There are 50 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2002 Ford Escapein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I bought a vehicle that has recalls on it. I contacted a dealer. Im told the car is to old to fix the recalled abs relay. Now I have a vehicle thats on the road a fire hazard. The ford dealership have left me my with and kids and grand kids in danger
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while shifted in park(P), the key failed to release while the engine was running. The contact drove to a local O'Reilly's where one of the employees was able to remove the key from the ignition. The failure had gotten progressively worse. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the ignition lock cylinder had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 227,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE WAS WATER IN THE FUSE BOX. THE CONTACT CALLED FRIENDLY FORD (2800 N TELEGRAPH RD, MONROE, MI 48162, (734) 243-6000) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,002.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE DRIVER SMELLED A BURNING ODOR. THE CONTACT NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE VEHICLE EXPLODED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ASSESSED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE DAMAGED THE GARAGE AND THE SIDEWALK CONCRETE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V156000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AS A POSSIBLE REASON FOR THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. UPDATED 04/12/17LJ *CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT WALKED OUTSIDE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE ENGINE WAS NOT TURNED ON AND THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000.
NEIGHBOR WOKE ME SAYING MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. CAR WASN'T ON, THE KEY WAS NOT IN, AND IT HAD SAT OVERNIGHT. CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE PUT OUT. CAR IS TOTALED BECAUSE THE FIREMEN HAD TO BREAK INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. ENGINE AREA BURNED WITH NOTHING BUT METAL VISIBLE AND A MELTED BATTERY. I HAVE PICTURES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT INTO THE VEHICLE NEAR THE CONSOLE. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND QUICKLY EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT WAS LATER NOTIFIED OF RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V005000 (ELECTRICAL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
FOR THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF THE ABS WARNING LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATED. I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE LATEST RECALL FIXED REGARDING THE RESERVOIR CAP. FORD COULDN'T GET THE ABS WARNING LIGHT TO TURN OFF...SO, HENCE THE LIGHT STILL INTERMIDANTLY COMES ON AND OFF. ALSO, THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON WHEN I START MY CAR AND WHEN I AM SLOWING DOWN. I JUST HAD MY MECHANIC CHANGE THE OIL A WEEK AGO AND AND STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM. ONE LAST THING, THE AIR BAG ILLUMINATION LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T GET IT TO TURN OFF. AM I SAFE IN THINKING THAT MY AIR BAG WON'T DEPLOY JUST FOR THE HECK OF IT? NOT SURE WHAT TO DO? BUT IT SCARES ME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR BRAKE LINES HOSE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO RUST. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ALTERNATOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,037.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED FIFTEEN TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.
ARRIVED HOME, PARKED VEHICLE IN DRIVEWAY AND SHORTLY AFTER MY WIFE TOOK OUR PUPPY OUTSIDE AND SAW MY CAR WAS ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD, I WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE HOOD AND SAW FLAMES AND SPARKS COMING FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE FIREWALL AREA, CALLED FIRE DEPT AFTER MY FIRE EXTINGUISHER FAILED TO FULLY PUT OUT THE FIRE FEARING IT WOULD CATCH THE HOUSE ON FIRE AS I WAS PARKED LESS THAN 10 FT FROM IT. *TR
MY ESCAPE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY WHEN WE WENT TO GO TO TOWN AND IT WAS SMOKING THEN ON FIRE THIS WAS IN THE EVENING ABOUT 8 IF WE HADN'T GONE OUT WE WOULD HAVE HAD A HUGE FIRE WITCH COULD HAVE INVOLVED 3 OTHER CARS NOT TO MENTION OUR HOUSE WE LIVE IN RAMONA CA 92065 AND ITS FIRE SEASON WE ARE IN A RURAL AREA..
