2001 Ford Escape Vehicle speed control Problems
- Complaints
- 107about this part
- Share
- 11%of 996 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 99,405miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 107 complaints about the vehicle speed control of the 2001 Ford Escape, 11% of the 996 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 99,405 miles. 16 of these say a crash was involved and 5 a fire, according to the filers. 2 recall campaigns on record are filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I tried to speed up getting on the highway and it would not accelerate passed 60 MPH and shift down and stalled out. When I let off the gas it does not slow down on its own. It backfires.”
NHTSA complaint #11388260, filed 2021-01, 200,000 miles“I had entered an interstate from an on ramp. I accelerated to get vehicle up to speed and set the cruise control. I approached a sharp curved and attempted to release the speed control by hitting the brakes. The vehicle did not stop and continued to stay moving at 55 MPH. I avoided the outside lane and the traffic that I was merging into by going into the median. The vehicle hit an elevated man hole in the median and went airborne and hit a bridge overpass support head on. I suffered multiple fractures due to the collision.”
NHTSA complaint #10533025, filed 2013-08, 120,000 miles“I was going to pull into a parking space and the accelerator stuck. I then crashed into a light pole and a building. I did research and found that there is a recall for some part of the throttle on those models from 2001 too 2004. Never had any notice of a factory recall form when I bought the vehicle at carhop, or from Ford dealership , or from the dmv on this matter. Very lucky no one was injured in this incident including myself. There is already claim through my insurance agency statefarm on this matter. All my yrs. Of driving nothing like this had ever happened.”
NHTSA complaint #10703706, filed 2015-04, 150,000 miles“Stuck accelerator - Ford Escape my husband and I were driving over dead man's pass in oregon. A treacherous pass even on a good day. Ford Escape 2001 accelerator got stuck at 80 miles p/h. My sister and her family were following behind us. My husband insisted that he could drive the out of control car into lagrande to the Ford dealership. I was scared to death and demanded he try to get the car to stop and let me out . He did this by putting car in neutral, turning it off, and coasting to a stop (I think). I got out, crawled into my sister's car shaking uncontrollably. …”
NHTSA complaint #10577476, filed 2014-04, 51,000 miles“I was driving on the highway today. Went to use the cruise control, and the light came on. Cruise control was not engaged. I was almost rear-ended. Was set at 65 MPH, speedometer showed rapid deceleration even though cruise was supposed to be engaged. Had to disengage and manually control speed. Found 5 other posts on yahoo internet site for Escape owners. Same problem. Light on, no cruise.”
NHTSA complaint #10010424, filed 2003-03, 18,800 milesRelated recalls
- 12V353000Jul 26, 2012Ford Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2001 through 2004 Escape vehicles equipped with 3.0L V6 engines and speed control manufactured from October…Covers: Ford Escape 2001–2004
- 00V210001Aug 9, 2000Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control. The speed control cable can have a cracked or missing speed control cable servo cap…Covers: Ford Escape 2001
Vehicle speed control: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 8% |
| 2024 | 4 | 5% |
| 2023 | 7 | 7% |
| 2022 | 9 | 4% |
| 2021 | 5 | 1% |
| 2020 | 20 | 1% |
| 2019 | 8 | 1% |
| 2018 | 23 | 1% |
| 2017 | 31 | 1% |
| 2016 | 32 | 3% |
| 2015 | 14 | 1% |
| 2014 | 42 | 2% |
| 2013 | 92 | 3% |
| 2012 | 70 | 12% |
| 2011 | 245 | 19% |
| 2010 | 558 | 27% |
| 2009 | 279 | 16% |
| 2008 | 175 | 9% |
| 2007 | 40 | 16% |
| 2006 | 99 | 21% |
| 2005 | 149 | 11% |
| 2004 | 98 | 20% |
| 2003 | 90 | 16% |
| 2002 | 100 | 10% |
| 2001 | 107 | 11% |
Other parts of the 2001 Ford Escape
282 complaintsBrakes
163 complaintsElectrical system
136 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
128 complaintsAir bags
63 complaintsSteering
58 complaintsFuel system
55 complaintsBody and structure
54 complaintsSuspension
42 complaintsTires
37 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
36 complaintsOther or unknown
31 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2001 Ford Escape
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology