Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Ford Escort ZX2 problems

Owners filed 117 complaints about the 2001 Ford Escort ZX2 with NHTSA between Oct 2000 and Mar 2014. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (27).

Complaints
117
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
16
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling27
  2. Power train18
  3. Vehicle speed control15
  4. Suspension13
  5. Electrical system12
  6. Air bags10
  7. Steering6
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic5
  9. Seat belts4
  10. Tires3
  11. Visibility3
  12. Equipment3
  13. Parking brake3
  14. Exterior lighting2

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20001
200113
200216
200323
200415
200518
20064
20078
20086
20094
20105
20112
20120
20131
20141

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

27 reports
“I HAVE A 2001 FOCUS ZX3 - 5SP THAT TENDS TO STALL WHEN THE AC IS ON. BUT IT MAY NOT STALL DURING THE "INITIAL" USE PERIOD. WITHOUT WARNING, IT WILL STALL AFTER THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND THEN RESTARTED. MY SERVICE SHOP CHECKED THE COMPUTER CODES FOR A PROBLEM AND NOTHING CAME UP. YESTERDAY, IT WAS DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 30MINS WITH THE AC ON (OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE AROUND 80+ DEGREES). THE VEHICLE RAN FINE WITH THE RPMS NORMAL WHEN STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT 90 MINS. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART IT WOULD STALL. TO GET STARTED I NEEDED TO KEEP FOOT ON GAS PEDAL (TO MAINTAIN A HIGH ENOUGH RPM TO PREVENT THE STALL). IF I DID NOT KEEP THE RPMS UP, VEHICLE WOULD STALL. WHILE DRIVING AND STOPPING, I NEEDED TO KEEP MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL TO MAINTAIN THE RPMS. (THIS CAN BE CHALLENGING WITH A 5-SPD.) THE VEHICLE WAS THEN PARKED FOR OVER FOUR HOURS. IT THEN STARTED WITHOUT PROBLEM AND RAN NORMALLY. DURING THIS PERIOD I DID NOT HAVE THE AC ON. I SEE THAT THIS MAY BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FOCUS. HOWEVER, NEITHER FORD MOTOR'S CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE NOR THE LOCAL FORD DEALER ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP (ECHELON FORD)…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 15, 2010Engine and engine coolingODI 10336439

Power train

18 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SHIFT ANTI- LOCK ACTUATOR FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED OCTOBER 24, 2003 WHEN THE DEALER REPLACED THE SHIFTER AND THE CABLE ASSEMBLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT DID NOT WORK PROPERLY AND THAT THE SHOULDER STRAP WOULD NOT BUCKLE PROPERLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. THE ABS LIGHT WOULD RANDOMLY ILLUMINATE. UPDATED 12/15/11 UPDATED 12/28/11*LJ THE RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT WAS TWISTED, WHICH MADE IT INOPERABLE, THE BRAKE SHIFT INTER-LOCK MALFUNCTIONED AND THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE FROM PARK TO DRIVE. UPDATED 03.12.12”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 28, 2011Service brakes, hydraulic, Power train, Seat beltsODI 10437580

Vehicle speed control

15 reports4 crashes2 fires
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCORT. WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE DRAMATICALLY SURGED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPAIRED THE COIL SPRING IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, ALONG WITH OTHER COSMETIC REPAIRS. ONE MONTH LATER, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING SPACE, IT SURGED FORWARD AGAIN AND CRASHED INTO A PIPE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MODERATE DAMAGE. AN INVESTIGATOR FROM HER INSURANCE COMPANY IS IN THE PROCESS OF INSPECTING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 115,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 23, 2008Service brakes, hydraulic, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10231999

Suspension

13 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCORT PURCHASED APRIL 2002. THE REAR COIL SPRINGS, STRUTS, AND EGR VALVE WERE PLACED AT AN EXPENSE OF $870.00. AFTER THE REPAIR THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS, AND STRUTS FAILED, THEY THEN ADDED THAT THIS FAILURE WAS COMMON FOR HER MODEL TYPE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 59,000. UPDATED 11/23/09. *LJ UPDATED 11/24/09”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 5, 2009Suspension, Engine and engine coolingODI 10291068

Electrical system

12 reports2 fires
“I WAS AT THE STORE WITH MY SON (12 YEARS OLD) AND MY GRANDSON (3 YEARS OLD), WHEN WE WENT TO LEAVE THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED UP. IT WAS VERY COLD OUTSIDE, AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR I GOT AHOLD OF SOMEONE TO COME PICK US UP. WHEN I GOT HOME I DID SOME INTERNET RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AND NO RECALL? NO CAR, CAN'T PICK MY DAUGHTER UP AT HER FRIEND'S HOUSE (SHE IS STRANDED), CAN'T TAKE MY GRANDSON HOME AND HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO WORK TOMORROW. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE LEAVING PEOPLE STRANDED WITHOUT WARNING. ESPECIALLY IF THERE ARE HEALTH ISSUES OR CHILDREN INVOLVED. MY DAD IS 73 AND LOVES FORD, HE WAS SURPRISED AND DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THIS ALSO. WHAT IS FORD THINKING?.. GREED AND MONEY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 21, 2013Electrical systemODI 10493631

Air bags

10 reports10 crashes
“I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. I REAR ENDED A VEHICLE AT A STOP LIGHT. MY AIRBAG (DRIVERS) DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS FRONT END DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. AND I SUFFERED SEVERE WHIPLASH AND CHEST BONE PAIN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 14, 2009Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10283932
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

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