Equipment Problems of Ford Escape - part 2

The vehicle experienced multiple critical system failures within one week of purchase: transmission failure (slipping, delayed shifting, and stalling during acceleration) braking system malfunction (brakes jump or pulse when pressed, inconsistent stopping) fluid leakage inside the cabin near the gas and brake pedals (believed to be either brake fluid or transmission fluid) the vehicle is currently undrivable and can be made available for inspection upon request. The vehicle became a severe safety hazard while I was operating it with my infant child in the car. The brakes were unresponsive and unpredictable, creating near-miss situations when trying to stop. The transmission failure caused stalling at intersections and hesitation when accelerating, putting me at risk of being rear-ended. The fluid leak near the pedals presents a possible fire hazard or the risk of further brake failure. I feared for my life and my child’s safety. The problem has not been confirmed by a mechanic yet because the dealership, platinum auto sales in arlington, va, refused to take the vehicle back or inspect it after I reported the issues. I was dismissed when I returned to report the failures. I am currently seeking an independent inspection, but I want this formally documented as an urgent safety matter. I am in the process of filing reports with the federal trade commission, state consumer protection, and local police regarding fraud and sale of a dangerous vehicle. I can make the vehicle available for inspection by NHTSA or a certified safety inspector. There were no warning lights or error messages at the time of purchase. The problems appeared within 24–48 hours of driving the vehicle: difficulty shifting and hesitation when accelerating began almost immediately brake issues and pedal fluid leakage appeared by day 3 by day 5, the vehicle became unsafe to drive altogether.

See all problems of the 2016 Ford Escape 🔎.

There was a clunking sound when I opened the sun roof. Later when we closed the sun shade, it seems to be hesitating. The next time we opened the sun shade, it seems to be catching. As I drove there was a sliding sound that we finally identified as coming from the sunroof. Something could be seen from the sunshade: an outline of something that continued to slide around in all directions. I looked it up on the internet, concerned about what it could be and discovered that there have been 2021 Escapes with the panoramic sunroof that have a manufacturing defect resulting in poor adhesion of the fixed glass panel and/or front panel to the roof frame. There was a warning that the roof panel or front panel could detach from the vehicle while driving. Detachment could result in injury or death to road users. It can also lead to water leaks and wind noise which it links to the drip rails. I am concerned that this item sliding around is going to tear the headliner and fall on me or a passenger and am not sure it is a drip rail.

See all problems of the 2021 Ford Escape 🔎.

While driving the sunshade cover became detached at the front and fell down. This restricted my view out of the back of the car causing a dangerous situation as I was driving down the highway and the only one in the car. It seems like the adhesive holding it failed.

See all problems of the 2020 Ford Escape 🔎.

Backup camera will stay on for a short time after switching from r to d. It will switch while driving down the road. Also the lighting continues to switch light to dark while driving during the day.

See all problems of the 2019 Ford Escape 🔎.

The sunroof shade rolled all the way back, detaching itself from the motors that move it. The guard plate between the sunroof and the moonroof fell off as it is held in place by double-sided tape tabs, landing on top of the shade which likely caused the issue. Ford will not repair it under my extended warranty even though the vista roof itself is covered they are classifying the sunshade as a trim piece. They are instead, offering to cover 1/2 of the $1800+ dollar repair. There was no warning prior to this happening and had someone been in the rear seat the large panel would have fallen on them potentially injuring them.

Inner shade visor for sun roof has become detached from rail mechanism, causing material to sag and bunch up and get stuck when retracting sunroof. Visibility issues caused could cause safety hazard.

Transmission issue, transmission failure.

The sunshade rolled in after the cross bar of the panoramic sunroom fell on the sunshade. My dealer is quoting me $1500 to repair the sunshade and no other mechanics will even touch it. My car is a 2021 Ford Escape sel. Its is a very gently used car and it is terrible that this is happening. It has impacted me financially in a big way and am struggling to find a way to pay for it. I have only had my car for 1 year. Please make Ford do a recall so others do not have to go through this too. Thank you!.

I am the owner of a 2020 Ford Escape experiencing two serious issues: 1. My vehicle is exhibiting the exact symptoms outlined in Ford csp 23b56—specifically, the failure of the driver-side door check-arm welds. The door produces loud popping noises, feels unstable when opening/closing, and has visible signs of structural stress. Despite this, my VIN has been deemed ineligible for the program. Given that the issue matches the failure described in csp 23b56, I am requesting a re-evaluation of my VIN’s coverage and a formal inspection under this program. 2. My vehicle is also subject to NHTSA recall 25v467 / Ford recall 25s76, concerning the potential for a cracked fuel injector leading to fuel accumulation on top of the engine—a serious fire hazard. According to NHTSA, there is currently no remedy available. This adds another layer of safety concern, particularly considering the compounding risks and Ford’s delay in delivering a fix. Between the structural door failure and a pending recall involving potential engine fires, I am deeply concerned about the safety and reliability of my vehicle. I am asking that my concerns be formally investigated and that Ford take appropriate responsibility for repairs, reimbursement (if applicable), or an expanded VIN inclusion under the csp.

