242 complaints reported

2002 Ford Escape Engine

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
242
Crashes
2
Fires
23
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Feb 2003

THE VEHICLE HAS REPEATED ENGINE STALLING WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION OR AT A STOP, THEN IT WILL IMMEDIATELY RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE AIR FLOW SENSOR, AND REPROGRAMMED COMPUTER. TS WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHED THE OPERATING TEMPERATURE IN GEAR AT THE IDLE, IN PARK, THE RPM WOULD FLUCTUATE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. THE VEHICLE WILL THEN RESTART. SCC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2002
Jan 2003

STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE RADIATOR LIGHT TURNED ON. IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND REFILLED THE RESEVOIR. NOT LOW, BUT ADDED A LITTLE FLUID.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2002
Jan 2003

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, OUR 2002 FORD ESCAPE 4X4 HAS STALLED WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DECREASING SPEED TO STOP, WHILE ACCELARATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION AND WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. EACH TIME, THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM TRAFFIC AND PLACED IN PARK OR NUETRAL TO RESTART. ON ONE OCCASION THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE OTHERS HAD NO INSTRUMENTATION LIGHTS GO ON.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2002
Jan 2003

AFTER STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT I ACCELERATED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. DURING THE TURN THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP AND THE BREAKS DID NOT WORK, THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND I FINALLY FIGURED OUT THAT THE ENGINE HAD STALLED. I COASTED DOWN THE DOWNHILL SLOPE AND FINALLY RESTARTED THE ESCAPE AFTER PUTTING IT IN NEUTRAL. LUCKILY, THERE WAS LIGHT TRAFFIC BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS. WHEN I CALLED MARSHALL FORD EAST IN CLEVELAND, OHIO THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM AND SINCE IT HAD NOT HAPPENED AGAIN IT WAS NOT FURTHER INVESTIGATED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2002
Jan 2003

2002 FORD ESCAPE, 12642 MILES ON VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. VEHICLE WAS HARD TO STEER AND BRAKING WAS DIFFICULT. WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP. RESTARTED VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP ON 2/28/03 FOR SERVICE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2002
Dec 2002

FORD ESCAPE '02 STALLED WHEN GOING 40 MPH UP THE HILL. TS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2002
Dec 2002

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS WHILE DRIVING.*AK CONSUEMR WAS TRAVELLING 35 MPH DOWN HILL WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE STALL RESULTED. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DUPLICATED. FORD REPLACED SUSPECTED PARTS PER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. *JG

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2002
Dec 2002

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN, AND WILLNOT RESTART. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2002
Dec 2002

ENGINE DIED (STALLED) WHILE GOING SLIGHTLY DOWNHILL (COASTING) AT 40 MPH. DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON. IMMEDIATELY PUT TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED OKAY. THIS WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 6000 MILES ON ODOMETER. NOW HAVE 7200 MILES AND HAVE NOT HAD ANOTHER OCCURRENCE. PROBLEM COULD POTENTIALLY BE DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2002
Dec 2002

ENGINE DIED (STALLED) WHILE GOING SLIGHTLY DOWNHILL (COASTING) AT 40 MPH. DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON. IMMEDIATELY PUT TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED OK. THIS WAS AT APPROX. 6000 MILES ON ODOMETER. NOW HAVE 7200 MILES AND HAVE NOT HAD ANOTHER OCCURANCE. PROBLEM COULD POTENTIALLY BE DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2002
Dec 2002

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED BETWEEN 5-20 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE WILL STALL. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT PROBLEM .MECHANIC HAS SERVICED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES; HOWEVER, COULD NOT SEEM TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Dec 2002

VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING AT ANYTIME. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2002
Dec 2002

VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT 40-45MPH TWICE ON 03/08/02. THE ENGINE INDICATOR DID NOT GO ON BEFORE THE STALL. THE RADIO, HEAT, CLOCK, ETC. STAYED ON DURING THE STALL. THE STEERING BECAME VERY TIGHT AND HEAVY. AFTER WRESTLING THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE CAR RESTARTED AFTER PUTTING IT IN PARK. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WHERE NOTIFIED.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2002
Dec 2002

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE SHUT DOWN, COULD NOT RESTART, ENGINE WOULD TURN BUT NOT START, TOWED TO DEALER, DEALER INVESTIGATED PROBLEM, THEY DETERMEND THAT ONE OR MORE INTERNAL PARTS HAVE FAILED, NEW ENGINE TO BE INSTALLED. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2002
Nov 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2002
Nov 2002

