Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Tires. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

20 reports

32,000 miles · Jan 28, 2005

Vehicle Speed Control

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I HAVE A 2001 FORD ESCAPE. BOTH RADIO AND TELEVISION REPORTED ABOUT THE GAS PEDAL STICKING FOR A RECALL. WHEN I CALLED FORD TO REPORT IT, THEY SAID MY VIN # WAS NOT A RECALL. WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO SAY WHAT VIN # HAS A WORKING OR DEFECTIVE ITEM. THE DEFECTIVE PART COULD HAVE BEEN SHIPPED ANYWHERE. MY GAS PEDAL DOES STICK AND I AM UPSET TO THINK THAT NOONE CARES. I HAVE A 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER DRIVING. SHE ALSO NOTICES THE PROBLEM. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE IN A SCHOOL ZONE BECAUSE WHEN YOU PRESS THE GAS PEDAL IT WON'T MOVE...IT STICKS, SO YOU HAVE TO PRESS IT WITH MORE FORCE WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO GO FASTER. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. I WOULD APPRECIATE HEARING FROM SOMEONE ON THIS SUBJECT. THANK-YOU. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10108189

79,000 miles · Dec 21, 2004

Suspension

WHEN I START MY CAR THERE IS A TICKING NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE ITS COMING FROM AROUND THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. IT TICKS UP UNTIL ABOUT 10-15 MPH AND WHEN I STOP I CAN HEAR IT. WHEN I TAKE OFF AGAIN IT STARTS TO TICK UNTIL I PASS THE 10-15 MPH MARK*AK

NHTSA ODI #10104247

Mileage unknown · Apr 21, 2003

Electrical System

THE VEHICLES WIRING HARNESS RUBBED AGAINST THE AIR CONDITIONING UNDER THE HOOD WHICH CAUSED NUMEROUS SHORTS IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE IS A 2001 FORD TRITAN V80 TRUCK. *NLM *SCC

NHTSA ODI #10017218

12,000 miles · Feb 12, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

MY 2001 FORD LIGHTNING SHOT A SPARK PLUG OUT OF ITS MOTOR. THE TRUCK IS 100% STOCK AND HAS NEVER BEEN TOUCHED. I JUST TURNED THE KEY AND IT POPPED OUT, STRIPPING THE MOTOR HEAD.

NHTSA ODI #10005746

25,592 miles · Feb 11, 2003

Equipment

SPARK PLUGS COMING OUT OF HEADS ON MY 2001 FORD F150 LIGHTNING

NHTSA ODI #10005709

Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2002

Tires

GRABBER AW; TIRE SIZE P27560R17; TIRE HAS VIBRATIONS AND WAS TAKEN TO A BALANCE MECHANIC. TIRE CANNOT BE REBALANCED, QUESTIONED IF ONE OF THE LAYERS WERE OUT OF TREAD. *AK THE VIBRATION HAPPENED AT 65 MPH AND CANNOT BE BALANCED OUT. THE MECHANIC SAY IT MAY BE TREAD SEPARATION. *SCC

NHTSA ODI #8017063

Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 2001

Unknown Or Other

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE CHEMICAL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #749098

Mileage unknown · Feb 5, 2001

Tires

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TIRES DID NOT FAIL, BUT VIBRATE AT A RESONANT SPEED ON HIGHWAY. THIS SPEED VARIES WITH LOADING OF VEHICLE. THE HIGHER THE LOADING, THE HIGHER THE SPEED AT WHICH THEY VIBRATE. MY FEAR IS THAT THEY ARE DELAMINATING AND I COULD HAVE A FUTURE PROBLEM. IT IS THE 16" RIM, SO THE TIRE HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. I HAVE HEARD OF THREE OTHER EXPLORERS WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. THEY BOUGHT A NEW SET OF TIRES (ON A BRAND NEW VEHICLE) AND THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE SITUATION, BUT CHOOSES TO STAY OUT OF IT IN LIGHT OF RECENT BAD PRESS. *AK (TIRESIZE: 245/75R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 245/75R16 )

NHTSA ODI #740442

Mileage unknown · Dec 31, 2000

Engine And Engine Cooling

UPON STARTING ENGINE TO WARM UP A MAJOR KNOCKING NOISE CAME FROM LIFTER/VALVE AREA AND ENGINE STARTED TO LOOSE POWER/ I STOPPED ENGINE CONTACTED DEALER SVC DEPT. AND HAD TRUCK TOWED TO WADE FORD BUFORD GA. *AK

NHTSA ODI #738557

Mileage unknown · Aug 9, 2000

Tires

TIRES ROTATING ON RIM. TIRES MOVED 90 DEGREES ON RIM CAUSING TIRES TO BECOME UNBALANCED( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 15 )

NHTSA ODI #727255

Official recalls

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

RQ04011 · Front Seat Belt Buckle Assembly

Opened Oct 22, 2004 · Closed Feb 17, 2005

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN (01V227), FORD RECALLED APPROXIMATELY 1.3 MILLION VEHICLES TO INSPECT AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE FRONT DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER SEAT BELT BUCKLE.APPROXIMATELY 1.1 MILLION OWNERS RESPONDED BY TAKING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION OF THE BUCKLE USING A SPECIALIZED BUCKLE TEST TOOL.FORD REPORTED THAT 829,927 VEHICLES HAD BOTH BUCKLES PASS THE TOOL TEST AND ANOTHER 167,336 VEHICLES HAD ONE BUCKLE PASS.ODI AND FORD RECEIVED COMPLAINTS ALLEGING SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER PASSING THE ORIGINAL RECALL INSPECTION SERVICE.COMPLAINANTS ALLEGED THAT THE BUCKLE FAILED BY EITHER NOT LATCHING OR FALSE-LATCHING (PARTIAL ENGAGEMENT OF THE LATCH TO THE LATCH PLATE).A FALSE-LATCHED BUCKLE MAY RELEASE WITH MINOR MOVEMENT OR IMPACT AGAINST THE BUCKLE HOUSING INCLUDING INADVERTENT RELEASE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.ODI IS UPGRADING THIS RECALL QUERY TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA05-004) TO FURTHER ANALYZE THE FIELD PERFORMANCE OF THOSE VEHICLES THAT FORD DEALERS PASSED (ONE OR BOTH BUCKLES) USING FORD'S INSPECTION TEST (997,263 VEHICLES).