Wiper Problems of Ford Escape - part 1

I own a 2015 Ford Escape. The rearview backup camera intermittently fails when I first start the vehicle. Each time I put the car in reverse shortly after startup, the screen displays the message: “camera is unavailable. Please contact your dealership. ” after driving for several minutes, the camera usually begins working again. This is a safety concern because the camera is not available when I first back out of parking spaces, driveways, or other areas where pedestrians, children, or other vehicles may be present. The failure is unpredictable, and the camera is supposed to be a safety device to prevent accidents while reversing. The issue seems to worsen in hot weather, but it has happened on multiple occasions regardless of temperature. I have researched and found that other Ford owners report similar issues with backup cameras failing intermittently. Since rearview cameras are federally mandated safety equipment, I believe this problem should be investigated for a possible recall.

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Driving from michigan to missouri [xxx] and the wipers stopped working once we got to missouri. Called Ford dealership in springfield and they could not fit us in their schedule, so we took it to a goodyear certified service center and they said it was the wiper motor. We fixed and eventually drove back to michigan. About1 week later, the windshield wipers again, stopped working, I called the shop in springfield and they told me to take it to a shop in westland michigan (redford auto/goodyear certified) because the part was under warranty. I did that, they replaced the part (motor). Now a year later and my wipers are not working again. They stop midstream and get stuck. They are inoperable again. Never in my lifetime of driving (I am [xxx] ) have I ever repaired a wiper motor, let alone 2 x and the problem is still not fixed. I do believe this is faulty by manufacturer and needs to be looked into. Thank you, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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The shade for the panoramic sunroof malfunctioned. The shade will not roll up properly causing the shade to sag and block rear visibility.

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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.

Faulty switch. Windshield wipers don't work when I try to turn them on. While driving, they will randomly turn on by themselves and will not cut off until the vehicle is turned off. Waiting for a mechanic to get the part.

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Sunroof molding roof drip rail. Ford part #lj6z5450036a. This part is held on with double stick tape. When it comes loose, it can interfere with the proper operation of the sunroof sunshade or fall into the passenger compartment. Mine has been replaced several times under warranty. Even though it was nearly detached, it did not fall. However, if it had, it has the potential of either damaging the sunshade or creating a driver distraction while driving.

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The panoramic sunroof shade separates from the track and sags down to the back seat, blocking the view from the rearview mirror. This happens while driving.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph in the rain, the front windshield wipers failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the windshield wiper motors had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign numbers: 22v142000 (visibility); however, the VIN was not included in either recall. The vehicle was scheduled for the repair and parts were ordered. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The windshield paint on both sides is chipping and may cause distraction or paint on windshield making it not possible to see. There was a recall for this---my VIN was not included on recall.

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A rattle developed in the panoramic sunroof. When the shade was retracted it popped loose from the retainers and retracted to the full open position. The piece that covers the joint of the roof glass came out. Due to the inability to close the shade, there is a constant glare while driving in the day light. This issue appears to be common according to my research and quiet expensive for dealership repair.

1. The sunroof/moonroof overhead fabric lining fell off the tracks when moving back, yes. 2. My safety was put at risk from the lining falling off the tracks and nearly completely covering my eyes and face while driving, which also puts the safety of others at risk. 3. I have heard numerous people and Ford technicians noting that this is a common issue of the sunroof/moonroofs with other similar models. 4. It was completely inspected before financing at a dealership. 5. No prior symptoms or lights, I just tried to use my moonroof while driving on the highway a week ago and was nearly blinded.

On 01/25/2025 I discovered on my vehicle that my windshield weatherstripping and cowl was coming loose from the windshield. I contacted Ford motor company of the issue after speaking with a glass repair company. I called Ford because my vehicle may have a manufacturing defect on the cowl (bottom seal of the windshield, as well as the side and top weather stripping used to seal the windshield in place). They informed me there were no recalls at the time however to fix the issue the entire windshield will have to be removed from the car in order to replace the cowl seal, weather stripping and seal coming off. If I am not to get this repaired this could cause leaking in my vehicle from rain or worse the eventual separation of the windshield unexpectedly which could be a safety issue. Please see the attached photos below as well as others online who have posted this issue, had it fixed, and it kept occurring. I believe it is a manufacturer defect either with the weatherstripping, sealing procedure or the overall windshield itself. The pictures of the other Escape in the same area is showing that what I am describing is happening to others, this can be deemed a hazard or potential recall.