WHILE DRIVING AT AROUND 65 MPH ON A FREEWAY, THE CAR TURNED ON ABS LIGHT ALL OF SUDDEN AND IN A LESS THAN A MINUTE THE CAR'S ELECTRICITY ALL SHUT OFF, ENGINES SHUT OFF, STEERING SHUT OFF, BRAKES SHUT OFF, RADIO SHUT OFF. I'VE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM PREVIOUSLY MORE THAN 6 TIMES, BUT BEFORE, IT WAS WHEN I WAS DRIVING LESS THAN 30 MPH, BUT THIS TIME, IT HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY. IT HAPPENED WHILE PUTTING ON MY BREAKS, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS ONE OF THE RECALL PROBLEM THAT THE CAR STOPS WHILE DECELERATING. HOWEVER, THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT RECALL WORKS HAVE BEEN ALREADY DONE ON THE CAR BEFORE IT HAPPENED. SO I SUSPECT THAT THE DEALER DID NOT FIGURE OUT THE MAIN REASON WHY THE CAR IS STOPPING WHILE DECELERATING OR JUST DIDN'T WORK ON THE RECALL AND LIED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V005000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE CONDITION. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY FAILURES PRIOR TO THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT NOTICED EXCESSIVE SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD AND THE CAP LEAKED BRAKE FLUID, WHICH IMPACTED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND CAUSED A SHORT WITHIN THE WIRES AND THE ABS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIR. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,000.
ON MARCH 7,2012, SOMEONE KNOCKED ON MY DOOR AND TOLD ME MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. IT HAD BEEN PARKED ON MY CARPORT FOR OVER 2 HOURS.THERE WAS AN ABS RECALL BUT I WAS TOLD BY MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP THAT THE PARTS WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL AT LEAST JULY, MAYBE LONGER.THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE SAFE TO DRIVE SINCE I HAD NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH IT.THE ESCAPE WAS TOWED TO A SECURED LOCATION TO BE INSPECTED BY MY INSURANCE AND A FORD REP. NO CONCLUSSION @ THIS TIME. *TR
ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, 25A FUSE BLOWN- UPON REPLACEMENT SMOKE AND SPARKS FROM ABS MODULE CONNECTOR, INSPECTION REVEALS MELTED CONNECTOR COVER AND WIRING HARNESS, CORRODED WIRE TERMINALS AND ALSO A WIRE ARCING AT A BREAK INSIDE THE CONNECTOR COVER. THE 60A FUSE WAS REMOVED TO ISOLATE THE ABS SYSTEM FAULT FOR A LIMP HOME. ED MULLINAX FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT ACKNOWLEDGES ABS MODULE RECALL; HOWEVER, DEALERSHIP DENIES APPLICABLE TO THIS VEHICLE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN SPARKS STARTED TO SHOOT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RAPIDLY MOVE THE VEHICLE FROM OFF THE ROADWAY AND AS THE HOOD WAS LIFTED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE DISPATCHED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE AND THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED AS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FIRE BUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ADVISED THAT THE FIRE COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 9/16/11 *CN UPDATED 2/9/12 *CN
2002 FORD ESCAPE ELECTRICAL FIRE. VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN THAT DAY, BUT HAD GONE LESS THAN A MILE WHEN IT WAS NOTED THE SUV HAD A SMOKY SMELL AND WE PULLED OVER. WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS INVOLVED. IT APPEARED TO START NEAR THE BATTERY, THE BATTERY WAS APPROXIMATELY 8 WEEKS OLD. *TR
2002 FORD ESCAPE COLD PARKED, KEY-OFF VEHICLE FIRE - TOTAL LOSS UNINSURED AND FORD SO FAR HAS REFUSED COMPENSATION. *TR
MY AIRBAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON EVERY TIME I START MY FORD ESCAPE. UPON REVIEW OF THIS IT'S BEEN ON COMPLAINT WEBSITES SEVERAL TIMES BY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE. HOW MANY OF THESE PEOPLE NEED TO DIE DUE TO MALFUNCTION OF THE AIR BAGS BEFORE WE HAVE A RECALL. THIS LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE I'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE. ALSO MY WINDOW STOPPED GOING UP. THE DIPSTICK CAN'T GIVE A CLEAR READING OF THE OIL AMOUNT. THESE THINGS LEAD TO DEATH, CONSTANT AND COSTLY REPAIR, AND CONSTANT PROBLEMS. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026