2001 Ford Escape Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

I HAVE A 2001 FORD ESCAPE AND IT WAS RECENTLY RECALLED FOR FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. THE DAY BEFORE I TOOK IT IN FOR THE RECALL, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IT WAS ROUGH IDLING. THE FORD DEALER REPLACED IGNITION COIL AND SAID THAT WAS PROBLEM FOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ROUGH IDLE AND SAID THEY DID THE RECALL. LESS THAN A MONTH LATER MY CAR WOULD NOT RESTART AFTER STOPPING FOR A FEW BRIEF MINUTES. A TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED BY FORD'S ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER ARRIVED AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER THE CAR STARTED. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID IT MAY HAVE JUST BEEN A FLUKE. I DROVE THE CAR HOME WITHOUT IT BEING TOWED. 2 WEEKS WENT BY WITH NOTHING HAPPENING AND THEN ONE DAY AFTER ANOTHER BRIEF STOP THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THIS TIME THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED AND IT WAS TAKEN TO A FORD DEALER AND WAS KEPT BY THEM FOR 2 DAYS TO NO AVAIL. THEY STILL COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. THEY RETURNED THE CAR TO ME AND 2 DAYS LATER THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART AGAIN. MY HUSBAND PUSHED ON THE CAR BACKWARDS A FEW FEET WHILE THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL AND TO MUCH SURPRISE, THE CAR STARTED AGAIN WHEN PUT TRIED AGAIN. THIS WAS VERY GOOD NEWS AS IT WAS LATE EVENING ON A SAT AND THE FORD DEALER WAS NOT OPEN. TODAY, 3 DAYS LATER, MY HUSBAND STOPPED FOR GAS AND AFTER PAYING FOR THE GAS THE CAR WILL NOT RESTART. THE TRUCK IS ONCE AGAIN BEING TOWED TO THE FORD DEALER THIS TIME FOR GOOD UNTIL IT IS FIXED PROPERLY. LUCKILY THESE ALL HAPPENED CLOSE TO HOME, WHAT IF WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON A TRIP OR SOMETHING ? IF THEY CANNOT FIX THIS PROBLEM I WOULD LIKE TO BE GIVEN A NEW/COMPARABLE VEHICLE. I AM ALMOST SCARED TO DRIVE IT FROM FEAR OF IT FAILING ME AGAIN.*AK

IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WOULD NOT TURN. ITHAD TO BE REPLACED BY A MECHANIC. IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, HOWEVER, IT IS SAID TO BE A REOCCURING PROBLEM PER BRADY, TX FORD DEALERSHIP. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES THE OCCUPANT TO BECOME STRANDED; MAKING THEM A HAZARD ON THE ROAD. PLEASE RECALL OTHERS TO AVOID THIS PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE. *AK

WHEN INSERTED KEY INTO IGNITION IT WOULD NOT TURN NOR START THE VEHICLE. THEREFORE, HAVING TO HAVE SUV TOWED FOR SERVICE AND HAVING THE PART REPLACED. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER MENTIONED THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS HAPPEN ALOT IN FORD CARS/TRUCKS. *AK

OCT 15, 2001- WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STEEP HILL IN AUSTIN, TX, MY ESCAPE SUDDENLY DIED WITHOUT WARNING. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP, STEER, OR SLOW DOWN! I COASTED INTO A PARKING LOT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL AND LUCKILY AVOIDED ALL PARKED CARS OR PEOPLE (CO-WORKERS!) WALKING THROUGH THE LOT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MAXWELL FORD AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR! I CONTACTED THE PRESIDENT/ CEO TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN OVER WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. HE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE MOVED. I PICKED UP MY CAR AND HOPED IT WAS JUST A FLUKE. TWO AND-A-HALF YEARS LATER AND NOT A SINGLE PROBLEM, UNTIL LAST WEEK (APRIL 9, 2004). I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40MPH AROUND A CURVE AND SUDDENLY LOST ALL ABILITY TO STEER OR SLOW DOWN! ONCE AGAIN, I WAS UNBELIEVABLY LUCKY THAT I DIDN'T HURT ANYONE OR MYSELF. I WAS ABLE TO START IT AGAIN AND SAFELY PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER COASTING TO A STOP. I'M GRATEFUL THAT I WASN'T REAR-ENDED OR HIT HEAD-ON WHEN I COASTED OVER THE MIDDLE LINE.... (NEVERMIND THE HEART-ATTACK I ALMOST HAD FROM THE SUDDENNESS OF THIS!) I HATE TO IMAGINE THE OUTCOME IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED 10 MINUTES EARLIER WHILE I WAS MOVING AT 55MPH IN BUSY TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY OR ON THE EXIT RAMP! I HAVE AN APPT TO TAKE THE CAR IN ON FRIDAY. COINCIDENTALLY, I DISCOVERED (THIS MORNING) THAT A RECALL HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM.... (2 YEARS AFTER THEY WERE MADE AWARE THAT THERE MIGHT BE AN ISSUE????) WHAT A RELIEF. SO, I'LL BE BACK ON HWY 410 IN SAN ANTONIO NEXT WEEK AFTER I PICK MY CAR UP FROM THE SERVICE DEPT --- I'LL BE THE ONE IN THE FORD ESCAPE GOING ABOUT 60MPH..... I SURE HOPE I'LL BE ABLE TO STEER OR SLOW DOWN IF I NEED TO!! AT LEAST, I'LL BE BETTER PREPARED FOR THIS "SURPRISE" FROM NOW ON ( LIKE EVERYTIME I HAVE TO DRIVE ANYWHERE)! .... NOTHING LIKE PAYING $24,000 FOR A LITTLE EXTRA STRESS AND WORRY. THANKS, FORD. YOU ARE JUST SUPER.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT A SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MECHANIC REPLACED THE SENSOR, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

