Hi, I have a 2006 FORD ESCAPE XLT and it stalls out at a complete stop, starts up just fine, check engine light is NOT on, any ideas?

Asked by CharleneApril May 22, 2013 at 04:50 PM about the 2006 Ford Escape XLT FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I take great care of this vehicle, it has been maintained according to the Maintenance
Schedule I rec'd when buying the SUV in 2007.  Never been in an accident.  My Ford
Escape stalls out when at a complete stop, it starts/fires up just fine, check engine light
is not on, any ideas?  It has 130,000 miles on it.  Again this is a 2006 Ford Escape XLT.  
THANKS!

8 Answers

49,005

I would check the throttle body see if its really dirty, if so clean it. Also check the idle air control valve they can stick and cause the issue also.

15 people found this helpful.
155

Sounds like it may not be getting gas to the engine when it's idling, check your fuel filter.

7 people found this helpful.
635

Above suggestion are very good and are common problems, but... After getting it restarted, does it die again immediately when you shift it back into drive or reverse without pressing and holding the gas pedal down as you shift? If so, you likely have a failing torque converter that has locked up. This happened to our '05 Mercury Mariner at almost the same mileage as your Escape. When it happens, the car drives fine until need to slow down to a stop, then the car loads up and dies, like a stick shift car would do if you tried coming to a stop without pressing the clutch in. If you hold one foot slightly on the gas and one on the brake, you can usually keep it running at the light, or if you shift into neutral or park while stopped, it will idle normally. Parts to replace the TC typically cost $300-500, having the repair done can cost $1000-3000, depending on dealer vs. shop vs. Brother in law fixes it for you! I hope the above suggestions are your problem, they're cheaper!

18 people found this helpful.
70

My G/F owns a 2006 Ford Escape, I know sorry about our luck. It would stall at every stop light, every stop sign and when ever we wanted to park. 2 years back she was told she needed a new tranny which I doubted but she went ahead and had a used one dropped in. This past week on our journey south it started doing the same thing. The mechanic here told her she needed a new IAC which only cost us $275 Canadian!!!! It still does the same thing, from what I read it sounds like the TC may be the problem. I also heard that Ford has a recall on 2005-2008 for stalling reasons and yet no dealer has confirmed this, has any one heard of the recall??? We cant afford to keep throwing parts at it especially with our $0.36 cents on the dollar exchange

7 people found this helpful.
635

Sounds exactly like what my ‘05 Mariner did when the torque converter went sour on it. You might be able to limp it along by giving it some gas when you have to make a complete stop, or popping it into neutral at stop light (not a solution, I know). I have no idea what a indy trans shop, let alone a Ford service department, would charge to replace the TC these days. When mine went south, the Ford dealer SD quoted $3-5,000 for a rebuilt trans and a new TC (they refused to do only the TC - said the old transmission would just ruin the new TC). I did the TC replacement myself (nothing to the transmission but change the fluid) for a tad under $400.00, which included a new rear main seal (wasn’t leaking but since the trans was out, why not?), a reman TC from Autozone, and, I believe, a speed sensor that I missed and failed to remove and broke pulling the trans. My car had 130,000 on it at the time. It now has 175,000 and I have not had any further trans related problems with it. If her car has never had a transmission fluid changed and your not handy, you can take it in and try have the transmission fluid flushed and hope that revives the dead. If you are your handy, and feeling like an adventure, you can try flushing it yourself. To do so, you’ll need 2 jugs (5 qts. each) of ATF (I would use a fully synthetic Dex/Merc like Valvoline Max life). You’ll need to drive the car (if possible) and get it up to operating temperature, remove the rubber lines to the transmission cooler going into the cooler, get a bucket and mark a line a 2 qts. and place it under your removed cooler line (you might need an extra piece of rubber tubing attached temporarily). Start the engine and let it run for about 20 seconds or until your trans pumps 2 quarts into the bucket. Add 2 quarts of new trans fluid with a funnell through the dipstick tube. Repeat this process until your down to your last 2-3 qts of fresh fluid. Reattach the rubber line to the cooler and use the remaing fresh fluid to top off. This transmission has no filter, just a nonserviceable screen built into the transmission. The CD4E Automatic transmission is without a doubt the weakest link in the first generation Escapes. I don’t care who tells you otherwise, these transmission need fluid flushes ever 30,000 miles to live a long land happy life. More often if you are hard on it or tow alot. Without fail, the first two quarts that get pumped out of my trans when I flush it come out black every time and I do this ever 30k. If you just remove the drain plug, you’ll only be able to drain a quart or two out of it. That probably won’t be enough to do the TC any good, even if. As far as I am aware, there are no recall on this transmission. Last I heard, Ford denies that there are any overall problems. Since these cars are getting old now and the mileage is rolling up on them, it is unlikely there ever will be.

7 people found this helpful.
230

Check vacuum hose on back of engine. It melts. Will make engine stall at low rpm. I had same problem with same car. I put my finger over the whole and it ran great. Replaced hose for 50 cents. Runs great.

14 people found this helpful.
230

The hose is located on top back center. About .75" wide. Cant miss it.

9 people found this helpful.
30

My 2004 Escape cranks and idles good ,but stalls when you give it gas

3 people found this helpful.

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