2001 Ford ZX2 (escort)

Routine

Owners filed 18 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › engine. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine5
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission3
000
Engine and Engine Cooling2
000
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal1
000
Structure › Body › Hood1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip1
000
Seat Belts1
000
Parking Brake1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline1
000
Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under Dash1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Seat Belts
Filed Aug 23, 2010CO

2001 FORD ESCORT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY CAME OUT OF THE FRAME OF THE CAR. DRIVER TRIED TO BUCKLE SEAT BELT AND THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY CAME PULLED AWAY FROM FRAME. DRIVER CANNOT BE SAFELY BUCKLED IN NOW. DAMAGED PART CANNOT BE REPAIRED AS METAL WOULD HAVE TO BE WELDED AND WE ARE UNSURE IF WELD WILL PROVIDE PROPER PROTECTION. *TR

Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Sep 14, 2009169,000 milesCA

I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. I REAR ENDED A VEHICLE AT A STOP LIGHT. MY AIRBAG (DRIVERS) DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS FRONT END DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. AND I SUFFERED SEVERE WHIPLASH AND CHEST BONE PAIN. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Jul 14, 200882,000 milesOH

THE PREVIOUS OWNER, WHO WAS ALSO THE ORIGINAL OWNER, HAD THE SAME PROBLEM I DO, IT WAS MY DAD'S CAR SO I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT IT. WHILE DRIVING, MOSTLY WHEN COASTING OR SLOWING DOWN, THE OIL LIGHT, THEN THE BATTERY LIGHT COME ON AND THE CAR SHUTS OFF. THE CAR CAN BE STARTED UP IMMEDIATELY WITH NO PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THE CHARGING SYSTEM CHECKED-EVERYTHING WAS OPERATIVE. MY DAD HAS HAD NUMEROUS OIL CHANGES AND THE DEALERSHIP-WHICH IS WHERE HE ALWAYS GOT SERVICED, NEVER FOUND ANY PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE WHILE PERFORMING OIL CHANGES. IT'S DRIVING ME NUTS BECAUSE IT SHUTS OFF ON ME LIKE THIS 2 OR MORE TIMES A WEEK, MY DAD HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM SINCE HE BOUGHT THE CAR WITHIN THE YEAR THE 2001 MODELS WERE RELEASED. *TR

Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under Dash
Filed Sep 14, 200692,900 milesIN

BLOWER MOTOR IN CAR QUIT WORKING. THE BLOWER MOTOR WHICH IS LOCATED UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE DASH HAD SHORT CIRCUITED CAUSING THE WIRE TO MELT AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A FIRE HAZARD. *NM

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed May 26, 2005OH

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR. IT SHAKES AND VIBRATES REALLY BAD. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS TAKEN TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISIC OF THE MOTOR. WELL, IT WAS GETTING WORSE SO I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS NEEDED REPLACED. I HAD ALL OF THOSE REPLACED. IT STILL SHAKES AND VIBRATES A LOT. IT ONLY HAS 32,000 MILES ON IT. IT SHAKES SO MUCH THAT MY HOOD BECOMES LOOSE AND HAS TO BE TIGHTNED UP. IT WOULDN'T GO OUT OF PARK EITHER SO THAT HAD TO BE FIXED. NOW, IT WON'T START. IT'S AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP YET A THIRD TIME BECAUSE IT WILL ONLY START IF IT'S JUMP STARTED. IF YOU TRY TO USE THE AIR CONDITIONER, EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL IN THE CAR GOES HAYWIRE. THEY THINK IT'S AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM NOW. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS CAR AS IT ONLY HAD 15 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT AND IT RAN SMOOTHLY. NOW IT ONLY HAS 32,000 MILES ON IT BUT IT SHAKES AND VIBRATES LIKE IT HAS OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT.

