2001 Ford Escape Owner Complaints

I put money down on the vehicle the next day when I drove it I noticed that the seat belt doesn’t work. I told him about it and he told me to se if it stays clicked on the passenger side. It does but I couldn’t drive that way it was choking me. He said he would put a new one in it but never did. I have gone there several times a week and several times in a day for a couple of weeks. It has airbags or they don’t work. Because the light will flash a bunch of times and then stay on. I can’t drive it because there are no safety devices to keep me from being killed in the event of an accident. I would like help getting my down payment back so I can get a road worthy vehicle. I have spent all if this time trying to find away to get my money back. I have lost almost all of my clients due to not having reliable transportation to get to my the homes to clean them.

NHTSA ID

11739858

Incident

Feb 27, 2026

The contact owns a 2001 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 60 mph, the vehicle loss motive power. The contact pulls the vehicle over to the side of the road. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not able to restart. The contact had the vehicle towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The contact was concerned that the failure was related to the alternator. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

NHTSA ID

11419367

Incident

May 1, 2004

Mileage

150,000 mi

I TRIED TO SPEED UP GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PASSED 60 MPH AND SHIFT DOWN AND STALLED OUT. WHEN I LET OFF THE GAS IT DOES NOT SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN. IT BACKFIRES. *TR

NHTSA ID

11388260

Incident

Sep 9, 2020

Mileage

200,000 mi

TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH SOLENOID WENT OUT WHEN DRIVING AT 60MPH WHICH CAUSED MY CAR TO SLOW DOWN.

NHTSA ID

11352134

Incident

Aug 18, 2020

Mileage

220,000 mi

WHILE MY CAR WAS IN THE SHOP LAST YEAR, NOTICED LAST THAT THE FRAME ON MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE HAS RUSTED, IN SOME PLACES COMPLETELY THROUGH AND METAL HAS COMPLETELY FLAKED OFF. WILL BE EXPENSIVE TO FIX ACCORDING TO MECHANIC, AND THAT CAR IS NOT REALLY SAFE UNLESS FIXED. I KNOW ESCAPE FRAMES HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN RECALLS, BUT MY CAR WAS NOT. DO I HAVE ANY REMEDY?

NHTSA ID

11310520

Incident

Feb 20, 2020

Mileage

200,000 mi

ABS SYSTEM BURNED UP, HARD TO STOP BRAKES, LICKAGE UNDER THE HOOD

NHTSA ID

11257084

Incident

Aug 23, 2019

Mileage

170,000 mi

I'VE RECENTLY GOT A NEW BATTERY, O2 SENSOR AND ALTERNATOR AND MY CAR KEEPS SHUTTING OFF IN DRIVE.

NHTSA ID

11246286

Incident

Aug 25, 2019

Mileage

178,905 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT; HOWEVER, THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED TO THE LEFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS CORRODED. THE FAILURE ALLOWED THE PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARM TO TRAVEL FORWARD EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 235,000.

NHTSA ID

11244097

Incident

Aug 14, 2019

Mileage

235,000 mi

JULY 9, 2019 TRAVEL IN 80 MPH ON I-95 SOUTH ABOUT 23 MILES FROM MIAMI. LEFT PASSENGER NEW VANDERBILT COOPERP235/70R16 TURBO TECH A/S RADIAL BLEW IN HALF IN THE MIDDLE.SOMEOHOW WAS ABLE TO STOP WITHOUT CAUSING ME OR ANYONE ELSE SERIOUS ACCIDENT.. HAVE NOT YET DETERMINED VEHICLE DRUM OR OTHER POSSIBLE DAMAGE. HAD JUST HAD 4 LIKE TIRES ROTATED AND AIR PRESSURE CHECKED PRIOR TO TRIP.

