Body Problems of Ford Escape - part 1

On xxx I was driving my 2021 Ford Escape for 10 minutes before I stopped at sheetz gas station on [xxx]. I ran into the building to withdraw cash from the atm leaving my fiance and dog in the car while it sat idle. Upon exiting the building about 30 seconds to a minute later, I witnessed smoke coming up from the hood of my car. My fiance and dog quickly evacuated the car as we saw flames emerging. I ran inside to get assistance from the workers and they brought out fire extinguishers. The attempt to extinguish the flames was unsuccessful and the front of the car quickly went up. Police and fire department were called and they showed up about 10 minutes later to handle the situation. Reports from the officer, fire department and the sheetz assistant were taken. I do not have access to those. My car insurance is covering the cost of the vehicle and a 7 day car rental. They are not covering the loss of both mine and my fiance's cell phones. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2021 Ford Escape 🔎.

The trim around the windshield is dry rotted and falling off. Pieces fly off driving down the road which could be dangerous to other drivers and damage their vehicles.

See all problems of the 2015 Ford Escape 🔎.

Failed door check attachment point on driver side. Door has issues when opening and closing.

See all problems of the 2022 Ford Escape 🔎.

The accident occurred while I was driving south on highway 38 at approximately 45 mph. Another driver pulled forward into my path and did not appear to see my vehicle. I attempted to swerve to avoid a more serious collision and protect both drivers, but the front driver-side area of my vehicle struck the rear driver-side area of the other vehicle. The impact caused significant front-end damage to my vehicle, particularly on the driver-side/front corner. Despite the severity of the collision and damage, my airbags did not deploy. The other vehicle’s airbags did deploy during the crash. I am concerned that the airbag system, crash sensors, or related safety components may have failed to activate properly during the collision. Due to the speed of travel and force of impact, I believe the lack of airbag deployment placed my safety at risk and could have resulted in serious injury. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. At this time, I am requesting an investigation into why the airbags did not deploy during the crash.

See all problems of the 2019 Ford Escape 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2023 Ford Escape 🔎.

The left rear liftgate hinge cover flew off in the car wash during the drying cycle. The same thing has happened to my 2020 Escape and that vehicle is covered under a recall but this 2023 Escape is not. I feel it should be because it has the same issue for the same part.

Door is making a popping noise when opening and closing the door. Does not close smoothly. Appears to be a known issue with spot welds that go bad.

See all problems of the 2020 Ford Escape 🔎.

When opening the driver door, it pops and sometimes won't close or open all the way because of the door check arm bracket.

Both front doors started making a severe cracking noise and are difficult to open and close. The popping noise grows more severe with time. The problem has caused major functions with the entire door alignment to include the driver's side windows to malfunction, refusing to go up or down if the door is opened or closed to often. My car is less than 5 years young with less than 27,110 local miles, one owner, purchased new 2020 and shouldn't be falling apart.

Component: driver-side door latch and lock assembly. The driver-side door latch appears to have failed, preventing the door from opening from both the inside and outside and creating an occupant entrapment risk. The failure is fully reproducible and ongoing. The condition first occurred without any prior warning signs, messages, or symptoms and has persisted for more than a day without resolving. Although the vehicle responds to unlock commands from the key fob, keypad, and interior door controls with normal audible confirmation, the driver door frequently remains unable to open. Failure behavior includes: •the driver door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle, preventing occupant exit. •the door also cannot be opened from the outside during these events. •an occupant became trapped inside and had to crawl across the vehicle and exit through the passenger side. •the vertical lock indicator moves between locked and unlocked positions, but the latch does not release. •the electronic systems appear functional, yet the mechanical latch does not respond. •using the physical key can sometimes force the lock cylinder past a mechanical click point, temporarily allowing the door to open; however, this places the mechanism into abnormal states where the door may remain permanently unlocked or, when turned in the opposite direction, cannot be opened at all regardless of unlock attempts. •all other vehicle doors operate normally. Video evidence documenting the failure is available. This condition presents a serious safety concern because occupants could become trapped inside the vehicle during an emergency or after a crash, delaying rescue. The latch mechanism is a critical safety component that consumers cannot reasonably inspect, predict, or maintain. Given the life-safety implications of a door that cannot be opened from either side, this issue warrants investigation for potential defect trends.

See all problems of the 2011 Ford Escape 🔎.

Driver side door hinge broke, it’s making it difficult to open and close the door. It’s also making a loud noise when opening and closing the door.

The sunshade panotramic panel cover that sperates the two roofs seems to be falling off due to cheap two side tape which caused the whole sunshade assembly and motor to break. I took my car to the dealer yeasterday anderson Ford based in Lincoln ne, and they cahrged $119 to diagnis and qouted me over $2000 to fix it. This is manufacturere fault that caused this to happed by using cheap, unreliable two side tape to attach panel cover!. Please address this as alot of Ford Escape owners suffer from this issue.

