2020 FORD ESCAPE

What owners reported to NHTSA, ranked by how often and how seriously.

This is complaint data, not a random sample.

It only includes owners who chose to file a federal complaint, so it over-represents dramatic and safety-related problems and under-represents minor issues an owner just had fixed without reporting. Read this as what NHTSA complainants report most, not as this vehicle's true failure rate. Full methodology.

Component ranking

  1. #1

    door latch and hinge

    415 unsafe, 106 broken, 52 annoyance

    573
    incidents

    Mileage not reported in 83% of these reports - too few people reported an actual figure to show a reliable typical mileage.

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing and turning the steering wheel, the vehicle would make grinding noises. Additionally, the front driver’s side door latch had detached, and there was an electrical failure. The vehicle…"~18,000 mi, complaint #1771930
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the driver's side front door failed to close. No warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, there was an abnormal odor detected while starting the vehicle. The vehic…"~30,416 mi, complaint #1860685
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the front driver’s side door latch had malfunctioned and the door swung open when unlocked. Additionally, the front driver’s side window was stuck in the closed position and could no longer be lowere…"~46,000 mi, complaint #1809749
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while opening and closing the driver's side door, there was an abnormally loud banging sound heard. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not d…"~55,000 mi, complaint #1962375
    • "The contact's company owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the driver's side front door latch was fractured, causing the door to not close properly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed that the driver's side front door latch needed to…"~100,599 mi, complaint #1807191
  2. #2

    transfer case awd

    72 unsafe

    72
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=7)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the AWD module warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the AWD system and advised that the vehi…"~42,000 mi, complaint #1913348
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "All Wheel Drive Fault" was displayed, and the vehicle only operated in 2WD. The contact was concerned that during winter weather the vehicle was unsafe to dr…"~50,000 mi, complaint #2072611
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH and going over a bridge, the vehicle lost traction. The vehicle spun 360 degrees and spun off the bridge and then back onto the roadway. The contact attempted to steer t…"~64,000 mi, complaint #1880071
  3. #3

    transmission automatic

    6 stranded, 58 unsafe, 1 broken, 2 annoyance

    67
    incidents
    Typical range: 19,000–75,500 mi

    Median 52,000 mi, based on 66 reports (52% had no usable mileage)

    • "PURCHASED A 2020 FORD ESCAPE ON 10-31-2020. ON 11-23-20-11-24-20 I GOT MESSAGES ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION AND MY WIFE COULDN'T PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AFTER GOING TO THE STORE. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER THEY DIDN'T EVEN CHECK THE TRANSMISSION ONLY THE ENGINE AND…"~1,602 mi, complaint #1713585
    • "MY 2020 FORD ESCAPE'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MAKES ODD WHIRRING SOUNDS AND SHIFTS HARD OFTEN WHILE DRIVING. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STILL HAS A HARD TIME SHIFTING SMOOTHLY EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLES BEEN WARMED UP AND DRIVEN FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES. THE REAR VIEW C…"~4,090 mi, complaint #1674006
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while shifting into reverse, the vehicle drove forward instead of reversing. During the most recent failure, after starting the vehicle, the contact shifted the vehicle into park, and the vehicle co…"~33,704 mi, complaint #2099114
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on several occasions after shifting into reverse, the vehicle erroneously drove forward. The contact stated that on another occasion while driving at highway speeds, the vehicle erroneously shifted i…"~60,000 mi, complaint #2015808
    • "The vehicle without warning lost power as I was driving in the middle of a road way. The engine stayed running but only revs. No check engine lights or messages. Thankfully I was headed down hill and was able to coast through the intersection that was turning…"~129,485 mi, complaint #1970031
  4. #4

    other

    33 unsafe, 15 annoyance

    48
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=7)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that she had parked the vehicle in the driveway and went to manually open the garage door to reverse inside the garage. The contact stated that while opening the garage door, the vehicle started rolling b…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1974976
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was utilizing the shifter knob, she cut her hand on the chrome shifting knob. The chrome edge was very sharp. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact's spouse did not see…"~19,000 mi, complaint #1980413
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after a severe rainstorm, the contact noticed that there was a strong odor inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the car wash, and upon removing the floor mats, the contact became aware that t…"~30,000 mi, complaint #2026352
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the rear quarter windows' chrome piece had detached. The contact was concerned that the failure could become a road hazard for other drivers. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who attempted to res…"~40,000 mi, complaint #2074641
  5. #5

    sunroof

    33 unsafe, 4 broken, 11 annoyance

    48
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=8)

    • "I I WAS DRIVING DOWN ROAD SPEED LIMIT 55. , NO OTHER CARS IN SIGHT, AND MY PANORAMIC SUNROOF JUST SHATTERED ."~8,900 mi, complaint #1719421
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon attempting to close the moon roof, the moon roof failed to close as intended. Eventually, the moonroof was able to close; however, the closing resulted in damage to the overheard liner. No warni…"~21,000 mi, complaint #1992846
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the sunroof molding detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made…"~55,300 mi, complaint #2004733
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the sunroof. Neither a dealer nor and independent mechanic was contacted. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several…"~71,000 mi, complaint #2113502
  6. #6

    fuel injector

    1 stranded, 22 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    25
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after refueling, the contact stated that the fuel economy was abnormal. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnose…"~21,000 mi, complaint #1949618
  7. #7

    power windows and locks

    10 unsafe, 12 broken, 1 annoyance

    23
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=9)

