One problem related to crankcase (pcv) has been reported for the 2002 Ford Escape. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2002 Ford Escape based on all problems reported for the 2002 Escape.
While driving at normal speeds on ice-glazed winter roads in fairbanks, ak, I approached an intersection and took my foot off the accelerator to prepare to slow down. Instead of dropping to idle speeds, the engine accelerated up to 3500-4000 rpm. I shifted the automatic transmission to neutral and was able to stop the car with the brakes, but the engine continued to race at high-throttle until I shut off the engine. When I restarted the engine it behaved normally for several days; but the problem came back intermittently several times over the next several weeks; and every time, shutting off the engine was the only way to stop it. Ford's database showed my car had undergone a recall in 2005 to fix a similar problem. In January 2012, stanley Ford in kenai, ak 'supposedly' replaced the throttle cable and throttle body assembly for $572, but it didn't solve the problem. The uncontrolled acceleration occurred several more times, as before, until a second repair in February 2012 by seekins Ford in fairbanks, which replaced a pcv and tubing, and did a complete tune-up for $992. Since then, there have been no more issues with the accelerator.