Problems with 2001 Ford Escape ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Car stalls while driving. has happened six times.*jb

Ford escape 2001.. vehicle stalled sitting at a traffic light. no warning.. ford tells me this problem happens with ford windstar, escapes,tribute.. ford will not cover repairs after 36000 miles, even with the best extended warranty ford has to offer.*jb

Vehicle engine revs/searches/hunts, while driving steady and maintaining a constant speed on a level road, going down or up a hill and the accelerator is not being played with. intermittently vehicle handling seems to lose the power assist - turning all of the sudden requires more muscle effort - and handling gets very stiff. suv has stalled 5 times already and dealer still unable to correct the problem. every time - i lost the steering, the brakes, the accelerator and the electrical systems. escape is a very scary and dangerous suv - unable to predict when it will stall or when it will suddenly accelerate (i don't dare use the cruise control).

I purchased this ford escape in march 2001 and have had nothing but problems with it since. on march 26 2001, two days after i received my new vehicle, it wouldn't start. the same problem occurred three more times in a period of two weeks before i brought the vehicle back to the dealer on april 9 2001. the dealership replaced the battery which was obviously defective. since then i have had numerous other problems with my ford escape. i reported that the throttle was sticking (5/17/02) and it was replaced, but it continues to happen. i also reported that there was a vibration and hesitation when shifting gears around 45 mph (5/17/02). nothing was done at that time to remedy the problem. i later (8/29/02) reported the same problem to the dealer, brought the vehicle back for service on 9/27/02 at which time the torque converter was replaced. there is still a hesitation and loss of power as i drive the vehicle. also on 5/11/02, the "service engine soon" light came on. the fuel emissions valve was replaced on 5/17/02. on 10/28/02, i reported to the dealer that my vehicle almost stalled at an intersection on 10/26/02 and later that day it would not start. i also told the service representative that there continued to be a "loss of power" as i drive the vehicle at highway speeds. i brought the escape back to the dealer on 10/30/02 and the technician found "nothing wrong" with the vehicle from the tests he performed. i am not satisfied with these results there is something obviously wrong with this vehicle! dt

Consumer states vehicle will intermittenly stall without warning while driving. vehicle is currently with dealer who is unable to determine cause. related investigation ea 02-027/engine stalling. ts

No summary. dt

Since the first weeks of purchase of vehicle it has had numerous sensor problems, all of which the national city ford has addressed. they have changed multiple parts in the vehicle, including a failed system. the original purchase was made from bob baker ford in mission valley, (san diego) but the vehicle it's self has been serviced at the national city dealer. since the beginning of the vehicle problems we have been in contact with the manufacturer, advising them of all the different defects we have. the defect that most worries us is the engine failure, the engine tends to lose all power without notice and shuts off loosing power steering and braking ability. this has happend to us at night, and not even the dash board lights flicker, or the head lights. we have addressed the issue, they have installed equipment to try and figure the problem with no success. they say we can hope it does not happen again. fortunatly it has not happened on the freeway, as those ford focus problems. the latest problem with the vehicle has been transmission related, it is as of 10/29/02 being looked at the fuller ford dealership for this problem. we have also asked that they look at the engine problem, and they will advise. dt

Engine stalled twice while deaccelerating at about 30-40 mph. dates: 10/3/02 and 11/14/02 so far. took to dealer 10/16/02 but they found nothing. have another appointment 11/21/02. dt

Engine stalled. dt

Engine stalled 3 times. mr

Consumer states while traveling at highway speed, engine light illuminated and engine died. consumer states she is terrified to drive this car, family was present and could have been killed. there was no time to get off the road. please provide any further information.*jb

Driving home on a sunday night going downhill, around a curve at about 30 mph... all the engine lights came on, steering and brakes failed... couldn't stop car... had to slowly pull on emergency brake and thankfully the road started to incline... vehicle stopped... i had to put it in park and the vehicle restarted... i drove the 1 mile left to my house... i will call the dealership in the morning but i do not have hope after reading the other complaints i could find on the internet... this is another of a long line of issues i have had with this truck.

Vehicle was parked inside of carport and without prior warning heard a loud bang. vehicle caught on fire/exploded and melted to the ground. dealership was aware of problem.*akbrakes have been squeaking when hot or cold. the front brake rotors and pads are glazed. there is a clunk noise heard in the front end when making a left or right turn. the noise was coming from a loose metal clip. the engine light stayed illuminated while in motion. *jg

Engine coolant light came on and has not gone off. a service technician said the sensor has gone bad, and that a lot of escapes have this problem.*ak

While driving only at low speeds, steering column will make a loud noise and it could cause future steering problems. dealer notified.*ak the cover on the bottom of the steering wheel was broken. the vehicle shimmys when applying the brakes. the brakes were inspected and the front rotor was machined and the front pads cleaned. consumer states there is a pecking noise in the engine. consumer states the accelerator pedal is hard to push because the throttle body needed replacing. the air conditioner stops while at idle. also, when coming to a stop, the heater is not warm. *jg

Vehicle has stalled when driving 3 times - dealer appears unable to resolve problem. dealer was unaware of ntsa defect investigation for this vehicle.*ak

Driving down slight downhill at constant speed. ~1/2 half tank gas. without warning or other indication, engine suddenly died. check engine light and oil light both lit. no other lights noticed. pulled off road, had to use emergency break to stop. put in park and tried to start engine. started without problem.