MY ESCAPE WAS STILL NEW WHEN I FIRST EXPERIENCED A TOTAL STALL. I WAS ON A DOWNHILL EXIT RAMP FROM THE INTERSTATE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO A VERY BUSY ONE WAY STREET THROUGH AN EVEN BUSIER INTERSECTION. I COASTED AT ABOUT 30-35 MPH DOWN TO MAKE MY TURN AND REALIZED THAT I HAD NO STEERING OR POWER AT ALL. I HAD TO FIGHT TO MAKE THE LEFT TURN AND GET TO THE CURB. THE EXPERIENCE LEFT ME SHAKING IN SHOCK AND FEAR FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I HAD NO TROUBLE RESTARTING IT AFTER I REGAINED MY COMPOSURE. I TOOK IT TO THE INITIAL POINT OF SALE AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF ANY PROBLEMS. THEY "COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM". I HAVE HAD THREE ADDITIONAL STALLS, A DIFFERENT DEALER REPLACED THROTTLE, AIR INTAKE. ANOTHER STALL. SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE THE CD PLAYER HAS BEEN WORKED ON TWICE (THE DASH HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE SERVICE TECH SCRATCHED IT CONSIDERABLY), THE PASSENGER FRONT WINDOW ROLLS UP OUT OF THE TRACK AND THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE DOOR HAD TO BE TAKEN APART TO FIX THE LOCK ASSEMBLY CONSEQUENTLY THE INTERIOR DOOR WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD TO BE TORN OFF TO GET TO THE LOCK. CRUISE CONTROL WORKS INTERMITTENTLY, THE REAR WIPER DOESN'T WORK CORRECTLY, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD, THE FRONT END MAKES NOISES WHEN TURNED, NOT TO MENTION A RATTLE IN THE BACK THAT WILL DRIVE YOU CRAZY AND A MUSTY SMELL. AS IF THIS WEREN'T ENOUGH, THIS MORNING IT BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH, BACKFIRED AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. I MADE IT HOME, THANKFULLY AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER...AGAIN I AM WITHOUT MY CAR! MY HUSBAND WORKS FOR FORD IN LOUISVILLE, KY AND WE ARE TRYING TO BE LOYAL, BUT THIS IS TOO MUCH! WE HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH DIFFERENT CARS IN THE PAST, BUT I AM AFRAID OF THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE A 16 YR. OLD SON ABOUT TO GET HIS LICENSE. IT HAS BEEN HARD FOR ME AS AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER TO HANDLE THESE SITUATIONS, BUT I AM TERRIFIED THAT IT COULD HAPPEN TO HIM. DT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Nov 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE INTERMITTENLY STALLS WHEN GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. CHECKED BY DEALER WHO ADVISED CAN NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2002
Nov 2002

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I HAVE EXPERIENCED ENGINE STALLING WHILE DRIVING. ALL VITAL FUNCTIONS FROZE SO I LOST STEERING CAPABILITY, BRAKES, ACCELERATION, ETC. I COULD NOT RESTART THE CAR UNTIL THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP (IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION) AND I COULD PUT THE CAR INTO 'PARK'. I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE ONLY BEEN GOING AT LOWER SPEEDS AND SIDE ROADS DURING ALL THREE INSTANCES SO FAR. BUT DRIVING IN THE D.C METROPOLITAN AREA ALSO REQUIRES A OUT OF HIGH-SPEED HIGHWAY DRIVING AS WELL AND I AM EXTREMELY WORRIED THAT I MAY NOT BE SO FORTUNATE THE NEXT TIME! DT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2002
Nov 2002

ENGINE SUDDELY QUIT WHILE DRIVING. SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL WHILE COASTING, TURNED IGNITION OFF THEN ON AGAIN. VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2002
Nov 2002

OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR ONLY TWO WEEKS AND 165 MILES. NOTICED STAINS ON MY DRIVEWAY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL. FORD TOLD THE DEALER TO INSTALL A NEW ENGINE (ON MY BRAND NEW CAR). THEY GAVE ME A CHEAP RENTAL CAR TO DRIVE WHILE MY NEW ONE IS BEING REPAIRED. I PAID CASH FOR THE CAR. NOW I'M WITHOUT THE CAR AND WITHOUT THE MONEY. LEMON LAWS DON'T EVEN PROTECT ME AT THIS POINT.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2002
Nov 2002

THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE COASTING AT APPROXIMATELY 38 MILES, WHILE GOING DOWN A HILL. THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED THE FOLLOWING DAY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER TODAY AND THEY REPROGRAMMED THE PCM.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2002
Oct 2002

FOR NO APPARENT REASON ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND RESTART, BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS IN HEAVIER TRAFFIC OR ON FREEWAY. DT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2002
Oct 2002

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WILL STALL AT ANYTIME. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER REPLACED COMPUTER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2002
Oct 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE STALLED OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. CONTACTED DEALER. MR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2002
Oct 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE STALLED OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. DEALER CONTACTED. MR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD ESCAPE, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2002

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2002 Ford Escape has 242 Engine complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.