I have a 2006 Ford Escape XLT 4X4. The front tires are very worn and the rear tires are like new. Can i put 2 new tires of the same make and size on the front without damaging the car.
I think this car is only in awd when it senses slip on the front wheels.
No. The tires must have equal wear in order to keep the AWD system working right.
Currently my front tires have much more wear on them then the backs so aren’t they already different sizes. How much difference is too much?
You already have too much difference on your tires. You should rotate AWD tires every 5000 miles to prevent this. The diameter should be no more than 1/8" difference. Replace them all, or at least have the circumference of the two rear tires measured to see if you can keep them. Do not put tires on that are more than 1/4" to 1/2" different in circumference (not diameter).
Conder yourself lucky if you have not had too much damage already. You need to have regular rotation and/or measuring of the wear.
Note: if the owner’s manual says it is OK then it should be OK.
Good question. Maybe try contacting Ford or Ford dealer if the manual says nothing. I would look into getting the same make/model as existing tires and having circumference measured on new vs old. Subaru’s are the most sensitive with full time AWD tolerate 1/4" - 1/2" difference in circumference. Most other AWD systems allow for more.
The potential for damage to the clutch pack for the AWD system is high enough that you should not be looking to “cheap out” by buying only 2 tires. That being said, it is very possible that you have already caused damage by running the vehicle with such badly mismatched tires, but unfortunately you can’t turn back the hands of the clock.
I strongly suggest that you buy 4 new tires and that you begin to rotate them on the schedule listed in the Ford Maintenance Schedule. If you had rotated the tires as per the maintenance schedule, you would not have such a disparity in the tread wear between the front and the rear tires.
There really is a reason for the maintenance items that are listed by the vehicle’s manufacturer!
Read the owner’s manual. What does it say about tire replacement?
I think you might be able to get away with replacing two tires on this vehicle.
As you say, it’s only AWD when it senses tire slip at the front wheels. This is a part time AWD system.
It’s not a Subaru.