2001 Ford Escort Problems

What owners report

Complaints on this model year center on two clusters: stalling and rough running from the engine and throttle, and automatic-transmission shifter problems where the car can be moved out of gear without the brake or does not engage the selected gear. Owners also report cooling-system and belt-drive failures, rear coil spring wear, and several airbag non-deployment and inadvertent-deployment accounts; most of the sampled complaints arrived at fairly low mileage, often under about 60,000 miles.

1. 1
   Engine cooling

   Engine stalls or cuts off at stops and while driving

   • 11 complaints (16%)
   • median 31,500 mi at 2.6 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2001–2006

   Owners describe the engine quitting when pulling away from a stop sign or light, while idling, and occasionally at highway speed; some also report rough, low-RPM idle, hesitation, fast idle and a burning smell. Complaints mention throttle-body, PCV and valve-assembly work, while several owners say the dealer could not reproduce the problem or told them the car ran normally. Related cooling and belt-drive accounts include overheating, oil consumption on a new engine, and a serpentine-belt tensioner coming loose. Mostly reported between roughly 14,000 and 45,000 miles, often in stop-and-go traffic or when leaving a stop.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Drive the car long enough to include several stops from idle and a highway stint, and ask whether idle-control, throttle-body or PCV repairs have been done; check the serpentine belt and tensioner and the timing-belt service history.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2001 Escort. Bought in fall from hertz. Have had new platnum plugs installed. But car continues to cut off when leaving from a stopped positon such as a stop sign, light, and left turn lane. Cut off 2 days ago when starting from a stop sign. Had plenty of time from on comming cars. Stalled in hwy and a tractor trailer truck had to brake and I almost lost my life. Did same thing several days ago from a left turn lane. Went to young Ford about it running rough and stalling. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10007935, filed 2003-02, 31,000 miles

   “In aug. 2003, I purchased a 2001 Ford Escort, only a short time after having it (2 weeks) vehicle engine died while at stop light. This has happened repeatedly, it is now november, and my local dealership has had my car more than I have since purchase in august. Continually tell me there is nothing wrong with it. They installed a device to monitor the times when it dies, they serve people have driven it and it has died on them, they continue to say they do not know how to fix it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10047337, filed 2003-11, 13,860 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Automatic shifter slips, sticks in park, or moves without

   • 12 complaints (18%)
   • median 47,000 mi at 3.4 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2001–2011

   Complaints describe the shifter moving out of Park without the brake applied, shifting from Park to Drive and landing in Neutral, and vehicles that would not shift out of Park at all. Owners report play in the selector shaft, dried lubrication, and replacement of the shifter, shift console or cable assembly; one transmission was rebuilt after the car moved forward in Park. Mostly reported between about 30,000 and 75,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: With the engine running, try moving the selector out of Park without touching the brake, then shift through each gear and confirm it engages; ask whether the shifter or cable has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On several attempts to fix my vehicle I still haven't found the trouble until I saw the recall list, I have had trouble with my shifter, air flow device for idle, to my back light on the top shorting out, to stall with engine light on and not be able to find the problem, I have spent a lot of time and money on these problems and was never notified about parts going wrong on my car, I have a Escort 2001 zx2. Now it make a weird sound when driving slow! I have put new brakes on it and the problem is still there.”

   NHTSA complaint #10166583, filed 2006-08

   “Transmission failed after 59,039 (vehicle would move forward when transmission selector in park or reverse position, could not get vehicle to move backward in any selector position). Transmission is being rebuilt by a national transmission shop.”

   NHTSA complaint #10078929, filed 2004-06, 59,039 miles
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Sudden surge or failure to accelerate from the throttle

   • 6 complaints (9%)
   • median 58,000 mi at 5.1 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2005

   Owners report the car lunging forward when the brake is released, surging into another vehicle when the brake is pressed, and a pedal that would not respond and then stuck, leading to unintended acceleration. Other accounts describe hesitation and very slow pickup when leaving a stop, and vehicles that would not slow down after the accelerator was released; several owners say the dealer called the behavior normal for the model. Reported across the sample without a clear mileage pattern, including low-mileage cars and cars past 100,000 miles.

