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CarComplaints.com Notes: With questionable safety ratings, a faulty power control module (PCM) and a rear subframe that can rust out, the first model year Escape is known for problems. But the worst one of all? A design flaw that carried through multiple model years and caused dangerous unintended acceleration.

A lack of clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector meant the throttle could get stick open when the accelerator was fully depressed. Following a petition from the Center for Auto Safety, NHTSA opened an investigation and eventually issued a recall to fix the sticky throttles in the 2001–2004 model years.

Even with the throttles fixed, the 2001 model year could still have trouble stopping due to multiple problems with leaking brakes.

8.0

pretty bad
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
4,945 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2001 Ford Escape wheels / hubs problems

wheels / hubs problem

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2001 Ford Escape Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #24

Aug 282004

Escape 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 64,200 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I have had three different tires exchanged on my vehicle since the purchase date of Feb. 7 2001. I have taken my car in every 5000 miles for service and everytime I have left the dealership the car pulls immediately to the right. I have gone back to the dealership eveytime and voiced my complaint. At 15000 miles the tire manager explained it was my tires and had me purchase a set of 4. at 35000 miles the dealership replaced the tires again this time at no charge. I am now at 64000 and third set of tires. I was on the freeway going approx 55 mph when the truck began to shake and the tread fell off the front driver's side tire. I immediately pulled to the side and will be visiting the dealership on Monday. I am not sure what the exact number of the tires is but it is the grabber tire.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #23

Jun 152003

Escape

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,491 miles
Ford may have another such problem, but they refuse to check to see if they do. I own a Ford 2001 Escape. Sort of a small Explorer. Its oem tires are General Grabber aw. Mine are sized P225/70/15. One June 21, with less than 16000 miles, for no apparent reason it blew out. Luckily I was on local streets at ~20 mph. Had I been on loop 610 at ~55 mph possibly the vehicle (as SUVS are wont to do) would have flipped and injured or killed my wife and I. I drove into a parking lot to change the tire and discovered the Ford supplied jack at its maximum travel did not raise the car high enough to change the tire. Luckily I was close enough to home to go get a pump jack that allowed me to install the spare tire. As it was past noon on a Saturday I contacted Ford customer service, which has stonewalled me and refused to help. The most I have heard is we've never had a problem with the jack, maybe you're not using it correctly, however a local Michelin dealer tells me yeah we hear that problem all the time. Ford refuses to escalate and now ignores my email. As for the tire I'm told: It may be covered under your 36000, 3 year warranty, check with general tire. I check with general tire, and find out a larger size of that model tire on Ford Expedition is already being recalled, but general denies ever having any complaints about Escapes, and tells me to call Ford. I call champion Ford (formerly charlie thomas Ford) on the gulf freeway where I bought the car, and again according to the general manager I'm the first one with such problem(s). I should leave a message for the service manager. I do that but am never called back. The dealer tells me there is no one higher at Ford to call anymore. Sounds like Ford is actively keeping its head in the sand. VIN number: [xxx] mileage: 15491 name: [xxx] last name:[xxx] address:[xxx] city: [xxx] state: Tx zip:[xxx] email address: [xxx]telephone number: [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #22

Dec 012003

Escape 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 23,000 miles
Replacement of original tires at 23000 miles.

- Altoona, PA, USA

problem #21

Apr 032003

Escape

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The tires felt as if they had a "flat spot" which caused the vehicle to handle very rough.

- Eastlake, OH, USA

problem #20

Jan 242003

(reported on)

Escape 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Since purchase, when the vehicle is driven in inclement weather, the tires traction isn't reliable. The service manager and the field engineer both agree that this is merely a "handling characteristic".