Engine has stalled twice while driving 40-50mph. sunroof motor had to be replaced. coolant recorvery jug had to be replaced. sensor asy-egr was replaced after 1st time engine stalled. has since stalled again.

The engine has stalled three times over the last month. all at low speeds, usually turning into a driveway or parking lot. i see that you have opened a case on this (pe01-043). just wondering if you have any additional information on this problem so that when i take it to the dealor, i can make sure that they know what the problem is and get it fixed. i am just afraid that i am going to walk into the dealor and they are going to look at me like i have 4 heads when i tell them of the problem. reading on the internet, i see that alot of people are having this problem and it does not seem like ford has any idea what is causing it. i am getting worried that this is going to start happening at higher speeds or in instances where it would be more dangerous. it also seems that many people are going back a 2nd and 3rd time becuase they are not getting the problem fixed the first time. i am worried that i will take it in a couple of times and then the problem reoccurs after my warrany has ended. what is my recourse then? any information that you can provide would be greatly appreciated. thanks. *ak 10-25-02:consumer called back in to advised had vehicle serviced at a ford dlrship in reference to tsb 2-11-06. vehicle was repaired. 2 weeks later vehicle stalled again.

Vehicle would cut off intermittently while 25-30 mph without any warning. dealer and manufacturer have been notified. feel free to provide any further information.*ak

Consumer states on going problem with engine stalling while driving 35 mph. vehicle been to the dealer and the problem is reoccurring. feel free to provide any further information. mr

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Repeated problem. there have been 5 occurrences. it has been to the dealership 3 times. on each of these occurrences, the engine has stalled for no apparent reason causing loss of power braking and power steering. most instances occurred while driving down a slight decline at approximately 40-45mph. on all three dealer assessments (two different dealerships), the problem could not be reproduced. the first time the base idle was adjusted. the second time a relay was replaced. the third time ford corporate directed the dealership to install an idle air control. i expressed safetly concerns about loss of power steering and brakes to the dealership. but, since they were never able to reproduce the problem, they don't consider it a concern. there is still a great safety concern here.*ak

I was driving in rush hour traffic with the radio on and air only on. i was pressing on the gas and going no where. then i realized the car just died. i was in the fast lane. there was no where to go so i had to take a left turn and coasted across 2 lanes of traffic. i was in panic as i was just coasting and had no power to move. all the power steering and breakes did not work because the engine was not engaged. it was a very dangerous situation. after i reached the side street, i put on my flashers. i put the vehicle in nuteral. it started and i went home. i am very nervous to drive this vehicle, because if it happens again, i could be in a situation where i could get killed, having no power to stop, advance or turn.*ak

While driving at approximately 35 mph on a level roadway, the engine unexpectedly stopped. traffic was relatively heavy and stopping the vehicle at the traffic light without hitting the stopped vehicle in front of me was difficult. the vehicle had to be placed in park before the engine would restart (as expected) -- which it did without any problem. no check engine light was present. time of day was at approximately 5 pm cdt. outside temperature was about 85 degrees. i had just exited off the highway and had been driving for about 8 miles without stopping before the failure. the air conditioning and radio were on during the failure.*ak

Nar 1/29/2003. the consumer had a hitch added to the vehicle, however, while driving the consumer was unable to steer the vehicle which has stalled 3 times. *jb

Consumer states that vehicle stalls out when the consumer takes her foot of the accelerator. dealer was contacted. mr

Vehicle has on 2 occasions shut off while driving. without warning, the engine, battery, and oil lights come on at the same time and vehicle immediatelty shuts itself off. vehicle has been to the dealership after both occurrences. the iac, dpfe, and fuel pump relay were all replaced and my vehicle's pcm was reprogrammed. none of these "fixes" have solved the problem. although the technician working on the vehicle and the shop foreman have made every effort to assist me with the problem, the cause of the problem has yet to be determined. the manufacturer is aware of this problem with this particular vehicle, but cannot explain what is wrong or how to repair it. i do not feel safe driving my escape knowing that it could shut itself off at any time without warning in the middle of a busy road.*ak

The vehicle stalled while driving and all power was lost, the vehicle was towed to the dealership and the necessary repairs were made. mr *jb

