2021 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

    1 stranded, 49 unsafe, 13 broken, 7 annoyance

    70
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=15, median 38,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while opening the front driver's side door, the door made an abnormal popping sound. Additionally, the contact stated that the door failed to open wide enough or close securely. The vehicle was taken to t…"~17,000 mi, complaint #1923299
    • "The contact called for a customer who owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while opening and closing the front driver’s side door, there was a loud banging and clucking sound coming from the door. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, wher…"~22,000 mi, complaint #2093159
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while attempting to close the front driver’s side door, but the door check arm was no longer attached to the door, preventing the door from closing securely. No warning light was illuminated. The contact…"~37,000 mi, complaint #1965077
    • "The contact's brother owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the front driver's side door made an abnormally loud sound while opening. Additionally, the contact stated that the spot welds on the check arm bracket were fractured. The contact stated th…"~42,000 mi, complaint #1950582
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while parked, the driver's side door hinge had fractured which caused the contact to not be able to open the door or roll the window open. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a…"~50,000 mi, complaint #1934612
  2. #2

    transmission automatic

    2 stranded, 16 unsafe, 1 broken

    19
    incidents

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

    • "2021 escape purchased on 10/12/21. By the end of October my vehicle began stalling while driving. The transmission was unable to change gears when the vehicle was accelerating or decelerating. While making a right turn my vehicle almost stalled out in front o…"~2,965 mi, complaint #1902273
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard squeaking and grinding sound coming from the brake pedal. The contact also stated that she smelled a burning odor throughout the vehicle and the vehic…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1843539
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, there was smoke coming from the vehicle, with the check engine and power train warning lights illuminated. The vehicle lost motive power however, the contact was able to pull over on…"~55,137 mi, complaint #1920901
  3. #3

    sunroof

    9 unsafe, 4 broken, 5 annoyance

    18
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the sunroof plastic cover detached and struck the driver's hat. There was no reported injury. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that the sunroof…"~58,395 mi, complaint #2117662
  4. #4

    other

    3 unsafe, 12 annoyance

    15
    incidents

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

    • "FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO PARTS BEING UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM SAFETY RECALL."complaint #1883856
    • "I have called the place where I’ve bought my car several times to see if they could get the recall fixed yet, they keep saying they do not currently have the parts yet but I have read where the parts should now be available. I have been waiting several months…"complaint #1890526
    • "The vehicle still has not been serviced due to the dealerships informing me that they do not have the parts even though I received notice that the parts were in stock. "complaint #1892862
    • "Received two notices that their is a recall on my Ford Escape. Scheduled the recall with the Ford dealership. the dealership said there is a waiting list, and they only receive 10 parts a month to replace the recall."complaint #1894153
    • "No incident, but complaint regarding Ford's untimely correction of safety recall 22S73, NHTSA Recall 22V859. Recall notice sent in January 2023; thus far Ford (Woody Anderson Ford, Huntsville, AL) is totally noncommittal in terms of a likely correction date.…"complaint #1895517
  5. #5

    brake pads and rotors

    11 unsafe, 3 annoyance

    14
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=11, median 6,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing, there was a loud screeching sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who performed an unstated service on the vehicle, but the failure persiste…"~1,500 mi, complaint #2051870
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing and pressing the brake pedal, there was a loud screeching sound coming from the rear brakes. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who serviced the rear brake calipers and rotors…"~1,500 mi, complaint #1809737
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing, there was an abnormal screeching sound coming from the brakes. The contact stated that whenever it rained, there was water accumulating in the taillights. There were no warning lights ill…"~5,000 mi, complaint #2022371
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing, the brake pedal was depressed and there was an abnormal screeching noise detected. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who informed hi…"~6,000 mi, complaint #1840856
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing out of a parking garage and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes made an abnormal grinding sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact later received notification of NHTSA…"~18,000 mi, complaint #1871387
  6. #6

    brake hydraulics

    10 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    11
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in reverse, an abnormally loud humming noise would emit from the vehicle upon depression of the brake pedal without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer on n…"~2,000 mi, complaint #1782004
  7. #7

    engine cooling

    1 stranded, 8 unsafe

    9
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine coolant overheated warning light illuminated. The vehicle stalled after the warning light illuminated and became inoperable. The dealer was notified…"~39,700 mi, complaint #2199582
  8. #8