    • "THE HANDS FREE LIFT GATE SOMETIME WORKS AND THEN OTHER TIMES IT WILL NOT. THE OTHER DAY AT THE CAR WASH THE TAILGATE WOULD RELEASE WHEN I WOULD WALK BEHIND THE VEHICLE WHILE WASHING IT. ALSO, THE LAST TIME I FILLED VEHICLE WITH GAS AND CLEANED THE REAR GLASS W…"~1,100 mi, complaint #1741571
    • " The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the front driver’s side window failed to roll down while depressing the window switch. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure and was previously repaired at the dealer. The cont…"~18,600 mi, complaint #2027483
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while entering the vehicle on the front passenger's side, she heard an abnormal cracking sound coming from the front passenger's side door. Additionally, the contact stated that she attempted to roll down…"~42,005 mi, complaint #1915724
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the front driver's side window would not roll down and while exiting the front driver's side door the door would immediately close back. The contact indicated that the door had erroneously sprung bac…"~45,000 mi, complaint #1924302
  8. #8

    adas collision warning

    22 unsafe

    22
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=7)

    • "MY PRE-COLLISION LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON RANDOMLY. MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP AND CHIMES FOR NO REASON. NORTHGATE FORD SAID MY ESCAPE IS WORKING FINE."~9,735 mi, complaint #1714223
    • "MY ESCAPE CROSS TRAFFIC ALERT SYSTEM ONLY WORKS HALF THE TIME AND YESTERDAY IT DIDN'T WORK AT ALL. IT'S BEEN AT NORTHGATE FORD SO MANY TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT IT'S STILL NOT FIXED."~9,825 mi, complaint #1714463
    • "OUR PRE-COLLISION LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON FOR NO REASON. NORTHGATE FORD WON'T DEACTIVATE IT FOR ME. IT GOES OFF RANDOMLY AND IT'S A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE SINCE I COULD WRECK MY ESCAPE. THE WHOLE DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP IN AN ORANGE COLOR AND IT DINGS REPEATEDLY."~10,450 mi, complaint #1721700
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH with the driver assist cruise control activated, the vehicle was slowing down for traffic ahead. The contact stated that the driver assists automatically engaged the bra…"~46,358 mi, complaint #1984808
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, she became aware of a malfunction with the Forward Collision Avoidance system. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the Forward Collisi…"~52,000 mi, complaint #2000262
  9. #9

    engine stall or no start

    1 stranded, 19 unsafe

    20
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=16, median 45,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The emissions failure message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local deale…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1860607
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while stopped at a red light, upon depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to move, with an abnormal beeping sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated; howeve…"~101,000 mi, complaint #2235335
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated the vehicle failed to start as intended. The contact waited for a while to restart the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to O'Reilly's to be diagnosed. The ve…"~106,000 mi, complaint #2071132
  10. #10

    engine internal

    1 stranded, 16 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    19
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=13, median 57,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "ON THE 1.5L ENGINE WHEN YOU ARE ACCELERATING IN THE NORMAL DRIVING MODE YOU EXPERIENCE A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL SIMILAR TO A FLAT TIRE. THE 2.0L ENGINE WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION DOES NOT EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM."~1,300 mi, complaint #1680815
    • "THE ENGINE LIGHT IN MY 2020 FORD ESCAPE KEEPS COMING ON. I TOOK IT TO ADAMSON, NOW STIVERSON DEALERSHIP, A PART WAS INSTALLED ON THE SECOND VISIT. TWO DAYS LATER, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I WAITED ONE WEEK UNTIL I COULD GET AN APPOINTMENT TO RETURN T…"~2,000 mi, complaint #1701648
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the DPFE sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then tak…"~56,819 mi, complaint #2107321
    • "The contact's wife owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Maintenance 2" was displayed. The contact stated that he saw white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. Additionally, the contact stated that th…"~68,000 mi, complaint #1930405
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the engine temperature gauge indicated that the engine had overheated. While inspecting under the hood the contact discovered that the coolant reservoir was empty. The ve…"~85,000 mi, complaint #2017605
  11. #11

