2001 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

WHEN INSERTED KEY INTO IGNITION IT WOULD NOT TURN NOR START THE VEHICLE. THEREFORE, HAVING TO HAVE SUV TOWED FOR SERVICE AND HAVING THE PART REPLACED. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER MENTIONED THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS HAPPEN ALOT IN FORD CARS/TRUCKS. *AK

I HAVE A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. ABS SENSORES GOT MUD IN THEM FAILED AND BURNT OUT. I HAVE REPLACED 4 ABS SENSORSE IN 5 MONTH PERIOD. I WAS TOLD BECAUSE OF MUD GETTING IN THEM. DEALER SHIP AND FORD CUSTOMOER SERVICE TELL ME TO WASH SENSORS OFF WHEN EVER I DRIVE THROUGH THE MUD. I LIVE ON A DIRT ROAD. SO I WOULD HALF TO CRAWL UNDER THE CAR AND WASH ALL SENSORSE EVERY DAY. I GET IN MY CAR IN THE MORNING TO TAKE THE KIDS TO THE SCHOOL BUS HALF WAY THERE THE ABS WARNING LIGHT GOES ON. WHEN I GET HOME IF I CRAWL UNDER THE CAR AND WASH OUT SENSORES THE LIGHT WILL GO OFF. THEN LATER IN THE DAY WHEN I GO TO PICK UP THE KIDS THE SAME THING HAPPENS. IF I WASH THE SENSORES EVERYTIME I GO THROUGH THE MUD ABS BREAKS WILL WORK UNTILL I GET MUD IN THEM. IF I DONT WASH MUD OUT OF SENSORES EVENTUALLY THEY WILL BURN OUT. THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID THIS IS NORMAL MAINTANACE. I CANT BELIEVE THEY WOULD CONSIDER THAT NORMAL. I HAVE SPENT MOST OF THE TIME I HAVE OWNED THIS SUV DRIVING IT WITH OUT ABS BREAKS. I THINK THEY SHOULD FIX THIS DESIGN PROBLEM, BEFORE I GET INTO AN ACIDENT WITH OUT THE USE OF MY ABS BRAKES. I WANT PROBLEM FIXED BEFORE I HAVE AN ACCIDENT WITH NO ABS BRAKES. THEY BLAME THE PROBLEM ON ME FOR NOT KEEPING IT CLEAN. I CANT WASH IT EVERYTIME I USE IT AND I SHOULDN'T HALF TO IF THEY WOULD REDESIGN IT.*AK

OCT 15, 2001- WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STEEP HILL IN AUSTIN, TX, MY ESCAPE SUDDENLY DIED WITHOUT WARNING. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP, STEER, OR SLOW DOWN! I COASTED INTO A PARKING LOT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL AND LUCKILY AVOIDED ALL PARKED CARS OR PEOPLE (CO-WORKERS!) WALKING THROUGH THE LOT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MAXWELL FORD AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR! I CONTACTED THE PRESIDENT/ CEO TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN OVER WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. HE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE MOVED. I PICKED UP MY CAR AND HOPED IT WAS JUST A FLUKE. TWO AND-A-HALF YEARS LATER AND NOT A SINGLE PROBLEM, UNTIL LAST WEEK (APRIL 9, 2004). I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40MPH AROUND A CURVE AND SUDDENLY LOST ALL ABILITY TO STEER OR SLOW DOWN! ONCE AGAIN, I WAS UNBELIEVABLY LUCKY THAT I DIDN'T HURT ANYONE OR MYSELF. I WAS ABLE TO START IT AGAIN AND SAFELY PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER COASTING TO A STOP. I'M GRATEFUL THAT I WASN'T REAR-ENDED OR HIT HEAD-ON WHEN I COASTED OVER THE MIDDLE LINE.... (NEVERMIND THE HEART-ATTACK I ALMOST HAD FROM THE SUDDENNESS OF THIS!) I HATE TO IMAGINE THE OUTCOME IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED 10 MINUTES EARLIER WHILE I WAS MOVING AT 55MPH IN BUSY TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY OR ON THE EXIT RAMP! I HAVE AN APPT TO TAKE THE CAR IN ON FRIDAY. COINCIDENTALLY, I DISCOVERED (THIS MORNING) THAT A RECALL HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM.... (2 YEARS AFTER THEY WERE MADE AWARE THAT THERE MIGHT BE AN ISSUE????) WHAT A RELIEF. SO, I'LL BE BACK ON HWY 410 IN SAN ANTONIO NEXT WEEK AFTER I PICK MY CAR UP FROM THE SERVICE DEPT --- I'LL BE THE ONE IN THE FORD ESCAPE GOING ABOUT 60MPH..... I SURE HOPE I'LL BE ABLE TO STEER OR SLOW DOWN IF I NEED TO!! AT LEAST, I'LL BE BETTER PREPARED FOR THIS "SURPRISE" FROM NOW ON ( LIKE EVERYTIME I HAVE TO DRIVE ANYWHERE)! .... NOTHING LIKE PAYING $24,000 FOR A LITTLE EXTRA STRESS AND WORRY. THANKS, FORD. YOU ARE JUST SUPER.

