2001 Ford Escape Structure Problems
Owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the 2001 Ford Escape, 5% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 132,800 miles. The words owners use most often: “control arm” (15% of reports).
- 54structure complaints
- 132,800median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 26%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Control arm: mentioned in 8 of 54 complaints (15%)
- Door open: mentioned in 5 of 54 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do structure problems happen?
Based on 38 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 54 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 3 an injury.
Ford Escape structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Escape | 2 | 8% | — |
| 2024 Escape | 2 | 3% | 9,062 |
| 2023 Escape | 5 | 5% | — |
| 2022 Escape | 20 | 9% | 10,000 |
| 2021 Escape | 92 | 26% | 41,500 |
| 2020 Escape | 670 | 42% | 45,000 |
| 2019 Escape | 12 | 2% | 36,200 |
| 2018 Escape | 20 | 1% | 22,000 |
| 2017 Escape | 62 | 2% | 40,000 |
| 2016 Escape | 21 | 2% | 29,902 |
| 2015 Escape | 36 | 3% | 47,000 |
| 2014 Escape | 84 | 4% | 40,000 |
| 2013 Escape | 87 | 3% | 39,306 |
| 2012 Escape | 68 | 11% | 57,000 |
| 2011 Escape | 43 | 3% | 48,000 |
| 2010 Escape | 84 | 4% | 65,500 |
| 2009 Escape | 32 | 2% | 72,000 |
| 2008 Escape | 41 | 2% | 80,000 |
| 2007 Escape | 18 | 7% | 115,000 |
| 2006 Escape | 63 | 14% | 128,400 |
| 2005 Escape | 434 | 31% | 120,000 |
| 2004 Escape | 138 | 28% | 120,000 |
| 2003 Escape | 121 | 22% | 109,000 |
| 2002 Escape | 87 | 8% | 125,000 |
| 2001 Escape | 54 | 5% | 132,800 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Structure:frame and members
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2001-2004 Escape vehicles manufactured October 22, 1999, through January 23, 2004, originally sold, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. These vehicles may experience excessive corrosion at the forward attachment of the lower control arm.
Risk: A separation of the lower control arm can result in a significant loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a newly designed reinforcement cross-brace, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S02.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
While my car was in the shop last year, noticed last that the frame on my 2001 ford escape has rusted, in some places completely through and metal has completely flaked off. Will be expensive to fix according to mechanic, and that car is not really safe unless fixed. I know escape frames have been…
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford escape. While attempting to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle veered to the right; however, the steering wheel turned to the left. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the subframe was corroded. The failure allowed the passenger side…
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford escape. While driving approximately 15 mph, the steering failed and was not aligned with the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic who determined that the frame and other components were severely rusted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2001 Ford Escapes have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 54 owner complaints about structure for the 2001 Ford Escape (5% of the 996 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Ford Escape structure?
Yes: 1 safety recall list structure. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do structure problems start?
The median reported mileage is 132,800 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about structure problems on the 2001 Ford Escape?
The most frequent phrase is “control arm”, in 8 of 54 complaints, followed by “door open” (5).
Other 2001 Ford Escape problems
See all 2001 Ford Escape problems or structure problems across all Escape years.