    backup camera

    13 unsafe, 5 annoyance

    18
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=17, median 500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "BACK-UP CAMERA ERRATIC, BLIND-SPOT INDICATOR ON PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR ERRATIC, LIFT-GATE OPENS SOMETIMES JUST BY WALKING BEHIND VEHICLE OR WILL COME DOWN ON ITS OWN WHEN OPEN. ONCE, THE SYNC 3 SCREEN WAS EXTREMELY HOT TO THE TOUCH AND THE CONTROLS WERE FROZEN…"~500 mi, complaint #1678099
    • "THE CAR CAMERA GOES BLACK WITH SQUIGGLY LINES WHEN PUTTING CAR IN REVERSE. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 2000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP STATES FORD IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND THERE IS A HUGE BACK ORDER ON GETTING A REPLACEMENT. NOW I HAVE A WHIRLING SOUND WHEN SPEED IS B…"~1,200 mi, complaint #1683229
    • "BACKUP SAFETY CAMERA AND WARNING SYSTEM FAILS OUTSIDE TEMP IS ABOVE 70 DEGREES AND AIR CONDITIONING HAS NOT BEEN RUNNING LONG ENOUGH TO COOL THE VEHICLE INTERIOR. WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED OUTSIDE IN THE SUMMER THE BACKUP CAMERA WILL NOT WORK UNTIL THE AIR CONDIT…"~2,830 mi, complaint #1669746
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the back-over prevention camera screen was blue and there was a beeping sound coming from the camera. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTS…"~26,000 mi, complaint #2027447
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera image was distorted. An unknown dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that a diagnostic testing fee would be charged for diagnostic testin…"~75,000 mi, complaint #2094168
  12. #12

    control module

    2 stranded, 12 unsafe, 3 annoyance

    17
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon entering a drive-thru line at a slow speed, the home screen went blank as the "network configuration error" warning message illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact then stated that the…"~17,000 mi, complaint #1780119
  13. #13

    trunk or liftgate

    8 unsafe, 3 broken, 1 annoyance

    12
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the hands-free rear tailgate had on several occasions erroneously opened and closed without the close button being pressed or the open sensors being activated. The contact indicated that while retrie…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1756019
    • "The contact owns a 2020 FORD Escape. The contact stated while using the liftgate, the liftgate failed to remain open. The liftgate inadvertently closed while loading and unloading the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to be diagnosed but, was not repaired repaire…"~3,000 mi, complaint #1750403
    • "REAR TRUNK FAILS TO OPEN UPON FIRST STARTUP OF CAR"~8,000 mi, complaint #1739099
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that during inclement weather, moisture would enter the vehicle through the liftgate. Due to the failure, there was water pouring out of the vehicle upon opening the liftgate. The failure persisted and th…"~50,000 mi, complaint #2024743
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the hatch was automatically raised to place groceries inside the vehicle; however, the hatch unexpectedly lowered and struck the contact on the head. Medical assistance…"~50,400 mi, complaint #2229977
  14. #14

    engine turbo supercharger

    11 unsafe

    11
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving up an incline at various speeds, the turbo failed to operate as needed and the vehicle failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the check engine w…"~75,800 mi, complaint #2066874
    • "The contact’s daughter owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving on several occasions at various speeds, she observed abnormal sounds coming from the engine compartment before the vehicle lost power. The vehicle was taken…"~90,181 mi, complaint #2084772
  15. #15

    fuel tank and lines

    10 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    11
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle failed to immediately restart. The contact stated that upon depressing the accelerator pedal continuously, the vehicle started. The check engine warning light…"~80,000 mi, complaint #2091320
  16. #16

    software or update

    5 unsafe, 6 annoyance

    11
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=9)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the "All-Wheel Drive Not Available", "Windshield Wiper Level Low", "Pre- Collision Assist Not Available", and "Hill Start Assist Not Available" messages were displayed on t…"~54,000 mi, complaint #1900169
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the local dealer for an unstated recall repair. Upon retrieval of the vehicle, the pre-collision, driver assist, and cross traffic systems were inoperable. The vehicle was ta…"~65,188 mi, complaint #2140660
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the "All Wheel Drive fault - Service Required", "Hill start not available", and "Pre-Collision assist not available" messages were displayed. The vehicle was taken to…"~72,000 mi, complaint #2084036
  17. #17

    tpms

    7 unsafe, 4 annoyance

    11
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the message "Low Tire Pressure Fault" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the TPMS sensor needed to be replaced. Th…"~41,000 mi, complaint #2094344
  18. #18

    airbag system

    10 unsafe

    10
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "12/26/2020 HEAD-ON COLLISION, MOST IMPACT TO PASSENGER FRONT SIDE - PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAGS DID DEPLOYED - INJURIES SUSTAINED BY PASSENGER AND DRIVER. ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON CITY STREET (50 MPH ZONE).*DT*DT*DT*DT*DT"~3,000 mi, complaint #1718166
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a right turn, another vehicle crashed into the front driver's side of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained whiplash and neck pai…"~12,700 mi, complaint #1872109
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact’s husband stated that while driving 25 MPH, another vehicle unexpectedly cut in front of the vehicle, resulting in a collision. No warning lights were illuminated prior to the crash. The contact stated that upo…"~39,000 mi, complaint #2208426
  19. #19

