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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:
15 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
16 / 1
Average Mileage:
68,697 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 1 of 4)

problem #78

Sep 092020

Escape 6-cyl

  • 200,000 miles

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

I tried to speed up getting on the highway and it would not accelerate passed 60 mph and shift down and stalled out. When I let off the gas it does not slow down on its own. It backfires.

- Gowen, MI, USA

problem #77

Jan 092019

Escape

  • miles
I bought this vehicle used recently. This didn't happen until it got cold but, the gas pedal sticks when I am driving making it extremely hard to stop even if my vehicle had been warmed beforehand. The vehicle has done this more than once. The most notable ones were when I was driving to work on the highway. One time the vehicle was warmed and the other was not. Both times the gas pedal got stuck after I tried to accelerate and kept propelling me forward. Both times I had been driving.

- Anchorage, AK, USA

problem #76

Aug 122017

Escape

  • miles
The contact owned a 2001 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 12V005000 (service brakes, hydraulic), 12V353000 (engine and engine cooling), and 14V165000 (structure, vehicle speed control). The contact did not receive any recall notifications. The contact stated that the brake lights remained illuminated for an extended period of time. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic. While the vehicle was parked in a residental parking space, a security guard noticed smoke coming from the vehicle. After making a second round, the guard informed the vehicle owner that the vehicle was consumed by flames. The fire department extinguished the flames. A fire report was filed and the contact took pictures. The vehicle was parked and had not been inspected by a dealer or manufacturer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that they would follow-up in writing, but did not provide a time frame for the recall repair. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure mileage was not available. Parts distribution disconnect.

- Escondido, CA, USA

problem #75

Jul 202015

Escape

  • 190,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2001 Ford Escape. While driving between 5-10 mph, the throttle became stuck when the accelerator pedal was fully depressed. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the differential pressure feedback egr (dpfe) sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 12V353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control). The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 190,000.

- Wilseyville, CA, USA

problem #74

May 202010

Escape

  • miles
Despite numerous calls to Ford, I still receive recall notices on this vehicle, however it was a cash for clunkers vehicle. I participated in this program and the vehicle was permanently disabled back in 2009/2010.

- Howard City, MI, USA

problem #73

Aug 272016

Escape

  • 157,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Escape. While driving 80 mph, the vehicle accelerated when the contact released the accelerator pedal. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 157,000.

- Quakertown, PA, USA

problem #72

May 142014

Escape

  • 125,000 miles

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

The contact owned a 2001 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number; 12V353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control). While driving approximately 35 mph, the brake pedal was depressed however, the vehicle failed to accelerate causing the vehicle to crash into a commercial vehicle. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 125,000.

- Albany, NY, USA

problem #71

Feb 102015

Escape

  • 186,000 miles
Was running fine then started the car one morning and idle was out of control and is unsafe to drive with the idle as high as it

- Paris, TN, USA

problem #70

Apr 032015

Escape

  • 150,000 miles
I was going to pull into a parking space and the accelerator stuck. I then crashed into a light pole and a building. I did research and found that there is a recall for some part of the throttle on those models from 2001 too 2004. Never had any notice of a factory recall form when I bought the vehicle at carhop, or from Ford dealership, or from the dmv on this matter. Very lucky no one was injured in this incident including myself. There is already claim through my insurance Agency statefarm on this matter. All my yrs. Of driving nothing like this had ever happened.

- Deer Creek, MN, USA

problem #69

Mar 192015

Escape 4WD 6-cyl

  • 180,000 miles
While parked in employee's parking lot the Ford Escape engine started to smoke then caught fire.

- Forest Park, GA, USA

problem #68

May 062013

Escape

  • miles

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

The contact owned a 2001 Ford Escape. While driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and failed to slow down, even though the brake pedal was depressed numerous times. As a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle and its rear end crashed into a tree. A four year old passenger seated in the rear was fatally injured due to the massive impact to the vehicle. The driver lost consciousness and suffered a minor concussion. The front seat occupant sustained a spinal injury. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a police facility. The vehicle was included in three recalls under NHTSA campaign number: 00V210001 (vehicle speed control), NHTSA campaign id number: 07E023000 (service brakes, hydraulic) and NHTSA campaign id number: 12V005000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The contact never received notification of the recalls and experienced the consequences mentioned in each recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable.

