2002 Ford Escape Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 80 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 2002 Ford Escape, 8% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 125,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “control arm” (50% of reports).
- 80suspension complaints
- 125,000median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 9%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 40 of 80 complaints (50%)
- Sub frame: mentioned in 14 of 80 complaints (18%)
- Separated subframe: mentioned in 6 of 80 complaints (8%)
- Included structure: mentioned in 6 of 80 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 68 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 80 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 1 a fire.
Ford Escape suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Escape | 5 | 2% | 48,500 |
| 2021 Escape | 7 | 2% | 41,513 |
| 2020 Escape | 9 | 1% | 19,000 |
| 2019 Escape | 3 | 1% | 54,000 |
| 2018 Escape | 11 | 1% | 45,000 |
| 2017 Escape | 8 | 0% | 34,000 |
| 2016 Escape | 7 | 1% | 57,099 |
| 2015 Escape | 13 | 1% | 31,301 |
| 2014 Escape | 18 | 1% | 46,000 |
| 2013 Escape | 27 | 1% | 49,098 |
| 2012 Escape | 12 | 2% | 46,000 |
| 2011 Escape | 32 | 2% | 84,000 |
| 2010 Escape | 34 | 2% | 108,000 |
| 2009 Escape | 19 | 1% | 65,000 |
| 2008 Escape | 31 | 2% | 129,000 |
| 2007 Escape | 19 | 7% | 88,618 |
| 2006 Escape | 65 | 14% | 111,000 |
| 2005 Escape | 459 | 33% | 121,000 |
| 2004 Escape | 154 | 31% | 123,481 |
| 2003 Escape | 90 | 16% | 120,831 |
| 2002 Escape | 80 | 8% | 125,000 |
| 2001 Escape | 42 | 4% | 100,199 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists suspension for the 2002 Ford Escape. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and started drifting to the left. The vehicle was towed to the residence. An independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with a rusted subframe. The vehicle was not…
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the contact heard a loud noise coming from the suspension of the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with the…
Vehicle was in motion on the highway when heard a loud bang when hitting a bump. Steering became almost impossible but was able to safely get off the highway and to a shop. Upon inspection, the sub-frame on the passenger side had broken and was hanging 6 inches lower than it should. Upon calling…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2002 Ford Escapes have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 80 owner complaints about suspension for the 2002 Ford Escape (8% of the 1,027 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 2002 Ford Escape suspension?
No recall currently lists suspension for this vehicle.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 125,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 2002 Ford Escape?
The most frequent phrase is “control arm”, in 40 of 80 complaints, followed by “sub frame” (14).
Other 2002 Ford Escape problems
See all 2002 Ford Escape problems or suspension problems across all Escape years.