FaultScore

2002 Ford Escort engine problems

11 of the 41 complaints about the 2002 Ford Escort are about the engine — 27% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 41,000 miles.

C

11

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Engine AND Engine Cooling 5 45.5%
Engine 4 36.4%
Gasoline 2 18.2%

Engine & Cooling across every Ford Escort year

1986 11 2.0%
1987 14 2.6%
1988 28 5.1%
1989 30 5.5%
1990 12 2.2%
1991 17 3.1%
1992 16 2.9%
1993 37 6.8%
1994 37 6.8%
1995 62 11.4%
1996 36 6.6%
1997 75 13.8%
1998 57 10.5%
1999 64 11.8%
2000 24 4.4%
2001 13 2.4%
2002 11 2.0%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Corning, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2002 FORD ESCORT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE STOPPING AND DYING WHILE DRIVING *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE REPLACE THREE TIMES, AS WELL AS OTHER COMPONENTS. HOWEVER, THE STALLING CONTINUED. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE THE REASON FOR THE STALLING.

NHTSA complaint #10435936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 75,000 miles Sharon, TN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE VIBRATED WHEN IDLING. AS OF SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. NHTSA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 042410 REGARDING THE ENGINE WAS REFERENCED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000. UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED SHE BEGAN HEARING SQUEAKING NOISES COMING FROM THE ENGINE. UPDATED 12/12/07

NHTSA complaint #10203013 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 42,000 miles Mentor, OH

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

NO WARNING LIGHT WHEN OIL PUMP FAILED. THIS NON-ACTION LED TO MY ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDING TO BE REPAIRED. MILEAGE WAS AT APX. 45,000. WARRANTY RAN OUT, MUST PAY ON MY OWN. I FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY WITH THIS SINCE MY WARNING LIGHT DID NOT INFORM ME OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10131867 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,000 miles Springfield, OH

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

CAR HAS A HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING UNDER LOAD. THIS IS MOST NOTICABLE WHEN THE CAR IS WARM AND ESPECIALLY WHEN USING THE AIR CONDITIONING. AUTOMOBILE WAS TAKEN TO A GENERAL MECHANIC AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. ON THIS DATE, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THERE ARE NO SERVICE BULLETINS REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND THERE WERE NO ERROR CODES IN THE COMPUTER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY BELIEVED THIS TO BE A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR AND IT IS DUE TO THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR TEMPORARILY REDUCING ENGINE POWER WHEN CYCLING ON AND OFF. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION AS THE CAR CAN LOSE POWER DURING THE ACT OF PASSING A VEHICLE OR MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY.

NHTSA complaint #10100581 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mcdonough, GA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

ENTIRE CAR VIBRATES NOTICEABLY AT IDLE. DEALER STATED THAT IT IS CHARACTERISTIC OF VEHICLE, BUT SINCE THERE WAS AN EXISTING TSB ON THE PROBLEM, ATTEMPTED A FIX. (TO NO AVAIL.)

NHTSA complaint #10080745 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 4,000 miles Whittier, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE VIBRATED AND SHOOK VIOLENTLY, THEN STALLED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER TEN TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK THE VEHICLE REMAINED TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10058013 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 43,460 miles Annapolis, MD

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

2002 FORD ESCAPE STALLED WHILE GOING DOWN-HILL AT 35-40 MPH. ENGINE STOPPED. LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. ENGINE RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER PLACING IN "NEUTRAL" POSITION. FUEL TANK WAS ABOUT 1/4 FULL. THIS IS THE THIRD SUCH EVENT WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE LAST SUCH FAILURE WAS ON THE SAME ROAD AND AT EXACTLY THE SAME LOCATION!! GIVEN THE SIMILARITY OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THE NUMEROUS OTHER REPORTS, I SUSPECT THERE MUST BE A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER CONTROL SYSTEM OR SOFTWARE.

NHTSA complaint #10045640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 1 miles SAN Antonio, TX

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

SHAKING IN STEERING WHEEL. MOST NOTICABLE DURING ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. WAS MENTIONED TO SALESPERSON AT TIME OF TEST DRIVE. HE STATED HE WOULD HAVE THE TIRES BALANCED AND AN ALIGNMENT DONE. AT NO TIME PRIOR TO PURCHASE DID ANYONE STATE IT WAS A BUILT IN DEFECT. WHEN WE MET THE SERVICE PEOPLE THEY WERE TOLD THE TYPE OF VEHICLE BEING PURCHASED AND THE FACT WE WOULD BE BRINGING IT IN FOR THE SHAKING. THIS WAS INTENTIONALLY DISHONEST. WE ATTEMPTED TO TRADE IN ON ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE SAME DEALERSHIP OFFERED US $7500. THIS IS AFTER 3 MONTHS AND 3 THOUSAND MILES FOR A DEFECT THEY KNEW ABOUT. THE TSB DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10003179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Coal Mountain, WV

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

STALLS AT RED LIGHTS WON'T IDLE VIBRATION AT IDLE SHAKES THE WHOLE CAR. DT

NHTSA complaint #769479 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Coal Mountin, WV

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

PLEASE ADD MORE INFORMATION. MR

NHTSA complaint #8021433 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Charlotte, NC

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THE STEERING WHEEL/COLUMN SHAKES AND VIBRATES. THIS HAPPENS USUALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IDLING. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS NORMAL, IT IS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS RUBBER MOTOR MOUNTS, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES AND NOTHING HAS BEEN FIXED. I FEEL THAT I WAS MISLEAD AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. WHEN I MENTIONED THE SHAKING STEERING WHEEL TO THE SALESMAN, HE DIDN'T SAY IT IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF CAR, HE SAID WE WILL FIX IT. I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THE CAR FOR $17720.00 IF I HAD KNOWN THAT IT WOULD DO THAT ALL THE TIME. I WOULD HAVE TAKEN THAT MONEY AND BOUGHT A BETTER CAR OR KEPT THE ONE I TRADED IN.

NHTSA complaint #762308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

← Full 2002 Ford Escort report