NHTSA ID

11232245

Incident

Jul 9, 2019

Mileage

183,000 mi

I AM NOT SURE IF I AM USING THE CORRECT WEBSITE OR CORRECT FORM. I WAS INVOLVED IN A VERY WEIRD CAR ACCIDENT. MY FORD ESCAPE SUDDENLY RUN TO THE SIDE (AS I WAS DRIVING ON ICE) IS THERE ANY HELP TO FIX THIS?. I WAS DRIVING NORTH DIRECTION. THE POSTED SPEED WAS 25 AND MINE WAS 20. THIS HAPPENED ON NORTH LELAND ST IN SAN PEDRO, CA 90731. LOOKS LIKE A MECHANICAL FAULT. I AM NOT SURE WHAT WAS WRONG. I HAVE A POLICE REPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

NHTSA ID

11209147

Incident

May 14, 2019

Mileage

177,900 mi

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY GOING 60 MPH , MY CAR STARTED SHAKING ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLY , MAKING A LOUD NOISE LIKE THE MMUFFLER WAS FALLING OFF. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD , SHUT THE CAR OFF. OPEN THE HOOD TO FIND THE COIL LAYING ON THE MOTOR AND THE SPARK PLUG NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. CALLED A FRIEND WHO'S A MECHANIC , HE WENT N GOT A NEW SPARK PLUG , PUT IT IN AND THE CAR DROVE FINE FOR ABOUT 5 WEEKS. BECAUSE YESTERDAY COMING OFF THE PARKWAY THE CAR STARTED SMELLING LIKE GASOLINE INSIDE AND MAKING NOISE LIKE THE MUFFLER CAME OFF.SO I PULLED INTO A WALMART PARKING LOT ONLY TO FIND THAT IT HAPPENED ONCE AGAIN ... THE SPARK PLUG HAS BLOWN OUT OF THE ENGINE TWICE NOW IN THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF. NOW THE SPARK PLUG WILL NOT GO BACK IN. WHEN WE WENT TO GET ANOTHER SPARK PLUG THE MAN AT THE PARTS STORE SAID THUS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORDS. THAT IS NOT EXCEPTABLE!! I HAVE TO LOSE A DAY OF WORK TO TAKE IT TO A MECHANICS SHOP. MY DAUGHTERS AND GRANDCHILDREN WERE IN THE CAR. IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM YOU NEED TO FIX IT BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT

NHTSA ID

11207163

Incident

May 12, 2019

Mileage

149,754 mi

MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE WILL NOT SHIFT INTO 1ST OR 2ND GEAR WITHOUT RUNNING HARD AND TICKING ONCE I GET SET PAST 3RD GEAR IT WILL RUN OKAY I PUT IT IN PARK AND IT WILL NOT STAY AND PARK IT ROLLS SO I HAVE TO PUT A BRICK UNDER THE WHEELS I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER BUT I HAVE MISPLACED IT DUE TO AN ACCIDENT I HAD EVERYTHING WAS PLACED AND BOXES AND STUFF AND I CANNOT FIND IT IF SOMEBODY CAN PLEASE CONTACT ME BACK ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SO I CAN GET IT FIXED AND START DRIVING MY ESCAPE AGAIN IT SHIFTS HARD IT CLUNKS AND IT WILL NOT STAY IN THE PARKING SPOT IT'S STILL ROLLS I HAVE A BRICK UNDERNEATH IT SO IT DOESN'T ROLL AND HIT SOMEBODY ELSE IF SOMEBODY COULD CONTACT ME ON THIS PLACE THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

11182893

Incident

Jan 17, 2019

Mileage

25,000 mi

MY FORD ESCAPE DOES NOT SHIFT RIGHT ANYMORE AND IT WILL NOT STAY IN PARK I HAVE TO HAVE A BRICK PUT IN FRONT OF IT BECAUSE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE DOES NOT EVEN WORK. I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER BUT I CANNOT FIND MY LETTER ANYMORE. I WAS HIT BY A VEHICLE AND I CANNOT WALK AND MY SON HAD CLEAN THE HOUSE SO I HAVE LOST MY LETTER I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF I COULD GET ANOTHER RECALL LETTER SO I CAN GET MIKE'S ESCAPE FIXED PLEASE.

NHTSA ID

11180398

Incident

Nov 20, 2018

Mileage

25 mi

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED RECENTLY. THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN UNTIL IT GOT COLD BUT, THE GAS PEDAL STICKS WHEN I AM DRIVING MAKING IT EXTREMELY HARD TO STOP EVEN IF MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN WARMED BEFOREHAND. THE VEHICLE HAS DONE THIS MORE THAN ONCE. THE MOST NOTABLE ONES WERE WHEN I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY. ONE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS WARMED AND THE OTHER WAS NOT. BOTH TIMES THE GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK AFTER I TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND KEPT PROPELLING ME FORWARD. BOTH TIMES I HAD BEEN DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11166618

