2001 Ford Escape
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Ford › Escape › 2001
These records cover every 2001 Ford Escape. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
15 recalls name the 2001 Ford Escape. Newest first.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2001-2008 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured March 31, 2001, to September 1, 2009. The affected vehicles are equipped with either a 2.3L or 3.0L engine and have had their CD4E transmission replaced with remanufactured one that was rebuilt between June 11, 2015 through July 15…
Risk and remedy
Risk
If the shift lever disengages from the transmission, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the gear selection indicator may show that the transmission is in the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not actually be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmissions and either tighten the manual shift lever bolt or replace the manual shift lever assembly. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S28.
The Timken Company (Timken) is recalling certain aftermarket front wheel bearings, part number 510072, sold from January 22, 2015, to May 21, 2015, to be used as service parts on 2001-2012 Ford Escape, 2001-2011 Mazda Tribute, and 2005-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles. The affected wheel bearings have incorrect dimensions of a 42mm bore, 76mm outer dimension…
Risk and remedy
Risk
Use of an incorrectly sized wheel bearing can adversely affect the braking and steering of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Timken has begun notifying distributors who will offer purchasers replacement wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015. Owners may contact Timken customer service at 1-866-984-6536.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2001-2004 Escape vehicles manufactured October 22, 1999, through January 23, 2004, originally sold, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode…
Risk and remedy
Risk
A separation of the lower control arm can result in a significant loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a newly designed reinforcement cross-brace, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S02.
Ford Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2001 through 2004 Escape vehicles equipped with 3.0L V6 engines and speed control manufactured from October 22, 1999, through January 23, 2004. Inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector could result in a stuck throttle when the accelerator pedal is fully or…
Risk and remedy
Risk
A stuck throttle may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop or slow the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles by increasing the engine cover clearance, free of charge. The safety recall began August 3, 2012. Remedy parts are expected to be available in mid-August 2012. Until then dealers will disconnect the speed control cable as an interim remedy, if parts are not available at the time of an owner's service appointment. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Ford IS recalling certain model year 2001-2002 escape vehicles manufactured from october 22, 1999, through july 19, 2002, equipped with a brake master cylinder reservoir cap that could leak brake fluid. If brake fluid leaks from the cap, it could come in contact with the antilock brake system (ABS) module wiring harness connector.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Corrosion can develop in the electrical connector leading to melting, smoke or a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder reservoir cap and the ABS electrical system will be modified. an interim letter was mailed on january 20, 2012. due to a parts delay, however, the remedy may not be available currently. if parts are not available, ford will instruct owners to park their vehicles outside until such time as parts become available. owners may contact the ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. this recall campaign IS related to 07v-156.
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with antilock brakes (ABS), the ABS module connector may have missing or dislodged wire seals. this condition could allow contamination to enter the module connector, creating a potential for an electrical short.
Risk and remedy
Risk
An electrical short might cause an ABS malfunction that would illuminate the ABS warning light, and in some cases, the module may overheat resulting in burning odor, smoke, and/or fire. this condition could occur either when the vehicle ignition switch IS in the off position or while the vehicle IS being operated.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the wire harness connector to the ABS module for missing or dislodged wire seals, and repair or replace the harness connector as appropriate. the dealer will also inspect the connector on the ABS module and replace it if it IS found to be corroded or damaged. the recall began on april 23, 2007. owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Certain cardone master cylinders with part numbers 10-2925, 10-2987, 10-2987mza, 10-3083, 11-3015, 11-3042, 11-3044, 11-3045, 11-3047, 11-3064, and 11-3156, and with date codes lower than dca7078 sold as replacement equipment for use on the vehicles listed above. the seal on master cylinder can fail and leak brake fluid.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Loss of brake fluid can result in poor braking performance, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Cardone will notify owners and offer to repurchase any defective master cylinders. the recall began during april 2007. owners can contact cardone at 1-800-777-4780.
Certain 2004-2005 sport utility vehicles and certain 2001-2003 sport utiity vehicle having rear liftgate components serviced with 2004 equivalent components fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 206, 'door locks and door retention components.' the rear liftgate latching system does not meet the inertia load…
Risk and remedy
Risk
If the liftgate IS left unlocked, there IS the potential that it may open during a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the rear liftgate latch release rod, the release rod attachment clip and the door handle return spring. the recall began on march 31, 2005. owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with 3.0L V6 engines, during deceleration, the engine can stall.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Should the engine stall, a vehicle crash could occur.
