There are 50 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2002 Ford Escapein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I have had to replace my engine/transmission several times and the problem keeps repeating itself. The engine will just die for no reason which is an extremely severe safety risk.
AS SHOWN IN ATTACHED PICTURE MY COOLANT CONTAINER IS BURNING AS IF IT IS TRYING TO CATCH FIRE. AS ALSO SEEN THE COOLANT LEVEL IS BACK AT MAX BUT AT ONE POINT WAS LOW. CONCERN IS 🔥 SAFETY. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN I FIRST SMELT BURNING I DID STOP DRIVING AND IT MADE IT MORE INTENSE. NO ACTUAL FIRE TOOK PLACE BUT INSIDE CONTAINER IT APPEARS TO HAVE HAD A SMALL FIRE OR BURN AS SHOWN BY IMAGE.
FORD EXCURSION V10 ALUMINUM HEAD COMPLAINT SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF HEAD. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ACROSS COUNTRY TO VISIT MY SON, NO WARNING JUST BLEW COMPLETELY OUT OF HEAD AND LEFT ME STRANDED ALONG THE ROADSIDE. THIS PROBLEM WHICH FORD IS AWARE IS NOT BEING FIXED OR RECALLED, TRUCK JUST TURNED 100,000 MILES BUT IF ONE SPARK PLUG BLEW WHEN WILL THE OTHERS LET GO AND EXPLODED OUT OF THE HEAD AND LEAVE ME STRANDED AGAIN ALONG A BUSY HIGHWAY ROUTE 70 IN A STATE WHICH I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN BEFORE AT 5 AM IN THE MORNING, WITHOUT A KNEW HEAD DESIGN THIS MAKES THIS VEHICLE VERY UNRELIABLE AND NOT SAFE TO DRIVE , ITS LIKE DRIVING A TIME BOMB JUST WAITING FOR THE NEXT PLUG TO BLOW, VEHICLE WAS 40,000 DOLLARS IN 2002 WHO HAS MONEY TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH IS NOW ALMOST 60,000 FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO MAKE REPLACEMENT HEADS FOR ALL TRITON ENGINES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EXHAUST FUMES ENTERED THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE HEATER AND AIR CONDITIONER WERE ACTIVATED, THE AMOUNT OF EXHAUST FUMES INCREASED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.
SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF CYLINDER, COST ME $455 IN REPAIRS. V6 3.0L 2002 FORD ESCAPE.
LOST ALL COOLANT FROM RADIATOR ALL AT ONCE WHEN TURNED CAR OFF WHEN CAME HOME FROM STORE BECAUSE COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON.. REPLACED THERMOSTAT FIRST. THAT DIDN'T WORK. PUT IN NEW WATER PUMP, RAN FOR ABOUT ANOTHER WEEK , THAN DID SAME THING. SO REPLACED RADIATOR . MIND YOU CAR NEVER RAN HOT, COOLANT LIGHT JUST KEPT COMING ON.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CONTROL ARM SEIZED AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE CROSS MEMBER WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM DETACHED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000. JCC
RETURNING HOME FROM VACATION. HEARD SOMETHING BUMP UNDER THE VEHICLE, SLOWED DOWN, SAW THE ENGINE LIGHT COME ON, THEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER, RUMBLE, RUN ROUGH. GOT OFF THE FREEWAY. CALLED FOR SERVICE, WAS TOWED TO GARAGE. MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT A SPARK PLUG EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE, AND THAT A 2ND SPARK PLUG WAS PROBABLY GOING TO DO THE SAME THING. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE IN FORD ENGINES AND CAN CAUSE ALOT OF DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE INJURIES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,414. UPDATED 05/22/14 MA UPDATED 8/7/2017*CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED SMOKE EMITTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REMOVED FROM UNDER THE CARPORT AND FLAMES SURFACED AROUND THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 35 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEAT VALVE FAILED AND CAUSED THE PISTONS TO FAIL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO RUN POORLY AND SLOWER THAN NORMAL. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO KNOWN RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE AND THAT THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE PARKED THE VEHICLE AND MOMENTS LATER, THE VEHICLE IGNITED INTO FLAMES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OF HER HOME WHEN SHE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE SMOKE CLEARED WITHIN MOMENTS, BEFORE THE CONTACT COULD REACH THE VEHICLE AND INVESTIGATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN AND LEFT WITH THE DEALER. THE DEALER LATER CONTACTED THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE TO INFORM HIM THAT THE VEHICLE HAD EXPLODED WHILE AT THE DEALER AND DAMAGED FIVE OTHER VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000. UPDATED 05/24/12*LJ
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECREASED WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS CLOGGED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED WITH A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 143,000.