    interior trim

    7 unsafe, 3 annoyance

    10
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "THE DRIVERS SEAT (BOTTOM CUSHION) HAS A PIECE OF METAL OR HEAVY WIRING, ABOUT 2 INCHES LONG, AT THE BACK OF THE SEAT, WHERE YOUR TAILBONE IS. THE WIRE IS EASY TO FIND (IT RUNS BACK TO FRONT) UNDER THE SEAT MATERIAL. IT IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN DRIVING. I TOO…"complaint #1624773
    • "THE DRIVER'S SEAT IS EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE. THERE IS A LUMP OR BULGE IN THE BACK PART OF THE BOTTOM CUSHION THAT HITS YOUR TAILBONE."complaint #1726029
    • "THE SEATS HAVE METAL PROTRUDING FROM THE REAR PORTION WHERE YOUR TAILBONE WOULD REST. IT'S NOT JUST UNCOMFORTABLE, IT BECOMES PAINFUL THE LONGER YOU DRIVE. I WAS TOLD THE SEAT HEATERS WERE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED IN THE BEGINNING OF THE MANUFACTURE PROCESS FOR 20…"complaint #1744094
    • "Titanium or SEL editions have a 10 speaker B&O stereo with a 6x9 ‘subwoofer’ located in the right rear cargo area. The speaker hums/vibrates/shakes loudly through all volume levels - it is a KNOWN issue with Ford that the screws securing the speaker in to its…"complaint #1750986
    • "My VIN [REDACTED VIN] is not included in the recall 49399 but I have Warped Instrument Panel Upper Section panel upper section near the defrost grill on the passenger side Ford has tried to fix but said they did not have the correct parts, how they fixed it w…"complaint #1881077
  20. #20

    wiper and washer

    5 unsafe, 1 broken, 4 annoyance

    10
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "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 windshie…"complaint #2096192
    • "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 wip…"complaint #2115756
    • "The windshield wipers will slow to an intermittent-type speed while working in either low or high on a wet windshield. Ford had recall 23B35 on the Bronco for this exact issue; the fix was a reflash of the vehicle's windshiel wiper motor. "complaint #2156337
    • "Wiper started going at a regular pace even when the speed was set to max or slow now the wiper won't go up. Looks like the wiper motor has gone bad and this seems to be the same issue with the recall put in place recall number 26s14."complaint #2183571
    • "The component that has failed is my front windshield wiper motor causing visibility issues. It has been confirmed by a service technician. No it has not been inspected by the police only by an auto shop. No it was not any warning. It was raining I turned on wi…"complaint #2200711
  21. #21

    evap system

    2 stranded, 6 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    9
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on several occasions after refueling, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that that canister purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not…"~31,869 mi, complaint #1936516
  22. #22

    glass and windshield

    7 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT LEASED A 2020 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLAMP COVERS WERE FOGGY ON THE INSIDE HOWEVER, THE HEADLAMPS PROVIDED ADEQUATE ILLUMINATION. THE BULBS WERE LOCATED ABOVE THE HEADLAMP COVERS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STEVEN'S JERSEY CI…"~100,000 mi, complaint #1646509
  23. #23

    infotainment head unit

    2 unsafe, 6 annoyance

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the navigator's computer screen froze, blacked out, and was inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer but the vehicle…"~34,000 mi, complaint #1978981
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the infotainment system screen had turned off while driving, requiring the contact to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the infot…"~100,000 mi, complaint #2149293
  24. #24

    stability and traction control

    8 unsafe

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "vehicle has problems awd off service advance trac precollision assist not available hill star assist not available and the powertrain mall function reduces power and i have a problem with the rear subwoofer which was obtained by the does and the problem contin…"complaint #1886230
    • "TEMPORARILY THE BRAKES FAILED TO FUNCTION AND INSPITE OF APPLYING GHTE BRAKES THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. THE WARING LIGHTS CAME ON SUCH AS SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC, CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM, HAD TO USE THE HAND BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE, CALLED THE ALRRY MILLER LAKEWOOD FO…"complaint #1921639
    • "The AWD module (LX6Z 7P238 AANP MODULE) went out on my 2020 Ford Escape. One day when starting my car several warnings popped up on the screen. The warnings were “AWD off”, “Pre-collision assist not available”, “Service Advanced Trac”, “AWD fault service requ…"complaint #1955459
    • "AWD Module failed, deactivated all traction control, all wheel drive, pre-collision alert, emergency breaking. Module failure is known issue to Ford "complaint #1960757
    • "Got an Advanced Trac warning on my dashboard. Lost my AWD traction control forward collision assist. Took it to my service station. They did a diagnostic testing and told me it could be a power train problem and may be covered under warranty and recommended th…"complaint #2031940
  25. #25

    seatbelt and pretensioner

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while parked when he buckled the seat belt, the seat belt warning light remained illuminated. The failure occurred on the front driver's side seat belt. The vehicle was driven to the dealer where it was d…"~70,000 mi, complaint #2032993
  26. #26

    suspension struts shocks

    2 unsafe, 3 broken, 2 annoyance

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 20–40 MPH, the vehicle was vibrating abnormally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the v…"~18,000 mi, complaint #1994153
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact became aware that there was fluid underneath the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the rear shocks were leaking and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that approx…"~20,000 mi, complaint #2081351
  27. #27

