Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 18 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2001 Ford ZX2 (escort), most frequently naming the engine, transmission and brakes categories. 16 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2001 | 1 | 1 |
| Jul 2002 | 1 | 2 |
| Aug 2002 | 1 | 3 |
| Apr 2003 | 2 | 5 |
| Jun 2003 | 1 | 6 |
| Oct 2003 | 1 | 7 |
| Dec 2003 | 1 | 8 |
| Mar 2004 | 1 | 9 |
| Apr 2004 | 1 | 10 |
| Jun 2004 | 1 | 11 |
| Mar 2005 | 1 | 12 |
| Apr 2005 | 1 | 13 |
| May 2005 | 1 | 14 |
| Sep 2006 | 1 | 15 |
| Jul 2008 | 1 | 16 |
| Sep 2009 | 1 | 17 |
| Aug 2010 | 1 | 18 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
2001 FORD ESCORT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY CAME OUT OF THE FRAME OF THE CAR. DRIVER TRIED TO BUCKLE SEAT BELT AND THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY CAME PULLED AWAY FROM FRAME. DRIVER CANNOT BE SAFELY BUCKLED IN NOW. DAMAGED PART CANNOT BE REPAIRED AS METAL WOULD HAVE TO BE WELDED AND WE ARE UNSURE IF WELD WILL PROVIDE PROPER PROTECTION. *TR
I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. I REAR ENDED A VEHICLE AT A STOP LIGHT. MY AIRBAG (DRIVERS) DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS FRONT END DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. AND I SUFFERED SEVERE WHIPLASH AND CHEST BONE PAIN. *TR
THE PREVIOUS OWNER, WHO WAS ALSO THE ORIGINAL OWNER, HAD THE SAME PROBLEM I DO, IT WAS MY DAD'S CAR SO I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT IT. WHILE DRIVING, MOSTLY WHEN COASTING OR SLOWING DOWN, THE OIL LIGHT, THEN THE BATTERY LIGHT COME ON AND THE CAR SHUTS OFF. THE CAR CAN BE STARTED UP IMMEDIATELY WITH NO PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THE CHARGING SYSTEM CHECKED-EVERYTHING WAS OPERATIVE. MY DAD HAS HAD NUMEROUS OIL CHANGES AND THE DEALERSHIP-WHICH IS WHERE HE ALWAYS GOT SERVICED, NEVER FOUND ANY PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE WHILE PERFORMING OIL CHANGES. IT'S DRIVING ME NUTS BECAUSE IT SHUTS OFF ON ME LIKE THIS 2 OR MORE TIMES A WEEK, MY DAD HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM SINCE HE BOUGHT THE CAR WITHIN THE YEAR THE 2001 MODELS WERE RELEASED. *TR
BLOWER MOTOR IN CAR QUIT WORKING. THE BLOWER MOTOR WHICH IS LOCATED UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE DASH HAD SHORT CIRCUITED CAUSING THE WIRE TO MELT AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A FIRE HAZARD. *NM
I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR. IT SHAKES AND VIBRATES REALLY BAD. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS TAKEN TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISIC OF THE MOTOR. WELL, IT WAS GETTING WORSE SO I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS NEEDED REPLACED. I HAD ALL OF THOSE REPLACED. IT STILL SHAKES AND VIBRATES A LOT. IT ONLY HAS 32,000 MILES ON IT. IT SHAKES SO MUCH THAT MY HOOD BECOMES LOOSE AND HAS TO BE TIGHTNED UP. IT WOULDN'T GO OUT OF PARK EITHER SO THAT HAD TO BE FIXED. NOW, IT WON'T START. IT'S AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP YET A THIRD TIME BECAUSE IT WILL ONLY START IF IT'S JUMP STARTED. IF YOU TRY TO USE THE AIR CONDITIONER, EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL IN THE CAR GOES HAYWIRE. THEY THINK IT'S AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM NOW. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS CAR AS IT ONLY HAD 15 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT AND IT RAN SMOOTHLY. NOW IT ONLY HAS 32,000 MILES ON IT BUT IT SHAKES AND VIBRATES LIKE IT HAS OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT.
VEHICLE SLOWLY DEVELOPED A LOW, ROUGH IDLE AND WILL NOW SOMETIMES STALL WHILE AT IDLE. THIS PRODUCED A SAFETY CONCERN AS IT HAS STALLED WHILE SLOWING DOWN IN MOVING TRAFFIC, MAKING TURNS, ETC. APPARANTLY THERE IS A TSB (03-15-15) ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.
MY CAR VIBRATES WHEN I AM AT A COMPLETE STOP WITH MY FOOT ON THE BREAK. IT VIBRATES SO BAD THAT I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL PLACES AN NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHY IT VIBRATES SO MUCH. THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT HAPPEN WHEN I AM IN DRIVE OR "N". *AK
FORD ESCORT ZX2 - BRAKE PROBLEMS. PREMATURE WEARING OF ROTARIES AND DRUM. LOCKING UP OF COMPONENTS INVOLVING THE EMERGENCY BRAKES. INCIDENT FIRST HAPPENED IN JANUARY 2004, THEN WITH BACK DRUM IN JUNE 2004.*AK
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
FORD: CERTAIN 1999-2001 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN NEW YORK AND CERTAIN 2001 VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF MAINE, CERTIFIED FOR SALE IN CALIFORNIA-FEDERAL EMISSION WARRANTY REFUND. *PE
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:REAR WINDOW
REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR. *TT
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
GENERAL (PCM) POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATED - SYSTEM LEAN DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC'S) - SERVICE TIPS. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2004 F-SERIES. *TT
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR. *TT
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
INOPERATIVE ELECTRIC REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER (HEATED BACKLITE) GRID LINES, INTEGRAL ANTENNA CONCERNS. *TT
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.