Remedy
Dealers will reprogram the power control module (pcm) with the appropriate calibration. owner notification began on april 21, 2004. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
On certain sport utility vehicles, a post within the safety belt buckle covers could fracture, which could affect latch function, resulting in either a "no latch" or "partial latch" condition. in the "partial latch" condition, the buckle tongue can be inserted into the buckle and appear to be engaged, but will release from the buckle without the push…
Risk and remedy
Risk
In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will have the driver and front passenger safety belt buckle cover removed and replaced with a newly designed service buckle cover. owner notification began on february 2, 2004. owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. the windshield wiper linkage can disengage due to a broken ball socket.
Risk and remedy
Risk
This condition will likely result in sudden and complete loss of the windshield wiper function, or of the wiper function on the driver side only, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the wiper module.
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. the o-ring seals in the fuel line connector at the outlet end of the fuel filter were damaged when the line was connected to the filter during vehicle assembly. in some cases, this damage could result in a fuel odor, or possibly in fuel dripping from the connection.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the fuel line. owner notification began september 27, 2000. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle description: some 4X2 sport utility vehicles not equipped with an antilock braking system may have inadvertently been built with 4X4 rear hubs instead of 4X2 hubs. if the incorrect hubs are installed on a 4X2 vehicle, the rear wheels can loosen, or in some cases, separate from the vehicle.
Risk and remedy
Risk
This condition could cause loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the rear hubs and, if necessary, replace them. owner notification began september 25, 2000. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control. the speed control cable can have a cracked or missing speed control cable servo cap locating tab. the locating tab could enter the servo clutch cavity and interfere with the speed control servo clutch. also, water could enter those units that contain a cracked or missing servo…
Risk and remedy
Risk
If either of these conditions occurs and the speed control IS used, the speed control could prevent the throttle from returning to idle, resulting in a stuck throttle. a stuck throttle could result in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the speed control cables. vehicles with speed control cables from cavities 3 and 4 will have the cable the speed control servo replaced.
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. these vehicles may have a mis-assembled or incorrectly manufactured nut that attaches the steering wheel assembly to the steering column. the nut could be upside down in the steering wheel assembly, which could overstress the steering column shaft when the nut IS tightened. in addition, some of the nuts…
Risk and remedy
Risk
Either of these conditions can lead to the steering wheel becoming loose or separating from the steering column, resulting in loss of steering control.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the steering wheel retention armature and, if necessary, the steering column to correct this condition.
Owner complaints
996 complaints76 involved a crash58 involved a fire75 injuries3 deaths
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Air bags · Seat belts
I put money down on the vehicle the next day when I drove it I noticed that the seat belt doesn’t work. I told him about it and he told me to se if it stays clicked on the passenger side. It does but I couldn’t drive that way it was choking me. He said he would put a new one in it but never did. I…
I put money down on the vehicle the next day when I drove it I noticed that the seat belt doesn’t work. I told him about it and he told me to se if it stays clicked on the passenger side. It does but I couldn’t drive that way it was choking me. He said he would put a new one in it but never did. I have gone there several times a week and several times in a day for a couple of weeks. It has airbags or they don’t work. Because the light will flash a bunch of times and then stay on. I can’t drive it because there are no safety devices to keep me from being killed in the event of an accident. I would like help getting my down payment back so I can get a road worthy vehicle. I have spent all if this time trying to find away to get my money back. I have lost almost all of my clients due to not having reliable transportation to get to my the homes to clean them.
- Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator › Integrated starter(other than propulsion) · Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Emission control › Catalytic convertor
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 60 mph, the vehicle loss motive power. The contact pulls the vehicle over to the side of the road. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not able to restart. The contact had the vehicle towed to the local…
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 60 mph, the vehicle loss motive power. The contact pulls the vehicle over to the side of the road. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not able to restart. The contact had the vehicle towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The contact was concerned that the failure was related to the alternator. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
- Forward collision avoidance › Adaptive cruise control · Unknown or other · Vehicle speed control
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. *tr
- Unknown or other
Torque converter clutch solenoid went out when driving at 60mph which caused my car to slow down.
- Structure › Body · Suspension
While my car was in the shop last year, noticed last that the frame on my 2001 ford escape has rusted, in some places completely through and metal has completely flaked off. will be expensive to fix according to mechanic, and that car IS not really safe unless fixed. I know escape frames have been included in recalls, but my car was not. Do I have any remedy?
