Service Brakes 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 🔎.

I bought a 2016 Ford Escape se 2 days ago and just found out it had no back brake pads of any measurable thickness, and the front brake pads were nearly as thin. Does not meet oregon used car sales laws. Can you help me ? call the dealer so they fix them ? thank you, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2016 Ford Escape 🔎.

I found the brake pedal too high. I was involved in a very low speed crash. I found my right foot caught between the accelerator and break peddle . Unable to stop in time. Am checking for a video and police report at this time.

See all problems of the 2023 Ford Escape 🔎.

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.

There is no low fuel light on the dash. I just found this out because it is the first time I ran the gas that low. Brakes- when braking the transmission jumps. It makes the car hop. These are both safety concerns because you won’t know you have low fuel unless you shut the car off and turn it back on. With the brakes, no component should be making a car jump when you hit the brakes.

See all problems of the 2024 Ford Escape 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2014 Ford Escape 🔎.

I had just started up my 05 Ford hybrid Escape reversed out of a parking space, applied my brakes and a loud warning noise went off, the abs light & the brake light went on, then I tried to brake while backing out of the parking stall. I had no brakes, petal went all the way to the floor. I shifted into drive to pull forward. The car wouldn’t stop petal just went right to the floor, had very little resistance. I almost drove through the front glass doors of the p/t office across from the pharmacy in cool, CA. The roads are mountainous windy and steep. I was definitely scared for my safety. I had to coast very slowly on the way home. I was on my way to work but instead I dropped it off at home and called ride share to take me to work! I had to use my emergency brake to make the turn up my dirt road. I still had little to no brakes to stop the car. I parked it and haven’t driven it since. Much to dangerous to drive this car. I could have easily been killed not having brakes. It showed no codes, had no warning at all. I just bought the car about 6 months prior. The next day it was as if it never happened.

See all problems of the 2005 Ford Escape 🔎.

During braking the car experienced what seemed to be a glitch and lost all breaking power. Foot went to the floor and had to press and release multiple times for break power assist to come back. This happened three times within 100 mile drive.

Abs braking not functioning, power steering failure , speedometer and odometer failure, air bag indication of non function. Warning indications on dash illuminated at once when failures occured the loss of functioning air bags, power steering, abs braking are all possible safety risks, most especially when combined at once. Vehicle has been diagnosed by a registered Ford dealership. Problems diagnosed as a failure of the electrical abs system module by the Ford dealership. Dealership expressed that this was a known issue and all repair parts are currently out of stock and on national back order with no eta for availability. This leaves the vehicle in a condition that makes it a safety hazard to be driven , for myself and others. Documentation unavailable at this time from dealership, verbal conversation, still awaiting repair options. Vehicle has been in dealership since 11/03/2025.

When putting the car in reverse the brakes make an awful screaming noise. It sounds like they are not releasing. Then when you go in drive and want to stop it doesn't want to. It is not all the time but more so then not.

See all problems of the 2021 Ford Escape 🔎.

My battery light has been on for about a week it will come off and on thos morning as I was pulling into work I notice the power steering wasn't working right!.

See all problems of the 2019 Ford Escape 🔎.

When I change gears to p or r the car shut down , also it shakes when I break.

See all problems of the 2013 Ford Escape 🔎.

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.

Summary: failure of awd/transfer case control module causing loss of multiple safety and driveline functions. Vehicle is currently being repaired at Ford dealership so will have already been corrected. While driving, multiple dash warnings appeared: “service advancetrac,” “awd not available,” “hill start assist not available,” and “drive mode not available. ” the vehicle lost all all-wheel-drive functionality as well as traction/stability features. Dealer diagnosed an internal failure of the awd/transfer case control module. Safety impact: this failure disables critical safety systems (advancetrac stability control, hill start assist, awd traction). In poor weather or emergency maneuvers, loss of these systems could increase the risk of crash. Repair estimate: dealer quoted ~$1,070 for replacement of awd control module (parts, labor, and programming). Concern: this is a major driveline and safety system failure at only 40,000 miles. Ford previously acknowledged awd module defects in 2020 Escapes under customer satisfaction program 21b19, which suggests this may be a broader issue that warrants investigation or recall.

See all problems of the 2020 Ford Escape 🔎.