This hasn't caused an accident or stranded me yet, but Ford won't do anything to help me avoid danger in the faulty vehicle they sold. There have been several recalls on my 2022 Ford Escape phev over the past year or so, including safety recalls. The number of recalls, requiring me to take the time to deal with scheduling, drop off/pickup the car, and being unable to use the car when it is in the shop for the recall rectifications seems excessive. Worse yet, they have safety related recalls from 2025 that still do not have a fix. I do not feel safe in my car. I went through the company's lemon recall process and they refused to repurchase the vehicle. People should expect a basic level of quality and definitely safety when buying a car. I will never buy another Ford and would never recommend that anyone else do so. This company no longer represents quality and they don't even care to try.

Nothing malfunctioned. All I was asking for was a fender to hood adjustment and the dealership kept telling me they don't do that and that I would need to go to a bodyshop. The fender to hood alignment issue didn't put others at risk. What the problem is is the door is not aligned based on oem requirements and the recall repair was completed but not done correctly. The problem has been identified by the dealer. The vehicle has been inspected by the manufacturer. No warning lights or anything. Simply dealership refusing to get my door realigned. After taking it to body shop 3 times and still this problem has not been fixed. This is unacceptable especially since it was a recall through the manufacturer. Also when I asked dealership for proof in writing that they don't do their own bodywork the service advisor told me no. That is also unacceptable. I should be given my proper recall documentation whenever I ask for it.

Windshield glass on lift gate shattered spontaneously. Car was not on, windshield had no previous notable cracks or damage. Weather was fair, not extremely hot or cold when incident occurred.

The vehicle has experienced repeated electrical failures over an extended period of time despite multiple repair attempts. After the most recent repair, which required the vehicle to be kept for approximately 10 days and included a battery replacement, the same electrical issue returned shortly after the vehicle was returned. The vehicle has previously stalled in traffic, creating a safety concern. In addition, the sunroof collapsed into the passenger compartment while a rear-seat passenger, who was a child, was present. A seat belt malfunction also occurred and required repair. Repairs have been attempted for these issues, but safety-related problems have continued. I do not feel the vehicle is safe to operate, especially when transporting a child.

Sunroof cover has detached. When uncovering sunroof, panel droops and blocks rear window. This happened while driving and can pose a serious safety hazard. Component has been inspected by dealership and diagnostics include taking entire top panel apart which is quoted at 2. 5k. This is a recurring problem with Ford Escape vehicles. There was no warning that this was broken, I realized while driving that it had become detached when I tried to open the sunroof and it blocked my rear window and fell on my kids sitting in the back seat.

Two different things are happening with my car. 1) the paint is chipping and has caused corrosion on the body. Apparently this is a known issue but the peeling/chipping has gotten worse and will keep doing so until it is fixed. 2) car keep running hot and losing coolant but no leak to be found even after several rounds of tests.

See all problems of the 2017 Ford Escape 🔎.

I exited my 2020 Escape and as I walked around the car to go into my house, as ai was passing the back of my car the liftgate glass completely shattered. In the days prior I noticed the defroster was not defrosting all the way. I just got this car a month ago. Glass was everywhere thankfully no one was hurt nor were any of my kids in or around the vehicle at the time the window shattered.

The power window on our 2022 Ford Escape will remain down after being rolled down and cannot be raised. This issue has occurred three separate times. When it happens, the vehicle cannot be secured and is exposed to weather and theft. The failure appears to be intermittent but recurring, indicating a possible design or electrical defect rather than misuse. This creates a safety and security risk, especially if the failure occurs while away from home or during bad weather. This problem has happened multiple times and is not resolved by normal operation of the window switch. Engine problems are occurring as well due to the stated recalls provided by NHTSA.

The driver side door is popping and cracking when I open it. It literally sounds like it's going to break and fall off at any moment.

Driver door broke off the hinges and is inoperable the door almost slammed on my child’s hand no warnings.

Drivers door check makes loud popping sounds , hard to open door .

My front driver door started making a loud noise. And every time I would open and close the door I would get resistance. Until it really didn’t want to open or close anymore. It even started to affect my window. It wouldn’t roll down anymore.

Took my 2020 Escape into dealer due to recall #23b56/23v502 . Dealer stated that the door needs replacement , this was on oct 22 ,2025. As of Jan 30 , 2026 Ford has yet to send part. I contacted Ford customer service on Jan 26 , 2026 and again on Feb 2, 2026 . They can't give me a date as to when part will arrive .

