I have a 2006 Escape with 3.0 v6 engine. It has served my family excellently since I bought it more than 6 years ago, but it is beginning to show signs of wear.

(1) The engine seems to be getting hotter than it used to. Some wiring insulators over and around the engine are even almost toasted to a crisp, but the temperature gauge seems to not reflect the actual condition of the engine as it never reaches the halfway mark. I am also at a loss as the coolant level varies from full to almost empty everyday that I check it before starting the engine.

(2) The engine also does not run very smoothly every now and then, especially after long drives. It starts shaking when it's on idle (Neutral or Park) or when I am at a full stop with the brakes engaged (Drive). I can even feel the entire vehicle shake/jerk under my seat. The shaking seems to disappear however once the car starts running again...but there is a noticeable decrease in power and acceleration.

(3) The mileage is really low already (9 miles to a gallon city driving and about 16 miles to a gallon highway driving). I have installed a turbo-charger kit and it seems to increase mileage over highway or long drives but changes nothing over city driving.

I hope some of you can help me solve any or all of the above issues so I can continue to use the car that my family and I would love to keep for as long as it can last.

 

1) have you ever had the coolant checked/changed/flushed? Could be a blockage.

2) could be bad motor mounts. Especially noticeable when in gear with brakes applied. Could also be a vacuum leak. The cheap plastic insulators are not a good way to judge under hood temps. Most of mine are brittle or discolored and we have 256,600 miles in almost 9 years.

3) could be an O2 sensor that is going bad but has not thrown a code, partially clogged cat converter or vacuum leak as well.

How much routine maintenance do you perform? How much preventative maintenance do you do? How many miles on the vehicle? What type of driving is it- highway/city, pavement/dirt roads, towing?

 

How many miles on the spark plugs? Is the PCV valve plugged? Is the PCV hose broken down or crumbling? Good questions on maintenance... Air filter? Dirty MAF?
If you have done all the 'normal' things, see if there are any pending OBD-II codes. The light should be lit if there are, but if the bulb doesn't light when you first start the engine, you won't see it.
tom