I was quoted over $300 on a tune-up for my 2003 Escape. That seems like a lot. They explained it was because of the position of the plugs on the V6. Is this out of line and what have others charged/paid for a tune-up?

There is a drain plug on the tranmission pan on the 2003 Ford Escape. Unscrew it to drain the fluid, put the plug back, and then refill the fluid through the dipstick under the hood. Capacity is listed as 10.1 quarts, but eye how much comes out. You might want to change the fluid, drive it for a bit, and then do it again to get as much gunk out as possible. I would recommend reading through this forum topic, it has a lot of good information.

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/810270-escape-transmission-fluid-change.html

No Ford scape is goog car for winter and samer

best have vechicle code scan could have faulty crankshaft position sensor or camshaft position sensor.could have fault PCM.replace spark plugs and wires see what happens.

Because the cat that is approved for California is "finer tuned" than the other 49 states. California emission standards are the toughest in the country, so many engine and emission parts are made just for those standards.

if you go to a dealer and do that, it woulld be 300 plus, depends on mileage and past maintenance

To do a "Tune-up" you will need 6 spark plugs, a throttle body gasket, an air filter, an air compressor, a blow gun, a magnetic pick-up tool and a socket set with ratchet and extensions.
You must remove the intake air resonator, the #3 timing belt cover, the accelerator cable, the throttle control motor connector, the throttle position sensor connector, the accelerator pedal position sensor connector, the throttle body bracket and the throttle body. Then remove the spark plug cables and the ignition coils. You will then crack the spark plugs loose 1/4 turn and use the air compressor and blow gun to blow the debris out of the spark plug tubes so it does not enter the combustion chamber when the spark plugs are removed. Then remove the spark plugs. You will need the magnetic pick-up tool to fish the plugs out of the tubes once they are completely unscrewed.
Install new spark plugs and torque them to 13 ft.lbs (18 Nm)
Install throttle body with nw gasket. Install all other parts removed and connect all connectors.
Install intake resonator and new air filter.

A flashing service engine light indicates a severe misfire. There are lot of things that can cause a misfire like this. How long has it been since this vehicle has had a tune up? The fuel filter should be replaced every two years and the spark plugs/spark plug wires should be replaced every sixty thousand miles. Auto Zone will scan your engine computer for free *except in CA* and tell you what the codes are. Post the codes here for more help.

Take it to an auto repair shop and explain your problem. They will have the right tools and/or information.


Good luck.

Cheers

Check the throttle position sensor--it may be worn enough to cause erratic signals. Any check-engine lights?