    wiring harness

    6 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "THE ELECTRICAL IN THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 2000 MILES ON IT AND I'VE HAD IT ABOUT A MONTH AND I'VE HAD 4 ISSUES WITH IT. THE FIRST ISSUES THE CRUISE CONTROL EPULD NOT WORK. I BROUGHT IT IN AND THEY FIXED IT. MY BOTTOM CUP HO…"~4,885 mi, complaint #1677103
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the engine continued running after turning off the vehicle. The contact stated that upon opening the hood, the engine turned off as needed. The contact stated that the message "Hood ajar - Stop Safel…"~74,880 mi, complaint #2076010
  28. #28

    acceleration loss or hesitation

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE THE CAR EXPERIENCES SIGNIFICANT LAG WHICH PUTS ME AT RISK OF COLLISION. I ATTEMPTED TO ASSOCIATE IT WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING BUT IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ANY SYSTEM. VEHICLE SEEMS TO LOST…"~2,000 mi, complaint #1685320
  29. #29

    catalytic converter

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was drivable and was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the catalytic converter nee…"~90,000 mi, complaint #2110069
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the contact pulled into a parking lot and the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the t…"~118,000 mi, complaint #2043552
  30. #30

    engine cooling

    1 stranded, 5 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that coolant was leaking from the vehicle. The contact replaced the radiator cap; however, the failure recurred, and coolant was added. The contact stated that approximately 2 gallons of coolant was added…"~69,000 mi, complaint #1991187
  31. #31

    engine head gasket

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The turbo started leaking coolant internally making a few components fail in the motor. It has a really strong smell of burnt coolant. It started leaking about one year and half ago according to the service manger it was leaking before replacing the turbo and…"complaint #1975379
    • "78,000 miles second vehicles of this make/model that our business had the head gasket destroyed by - Coolant leaks into the engine -causing a need for an engine replacement that ford will not cover. "complaint #1981575
    • "Premature failure of valve cover gasket and transmission. Valve cover gasket allowing oil to seep in to spark plug “tubes” causing misfires. Transmission showing excessive wear for only 72000 miles. "complaint #1998644
    • "The engine failed and the symptoms were all the coolant was gone, hot indicator, large amounts amounts of smoke coming out of exhaust and a burning smell. Once coolant added, ck engine light came on with codes P300 and P301 (I think). The vehicle was under w…"complaint #2036573
    • "My 2020 Ford Escape's 2.0 ecoboost engine suffered a catastrophic head gasket failure at only 83 thousand miles. This occurred on 10/9/2025 and was confirmed via Ford dealership (Crossroads Ford- Ravena, NY) on 10/13/2025. Prior to 10/9, there were no warning…"complaint #2139331
  32. #32

    hv system fault reduced power

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the " Power train malfunction and reduced power" and the "4-WD Power Train Fault" messages were displayed on the instrument panel; the power train fault warning light w…"~54,000 mi, complaint #2028842
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the message "Vehicle Shutting Down - Place Vehicle in Neutral to Restart" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the failure had occurred severa…"~75,000 mi, complaint #2089191
  33. #33

    steering electric assist

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=9)

    • "CAR JERKS OFF TO THE SIDE OF THERE IS A TURN LANE, ALMOST PULLED STEERING WHEEL OUT OF MY HANDS. DOES THIS EVERY TIME I GO BY A TURN LANE AT ANY SPEED"~8,000 mi, complaint #1739100
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle became difficult to control. The vehicle was towed to the deal…"~50,000 mi, complaint #2027176
  34. #34

    torque converter

    1 stranded, 5 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "2020 Has a 8f35 transmission with the same torque converter issues and low speed shudder under 35 same as bulletin 21-2081... ford edge with same transmission ford recommended replacement at 90000 miles didn't offer to even attempt to work on it. No warning li…"complaint #2013679
    • "On a cross country road trip the vehicle started leaking transmission fluid. Took it to the dealer where they told me the Torque Converter seal has be installed incorrectly at the factory. This has been leaking since the vehicle was new. The splash shield is f…"complaint #2060626
    • "Car was jerking during acceleration. RPM needle was bouncing while accelerating. It felt like there was a loss of power. Brought it to a Ford Dealership and they were unable to find a problem directly related to this issue. They took care of other problems suc…"complaint #2115157
    • "the transmission experienced total failure. Ford repair claimed that the failure was due to the torque converter caused the failure. the car experience issues with not shifting into a higher gear at highway speeds and failure to go into neutral when going from…"complaint #2141616
    • "Vehicle: 2020 Ford Escape Issue: Transmission / Torque Converter My 2020 Ford Escape has ongoing transmission problems, including slipping, shuddering, delayed shifting, and sudden loss of power. The vehicle hesitates when accelerating and sometimes fails to…"complaint #2220883
  35. #35

    transmission manual clutch

    2 stranded, 4 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=7)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while attempting to shift into drive, the gear selector failed to shift out of park. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the shifter cable was replaced; however…"~44,447 mi, complaint #1896725
  36. #36