DRIVING APPROX 40MPH THE 2001 FORD ESCAPE STALLED. LOST ALL POWER STEERING, AND BRAKES. FINALLY GOT STOPPED, RESTARTED VEHICLE AND EVERYTHING WORKED AGAIN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. CONSUMER HAD TO PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL GEAR TO RESTART. DEALERSHIP WOULD RESET THE MAIN COMPUTER IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IF THE ATTEMPT FAILED THEN THE THROTTLE BODY WOULD BE REPLACED. *AK

ENGINE SUDDENLY DIES WHILE DRIVING THAT ALREADY HAPPENED TWICE, AND BOTH TIMES AT ABOUT 35MPH IN TRAFFIC. *LA

ENGINE STALL - ADDING MY INCIDENT TO THE LIST - DRIVING TO WORK THIS MORNING ON INTERSTATE-35, TRAVELLING ABOUT 40+ MPH. REALIZED BRAKES WERE NOT ENGAGING AS I WAS QUICKLY APPROACHING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, THEN REALIZED OIL LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT WERE ON AND NO RESPONSE TO INCREASED GAS PEDAL PRESSURE ON RPM GAUGE TO TRY TO MOVE CAR OUT OF LANE. LUCKILY HAPPENED TO BE IN FAR LEFT LANE AND HAD JUST ENOUGH ROOM TO COAST OVER TO SHOULDER AND APPLY PARKING BRAKE TO STOP. REMOVED KEYS, REINSERTED AND CAR STARTED RIGHT UP. THIS IS THE FIRST OCCURRENCE - HOWEVER I PERUSE THE NHTSA SIGHT OCCASIONALLY AND REMEMBERED READING ABOUT THIS SITUATION FROM A FEW YEARS AGO. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER YET - WANTED TO REVIEW THIS SIGHT FIRST TO SEE IF ANY ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN YET - APPARENTLY NOT. THANK GOD A GUARDIAN ANGEL WAS ON MY SHOULDER THIS MORNING.*AK

MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE STALLS WHEN I START THE CAR AND I AM STILL IN FIRST GEAR. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR 4 TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAY THAT THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM AND HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS COMPLAINT BEFORE. THEY EVEN PUT ON A "MONITER" FOR ME TO USE WHEN THE CAR STALLED. I PRESSED THE BUTTON TWICE, BUT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT I DID IT WRONG BECAUSE THEY GOT THE WRONG READINGS. AFTER THE LAST TIME I BROUGHT IT TO FORD, THEY REPLACED A PART AND SAID THAT IT WAS FIXED. SEVEN MONTHS LATER IT IS STALLING AGAIN.. AS MUCH AS THREE TIMES A DAY!! IT IS GETTING WORSE.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE WILL STALL AND WILL NOT RESTART. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH DOWN A HILL, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, THERE WERE NO BRAKES/ POWER STEERING. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE.*AK *TS THE DEALER REPLACED SOME PARTS. *JB

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING ALONG AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, OUR FORD ESCAPE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER AND STALLED. THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. THE FORD ESCAPE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED UNTIL IT WAS STOPPED AND PLACED IN PARK. WE HAVE TAKEN TO HILL & SANDERS FORD LOCATED IN WHEATON, MD. IN ADDITION TO OTHER SERVICE RELATED PROBLEMS WITH THE STAFF OF HILL & SANDERS, WE WERE TOLD DIFFERENT STORIES BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE. ONE STORY WAS THAT OUR KEY RING WAS TOO HEAVY (4 KEYS 1 REMOTE). THE NEXT WAS THAT THERE WAS A COMPUTER REPROGRAMMING THAT WOULD RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM (ALONG WITH A DEVELOPING/OCCASIONAL TRANSMISSION SHIVER/SHUDDER BETWEEN 35-45 MPH). THE COMPUTER REPROGRAMMING WAS COMPLETED 4 DAYS AGO. SINCE THAT TIME, THE CAR HAS NOT STALLED IN A SIMILAR MANNER, BUT CONTINUES TO HAVE AN OCCASIONAL TRANSMISSION SHIVER / SHUDDER. BASED ON THE FAILURE OF THE REPROGRAMMING TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION SHIVER / SHUDDER, WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE FORD ESCAPE WILL CONTINUE TO STALL. *NLM

