Ford Escape 2001–2007
1st generation · CD2
NHTSA data through 12 August 20267,244 complaints, 5,288 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 58,000 and 133,148 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 186 complaints (3.5%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 24,545
- 25%
- 58,000
- Median
- 100,000
- 75%
- 133,148
- 90%
- 169,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 200 | 3.8% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 84 | 1.6% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 84 | 1.6% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 72 | 1.4% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 91 | 1.7% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 101 | 1.9% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 93 | 1.8% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 110 | 2.1% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 128 | 2.4% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 128 | 2.4% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 146 | 2.8% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 118 | 2.2% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 127 | 2.4% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 123 | 2.3% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 155 | 2.9% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 149 | 2.8% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 200 | 3.8% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 189 | 3.6% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 193 | 3.6% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 151 | 2.9% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 234 | 4.4% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 176 | 3.3% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 191 | 3.6% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 155 | 2.9% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 231 | 4.4% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 172 | 3.3% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 189 | 3.6% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 122 | 2.3% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 163 | 3.1% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 71 | 1.3% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 152 | 2.9% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 84 | 1.6% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 103 | 1.9% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 79 | 1.5% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 92 | 1.7% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 50 | 0.9% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 75 | 1.4% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 43 | 0.8% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 44 | 0.8% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 34 | 0.6% |
| 200,000+ | 186 | 3.5% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 7,244 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001–2007 Ford Escape, and 5,288 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 58,000 and 133,148 miles. The median is 100,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are body structure (12.8% of complaints, typically around 120,000 miles), the suspension (12.6% of complaints, typically around 120,000 miles), the engine and its cooling system (10.8% of complaints, typically around 58,000 miles).
5 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Body structure120,000median 120,000 miles, middle half 90,000 to 150,000
- Suspension120,000median 120,000 miles, middle half 93,000 to 150,000
- Engine and its cooling system58,000median 58,000 miles, middle half 22,000 to 100,000
- Throttle and speed control85,000median 85,000 miles, middle half 51,000 to 125,000
- Transmission and driveline79,000median 78,805 miles, middle half 49,000 to 116,000
- Electrical system90,000median 90,000 miles, middle half 45,000 to 127,000
- Hydraulic brake circuit79,000median 78,750 miles, middle half 40,000 to 110,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body structure | 924 | 12.8% | 120,000 | 90,000–150,000 |
| Suspension | 912 | 12.6% | 120,000 | 93,000–150,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 780 | 10.8% | 58,000 | 22,000–100,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 691 | 9.5% | 85,000 | 51,000–125,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 565 | 7.8% | 79,000 | 49,000–116,000 |
| Electrical system | 563 | 7.8% | 90,000 | 45,000–127,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 412 | 5.7% | 79,000 | 40,000–110,000 |
| Engine | 320 | 4.4% | 117,000 | 89,000–150,000 |
| Airbag system | 319 | 4.4% | 72,000 | 40,000–113,000 |
| Steering | 287 | 4.0% | 99,000 | 49,000–135,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 100,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
Body structure accounts for 12.8% of complaints (924 reports, 791 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 120,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 90,470 and 150,000 miles.
The suspension accounts for 12.6% of complaints (912 reports, 781 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 120,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 93,000 and 150,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 10.8% of complaints (780 reports, 369 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 58,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 21,800 and 99,716 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 9.5% of complaints (691 reports, 535 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 85,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,700 and 124,826 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 7.8% of complaints (565 reports, 427 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 78,805 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 49,000 and 116,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 7.8% of complaints (563 reports, 388 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 90,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 45,000 and 127,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2005 model year drew the most — 2,030 complaints — while 2007 drew the fewest at 350. The median year sits at 736.
That makes 2005 an outlier: roughly 2.8 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 5 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 7,244 complaints filed against this generation, 411 reported a crash; 332 reported a fire; 322 reported an injury; 18 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 5.7% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 58,000 and 133,148 miles, with a median of 100,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, body structure and the suspension are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Body structure in particular shows a median failure mileage of 120,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Electrical / Cruise Control 2001–2004
Texas Instruments speed control deactivation switch mounted in the master cylinder can leak brake fluid onto the switch contacts and ignite, causing an engine-bay fire with the vehicle parked and off. Part of Ford's multi-model speed-control switch recall campaign.
Suspension / Body Structure 2001–2004
Rear subframe corrodes and can fracture or separate in road-salt states, allowing loss of rear suspension location. Addressed by region-specific inspection/replacement campaigns.
Transmission
CD4E 4-speed automatic suffers forward clutch and torque converter failures; a common complaint cluster across the generation.
Engine
3.0L Duratec V6 intake manifold and coolant crossover leaks leading to overheating.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 1,389 | 637 |
| 2002 | 1,397 | 890 |
| 2003 | 736 | 589 |
| 2004 | 715 | 610 |
| 2005 | 2,030 | 1,747 |
| 2006 | 627 | 529 |
| 2007 | 350 | 286 |
Recalls (5)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 15V606000 | 2015-10-23 | Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever and Linkage:floor Shift |
| 14V526000 | 2014-10-30 | Hybrid Propulsion System |
| 14V165000 | 2014-05-30 | Structure:frame and Members |
| 12V353000 | 2012-08-03 | Vehicle Speed Control:cables |
| 12V005000 | 2012-06-19 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/Module |
What owners reported
My Ford Escape does not shift right anymore and it will not stay in park i have to have a brick put in front of it because my emergency brake does not even work. I received a recall letter but i cannot find my letter anymore. I was hit by a vehicle and i cannot walk and my son had clean the house so i have lost my…
2001 · 25 miles · Electronic stability control (esc)
For a few months now, my 2001 v6 automatic Ford Escape has had a problem trying to shift into the last gear at 45-50 MPH. The vehicle's RPM's will be near 3000 for a good 30 seconds before it finally engages into the next gear. The problem is definitely worse on colder days, but it is still certainly noticeable on…
2001 · 60 miles · Transmission and driveline
There were numerous problems. The egr sensor (dpfe) was replaced along with the sop driver side outer belt molding, fuel pump, sway bar links and iac. *Bf there was a loud noise coming from the driver's side window, water leaked around the tailgate window, the vehicle was hard to start, the iac was sticking, the…
2001 · 92 miles · Throttle and speed control
Built from 5,288 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page