2001 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED ON 05/01/06 AFTER DRIVING AT LEAST 30 MIN TO 45 MIN. AT A SPEED OF AROUND 50 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED A LOOSE GAS CAP. ON 5/22/06 AFTER DRIVING AGAIN AT LEAST 30 MIN TO 45 MIN. AFTER RETURNING HOME AND BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY MY ESCAPE STALLED AND WOULD NOT START, AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR IT STARTED AGAIN DID NOT TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. THE THIRD INCIDENT HAPPENED MAY 30 AFTER DRIVING 30 MIN TO 45 MIN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE VAPOR MANAGEMENT VALVE WHICH IS STILL NOT CORRECTING THE PROBLEM, SO THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT REPLACING THE FUEL TANK. THE DEALER HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL, BUT AFTER FIVE YEARS I WOULD THINK I WOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION AND NEITHER FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10-20 MPH. THE SEAT BELTS WERE IN USE AT THE TIME. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT FILED.

STOP RIGHT IN STREET AND NO WAY COULD MAKE IT GO IF SOMEONE WAS BEHIND ME WE WOULD OF BEEN HIT. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE PRETENSIONER IN THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. UPDATED 07/03/06.*JB

I RECEIVED A WARNING LIGHT ON THE CONTROL PANEL OF THE CAR. SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE FEEDBACK EGR (DPFE) SENSOR HAD FAILED. I SEE THAT MANY OF THE 2001 & 2002 FORD ESCAPES HAVE THIS FAILURE. SOMETHING WAS CHANGED TO RESOLVE THIS AS 2003 MODEL DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE PROBLEM (SOURCE AUTOS.MSN.COM). WHY SHOULD I PAY $450 TO CORRECT A MANUFACTURER FAULT. *NM

2001 FORD ESCAPE TAILGATE WILL NOT UNLOCK. TRIED 2 DIFFERENT KEY FAUBS AND TRIED UNLOCK FROM THE DRIVER DOOR. THERE IS NO PLACE TO UNLOCK WITH A KEY, THERE IS NO PLACE TO OPEN FROM INSIDE THE CARGO AREA. I CHECKED THE OWNERS MANUAL FOR A LOCATION OF A MANUAL RELEASE AND THERE IS NONE. I CALLED FORD MOTOR CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND THEY SEARCHED THE DATABASE FOR A MANUAL RELEASE AND COULD NOT LOCATE ANY INFORMATION. THIS APPEARS TO BE A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN IF YOU WERE IN AN ACCIDENT OR SITUATION THAT WARRANTED EXITING THE VEHICLE FROM THE BACK. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE FOR TWO DAYS WHEN IT SUDDENLY ERUPTED IN FLAMES DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND CONCLUDED THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER WAS ALERTED, BUT DID NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE SMOKE DAMAGE TO THE HOME AND NO ONE SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE ONLY PROBLEM PRESENT WITH THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTON WAS BROKEN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE CRUISE STOPPED WORKING TWO YEARS AGO.*AK

FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW, MY 2001 V6 AUTOMATIC FORD ESCAPE HAS HAD A PROBLEM TRYING TO SHIFT INTO THE LAST GEAR AT 45-50 MPH. THE VEHICLE'S RPM'S WILL BE NEAR 3000 FOR A GOOD 30 SECONDS BEFORE IT FINALLY ENGAGES INTO THE NEXT GEAR. THE PROBLEM IS DEFINITELY WORSE ON COLDER DAYS, BUT IT IS STILL CERTAINLY NOTICEABLE ON WARMER DAYS TOO. THERE IS NO SMELL EMANATING FROM THE VEHICLE. I HAD A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FLUSH AT ABOUT 40K. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 65K ON IT. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY SIMILAR REPORTS FILED AND IF SO, COULD YOU PLEASE NOTIFY ME? THANK YOU. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE HAD A ROUGH IDLE AND STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION; HOWEVER THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PCM BUT THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER STATED THE WIRING UNDER THE DASH NEEDED REPLACED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL 04V165000, REGARDING THE POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: CONTROL MODULE PCM AND A NHTSA TSB ITEM #617976, REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: WIRING UNDER DASH. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL AND TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE HAD AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. UPDATED 04/11/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO OVERDRIVE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 04V165000 WHICH RELATES TO THE POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: CONTROL MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.