Problems · by component

2001 Ford Escape vehicle speed control problems

111 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Ford Escape cite vehicle speed control, 11% of all 1,027 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
111
11% of all complaints
Crashes
17
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
17
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the vehicle speed control

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I TRIED TO SPEED UP GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PASSED 60 MPH AND SHIFT DOWN AND STALLED OUT. WHEN I LET OFF THE GAS IT DOES NOT SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN. IT BACKFIRES. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 15, 2021Vehicle speed control, Unknown or other, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11388260
“I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED RECENTLY. THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN UNTIL IT GOT COLD BUT, THE GAS PEDAL STICKS WHEN I AM DRIVING MAKING IT EXTREMELY HARD TO STOP EVEN IF MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN WARMED BEFOREHAND. THE VEHICLE HAS DONE THIS MORE THAN ONCE. THE MOST NOTABLE ONES WERE WHEN I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY. ONE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS WARMED AND THE OTHER WAS NOT. BOTH TIMES THE GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK AFTER I TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND KEPT PROPELLING ME FORWARD. BOTH TIMES I HAD BEEN DRIVING.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 12, 2019Vehicle speed controlODI 11166618
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 12V005000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC), 12V353000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), AND 14V165000 (STRUCTURE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE ANY RECALL NOTIFICATIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A RESIDENTAL PARKING SPACE, A SECURITY GUARD NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. AFTER MAKING A SECOND ROUND, THE GUARD INFORMED THE VEHICLE OWNER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CONSUMED BY FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE CONTACT TOOK PICTURES. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD FOLLOW-UP IN WRITING, BUT DID NOT PROVIDE A TIME FRAME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 14, 2017Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Structure, Vehicle speed control, Service brakesFire reportedODI 11015079
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 5-10 MPH, THE THROTTLE BECAME STUCK WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS FULLY DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE FEEDBACK EGR (DPFE) SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V353000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 19, 2016Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 10908012
“DESPITE NUMEROUS CALLS TO FORD, I STILL RECEIVE RECALL NOTICES ON THIS VEHICLE, HOWEVER IT WAS A CASH FOR CLUNKERS VEHICLE. I PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM AND THE VEHICLE WAS PERMANENTLY DISABLED BACK IN 2009/2010.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 9, 2016Vehicle speed control, Unknown or other, EngineODI 10905032
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 80 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHEN THE CONTACT RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 157,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 29, 2016Vehicle speed controlODI 10899197

Showing 6 of 111 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Vehicle speed control

Free remedy

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL. THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE CAN HAVE A CRACKED OR MISSING SPEED CONTROL CABLE SERVO CAP LOCATING TAB. THE LOCATING TAB COULD ENTER THE SERVO CLUTCH CAVITY AND INTERFERE WITH THE SPEED CONTROL SERVO CLUTCH. ALSO, WATER COULD ENTER THOSE UNITS THAT CONTAIN A CRACKED OR MISSING SERVO CAP LOCATING TAB, EVENTUALLY CAUSING CORROSION THAT COULD INTERFERE WITH THE FUNCTION OF THE SPEED CONTROL.

Vehicle speed controlReported Aug 9, 2000NHTSA 00V210001
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.