SMELL OF GAOLINE COMING THROUGH HEATER VENTS. ENGINE STALLS OR HESTTATES AT AROUND 35-40 MPH. DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX EITHER PROBLEM.

2001 FORD ESCAPE PROPERLY MAINTAINED, SECOND TIME REPORTING DRIVE TRAIN NOISE. FIRST TIME DEALER REPLACED STABALIZER BAR, NOW @ 41000 MILES BOTH TIE ROD ENDS NEED TO BE REPLACED. I BOUGHT A RELIABLE CAR TO SAVE MONEY, AND NOW PUTTING MONEY INTO A 3 YEAR OLD CAR. PART ON BACK ORDER, WONDER IF ANYONE ELSE IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE.

CONSUMER'S COUSIN IS THE OWNER OF 2001 FORD ESCAPE WHICH HAS A RECALL. SINCE THE COUSIN IS IN IRAQ, CONSUMER REQUESTED AN EXTENSION TO HAVE RECALL PERFORMED. *PH (DENEEN LEBAN ON BALF OF COUSIN BRIAN LEBAN). *JB

PREMATURE BRAKE ROTOR WEAR. ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED TWICE; ONCE AT 30K MILES AND AGAIN AT 60K MILES. BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER REQUIRED REPLACEMENT AT 60K MILES. NUMEROUS FRONT-END PROBLEMS AFTER LIGHT CONVENTIONAL "ON-ROAD" DRIVING (I.E. LOOSE END LINKS, BALL JOINTS, MISALIGNMENT), WHICH IN TURN RESULTED IN PREMATURE DESTRUCTION OF TWO SETS OF TIRES. BURNING OIL SMELL IN CABIN SUPPOSEDLY UNIDENTIFIABLE AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS BY DEALER. NONE OF THE ABOVE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. OVER $2500 IN REPAIRS AND VEHICLE IS ONLY AT 63K MILES! *JB

ON MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE THE PAINT IS COMING OFF THE ROOF RACKS IN SEVERAL PLACES. ALSO THE PAINT IS BUBBLING ON THE HOOD IN SEVERAL PLACES. THE WIPER ARMS DON'T SEEM TO BE HOLDING THE PAINT AND IT'S STARTING TO LOOK FADED AND RUSTY. THE CAR IS KEPT IN A GARAGE EXCEPT AT WORK. *JB

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCEING ALOT OF STALLING WITH MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE. IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN ON A DOWNGRADE OR SLOWING TO STOP. THE IDLE DROPS VERY LOW AND THE CAR STALLS. IT OFTEN STALLS WHEN SITTING AT AN IDLE ALSO. I HAVE HAD IT STALL MANY TIMES WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN. WHEN THE ESCAPE STALLS, YOU LOSE STEERING. I AM AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I FIRST STARTING STALLING IN MARCH OF 2003 AND HAVE HAD HUNDREDS OF STALLS. YESTERDAY(3/31/04) THE ESCAPE STALLED 5 TIMES IN A 2 MILE STRETCH. I AM VERY WORRIED THAT ONE DAY IT WILL STALL TURNING AT A BUSY INTERSECTION AND I WON'T BE ABLE TO RESTART FAST ENOUGH TO STOP FROM GETTING HIT OR HITTING SOMEONE OR SOMETHING ELSE. BECAUSE I AM OUT OF WARRENTY FORD WILL DO NOTHING. I KNOW THERE IS A TSB ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT I CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE IT DONE, AND I FEEL THIS IS SOMETHING FORD SHOULD DO WHETHER YOU'RE UNDER WARRENTY OR NOT.*AK

THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT ON DRIVERS SIDE REAR DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY. *AK *NM