RoadVitals

2001 Ford Escort Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Nov 28, 2011
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
18%
of 68 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Ford Escort submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesSeat beltsTransmission
Filed Nov 28, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SHIFT ANTI- LOCK ACTUATOR FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED OCTOBER 24, 2003 WHEN THE DEALER REPLACED THE SHIFTER AND THE CABLE ASSEMBLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT DID NOT WORK PROPERLY AND THAT THE SHOULDER STRAP WOULD NOT BUCKLE PROPERLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. THE ABS LIGHT WOULD RANDOMLY ILLUMINATE. UPDATED 12/15/11 UPDATED 12/28/11*LJ THE RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT WAS TWISTED, WHICH MADE IT INOPERABLE, THE BRAKE SHIFT INTER-LOCK MALFUNCTIONED AND THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE FROM PARK TO DRIVE. UPDATED 03.12.12

NHTSA ID
10437580
Incident
Nov 14, 2011
Mileage
75,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Oct 18, 2007

WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE, CAR SOMETIMES IS IN NEUTRAL INSTEAD. THEN MUST GO BACK TO PARK AND TO DRIVE AGAIN. *JB

NHTSA ID
10206196
Incident
Oct 16, 2007
Transmission
Filed Aug 27, 2006

WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE, CAR SOMETIMES IS IN NEUTRAL INSTEAD. THEN MUST GO BACK TO PARK AND TO DRIVE AGAIN. FLUSHED TRANSMISSION AND REPLACED FLUID AND THIS HAS CUT DOWN ON OCCURRENCES. *JB

NHTSA ID
10166681
Incident
Jan 6, 2006
Mileage
59,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 28, 2004

TRANSMISSION FAILED AFTER 59,039 (VEHICLE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WHEN TRANSMISSION SELECTOR IN PARK OR REVERSE POSITION, COULD NOT GET VEHICLE TO MOVE BACKWARD IN ANY SELECTOR POSITION). TRANSMISSION IS BEING "REBUILT" BY A NATIONAL TRANSMISSION SHOP.*AK

NHTSA ID
10078929
Incident
Jun 26, 2004
Mileage
59,039 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 11, 2003

FAILURE OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTER SAFETY INTERLOCK TO FUNCTION AS INTENDED. THE SHIFTER COULD BE MOVED OUT OF 'PARK' AT ANY TIME. CONDITION CAUSED BY PLAY ON THE SELECTOR SHAFT AND DRIED LUBRICATION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10021449
Incident
Jun 1, 2003
Mileage
30,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Oct 18, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT TRANSMISSION CHANGES FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL, AND FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE WITH OUT ENGAGING BRAKE. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED FOR SMALL CHILDREN THAT MAY TRY TO PUT VEHICLE IN GEAR. PLEASE PROVIDE NAY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

NHTSA ID
8021115
Incident
Aug 18, 2002
Transmission
Filed Oct 17, 2002

THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CAN CHANGE GEARS WITHOUT THE BRAKE BEING ENGAGED. TS *NLM *DT

NHTSA ID
8021054
Incident
Oct 2, 2002
Mileage
23,685 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 11, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
767046
Incident
Mar 17, 2002
SteeringSuspensionTransmission+1 more
Filed Mar 15, 2002

CONSUMER STATES A SHORT TIME AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, THERE WAS A STRONG HEATED METAL ODOR WHEN THE HEATER WAS TURNED ON, THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS POSSIBLY MILDEW PRESENT IN THE VENTING SYSTEM, AND THEY SPRAYED IT WITH AIR FRESHNER, HOWEVER THE ODOR ALTHOUGH NOT AS STRONG IS STILL PRESENT.*JG

NHTSA ID
564658
Transmission
Filed Jun 28, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HWY AT 70MPH TRAFFIC STARTED SLOWING, AT ABOUT 45 MPH I SHIFTED OUT OF 5TH AND INTO 4TH. WHEN I DID THIS THE CAR STALLED. *AK

NHTSA ID
747543
Incident
Jun 19, 2001
Transmission
Filed Jun 28, 2001

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 70 MPH, AS TRAFFIC SLOWED TO 45 MPH I SHIFTED FROM 5TH TO 4TH AND CAR STALLED.*AK

NHTSA ID
747540
Incident
Jun 10, 2001
Transmission
Filed Jun 28, 2001

I WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH ON THE HWY, TRAFFIC STARTED SLOWING AT 50M MPH I PUSHED IN THE CLUTCH SHIFTED OUT OF FIFTH AND INTO FOUTH. WITH MY FOOT STILL ON THE CLUTCH THE CAR STALLED AT 45 - 50 MPH.*AK

NHTSA ID
747538
Incident
Jun 10, 2001

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .