Electrical System Problems of Ford Escape - part 2

I was parking vehicle & noticed from center console burning smoke coming from heater vents & middle console. I turned it off right away, waited a while & it stopped, driving at 60mph a back & forth forward & back hesitation or vibration. Shifting back & forth, no check engine light, but I feel that this vehicle has the recalls that are listed for this same year model & it has never being corrected. I need to bring this vehicle to a Ford dealership to get it checked. I'm in the madison wisconsin area, please have this matter taken care ove. 2013 Ford Escape 2. 0l.

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The transmission shifting got increasingly rough over time, and then suddenly refused to shift into gear/reverse. The Ford shop told us it was the reverse solenoid, but it ended up requiring a full transmission rebuild. Safety of the car refusing to shift gears led to loss of power several times, unable to accelerate in traffic, until total failure occurred. Problem was inspected by Ford dealership, then repaired by independent service center due to cost. Not inspected by insurance, as it did not result in a collision. Warning lamps did not turn on until total failure occurred. Then lights on gear shift dial blinked, refused to allow us to put the car in gear. Dash lights also indicated "check engine" at that time, but no earlier.

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The entire dashboard/infotainment interface will lose power suddenly. The car will struggle to start, and have an emissions or evap code, and there's a smell from the engine sometimes, that leaks into the cabin, which the cabin has bad thermoregulation, and cold air seeps in quick. Also I've driven on the highway and have had all the steering and power stop all at once! the headlights also keep getting popped or burnt out.

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Was opening the moon rooftop and I noticed smoke started coming from the middle of the radio / navigation system, all through vents smoke coming out something was burning I shut the vehicle, and waited about 10 minutes till it went away don't know why this happened, but I'm curious that the recalls that coming up for this vehicle are very significant, running hesitation & smell of burning, vibration in front of vehicle.

I purchased this vehicle on 10/16/25 through affordable auto sales 692 pleasant st fall river MA as it is a buy here pay here. It had 97,626 miles on it day of purchase. I noticed trouble with power steering as it is electric and kept locking up and asked several times to fix it. It didn't get repaired until the week before christmas. On 1-10-26, took it for first oil change and it had 100,837 miles in total I put 3,211 miles on it. The mechanic called me into the garage and showed me 3 things that were critically wrong with the vehicle. It had severe rot in front and rear, mostly rear, the transmission had a significant leak, and the power steering was still not properly fixed. The mechanic informed me that the dealership had not done their safety inspection and this was deemed an unsafe vehicle and I should not be driving it. I brought it to the attention of affordable auto sales and they are accusing me of the damage. The owner lucy sousa also changed the mileage on the paperwork saying I put 20,000 on itinerary 2 months time. She changed it to 82,294 which is false. I have my inspection report to show accurate mileage. I no longer have this vehicle. I returned it to them. I bought another vehicle from a different dealer.

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Electric power steering failed and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The power steering unit failed while driving down a curvy highway in kenai burrow, alaska. I took the vehicle to the local Ford dealer and dropped said vehicle off. The service tech stated that the 2019 Ford Escape was prone to having issues with the power steering unit. The vehicle is in the shop at this time. The warning lamp came on stating that there was a problem with the power steering unit that however, happened while we were driving down the highway. This was a life-threatening incident that it could’ve caused my wife and I and any oncoming traffic to parish in a car accident. The roads were snow covered and icy.

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The contact owned a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the infotainment center would display a black screen, and while doing so, the radio would continue to play. The contact stated that while driving at different speeds, the trunk would suddenly open, causing the contact to have to pull over and close the trunk in order to continue to drive. The failure occurred 3 times while the vehicle was parked at home. There would be a burning odor emitting from the vehicle intermittently; however, there would be no smoke or indication of where the smell was coming from. While parked at home and unoccupied, the rear window suddenly shattered, and the vehicle caught on fire. The fire department was called and extinguished the fire. The fire department and the insurance company had determined the vehicle would be totaled; however, an official determination had not been provided. A police report was filed. The dealer was informed of the failure. There were no injuries or medical attention needed. There was no damage done to the property. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.

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Hi, vehicle is under a second recall for the high voltage battery potential fire hazard. The first recall lasted 7 months before a potential fix. The second recall was issued in November with no fix available yet. Received second recall identical to first recall indicating a fire risk with no apparent fix. I have requested Ford buyback the vehicle, but it fell outside the 18 month nys lemon law. They have refused. They have no fix and will not provide a loaner until it is fixed. The original vehicle electric range was between 38 and 40 with a window sticker range of 37. It is now down to around a range of 20 on full charge with an actual driveable of about 16. I have asked both Ford and delivering dealership to replace the high voltage battery pack as it has seriously deteriorated. Ford refuses to allow dealer to replace the battery pack. The vehicle is basically unusable for it's original intended purpose as a partial electric vehicle. I asked Ford, what am I supposed to do if I am transporting my two grandchildren in the vehicle and it starts on fire. How do I choose which child to get first? no response. These vehicles should be removed from use by Ford and loaner vehicles provided or a full buy back should take place. I only have 11,000 miles on this vehicle and it has been in the shop for more than 30 days for various warranty repairs and multiple recalls. These vehicles are not safe. See pictures attached for factual information from vehicle. I have plenty of detail if you need it. Please help. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

No dummy lights show. Drivers low beam wiring connector melts and burns out headlight bulb. I have had it replaced by Ford dealer rt 2, dixon IL on 12/20/24 but again the same thing occurred again 01/03/26. I believe bad wiring or module. When asked dealer what caused the melting was told "we fixed it, it's good now". The bulb burnt out while driving on a rain dark night. My visibility was extremely low.

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I took my car in for a safety recall for the bushing on the transmission. A short time after getting it back my cabin filled with smoke when I used the remote start. I had never had this problem until it came back from the dealer. So I stopped using the remote start! but after that the car's cabin began filling with acrid smoke whenever it idled for more than a minute. It now fills with smoke when sitting at a stop sign or in slow traffic, so I have to open the windows to breathe! on top of that the transmission started slipping in park again! I don't think they actually fixed it. And that they may have caused the smoke problem. There are no warning lights going on. I am [xxx] and on socsec. I need my car to be safe! I have been dealing with this for a while now because I don't trust the dealer now. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger seated in the front passenger's seat became aware of smoke inside the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that the engine cover had cracked and that there was an oil leak coming from the engine. The independent mechanic cleaned up the oil from underneath the engine and became aware that the wires and additional parts underneath the engine were burned. The contact was informed that there had been a fire underneath the engine. The contact was informed that the vehicle could have caught on fire. The contact referenced an unknown recall, but the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

Accessory protocol interface module went out screen went dark. No recall on my VIN but should be. Problem appeared 12/26/2025 and has been inspected by peach state Ford.

Engine light is now on and when I fill my car up with gas it has a stall and takes 3-4 times to turn on. My safety is at risk if this recall is not repaired and my car catches fire. Started a month ago and it's challenging to schedule with Ford.

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Coolant intrusion: a design flaw in the open-deck engine block allows coolant to leak into the combustion chambers, leading to misfires, white smoke, and severe engine damage. Affected vehicles: primarily 2017-2019 Escapes and 2014-2019 fusions with the 1. 5l ecoboost engine, built before specific dates. Symptoms: low coolant, white exhaust smoke, rough idling, check engine light, and dtcs like p0300, p0301-p0304.

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I received a letter saying that if I charge my battery over 80% it will catch on fire. This is the second battery recall this year saying my car will catch on fire. I couldn't charge my car for 6 months with the first recall and I bought this car because I only drive short distances and use the battery for most daily driving. Having two recalls saying that my car will catch on fire makes me very scared to drive with my wife and son in the car, so I would like to have this vehicle replaced immediately.

He freeway I notified future Ford of concord and I was told I would receive a call back but as I recall I didn’t receive a call back. The car started acting as if nothing was wrong about a week or so later then two days ago December 13,2025 first my head lights went out and a message saying there’s a bulb outage or electrical issue appeared and also the hill assist unavailable warning light appeared , following the 911 calling assistance is unavailable as well, and I also noticed my radio is no longer producing sound so I believe the engine ( block , head gasket etc) component also electrical system, sync 3 system has also failed or malfunctioned. During the second occurrence I was driving as I was before which led to the safety of my children, my husband and myself put at risk being it was night time and I could no longer see the road the car acted as if it was turning off and slowing down. . Yes there was warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem during the failures, and they first appeared at the exact time of the failures . Also below are photos captured from the Ford vehicle app alerting me about issues for the car.