- Electrical system · Electronic stability control (esc) · Steering
ABS system burned up, hard to stop brakes, lickage under the hood
- Electrical system · Engine · Power train
I've recently got a new battery, O2 sensor and alternator and my car keeps shutting off in drive.
- Structure › Body · Suspension
TL* the contact owns a 2001 ford escape. While attempting to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle veered to the right; however, the steering wheel turned to the left. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the subframe was corroded. The failure allowed the passenger side…
TL* the contact owns a 2001 ford escape. While attempting to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle veered to the right; however, the steering wheel turned to the left. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the subframe was corroded. The failure allowed the passenger side control arm to travel forward every time the vehicle was in motion. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 235,000.
- Wheels
July 9, 2019 travel in 80 mph on I-95 south about 23 miles from miami. left passenger new vanderbilt cooperp235/70r16 turbo tech a/s radial blew in half in the middle.someohow was able to stop without causing me or anyone else serious accident.. have not yet determined vehicle drum or other possible damage. Had just had 4 like tires rotated and air pressure checked prior to trip.
- Steering · Unknown or other · Wheels
I am not sure if I am using the correct website or correct form. I was involved in a very weird car accident. My ford escape suddenly run to the side (as I was driving on ice) IS there any help to fix this?. I was driving north direction. The posted speed was 25 and mine was 20. This happened on…
I am not sure if I am using the correct website or correct form. I was involved in a very weird car accident. My ford escape suddenly run to the side (as I was driving on ice) IS there any help to fix this?. I was driving north direction. The posted speed was 25 and mine was 20. This happened on north leland st in san pedro, ca 90731. Looks like a mechanical fault. I am not sure what was wrong. I have a police report. Thank you very much!
- Engine
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…
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
- Engine
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…
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.
- Electronic stability control (esc) · Steering · Suspension
My ford escape does not shift right anymore and it will not stay in park I have to have a brick put in front of it because my emergency brake does not even work. I received a recall letter but I cannot find my letter anymore. I was hit by a vehicle and I cannot walk and my son had clean the house…
My ford escape does not shift right anymore and it will not stay in park I have to have a brick put in front of it because my emergency brake does not even work. I received a recall letter but I cannot find my letter anymore. I was hit by a vehicle and I cannot walk and my son had clean the house so I have lost my letter I would appreciate it if I could get another recall letter so I can get mike's escape fixed please.
- Vehicle speed control
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…
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.
- Steering · Structure › Frame and members
TL* the contact owns a 2001 ford escape. While driving approximately 15 mph, the steering failed and was not aligned with the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic who determined that the frame and other components were severely rusted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer…
TL* the contact owns a 2001 ford escape. While driving approximately 15 mph, the steering failed and was not aligned with the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic who determined that the frame and other components were severely rusted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 94,306. The vin was unknown.
- Suspension
We took our vehicle to our mechanic for other work to be done. he noted that the suspension part (which has been previously remediated with the application of a bracket with a recall) IS excessively rusted. while I surely understand that rust IS a factor of time and miles, we have around only…
We took our vehicle to our mechanic for other work to be done. he noted that the suspension part (which has been previously remediated with the application of a bracket with a recall) IS excessively rusted. while I surely understand that rust IS a factor of time and miles, we have around only 90,000 miles on this vehicle. I believe that the bracket was the most cost effective solution for fmc to apply. as a result, I fear that there are many more drivers of this vehicle who may erroneously believe that the issue with the suspension had been addressed by the recall and may be under the illusion that they are driving a safe vehicle. I do not have photos at this time, but will provide them later.
- Structure › Frame and members · Suspension
TL* the contact owns a 2001 ford escape. The contact stated that the vehicle made an abnormal noise and the steering wheel would not move the wheels. Upon inspection, the contact observed that the control arms and the subframe experienced severe corrosion. The dealer was not contacted. The…
TL* the contact owns a 2001 ford escape. The contact stated that the vehicle made an abnormal noise and the steering wheel would not move the wheels. Upon inspection, the contact observed that the control arms and the subframe experienced severe corrosion. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to nhtsa. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 120,000.
- Structure › Body
Subframe IS rusting apart need new subframe or vehicle IS unsafe!!