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE IT WOULD TAKE ALONG TIME TO START. VEHICLE CHECKED NOTHING FOUND, NO TROUBLE CODE. CHANGED THINGS LIKE FUEL FILTER, AIR FILTER AND OTHER SIMPLE THING. NOW VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING BUT THE VEHICLE WILL START BACK UP IMMEDIATELY. AGAIN NO TROUBLE CODES. THE TRUCK STALLED IN TRAFFIC 5 TIMES IN LESS THAN ONE MILE, A ROAD THAT IS TRAVELED SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. *TR
2002 FORD ESCAPE. CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROBLEM. PROBLEM BEGAN LAST WEEK WHEN DPFE TUBES CAME OFF AND DPFE SENSOR MELTED. THE NEXT DAY THE VALVE NEXT TO THE DPFE SENSOR BLEW A HOLE AND ALL PARTS WERE REPLACED. THE NEXT DAY ONE OF THE DPFE TUBES CAME OFF AGAIN. THIS WAS REPLACED AGAIN. THE NEXT DAY THE CAR DID NOT HAVE GOOD GAS POWER. WHEN GOING UP A SMALL INCLINE THE CAR WOULD NOT GO PAST 40 MPH. WENT TO CAR REPAIR SHOP AND O2 SENSOR WAS REMOVED TO SEE IF IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THIS CAR HAS 3 CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. THIS CAR IS AT ANOTHER CAR REPAIR SHOP NOW TO SEE WHAT THE CAUSE IS FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER(S) TO GO BAD. ONE REPAIR SHOP ADVISED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD ESCAPES. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM. I WENT OUT TO THE FORD FORUM AND THERE ARE ENTRIES FROM 2007 TO PRESENT WITH MANY 2002 ESCAPE OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT I AM EXPERIENCING. THIS PROBLEM CAN CAUSE MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEMS THAT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. NO ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME SINCE THE DPFE TUBES AND SENSOR AND VALVE WAS REPLACED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE FIRE INITIATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER FIWAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
APRIL 25, 2001 I DROVE THE CAR 5 MINUTES TO THE LOCAL POOL AND CAR WAS PARKED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. |THEN DROVE FRIEND BACK HOME FROM LOCAL POOL TO HER HOUSE ABOUT A 5 MINUTE DRIVE, I THEN TURNED THE CAR IGNITION WAS OFF, SUDDENLY THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. TRIED TO OPEN HOOD, GREY SMOKE BILLOWED OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, THEN SPARKS FELL ON THE PAVEMENT FROM UNDER THE CAR AND THEN FLAMES BURST OUT THROUGH THE OPEN CRACK OF THE HOOD. THE FIRE SEEMED SPONTANEOUS, THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL LIKE DIRTY AIR JUST BEFORE THE SMOKE STARTED. FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE AND AMBULANCE WERE CALLED. IT HAD NEVER OCCURRED BEFORE THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP AND WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER LOCATION BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. I KNOW THAT RECALL WORK WAS DONE ON THE CAR TWICE AND CAN VERIFY WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I BELIEVE THAT WORK WAS DONE ON THE BRAKES AND THE GAS PEDAL AS INSTRUCTED IN THE RECALL NOTICES. I BELIEVE THE CAR IS STILL BEING EXAMINED BY THE INSURANCE INVESTIGATORS AS OF MAY 8, 2011. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THE INSURANCE APPRAISER THAT THE VEHICLE IS A COMPLETE WRITE OFF. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026