- Harrington Park, NJ, USA

problem #19

Dec 052002

Escape

  • miles
My 2001 Ford excape has 27,600 miles on it. My tires have worn out from the outside in. I carried it to the local Ford dealer and was told I needed a 4 wheel alignment. My dealer said I had received a check before I bought it. I did not. I drove it off the showroom floor. Now I have to buy over $400 worth of tires and have an alignment. The local dealer said I would have to have had a pretty good lick for it to have all 4 out of alignment. I do not hotdog this car. I feel like this is a manufacturers defect

- Brundidge, AL, USA

problem #18

Nov 092002

Escape 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 16,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Rotated all 4 tires at 5,000 / 10,000 miles. Front tires showed signs of excessive wear. Both tires had tread wear of 2-1/2 inch wide. Dealership stated was due to low tire pressure and was not willing to do anything. Dot# aeuu44W3900.

- Greensboro, GA, USA

problem #17

Oct 102002

(reported on)

Escape

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Contitrac SUV M+S P235/80R16 104T--tires do not grip road well when starting out on wet roads an in snow---Ford consumer service--they say tire slippage when starting is a typical handling charactertic of this front wheel drive car

- Harrington Park, NJ, USA

problem #16

Jul 112002

(reported on)

Escape

  • miles
Consumer stated all for wheels were changed to P225/70R16, but not the spare tire which remains a 15 inch, tire and wheel are about 1 inch less diameter than the wheels on the vehicle, in addition the spare wheel stamped in the body metal is sized for the smaller 15 inch wheel.

- Casper, WY, USA

problem #15

May 082002

(reported on)

Escape

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Tires has no traction on wet road/snow

- Harrington Park, NJ, USA

problem #14

Jul 112002

(reported on)

Escape 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Firestone wilderness ht tires failed (P235/70R16as, P235/70R16 1047). Nlm

- Monessen, PA, USA

problem #13

May 192002

Escape 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Front and rear tires are wearing. Cause known. Dealer notified. Size#235R16 dot unknown. Dealer notified. Firestone wilderness ht tires.

- Monesen, PA, USA

problem #12

Apr 252002

Escape 4WD

  • miles
Left front tire wear.

- Kingshill, VI, USA

problem #11

Mar 152002

Escape 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While consumers wife was driving 50 mph, the right rear passenger general tire, size#P22575R15, suddenly blewout without prior warning, dealer replaced tire at no cost.

- East Aurora, NY, USA

problem #10

Mar 012002

Escape

  • miles
Front tires wear is excessive causing premature wear. Tires are down to 5/32 of inch and need to be replaced. This is a new vehicle with only one owner. I have done all of the tire rotations as directed by the maintenance procedure. (tiresize: P255/70R15)

- Arlington, TX, USA

problem #9

Aug 172001

Escape 4WD

  • miles
Briefly, the transmission fails to shift upon acceleration above 50 mph, this has caused 2 near collisions on I-95, tire split open & roof rack blew off while driving (dot number: A3083jj390 tiresize: A3083jj390)

- Beaverdam, VA, USA

problem #8

May 012001

Escape 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Tire on front drivers side replaced. Tire splitting passenager rear tire, this tire has not been replaced.

- Harrellsville, NC, USA

problem #7

Jul 272001

Escape 4WD

  • miles
Belts separated internally causing sidewalls to fail. Inspection by tire dealer showed no visible signs of damage or puncture. (dot number: W208dk8711 tiresize: P235/70R16)

- Grosse Pointe Park, MI, USA

problem #6

Jun 012001

Escape 4WD

  • miles
Tire thumping was noticed after 6K mile servicing. Dealership acknowledged thumping and has ordered tire replacement. Surface defect noticed on tread. The vehicle was not involved in any accident or driven in abnormal or on rough road surfaces. No other complaints on these tires. Dealership mentioned they will rebalance remaining 3 tires when replacement tire arrives for vehicle. As of this writing, faulty tire is on left (driverside) rear. Thank you for your time, sincerely robert E. smith. (dot number: W208 tiresize: P235/70R16)

- Laporte, IN, USA

problem #5

Jun 132001

(reported on)

Escape

  • miles
(1) engine has started stalling at stop signs, waiting for someone in parking lot, etc. (2) when making a hard right turn into a parking space, there is a kind of clicking sound from the front tires area.

- Camp Hill, PA, USA

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