- Suspension
TL* the contact owns a 2001 ford escape. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (suspension); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Village ford (23535…
TL* the contact owns a 2001 ford escape. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (suspension); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Village ford (23535 michigan ave, dearborn, mi 48124) was contacted and refused to repair the vehicle because it exceeded the value of the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified and did not assist. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
- Service brakes
Car was stationary in parking lot, I went to press the brake pedal to switch into drive. brakes worked fine earlier,but when pressing the pedal, it dropped to the floor. No resistance left when pressing the brake pedal, was able to drive home very slowly. the brakes still worked, but only when the pedal was against the floor. late at night when it happened, need to check for any leaks or damage in the morning.
- Steering · Structure › Frame and members
TL* the contact owns a 2001 ford escape. While driving 25 mph, the steering wheel pulled to the right when the accelerator pedal was applied. Additionally, the vehicle made a clunking and grinding noise. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer (seelye KIA of kalamazoo, 4102 stadium drive…
TL* the contact owns a 2001 ford escape. While driving 25 mph, the steering wheel pulled to the right when the accelerator pedal was applied. Additionally, the vehicle made a clunking and grinding noise. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer (seelye KIA of kalamazoo, 4102 stadium drive, kalamazoo, mi 49080) where it was diagnosed that the subframe on the front passenger side was cracked, rusted, and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 104,193.
- Structure › Body
TL* the contact owns a 2001 ford escape. While the vehicle was stationary, the front frame became severely rusted. An unknown dealer was contacted and stated that there was no recall on the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 182,000.
- Structure › Body · Suspension
TL* the contact owns a 2001 ford escape. Upon inspection of the vehicle, the contact noticed that the cross brace started to detach on the subframe. The vehicle was taken to ewald's venus ford (2727 layton ave, cuday, wi) where it was diagnosed that the subframe was severely corroded and needed to…
TL* the contact owns a 2001 ford escape. Upon inspection of the vehicle, the contact noticed that the cross brace started to detach on the subframe. The vehicle was taken to ewald's venus ford (2727 layton ave, cuday, wi) where it was diagnosed that the subframe was severely corroded and needed to be replaced. The cross brace was tightened. The technician informed the contact that the repair was temporary due to corrosion. Four months prior to the failure, the vehicle was repaired per nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was 140,000.
- Engine
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…
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.
- Seat belts
After starting the car, the dash light for airbag/seatbelts flashes continuously or flashes and then stays lit. was told this was a known issue and was a wiring/sensor issue with the seatbelts. assured there was nothing wrong with the seatbelt or airbag. this was intermittent in late 2016 and…
After starting the car, the dash light for airbag/seatbelts flashes continuously or flashes and then stays lit. was told this was a known issue and was a wiring/sensor issue with the seatbelts. assured there was nothing wrong with the seatbelt or airbag. this was intermittent in late 2016 and became continuous by june 2017. As this now happens continuously, it IS impossible to know when or if you actually have an issue with your airbag or seatbelt.
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Stuck Throttle
In a letter dated July 25, 2012 Ford Motor Company (Ford) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR), NHTSA Recall No. 12V-353 to NHTSA identifying a safety defect involving inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector, which could result in a stuck throttle condition.The…
In a letter dated July 25, 2012 Ford Motor Company (Ford) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR), NHTSA Recall No. 12V-353 to NHTSA identifying a safety defect involving inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector, which could result in a stuck throttle condition.The vehicles involved are model year (MY) 2001 through MY 2004 Ford Escape vehicles equipped with 3.0L V6 engines and speed (cruise) control.A redesigned engine cover was implemented in production beginning in MY 2005, which provided additional clearance of the speed control cable to the engine cover.Similarly on July 26, 2012 Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) on behalf of Mazda Motor Corporation of Hiroshima, Japan submitted a DIR to NHTSA, NHTSA Recall No. 12V-357, identifying the safety defect described above in MY 2001 through MY 2006 and MY 2008 Mazda Tribute vehicles (no Tribute vehicles were produced in MY 2007) equipped with 3.0L V6 engines and speed control.Unlike the Ford Escape recall scope, the Mazda Tribute scope is broader as Mazda Tribute vehicles incorporated a similar engine cover design as related to the clearance to the speed control cable in MYs 2001 through 2006 and MY 2008.The failure report summary above reflects reports identified by ODI in review of data submitted to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) and reports submitted to Ford and to Mazda.ODI identified 44 reports likely related to the safety defect described in the DIRs; 39 involving Ford Escape vehicles and 5 involving Mazda Tribute vehicles. This Preliminary Evaluation is closed.The ODI report cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers: 10116267, 10128545, 10128681, 10137520, 10153327, 10165007, 10199728, 10234846, 10335779, 10466261, and 10468307.
- Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary…
On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three (3) major motor vehicle manufacturers (Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors) and requested data regarding completion figures for fifteen (15) discreet safety recalls.Analysis of this data demonstrated that rental car recalls completion was neither complete nor consistent.The rental car companies representing the largest market share in the industry were then queried as to their respective policies for the rental, lease, and sale of vehicles with open recalls.The data and responses from the manufacturers and the rental car companies can be found in the document repository by accessing the ?Associated Documents link above.In December 2015, Congress enacted the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.One section of the Act prohibits rental car companies from renting, leasing, or selling motor vehicles subject to open safety recalls.With the passage of the FAST Act and its prohibition, there is no continuing need for the agency to investigate rental car recall completions.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The agency reserves the right to open any future investigations, including audits of individual recalls, or groups of recalls, or rental car companies, to examine more closely safety recalls performance and completion issues in this area.
- Engine Compartment Fire
Ford and Mazda recalled model year (MY) 2001 through 2004 Ford Escape (07V-156) and Mazda Tribute (07V-157) vehicles due to non-crash fires or non-fire thermal events originating in the engine compartment at or near the ABS control module.Approximately 545,700 vehicles were subject to the initial safety recalls and…
Ford and Mazda recalled model year (MY) 2001 through 2004 Ford Escape (07V-156) and Mazda Tribute (07V-157) vehicles due to non-crash fires or non-fire thermal events originating in the engine compartment at or near the ABS control module.Approximately 545,700 vehicles were subject to the initial safety recalls and approximately 424,700 vehicles were serviced under those campaigns. The campaigns addressed potentially damaged, missing or misplaced seals in the ABS control module wiring harness electrical connector that could allow brake fluid to enter the connector, possibly resulting in corrosion, short-circuit, melting, smoke and/or fire.Since the recall, the agency is aware of 260 subject vehicles that have reportedly experienced non-crash fires or non-fire thermal events originating at or near the ABS control module in vehicles some time after being serviced under the campaign. The post-recall repair incident rates for MY 2001 and 2002 subject vehicles are 90.9 and 126.7 (normalized per 100,000 vehicles serviced under the recall campaigns), respectively.These rates are much higher than the post-recall repair incident rate for MY 2003 and 2004 subject vehicles, which are 5.0 and 3.7 per 100K, respectively.Similarly, the post-recall repair key-off fire incident rates in the MY 2001 and 2002 subject vehicles is 54.3 per 100K, compared to 0.5 per 100K for the MY 2003 and 2004 subject vehicles.The agency is aware of 12 key-off fire incidents, all involving MY 2001 and 2002 subject vehicles, where the vehicle was parked inside a structure when the fire started.In five of those incidents, the fire spread from the vehicle to the structure itself.Ford has identified the brake master cylinder reservoir cap in certain MY 2001 and 2002 subject vehicles as a potential source for brake fluid leaks that could affect ABS module connector integrity.The reservoir caps used on the MY 2003 and 2004 subject vehicles are reportedly an improved design from those used on the earlier models.By letter dated January 4, 2012, Ford notified the agency that it would conduct another safety recall (identified by NTHSA Recall No. 12V-005 and Ford Recall No. 11S24) of certain MY 2001 and 2002 Ford Escape vehicles to perform a more thorough remedy to address the risk of fire originating at the ABS control module.In addition to double-checking the ABS control module wiring harness electrical connector weather seal (which should have been addressed under the previous recall campaign), Ford will replace brake master cylinder reservoir caps to address the leaking cap problem and reduce the risk of brake fluid entering the subject electrical connector.Ford will also modify the electrical system such that the ABS control module is de-energized when the ignition key is switched off to further reduce the risk of an unattended vehicle fire in units that may have sustained some small loss of connector integrity that may not be evident upon visual examination.Similarly, Mazda notified the agency by letter dated January 19, 2012, that it would also conduct a safety recall (identified by NTHSA Recall No. 12V-016 and Mazda Recall No. 6712A) of certain MY 2001 and 2002 Mazda Tribute vehicles.Ford estimates repair parts will be available beginning the second quarter of 2012. Until recall repairs are made both Ford and Mazda are advising owners of affected vehicles to reduce the safety concern by parking their vehicles outdoors away from structures to prevent a potential fire from spreading.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.
