2002 Ford Escape Fuel system Problems

FUEL GAS TANK STRAPS ROTTED OUT CAUSING THE FUEL TANK TO FALL

NHTSA ID

11127979

Incident

Sep 5, 2018

Mileage

141,000 mi

MY VEHICLE IDLES TO 4000RPM AND CONTROL THE SPEED BY ITSELF, THERE IS A LEAK IN THE BACK BREAK AREA THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS WHERE I CAN'T PUT IT IN ANY GEAR SOMETIMES AND GETTING WORSE. HAD TO GET IT TOWED HOME LAST NIGHT BECAUSE WHILE DRIVING IT IDLED HIGH AND AS I BRAKE IT BARELY STOPPED AND WHEN RELEASING BREAK IT SPEEDS UP TO 50 OR MORE MPH AND I HAD TO KEEP MY FEET ON THE BREAK..I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE SWITCH OFF AND WAITED A WHILE AND TURNED BACK ON AND IT IDLED TO 4000 RPM AGAIN. COULD NOT SHIFT THE GEAR FROM PARK AND BREAK PEDAL WAS HARD. WHEN ARRIVING HOME TO BACK CAR IN DRIVEWAY TOWE GUY HAD NO PROBLEM WITH IDLE. THE FOLLOWING MORNING CRANKED AND WAS AT 1000RPM AT FIRST START. ALSO AC PRESSURE. CAR RUNS HOT BUT NO SMOKE WATER BUBBLES IN COOLANT RESERVOIR. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER GAVE WARNING OF ANY OF THE PROBLEMS LISTED.

NHTSA ID

11093482

Incident

May 11, 2018

Mileage

116,349 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING, AN ODOR OF FUEL EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE AND IT STALLED WITHOUT WARNING, THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE HAZARD LIGHTS FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WAYNE EKERS FORD (2000 10TH AVE N, LAKE WORTH, FL 33461, PHONE NUMBER: (800) 749-8875) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE SERVICED BECAUSE THE FUEL LEAK WAS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR THE WORKERS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,325.

NHTSA ID

11032669

Incident

Jun 29, 2017

Mileage

108,325 mi

METAL TRAY SUPPORTING THE FUEL TANK HAS RUSTED. BRACKETS SUPPORTING THE TRAY HAVE RUSTED AND FALLEN OFF EXPOSING THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK.

NHTSA ID

10887914

Incident

Jul 15, 2016

Mileage

110,000 mi

STARTED MY CAR AND THE RPM GOING TO 4000 WHEN CAR IS IN PARK. WAS TOLD ITS THROTTLE BODY.

NHTSA ID

10811836

Incident

Dec 15, 2015

Mileage

113,000 mi

MY CAR JERKS WHEN DRIVING VERY BADLY HED MANY REPAIRS DONE TO NO AVAIL 118,000 MILES HAVE A DISABLED HUSBAND CAR IS UNRIEABLEDRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND LOCAL STREETS TO GET HOME.

NHTSA ID

10781325

Incident

Sep 30, 2015

Mileage

118,000 mi

THE FUEL TANK MOUNTING STRAP RUSTED THROUGH AND BEGAN DRAGGING ON THE HIGHWAY SENDING UP A SHOWER OF SPARKS. UPON INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THE METAL SHIELD AROUND THE TANK DISINTEGRATED INTO RUST FLAKES, AND THE SHIELD WHERE IT PASSES OVER THE DRIVESHAFT HAD FALLEN AND WAS RUBBING ON THE MOVING DRIVESHAFT. I RECOGNISED THE PROBLEM AND WAS ABLE TO SECURE THE TANK AND SHIELD TEMPORARILY TO LIMP HOME, BUT THE POTENTIAL FOR DISASTER IS CATASTROPHIC, ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE NORTHEAST WHERE THESE PARTS ARE CONTINUALLY SUBJECT TO SALT AND SNOW.

NHTSA ID

10745691

Incident

Aug 2, 2015

Mileage

123,000 mi

ON 4/10/2014, I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT WHEN I LET MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL, THE CAR SHOWED NO SIGNS OF SLOWING...AS IF I WAS STILL ACCELERATING. I HAD TO USE THE BRAKE TO MAKE THE CAR SLOW DOWN. ON 4/12/2015, I WAS PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND LET MY FOOT OFF THE PEDAL TO COAST TO THE PARKING POSITION, WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, AND I ALMOST HIT OUR FENCE. THERE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ACCELERATION SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10705172

Incident

Apr 12, 2015

Mileage

204,176 mi

FUEL TANK STRAP HAS CORRODED AND BROKEN AND THE FUEL TANK COULD FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND RESULT IN A FUEL SPILL AND/OR FIRE. THERE IS ALSO A RUST HOLE IN THE FUEL TANK METAL PROTECTIVE COVER THE SIZE OF MY HAND AND THE FUEL CELL IS EXPOSED. HAVE NOTIFIED FORD AND THEY DECLINED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM CITING THERE IS CURRENTLY NO RECALL. FORD HAS ALSO TOLD ME IT IS NOT SAFE FOR ME TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN PHOTOS OF CORRODED PARTS WHICH I WILL SUBMIT UPON REQUEST TO MY EMAIL ADDRESS WHICH IS : [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10632643

Incident

Sep 10, 2014

Mileage

147,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR COMING FROM THE IGNITION. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING THERE WOULD BE A SUDDEN DECELERATION IN SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ID

10611252

Incident

Jul 11, 2014

Mileage

200,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK SHIELD WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED ALLOWING THE FUEL TANK TO BE EXPOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,500.

