20th Sep 2008, 18:39

I have a 2002 Ford Escort & it shakes like nobody's business!! A friend of mine is a mechanic and there is a plate that can be inserted so it idle's better, thus will not shake so much!!

1st Oct 2008, 00:47

Last commenter mentioned a plate. I figure he is referring to something you can stick by the idle screw to adjust the idle up some. Perhaps you can use a longer idle adjuster screw? I just slide a little piece of wood in that area.

Also on "autoforums.com" and on some Escort forums, I've read many solutions to try. A lot of owners say it was a 'vacuum leak". Also the motor mount solution was mentioned.

BTW, the car I'm talking about is the "4 door sedan" type Escort. I'm surprised the ZX2 is doing it also.

E-mail = jamesmetairie@yahoo.com if anyone finds a solution that works. Thanks.

16th Feb 2009, 19:35

I recently bought an 02 Ford Escort, with 90,000 miles on it. The first thing I noticed after driving, is the vibration of the car - I got really concerned about it. The transmission also hesitates to shift into first and second gear. My garage said the tranny had too much fluid in it, and took two quarts out, and the tranny still hesitates. I hate the vibration of the car, and I honestly thought that it needed a tune up, but I could be wrong on that one. Does someone have any ideas about the hesitation in the tranny?

6th Mar 2009, 10:55

I have a 2002 ZX2 and today my serpentine belt came off for the second time in about 8 months. We replaced it before with a new belt and we are going to replace this one as well. I just wondered if anyone else was able to get a car book for this vehicle. Autozone sold me a very expensive subscription to a CD/software type thing and it's ridiculously horrible. It doesn't have any of the things we need and hardly contains any information whatsoever. Don't buy it! Has anyone had any luck finding an actual book? The auto parts store I went to today was nice enough to print me off a diagram of the belt and how it should go on, but I'd like a book to give to the next person who has to fix my car...

25th Apr 2009, 21:51

My dad has bought a book, I'm not sure where, but it was for an older version of the Ford ZX2. BTW my sister's belt had fallen off only when she turns in a puddle of water fast. That may be your problem.

22nd May 2009, 03:15

I just got a 2002 Ford Escort ZX2 and it shakes a little. The salesman states that it shakes because it is a little car. My ex-husband states that the car probably needs motor or engine mounts. Does anyone have an explanation? Any Ford guys out there?

14th Jul 2009, 16:41

I have a 2002 ZX2 automatic. 95,000 miles.

When I got the car, whenever I started the car up the engine sounded like it was running really rough, and when I drove it, it seemed like sometimes when I pressed the accelerator down it felt like the engine hesitated to accel or wouldn't respond to me pressing it. Then during the winter I started it up and it ran rough as usual, I pulled out of the driveway and it died as soon as I shifted to drive. It hasn't started since then, and every time I tried starting it, it just sounded like it wasn't turning over at all.

19th Sep 2009, 13:56

I have a 98 Escort ZX2, and it idles very bad, and when I run the air conditioning and come to a stop at a red light, it idles even worse when the air is on... sometimes I will have to turn off the air conditioning at a red light because it will become scary...

Also I turned my defrosters on this morning while the car was still parked out front of my house, and while it was in park with the defroster running, it shook - vibrated really bad like a rocket ship! And then stalled and shut off!

Now winter is going to becoming and I'm not going to be able to run the heat-defroster while it's in park so I can brush the snow and ice off my car.

If anyone knows why my car vibrates and stalls worse with the air conditioning/heat on please email me.

glosserlaurie@ymail.com Thank you

14th Jan 2010, 15:13

I got my 2002 ZX2 in June of 2008. It didn't take long to feel the "vibration". The dealership said it was a design flaw in the making of the engine and that they were aware of it. My uncle who has been a mechanic for over 20 years adjusted the idle and it has gotten better. However, I have the idle so high that the "service engine light" is always on, and when the A/C is off, the car drives itself at around 30 mph and I ride the brake. I guess those are the choices I have. Since I live in Florida and it is rare for me not to use the A/C, I live with the idle being high.

My biggest problem that I have with the car is that my serpentine belt comes off about every 7-8 months, and there is nothing wrong with the belt. In the beginning we replaced the belt, but now we just take everything apart and then put the belt back on. It's a pain. I am glad that the car has an electric fan because one time I ended up driving it 30 miles home (almost 45-60 minutes). If I had to pay a tow truck every time I would be in the poor house.

I have been looking for a diagram, but haven't found one for a 2002. I have one, but who knows what year it's for.

Anyway, any suggestions on car improvements? I have been getting about 27 miles to the gallon in city, and I have read on some of these sites that 32+ was expected.

24th Feb 2010, 20:37

Just bought an '03 Escort ZX2 with about 97k on it. It shakes when in idle and the previous owner showed me an easy solution. Just throw it in N "neutral" when you come to a stop. It has worked well for me so far. Just a thought. Oh and try to remember to shift back to D "drive" before continuing on.

18th Mar 2010, 21:46

I bought my 2002 ZX2 brand new in 2002. It has vibrated loudly for around three years now. It idles hard, vibrates (shakes) when sitting at a red light. When I accelerate to fast, it is as if it misses a gear and jerks forward. Two weeks ago it would not go into reverse. I would have to set the emergency brake, disengage brake, put the car in drive and move forward a little; it will then go in reverse. I have to pull forward into my parking place at home, so now I am afraid it will not shift into reverse the next time I drive it. Today it took three minutes of inching the car as forward as possible in a carport spot to get it to shift into reverse.

I have checked the transmission fluid, the dipstick says reads full. I do not know what else to do. Any suggestions???

Reading all the posts, makes me feel like you are describing my car.

nvtaylor@yahoo.com