Equipment Problems of Ford Escape - part 1

Engine coolant intrusion- I don't feel safe driving this vehicle due to engine problems known to Ford even at/before time of sale. Possible fire hazard. Transmission- I don't feel safe driving this vehicle due to transmission problems known to Ford even at/before time of sale. Vehicle lurched around while backing from my garage. Electronic emergency brake- occasionally sticks in lock on position not allowing me to operate. Report date is today 02/08/2026 for issues as of manufacture date 12/17/17 I request Ford buy back this vehicle at full purchase price. I'm a single widow and don't feel safe driving this vehicle alone. Ford selling vehicles with long known problems to unsuspecting customers is shameful.

See all problems of the 2018 Ford Escape 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2016 Ford Escape 🔎.

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.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the rearview camera became inoperable. The rearview camera failure was intermittent. The contact received notifications of NHTSA campaign numbers: 25v695000 (back over prevention) and 26v011000 (equipment); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer 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 not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 167,000.

Upon putting car in reverse backup camera screen shows upside picture. Upon putting car in reverse backup camera screen goes completely black being a senior driver the backup camera system is a huge safety necessity.

See all problems of the 2015 Ford Escape 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2020 Ford Escape 🔎.

As I was traveling down hwy [xxx] the Ford Escape lost power and started excessively smoking. When I looked under the hood flames were coming from the passenger side of the SUV under the hood. The fire begin to grow and finally engulfed the entire front of the SUV and moved to the interior of the SUV before the fire department arrived. The vehicle has not been inspected as this happened last night [xxx]. The engine light and oil light appeared before the SUV shut down. I purchased the vehicle on [xxx] I did research and found a recall on the 2013 Ford Escape. Please see below. A 2013 Ford Escape may catch fire primarily due to engine overheating caused by a cracked cylinder head, leading to oil leaks, or due to a faulty engine block heater that can short circuit. Specifically, models with the 1. 6l ecoboost engine are prone to these issues, with several recalls issued for fire hazards. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2013 Ford Escape 🔎.

I have replaced the transmission due to the toque converter acting up and then failing. I have replaced now 3 coolant parts as well due to leaking and constant overheating and have replaced the block once as well.

Rearview camera has turned dark. . . .

See all problems of the 2023 Ford Escape 🔎.

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.

I was driving on a very flat highway (no other cars around me) and it sounded like an explosion and glass rained down the back of the car. When I get to my destination, I looked at my roof and the sun roof glass had exploded.

The retractable panoramic sunroof cover snapped out of it's clips while I was driving and the shade fell over my head. After reading about this online, numerous consumers have had this exact problem.

See all problems of the 2021 Ford Escape 🔎.

The transmission just failed. No warning lights or anything. I was just driving along and it started to flutter then it hesitated and went into limp mode. Took it to the shop and it they said it needs a whole new transmission.

Sunroof shade blocking rear visibility when open, when open it’s not rolling up into cavity.

I purchased a 2018 Ford Escape from metropolitan Ford dealership in eden prairie, mn on 5/15/2025. The very next day the engine light came on. I called them, made an appointment and brought it in thinking that it was a sensor. They checked it out and tried to charge me $1000 for the fix. I argued with them that I had just bought the car and the should be responsible for fixing it. In end I paid $300 and knew from that point that they would take no responsibility for anything wrong with th car. Fast forward to 12/12/2025 I was driving to work and as soon as I entered the interstate the engine light came on as well as the temperature gage going through the roof. I found that I couldn't accelerate and slowly drove the car off the next exit. I was able to get it to my mechanic right there, where he said I had a slow leak in the coolant and gave me a rough estimate of $1000 possible fix but he couldn't do it then. He advised me to keep the coolant filled and took it out of the "limp" mode so I could drive it. A week later I went out to my car and it was in the "limp" mode again, I had it towed to the nearest service station where they came back with the issue. A coolant intrusion. The engine was no longer functional. I went back to the dealer and they told me it was my problem to deal with and that they had no responsibility to do anything. That's when I found out about the recall that they knew about and ignored and sold me a car that they knew was problematic. I'm hoping to join this class action lawsuit because I'm out $12,000 the largest amount that I ever paid for a car and I don't have a working car. I still owe $5000 on this one. I thought going to a Ford dealership and spending the kind of money I spent would protect me from this exact thing. I'm devastated and really don't know what to do.