- Engine compartment fire
In letters dated march 30, 2007, ford motor company (ford) and mazda north american operations (mazda) notified the agency that they will conduct recalls 07v-156 and 07v-157, respectively, to remedy a safety defect that may result in fire in a wiring connector used in certain model year (my) 2001-2004 ford escape and…
In letters dated march 30, 2007, ford motor company (ford) and mazda north american operations (mazda) notified the agency that they will conduct recalls 07v-156 and 07v-157, respectively, to remedy a safety defect that may result in fire in a wiring connector used in certain model year (my) 2001-2004 ford escape and mazda tribute vehicles equipped with abs.the recall campaign prescribes an inspection of the subject components, which shall be repaired or replaced only if necessary.if the subject vehicle passes the visual inspection then the recall instructs the technician to apply electrical grease (ford part number XG-12) to the ABS module connector and verify system operation.to date, approximately 388,500 subject vehicles (71.7% of the total recall population) have been serviced under the recall campaign, the vast majority of which (373,985) passed the visual inspection and received only the electrical grease applied to the ABS module connector. The agency IS aware of at least 86 unique subject vehicles that have reportedly experienced non-crash fire incidents originating in the engine compartment at or near the ABS control module some time after the vehicle was serviced under the subject recall.the manufacturer has provided some information that indicates certain vehicles were improperly serviced under the subject recall as evidenced by the factory wire tie-wrap not being removed from the wiring harness (which indicates a proper inspection could not have been performed) and by incorrect grease being applied, incorrect amounts of grease, and even instances where no grease was applied to the ABS module connector.also, there remain some questions regarding the severity of the reported fire incidents.the manufacturer contends that most reported fires were actually non-fire thermal events with damage limited to the subject components and that most vehicles are repaired and returned to service.however, the trend appears to be ongoing with 5 reported incidents having occurred in the past 6 months.accordingly, this recall query has been upgraded to an engineering analysis to further assess the effectiveness of the recall remedy.
- Engine compartment fire
The office of defects investigation (odi) received a defect petition dated march 5, 2009 alleging that the petitioner never received the recall remedy for 07v-156 and that, as a result, the petitioner's my2003 ford escape caught fire at the ABS control module.in response to odi follow-up, the manufacturer verified…
The office of defects investigation (odi) received a defect petition dated march 5, 2009 alleging that the petitioner never received the recall remedy for 07v-156 and that, as a result, the petitioner's my2003 ford escape caught fire at the ABS control module.in response to odi follow-up, the manufacturer verified that the petitioner's vehicle had in fact received service related to safety recall 07v156 - a fact later corroborated by the petitioner.circumstances of the fire experienced in the petitioner's remedied vehicle indicate that the remedy was ineffective.additional review by odi identified an additional 6 similar (alleged to have originated in the engine compartment at or near the ABS control module ) non-crash fire incidents in subject vehicles known to have received the recall remedy.accordingly, a recall query (rq09-002) has been opened to assess the effectiveness of the recall remedy.
- Engine compartment fire
In letters dated march 30, 2007, ford and mazda notified nhtsa that they will conduct safety recalls to remedy a safety defect that may result in fire in a wiring connector used in certain model year (my) 2001-2004 ford escape and mazda tribute sport utility vehicles equipped with abs.recall 07v-156 involves…
In letters dated march 30, 2007, ford and mazda notified nhtsa that they will conduct safety recalls to remedy a safety defect that may result in fire in a wiring connector used in certain model year (my) 2001-2004 ford escape and mazda tribute sport utility vehicles equipped with abs.recall 07v-156 involves approximately 446,450 my 2001-2004 escape vehicles manufactured from october 22, 1999 through january 23, 2004.recall 07v-157 involves approximately 95,300 my 2001-2004 tribute vehicles manufactured from april 17, 2000 through december 19, 2003. According to the manufacturers, the electrical wiring connectors to the ABS electronic control module were manufactured with wire seals missing or improperly installed in some wiring harnesses used in the recall populations.this may allow environmental contaminants such as water or brake fluid to enter the ABS electrical connector interface and cause corrosion of the electrical terminals.such corrosion may result in an illuminated ABS telltale, an open circuit, and/or an engine compartment fire originating at the electrical connector.to remedy the defect, the manufacturers will inspect the connectors for seal integrity.if a seal integrity issue IS identified the vehicle will be repaired as necessary.all vehicles will have dielectric grease applied to the connectors to further reduce the possibility of contaminants entering the electrical connectors. To date, odi IS aware of 120 non-crash related fire incidents alleged to have originated in the engine compartment at or near the ABS electronic control module in the subject vehicles, which represent approximately 80 percent of the recall population.of the 120 alleged fires, 6 are alleged to have occurred when the vehicle was parked inside a garage structure.in 4 incidents, complainants alleged the structure or adjoining structure(s) suffered smoke damage, while in 2 incidents, the alleged fires caused more extensive damage totaling approximately $50,000 each.there are no known injuries or fatalities related to the alleged defect.based on the ford and mazda recalls, this investigation IS closed.
