Problems · by component

2002 Ford Escape power train problems

115 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Ford Escape cite power train, 11% of all 1,070 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
115
11% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2002 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH and depressing forcefully on the accelerator pedal, the accelerator pedal got stuck. The contact was unable to disengage the accelerator pedal. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated he did not attempt to depress the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The contact shifted the ignition to off to stop the vehicle. The contact was unable to move the vehicle safely out of the road. The contact stated a bystander called the police department to assist with traffic. A police report was filed. The contact towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic and disengaged the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 213,000. The VIN was not available.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 2, 2022Power trainODI 11491872
“MY VEHICLE WILL RANDOMLY LOCK UP AND WHEN I START IT AND TRY TO MOVE IT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE FROM PARK. AND WHEN I TRY TO TURN OFF MY VEHICLE SO THAT I CAN RESTART IT MY VEHICLE WON'T EVEM ATTEMPT TO TURN OVER OR START BUT MY ELECTRICAL WILL STILL WORK JUST FINE”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 21, 2019Power train, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11202768
“ON 2002 FORD ESCAPE XLT, WHILE DRIVING CAR IN REVERSE GEAR BACKING OUT OF GARAGE DOWN HILL AND TURNING ON ROAD ALSO WITH STEEP DOWN HILL, TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CABLE DETACHED FROM TRANSMISSION. COULD NOT GET CAR OUT OF REVERSE GEAR. THIS CAUSED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS DOWN HILL OUT OF CONTROL WHEN ENGINE SHUT OFF. USED EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP CAR AND BLOCKED WHEELS WITH ROCKS TO DIAGNOSE. BUSHING ON SHIFTER CABLE END CLOSEST TO TRANSMISSION DISENTEGRATED AND SHIFTER CABLE SLIPPED OFF LINK TO TRANSMISSION SUCH THAT THE COLUMN SHIFT WAS DETACHED FROM TRANSMISSION. HAD NO PRIOR WARNINGS TO INSPECT THIS. FOUND THROUGH RESEARCH THAT FORD HAD ISSUED RECALL NUMBER 18S20 FOR FORD ESCAPE MODEL YEARS 2013-2014 FOR EXACT SAME ISSUE ON JULY 18, 2018. CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE. FORD REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS ISSUE FOR MODEL YEAR 2002. TEMPORARILY FIXED ISSUE TO CONTINUE DRIVING CAR. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I AM NO EXPERT, BUT SOMEONE WITH LESS EXPERTISE THAN ME COULD BE IN A LOT OF TROUBLE AS THIS CAN HAPPEN ON A HILL WHERE THE CAR CAN ROLL OUT OF CONTROL. RECOMMEND FORD ADD THIS MODEL YEAR TO RECALL LIST OR AT LEAST ISSUE WARNING TO OWNERS…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 13, 2018Power trainODI 11129367
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND WAITING FOR A TRAIN TO CROSS THE TRACKS, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE BACK IN GEAR BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS CONTACTED AND ARRIVED AT THE SCENE. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFT LEVER HAD DISENGAGED FROM THE TRANSMISSION AND WOULD NEED TO BE BOLTED BACK INTO PLACE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V606000 (POWER TRAIN). THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD EXPERIENCE UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION AND WAS DIFFICULT TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V353000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 11, 2015Power train, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 10809630
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE SHIFTING GEARS FROM DRIVE TO PARK, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY ENGAGING THE HAND BRAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFT GEAR STICK DISENGAGED FROM THE TRANSMISSION AND THE SHIFT LEVER ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V606000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000. UPDATED 04/13/16*LJ THE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE SHIFT CABLE. UPDATED 04/20/16.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 1, 2015Power trainODI 10807780
“MY CAR JERKS WHEN DRIVING VERY BADLY HED MANY REPAIRS DONE TO NO AVAIL 118,000 MILES HAVE A DISABLED HUSBAND CAR IS UNRIEABLEDRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND LOCAL STREETS TO GET HOME.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 11, 2015Power train, Unknown or other, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10781325

Showing 6 of 115 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

2 recalls on this component

Power train: floor shift

Free remedy

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2001-2008 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured March 31, 2001, to September 1, 2009. The affected vehicles are equipped with either a 2.3L or 3.0L engine and have had their CD4E transmission replaced with remanufactured one that was rebuilt between June 11, 2015 through July 15, 2015. These service repair part transmissions have a shift lever bolt that may not be properly tightened. As a result, the shift control lever could disengage from the transmission without warning.

Power trainReported Sep 29, 2015NHTSA 15V606000

Power train: control module (tcm

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L V6 ENGINES, DURING DECELERATION, THE ENGINE CAN STALL.

Power trainReported Apr 6, 2004NHTSA 04V165000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 7, 2026

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