Ear piercing sound coming from what appears to be the stereo speaker system. It was so loud it felt like it blew out my ear drums by the time I got it turned off. Days later my ears are still ringing with intermittent headaches. I have scheduled a warranty service with the local Ford dealership. There was no warning and started as soon as I started the car. No one has inspected the vehicle. This took place on 6/14/2025.

See all problems of the 2023 Ford Escape 🔎.

While driving, the metal crossbar trim above my head separating the front (movable) and rear (fixed) roof glass fell off, jamming the sunshade and then falling on my head.

See all problems of the 2022 Ford Escape 🔎.

The rearview backup camera no longer functions at all. Upon putting the car in reverse, I receive a black screen with glitching colors for a few seconds that turns completely black and gives me an error stating rearview camera is unavailable. There has been no damage recently to the vehicle or any other modifications made, or no other known contributing events, it just stopped working on its own. I also received no warning prior to this happening from any systems in the vehicle. This is especially dangerous since I rely upon this camera and alert sensors to safely back up and avoid damage to my vehicle, myself, others, and surrounding objects. I am aware that several Ford models built the same year have an active recall for this exact issue, in addition to the 2023-2024 Escape models. I would highly recommend looking into this issue as it pertains to the 2022 Escape as well.

The coolant leaks into the the cylinders. I bought this car June 7th 2025 and was told it was being sold as is due to hail damage. I have no issue with cosmetic problems but I come to find out that there is major defect with Ford Escapes. My vehicle started to overheat with my children in the car so I checked the coolant and it was empty. I have been keeping my eye on it and filling when needed but when I went to turn it on a couple days ago it will not start at all. I put 4,000 down on this car and got into payments because I trusted the dealership to put me in a car that was not known for these issues. I had no idea because I am not in the car business and I scrambled to get a car because mine was wrecked. The check engine light even came as the salesman was pumping gas to give me the car after I bought it and told me they would check into. I was told a couple days later it was a loose ignition coil and that they topped off the coolant for me. It was within the same week that I started having these issues because I am sure this issue was preexisting but they did not want to tell me.

See all problems of the 2017 Ford Escape 🔎.

Sunshade retracted all the way and center roof molding holding it was with double stick tape. Rolled all the back and cannot get it to go back.

Sunroof on the vehicle just shattered. No impact related cause. Maybe heat.

See all problems of the 2006 Ford Escape 🔎.

Eco boost failure recommended replacement referred to a Ford dealership for service 1500. 00 to 2000. 00 for replacement.

Rear power liftgate fails to lift, close or lock properly.

When hitting the brakes the car starts accelerating brakes go to the floor.

See all problems of the 2015 Ford Escape 🔎.

The shade on the moonroof dislodged making it difficult to see out of my rear window.

Back up quit working.

The shift cable bushing on my 2015 Ford Escape failed, causing the gear shifter to appear in "park" when the transmission was actually in a different gear. This posed a significant safety risk, as the vehicle could roll unexpectedly. The problem was diagnosed and confirmed by a certified Ford dealership. They stated the failure was due to a coolant hose leak affecting the bushing, but this seems questionable since this exact bushing has been recalled previously for premature degradation (Ford recalls 18s20 and 22s25). I experienced the same symptoms reported in the recall: gear position not matching the shifter, difficulty engaging park, and the potential for the car to roll. There were no warning lights or messages before the failure. I had to pay for the repair out of pocket, even though this appears to be the same defect covered in the recall. The part is no longer available for inspection, as it was replaced during the repair.

When driving the vehicle it suddenly lost all acceleration power. I coasted to side of road and opened hood to determine the vehicle was on fire from rear of engine bay. I then proceeded to offload what I was able from behind the vehicle of my tools for my job. There was no over heat warning or other indicators of any major issues with the vehicle prior to the fire.

Inside driver door rivets broke preventing door closing and latch is flopping inside door.

Engine overheating due to coolant loss into cylinder through internal leak. Engine and vehicle are available for inspection. Engine overheating due to coolant loss into cylinders can be a risk for vehicle fire. Overheating affected my engine longevity and function and caused my vehicle to stop in an unsafe location (I. E. The highway). This is a serious safety concern for my family since we also live in arizona where we are highly susceptible to extreme heat. I took the Ford vehicle to a Ford dealer to inspect and they verified that the engine block was warped due to an internal leak of coolant into the engine cylinders through a known recall issue Ford vehicle has been inspected by the Ford dealership by certified Ford mechanics. Overheating had no warning since internal coolant leaks are not detectable through external means. When car overheated, I took the vehicle to Ford for inspection.

