2001 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 30 MINUTES WITH ENGINE OFF WHEN A FIRE IGNITED IN THE ENGINE, ENGULFING AND DESTROYING THE ENTIRE CAR. FORD ESCAPE XLT 2001. *JB

MY OVER DRIVE LIGHT CAME ON SUDDENLY AND CONTINUALLY FLASHED DURING A TEN MINUTE DRIVE HOME. THE RPM NEEDLE SPIKED STRAIGHT UP A FEW TIMES DURING THE DRIVE AND IT SEEMED LIKE I "LOST POWER". DEAN SELLERS FORD DIAGNOSED AN INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE REQUIRING A WHOLE NEW TRANSMISSION FOR $3600. I HAVE NEVER USED A SERVICE OTHER THAN LAPEER FORD AND DEAN SELLERS. I BOUGHT THE ESCAPE (2001 XLT 4 WH) FROM LAPEER FORD WITH 16,000 MILES ON IT. THE CAR NEVER SHOWED SIGNS OF THIS FAILURE PREVIOUS TO YESTERDAY. DEALERSHIPS. SEARCHING THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT THERE WAS ONE TRANSMISSION RECALL BUT WHEN I PUT IN MY VIN IT WAS FREE OF RECALLS. DEAN SELLERS CHARGED ME $89 TO DIAGNOSE THE CAR. I GOT ANOTHER QUOTE AT AMERICAN TRANSMISSION IN TROY. THEY TOWED MY CAR IN. FORD TEST DROVE MY CAR AND ELECTRONICALLY CHECKED IT. PREVIOUS REPAIRS ALL DONE AT LAPEER FORD AND DEAN SELLERS FORD: NEW TIRE AT 16,000 MILES; NEW IGNITION AT 25,000; CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AT 33,000; PLUG TIRE AT 40,000; NEW WINDSHIELD AT 43,000; 4 NEW TIRES AT 44,000 DUE TO NUMEROUS FLATS (LAPEER GAVE ME 3 FREE); FRONT BRAKES AND WHEEL BEARINGS AT 55,000; TIRE NAIL AT 60,000; NEW BLADES AT 61,000; BELT RECALL AND TIE ROD AND MASTER CYLINDER AT 69,000; CRANK CASE OIL LEAK AND REAR BRAKES AT 74,000; FRONT BRAKES AT 76,000; WASHER PUMP AND MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH AND FUEL FILTER AT 78,000; REAR WIPER AT 85,000; ABS LIGHT MODULE, FRONT BRAKE PADS, ROTOR PADS RIGHT FRONT ABS SENSOR AT 86,000; AIR FILTER AND BATTERY CLEANED AT 89,000; LICENSE PLATE BULB AND BOTH FRONT SWAY BAR LINKS AT 90,000; FRONT LIGHTS KEPT FLASHING, REPLACED DAYLIGHT RUNNING LIGHTS CONTROL ASSEMBLY AT 93,000 AND NOW AT 94,000 THE TRANSMISSION. NO ONE AT DEAN SELLERS TODAY TOLD ME THAT I MIGHT NOT MAKE IT HOME! BUT IMMEDIATELY UPON LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP THE TRANSMISSION STALLED ESPECIALLY DURING TURNS. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT WAS STOPPED HE STOPPED AT A LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT HIM IN THE REAR. THE SECOND VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, BUT THE CRASH RESULTED IN THE DRIVERS SEAT UNEXPECTEDLY RECLINING TO A HORIZONTAL POSITION, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO ADJUST THE SEAT AFTER THE IMPACT. THE PASSENGER SEAT REMAINED IN POSITION. THE DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES. *NM THE CONSUMER STATED HE LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. UPDATED 02/22/07. *JB

MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY STARTED TO CATCH ON FIRE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS THE ABS MODULE LIKE IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE06048. *NM

(2007) WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, THE ENGINE-COOLING SYSTEM-LOW COOLANT WARNING INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATES AND AFTER CHECKING THE COOLANT RESEVOIR WHICH WAS AT PROPER LEVELS. DELAER NOTIFIED ME THAT THE COOLANT SENSOR AS BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED COSTING $300. (2007) WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED, AFTER TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT, THERE WOULD BE A LOUD SQUEAK OR SCREEHING SOUND COMING FROM THE TIRE AREA. DEALER NOTIFIED ME THAT THE AXLE ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED COSTING OVER $300. (2006) LAST YEAR THERE WAS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTIONING ENGINE COIL #5 WHICH BURNED OUT MY SPARK PLUG. THAT COST WAS OVER $700. THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THEIS VEHICLE BUT TOO MANY TO NAME. *NM

THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR NO LONGER OPENS WITH THE OUTSIDE LATCH HANDLE. WHILE IT OPENS FROM THE INSIDE, THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE FAILED INEXPLICABLY. IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS YET. *NM

VEHICLE IS 2001 FORD ESCAPE XLT 4X4. FULL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND STALL IN OVERDRIVE ON INTERSTATE WITH NO ADVANCED WARNING. VEHICLE HAS UNDER 70,000 MILES. NO WRECK INVOLVED ONLY BY MIRACLE. COST OF TRANSMISSION IS OVER $4,000. HAPPENED TO FAST AND WITH UNDER 100,000 MILES HAS GOT TO BE A DEFECT. *JB

MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR STUCK AND COULD NOT BE OPENED AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED AT A COST OF $350. BOTH BACK DOORS ARE STUCK CLOSED AND CAN NOT BE OPENED. NOW THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR IS STUCK CLOSED AND CAN NOT BE OPENED. MY SON BROKE HIS ARM AND INJURED HIS LEG AND HAD TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. WE HAD TO GET HIM OUT OF THE CAR THROUGH THE WINDOW! AS THE DOOR SUDDENLY WOULD NOT OPEN. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. THE REPAIR BILL IS ESTIMATED AT ANOTHER $350.00. IN ADDITION, MY REAR HATCH DOOR REFUSED TO OPEN THE OTHER DAY WHILE I WAS HAVING THE SHOCKS REPAIRED. THE MECHANICS FINALLY GOT IT OPEN. I FEAR THAT SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN AND EMERGENCY PERSONNEL WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET IN TO THE CAR AND WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DOOR LATCHES WERE FAULTY ON BOTH FRONT DOORS. THERE WAS NO WARNING SIGNAL PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE FRONT DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE CONTACT HAD TO ENTER FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE AND OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE INSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE DOOR LATCHES, AND NOTIFIED THE CONTACT THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.

2001 ESCAPE HAS HAD THREE REPAIRS IN A 6 MONTH TIME FRAME DO TO PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION COIL ASSEMBLIES. *TS THE SPARKS PLUG SHOT OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD SUDDENLY THREE TIMES. *NM