2001 Ford Escape Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
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
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.
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.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESS WAY THE CAR ENGINE WAS STUCK ACCELERATING UNTIL IT THREW A ROD AND THE ENGINE QUIT AFTER THAT. WAS DRIVING 60 UNTIL THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING UP AN INCLINE AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WITH FORCE, HOWEVER, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THE ENGINE POWER. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED ON ONE OCCASION TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE AND BLACK SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
STUTTERING AND STALLING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 06/24/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65MPH, A LOW POP WAS HEARD. BLACK SMOKE ROLLED INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. UPDATED 06/25/2014 *JS
THE CAR WAS PARKED AT A SHOPPING MALL, THE ENGINE STARTED SMOKING AND IT WENT INTO FLAMES BURNED ENTIRE ENGINE, INSIDE FRON T,CAR , DASHBOARD, TIRES ETC.HOOD... *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 02/15/12*LJ
MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE 3.0L V6, HAS AN ENGINE STALLING PROBLEM, AND AN REALLY BAD EMISIONS SYSTEM FAILURE. THE EXHAUST FUMES HAVE BEEN BACKING UP INTO THE VEHICLE FOR A LONG TIME NOW. MY HAIR FELL OUT, AND NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE. I CONTACTED A FORD DEALERSHIP, BECAUSE I RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THAT UNDER THE STATE AND FEDERAL EMISSIONS WARRANTY, SOME COMPONENTS NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. HOWEVER THE DEALER WON'T HONOR IT, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS OVER 80,000 MILES. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED AT 60,000 MILES. I AM NOT SURE IF THE ENGINE STALLING HAS CAUSED THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM TO FAIL OR THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM FAILURE HAS CAUSED THE ENGINE STALLING.THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE 3 TIMES. *TR
2001 FORD ESCAPE - SPARK PLAG EJECTION BLOWOUT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 5MPH , THE CONTACT WAS COMING TO A STOP WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND THEN BACK ON AND IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPAIRED THE AIR THROTTLE AND THE PCM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135000.
MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE IN MY DRIVEWAY THIS EVENING. IT HAD BEEN DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES, PARKED AND THEN CAUGHT FIRE. A PASSERBY SAW FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND CALLED DISPATCH. THE VEHICLE IS BEYOND REPAIR. I AM AWARE OF SOME RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR REPAIRS/REPLACEMENTS WHEN A RECALL WAS ISSUED. I AM UNSURE, AT THIS TIME, AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE BUT FELT I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT REPORT THE INCIDENT. HAS THERE BEEN A RECALL CONCERNING THIS VEHICLE AND ENGINE FIRE? *TR
CATALYTIC CONVERTERS (ALL3) HAVE GONE BAD, VEHICLE HAS ONLY 90,000 MILES ON IT, VEHICLE BEGAN MISS FIRING SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE A YEAR AGO. HOWEVER, DEALERSHIP MECHANICS COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. AT TIMES EXHAUST IS CIRCULATED BACK INTO VEHICLE. *TR
VEHICLE'S # - 2001 FORD ESCAPE .EVERY MORNING I START THE CAR IT HESITATES TO STAY STARTED,(IDEALING) SOMETIMES THE CAR DOES SHUT OFF AND I HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR. I START OUT AND WHEN I GO TO BRAKE THE CAR HESITATES AND WANT TO SHUT OFF AT THE SAME TIME I LOSE MY BRAKES (THEY LOCK UP AND WILL NOT STOP...) THE CAR ALSO SOMETIMES SMELL HOT AFTER DRIVING. ONCE THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR A WHILE THE BRAKES SEEM TO WORK FINE BUT THERE IS STILL A HOT SMELL WHEN WE SHUT THE CAR OFF. I HAVE HAD THIS IN FOR SERVICE MORE THEN ONCE AND THEY HAD ME DO CERTAIN SERVICES ON THE CAR AND THIS STILL HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM, I TOOK BACK IN AFTER SPENDING ENOUGH MONEY AND DOING THE SERVICE THEY SUGGESTED THE MECHANICS KEPT IT FOR A FEW DAYS AND THOUGHT THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM,BUT HERE WE ARE AGAIN(1 YR LATER) AND I'M BACK TO WHERE WE STARTED. I HAVE ALL THE PAPERWORK TO WHAT WAS DONE WITH THE CAR FOR THIS PROBLEM.. SERVICE WAS PERFORMED AS FOLLOWS A. REPLACE INTAKE GASKETS,SPARK PLUGS,DPFE SENSOR. B. FUEL FILTER. C. PERFORM BG PROFESSIONAL FUEL INJECTION CLEANING SERVICE. THE SECOND TIME IN FOR SERVICE- A. 100 DIAG MASS AIR FLOW METER=REC. TUNE UP = FILTERS ADVISE ON PENDG. CODES 0171-0174=POSS. INTAKE LEEK =REPLACE MAF SENSOR=CLEAR CODES. THIS WAS EVERYTHING THEY SUGGESTED WE DO AND NOW AS ITS COLD I'M HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS I DID LAST FEBRUARY. ($2000.00 LATER) I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HAVE THE SITUATION FIXED BEFORE I CAN'T STOP THE NEXT TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME... MRS. LESLIE A. WEARY *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30 -35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER DUE TO FAILURE OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE REPAIR SHOULD BE FREE, BUT THE MANUFACTURER DISAGREED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,700.