    power windows and locks

    3 unsafe, 5 broken

    8
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when he was exiting the vehicle and opened the front driver's side door, he heard a popping sound. The contact stated that the front driver's side window was inoperable, the window would not go up o…"~43,294 mi, complaint #1936689
  9. #9

    engine stall or no start

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH to enter the freeway, the Auto Start/Stop feature inadvertently stopped the vehicle. There were no warning lights on the instrument panel. The vehicle had to be manually…"~7,000 mi, complaint #1809425
  10. #10

    fuel injector

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

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

    • "I HAVE TO KEEP PRESSING THE GAS HANDLE TO PUT GAS IN MY CAR BECAUSE THE [XXX] CARBON SENSOR [XXX] THINGY IS BROKE. also the door keeps clicking and TikTok says it’s going to fly off. Now that’s just dangerous. The clicky thingy is from something that is welded…"complaint #1995922
    • "There is an open recall that is unrepaired on the door but my problem is same as thousands of customers reporting a fuel issue to Ford. I spoke to Ford and the case manager agreed that it's so many customers calling on the Ford Escape fuel consumption issue an…"complaint #2070414
    • "NHTSA Recall 25V467 was issued in July 2025. It has been over 3 months of constant fear for under-hood fire from possible fuel injector crack. My family's safety has been at risk long enough, this needs a permanent fix please!"complaint #2144058
    • "My Ford Escape has an open recall on the fuel injectors. I took my car in once because there was a smell of fumes when using my a/c. When I mentioned the fuel injectors to the dealership, they said they would look at it. The dealership said they couldn't get…"complaint #2147608
    • "There’s an open recall for the fuel injectors for my vehicle. I am currently unable to drive my vehicle because I can not fuel my vehicle. Each time it is fuel the engine light comes on and the vehicle either doesn’t drive or shakes violently and refuses to go…"complaint #2160528
  11. #11

    fuel tank and lines

    4 unsafe, 3 annoyance

    7
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the fuel tank gauge decreased from 1/4th to empty almost immediately. The contact arrived at a gas station and discovered that the fuel tank was not empty. No w…"~21,000 mi, complaint #2108296
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal gasoline odor inside the vehicle. The gasoline odor was stronger while stopped in traffic. The windows were opened to lessen the odor inside the…"~39,000 mi, complaint #2174156
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while making a right turn at approximately 10 MPH, a fuel odor had begun to leak into the interior cabin before the engine caught on fire. The A/C was activated during the time of the failure. No war…"~80,000 mi, complaint #2095974
  12. #12

    engine internal

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

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

    • "While accelerating at a stop light I heard a thud in the hood of my car and then it started to smoke so I pulled off the road and turned off vehicle but the car caught fire and the entire front end burned."complaint #2033134
    • "On or about [XXX] I was driving on the highway and the traffic was slowed down. Once the traffic speed picked back up I noticed the maintenance symbol light up. I could not go any faster than 50 mph. I immediately went and got and oil change. Once I paid for t…"complaint #2059652
    • "VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. REMEDY IS NOT AVAILABLE, AND A FIRE CAN START UNDER THE HOOD. I HAVE A CAR THAT I BOUGHT THAT I CANNOT DRIVE WITHOUT THE ANXIETY OF A FIRE. FORD WILL NOT BUYBACK MY VEHICLE, AND THEY ARE IN BREACH OF THEIR WARRANTY."complaint #2137928
    • "My engine has been misfiring since I purchased my vehicle from a Ford Dealership in Mooresville, NC. At least, I think it is misfiring. My vehicle did not pass an emissions test and I had it inspected at a Ford Dealership in Statesville, NC. They told me I hav…"complaint #2142984
    • "On XXX I was driving my 2021 Ford Escape for 10 minutes before I stopped at Sheetz gas station on [XXX]. I ran into the building to withdraw cash from the ATM leaving my fiance and dog in the car while it sat idle. Upon exiting the building about 30 seconds t…"complaint #2214537
  13. #13

    seatbelt and pretensioner

    4 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    5
    incidents

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

    • "The contact called on behalf of his wife who owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the temperature was cold the seat belt buckled and remained in place as needed; however, during hot temperatures the seat belt was difficult to unbuckle. There w…"~62,000 mi, complaint #2081885
  14. #14