NHTSA ID

10609298

Incident

Jul 9, 2014

Mileage

69,500 mi

WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 FORD FOCUS V6 I HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL INSTANCES OF SUDDEN UNINTENDED VEHICLE ACCELERATION. I TOOK MY CAR TO PARKS FORD IN WESLEY CHAPEL, FL WHO SAID THEY SUSPECT IT IS FROM MY THROTTLE CABLE STICKING BUT THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT FOR ME EVEN THOUGH MANY ESCAPES HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND RESULTED IN NUMEROUS DEATHS. IT WOULD COST ME OVER $400 TO FIX AND JUST BECAUSE MY PARTICULAR VIN NUMBER IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL FOR THEY WOULD NOT HELP ME. I EVEN SPOKE TO SOMEONE AT THE MAIN FORD OFFICE WHO SAID THE SAME THING. THIS IS BLATANTLY REFUSING TO STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT, EVEN THOUGH THEY REALIZE THIS COULD RESULT IN A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. I TOLD THE MAN AT FORD THAT I GUESS THEY WANT TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE ELSE DIES OF THIS PROBLEM AND HE SAID IF HE WAS ME AND KNEW WHAT I KNOW HE JUST WOULDN'T DRIVE THAT CAR, WHICH PROVES THAT THEY REALIZE THE SERIOUSNESS AND YET REFUSE TO MAKE IT A RECALL ON MY CAR EVEN THOUGH THE SAME ISSUE RESULTED IN SEVERAL DEATHS FOR ESCAPE OWNERS IN THE PAST. *TR

NHTSA ID

10567665

Incident

Mar 6, 2014

Mileage

87,858 mi

TO START OFF THE IDLE CONTROL VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE WHEN YOU PUSH THE CLUTCH IN IT DIES AND YOU LOOSE ALL POWER , ANOTHER IS THE BUSHING IN THE CONTROL ARM SLIPPED OUT OF THE ARM MOUNT SO I HAD TO REPLACE IT AND ANOTHER THAT JUST HAPPENED IS THE GAS TANK STRAP AND SUPPORT PAN BROKE AND PLASTIC GAS TANK HIT THE GROUND ON ONE END AND THE OTHER IS GRINDING ON THE DRIVE SHAFT. AND THE FORD DEALERSHIP WONT FIX ANYTHING CAUSE IT AIN'T CONSIDERED POWERTRAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10504673

Incident

Aug 10, 2012

Mileage

109,000 mi

AGAIN I OWN THREE OF THESE VEHICLES AND WHILE PUMPING GAS MY FUEL TANK STRAPS ROTTED OUT, SAME AS THE OTHER TWO. AGAIN DEALER WILL NOT WARRANTY AND THEY WON'T HELP ESPECIALLY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH ALL THREE VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10487464

Incident

Sep 27, 2012

Mileage

133,148 mi

GOING BETWEEN 34-37 MPH TODAY, MY VEHICLE COMPLETELY STALLED UPON SLIGHT DECELERATION AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO SWITCH INTO ANOTHER LANE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10485201

Incident

Nov 19, 2012

Mileage

172,000 mi

UPON PRESSING THE BRAKE, AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF. THIS HAS CAUSED ME TO BE NEARLY REAR-ENDED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. IT HAPPENS WITHOUT NOTICE, AND IS BECOMING MORE CONSISTENT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AS THERE WERE RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE, BUT THEY SAID WHILE THAT IS A PROBLEM FOR MY MAKE AND MODEL, IT WAS IN FACT NOT ONE OF THE RECALLS TO BE PERFORMED. I HAD TWO RECALLS PERFORMED, NEITHER OF WHICH HELPED THIS PROBLEM AT ALL. IT LEAVES ME HALTED IN INTERSECTIONS, AND MAKES FOR ABRUPT STOPS, AS I HAVE TO COMPLETELY BRAKE TO A FULL AND COMPLETE STOP, THROW THE TRUCK INTO PARK, TURN THE KEY OFF, WAIT A MOMENT, TURN THE KEY BACK ON, AND BACK INTO DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10485197

Incident

Oct 19, 2012

Mileage

170,000 mi

VEHICLE HAS BEGUN TO ACCELERATE UNEXPECTEDLY SINCE EARLY SEPTEMBER. THERE HAS BEEN AT LEAST FOUR INCIDENTS INVOLVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATING WHEN ITS WAS AT LOW SPEED OR STOPPED (WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE). THE ACCELERATIONS LAST A FEW SECONDS AND LURCH THE CAR FORWARD. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO FORD FOR THE RECALL NOTICES INVOLVING THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE (11S24B ON 30 JUNE 12 AND 12S37B ON 20 SEP 12). THIS VEHICLE DID NOT EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM PRIOR TO THE RECALL REPAIRS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10478549