    brake hydraulics

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=10, median 41,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2020 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 1-2MPH WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND AND CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD UNTIL VEHICLE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH STRUCTURE. THE CONTACT STATED ALL AIR B…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1736410
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing there was an abnormal noise detected. The contact stated that the brakes were sticking. The brake warning light was illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and an appointment was…"~4,000 mi, complaint #1781836
  37. #37

    brake pads and rotors

    4 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon the depression of the brake pedal, an abnormal grinding noise would intermittently emit from the vehicle without warning. The contact also stated that the vehicle would intermittently hesitate u…"~2,800 mi, complaint #1793753
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when pressing the brake pedal while in reverse the vehicle would emit a loud howling noise. There were no warning lights. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the bolt kit…"~32,000 mi, complaint #1959030
  38. #38

    instrument cluster

    4 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "WHEN I'M DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY, I'M GETTING A RED LIGHT THAT A PICTURE SHOWS UP WITH ALL OF MY DOORS OPEN. I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO NORTGATE FORD IN CINCINNATI BUT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN TO THEM. MY ESCAPE IS UNDER FULL WARRANTY AND THEY WON'T FIX IT. IT HA…"complaint #1713579
    • "The entire dash goes black while driving. I've called the dealership and they just say "yeah its known for that". Then they say if it keeps happening to let them look at it. This is very dangerous going down a highway at high speeds. Please look into this. It'…"complaint #1898867
    • "While driving on the interstate at 70mph, the entire dash display went black for a few seconds, then returned on. This happened three times, then returned back to normal."complaint #1950481
    • "Warning lamps messages says so many things not available dash board crazy with at least 10 messages not working "complaint #2162940
    • "On 8th of June 2026, exiting I35W onto Convery Dr. I notice my dash gauges failed in proving any information. I immediately pulled over turned off the vehicle and turn it on. Gauges did not work, but vehicle did start and was running normal. I utilize the Waze…"complaint #2234197
  39. #39

    noise or vibration unspecified

    5 annoyance

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "CLICKING NOISE ON OUT SIDE OF CAR GOING 50 MPH"~2,000 mi, complaint #1706189
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and started, there was a loud sound coming from the vehicle while reversing. The contact stated the sound started shortly after the vehicle was purchased. No warning ligh…"~75,800 mi, complaint #2184326
  40. #40

    parking brake

    4 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "WHEN I PUT THE VEHICLE IN 'PARK' ON A FLAT SURFACE, THE E-BRAKE TURNS ON AUTOMATICALLY, BUT WHEN I PARK ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN STOPPED AT LIGHTS, I NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF WHEN AT A C…"~4,000 mi, complaint #1679155
  41. #41

    seat mechanism

    3 unsafe, 2 broken

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE SPRINGS OR BAR AT THE BACK OF THE BOTTOM SEAT OF THE DRIVERS SEAT IS POKING UP AND I HAVE TO ADJUST CONSTANTLY WHILE DRIVING AS IT HURTS. VERY UNSAFE TO HAVE TO CONSTANTLY CHANGE POSITIONS TO TRY AND NOT HURT. A PICTURE WILL NOT SHOW WHAT IS HAPPENING WHE…"~2,000 mi, complaint #1720857
  42. #42

    unintended acceleration

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED AND PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE PILLAR. DURING THE CRASH FRONT END WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BUT THE AI…"~2,000 mi, complaint #1681050
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife pulling into a parking spot, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated and crashed into the wall of a Dollar General Store. The contact stated that h…"~45,000 mi, complaint #2055849
  43. #43

    adas blind spot

    4 annoyance

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Light turns on when there is no car next to me. Took it in to Ford. They ran diagnostic but where not able to find an issue and returned the car. It is still turning on when there is no car next to me"complaint #1772351
    • "Blind spot monitor going off with no car next to me "complaint #1776639
    • "Blind spot light goes off while driving with no car next to me "complaint #1782436
    • "Passenger mirror blind spot indicator randomly comes on. Just purchased, so I have not taken the vehicle to the Ford dealership. The driver side functions properly."complaint #1826169
  44. #44

    adas lane keeping

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, VEHICLES LANE KEEP ASSIST DETECTED THAT I WAS OUT OF MY LANE AND STEERED ME ONTO THE SHOULDER. I WAS CRUISING IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE AT ABOUT 75MPH WHEN THE LANE KEEP SWERVED ME ABRUPTLY ONTO THE SHOULDER AND I HAD TO RECOVER AGAIN…"~1,800 mi, complaint #1685322
    • "THE LANE KEEPING SYSTEM MADE ME BEER TO THE LEFT THREE DIFFERENT TIMES WHEN THERE WAS NO LANE NEXT TO ME. ONE OF THOSE TIMES IT TRIED TAKING ME IN A WALL. WHEN THIS HAPPENED ALL THREE TIMES, THE STEERING WAS HARD TO CONTROL. MY CAR WAS IN MOTION. IT HAPPEN…"~8,500 mi, complaint #1705420
    • "MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP (NORTHGATE FORD) SO MANY TIMES AND THEY SAID THAT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG. THE SERVICE MANAGER WENT OUT WITH US AND SAW IT WASN'T WORKING PROPERLY. MY CAR ISN'T SAFE TO DRIVE AS THE LANE KEEPING SYSTEM TRIED TAKING ME OFF THE RO…"~10,203 mi, complaint #1717721
  45. #45