Fabric cover of sunroof got detached from rails, so it rolls the fabric to the back of the vehicle leaving the clips hanging and no way to get the sunroof cover reattached.

See all problems of the 2022 Ford Escape 🔎.

Unknown December 25th, 2025, my vehicle started to shift poorly, breaking very harshly, giving a clonking sound when putting the vehicle into any gear, and when putting it into reverse, the car rocked roughly and threw a wrench light onto the dash. That wrench light gave a torque converter/transmission code. I took it to a dealership to get it diagnosed and they told me nothing was wrong with it and that it is driving as it should. I took it to a different shop for a second opinion and as soon as my vehicle was in the air, the mechanic found that all of my mounts were bad, I had a transmission leak and might possibly have a bad torque converter. My safety as well as my [xxx] daughters was put at risk from the dealership not doing a thorough diagnostic on my vehicle. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While driving and idling, strong exhaust fumes enter the cabin, especially when the vehicle is in park or stopped at a traffic light. Air recirculation shuts off by itself and the airflow is very weak even on high settings. Remote start caused the cabin to fill with fumes before entering the vehicle, leading to headache and difficulty breathing within minutes. Symptoms are consistent with carbon monoxide exposure. Cabin and engine air filter is brand new. Just replaced 12/13/2025. Fumes are significantly worse at idle, suggesting an exhaust manifold crack or turbo exhaust leak. This is a serious safety hazard, and I am concerned about carbon monoxide poisoning and risk of losing consciousness while driving. It was so bad I had to have all windows open and the heat off in 30 or below temperature just to breathe. I have a very small child with heart problems and I'm concerned my vehicle is no longer safe to drive.

The Ford sync infotainment system failed and produced no audio and no hands-free phone functionality. This created a safety risk because the driver could not use hands-free calling and could not hear navigation prompts, warning chimes, or system alerts, increasing distraction while driving. A Ford dealer diagnosed internal failures in the apim and audio control module (acm). The apim was replaced and programmed, but audio did not return until the acm was also replaced. The issue was repaired. This report is submitted to document a safety-related failure of the Ford sync system for review of potential defects affecting other vehicles.

The car has indicated that it was getting hot, vehicle had tossed out some smoke, which raised our concerns due to the recall and there being no remedy.

I bought a 2005 Ford Escape the VIN number on the dash and the title do match however the ecu and the door jamb VIN fmyu02z56ka33314 which is for a 2006 Ford Escape 4 cylinder 2. 3. The vehicle I bought should be a 6 cylinder with a 3. 0 l the mechanic says mismatched VIN the dealership refuses to listen. About the vehicle on November 25th 2025 drove it 30 miles then was able to call the mechanic for some maintenance as his car was for my daughter and that is when I got to bad news of a mismatched VIN. Not even your odometer reading is correct has less on it now than it did back in 2018 and it's documented as accurate.

See all problems of the 2005 Ford Escape 🔎.

As a firefighter, I find it concerning that this recall has been issued for so long and no resolution has been found. The amount of vehicle fires that I see with reports of it "just starting to smoke, and then was on fire when I pulled over!" can easily be explained by fuel leaking into the hot engine compartment and combusting. This is my wife's primary vehicle, so I do not see it as fair that we have to send her on her way while there is no resolution to a potentially catastrophic issue. These vehicles need to be pulled off the roads before someone dies!.

Blown head gasket, it is available for inspection. The engine overheating could’ve left me and my family stranded. The problem has not been confirmed by anyone. It also has not been inspected yet either. There were no other indicators lit on the dashboard other than the check engine light.

