FaultScore

2001 Ford Escape headlight problems

11 of the 1,389 complaints about the 2001 Ford Escape are about the lighting — 1% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 200,000 miles.

D

11

Complaints

1

Crashes

1

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Headlights 4 36.4%
Interior Lighting 3 27.3%
Exterior Lighting 2 18.2%
High/Low Beam Dimmer Switch 1 9.1%
FOG Lights 1 9.1%

Lights across every Ford Escape year

2001 11 8.3%
2002 12 9.1%
2013 15 11.4%
2014 15 11.4%
2015 14 10.6%
2017 41 31.1%
2018 11 8.3%
2019 13 9.8%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 200,000 miles BAY City, MI Fire

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PLASTIC CABLE CONNECTOR ABOVE THE HEADLIGHT BEGAN TO MELT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE PART WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA complaint #10855304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 210,000 miles Campbell, NY Crash 1 injured

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

MY SON WAS GOING DOWN THE ROAD ABOUT 60 MILES AN HOUR WHEN A BIG DEER CAME OUT IN FRONT OF HIM. HE JAMMED ON HIS BRAKES SKIDDING BUT STILL HIT THE DEER TOTALING THE CAR. NOT ONE OF THE AIRBAGS CAME OUT. HE WENT FORWARD HITTING HIS UPPER BODY AND FACE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. HE HAD HIS SEAT BELT ON. THE POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE ACCIDENT. HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY FRIENDS. HE TURNED BLACK AND BLUE AND STILL IS HURTING. THE CAR WAS JUST INSPECTED THE END OF OCTOBER. I FEEL FORD AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE. THAT THE CAR SHOULD BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE AIRBAGS NOT WORKING CAUSING INJURY. I'M WITHOUT A CAR...UPDATED 12/04/14*BF UPDATED 06/2/2015

NHTSA complaint #10659367 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Malden, MA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

IN MY 2001 FORD ESCAPE XLT BOTH FRONT HEADLIGHTS HAVE LOST THEIR SEALS, AT SEPARATE TIMES WITHOUT ANY DAMANGE TO THE VEHICLE HAVING OCCURRED, AND WATER ENTER THE LIGHT COMPARTMENT, DIFUSING THE HEADLIGHT AND NECESSITATING ABOUT $300 IN REPLACEMENT COSTS, EACH. I JUST FIND IT VERY STRANGE THAT BOTH LIGHTS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT IS AN UNUSUAL PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH. THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT WENT AROUND JUNE 2004 AND THE PASSENGER SIDE ONE JUST BROKE.

NHTSA complaint #10125867 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 36,568 miles Louisville, KY

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

VEHICLE HAD A RECALL TO REPROGRAM POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE WHICH WAS CORRECTED (?) ON 6/9/04. ON 7/2/04 VEHICLE WOULD NOT IDLE AND SUBSEQUENTLY WOULD QUIT RUNNING. TAKEN TO DEALER AND DEALER REPLACED IGNITION CONTROL VALVE. DEALER STATES IT WAS NOT RELATED TO THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE REPROGRAM. CAR WAS OUT OF MANUFACTURER WARRANTY, WITH 36,568 MILES AT TIME OF FAILURE. OTHER ITEMS OF CONCERN ON THIS VEHICLE INCLUDE THE LEFT HEADLIGHT AS DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLY AND ALLOWS MOISTURE BUILDUP. DEALER AGAIN REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE A DEFECT AND REFUSES TO REPAIR AT THEIR COST (ESTIMATE COST APPX. $200 TO REPAIR THEIR DEFECT). OTHER ISSUES INCLUDE THE REPLACEMENT OF A COOLANT SENSOR, AND REPLACED A DPFE (ENVIRONMENT PROBLEM THAT WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY).

NHTSA complaint #10107666 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Napples, FL

INTERIOR LIGHTING

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT WHILE THE CONSUMER IS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ALL THE LIGHTS AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SHUT OFF ALSO. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. NLM

NHTSA complaint #8007795 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lynco, WV

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE HEADLIGHT WILL COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THE LOW BEAM FAILS INTERMITTENTLY AND IS UNPREDICTABLE.

NHTSA complaint #8007058 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lynco, WV

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE HEADLIGHT WILL COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THE LOW BEAM FAILS INTERMITTENTLY AND IS UNPREDICTABLE.

NHTSA complaint #8007058 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Aurora, NY

INTERIOR LIGHTING

WHILE DRIVING DASHBOARD LIGHTS WILL GO OFF WITHOUT APRIOR WARNING, HAD CONTACTED DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #8005780 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Anchorage, AK

INTERIOR LIGHTING

THE OVERHEAD MAP LIGHTS IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE DO NOT COME ON WHEN THE DRIVER DOOR IS OPENED. THE CENTER AND BACK DOME LIGHTS COME ON AND THEN FADE, HOWEVER, THERE ISN'T ENOUGH LIGHT IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE TO SEE TO PUT THE KEY IN WITHOUT MANUALLY TURNING ON THE MAP LIGHT. I HAVE 2 FRIENDS WHO HAVE THE SAME YEAR MODEL, AND THEIR MAP LIGHTS COME UP. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER, HE SAID A CHANGE IN WIRING WAS MADE TO THEIR VEHICLES AND WOULD GLADLY CHARGE ME $300 TO FIX MINE. I LIVE IN ALASKA WHERE 6 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR IT'S DARK AND I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY HARZARD IN GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE WITHOUT HAVING ADEQUATE LIGHTING TO SEE TO PUT THE KEY IN. WE'VE TALKED TO THE SEVICE MANAGER AND THEY ARE UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING FOR US. THEY HAVE APOLOGIZED FOR WASTING MY TIME, AND LEAVING ME SIT IN THEIR WAITING AREA FOR 8 HOURS AND THEN ANNOUNCING THEY "FORGOT" ABOUT ME. WHEN TOLD IT WOULD TAKE AN ADDTIONAL 3 1/2 HOURS TO FIX, AND COST ME $300, THERE WASN'T ENOUGH TIME LEFT IN THE DAY TO COMPLETE THE JOB IF I CHOSE TO SPEND THE MONEY AND WOULD HAVE HAD TO COME BACK AT ANOTHER TIME. I FEEL THIS IS A TRUE SAFETY HAZARD WHEN I CAN'T SEE TO PUT THE KEY IN AND START THE VEHICLE UP.

NHTSA complaint #758324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Canada, KY

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HAS BAD SEAL CAUSING HEADLIGHT TO FILL WITH WATER, DEALER STATED THIS WOULD EVENTUALLY RUIN REFLECTIVE BACKING, ONE OF THE FOG LIGHTS BLEW OUT. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #561406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Canada, KY

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:FOG LIGHTS

PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HAS BAD SEAL CAUSING HEADLIGHT TO FILL WITH WATER, DEALER STATED THIS WOULD EVENTUALLY RUIN REFLECTIVE BACKING, ONE OF THE FOG LIGHTS BLEW OUT. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #561406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2001 Ford Escape problems

← Full 2001 Ford Escape report