# Ford Escape 2003 engine dies when taking car out of park **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [October 5, 2008, 10:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-escape-2003-engine-dies-when-taking-car-out-of-park/20398 "2008-10-05T22:35:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![skillingsrobertj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@skillingsrobertj](https://community.cartalk.com/u/skillingsrobertj)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 10:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-escape-2003-engine-dies-when-taking-car-out-of-park/20398/1 "2008-10-05T22:35:49Z")
My mother has a 2003 Ford Escape, she’s the only owner the car has ever had. After driving the car around for a while on a hot day, she will stop into a store for something, come back to the car, start it, and after putting her foot on the brake, the engine dies when she tries to take it out of Park. The car then won’t start for an hour or so. She has taken it to the local dealer a couple of times, they keep it all day and then call her to say they cannot find anything wrong. The car is running fine besides this problem. ---
**Author:** ![markmast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@markmast](https://community.cartalk.com/u/markmast)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-escape-2003-engine-dies-when-taking-car-out-of-park/20398/2 "2008-10-06T16:26:16Z")
Try to get together with the service guy and show him the problem. Does the engine quit before shifting out of park with the brake depressed? If it does, I suspect a bad power brake booster that may be leaking when it gets hot. You would probably hear a hissing sound when the engine quits. ---
**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 8:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-escape-2003-engine-dies-when-taking-car-out-of-park/20398/3 "2008-10-06T20:29:49Z")
There’s a good chance that it is the IAC. When it won’t start, try holding the pedal down 1/4 the way. If it starts, then the IAC is a good suspect. A good throttle body cleaning may correct it, but replacement with the newer design part would be even better. ---
**Author:** ![skillingsrobertj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@skillingsrobertj](https://community.cartalk.com/u/skillingsrobertj)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-escape-2003-engine-dies-when-taking-car-out-of-park/20398/4 "2008-10-06T22:50:05Z")
She puts her foot on the brake, then tries to take it out of park. As she’s taking it out of park the engine dies. She’s had it towed to the dealer where she bought the car and they cannot duplicate the problem. Catch 22 for her is it’s intermittent and doesn’t repeat when at the dealer. Thanks for the help. ---
**Author:** ![skillingsrobertj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@skillingsrobertj](https://community.cartalk.com/u/skillingsrobertj)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-escape-2003-engine-dies-when-taking-car-out-of-park/20398/5 "2008-10-06T22:50:52Z")
What, pray tell, is the IAC? I’ve never heard of any such thing. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 11:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-escape-2003-engine-dies-when-taking-car-out-of-park/20398/6 "2008-10-06T23:26:16Z")
Idle Air Control motor Tester