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Apr 11, 2005AZ

VEHICLE SLOWLY DEVELOPED A LOW, ROUGH IDLE AND WILL NOW SOMETIMES STALL WHILE AT IDLE. THIS PRODUCED A SAFETY CONCERN AS IT HAS STALLED WHILE SLOWING DOWN IN MOVING TRAFFIC, MAKING TURNS, ETC. APPARANTLY THERE IS A TSB (03-15-15) ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 9, 200565,000 milesSC

MY CAR VIBRATES WHEN I AM AT A COMPLETE STOP WITH MY FOOT ON THE BREAK. IT VIBRATES SO BAD THAT I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL PLACES AN NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHY IT VIBRATES SO MUCH. THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT HAPPEN WHEN I AM IN DRIVE OR "N". *AK

Parking Brake
Filed Jun 30, 200459,900 milesIN

FORD ESCORT ZX2 - BRAKE PROBLEMS. PREMATURE WEARING OF ROTARIES AND DRUM. LOCKING UP OF COMPONENTS INVOLVING THE EMERGENCY BRAKES. INCIDENT FIRST HAPPENED IN JANUARY 2004, THEN WITH BACK DRUM IN JUNE 2004.*AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Apr 13, 200464,000 milesTX

I HAVE A 2001 FORD ZX2. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED ON IT IN MARCH 1, 2002 AND NOW IT IS GONE AGAIN IT IS NOW 4/12/2004. MY CAR WILL NOT GO IN REVERSE. BEFORE THAT IT CONSTANTLY SHAKES UNTIL THE CAR TURNED OFF WHEN I WAS STOPPED FOR TOO LONG.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Mar 9, 2004OH

SINCE DAY ONE WHEN I BROUGHT THIS CAR, BRAND NEW, IT HAS A VERY ROUGH IDLE. TOOK IT TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND NO LUCK, I HAVE GIVEN UP. I HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL WHEN I'M AT A STOP TO KEEP IT FROM VIBRATING SO BAD. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS MESS....I'M SORRY I BROUGHT THIS CAR.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Dec 9, 2003NE

I BEEN DRIVING A FORD ESCORT ZX2 (2001) THAT HAS LESS THAN 25,000 MILES AND ABS. BRAKING HARD AND/OR ON SLIPPARY CONDITIONS CAUSES THE BRAKES TO GRIND HARD AND LOUD NOISES. SOMETIMES WHILE IT SNOWING THE BRAKES/ABS FAIL.ED ONE TIME WHILE IT WAS SNOWING THE BRAKES GRID BUT DID NOT STOP THE CAR. THIS CAUSED THE CAR TO SLID RIGHT THOUGH THE RED LIGHT. LUCKLY, I WAS ABLE TO SKID TO THE SIDE AVOIDING ALL TRAFFIC. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF THIS PROBLEM WAS LOOKED INTO. I DO NOT WANT AN ACCIDENTS TO OCCUR BECAUSE OF FAULT BRAKE SYSTEM(S). IF YOU NEED ANY MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT ME. THANK YOU, JAMES BECKWITH. *AK

Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal
Filed Oct 22, 200334,000 milesIL

CONSUMER PRESSED DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AFTER VEHICLE WAS IDLE FOR AWHILE, CAUSING SEVERE VIBRATION, AND MAKING IT HARD FOR VEHICLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE VIBRATION. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jun 12, 2003MO

VEHICLE VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE IDLE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER OVER TEN TIMES. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. ALSO, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE MOTOR MOUNTS. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Apr 14, 2003TX

SEVERE VIBRATION ON VEHICLE WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. DEALER REFUSES TO WORK ON PROBLEM STATING THAT THE VIBRATION IS NORMAL ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. *NLM

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Apr 10, 2003TX

TURBULENT SHAKING WHILE AT IDLE; SURGING IDLE. *NLM

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Aug 8, 2002OH

VEHICLE HAD ONGOING SEVERE VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL AND GLOVE BOX TO THE POINT IT SHAKES BOLTS LOOSE IN MUD FLAPS, SEVERE CLUNKING IN REVERSE DO TO ENGINE NOT BEING SECURED IN VEHICLE DUE TO FAILED MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION MOUNTS AFTER REPLACMENT STILL SHAKES BUT NOT AS SEVERE STILL LOOK IN SIDE MIRRORS AND VISION OBSTRUCTED TO DO SHAKING MIRROR. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jul 1, 2002NM

WHEN STOPPING OR AT A COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE WILL STALL.*AK

Structure › Body › Hood
Filed Sep 14, 2001KY

VEHICLE RATTLES WHEN DRIVING, DEALER READJUSTED THE HOOD.*JB

18 of 18 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2001
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20036000Routine
200212000Routine
2001 — this page18000Routine
20007000Routine
199915000Routine
19988001Fatalities reported

Compare every ZX2 (escort) year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.