- North Berwick , ME, USA

problem #67

Dec 012008

Escape

  • 51,000 miles
Stuck accelerator - Ford Escape my husband and I were driving over dead man's pass in Oregon. A treacherous pass even on a good day. Ford Escape 2001 accelerator got stuck at 80 miles P/H. my sister and her family were following behind us. My husband insisted that he could drive the out of control car into lagrande to the Ford dealership. I was scared to death and demanded he try to get the car to stop and let me out. He did this by putting car in neutral, turning it off, and coasting to a stop (I think). I got out, crawled into my sister's car shaking uncontrollably. My husband did get the car into lagrande. As he came into the lot, it was screeching sideways, tires smoking, and nearly tipped over. The Ford dealership fixed it - at great expense to me. I paid the mechanic's bill, plus took a flight to pendleton, then a 1 hour shuttle to la grande, Oregon, then drove home 4 hours. 5 years later I still have "accelerator anxiety." About 2 years ago, I got a recall from Ford. I took it dealership here in portland. They looked at the mechanic's receipt and said the problem that was fixed, was not the same as the recall and would not reimburse me.

- Portland, OR, USA

problem #66

Aug 312013

Escape

  • 155,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning while driving 55 mph. The contact applied the brakes but to no avail. The contact then lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a ditch. The contact was not injured. The vehicle was towed to the contact home and was not repaired or inspected to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure and current mileage was 155,000.

- Berverly , WV, USA

problem #65

Aug 312012

Escape 6-cyl

  • miles
On Friday Aug 31.2013 I was coming up a hill on South bound highway 92 when I accelerated and there was a deer so I tried to slow down and my brakes wouldn't work I again hit the brakes went to the floor and the vehicle lost control and accelerated I hit the ditch no brakes all the way to floor and the car was still speeding out of control like it was driving itself. Brakes

- Beverly, WV, USA

problem #64

Jun 052012

Escape

  • 133,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Escape. The contact was accelerating from a traffic stop when the accelerator pedal became stuck. In addition, the engine began to rev rapidly as the rpms increased. The vehicle failed to decelerate until the contact shifted into neutral with the brakes applied. The vehicle was maneuvered to a safe location and the driver loosened the throttle body cable. The vehicle was able to resume normally for a brief moment. The failure recurred twice. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 133,000.

- St. Clare Shores, MI, USA

problem #63

Jul 292013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 180,650 miles
I have owned this vehicle since March 2013. I have not experience a problem with the throttle or gas pedal on this vehicle since owning it, but on Monday, 7/29/13, I had just driven about 18 miles at an average speed of 50 mph. I pulled up in front of my house at 11:00 pm and put vehicle in park. All of a sudden, the engine started racing to what sounded like the gas pedal being floored. I punched the gas pedal but nothing changed. I tried punching the pedal again with my foot, and still no change. I even reached down to see if the floor mat had interfered with the gas pedal, but it had not. I turned off the engine. The next morning, my boyfriend, aware of the issue, took it for a test drive, but the vehicle didn't replicate the problem. I called my mechanic on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 and made an appointment for the diagnosis and repair. The mechanic cannot get me in until next week. The appointment is set for wed. 8/7/13. I will not drive this vehicle in it's unpredictable condition.

- Seaside, OR, USA

problem #62

Jul 012013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 120,000 miles
I had entered an interstate from an on ramp. I accelerated to get vehicle up to speed and set the cruise control. I approached a sharp curved and attempted to release the speed control by hitting the brakes. The vehicle did not stop and continued to stay moving at 55 mph. I avoided the outside lane and the traffic that I was merging into by going into the median. The vehicle hit an elevated man hole in the median and went airborne and hit a bridge overpass support head on. I suffered multiple fractures due to the collision.

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

problem #61

Jul 032013

Escape 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 70,528 miles
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 #60

Oct 212009

Escape

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the driver was idling in a residential driveway when the vehicle accelerated independently and crashed into a house. The contact stated that the vehicle was not destroyed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 100,000.

- Temple, TX, USA

problem #59

Jan 222013

Escape 6-cyl

  • 273,000 miles
My client's son was driving his vehicle on central avenue in prince george's county Maryland at nighttime when the accelerator pedal got stuck to the floor. He swerved onto the shoulder of the road to avoid traffic and his vehicle then struck a bike rider then struck the median curb totaling the vehicle. Both the driver and bike rider sustained significant injuries.

- College Park, MD, USA

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