Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2001 Ford Escort, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train13
- Engine and engine cooling12
- Vehicle speed control10
- Suspension9
- Air bags9
- Steering5
- Electrical system5
- Service brakes, hydraulic4
- Visibility2
- Seat belts2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 6 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2001 Ford Escort failed the safety check 2.65% of the time — 32% more often than the average 2001 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 78,858 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
27 cars built in 2001 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 112 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 464 of these cars first registered in 2001 took their annual MOT test. 63% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2001 the figure was 59%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2001 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 20.9% | 15.4% |
| Brakes | 15.7% | 13.4% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 14.4% | 19.3% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 12.1% | 9.7% |
| Tyres | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| Visibility | 5.0% | 7.6% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 2001 Ford Escort.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Ford told its dealers about the 2001 Ford Escort: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637615 | ROUGH IDLE, LOW POWER AND / OR STALL AT IDLE, A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATED AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0300 THROUGH P0304 STORED IN MEMORY. *TT |
| 636089 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.0L SPI ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATED AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC) P0300 THROUGH P0304 STORED. *TT |
| 636065 | INFORMATION REGARDING DISCHARGED BATTERY CHARGING SERVICE TIPS AND GUIDELINES. *TT |
| 630515 | ENGINE OIL SYSTEM PRIMING PROCEDURES, SERVICE TIPS FOR REPORTS OF PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. *TT |
| 630507 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATED WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1744 WITH NO DRIVEABILITY CONCERNS PRESENT. *TT |
| 630001 | SOME ENGINE ASSEMBLIES WITH ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS REPAIRED IN-VEHILE HAVE BEEN FOUND TO LEAK COOLANT AND/OR OIL FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET AREA. *TT |
| 627927 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT VACUUM OR AIR LEAKS IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND / OR ENGINE SYSTEM CAUSING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0171 AND OR P0174. *TT |
| 625715 | BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK.*JB |
| 623988 | INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC |
| 623944 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC |
| 621046 | EXHIBITING HIGHER THAN NORMAL IDLE SPEED, RUNS ROUGH AT IDLE AND / OR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0171. *TT |
| 619424 | SUBJECT REGARDING ENGINE OIL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR USE IN 2001 VEHICLES - SAE 5W-20 MOTOR OIL. *TT |
| 619329 | SOME VEHICLES WITH 2.0L SPI ENGINE ONLY, MAY EXHIBITA BURNING OIL SMELL NOTED FROM OUTSIDE OR FROM WITHIN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *TT |
| 10026389 | FORD: CERTAIN 1999-2001 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN NEW YORK AND CERTAIN 2001 VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF MAINE, CERTIFIED FOR SALE IN CALIFORNIA-FEDERAL EMISSION WARRANTY REFUND. *PE |
| 10019076 | REPLACE TIMING BELT IDLER PULLEY DURING 2.0L ZETEC ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD REPLACEMENT - SERVICE TIP. *TT |
| 10014086 | GENERAL (PCM) POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT |
| 10014062 | REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR. *TT |
| 10013116 | MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATED - SYSTEM LEAN DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC'S) - SERVICE TIPS. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2004 F-SERIES. *TT |
| 10013060 | CLIMATE CONTROL A/C SERVICE TECH TIPS. *EH |
| 10011159 | REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR. *TT |
| 10009870 | TRW VEHICLE SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC. IS RECALLING CERTAIN SERVICE REPLACEMENT SEATBELT RETRACTORS (DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT RETRACTOR IN GRAY) MANUFACTURED IN DECEMBER 2002 AND SOLD AS A SERVICE REPLACEMENT PART BETWEEN DECEMBER 2002 AND JULY 2004. *TT |
| 10009321 | INOPERATIVE ELECTRIC REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER (HEATED BACKLITE) GRID LINES, INTEGRAL ANTENNA CONCERNS. *TT |
| 10008580 | LAMP-BRAKE-INVADVERTENT DISABLING OF BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK. *MJ |
| 10004027 | REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY (RKE) - SERVICE TIPS. *TT |
| 10003194 | IDLE VIBRATION ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.0L SPI OR ZETEC ENGINE ONLY. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)