    differential

    3 unsafe, 1 broken

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "A clunking noise in the rear at turns to the right starting up from a stop. Local automotive shop diagnosed contaminated rear differential fluid. Changed fluid and told me to contact dealership. Differential should not have the issue at only 30,000 miles. Deal…"complaint #2001094
    • "It appears that either the rear differential is locked up, or the traction control system has decided to lock all tires for the same rotation. When making any turns at slow speed, the tires grind and pop on the road. If turning in grass it will rip up the gras…"complaint #2134853
    • "My low mileage 2020 Ford Escape has rear differential shuddering, grinding, and bumping during low speed turns."complaint #2223860
    • "I have a 2020 Ford escape all-wheel-drive, it only has 42,000 miles on it, and I had to have the differential replaced."complaint #2236839
  46. #46

    exhaust system

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "I began to smell exhaust fumes inside the vehicle. This persisted for several days and I brought it in to the Ford Dealer. They found that there’s an exhaust leak down at the oxygen sensor that doesn’t seal against the catalytic converter. This is a very da…"complaint #1983815
    • "My car is making a severely loud noise when I start it up, and sometimes when I’m driving or stop driving. When I try to accelerate sometimes, it feels like nothing is happening and then all of a sudden my car will pickup fast and jump RPMs. When going slowly…"complaint #2019757
    • "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 fil…"complaint #2158366
  47. #47

    battery and charging

    2 stranded, 1 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle parked, the contact was unable to start the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted after an hour. On another occasion, while turning left, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was…"~31,000 mi, complaint #2010992
  48. #48

    driveshaft axle cv

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RPM FELL AND THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY DECELERATED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE…"~2,703 mi, complaint #1707790
  49. #49

    fluid leak unspecified

    2 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that an unknown fluid would leak from above both the brake and accelerator pedal which made both pedals slippery upon depression. The contact stated that while approaching a stop sign, the contact's foot…"~15,000 mi, complaint #1922766
  50. #50

    lighting exterior

    2 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "BOTH FRONT HEAD LIGHT (SEALED) ASSEMBLIES HAVE SOME SORT OF FILM DELAMINATING INSIDE EACH ASSEMBLY."complaint #1689359
    • "HEADLIGHTS ARE PLASTIC AND THEY ARE DISCOLORED ON THE INSIDE. I HAD ONE REPLACED 1 YEAR AGO AT "SURPRISE FORD" IN SURPRISE ARIZONA, BUT BOTH ARE DISCOLORED OR FOGGED UP. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE LIGHTING IS GREATLY DIMINISHED. THE HEADLIGHT HAVE BEEN THIS WAY…"complaint #1808935
    • "My passenger headlight assembly seal has failed. Since the seal failed, the light has water buildup that caused the entire assembly to short out and stop working. There are not cracked in the headlight at all. My car only has 46,407 miles on it. My car has bee…"complaint #2241439
  51. #51

    abs module

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "My 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid experiences complete electrical failure - battery saving mode followed by total power loss. Ford has published Technical Service Bulletins SSM 49990 (NHTSA ID: MC-10199655-0001) and SSM 49574 (NHTSA ID: MC-10187983-0001) addressing t…"complaint #2116997
    • "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. "complaint #2142431
  52. #52

    ac compressor and refrigerant

    1 unsafe, 1 broken

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at 65-70 MPH, water started leaking from the air conditioner onto the brake and accelerator pedals and his foot. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who cleaned the air conditioner drain lin…"~2,000 mi, complaint #1758400
  53. #53

    brake booster

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=12, median 80,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed, and depressed to the floorboard. The vehicle eventually stopped; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the check engine warning light h…"~80,000 mi, complaint #1885534
  54. #54

    emissions aftertreatment

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "My car spontaneously started throwing out Service AdvanceTrac, PowerTrain Malfunction, AWD Fault, Pre-Collision Assist Not Available, and Hill Start Assist warnings. Those all cleared themselves, but the AWD Fault remained. I took it to my local Ford dealer, w…"complaint #2010689
    • "obd communication with emissions and state safety inspection. Ford knows -- will not fix under recall"complaint #2116393
  55. #55

    engine oil consumption

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the garage, there was oil leaking from the vehicle. The contact stated that while stopped at a stop light, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminate…"~36,000 mi, complaint #2093865
  56. #56

    key fob and immobilizer

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Hello, The safety problem that I discovered in the car is as follows When I start the car with me "remote-start"and sit on the driver's seat, I can start the car by pressing the start button without first pressing the foot brake. I mean, if the person was ope…"complaint #1886310
    • "Car drove with no key for [REDACTED ADDRESS]. Two keys were confirmed that they were at our house and not in the vehicle. Spouse realized no key was present after going to Target and trying to start the vehicle to return home. The key was initially about 25 f…"complaint #1891490
  57. #57

