2001 Ford Escape: shudder or vibration when accelerating

Filed Jan 9, 2014 · Transmission · 151,000 miles · VA

While accelerating on the interstate, vehicle approached 50 miles an hour when it felt like the transmission was about to fall out of the vehicle. After talking with a lot of people and doing research, they call this shudder. It fills like when you drive off the edge of the interstate white line and hit the rough pavement. It would stop if I let up off the gas. I have no check engine light or transmission light showing on the dashboard. No error codes when the code reader was hooked up on the vehicle. This vehicle has already been to the dealership twice for this issue. The first time we had all of the gaskets and vacuum hoses replaced cost was over 1400 dollars. The second time we had the whole transmission serviced by the dealership over 700 dollars along with other items. The dealership has still not been able to identify the cause for the problem. There was a tech bulletin that came out a while back on the cd4e shudder problem and appears that the federal safety agency should force ford to do a recall on ford escapes for the shudder problem they have since the tech bulletin has come out and no solution has been done. All the research I have done seems to point to the torque converter which is not an easy fix and is costly. There needs to be a recall on this.

Filed Apr 29, 2005 · Transmission · 48,000 miles · MA

Transmission failure resulting in unsafe operating conditions. Vehicle developed intermittent shudder during accelerations along with intermittent loss and slipping of forward gears. Hazardous conditions when merging with traffic or under normal driving conditions since condition was unpredictable and vehicle did not respond to driver's input. Appeared to happen mostly in cold weather conditions. Failure also resulted in non compliance with fmvss regulations since shift lever did not correspond accurately to operator's intended vehicle driving mode (I.e no forward motion when shift selector was in drive position). Multiple technical service bulletins exist for this cd4e auto transaxle relating to this failure mode in ford system and also on the federal safety agency website, so condition is known and is widespread on many vehicles. Created very hazardous driving situations before catastrophic failure resulting in inoperative vehicle.

Filed Dec 12, 2004 · Transmission · 84,440 miles · IN

Purchased escape new in 2001. In 2002, with 30,000 miles, transmission had a severe shudder, so I took into the dealer and was charges over $100 for a transmission flush. Shudder came back about 3 months later, went back to dealer and they said that another $100 transmission flush was needed. I did not agree and left. In june of 2004, without any warning, transmission started whinning and would not shift. I was driving in the city at slow speeds. Managed to get it home(20 miles in about an hour!) and parked it. After that, it would not move at all. Had it towed to transmission shop(dealer wanted $120 just to run a check on it) and they said it needed a new transmission at a cost of $2600. Did not have the money, so it has been parked now for almost six months. Transmission is the cd4e, a problem child for ford. I contacted ford and they acted as if they had never heard of such a problem, and said they could not help me. Now, still making payments on it and with only 84,000 miles on it, I have no recourse but to let it sit until I can save the money to have it fixed.

Filed Nov 28, 2004 · Transmission · 56,500 miles · WA

2001 ford escape began having transmission shudder during shifting at approximately 20,000 miles. At 30,000 miles, dealer performed transmission fluid flush which resulted in the shudder going away. Recently the shudder has returned. The vehicle has approximately 56,000 miles. The transmission failed while traveling at highway speeds resulting in a sudden loss of power. The rpms suddenly jumped up to between 5000 and 6000. The vehicle is no longer driveable.

Filed Mar 3, 2004 · Transmission · 50,000 miles · MA

At 50,000, the transmission began to shudder. I found out why on escape-central, and then proceeded back to the dealership. They informed me that they do not have the machine to perform the flushing, and to try somewhere else. Wasted day one. I went to another ford dealership, and wasted a morning there before they told me that they did not have one either, and that I should try a lincoln mercury dealer. I finally got fed up and contacted the local mazda dealer, who had the machine and was more than will to take my $150.00. He did not perform the oasis change though. All was good, and the escape ran great. At 58000, the transmission shudder reappears. I take it back to dealer one, who informs me they cant see any problem. One week later, I bring it back in saying that it is most certainly there. I get to take out the transmission expert for a test drive, and recreate the problem. He says yup, thats the torque converter problem. all the cars we make with that transmission have that problem at some point or another. as he explained it basically water is attracted to the plate in the torque converter, and any moisture in the system causes it to shudder. I ask the logical question of what should I do about it. His response is that he would rather cut off his two arms than replace the torque converter. 12 hours of labor on top of the ~$300 part. He suggests I get it flushed again and see if that helps. Back to mazda&. I have the flush done at mazda last week and they ask about the tsb oasis update. I said that it wasnt done, and they perform the update and flush the escape. My escape now runs worse than it did before, and the shudder happens when both locking and unlocking the torque converter. It actually shakes the change in my cupholders.

Filed Nov 21, 2003 · Transmission · OR

Transmission shudders and shakes when accelerating on highway, will not go into reverse when in four wheel drive half of the time. Ford service never finds anything wrong with it and says since there are no codes onto the computer it must be ok.

Filed Jun 29, 2003 · Electrical · 27,500 miles · MD

On two separate occasions, while driving along at approximately 40 MPH, our ford escape suddenly lost all power and stalled. This resulted in loss of power steering and power brakes. The ford escape could not be restarted until it was stopped and placed in park. We have taken to hill & sanders ford located in wheaton, md. In addition to other service related problems with the staff of hill & sanders, we were told different stories by different people. One story was that our key ring was too heavy (4 keys 1 remote). The next was that there was a computer reprogramming that would resolve this problem (along with a developing/occasional transmission shiver/shudder between 35-45 MPH). The computer reprogramming was completed 4 days ago. Since that time, the car has not stalled in a similar manner, but continues to have an occasional transmission shiver / shudder. Based on the failure of the reprogramming to fix the transmission shiver / shudder, we anticipate that the ford escape will continue to stall.