On 10/12/2025, we noticed the driver's side rear door would not latch properly while shopping. We contacted the dealer the following Monday and dropped the vehicle off for inspection on 10/15/2025 at classic Ford of columbia, SC. Two open recalls were identified: manufacturer recall 16s30 (NHTSA 16v643) - door safety latch: the pawl spring tab in the side door latch broke, preventing secure latching. The recall requires replacing both latches. The failed door latch assembly is available for inspection at the dealership. Manufacturer recall 18s20 (NHTSA 18v471) - transmission shifter cable bushing: the bushing is degraded or detached. Safety risk: the rear door failure risks the door opening unexpectedly while driving, potentially causing ejection or injury to occupants/others. The shifter bushing risks the vehicle rolling if not properly in park. The issues were confirmed by the authorized Ford dealership during the 10/15/2025 inspection. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership; no other inspections noted. No warning lamps or prior symptoms before the door failure on 10/12/2025. Shifter bushing symptoms unknown. The dealer claimed to fix the shifter bushing on 10/15/2025, but both recalls remain "incomplete". The rear door latch is unfixed, requiring bungee cords to secure it. The vehicle has been driven this way for nearly 4 months. We contacted Ford (case xxx) and escalation began. After weather closure, we were told an appointment would be rescheduled. I emailed tiffany from Ford last night (~10pm 2/5/2026) and called today (2/6/2026); no response yet. This ongoing safety defect endangers the driver who needs the car for work. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2014 Ford Escape 🔎.

In my Ford 2020 Escape hybrid titanium awd car, sunroof shade got misaligned and not closing anymore, resulting in more heat flowing into the car creating impacts inside. Also, as per others comments and online forums, there is a chance that this shade would fall on the passengers during the drive if not taken care quickly, resulting in injuries in adults and deaths in infants. Reached to a Ford dealership to fix this issue and its costing me close to $3000. As its a design flaw from Ford, I request Ford to do a fix for free of charge or recall and fix it for their customers and address their safety concerns immediately. Appreciate your looking into this matter.

Concerns regarding my 2010 Ford Escape. Within thirty (30) days of purchase, the transmission completely failed, rendering the vehicle inoperable. Additionally, upon further inspection, it was discovered that the entire underbody of the vehicle is severely rusted and corroded. This corrosion appears extensive enough to compromise the structural integrity of the frame and essential safety components. While operating the vehicle prior to transmission failure, I also experienced significant shaking and vibration during both driving and braking. These issues raise major safety concerns, as they could indicate underlying brake, suspension, or frame instability. Given the combination of a failed transmission, extensive underbody rust, and unsafe driving behavior, I believe this vehicle may present a serious risk to myself and others on the road. These types of defects and corrosion levels are unusual for a vehicle of this make and model and could point to a broader safety or manufacturing issue. I am requesting that Ford review this matter urgently and provide direction on possible inspection, repair, or compensation options. I am more than willing to provide documentation, photos, or mechanic reports to assist in your evaluation. Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. I look forward to your prompt response regarding next steps.

See all problems of the 2010 Ford Escape 🔎.

Bout the vehicle from a used car dealership in victorville and in 22 days the truck valve body gave out in the middle of me driving almost causing a car accident on freeway. The solenoid d is stuck in off and the transmission on this model is known to do this I need help or some answers.

Driver door, door check arm popping and hardly opens and closes won’t allow driver window to roll down all the way.

The driver's side door started making loud cracking noises when opening and closing.

My driver front door latch assembly failed at 42,153 miles. I had it inspected and repaired at the dealership. I had to pay out of pockets due to no longer being covered by the 3/36 warranty. The symptoms were that the driver front door would not lock at all. It took a while to figure this out as I just thought maybe we left it unlocked. Also this vehicle has the perimeter key fob so it automatically unlocks when you have the fob with you and attempting to open. This had been going in fine moths u til we figured out the problem and took it to the dealership. They did offer a discount since I purchased it there but they said due to the design it messed an entire assembly and was over $1k before the discount. They also had parts in stock and I did confirm they had seen this failure before. While we did not have an actual incident happen with us, our vehicle was vulnerable and we had no idea, because the lock appeared to work and it still moved visually, it just wasn’t actually doing anything inside the door. This is my wife’s vehicle so my fear was either someone breaking into the vehicle or even worse, attempting to enter the vehicle while she was inside but she would be unable to lock the doors. As mentioned, the dealer did repair the vehicle and it is worked properly for now. Thought we did have to pay out of pocket.

The door locking mechanism on the front driver and passenger side door fails to operate. When attempting to lock vehicle the front doors will make a sound attempting to lock but does successfully lock the doors. Safety is put at risk because anyone can enter the vehicle without a key at any time. Problem has not been inspected by manufacturer or independent service advisor. Has not been inspected by manufacturer, police, insurance representative, or others. No warning of problem prior to failure. Problem first appeared after Ford dealer performed customer satisfaction program 23b56 for the front door check-arm reinforcement welds that can crack and pull away from door structure.

My vehicle was subject to Ford campaign 23b56 (front door check-arm reinforcement spot weld inspection). The dealership marked the campaign as completed and claimed the left front door failed inspection and was replaced. However, the door still does not close properly, and the check-arm area appears unchanged or improperly repaired. I believe the recall repair was not performed correctly or was misrepresented as completed. This is a safety concern because the door does not operate properly. I am requesting investigation of improper recall completion.

I’m hearing a popping or snapping noise when I open and close my drivers side door. I also noticed a leak on the right upper side of the engine.