    mirror

    1 unsafe, 1 broken

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "NOTHING HAS HAPPENED YET...BUT A FEW VERY CLOSE CALLS....THE EQUIPMENT THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS ATTACHED TO IS HUGE AND THE MIRROR IS SUCH THAT IS BLOCKS A MAJOR PART OF THE VIEW TO THE RIGHT...ESP WHEN I AM ON A CURVY ROAD...IT LITERALLY BLOCKS ANYTHING I…"complaint #1659144
    • "SWITCH THAT OPERATES SIDE REAR VIEW MIRRORS IS BROKEN"complaint #1694650
  58. #58

    adas adaptive cruise

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • ".After activating the cruise control on the freeway for a few minutes, the cruise control deactivated and displayed the "Adaptive Cruise Not Available" message on the dashboard, immediately lowering the speed. Additionally, the sunroof interior stopped workin…"complaint #2131628
  59. #59

    adas autonomous driving system

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The entire advanced track system quit working. Sometimes if you turn the vehicle off and on a bunch of times it will work until you turn off the vehicle. "complaint #2019561
  60. #60

    cruise control conventional

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "WHILE CRUISE IS ENGAGED WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, IT WILL RANDOMLY GET "CANCELLED" AND THEN WILL REENGAGE RANDOMLY. THIS OCCURRED 4 TIMES IN A 5 MINUTE PERIOD EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO TRAFFIC AROUND."complaint #1716781
  61. #61

    engine mounts

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "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…"complaint #2175852
  62. #62

    fuel pump

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a right turn, the vehicle failed to exceed 18 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the fuel pump, fuel rail, and the battery; h…"~12,000 mi, complaint #2015739
  63. #63

    heater core and blower

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "My car wasn’t producing heat it was only blowing cold air. Dealership advised of no coolant and it’s a known issue with this car. "complaint #2070435
  64. #64

    hv battery and range

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated.…"~105,000 mi, complaint #2099013
  65. #65

    power steering hydraulic

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "If the car is parked in the sun on a hot day, there are times when the car turns on but you cannot shift out of park. The knob will not turn. You are stuck until the car is able to shift. The engine and electrical will run but it is impossible to shift the car…"complaint #1994148
  66. #66

    starter

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Car has self started in my garage 3 times in the last two weeks, just now it did it again. This is very dangerous, could hurd someone or burn my house down. This needs to be looked into."complaint #2131721
  67. #67

    steering column

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "pscm loss of power steering pulling into drive way minor damage to right fronty fender and bumper if this happened at highway speed on a curve it could been fatal took to dealer they replaced the steering column so far denied repair to bumper and fender there…"complaint #1846357
  68. #68

    throttle and pedal

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "While driving home from work the car stopped reacting to the gas pedal and I was going fast enough to coast into a parking lot. Had I been on the bridge or turnpike it could have been a disaster."complaint #1975313
  69. #69

    timing belt or chain

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Driving on freeway at 70 when cruise went off and car slowed down “power train malfunction,detecting erratic signals from timing sensor” came on tried to get speed back up could get to about 67 and exited 1st ramp. Stopped in parking lot called dealer. They sa…"complaint #1813995
  70. #70

    tire failure

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "DRIVING 25 MILES PER HOUR ON RESIDENT STREET WHEN TIRE BLEW OUT."~1,361 mi, complaint #1674757
  71. #71

    transmission cvt

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "CVT transmission is faulty and the gears shudder and slip. It also lags between shifting, causing near accidents. My local ford dealer tried to fix it last year and couldn’t, it seems like they don’t even know how to fix it. It should be a recall, it makes dri…"complaint #2043112
  72. #72

    wheel bearing

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "SINCE DAY ONE OF OWNERSHIP, IT HAS A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEN APPROACHING 25MPH THEN THE VIBRATION CONTINUES ALL THE WAY TO 75MPH. ALSO AT APPROX. 25MPH AN LOW HUMMING SOUND STARTS. THE HUMMING SOUND GETS LOADER AS SPEED INCREASES ALONG WITH THE ROAD NOI…"complaint #1639308
  73. #73

    wheel or rim

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Lugnuts are swollen and a flat had occurred and I couldn't remove the wheel was almost hit by on coming traffic finally gave up replenished air into tire and drove Home . Took car into Ford dealership they said all of the Lugnuts swell on newer models not just…"complaint #2082570

Recall-sized clusters

These are large batches of near-identical complaints (recall notifications, service campaigns), kept separate from the ranking above so they don't drown out individually-reported problems.

Not matched to any cluster below: every campaign NHTSA has on file for this exact make/model/year is 19V633000, 20V415000, 20V550000, 20V575000, 20V635000, 21V011000, 22V191000, 22V331000, 22V484000, 22V859000, 23V380000, 24V330000, 24V852000, 24V954000, 25V165000, 25V345000, 25V442000, 25V467000, 25V685000, 25V693000, 25V829000, 26V117000, 26V123000. This is a vehicle-wide list, not an attribution - see below for which clusters have a real, complainant-cited match.

NHTSA investigations

Search NHTSA's own recall and complaint database for FORD ESCAPE directly.