U.S. public vehicle records

2001 Ford ESCORT problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

68 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

40,600 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 31 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 9 of 68 complaints (13.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	15	22.1%
Transmission and shifting	11	16.2%
Steering behavior	10	14.7%
Engine operation	9	13.2%
Electrical and battery issues	2	2.9%
Fuel system concerns	2	2.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Air Bags:Frontal

Suspension

Vehicle Speed Control

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	9
Air Bags:Frontal	7
Suspension	5
Vehicle Speed Control	5
Electrical System	4
Engine And Engine Cooling	4
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	3
Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal	3

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 9; Air Bags:Frontal: 7; Suspension: 5; Vehicle Speed Control: 5; Electrical System: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3; Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 12; 50,000 to 74,999: 7; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 2

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (12). 37 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2013

2014

2000: 1; 2001: 11; 2002: 13; 2003: 15; 2004: 8; 2005: 5; 2006: 3; 2007: 1; 2008: 3; 2009: 2; 2010: 2; 2011: 2; 2013: 1; 2014: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 11 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10007935 · 2003-02-21 (February 21, 2003)

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. SER MGR STATED THEY DO THAT AND THAT IS THE REASON THEY STOPPED MAKING TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 31,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007935 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10014707 · 2003-03-28 (March 28, 2003)

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10014707 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10021449 · 2003-06-11 (June 11, 2003)

FAILURE OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTER SAFETY INTERLOCK TO FUNCTION AS INTENDED. THE SHIFTER COULD BE MOVED OUT OF 'PARK' AT ANY TIME. CONDITION CAUSED BY PLAY ON THE SELECTOR SHAFT AND DRIED LUBRICATION. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021449 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10078929 · 2004-06-28 (June 28, 2004)

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.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 59,039 miles reported. Look up ODI 10078929 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10015693 · 2003-04-21 (April 21, 2003)

THERE WAS A FAST IDLE, VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL, BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE ENGINE, AND THE VEHICLE STALLED ALONG WITH THE FAST IDLE. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THE VEHICLE HAD RUN FINE. AFTER FIVE ATTEMPTS TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM, AND AFTER BEING TOLD REPEATEDLY THE VEHICLE RAN NORMALLY, THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE A FULL REFUND. THE PCV WAS REPLACED, AND THE VEHICLE HAD RUN PERFECT UNTIL THE FAST IDLE HAD RETURNED ALONG WITH THE VIBRATIONS WHICH IRRITATED THE CONSUMER WHICH CAUSED HEADACHES AFTER 20 MILES OF DRIVING. THE VALVE ASSEMBLY/CR…

Owner-reported narrative. 20,238 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015693 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10009040 · 2003-02-21 (February 21, 2003)

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED STALLING PROBLEMS. *JB *SCC

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10009040 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10118445 · 2005-04-25 (April 25, 2005)

2001 FORD ESCORT 4-DOOR 477-LXX. I HAD STARTED UP MY CAR AND BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WHEN MY CAR REFUSED TO RUN. I TRIED TURNING IT OVER SEVERAL TIMES BUT TO NO AVAIL. SO I CONTACTED A MECHANIC, WHO TOWED THE CAR IN FOR DIAGNOSIS. HE CALLED ME TODAY WITH THE FOLLOWING: THERE WAS DEFECTIVE WIRING ON FUEL PUMP HOUSING OF MY CAR. THE FUEL PUMP WAS FROM THE FACTORY ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC. ONE SET OF 4 TERMINALS ON THE PUMP WERE ANGLED BACK PROPERLY, BUT THE OTHER SET OF 4 WERE STRAIGHT SO THAT THE TERMINALS WERE ALMOST TOUCHING. …

Owner-reported narrative. 35,338 miles reported. Look up ODI 10118445 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10234345 · 2008-07-15 (July 15, 2008)

I CURRENTLY OWN 2 (TWO) 2001 FORD ESCORT SE. BOTH HAVE THE SAME ELECTRICAL FIRE HAZARD AND I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR CONNECTOR, BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR AS WELL AS THE WIRING HARNESSES AND CONNECTOR, THE CONNECTORS MELTED AND WIRING BURNT UP. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 69,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234345 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10116947 · 2005-05-31 (May 31, 2005)

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED OF A FUEL PUMP PROBLEM. *AK *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10116947 at NHTSA ↗