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2002 Ford EscapeProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1,027 owner complaints about the 2002 Ford Escape, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 8 safety recalls, and for recall 15V-606 the manufacturer reports only 21% of affected cars repaired.

2002 Ford Escape
48
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.1× the Escape median · #11 of 24 years by complaints
Safety recalls8Lowest repair rate 21%Owner complaints1,027204 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage31kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 18, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Bull-Doser, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Ford Escape has problems

1,027 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling29434
Service brakes, hydraulic14947
Electrical system12332
Power train1058
Vehicle speed control10035
Structure875
Suspension804
Air bags7924
Steering708
21 other systems24640

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

8 recalls

2002 Ford Escape recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

21%repaired · 2017 Q1

Automatic transmission: gear position indication (prndl)

Recall 15V-606 · Sep 29, 2015 · 57 vehicles · 12 repaired

Risk. If the shift lever disengages from the transmission, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

37%repaired · 2015 Q3

Structure: frame and members

Recall 14V-165 · Apr 2, 2014 · 348,950 vehicles · 129,882 repaired

Risk. A separation of the lower control arm can result in a significant loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Engine and engine cooling

Recall 12V-353 · Jul 26, 2012 · 529,719 vehicles

Risk. A stuck throttle may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop or slow the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module

Recall 12V-005 · Jan 9, 2012 · 244,530 vehicles

Risk. CORROSION CAN DEVELOP IN THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR LEADING TO MELTING, SMOKE OR A FIRE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 4 more recalls
–no report yet

Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module

Recall 07V-156 · Apr 10, 2007 · 446,460 vehicles

Risk. AN ELECTRICAL SHORT MIGHT CAUSE AN ABS MALFUNCTION THAT WOULD ILLUMINATE THE ABS WARNING LIGHT, AND IN SOME CASES, THE MODULE MAY OVERHEAT RESULTING IN BURNING…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Vehicle speed control: cables

Recall 04V-574 · Dec 7, 2004 · 470,245 vehicles

Risk. AN UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN ENGINE IDLE SPEED MAY INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCE AND MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Mileage at failure

When do engine and engine cooling problems start?

31kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 123 engine and engine cooling complaints. 80% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
60under 30k miles98under 100k miles25100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Power train

10 owners mentioned a cost

$3,578median

Middle half: $3,125 – $4,000

Air bags

10 owners mentioned a cost

$400median

Middle half: $325 – $438

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2002 vs. every other Escape year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Escape median. How we score

'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2002 Ford Escape safety ratings

2002 Ford Escape 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Rollover: 3 stars (0.0% risk)
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
10 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2002 Ford Escape, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion AuditAQ10001 · closed Dec 28, 2015
    No recall
  2. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIREDP09003 · closed Apr 15, 2009
    No recall
  3. Cruise Control CableDP12005 · closed Jul 17, 2012
    No recall
  4. ENGINE STALLINGEA02027 · closed Apr 15, 2004
    Led to recall 04V-165
  5. Engine Compartment FireEA10002 · closed Feb 29, 2012
    Led to recall 12V-005
  6. ENGINE STALLINGPE01043 · closed Sep 10, 2002
    No recall
  7. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIREPE06048 · closed Apr 17, 2007
    Led to recall 07V-156
  8. Stuck ThrottlePE12019 · closed Feb 21, 2013
    Led to recall 12V-353
  9. ENGINE STALLINGRP04002 · closed Aug 31, 2004
    No recall
  10. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRERQ09002 · closed Jan 15, 2010
    No recall
In owners' words

What Escape owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN HER DRIVEWAY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND FILED A REPORT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER AND THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLES WERE MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS…
Complaint 11102440 · Jun 18, 2018 · 145,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER (BLACKWELL FORD, 41001 PLYMOUTH RD, PLYMOUTH, MI) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CROSS FRAME, LOWER CONTROL ARM, AND EXHAUST NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE…
Complaint 11065850 · Jan 30, 2018 · 185,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EXHAUST FUMES ENTERED THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE HEATER AND AIR CONDITIONER WERE ACTIVATED, THE AMOUNT OF EXHAUST FUMES INCREASED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF…
Complaint 10954777 · Feb 15, 2017 · 250,000 miles

Own a 2002 Escape?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.