Purchased certified vehicle from wray Ford on 2/23/24. Car was previously leased by fmcc and still listed as a Ford fleet vehicle in michigan as of 9/12/25. VIN confirms it falls under Ford safety recall 24s79, which was never performed. Vehicle experienced unintended acceleration and non-responsive braking, behaving autonomously. Fordpass connect, fmcc, and wray Ford all confirmed it was unsafe to drive based on 38 diagnostic codes from July/August 2025. June 2025 data and other dates were blacked out. No warning lights or alerts appeared in the Fordpass app prior to the crash on 8/25/25. Allstate insurance removed the vehicle from wray Ford without authorization, falsely claimed a $10,000 salvage offer, and altered the accident date in the online portal. Damage estimates were manipulated: initial $4,500 based on five photos, later inflated to $13,195 using the same photos. Shreve collision’s manager confirmed no estimate was performed, contradicting allstate’s claims. Allstate appears to be shielding Ford from liability. The vehicle is no longer in my possession, but documentation and diagnostic records are preserved. I believe Ford concealed a critical defect and suppressed diagnostic data, putting my safety and others at serious risk. I have contacted Ford and they are stalling and have misrepresented to me many things. They admitted that they can access Fordpass connect data remotely and their agent stated driving this vehicle is not an option. I have almost been involved in prior accidents because of hidden defect in my car. My son has audio recordings, transcripts, Ford pass connect data. We believe allstate changed the date of the accident to throw off a forensic examinator. I have proof of allstate changing the accident date and removing documents. This is really a serious breach by allstate and Ford. I am 80 years old, and if it was not for my son I would have never known this and my son is half owner of the car and is very concerned for my safety.

1 brakes are making noise all times when in slow motion the brake paddle depressed ether is moving forward or reversing the repairs did not fix the problem. 1. Left taillight show the when the vehicle is expose to water from rain or washed, evaporation and condensation will occur creating a film of running down inside of the assembled taillight and will last for days sometimes. That also cause the dimming of the light from the brakes and from turning light. As driver I am concerned that the dimming of the light can become a safety issue when in transit for diminishing of visibility for other drivers behind of this vehicle.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the local dealer sent a mobile mechanic to the residence to repair a bushing on the vehicle. The contact stated that the abs warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was repaired, but the mechanic had forgotten to replace a tubing on the vehicle. The vehicle failed to start, and the contact's husband noticed that the tubing was disconnected. The contact's husband was able to attach the tubing, and the vehicle restarted. While her husband was driving the vehicle and making a turn, the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was restarted after several attempts. The contact stated that the transmission was slipping. Roadside assistance was contacted and left the parking brake activated during towing. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer and several dtc were retrieved. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called the customer service at the manufacturer, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who discovered an failure with the muffler. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

Component: brake booster while driving on the interstate (at 80mph), check engine light came on and vehicle struggled to maintain power to stay at speed, would downshift for power to get back but as soon as it up shifted speed would drop again. My fuel mileage also dropped drastically as well as forced me to exit interstate on order to get gas. In attempt to stop at the stop sign, I discovered I had little to no brakes. Brake pedal was extreme hard and could not be pushed down. Luckily no cars where in front of me or coming when I reached the stop sign, had to be put into n to stop/stay stopped at the sign until it was safe to completely exit the off ramp and get to the nearby gas station to safely park the car. Safety: highly compromised for myself as well as others as it was impossible to stop/slow quickly nearly at all. Independent garage: all issued (including engine power) were direct result of brake booster failure. Component has been replaced and remedied with a new replacement brake booster. I obtained pictures as well as kept the original part as it has clear damage to one side due to manufacturer/mechanical defect. - Ford has recalled this exact part, cause & reason for thousands of other newer models. However clearly 2017 Escapes are also effected. At first glimpse, it disnt appear that the brakes were the entire cause of rhe issues, especially since the brake light failed to come on.

See all problems of the 2017 Ford Escape 🔎.

I went for a diagnostic test for awd module failures, and when auto zone did the test abs came back as failed and this was in July of 2025.

Engine burns alot of coolant. Break time is not where it should be for a car with only 38k miles. The engine intake valves in affected vehicles may crack and break, causing the vehicle to lose motive power. Prior to losing motive power, an engine malfunction indicator lamp may illuminate in the cluster and the driver may notice that the vehicle is running rough. A loss of motive power can increase the risk of a crash.

Rear brakes squeak every time I back up in the cold weather, they have attempted to fix them, still not fixed. Then when driving about 10 mph and coming to a stop, brakes will all the sudden grip and about throw you through the dash.

See all problems of the 2022 Ford Escape 🔎.