For months, I have had restraints indicator lamp warning, specifically for the driver seatbelt buckle sensor circuit, as well as one notification for a fault with the occupant classification system which includes air bags and safety belt buckle pretensioners. It is going to cost over $600 to fix the driver belt alone. As this is part of the safety features of a car, I do not feel as though the consumer should be responsible for this. It seems as though it should fall on that of the manufacturer.

The safety-critical driver-assistance systems on my 2024 Ford Escape have remained in a failed state since March 2025. The blind spot detection (blis), cross-traffic alert, park aid, pre-collision assist, and front camera systems all display warnings and do not function reliably. The vehicle has now been in the dealership for over 62 cumulative days for this safety defect, including 38+ continuous days on the current repair order. Ford engineering has taken control of the case and has stated there is no fix available and no estimated timeline for repair. A major electronic module was replaced under engineering direction in November, but the same safety-system faults continue. The vehicle’s alert history and Fordpass data have remained frozen and non-updating for months, indicating a continued system-level electronic failure. The vehicle is still at the Ford dealership under engineering control with no repair available, which confirms the defect is ongoing, unresolved, and unrepairable at this time. These persistent failures impact multiple crash-avoidance systems and create a significant safety risk during lane changes, cross-traffic backing, parking maneuvers, and forward-collision situations. I request NHTSA review this as a potential defect trend involving the 2024 Ford Escape driver-assistance systems.

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Following ongoing unresolved adas and pre-collision assist failures that have required repeated service visits and manufacturer engineering involvement, my vehicle underwent a master modem/system reset while in dealership custody. After this reset, vehicle access, safety alert history, and diagnostic data were erased, preventing verification, monitoring, or reconstruction of safety-critical events. Safety issue description on or about December 11, 2025, while the vehicle remained in service for unresolved safety system failures, the dealership performed a master reset of the vehicle’s modem/telemetry system. Immediately afterward: •my Fordpass access was removed •all historical vehicle alerts and safety warnings were erased •no active alerts are displayed, despite documented prior adas failures •the vehicle now shows no alert history, no mileage data, and no retrievable safety logs •the vehicle appears as a new/uninitialized vehicle in the Fordpass system this reset occurred without resolving the underlying safety defect and while engineering had previously indicated no fix was available. Systems affected the loss of telemetry, alert history, and diagnostic logging impacts multiple advanced driver assistance systems (adas), including but not limited •forward collision warning •automatic emergency braking •lane departure warning •lane keeping assistance •blind spot warning •rear cross-traffic warning these systems rely on integrated camera, sensor, and software data that can no longer be verified, reviewed, or audited. Why this is a safety concern the master reset eliminated evidence of prior safety warnings and failures, impairing: •driver awareness of active or recurring safety conditions •manufacturer and regulator ability to diagnose or confirm defect behavior •event reconstruction in the event of a collision or near-miss •oversight of whether safety systems are functioning as designed.

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.

Multiple failures occurred while driving with my kids in the car from what we can tell an electrical system failure of the parking brake motor as well as a transmission failure it is unknown at this time whether the parking brake motor failed causing stress on the transmission or the transmission fault led to the end electric motor failure of the parking brake.

The awd module failed with less than 60,000 miles on the vehicle. I live in the northeast and we get some brutal weather, especially snowstorms. I believe this part should be under a broader recall as it was the same grounding issue as reported in the other current recall for a certain production date Escape for its awd module this year. I have always owned a four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive vehicle, and we love to take scenic trips especially in winter for something to do. The only inspection of the module was the tunkhannock Ford dealer that replaced it. The system did warn me after filling up with gas that there was an issue. I feel that this could have gone really bad if we had been in lake seneca, killington or driving up to bangor. It is the whole idea of it not working because of a single bad grounding wield that shuts all the traction control off to get stuck out in very little snow. . . I don't even know if the abs would react the same under this condition.

The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v789000 (electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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.