I HAVE HAD BRAKE LIQUID LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE CONTAINER SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR AROUND 2001. I NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP AND THE FIRST TIME THEY SAID THE CAP MALFUNCTIONED AND THEY REPLACED THE CAP, THE SECOND TIME THEY SAID I OVERFILLED THE CONTAINER BUT IT NEVER STOPPED AND TO THIS DAY THE CONTAINER LEAKS. I ALSO HAVE HAD THE CAR STALL ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. I THOUGHT THIS TO BE JUST A FREAK ACCIDENT UNTIL I READ THESE POSTINGS AND IT APPEARS THE PROBLEM IS WIDE SPREAD. ONE TIME IT STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 81 AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO WRECK BUT MANAGED TO PULL OVER WITH OUT AN ACCIDENT. NOW MY CAR HAS A HARD TIME STARTING FOR NO REASON. AT FIRST I HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM JUST GOT WORSE. NOW I SOMETIMES SPEND 20 MIN TRYING TO START THE CAR, WHEN IT FINALLY STARTS, IT STALLS AND WHEN ITS FINISHED STALLING, IT ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN AND STAYS THAT WAY FOR SEVERAL MIN. UNTIL NOW I JUST THOUGHT THESE WERE RARE OCCURRENCES BUT NOW I DON'T THINK THEY ARE. I BELIEVE THEY ARE ALL SAFETY PROBLEMS AND NOT ONCE WAS I NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALL TO FIX. MY COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON OVER 8 MONTHS AGO AND IS STILL ON DESPITE HAVING IT CHECKED AND NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND.*CN
OIL COOLER FAILED, OIL WAS BURNT OFF WITH NO CHECK OIL LIGHT OR ENGINE NOTICE AND ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRED. ENGINE THREW A ROD AND THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *JB
2001 FORD ESCAPE GETTING AN KNOCKING NOISE IN FRONT OF THE CAR. SOUNDS LIKE A PROPELLER NOISE THAT INCREASE THE FASTER I TRAVEL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, BUT IT FAILED TO START. SHE MADE ONE MORE ATTEMPT AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND THE VEHICLE STARTED. WHEN SHE APPROACHED A STOP SIGN AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 48,250.
I RECEIVED A WARNING LIGHT ON THE CONTROL PANEL OF THE CAR. SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE FEEDBACK EGR (DPFE) SENSOR HAD FAILED. I SEE THAT MANY OF THE 2001 & 2002 FORD ESCAPES HAVE THIS FAILURE. SOMETHING WAS CHANGED TO RESOLVE THIS AS 2003 MODEL DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE PROBLEM (SOURCE AUTOS.MSN.COM). WHY SHOULD I PAY $450 TO CORRECT A MANUFACTURER FAULT. *NM
I SEE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS OF REPLACING THE EGR VALVE ON THEIR 2001 FORD ESCAPE. I REPLACED MINE TWICE AND THE DPFE SENSOR TWICE AND JUST HAD THE COMPUTER REPLACED AT JUST UNDER 42000 MILES. THERE IS TOO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL YEAR AND THE WARRANTY IS UP.. THEY (FORD) MAKE SO THESE CHEAP PARTS LAST UNTIL WARRANTY EXPIRES, SO THE CONSUMER HAS TO PAY I BOUGHT FORDS ALL MY LIFE BUT I'M HAVING SECOND THOUGHT AFTER THIS BUY. *NM
I WAS DRIVING HOME AND THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE. I PULLED OVER AT A GAS STATION AND MY HUSBAND CHECKED TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. WE COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS WRONG AND DROVE HOME. AGAIN THE CAR WAS SHAKING THEN IT STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND THEN WE HEARD SOMETHING SNAP AND THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED IT TURNED OUT THAT WE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE VALVE SHEERED FROM THE VALVE STEM AND THE VALVE SHATTERED THE PISTON AND ENDED DENTING THE OIL PAN AND WAS FOUND IN THE OIL PAN. THIS ENDED UP COSTING US $5000. WE CALLED THE DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR IN APRIL OF 2004 AND HE SAID THAT HE WAS WILLING TO HELP US, BUT DECIDED NOT TO STATING IT WOULD BE "BAD BUSINESS" TO REPLACE TO CAR EVEN THOUGH WE HAD PURCHASED IT 8 MONTHS PREVIOUS TO THE INCIDENT. WE THEN HAD IT TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE A NEW ENGINE WAS PLACED IN THE 2001 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE SPEAKING TO A FORD MECHANIC HE STATED THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE TO THE ESCAPE. THE DEALER THAT FINALLY ENDED UP WORKING ON THE ESCAPE CALLED FORD AND TOLD THEM THE PROBLEM BUT FORD STATED THAT THEY HAD HEARD ABOUT THIS BUT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO WARRANT A RECALL BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT. THE CAR WAS OUT OF COMMISSION FOR 10 DAYS DUE TO THE DEALER MAKING PROMISES AND THEN TAKING THEM BACK. *JB
THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER, AND THE ENGINE COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
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Quick Summary
The 2001 Ford Escape has 205 Engine complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.