Incident

Oct 3, 2012

Mileage

135,320 mi

FUEL TANK STRAP RUSTED AND BROKE FROM TANK SAGGED ONTO DRIVE SHAFT WHEN TANK WAS FULL OF FUEL THIS ONLY WAS NOTED WHEN TURNING A SHARP CORNER, WORE HOLE IN TANK METAL COVER.NOTE COVER IS RUSTED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10471557

Incident

May 15, 2012

Mileage

125,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEEDS ON ICE-GLAZED WINTER ROADS IN FAIRBANKS, AK, I APPROACHED AN INTERSECTION AND TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR TO PREPARE TO SLOW DOWN. INSTEAD OF DROPPING TO IDLE SPEEDS, THE ENGINE ACCELERATED UP TO 3500-4000 RPM. I SHIFTED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITH THE BRAKES, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE AT HIGH-THROTTLE UNTIL I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. WHEN I RESTARTED THE ENGINE IT BEHAVED NORMALLY FOR SEVERAL DAYS; BUT THE PROBLEM CAME BACK INTERMITTENTLY SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS; AND EVERY TIME, SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE WAS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT. FORD'S DATABASE SHOWED MY CAR HAD UNDERGONE A RECALL IN 2005 TO FIX A SIMILAR PROBLEM. IN JANUARY 2012, STANLEY FORD IN KENAI, AK 'SUPPOSEDLY' REPLACED THE THROTTLE CABLE AND THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY FOR $572, BUT IT DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION OCCURRED SEVERAL MORE TIMES, AS BEFORE, UNTIL A SECOND REPAIR IN FEBRUARY 2012 BY SEEKINS FORD IN FAIRBANKS, WHICH REPLACED A PCV AND TUBING, AND DID A COMPLETE TUNE-UP FOR $992. SINCE THEN, THERE HAVE BEEN NO MORE ISSUES WITH THE ACCELERATOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10466593

Incident

Dec 10, 2011

Mileage

68,500 mi

WHILE FILLING GAS TANK HEARD A LOUD POP,AFTER ARRIVING AT DESTINATION HAD SOMEONE LOOK UNDER CAR AND DISCOVERED TANK STRAPS RUSTED AND BROKE LEAVING NOTHING TO HOLD GAS TANK IN PLACE. NO OTHER RUSTY OR RUSTED PARTS UNDER CAR. HAD DEALER REPAIR AT A COST OF $725. *TR

NHTSA ID

10456320

Incident

Apr 20, 2012

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE FUEL STRAPS FRACTURED, CAUSING THE FUEL TANK TO DETACH AND FALL TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE FUEL STRAPS AND THE PLATE THAT HELD THE FUEL TANK IN PLACE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

NHTSA ID

10452970

Incident

Mar 20, 2012

Mileage

109,000 mi

METAL STRAPS HOLDING UP THE GAS TANK RUSTED AND BROKE ON JULY 28, 2011 WHILE FILLING THE GAS TANK. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY REPLACED THE TWO METAL STRAPS ON AUGUST 1, 2011. ON AUGUST 2, 2011 A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON SIMILAR FORD VEHICLES THAT WERE MANUFACTURED DURING THE SAME YEAR. DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED IT WAS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WAS CITED IN THE RECALL AND STATED THAT I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME THIS OCCURRED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10419158

Incident

Jul 28, 2011

Mileage

79,996 mi

GAS TANK SHIELD AND STRAPS ARE RUSTED SO BADLY THAT THERE IS A 5" X 6" HOLE IN THE GAS TANK SHIELD. THE STRAPS HOLDING THE SHIELD ARE ALSO BADLY RUSTED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10401536

Incident

May 7, 2011

Mileage

85,000 mi

DRIVING TO DOVER DE. PULLED INTO GAS STATION OUTSIDE LANCASTER PA FOR FUEL. FILLED TANK AND WENT TO PULL AWAY FROM PUMP. HEARD SOMETHING DRAGGING AND FOUND FUEL TANK STRAP HAD SNAPPED AND LEFT FUEL TANK DRAGGING ON DRIVESHAFT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10393523

Incident

Mar 24, 2011

Mileage

169,000 mi

MY WIFE'S 02 FORD ESCAPE (WITH LESS THAN 50K MILES) JUST HAD ONE OF THE GAS TANK STRAPS BREAK DUE TO CORROSION. MAJOR FIRE/SAFETY HAZARD IF THE GAS TANK HITS THE GROUND. VERY SIMILAR ISSUE KNOWN WITH F150. THE DEALER IS CHARGING US $1K TO FIX!!! THIS SAME CAR IS ALSO IN THE SHOP EVERY OTHER MONTH FOR A FAULTY AIRBAG SWITCH/RELAY THAT WE'VE SPENT HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX. THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY MAKES ME SICK! WHY IS IT SO HARD FOR THESE GUYS TO DO THE RIGHT THING? IT BLOWS MY MIND. *TR

NHTSA ID

10357127

Incident

Sep 16, 2010

Mileage

50,000 mi