Vehicle: 2022 Ford Escape VIN: [xxx] dealer: westfield Ford, countryside IL problem: rear light repeatedly fails even after multiple repairs; vehicle becomes unsafe and illegal to drive. The rear tail light on my 2022 Ford Escape has failed repeatedly since early spring 2025. The dealer (westfield Ford) has attempted repairs 5 times, including replacing bulbs and diagnosing the wiring/computer system. Each repair fails again shortly after. On June 12, 2025, the dealer refused to provide a loaner for a safety repair, forcing me to rent a car at my own expense. On October 9–10, 2025, I left the car again for diagnostics and had to pay for uber rides because the vehicle could not be legally driven with the light out. The dealership now says the computer module (bcm) is defective, but they still refuse to open a warranty claim, so no repairs have been completed. The vehicle remains unsafe to drive due to loss of exterior rear lighting. This defect makes the vehicle non-compliant with fmvss lighting standards and creates a serious safety hazard for nighttime or low-visibility driving. I am filing this complaint because the defect is ongoing, Ford and the dealer have failed to resolve it, and the car continues to have a recurring lighting failure that affects road safety. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I bought a 2013 Escape 3-4 months ago. It had a clear car fax as well as clean on Ford. Com. Recently the air bag light has been flashing on and as time has gone on, it is staying on longer. I just had it diagnosed at a Ford dealership and was told it was an air bag sensor, with a cost of over $2000. After digging deeper, I discovered that the air bag and sensors were replaced in 2016 under the recalls at the time. I understand that this was done and I am only asking for some financial assistance as I can no longer drive my Escape. I know I bought an older car, but Ford will not help with any assistance and it seems they have an obligation since this problem has been happening over and over. I worked in Ford dealerships for over 40 years. Please help.

I have a 2014 Ford Escape 1. 6 engine which was clearly on the recall list for engine coolant failure and my vehicle is showing all the signs I repaired some things changed the hoses and it keeps giving me the high engine light oil is mixing into the reservoir. I have not passed emissions over a year the sensor keeps going off and the electrical system is really bad it creates a lot of static I can't play the radio. Here is the codes for the recalls 17s09-and 17v209000. I am making car payments on this vehicle that I cannot drive I've asked Ford in the past could I just have it serviced for the engine coolant system problem and for the purge valve because I can't pass emission test they refuse to help me saying that my VIN is not coming up as a recall but it's the exact same car that they've recalled in the past 2014 Ford Escape engine 1. 60 I need help!!! this has been going on for weeks with a high engine overheating sensor shutting off the engine stalling me in traffic. This is a safety issue this car belongs to Ford and I think that they should help me get it repaired at a dealership please.

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I’ve always had electrical problems and now when I try to drive it, it smells like it’s going to catch on fire. And I’ve had to fix something within the fuel system 3 times.

My vehicle had no warning lamps, messages or any other symptoms before driving that day. Vehicle was well maintained. Driving on a rural straight paved road that is in excellent condition, at approximately 55 miles per hour, smoke suddenly came through the dash top (defroster along windshield) and bottom (underneath the dash - heavier volume of smoke); almost immediately, the horn started sounding independently, a message appeared that read engine failure, brakes failed simultaneously and could not stop the vehicle. Only possible way to get the vehicle to stop was to remove the ignition key, put lever in park, pulled park break up. Flames now under the dash & smoke was pouring out from under the hood. My safety was at risk and had to exit the vehicle as fast as possible from drivers side with cars approaching. After exit, saw flames in the tire well also; witness saw flames under the car therefore he was yelling "get away from the car, it's on fire". Got away as fast as possible. The witness called the fire department who arrived extremely timely (and police even sooner). Fd attempted to put out fire with water first, then needed foam as it ultimately turned into a gas tank fuel fire. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer since there was nothing to speak of left. The police, fire department, tow company, and also the insurance claim inspector did view and/or inspect the remnants of the vehicle. The insurance inspector took possession of the remnants of the vehicle from the tow company. My safety was extremely put at risk as I could have died from many factors including brake failure, smoke inhalation, burns from the fire, getting hit from another vehicle upon exit from the burning vehicle, or heart attack.

