter does it take and how many quarts.

ANYBODY change the transmission fluid and filter yet? Is it as messy as any auto tranny oil change gets?

[khadma]

Here is the dealers photo of our new addition to the stable.

[lostinfords]

nice truck/suv, good luck w/ it.

[Libra]

Nice pic, sorry for being so vague before. tcesni, this is the pillar issue...... NHSTA recall history, 05s without sidecurtain airbags-occupants could be injured in a crash due to non compliant measurement at left hand A-Pillar trim area. This info is on Consumer Guide Automotive website, they list trouble spots and recall history, all for FREE!!!!!!!!!!

[YoGeorge]

Originally Posted by khadma

Well, we bought an 05 XLT 4WD Escape for just under 11,000 dollars.

It has all the air bags that the little SUV comes with from the factory.
It is the V6 model and it has 20,160 miles or so on the odometer.

Very clean, I just need to rotate the tires.

By the way, what kind of motor oil (weight) and what filter does it take and how many quarts.

ANYBODY change the transmission fluid and filter yet? Is it as messy as any auto tranny oil change gets?

Very nice looking Escape, and very low miles for an '05 (guess there's not so much long distance travel in Hawaii, you lucky guy).

Oil would be 5W20, I think 5 quarts; use the recommended Motorcraft filter (may be an FL820S but check the listings).

[Edit per tcesni's post below--5.5 quarts does sound right; my wife's old '98 Sable with the Duratec isn't that fresh in my memory any more but there is a lot of valve train that needs oil in that motor. And while I'm at it, the Motorcraft 5W20 semi-syn is really good oil for not a lot of $$$.]

Trans fluid should be OK for a while (at least 30k miles or maybe more), but be aware that the transmission in the Escapes used plain Mercon up until 2007 or so(?) at which time the spec was changed to Mercon V. I don't think you want to mix the two--switch to Mercon V only if you're doing a full fluid exchange.

Ford stopped making regular Mercon, but other companies still have it available, so if you want to do a pan drop type change, try to use regular Mercon. If you do a search on the Escape forum here, you can probably find a bit more discussion on the trans fluid topic. I recall that some folks have had problems using Mercon V in that particular box. I *believe* that the newest Mercon V has been reformulated to be more compatible with the Escape transmission, but that's only what I've read...

Good luck and Happy New Year,
George

[tcesni]

I am pretty certain the 3.0 V6 in the 2005 model takes 5 1/2 quarts of oil, at least my 2002 model does. The new motor in the 2009 models takes 6 quarts.

[locolobo]

nice escape. my brother has had a few and enjoyed both of them

[sfcwoodret]

One of the reasons Ford has sold so many Escapes into taxi fleets in New York and other large cities is because of gas mileage and high safety ratings.

[TexasHighlander]

I love my Escape. Have had it for about two years now. Love it to death. Can not say anything bad about it. It grows on you and you'll litterally not want another vehicle.