Electrical System Problems of Ford Escape - part 1

Ford Escape owners have reported 1,934 problems related to electrical system (under the electrical system category). The most recently reported issues are listed below. Also please check out the statistics and reliability analysis of Ford Escape based on all problems reported for the Escape.

1 Electrical System problem of the 2017 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 04/28/2026

Tail light has water intrusion and water shorted out the led brake light on the driver's side rear of vehicles and has to be replaced as the ed's are not serviceable.

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2 Electrical System problem of the 2021 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 04/27/2026

Vehicle headlights constantly dimming in and out, replaced alternator and battery, problem still persisted if not worse than before. Vehicle constantly struggles to accelerate once at running temperature, high revs and doesn't accelerate at all, vehicle experienced complete power loss after approaching red light, vehicle restarted but showed severe signs of power deficiency.

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3 Electrical System problem of the 2021 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 04/23/2026

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notifications of NHTSA campaign numbers: 25v789000 (electrical system), 25v829000 (structure), 26v123000 (back over prevention) and 26v117000 (visibility); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure.

4 Electrical System problem of the 2023 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 04/23/2026

The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the radio displayed a blank screen. A dealer was contacted. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 34,756.

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5 Electrical System problem of the 2020 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 04/16/2026

The manufacturer is unable to remedy the safety recall 26v123 & 26v117 for my vehicle in a timely manner.

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6 Electrical System problem of the 2017 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 04/15/2026

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly stopped on several occasions and lost automotive power. The automatic start/stop message was displayed. The contact manually turned off the feature, but the automatic start/stop feature was activated independently. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 193,000.

7 Electrical System problem of the 2020 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 04/15/2026

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the front passenger’s door failed to remain open and the driver's side window was malfunctioning. The contact stated that the driver’s side window automatically rolled up while the window was being lowered. Additionally, the liftgate failed to latch or lock properly. The contact stated that while driving 65 mph, the vehicle suddenly came to a complete stop on two separate occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, the dealer informed the contact that there were no failures found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 87,000.

8 Electrical System problem of the 2017 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 04/14/2026

The failure appears to involve the vehicle’s auto start/stop system and related electrical control systems, including the battery management system and/or body control module. The vehicle shuts off unexpectedly while driving and fails to automatically restart, displaying “auto start/stop – manual restart required” and “shift to park. ” the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle has shut off unexpectedly in active traffic, causing a sudden loss of power. This creates a dangerous situation where I am unable to accelerate or move with traffic flow, increasing the risk of being rear-ended or involved in a collision. This has occurred on public roads with other vehicles present, putting both myself and others at risk. The issue is intermittent and has not consistently been reproduced on demand. However, it has occurred multiple times during normal driving conditions. I am in the process of having the vehicle inspected and documented by a dealership. The issue has been reported to the manufacturer, and a case has been opened with Ford motor company. At this time, the vehicle has not yet been inspected by police or insurance representatives. There were no consistent warning lamps prior to the failure. At the time of the incident, the vehicle displayed messages including “auto start/stop – manual restart required” and “shift to park. ” these messages appeared simultaneously with the loss of power. The issue has occurred intermittently without advance warning.

9 Electrical System problem of the 2025 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 04/13/2026

The contact owns a 2025 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v091000 (electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

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10 Electrical System problem of the 2024 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 04/04/2026

Instrument screen went black. Was unable to power screen back on. Noted screen was hot to touch. After about 5 min screen powered back on by itself.

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11 Electrical System problem of the 2010 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 03/31/2026

Aftermarket seat cover an improperly deployed airbag could result in serious injury. I can't electricly move my seats when I try and air bag warning comes in my dash board.

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12 Electrical System problem of the 2012 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 03/15/2026

Vehicle: 2012 Ford Escape issue: loss of steering assist while driving while operating my vehicle, the power steering assist suddenly fails, making the steering wheel extremely difficult to turn. This creates a dangerous driving condition and significantly increases the risk of an accident. This issue appears to match known problems with the electric power steering system in this vehicle, which has been the subject of recalls for similar model years. However, my VIN is not currently included. The failure has occurred while driving and has now made the vehicle unsafe to operate. I am requesting investigation into this issue and expansion of the recall to include additional affected vehicles, as this is a serious safety hazard.