Chrome around shifter knob is peeling up causing gashes in drivers fingers. A key function to adjust gears that is causing bodily harm. Chrome tips were addressed on window nobs due to sharp chrome peeling up. Vehicle was inspected by Ford dealership and I was informed it was not included in the recall.

I am getting warnings on my dash every day, about tpms system failure. Sometimes it shows all four tire pressure, sometimes one or two of them will shut off with the warning alarm, sometimes it is all four of them will stop showing. It is intermittent module failure, the sensors in the tire are working. There is a current recall for some of my year/make/model 20s59, but corporate Ford is saying it does not apply to my vehicle. The exact same issue as this recall has happened to my vehicle.

I have had my car in the service department twice and continue to have the same issue. I am scheduled to have the car in the shop again on 2-19-26. For several months! after stopping and starting, my car stalls for a few seconds and then takes off. Yesterday, the car stalled while crossing the interstate and there was another vehicle behind me. I am terrified that the car is not going to restart and I will be trying to cross a road or I will be rear ended l.

See all problems of the 2024 Ford Escape 🔎.

The front driver doors latch has snapped and no longer catches the door. The door clicked every time it opened and shut a few times before a loud pop/crack noise and now it won’t latch properly.

The back passenger door is stuck closed and will not open even though the power locks and physical lock, inside and exterior door handles all function as they should. There is currently a customer satisfaction program regarding the front driver side door 23b56 however the local Ford dealership will not fix the issue because it is not the front door.

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

See all problems of the 2010 Ford Escape 🔎.

1. Awd system: sensor in rear axel causing "awd system fault error". 2. Without the functionality of my awd system related to this malfunction I am left with a vehicle that can not perform in the conditions that may require awd, such as deep snow which could result in me crashing. 3. Yes. My car is currently at a Ford certified mechanic. 4. Unknown. 5. "awd system fault error, service engine soon" as we were driving down the highway toward our home. We took it to the mechanic as soon as they had an opening, which was a week from the error message appearing.

Component: forward collision avoidance / lane departure / visibility / electrical / I am filing this complaint regarding a loaner vehicle (2026 Ford Escape hybrid) provided to me while my 2024 Escape remains in the dealership for unresolved adas safety failures. The loaner has now shown two separate adas malfunction warnings: the first on Nov 13, 2025 (“front camera fault / pre-collision assist not available”), and the second on Nov 23, 2025 showing another safety system failure during startup. My primary Escape has been in the shop since Nov 3 for identical adas issues that Ford engineering has not been able to repair. The fact that the loaner demonstrates the same failures raises concern that this may be a systemic defect affecting multiple model years. The dealership has also acknowledged multiple Escapes with similar issues. Safety risk remains high.

Tpms failure after ipma replacement – “after the dealership replaced the ipma module on Nov 14, 2025 to address repeated adas system failures (blis, cross-traffic, pre-collision assist, park aid, front camera fault), the tire pressure monitoring system (tpms) immediately stopped functioning. The Fordpass app shows all four tire sensors missing (‘—’) and permanent ‘tire pressure data delayed’ warnings. This occurred while the vehicle remained in the shop for over 40 days with unresolved adas defects. The tpms failure adds another safety-critical issue following a repair that already failed. This indicates escalating electronic instability and confirms the vehicle is unsafe and unreliable. ”.

Coolant leak again. Third time having the same issue. Coolant leak issue has been fixed twice within recent years.

See all problems of the 2014 Ford Escape 🔎.

My car was fine earlier today, but when I drove home and parked, I turned my vehicle off and the fan continued to run. I took my car to autozone and they ran a diagnostic test with the oem and no codes came up. They said it’s possibly the motor fan module or some sort of sensor or relay. The car isn’t running hot or anything, but the motor can won’t turn off, so it’s running my battery down. This is the first time this has happened.

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.