Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Ford Escape owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
Tl* 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.
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.
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. …
Tl* 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. …
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!! …
There were problems with the vehicle shutting down while in traffic. The idle gauge kept dropping and going up until it eventually dropped below 1, then it cut out immediately . The consumer had taken the vehicle back to the dealer and attempted to fix the problem on numerous occasions but were unable to verify. The dealer said there was water contamination in the gas tank, and the consumer was told that a rat had bitten through the wires. The consumer had taken the vehicle back in for the stalling problems and gas fumes were coming through the A/C vents. Later on that day the vehicle caught fire. The consumer requested a refund and or exchange for a new vehicle.
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.
My son was going down the road about 60 miles an hour when a big deer came out in front of him. He jammed on his brakes skidding but still hit the deer totaling the car. Not one of the airbags came out. He went forward hitting his upper body and face on the steering wheel. He had his seat belt on. The police were called to the accident. He was taken to the hospital by friends. He turned black and blue and still is hurting. The car was just inspected the end of October. I feel Ford and the manufacturer should be held liable. That the car should be replaced because of the airbags not working causing injury. I'm without a car...updated 12/04/14 updated 06/2/2015
Tl* 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.
NHTSA investigations
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 company (Ford) notified the agency that it would conduct a recall of 321,903 my 2001 through 2002 and…
Engine stalling
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 cause the engine to shut down if the vehicle is decelerating at speeds below 40 MPH.
Engine complaints in other Escape years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2001 Ford Escape?
NHTSA has 309 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2001 Ford Escape, 31% of the model year's 996 complaints. The component named most often is engine › gasoline (158 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford Escape engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2001 Ford Escape, though it has 13 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford Escape engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 21% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 18 fires and 4 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.