In November 2024 lost acceleration light popped on the dashboard service now. Was found to have a bad turbo full turbo replacement done July 2025 driving on the highway slow down behind a semi went to pass them. Gas pedal went all the way to the floor would not accelerate pulled over checked all fluids. Everything was fine. Got back on the road then check engine and oil light came on immediately pulled over checked oil. There was no oil in the car, even though it had been full when I checked fluids put oil in let the car run and cycle through for a while. Oil light went off got back on the road in half a mile oil light came back on and then stopped driving the vehicle has been sitting at a dealership for five months dealership changed turbo did not do oil change as mandatory part of the replacement. They then drove vehicle now the engine is blown. Was dangerous to myself and my daughters who were in the car losing acceleration on highway two times. Bad Ford parts or bad mechanic work?.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 mph, the abs and the traction control warning lights illuminated. The messages "4-wheel drive temporarily disabled" and "hill start assist not available" were displayed. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving after starting the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated while responding, and there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to westlake auto, where it was diagnosed and determined that the abs module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

See all problems of the 2015 Ford Escape 🔎.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the abs sensor lights was illuminated. Additionally, the engine block was previously replaced and there were unknown failures with the windshield wipers and windows operating previously. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the undercarriage of the vehicle was in a flood and was rusted. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving and coming to a stop, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle accelerated unintendedly. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.

This began may of 2023. I had a 2017 Ford Escape and at 50,000 it had to get a whole new transmission. I have also purchased a new engine for this Escape that has the same issues.

Vehicle has an issue with braking system. When attempting to stop, the brake pedal required much more force to be applied that subsequently increased stopping distance. Safety to operator and/or others is at great risk due to extended stopping distances. The condition has not been confirmed by the dealer service department or independent service center. However, this condition occurred to the owner of the vehicle as well as the vehicle owner's son (that is in the auto industry as an insurance adjuster). The dealer only looked at the condition of the brake pads, calipers, and rotors. The dealer did not look into the hydraulic braking system or brake lines. (note: there is an open recall on many Ford Escapes, however, this particular vehicle identification number is outside the current recall notice. I believe they should investigate and/or expand the recall to add more vehicles due to our discovery) the vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representative or others. No odb codes or warning lights appeared on the dash information screen.

While going on the highway it braked hard and displayed service stabilitrak light with traction control light flashing went away after 10 seconds. Then I pulled into my driveway and it snapped the wheel out of my hand forcefully almost breaking my wrist and wouldn't let me turn right. Towed it to Ford where they claim a loose battery terminal was present. No warning at all before this. Upper engine noise too (possibly pulley) 28k miles and trans is shifting hard as well. The trust for the vehicle is gone. I have a video as well of the steering wheel snapping.

The brakes locked up and was red hot had to poor water on them, had our shop put new brake pads ,rotors ,new hoses on rotors and brake calibers on it. It got so hot it melted the hose . Not even 2 weeks later it has done it again. So shop started all over with new pads ,rotors,hoses ,calibers ,and master cylindeda. Still didnt fix the issues. They said something is got to be wrong with the ibs . I have had it towed to the dealership in panama city FL. Were we can trade it in cause we are scared of it now but there should be a recall on this before someone gets hurt this is very dangerous and could make you lose control of the vehicle when it does this white driving.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his foot was depressing the accelerator pedal, the back of the contact’s foot would strike the brake pedal due to a reduced clearance between the accelerator and brake pedals. The contact stated that failure restricted the ability to properly depress the brake pedal while driving at highway speeds. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA campaign number: 12v319000 (service brakes, hydraulic, structure); and related the failure to the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 124,000.

Coolant issues, calipers needing replaced/seized but maintenance has always been up-kept and done at dealer, odor from turbo.

While driving down the interstate at 60mph, screen displayed two error messages: “parking brake function limited” and “collision assistance unavailable. ” I completely lost brake function for ~10 seconds. Only didn’t crash because no one was stopped ahead of me. Took to dealership who “couldn’t replicate” the issue, later told me they had fixed it by reprogramming the software. Two inconsistent answers gave me no sense of trust in the repair. This issue could kill somebody if at the wrong time and they were completely indifferent. I’ve since traded the car but have no faith Ford has any desire at all to investigate or resolve what could be a fatal error to someone.

Brakes and power steering failed within 1 day. I’ve had brake system checked by 2 mechanics. I still have spongey brakes. Both systems seem to be a problem on these particular vehicles according to the two mechanics. Seems I’m not the only one with this problem. My vehicle came out of the kansas city assembly plant. It’s a 2009 Ford Escape. I understand that some models out of that facility had recalls.

See all problems of the 2009 Ford Escape 🔎.

The abs, anti-lock braking sytem symbol came on about 3 or 4 months ago. Other symbols that came on were the brake system (circle with exclamation point in it), the red word "brake", the stability control light, and the speedometer stopped working/ the information display stopped working. We have taken the car to three local Ford service departments to have it checked only to be told the abs part is on back order. Furthermore, I've read that the brakes could be compromised. No speedometer or display functions is dangerous. The only receipt I have tells me it is the abs module that is on back order.