MW, how many miles are you at? Who performed the service? The Escape is a very solid car, but things like hoses, belts and the like are wear and tear parts and they do break over time. If it was just after if was supposed to be inspected however, and the dealer performed the service, then you need to give them hell. If the car is still under warranty, you could even call Ford Motor Company directly and tell them about the poor service you received from the dealer (if they are not able to resolve your concern).
Basically, $hit happens. Even to the best. My friend went through 3 transmissions in as many years in his Toyota. Ironically (and this is pretty common) when someone asks him how his Toyota was he tells them that it was great and problem-free.