Incident

Jan 9, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE STEERING FAILED AND WAS NOT ALIGNED WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE FRAME AND OTHER COMPONENTS WERE SEVERELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,306. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11139515

Incident

Sep 27, 2018

Mileage

94,306 mi

WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO OUR MECHANIC FOR OTHER WORK TO BE DONE. HE NOTED THAT THE SUSPENSION PART (WHICH HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY REMEDIATED WITH THE APPLICATION OF A BRACKET WITH A RECALL) IS EXCESSIVELY RUSTED. WHILE I SURELY UNDERSTAND THAT RUST IS A FACTOR OF TIME AND MILES, WE HAVE AROUND ONLY 90,000 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THAT THE BRACKET WAS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR FMC TO APPLY. AS A RESULT, I FEAR THAT THERE ARE MANY MORE DRIVERS OF THIS VEHICLE WHO MAY ERRONEOUSLY BELIEVE THAT THE ISSUE WITH THE SUSPENSION HAD BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE RECALL AND MAY BE UNDER THE ILLUSION THAT THEY ARE DRIVING A SAFE VEHICLE. I DO NOT HAVE PHOTOS AT THIS TIME, BUT WILL PROVIDE THEM LATER.

NHTSA ID

11128686

Incident

Sep 10, 2018

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE THE WHEELS. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE CONTROL ARMS AND THE SUBFRAME EXPERIENCED SEVERE CORROSION. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

NHTSA ID

11092300

Incident

May 5, 2018

Mileage

120,000 mi

SUBFRAME IS RUSTING APART NEED NEW SUBFRAME OR VEHICLE IS UNSAFE!!

NHTSA ID

11089315

Incident

Feb 14, 2018

Mileage

166,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V165000 (SUSPENSION); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. VILLAGE FORD (23535 MICHIGAN AVE, DEARBORN, MI 48124) WAS CONTACTED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT EXCEEDED THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

11075370

Incident

Nov 1, 2017

CAR WAS STATIONARY IN PARKING LOT, I WENT TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SWITCH INTO DRIVE. BRAKES WORKED FINE EARLIER,BUT WHEN PRESSING THE PEDAL, IT DROPPED TO THE FLOOR. NO RESISTANCE LEFT WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME VERY SLOWLY. THE BRAKES STILL WORKED, BUT ONLY WHEN THE PEDAL WAS AGAINST THE FLOOR. LATE AT NIGHT WHEN IT HAPPENED, NEED TO CHECK FOR ANY LEAKS OR DAMAGE IN THE MORNING.

NHTSA ID

11073508

Incident

Feb 18, 2018

Mileage

108,700 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL PULLED TO THE RIGHT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE MADE A CLUNKING AND GRINDING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER (SEELYE KIA OF KALAMAZOO, 4102 STADIUM DRIVE, KALAMAZOO, MI 49080) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WAS CRACKED, RUSTED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,193.

NHTSA ID

11066453

Incident

Jan 19, 2018

Mileage

104,193 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE FRONT FRAME BECAME SEVERELY RUSTED. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 182,000.

NHTSA ID

11062151

Incident

Jan 10, 2018

Mileage

182,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CROSS BRACE STARTED TO DETACH ON THE SUBFRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO EWALD'S VENUS FORD (2727 LAYTON AVE, CUDAY, WI) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CROSS BRACE WAS TIGHTENED. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE REPAIR WAS TEMPORARY DUE TO CORROSION. FOUR MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V165000 (STRUCTURE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID

11055889

Incident

Jul 17, 2017

Mileage

140,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNOCCUPIED AND WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN:07V156000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND :12V005000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11024973

Incident

Jul 28, 2017

Mileage

100,000 mi

AFTER STARTING THE CAR, THE DASH LIGHT FOR AIRBAG/SEATBELTS FLASHES CONTINUOUSLY OR FLASHES AND THEN STAYS LIT. WAS TOLD THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE AND WAS A WIRING/SENSOR ISSUE WITH THE SEATBELTS. ASSURED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SEATBELT OR AIRBAG. THIS WAS INTERMITTENT IN LATE 2016 AND BECAME CONTINUOUS BY JUNE 2017. AS THIS NOW HAPPENS CONTINUOUSLY, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW WHEN OR IF YOU ACTUALLY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR AIRBAG OR SEATBELT.

NHTSA ID

11018924

Incident

Dec 12, 2016

Mileage

160,000 mi