Total Complaints
32 filings
FORD ZX2 (ESCORT) · model year
32 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2001FORDZX2 (ESCORT) carries 32 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2001 ZX2 (ESCORT) is engine and engine cooling:engine with 6 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (3) and power train:automatic transmission (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 2001 ZX2 (ESCORT), and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
32 filings
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 6 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 3 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 |
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
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
Mileage: 169,000
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
Mileage: 82,000
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
Mileage: 92,900
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.
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.
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
Mileage: 65,000
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
Mileage: 59,900
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.
Mileage: 64,000
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.
Mileage: 64,000
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.
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
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
Mileage: 34,000
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
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
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
TURBULENT SHAKING WHILE AT IDLE; SURGING IDLE. *NLM
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
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
WHEN STOPPING OR AT A COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE WILL STALL.*AK
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Timing Belt Failure
Underbody shields detachment
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.