CAR COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. THERE IS NO WARNING OR SYMPTOM THAT AN OCCURRENCE IS GOING TO HAPPEN. THIS SHUTDOWN OCCURS WHILE VEHICLE IS MOVING AND AT VARYING SPEEDS. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE ELECTRICAL IN NATURE AND PROBRABLY ASSOCIATED WITH SOME IGNITION COMPONET.*AK

STALLS WHEN SLIGHTLY HITTING BRAKE TO HANDLE A CURVE, HAS ALSO HAPPENED IN PARKING LOTS WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO TURN AND PARK. INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED 7-8 TIMES. *NLM

MY ESCAPE WILL START AND THEN STALL OR WHEN LETTING OFF THE GAS IT WILL STALL WHILE GOING AROUND BENDS OR JUST GOING DOWN THE ROAD. IT IS VERY ON SAFE BECAUSE WHEN GOING AROUND BENDS AND IT STALLS YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING. IT HAS HAPPEN OVER 20 TIMES NOW, AND IT HAPPENS WITH NO WARNING AND WHEN EVER IT WANTS TO. *NLM

I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE DOING 40MPH DOWN AN INCLINE AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES AND WOUND UP ON SOMEONE'S LAWN. SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM DUE TOTHE FACT THAT MOST OF THE ESCAPES ISSUES ARE STALLING.*AK

ON TWO DIFFERENT OCASSIONS, FORD ESCAPE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. ONCE WHILE GOING ABOUT 25 MPH DOWN HILL. THE OTHER TIME, WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT UNDER 10 MPH. CONSUMER REFUSED TO DRIVE THE CAR ANY MORE UNTIL A RESOLUTION IS FOUND. THE FORD DEALER HOOKED UP A COMPUTER BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM.*AK

2001 FORD ESCAPE STALLED WHILE COASTING DOWN HILL AT 35 MPH. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT, I WAS ABLE TO STEER A "DEAD" CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTART. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE FIXED. WHILE THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT MANY FORD ESCAPE OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM SINCE 2000, BUT TOOK 18 MONTHS TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE ON BOARD COMPUTER. FORD HAS NOT RECALLED NOR DO THEY COVER THIS REPAIR UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. *JB

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, WOULDN'T EVEN TURN OVER CTED LIKE THE BATTERY WAS DEAD, EXCEPT THE RADIO WORKED AND SEAT BELT CHIME WOULD RUN. PLAYED WITH STEERING WHEEL AND IT STARTED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES IN 1 YEAR. IT IS AT THE DEALERS RIGHT NOW, THEY SAY THEY NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE. LAST WEEK WHEN IT DID IT AND I WAS MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL , IT DIDN;T EVEN LOCK, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. I ALWAYS PARK WHERE I CAN MAKE SURE A WRECKER CAN GET IN TO HAUL IT TO THE DEALERS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 35MPH ACCELERATOR STARTED DECELERATING WITHOUT WARNING. LOST ALL POWER DUE TO MEMORY IN COMPUTER GOING OUT.DEALER REPROGRAMMED COMPUTER.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING HAD PUT THE HIGHLIGHTS ON AND VEHICLE TURNED OFF. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. MR

MY FORD ESCAPE 2001 STALLS WITHOUT ENGINE TURNING OFF FOR ABOUT 5-7 DURING TAKE OFF TURNS. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP THREE TIMES. THE FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD NOTHING COULD BE FOUND WRONG, SECOND TIME AN IDLER VALVE WAS REPLACED AND THIS LAST TIME THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED. I CALLED TO INFORM MECHANIC OF PROBLEM AND HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT COULD BE WRONG. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MY TRUCK IS UNDER WARRANTY. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW. NO ONE AT FORD KNOWS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. PLEASE HELP. PH *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**767684

AFTER BEING PARKED FOR 2.5 HOURS, OUR LESS-THAN-2-YEARS-OLD FORD ESCAPE SPONTANEOUSLY SMOKED AND BURNED; SMALL FIRE WAS STOPPED BY FIRE DEPT.; HAVE NO WORD FROM DEALER OR FORD AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED (FIRE DEPT. SUSPECTED ELECTRICAL SHORT) -- DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER SUCH REPORTS?. *AK