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The car has a panoramic roof with automatic open/close sunshade that cover the interior of the glass. I was opening the sunshade to open the moon roof and the shade all of the suden came down and did not roll as intended and my visibility while I was driving was gone for a second until my wife helped out quickly so we do not crash. The problem is common for this car in the Ford forums online and the dealerships are not concerend or applying any responsbility of the problem and the safety of it. There was no message or warning but it put myself and my family in danger. I went and got it inspected by the dealership but they did not take responsibilty.

Scared to drive took to get inspected felt like transmission keep slipping and I was told there is a recall on transmission also windshield wipers won’t go off have to remove fuse was told there is a recall.

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Panoramic headliner fabric is sagging causing an obstruction to drivers rear view while also creating a hazard for rear passengers in the event of an accident.

The sunroof cover came down and blocked my rear visibility. It took a few attempts to get the cover back up because I need to see what is behind me for safety purposes. Then, when I was sesrching online for the solution, I realized a lot of people with 2020 - 2022 Ford Escapes were also having issues with the sunroof cover. It is quite dangerous for it to fall.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 35-40 mph, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while it was raining the windshield wipers became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the catalytic converter, windshield wiper motor, and emission coil needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

I was trying to crack my panoramic sunroof to move some air and the sunroof shade jumped its track and sagged down into my back window view while driving. It blocked my field of view and would not retract. Once I was safely able to pull to the side of the road and after several attempts I was able to somewhat close the cover and lift it out of my field of view. Now it’s just flapping in the wind. I looked up this issue and it seems that the many others are having this problem as well. For a car that is 4 years old with a sunroof that I have maybe used 5 times this seems like there might be a problem with the integrity of the clips that hold the shade in place. Apparently, Ford is making a killing off of the repair ($2k-4k) which is highway robbery for a car that many of us already paid an arm and a leg for and are still in the early stages of paying on. This was not a wear and tear issue…. This was a failure of a part with weak integrity.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver’s and passenger’s side windshield wipers failed to operate as intended while activated. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the body control module needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted by the independent mechanic, and the parts for the repairs were ordered. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

The rear backup camera intermittently cuts in and out. The touch screen also intermittently turns black and is unresponsive. After it died, I replaced the infotainment touchscreen computer. The rear backup camera is still intermittent and unreliable. Other owners have complained online about poor seals in the rear wiper assembly, which leads to leaks that corrode the camera's wiring harness and cause an intermittent video signal. I feel this is a known problem that Ford is choosing to ignore and is dangerous when the backup camera cuts out while backing up.

The windshield wipers locked up and would not function.

The shade retraction on the moonroof is malfunctioning, causing the fabric to not retract completely, the sagging fabric is causing visibility obstruction. My Ford dealership have inspected the issue and have quoted me an approximate price of $1700 to fix the issue, which is currently cost prohibitive for me ($400 for the replacement part + approx 6 hours of labor), unfortunately this will not be covered by my warranty. There were no warning messages prior to failure, I pressed the button to open my moonroof one day and this happened, if I was driving this would have caused an accident because my visibility of rear view is blocked, luckily I was parked when I discovered this issue. This issue first appeared in June 2024. I went to the dealership in July 2024, because it was cost prohibitive to fix I have not used the moonroof since then because it affects visibility.

The sunshade of the panoramic sunroof came loose a year ago and has continued to sag lower from the glass and closer to our heads over time. When opened, the shade hangs completely blocking the back window and hangs into the back seat. I have been told the clips may need to be replaced, but have not received a definite diagnosis.

1. ) my backup camera has failed, and it is static and then continues today will not display and shows black. I can no longer use it or see out of it for backup purposes. 2. ) I use my back up camera everyday as I live in a busy city and use it when parking and to assist me when there is a lot happening with parking on the side of the road and entering and exiting parking spots. 3. ) yes, I had it checked by a Ford dealer, and they stated other vehicles were having this issue and it was odd mine had not been recalled. 4. ) no my vehicle has not been inspected by anyone other than the warranty holder I have as well as the Ford dealership. 5. ) no everything was working fine and then the next time I turned my vehicle on the backup camera was no longer of use.

The cowl part broken in jan24, dealership replaced. I was told this part hold windshield and protects electrical in vehicle. March 2024, I noticed the seal on bottom of windshield wasn’t against the windshield, buckling in several spots, I contacted Ford customer service, told to take it back to the dealership. The dealership had to order the part and didn’t have a detailed reason why the part was broken / defective, the dealership could order a new cowl part and install when part comes in.

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Panoramic sun shade detached from rails and recoiled into the assembly while driving on the highway. The shade was in a static position when it happened- it was not being retracted at the time. Available for inspection, but has already been repaired by dealer. A very loud cracking noise was heard when it happened, which startled me and could have caused an accident. It is a relatively new car and had been retracted probably a total of 20 times. There was no warning, and the entire headliner, pillars, and glass had to be removed to repair. It is apparently a common occurrence due to cheap plastic clips that are used.