- Engine stalling
Summary:the petitioner alleges that after having the recall remedy performed on her model year (my) 2001 ford escape, it continued to exhibit an intermittent stall condition.consequently, she petitioned the agency to examine the adequacy of the recall remedy for safety recall 04v-165.on april 5, 2004, ford motor…
Summary:the petitioner alleges that after having the recall remedy performed on her model year (my) 2001 ford escape, it continued to exhibit an intermittent stall condition.consequently, she petitioned the agency to examine the adequacy of the recall remedy for safety recall 04v-165.on april 5, 2004, ford motor company (ford) notified the agency that it would conduct a recall of 321,903 my 2001 through 2002 and certain 2003 my escape vehicles equipped with 3.0L engines manufactured between january 21, 2000 and september 11, 2002 at the kansas city assembly plant.these vehicles exhibited an intermittent engine stall during decelerations at vehicle speeds below 40 mph due to an excessively rich fuel-air mixture in the engine.as a remedy, ford dealers are instructed to reprogram the powertrain control module (pcm) to a revised calibration to prevent the stalling condition. In its july 23, 2004 response to the office of defects investigation?s (odi) july 1, 2004 information request letter, ford states that as of june 30, 2004 the recall remedy has been completed on 174,014 vehicles.additionally, only a small number of vehicle owners (less than .1%) who have had the remedy performed on their vehicles have had additional deceleration stalling issues.ford also states that the pcm has to ?learn? The new program and that any subsequent stalling would be temporary.to verify ford?s claim, odi conducted a random survey of 20 complainants who had the remedy performed on their vehicles and who experienced a subsequent stalling event.odi found that most of them had isolated stalling problems, supporting ford?s allegation that the pcm must ?learn? The new program.in addition, in a phone conversation with odi, the petitioner stated that a ford engineer found a faulty ignition switch as the cause of the stalling in her vehicle.thus, there IS no evidence at this time to suggest the recall remedy IS inadequate.for the foregoing reasons, further expenditure of the agency?s investigative resources on the issue raised by the petitioner does not appear to be warranted and the petition IS denied.
- Safety belt buckle failure
This investigation was opened on july 14, 2003 based on 4 reports alleging the driver's safety belt buckle failed to latch or remain latched.mazda notified odi that it transferred engineering responsibility to ford when the vehicle design was brought to the united states for production in ford's assembly plants.ford…
This investigation was opened on july 14, 2003 based on 4 reports alleging the driver's safety belt buckle failed to latch or remain latched.mazda notified odi that it transferred engineering responsibility to ford when the vehicle design was brought to the united states for production in ford's assembly plants.ford determined that the safety belt buckle IS subject to lateral flexing during use that could allow a portion of the buckle cable stalk convolute tubing that extends into the buckle assembly to contact the molded plastic anti-rattle post on the upper buckle cover.this contact may cause the post to fatigue and fracture, allowing the backside of the latch to wedge below the broken edge of the post.in this orientation, the broken post may hinder the intended rotation of the latch during insertion of the latch plate resulting in a no-latch or false-latch condition.ford's supplier autoliv, inc. Provided buckle covers without the anti-rattle post beginning in october 2000.recall scope:the affected vehicles are 2001 model year ford escape and mazda tribute built at the claycomo (kansas city), missouri assembly plant through may 31, 2001.recall remedy:ford-lincoln-mercury and mazda dealers, respectively, will replace both driver and front passenger safety belt buckle covers with newly designed service buckle covers.accordingly, this investigation IS closed.
- Engine stalling
Ford's and mazda's letters to nhtsa dated april 5 and april 9, 2004, state that they will recall model year 2001-03 ford escape and mazda tribute vehicles with the V6 engine built thru september 11, 2002.dealers will adjust engine calibration in the programmable control module (pcm), which in its current setting, can…
Ford's and mazda's letters to nhtsa dated april 5 and april 9, 2004, state that they will recall model year 2001-03 ford escape and mazda tribute vehicles with the V6 engine built thru september 11, 2002.dealers will adjust engine calibration in the programmable control module (pcm), which in its current setting, can cause the engine to shut down if the vehicle IS decelerating at speeds below 40 mph. The engine shuts down due to excessively rich air-fuel mixtures being sent to the engine.when the engine shuts down, drivers may notice a loss of power assist for their steering and brakes. The majority of the complainants have indicated to the agency that the stall IS intermittent and can happen more than once.
- Engine stalling
- Gasoline vapor intrusion
There is no summary currently available
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10205036Safety recall 14S02 - Corrosion at forward attachment of lower control arm - requests for recall service action
- 101837722001-2004 Escape vehicles Safety Recall 14S02 has been issued for vehicles that are operated in high corrosion areas for an extended period, where a corrosion-related separation of the forward attachment of the lower control arm (LCA) from the subframe may occur. Separation of the LCA from the subframe may result in diminished vehicle directional control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- 10056443Ford: the lower control arm (lca) forward attachment will separate from subframe, causing diminishing directional control, due to operating in high corrosion areas for extended period of time. Model 2001-2004 escape.
- 10026389Ford: 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.
- 10020067Pcm failure - electrical accessories intermittent - inoperative.
- 10019382Camshaft tick noise - 3.0L 4V engine only.
- 10019076Replace timing belt idler pulley during 2.0L zetec engine cylinder head replacement - service tip.
- 10018745Wds cop kit diagnostic tip - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - engine misfire or rough running.
- 10018063Restraint system - safety belt buckle and pretensioner diagnostic trouble code (dtc) b1877 and/or b1881.
- 10014302Side air bag diagnostic trouble code (dtc) b1994 or b1998.
- 10014265Serviceability of instrument panel register vents.
- 10014138Safety belt retraction speed.
- 10014086General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures.
- 10014062Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair.
- 10014052Safety belt buckle and pretensioner diagnostic trouble code (dtc) b1877, b1881, b1885 or b1886.
- 10013426High airflow from defroster vents when in floor or floor defrost modes.
- 10013423Condensation inside the foglamps.
- 10013422Air bag warning lamp on .
- 10013406Wheel speed sensor removal tip.
- 10013396Steering gear squeak - when turning the steering wheel during low speed parking maneuvers.
- 10013369General power train control module (pcm) programming procedures.
- 10013366Steering drift/pull - improved diagnostic and repair procedure - service tip.
- 10013116Malfunction indicator lamp (mil) illuminated - system lean diagnostic trouble codes (dtc's) - service tips. Various models including 2004 f-series.
- 10013067False alarm activation.
- 10013060Climate control a/c service tech tips.
- 10012954Safety belt web stop button service.
- 10011344A final drive whine at 25-45 mph (40-72 km/h).
- 10011162Engine misfire or running - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - wds cop kit diagnostic tips. To include various 2005 models. * ar this article 04161 supersedes tsb 03-14-04.
- 10011159Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair.
- 10010731Multiple vehicles - fuel level indication concerns - service tip. Various models including 2005 super duty f-series, excursion, expedition, explorer, mountaineer and aviator.
- 10009323Transmission control indicator lamp (tcil) on with diagnostic trouble code p1783 and/or p0733 cold climate shift/engagement concerns with a CD4E transaxle.
- 10009321Inoperative electric rear window defroster (heated backlite) grid lines, integral antenna concerns.
- 10008599Cimate control system odor.
- 10008580Lamp-brake-invadvertent disabling of brake shift interlock.
- 10008347Squeak, creak or rattle type noise from rear liftgate area.
- 10008343Park brake adjustment / contact request.
- 10008340Trailer tow harness installation / service tip.
- 10008339Click on turns.
- 10008336Brake squeal / engineering contract request.
- 10008277Engine-cooling system-low coolant warning indicator lamp illuminaion-coolant degas bottle inspection-serice tip.
Every Ford Escape model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.