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13 Electrical System problem of the 2011 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 03/12/2026

Power steering went out all of a sudden.

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14 Electrical System problem of the 2017 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 03/10/2026

Vehicle suffered acute catastrophic engine failure. No dash lights alerted me. Engine just started rattling and smoking. Dealership it was towed to pulled codes p0302 p0304 p0012 p0014 tried to blame it on us despite known coolant intrusion issue.

15 Electrical System problem of the 2002 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 03/05/2026

I bought a vehicle that has recalls on it. I contacted a dealer. Im told the car is to old to fix the recalled abs relay. Now I have a vehicle thats on the road a fire hazard. The Ford dealership have left me my with and kids and grand kids in danger.

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16 Electrical System problem of the 2014 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 03/03/2026

Rear back up camera will intermittently lose functionality while in use - blue screen or error message will appear instead of camera feed. Tends to happen more frequently when wipers are in use; can be highly problematic when the weather is causing visibility issues and the need for the camera is greater. Service tech has inspected, verified the issue and made mention of the current recall on different year's models.

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17 Electrical System problem of the 2008 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 03/02/2026

Check engine light keeps flashing, car vibration, bad head gasket, oil and fluid leak.

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18 Electrical System problem of the 2024 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 03/02/2026

The contact owns a 2024 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v091000 (electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

19 Electrical System problem of the 2016 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 02/24/2026

The end of February was driving and I noticed white smoke blowing from my exaust, then my car lost power.

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20 Electrical System problem of the 2023 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 02/20/2026

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.

21 Electrical System problem of the 2025 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 02/19/2026

The contact owns a 2025 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v091000 (electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not informed of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

22 Electrical System problem of the 2025 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 02/17/2026

Electrical/motor~ yes, myself, [xxx] daughter and others safety is at risk from stalling in a busy intersection. Yes, its happened multiple times. The dealerships says its not throwing a code and have nothing to go off of. No, the manufacturer hasnt checked it. The rpm went up and down. No other lights on the dash. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

23 Electrical System problem of the 2018 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 02/16/2026

My 2018 Ford Escape has experienced coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders, a known issue affecting this model year. The vehicle began misfiring and consuming coolant without external leaks. This is an engine defect Ford has known about since 2010, yet they continued to put this engine into their cars. I had bought this car less then a year ago, it had been in the shop more then I have had it. It is constantly overheating. The most recent time I was driving my son to school my exhaust was smoking really bad and everything seemed to be ruining smoothly the day before when I drove it the auto shop I have been taking it to they had spent 2 weeks researching what was wrong with it they told me I needed my whole engine replaced. Im a single mom amd I need answers. . I look up my VIN in the recalls and its stating 0 results but that cant be possible if I have had been same issue as others my eco start and stop dont work and my passager in the front cant roll window down.

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24 Electrical System problem of the 2017 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 02/16/2026

When driving, the car has stopped 4 times in the last 3 years. Last week the car came to a red light and the inside lights started flashing. There was a warning that read "transmission not in park. " the car's power steering and brakes went out and the car went through the red light. Three other times the car was on the expressway and it died with the same warning. Fortunately, the car was in the slow lane and was able to pull onto the shoulder. Once the car is put in park and turned off, it is able to be restarted and everything is working.

25 Electrical System problem of the 2011 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 02/16/2026

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.

26 Electrical System problem of the 2014 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 02/14/2026

Passenger side door will not. Lock.

27 Electrical System problem of the 2026 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 02/13/2026

Phev sometimes fails to "start". That is, vehicle will not enter "ready" mode when brake is depressed and start button is pressed. Instead, 'refuel error', 'stop safely now', 'service advanctrac', 'precollision assist not available', and several other warnings appear. This only occurs on the first 'start' of the day, when the ev battery has been recharged overnight, indoors. Outdoor use/charging does not have this effect. Concerned that something is overheating during indoor charging. Dealer has not been able to fix.