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We replaced new battery and the wiper arms and motor act up and destroy the wiper arm and motor for 2nd time and now I have to order new one arms and motor and I think Ford should recall that wiper motors and arms.

Rear window employed two times within 9 months. First time car was parked in garage second time parked at daughter home. Nothing hit it.

2023 my back up camera was only working 75% of the time. I took the car into the Ford dealer and they said it is a known problem and the waiting period for the replacement takes up to a year. They recommended I keep checking back to see if it's in stock. The fee to replace is about $350. I was told I could prepay, but they couldn't give me a date for arrival of the part. They openly admit, some have waited up to a year. Here we are 6 months later and now the camera works less than 50% of the time. Ford knows this is an issue but it's not a recall item. To me this is a safety issue. I still view my surroundings in total prior to backing up, but the back up camera was always an added safety feature. I feel that this is not a cost the consumer should bear. Ford should recall faulty backup cams. Thank you for your time and consideration.

The window tent is bubbling and warping down my windows impairing my view of the road, unsure of cause and it is available for inspection. Bubbles are visible the warping is harder to see in a photo, but it runs all the way down the window. It is impairing visibility through passenger and driver windows, causing depth perception issues and a risk to myself and other drivers. The Ford dealership I recently went to to have other recalls fixed confirmed the issue and told me to file a complaint here. No warning lamps or other symptoms of the problem.

I was driving to work at 7am on Saturday, August 26, 2023- and it was a mild morning. . . Maybe 50 degrees. As I was driving I heard what sounded like a gunshot- and once I was able to gather myself, I realized that my panoramic sunroof had exploded. Outward. Nothing hit the glass- it merely exploded. There is no point of impact from an outside object. I was driving past a cattle ranch- no trees hanging over the road and there were no other vehicles in sight. I was only 2 miles from home and was able to close the sunroof cover and slowly drive home to park in garage. It is available- at our home, currently, if inspection is needed. Glass did fall on me, the driver. Luckily I did not have any passengers with me at the time. And my nerves were shot from the loud sound. We have tried, unsuccessfully, to have our calls returned by Ford. And we are hesitant to reach out to our insurance as we truly feel the manufacturer is at fault here. After doing some research, this seems to be a common problem with many Ford models with panoramic sunroofs. We appreciate you recording this incident- and if you have any advice on how to proceed, that would also be appreciated.

While attempting to fuel the vehicle, thinking the hood latch was the fuel door release, the hood latch was pulled (twice). After completing fueling we re-entered the roadway and at about 45 mph, the hood flew up and backwards over the windscreen. We were able to stop the vehicle and close the hood without further incident although there is damage to body panels and the windscreen. Although an operator error was made by confusing the hood latch with the fuel door release, it seems like a poor and dangerous design to be able to completely unlatch the hood (no manual safety under the hood as is customary) allowing it to fly up while underway. Upon further investigation, we determined that the newest generation of these vehicles simply require two pulls of the hood latch to completely release it. The more typical method of one pull of the latch followed by manual release of the safety by reaching under the hood has been abandoned in this design.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in rainy weather, the front driver’s and passenger side windshield wipers failed to operate as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the wiper motor failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,500.

I bought the vehicle in July of 2019 with approximately 20,000 mi on it. I have never touched or adjusted the steering wheel, and I'm the only one to drive the vehicle. My daughter has gotten her temps and I allowed her to drive the vehicle last night. She adjusted the steering column as she is a bit shorter than I am. When I got back into the driver seat, and move the steering wheel back into the position that I keep it in, and then proceeded to turn out of the driveway and it felt as if all the tires were flat and it was very hard to steer. I assume I lost my power steering abilities. Also the windshield wipers started going off and the washer fluid just started flying out onto the windshield and would not stop. I immediately put the car into park and turn the vehicle off. I turned on the car, proceeded to make the turn again, and the car did the same thing. The only thing I could think of was possibly something got pinched inside the steering column with the wiring harness because that is the only thing that changed between her and I driving. When I started the car up this morning and went to turn out of the driveway it did the same thing. I loosened up the lock on the steering wheel and I moved it up and down and relocked it, and got to my destination without any more issue, but concerned there is something going on with the wiring harness now.

Started the vehicle and turned the defroster on high setting one morning to defrost the windshield with heavy frost. Car had been running about 3-4 minutes and I heard a cracking sound. I noticed a 12" crack in the middle of the windshield when the frost was melted off. The car was still parked when the windshield cracked and was not being driven due to visibility being limited by frost.