1st generation · CD2 · 7,244 complaints, 5,288 with mileage
Owners filed 7,244 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001–2007 Ford Escape, and 5,288 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
50% of failures occur beyond 100,000 miles — a wear pattern. The car generally reaches substantial mileage before trouble starts.
The most-reported areas are body structure (12.8% of complaints, typically around 120,000 miles), the suspension (12.6% of complaints, typically around 120,000 miles), the engine and its cooling system (10.8% of complaints, typically around 58,000 miles).
5 recall campaigns cover this generation.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 924 | 12.8% | 120,000 | 90,470–150,000 |
| Suspension | 912 | 12.6% | 120,000 | 93,000–150,000 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 780 | 10.8% | 58,000 | 21,800–99,716 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 691 | 9.5% | 85,000 | 50,700–124,826 |
| Power Train | 565 | 7.8% | 78,805 | 49,000–116,000 |
| Electrical System | 563 | 7.8% | 90,000 | 45,000–127,000 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 412 | 5.7% | 78,750 | 40,000–110,033 |
| Engine | 320 | 4.4% | 116,660 | 89,014–150,000 |
| Air Bags | 319 | 4.4% | 72,200 | 40,000–112,700 |
| Steering | 287 | 4.0% | 99,350 | 49,000–135,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 1,389 | 637 |
| 2002 | 1,397 | 890 |
| 2003 | 736 | 589 |
| 2004 | 715 | 610 |
| 2005 | 2,030 | 1,747 |
| 2006 | 627 | 529 |
| 2007 | 350 | 286 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 100,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
Body structure accounts for 12.8% of complaints (924 reports, 791 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 120,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 90,470 and 150,000 miles.
The suspension accounts for 12.6% of complaints (912 reports, 781 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 120,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 93,000 and 150,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 10.8% of complaints (780 reports, 369 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 58,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 21,800 and 99,716 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 9.5% of complaints (691 reports, 535 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 85,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,700 and 124,826 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 7.8% of complaints (565 reports, 427 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 78,805 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 49,000 and 116,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 7.8% of complaints (563 reports, 388 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 90,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 45,000 and 127,000 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2005 model year drew the most — 2,030 complaints — while 2007 drew the fewest at 350. The median year sits at 736.
That makes 2005 an outlier: roughly 2.8 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
NHTSA records 5 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Of the 7,244 complaints filed against this generation, 411 reported a crash; 332 reported a fire; 322 reported an injury; 18 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 5.7% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, a late-failure pattern shifts the question from whether to when. 50% of reported failures occur beyond 100,000 miles, so an example approaching that figure is approaching the range where other owners started reporting problems. The middle half of all failures falls between 58,000 and 133,148 miles.
On inspection, body structure and the suspension are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Body structure in particular shows a median failure mileage of 120,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Texas Instruments speed control deactivation switch mounted in the master cylinder can leak brake fluid onto the switch contacts and ignite, causing an engine-bay fire with the vehicle parked and off. Part of Ford's multi-model speed-control switch recall campaign.
Rear subframe corrodes and can fracture or separate in road-salt states, allowing loss of rear suspension location. Addressed by region-specific inspection/replacement campaigns.
CD4E 4-speed automatic suffers forward clutch and torque converter failures; a common complaint cluster across the generation.
3.0L Duratec V6 intake manifold and coolant crossover leaks leading to overheating.
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 15V606000 | 2015-10-23 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Floor Shift |
| 14V526000 | 2014-10-30 | Hybrid Propulsion System |
| 14V165000 | 2014-05-30 | Structure:Frame And Members |
| 12V353000 | 2012-08-03 | Vehicle Speed Control:Cables |
| 12V005000 | 2012-06-19 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module |