The 2024 Ford Escape continues failing to record safety events. Alert history and messages sections are not updating after warnings . Because the alert-history system is failing, the vehicle does not store warnings. This prevents accurate diagnosis and hides safety-critical failures. Adas systems are unreliable, making lane changes, reversing, and merging unsafe. Ford dealership and engineering hotline have been working on the vehicle since Nov 3 and have repeatedly reproduced adas failures. Safety alerts have continued since March 2025. Ford engineers and dealership technicians have inspected the vehicle multiple times, including the current visit (Nov 3–present). Engineering hotline continues to escalate. Adas warnings have appeared since March 24, 2025. Today’s event shows that the alert history and messages features still do not log warnings even after repairs. “following multiple failed repairs and an ipma module replacement, the 2024 Ford Escape still fails to record critical safety alerts. As of today, the alert history shows only a single old entry and does not log new adas warnings. The messages section also shows numerous unread messages but does not display new alert data. This confirms the adas system and data-logging subsystem are still malfunctioning after weeks in the dealership and engineering involvement. ”.

The power system assist fault light came on and steering is very difficult.

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“while driving a 2026 Ford Escape hybrid loaner (provided while my 2024 Escape is in the shop for ongoing adas failures), the vehicle displayed a new safety system malfunction warning at startup. This is the third adas-related failure on this loaner (previous events on Nov 13 and Nov 23). Weather was clear and dry, and the warning appeared immediately at key-on, not while driving, indicating a system defect—not environmental obstruction. This now confirms a recurring pattern across multiple Ford Escapes and model years. My primary vehicle has had adas failures for months and remains in the shop since Nov 3 with no fix. This loaner failure further supports a platform-wide safety defect involving the camera/ipma system. ”.

Version, perfectly formatted, non-repetitive, and aligned with the newest updates (vehicle still in shop, engineering cannot fix, extended delays, failed module replacement). Yes, use today’s date (Nov 21, 2025) as the incident date. ? ? complaint #7 – NHTSA 900-character version (copy/paste ready) incident date: 11/21/2025 after a dealership-installed replacement of the ipma/front camera module (authorized by Ford engineering) 11/14/2025 , the adas safety systems (blis, cross-traffic, pre-collision assist, park aid, and alert history logging) are still malfunctioning. The vehicle has now been out of service since Nov 3 and the dealer reports that Ford engineering is still unable to identify a fix. The alert history remains corruptive and fails to record events. This is still unresolved adas issues and prolonged repair delays. Dealer has been exceptional in communication and left (2) voicemail stating engineering hotline continues working on it but Ford’s inability to provide a remedy leaves the vehicle unsafe and unusable until further notice. Nov 3 - ongoing in shop.

Engine caught fire at the coolant reservoir.

My 2023 Ford Escape plug-in hybrid has experienced repeated high-voltage battery safety issues and prolonged loss of intended function. In February 2025, Ford notified me under recall 24s79 that I must immediately stop charging the vehicle due to the risk of internal battery cell short, potential battery thermal venting, and fire. That “do not charge” instruction lasted approximately six months, eliminating the core plug-in hybrid functionality of the vehicle. Ford originally stated the remedy would be available in q2 2025, but the repair was not completed until late August 2025. The recall documentation stated that an internal battery cell short could cause the “stop safely now” warning and sudden loss of motive power, which presents a serious safety risk while driving, especially when transporting my family. During the “do not charge” period the vehicle’s plug-in hybrid capability was unusable, and Ford acknowledged the risk of fire and loss of power. In November 2025, I received a new high-voltage battery recall 25sc4 (NHTSA 25v789) for the same general hazard category (internal short, potential fire, loss of motive power). The new recall states that no remedy is available at this time. This means the vehicle is again subject to a serious unresolved safety defect involving the same critical system. The repeated battery failures and the absence of a current fix create an ongoing safety concern, and the vehicle cannot be reliably used or sold during this open recall with no remedy. I am requesting NHTSA review the repeated hv battery defects, extended loss of plug-in hybrid functionality, delayed first recall remedy, and the current “no remedy available” condition, and assess whether further investigation or corrective action is needed for these vehicles.

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection? the adas system (ipma front camera module, blis, cross-traffic, park aid, and alert-history logging) continues to malfunction even after Ford installed a new ipma/ipa module on Nov 14. Vehicle is at the dealership and available for inspection. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? safety alerts fail to appear, the adas system does not record events, and blind-spot/lane-change warnings are missing, creating a collision risk. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes. Dealer and Ford engineering hotline confirmed defects continue after module replacement. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? yes. Ford engineering hotline and dealership technicians have inspected and attempted repairs. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to failure, and when did they first appear? yes. Adas warning messages began March 24, 2025. After the Nov 14 module install, alerts persist and the alert-history remains incomplete.