Table 1 shows one common vehicle speed control related problems of the 2023 Ford Escape.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control problems |
* August 19, 2026, while driving my 2023 Ford Escape on interstate 57 (I-57), with approximately 35,575 miles on the vehicle, the vehicle suddenly accelerated unexpectedly. I immediately attempted to apply the brakes, but the vehicle did not respond as expected and I could not stop it immediately. I became very frightened and started sounding the horn and turned on the hazard warning lights. I noticed that the lane immediately to my right was relatively clear, so I moved into that lane and applied the brakes again. The vehicle then responded to the brakes, allowing me to slow down and stop. I moved as far to the right as possible and stopped on the side of the road. I was extremely shaken and felt dizzy after the incident. I stopped to catch my breath and contacted my husband to tell him what had happened. During the incident, the check engine light came on and the vehicle displayed the message “powertrain malfunction / reduced power. ” I took the vehicle to a Ford dealer for inspection. The dealer diagnosed a turbocharger problem and advised that the turbocharger needs to be replaced under warranty. The vehicle was left at the dealership for repair, and I was provided with a loaner vehicle. The vehicle and the affected components are available for inspection upon request. No collision occurred, but the unexpected acceleration and the vehicle’s initial failure to respond to braking created a serious safety risk and I nearly had an accident. **.
While pulling into a residential parking space at low speed, the vehicle (2023 Ford Escape) suddenly accelerated unexpectedly without additional throttle input. The acceleration was abrupt and forceful, and I was unable to stop the vehicle before it struck the structure in front of the parking space. The incident occurred at very low speed and under normal driving conditions. The driver was applying the brake at the time of the unintended acceleration. Airbags deployed upon impact. There were no prior warning lights or indications of a mechanical issue before the incident. The vehicle sustained significant front-end damage.
I have had many issues with this vehicle. Most concerning is that the other night while driving down the road at night, my car blacked out and I had no lights inside or headlights outside while driving in the dark. My back hatch button only works when it wants to. My screen freezes every once in awhile and also makes horrible noises very frequently. I’ve had one case of my screen freezing on a longer drive with my seat warmer on and the seats getting too hot and burning me. My safety features shut off all the time. My cruise control wouldn’t work at all on a 4 hour drive last month. When I get my oil changed they tell me under my hood is way louder than it should be for a vehicle this old. The dealership did a factory reset hoping it would help but I’ve already had issues with the hatch door not working appropriately, the sound coming from my screen, and notifications that my safety features have been shut off.
I drive a 2023 Ford Escape active, 8f35 transmission, with 111,114 miles on it. I purchased my car in July 2025 from truauto of ladson SC with 93,000 miles on it. Had a transmission complete failure in December 2025 (5 months after buying). Ford dealership in valdosta georgia (where I lived) was no help in trying to get it fixed and it sat on there lot for a months or so, because it was undriveable. I got it towed back to SC to get it fixed by a local transmission shop and it is being halted due to a current planetary lawsuit with these cars for parts. I have now been without a car for 2-3 months and have forked over $6,000+ to get this car fixed. I was not told about any known transmission issues when I bought this car (verbally or written) from truauto, nor was I contacted about any recall from Ford and I was denied a remanufactured transmission at the dealership that I went to to get the car fixed. I am out of warranty but that still doesn’t explain a transmission failure in a close to brand new car regardless of miles. I have already paid the $5400 or so for the repair at the local shop and it has yet to be fixed due to lack of availability of parts.
My Ford Escape has an ongoing safety issue where the instrument cluster shuts off while driving and the dealership has not been able to fix it.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving the vehicle, the contact turned on the cruise control and set it to 45 mph, however, the vehicle accelerated to 65 mph without warning. No warning lights was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer yet and was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline.
My vehicle incorrectly read highway number signs as though they were speed limit signs. This occurred eight times on state highway 40 in florida; and once on state highway 35. The speed limit was actually 55 mph on highway 40. If I would have had “predictive speed assist” turned on, and was using adaptive cruise control, it would have automatically decelerated to 40, +/- whatever “tolerance” I had set. What would happen if this occurs on highway 80, or highway 100? acceleration to 100 mph, and possibly to 120 mph if I had the tolerance set to +20? this error, which happened while I was a passenger, could significantly exacerbate problem #1. See details in the attached 5 page pdf.
Unknown.