   What to check: Test light-throttle creep and repeated stop-start driving, and check that the throttle body and pedal assembly have been inspected or replaced; ask whether the car has had any prior surge or no-start complaints.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Dt: the contact states while parked with the engine off vehicle caught on fire. The vehicle had been sitting for over two hours. He smelled smoke and checked in the garage where the vehicle was parked. The fire was coming from under the hood in front of the steering compartment. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The vehicle was totaled. There was extensive damage to the garage and the contact's house. The preliminary report indicated the fire started in the engine compartment. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10143102, filed 2005-11, 58,000 miles

   “While at a stop sign proceeded to go and vehicle hesitated. Then, when pressing gas pedal, vehicle accelerated very slowly, and was rear ended by another vehicle. Currently, vehicle at dealer's being serviced. Please provide any further infomation. Dealer stated all these model vehicles perform this way, possible design flaw. Nlm”

   NHTSA complaint #893274, filed 2001-08
4. 4
   Suspension

   Sagging rear coil springs and front-end vibration or pull

   • 7 complaints (10%)
   • median 27,000 mi at 2.7 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2001–2009

   Owners report rear coil springs worn down enough that a shop advised replacement to avoid tire damage, and in one case front and rear springs and struts were replaced at the owner's expense. Other complaints describe constant front-end vibration at any speed, vibration at idle that shook the dash and mirrors, and a car that pulled left at all speeds even after repeated alignments. Spring complaints appear around 59,000 miles; vibration and pull reports include cars under 30,000 miles.

   What to check: Look at the rear springs for sag or broken coils, check tire wear patterns, and have the suspension and alignment inspected; ask whether springs or struts have already been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The car is a 2001 Ford Escort zx2. The car is not working properly, shakes (very stronly) and is turning off by itself why driving. I had complained on several ocassions to Ford (midway Ford isuzu) 8100 west flagler, and they dont seem to get the problem. Please help me!!!!!!!!!!”

   NHTSA complaint #10028732, filed 2003-07, 20,000 miles

   “During a routine inspection, my mechanic noticed that the rear spring coils on my 2001 Ford Escort (59,000 miles) were noticeably worn down and needed to be replaced immediately, as to not puncture my tires. He said that this is a known problem in escorts and taurus and that tires can be punctured by these rear coil springs while the vehicle is in motion. I had the rear springs replaced, which is an expensive repair.”

   NHTSA complaint #10221015, filed 2008-03
5. 5
   Air bags

   Airbags not deploying, or deploying without a crash

   • 9 complaints (13%)
   • median 60,000 mi at 4.5 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2009

   Complaints describe front airbags that did not deploy in collisions ranging from rear-end impacts to a guardrail strike, while other owners report the driver airbag firing during ordinary braking or in a low-speed scrape. In one account the airbag deployed while slowing for a light and the driver then struck another vehicle. Reported from low mileage up to about 107,000 miles, in collisions and non-collision situations alike.

   What to check: Ask for the airbag system's service and warning-light history, confirm the airbag warning lamp behaves normally on startup, and have any stored airbag fault codes read before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was in a accident on the 105fwy west, going between 15-25 MPH in moderate morning traffic. I hit the back of a car, slammed my face against the steering wheel, and severely damaged my front hood, bumper and engine, which has been totaled out! My air bags failed to deploy! Its a 2001 Ford Escort, never been in a accident, and I have neck, back, and severe jaw pain.”

   NHTSA complaint #10280479, filed 2009-08, 162,353 miles

   “I was involved in a very minor accident with only paint damage to my front bumper. The other vehicle also had only paint damage. I was stopped and the other vehicle scraped mine at a speed of maybe 25 MPH. My airbags depoyed and caused more damage than the accident itself.”

   NHTSA complaint #10142847, filed 2005-11, 107,000 miles

Buying note. These are older cars, so condition matters more than the complaint list: have a shop check the rear springs, suspension bushings and belts, and verify the shifter and throttle behave correctly on a test drive. Service records showing attention to idle, cooling and transmission work are more useful than the mileage alone.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 56 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.