Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
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).
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!
Tl contact owns a 2001 Ford Escape. While driving approximately 50 MPH and attempting to change lanes, the vehicle veered from right to left. The contact attempted to move the steering wheel right and left, but the wheel kept moving in the opposite direction. The contact could not gain control of the steering wheel and struck a concrete wall on the front passenger corner of the vehicle. The vehicle was declared destroyed by the insurance company. The contact sustained injuries and was transported to a local hospital. A police report was filed. There is a recall on this year, make, and model vehicle, but the contact is not sure if the vehicle was included. The recall number was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 45,000. Updated 06/09/08 updated 06/09/08
My wife got distracted and side swiped the trailer of an 18 wheeler while passing ......a very bazaar accident......she was only slightly injured and her 2001 Ford Escape was destroyed..... My complaint is......her steering was completely broke...no connection between the steering wheel and the front end.... Her steering wheel just spins around .... Being a car guy I see this as a failure in the fords steering.....I walked the accident scene and did not see one thing she could have hit to break her steering. Her impact with the truck should not have broke her steering either .....please investigate.
I was in a roll over accident in my 2001 Ford Escape while driving at 25-30 MPH on a primary road in cresskill, nj. The vehicle suddenly pulled hard to the right and I saw that I was going to hit a parked vehicle. I turned the steering wheel to the left, while breaking, but the Escape did not turn. I impacted the parked vehicle, flipped, skidded 64 feet on the roof of my Escape, and was able to remove myself from the car when he came to rest. I have interesting pictures of the front right wheel assembly and steering linkages.
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Escape. While driving approximately 10 MPH and making a left turn, the vehicle veered to the right into oncoming traffic. There was no crash. The failure recurred on one other occasion. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the subframe was fractured and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 132,600.
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the air bag warning light illuminated intermittently and the power steering seized. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was made aware of NHTSA campaign number: 14V597000 (air bags, seat belts). The failure mileage was 119,345.
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.
Dear sirs, as you are aware, this past weekend on the san mateo bridge in hayward ca, a horrific accident/fire occurred with a limousine, where five individuals were trapped and killed due to a vehicle fire. Upon seeing and hearing about this horrific tragedy, my wife insisted that we have all of the recalls performed on our 2001 Ford Escape. Much to my surprise, when I took our Escape into fremont Ford on May 7th, [redacted], the assistant service manager, told me that he was refusing to perform all of the recalls on our truck, because they have expired. As the original owner and primary driver of this vehicle, please explain to me how recalls involving safety issues expire? Is this a Ford company policy or a fremont Ford dealership/service policy? …
Related recalls
Steering › Steering wheel/handle bar
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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the steering wheel retention armature and, if necessary, the steering column to correct this condition.
Steering complaints in other Escape years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2001 Ford Escape?
NHTSA has 58 complaints about the steering of the 2001 Ford Escape, 6% of the model year's 996 complaints. The component named most often is hydraulic power assist system (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford Escape steering problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 00V223001 (steering wheel/handle bar, Aug 8, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford Escape steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles, and 9% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 3 fires and 5 injuries to steering 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.