28 Electrical System problem of the 2016 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 02/06/2026

Recall issue: the vehicle failed and became disabled due to the shift cable bushing while in a parking lot on private property, with driver in the vehicle. The gear would not shift or go into park and continued to roll forward until either I hit the curb or applied the brake. Ford will not pay for the tow or diagnostic fee to have the problem diagnosed at another body shop (before I knew of the recall) Ford will not replace shift cable, only install protective cap. Recall issue: rearview camera displays distorted images, and does not always show rear view when backing up. It shows blank sometimes, and forward when reversing. Visibility unclear when backing. Ford will not replace as they say they do not have the parts to replace. This leaves the vehicle at high risk for safety issues.

29 Electrical System problem of the 2018 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 02/04/2026

Battery light came on, its a new battery with warning of 12v battery failure. The back camera has been giving blank screen and camera unavailable message.

30 Electrical System problem of the 2022 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 01/30/2026

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.

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31 Electrical System problem of the 2021 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 01/27/2026

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph, the vehicle shut off and lost electrical power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the high voltage battery had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the recall repair for NHTSA campaign number: 25v789000 (electrical system); was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

32 Electrical System problem of the 2020 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 01/27/2026

The vehicle is subject to an open federal safety recall involving a fuel injector that may crack and leak fuel onto the top of the engine. According to NHTSA, liquid fuel or fuel vapor may accumulate near hot engine or exhaust components, creating a risk of an under-hood fire and injury. I purchased this vehicle after the recall had already been issued. The recall was not disclosed to me at the time of sale, and the vehicle was presented for service multiple times after purchase without any disclosure of the recall or safety warnings. When I contacted an authorized dealer to ask whether there were any open recalls, I was initially told there were none. After I specifically referenced the recall, I was told that parts were not available and that no repair had been completed. The safety risk is that the vehicle may leak fuel near hot components without warning, creating a fire hazard while driving or after the engine is shut off. I have not been provided interim safety guidance or a timeline for repair. Nhtsa records currently show the recall remains open, unrepaired, and without an available remedy.

33 Electrical System problem of the 2022 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 01/24/2026

My 22 Ford Escape has 620000 miles on it most of them highway miles. The issue I'm having began approx. 5000 miles ago. While in motion my dash lights, radio, and entertainment screen will go completely black for long periods of time and the chime will begin randomly ringing. A message sometimes appears on screen that says system off to continue please start engine but the engine is running the whole time. Sometime the message will appear on my dash saying front camera not available. I've taken it to a Ford service station and they advised me my pcm software needed updating but the problem still existed and is existing even after the update. I still have a recall active on my vehicle as well regarding the fuel injector issue.

34 Electrical System problem of the 2022 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 01/21/2026

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.

35 Electrical System problem of the 2009 Ford Escape

Failure Date: 01/20/2026

Me and my [xxx] old was driving on the highway in my 2009 Ford Escape and suddenly my power steering completely went out with no warning. I was driving 60 mph because that's my safe speed. Steering got completely resistant to the point I could not turn my steering wheel almost crashing into another vehicle with a child in the vehicle. I found out that Ford has had power steering issues with almost all their vehicles due to their electrical power steering system. My vehicle was inspected by a independent service center that confirmed that Ford's electrical power steering is not safe because it can disable while driving, however I called to see if Ford could inspect the issue complimentary, they declined and said it would cost. Not knowing that as a consumer, that is extremely terrifying to know that while driving I'm at a high risk of an accident. I also called Ford to see about a recall because I was informed Ford had multiple recalls for their electrical power steering in most of their Ford Escapes, but there was none for mine. The Ford service worker I spoke to, infact, volunteered to inform me that all Ford Escapes from 2008-2012 should be recalled due to the electrical power steering issues. Once I got home turned my vehicle off and the next morning started my vehicle up to show my husband the power steering issue, 24 hrs later a warning came on saying power steering assist fault. With that warning coming on after the fact, 24 hours later, without that warning could have ended fatal. This is not a situation that should be handled lightly because it can end fatal, and with no warning that these vehicles power steering can disable while driving there's no telling how many accidents have ended fatal already because of this very issue. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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Other Common Electrical System related problems of Ford Escape


Escape Service Bulletins
Escape Safety Recalls
Escape Defect Investigations