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CarComplaints.com Notes: With questionable safety ratings, a faulty power control module (PCM) and a rear subframe that can rust out, the first model year Escape is known for problems. But the worst one of all? A design flaw that carried through multiple model years and caused dangerous unintended acceleration.

A lack of clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector meant the throttle could get stick open when the accelerator was fully depressed. Following a petition from the Center for Auto Safety, NHTSA opened an investigation and eventually issued a recall to fix the sticky throttles in the 2001–2004 model years.

Even with the throttles fixed, the 2001 model year could still have trouble stopping due to multiple problems with leaking brakes.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 6
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
115,029 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2001 Ford Escape engine problems

engine problem

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2001 Ford Escape Owner Comments (Page 2 of 2)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #7

Oct 272013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 125,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Shortly after being parked and shut off the vehicle caught fire within the engine compartment and destroyed everything in the front end of the vehicle.

- Lakewood, WA, USA

problem #6

Oct 112013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 120,000 miles
On October 10th, 2013, my wife and I had met for her birthday dinner at a restaurant in our town. My wife drove the 2001 Ford Escape to the restaurant, about 5 miles, from our home and parked the car. We had been at dinner for approximately 25 minutes when the waitress asked us if we drove a red SUV. We were led to the vehicle that was on fire and in the process of being extinguished by the fire department. The fire investigator said that it looked as if the fire had started on the driver's side of the engine compartment and that nothing else looked suspicious. He pointed out that the wire insulation on that side of the engine compartment was all melted away to bare copper and that the passenger side wiring was still more intact. The fire destroyed the entire front end of the car, the engine compartment, the driver's side fender, the driver's side tire and rim and melted the driver's side dashboard. The entire inside of the vehicle is smoke damaged since the car was locked up. The vehicle is a total loss. Just grateful that my daughter or wife weren't driving it at the time of the fire.

- Manteca, CA, USA

problem #5

Oct 102013

Escape

  • miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Escape. The contact stated the hatch failed to lock. The contact also stated that the vehicle suddenly and intermittently stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage and VIN were unavailable.

- Norfolk, VA, USA

problem #4

Jul 032013

Escape 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 70,528 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2001 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while ascending a hill at 50 mph with the cruise control activated, the vehicle down shifted and the throttle seized. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number 12V353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control). The failure mileage was 70,528. Updated 08/27/13

- Minden, NV, USA

problem #3

Jul 062012

Escape 6-cyl

  • miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Escape. The contact stated that he received notification of NHTSA campaign id number: 12V353000 (engine and engine cooling) and took the vehicle to the dealer for repairs however, the dealer refused the recall repair and did not provide a reason why. The contact notified the manufacturer of the incident and the contact was advised to take the vehicle back to the dealer for recall repairs. The contact had not experienced a failure. Updated 09/11/12 updated 09/14/2012

- Gautier, MS, USA

problem #2

Jul 072012

Escape 6-cyl

  • 125,872 miles
My wife was driving the Escape down residential roads around 24mph and as she let off of the accelerator it still was accelerating. She put on the brakes and the engine still wanted to accelerate but she was able to make a turn. As soon as she let off the brake it started accelerating again without her depressing the gas pedal. She pulled into our parking lot and the engine throttle was still on. She just depressed the brake as much and she could and immediate turned the car off. I looked under the hood and notice the cruise control cable appear out of place. I took the cruise control cable off of the throttle cable and took the car for a test drive around the block and it appeared to be working fine. Then I drove it later that day and the cruise control cable came off the throttle cable so the cruise control wouldn't work. I can see how if the cruise control cable came off the throttle cable it could catch the throttle cable and keep the throttle open.

- Coos Bay, OR, USA

problem #1

Jun 172012

Escape

  • 74,300 miles
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...

- Alexandria, VA, USA

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