See all problems of the 2018 Ford Escape 🔎.

All vehicles screens including the speedometer turned off multiple times while driving. When screen came back online a large number of warning lights popped up including that there was a shift system fault. The light showing that the vehicle was in drive was no longer lit up. Immediately stopped vehicle. The electrical system on the vehicle has failed at least 5 times previously with several documented instances of going to the dealer for repairs with no solutions.

I have a 2018 Ford Escape that I purchased 2 years ago. Three days ago, it would not start and when we got it to start white smoke came out and there was no coolant left in the chamber. There is no fluid under the car and the car warning light came on saying powertrain malfunction, reduced power. The fluid went in the cylinder we believe. We went to a Ford dealership and was told there are no recalls on this vehicle. When we looked up online we see that there was a program 21n12 for this problem but because it's not a recall we can't use it. How do we get help with this?.

The back-up camera works sporadically and when it does work, it remains on for a few seconds when the vehicle is placed in drive and moving forward.

See all problems of the 2014 Ford Escape 🔎.

The rear back up camera invert and turn the vision upside down. I understand that there was a recall for this year and model for that problem, but mine does not show up on the recall, but my camera rear facing camera does not work because it inverts all the images upside down. I bought the car used with 128,000 miles on it so I don’t know actually how long this problem had been going on before I purchased the car but the rear backup camera now shows everything upside down.

What component has failed and is it available for inspection upon request? the engine is failing due to coolant intrusion. This is a known issue that can lead to engine fires and failure whilst driving. This problem is reproduce able. The dealership has inspected the issue however it is intermittent and did not occur while they checked. Cel does come on for the issue and first appeared in early 2025.

A module is causing communication issues in the car between its and the key fob causing the car not to be able to start at all. It has been at the Ford dealer [xxx] for over a month now and they are unable to remedy the situation. They claim they can’t update the software or can’t find out what’s wrong with the car. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The transmission in my vehicle failed and had to be completely rebuilt before the car even reached 90,000 miles. Additionally, the vehicle has been leaking coolant. I have read that there are known recalls for coolant leaks on vehicles of the same year, make, and model as mine, which may be related to the issue I’m experiencing. Component or system that failed: the transmission failed and required a full rebuild. The coolant system is also leaking. Both systems are available for inspection if needed. •safety risk: the transmission failure caused sudden performance issues, which could have led to an accident if it had happened while driving at highway speeds. The coolant leak puts the engine at risk of overheating, which could also lead to a breakdown or safety hazard while on the road. •reproduction or confirmation: the transmission issue was confirmed by a certified transmission repair shop that performed the rebuild. The coolant leak is ongoing and observable. •inspection by third parties: the transmission was inspected and rebuilt by an independent service center. The coolant leak has not yet been officially diagnosed by a dealership, but I plan to have it inspected soon. •warning lamps or messages: there were no warning lamps for the transmission before failure, but symptoms such as slipping and rough shifting occurred prior to the rebuild. For the coolant leak, low coolant level warnings and engine temperature alerts have appeared intermittently, which first began a few months ago.

See all problems of the 2013 Ford Escape 🔎.

Bad battery. Yes, the dealership did replace the 12v battery, however since I do not drive often, and not 60 miles a day. I was advised to install a battery maintainer, which I should have been told at the time of purchase. However, how inconvenient as I will have a power cord in the driveway, and I would have to connect and disconnect the battery maintainer, which to me is a safety issue. I see online Ford has had these problems with their battery. Is Ford doing anything about this problem to ensure this type of problem is fixed? I purchased a new vehicle so I would not have problems.

Check engine light came on on day of my final payment!! mechanic said there had been issues and possible recall to fix. Antifreeze leaking into engine causing need to replace engine.

Leaking coolant and heat only blows hot when reving at consistent speed , and ac not blowing cold.

The vehicle was shaking really bad when started. I took the vehicle to a mechanic since it seemed like it was mis-firing. I was told the vehicle was leaking coolant into the 2nd cylinder causing damage to my engine. I was told I needed a whole engine replacement. I called Ford customer care and was told there is no service programs for my VIN number. I also purchased the extended warranty when purchasing this vehicle which just expired in Nov 2024. I can't believe Ford will not honor this engine replacement when I just saw online this was an ongoing issue and my vehicle was was in the time frame of 96 months or $150,000 mile time frame.