I continue to have a problem with my vehicle stalling for no apparent reason. it happened twice in october 2001. the first time it happened i called the dealership to see if there was a problem with the escape. i was told there was no problem & there was nothing wrong with my vehicle but call if it happens again. my vehicle stalled the next day. i took the vehicle to the dealership but they were unable to duplicate the stall. they contacted their repair hotline for suggestions. there was apparently no real answer but it was suggested to replace a variety of parts. my vehicle had no problems until 06/25/02 when it stalled again for no reason. this is a serious safety issue. in each instance i was travelling at approximately 45mph on a downhill (with plenty of gas in the tank) and the vehicle stalled w/out any warning. my radio & lights continued to work just fine. needless to say i lost my power steering and brakes on each occasion. the first 2 occasions i was lucky enough to be able to muscle my car onto the shoulder of the road w/out incident. i put it in park & it started right up. the last time i had to shift it into neutral on the fly & restart the engine. luckily for me it restarted as i had nowhere to pull over as i was headed towards a two lane bridge over the river with no shoulder to pull onto. i have been very lucky in that i have not been injured nor have i injure anyone else. this is a very serious defect and a potentially deadly one. i know from doing some research that there are quite a few others with this problem on both the 2001 & 2002 models. this is an issue that needs to be addressed quickly before there is a fatality. a brand new car should not stall at random times with no warning while travelling at a pretty good speed.*ak

While driving 30-35 mph vehicle will completely shutdown without warning, cause unknown. vehicle was serviced by dealer. however, problem is still occurring. please give any further details.ak

The escape stalled while drive 35mph on a busy street, pulled to the side and restarted with no problem. *ak

Vehicle will stall out at any speed, there is no prior warning, and everything will shut down.*ak

My 2001 ford escape xlt stalls frequently and also has an exhaust smell coming from the air vents. i have taken it in over 10 times and they tell me it's fixed when it isn't.

At 50mph when foot was let up from accelerator, there would be a delay in deceleration, also steering column would shake. cause unknown. dealer notified.*ak check engine light came on and stayed on. the vehicle did not always accelerate or decelerate correctly. the dealer replaced the pcm computer system three times, but the problem continued to exist. *yh

I was driving on the interstate at approximately 50 mph downhill during rush hour when i lost power. i was on a stretch of interstate that had no shoulder so i coasted 1/4 mile to the shoulder. i was towed to the dealer who replaced my alternator. six weeks later, i go to start my car and it wouldn't start.*ak

Engine stalled while driving downhill. brakes and steering would not respond. engine check light came on. managed to stop the vehicle by using hand brakes and later pulled to the side. dealer notified.*ak

When consumer starts up vehicle it hesitates/stalls. consumer had taken vehicle dealer to check because of its pulling to the left. consumer was never been told why vehicle stalls.*ak

When deaccelerating vehicle will stall. this happens intermittently. will contact dealer.*ak *yd

While driving at any speed and with no warning vehicle would stall, causing the driver to lose control of vehicle. consumer contacted the dealer on nine separate occasions, but problem is still recurring.*ak

Vehicle(engine)shutdown while driving. *ak

Consumer states that the vehicle will stall out while the consumer is driving at highway speeds. all the lights and the instrument panel shut off also. contacted dealer and the dealer is not willing to do anything. nlm

Car continues to stall when going approximately 40 mph. all systems fail. car has been to dealership 3 times for same problem. air intake valve and relay have been replaced. dealership taking car again tomorrow for repair. *ak

While traveling on highway vehicle will stall and shutdown without prior warning. dealership is aware of problem.*ak *yh consumer states the dealer is trying to figure out the problem by replacing various parts as recommended by the manufacturer, but they couldn't find the problem. *yh

Engine quit while driving on freeway at 65 mph. no prior warning. lost power assist in steering and brakes. was able to maneuver vehicle to side of road. was able to restart vehicle and proceed. this is a very dangerous situation and could have caused a serious accident. this occurred while driving to dealership for check engine light on. this is only one more of numerous problems with this vehicle.*ak

When the vehicle is going 35-45mph under slight deceleration engine stalls out with no warning or hestitation of any kind. vehicle immdediately restarts, but problem is sporadic. dealer notified. please add more information.*ak

Vehicle had stalled on four separate occasions while driving 35-40 mph . vehicle has been to dealer on three occasions, and problem still occurring. *ak the power relay was considered the cause for the vehicle?s stalling and was replaced. when the vehicle stalled again, the dealer replaced the pff sensor first and power train control next and lastly did pcm programming, but the vehicle continued to stall. *yh

Car would not start in october 2001. engine shut off while driving at approx. 50 mph. loss of steering and braking abilities.*ak

While driving at 35 mph the engine stalled out. contacted dealer, and dealer was not willing to do anything.*ak

Car stalled, shut down as if the key was turned off. this is the second incident of this happening. i was on a busy highway in the center lane going 45 miles an hour. i was able, without power steering or brakes, to put on hazard lights, bring the vehicle to a stop. once put in neutral, it started again. i went directly to the dealer. they said, well it is only happening every 5,000 miles, what are you complaining about. they did take the car in an work the the pcm. i have no idea if this has fixed this reoccuring problem.*ak