    suspension struts shocks

    4 unsafe, 1 broken

    5
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was veering to the right independently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where both the rear shock absorbers and the front passenger's side tie rod were re…"~14,000 mi, complaint #1983858
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was being inspected at a local dealer for a State Inspection, the contact was informed that the front passenger’s side tire needed to be replaced, and that both rear shocks were leaking.…"~41,513 mi, complaint #1889996
  15. #15

    control module

    3 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    4
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated upon taking the vehicle for the State Inspection, the contact was informed that the gateway module of the vehicle was not communicating, preventing the inspection from being performed. The vehicle was tak…"~45,160 mi, complaint #2114113
  16. #16

    torque converter

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop, the vehicle started shuddering. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was ta…"~90,000 mi, complaint #1957430
  17. #17

    adas collision warning

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

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

    • "The contact leased a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes emitted an abnormal squealing sound. The contact stated that the failure mainly occurred while reversing. Additionally, a message indicating th…"~48,971 mi, complaint #1862314
  18. #18

    evap system

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

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

    • "Every time I get gas my engine stalls out citing an issue with the evap system — evap purge valve. This is not safe as it stalls out directly after filling the car up. The smell of gas is very prominent leading me to believe there could be a fire hazard associ…"complaint #2078047
    • "This has been an ongoing recall for three years. They fixed my car the first time according to them and now it’s still an issue they are saying they can’t fix. I’ve went through two evap solenoids and my car still is having issues with the fuel vapor intake. I…"complaint #2196660
    • "Canister purge valve getting stuck open and causing a hard start"complaint #2203955
  19. #19

    noise or vibration unspecified

    3 annoyance

    3
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle began vibrating and the contact heard an abnormal noise. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to drive to his destination. The contac…"~700 mi, complaint #1779149
  20. #20

    software or update

    2 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    3
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of an undisclosed recall. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal, with the che…"~98,000 mi, complaint #2192016
  21. #21

    unintended acceleration

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing down her driveway, that as soon as she had placed the vehicle in reverse, it independently accelerated to approximately 20 MPH. The contact attempted to depress the brake pedal and did not…"complaint #1823467
    • "THERE ARE SWVERAL ISSUES WITH THIS MODEL, THE WORST BEING THE CONSTANT JERKING/ BUCKING WHILE DRIVING. THE SECOND BEING THE FORWARD COLLISION WARNING ALERTING WHEN NO VEHICLES ARE NEAR YOU, IT JUST RANDOMLY ALERTS.THE THIRD MOST ANNOYING ISSUE IS THE DASHBOARD…"complaint #2176816
    • "When the brake is applied, the gas pedal accelerates. It has happened 2 times and I could have went through a stop sign or traffic light. The tool light came on but went off. This has happened a few times starting in April. "complaint #2213650
  22. #22

    acceleration loss or hesitation

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=12, median 79,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated t…"~70,000 mi, complaint #2129717
  23. #23

    backup camera

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, he became aware that the Back Over Protection camera was inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer however, the mechan…"~5,618 mi, complaint #1803641
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 26V123000 (Back Over Prevention) and 26V117000 (Visibility); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the rear…"~121,000 mi, complaint #2194588
  24. #24

    glass and windshield

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

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

    • "Front windshield is prone to crack. I have had to replace 5 windshields since I first purchased the vehicle. It is a known documented issue. Assuming aerodynamics is the issue and can cause more than the reasonable amount of cracked windshields. Valve body and…"~100,243 mi, complaint #1975099
  25. #25

    hv battery and range

    1 stranded, 1 unsafe

    2
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle shut off and lost electrical power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determin…"~59,000 mi, complaint #2193465
  26. #26

    hv system fault reduced power

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

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

    • "On [XXX] while driving north on [XXX] from Corpus Christi, TX to San Antonio, TX our 2021 Ford Escape started to become difficult to accelerate and as we pressed on the pedal to accelerate the vehicle didn't not go any faster it began to reach a slow speed of…"complaint #2056604
    • "I am filing this safety complaint on behalf of myself and my wife, [XXX] , the primary driver of our 2021 Ford Escape PHEV, with active under Recall 25SC4 (no remedy available). The vehicle has experienced 8+ sudden complete shutdowns during normal driving sin…"complaint #2202930
  27. #27

    suspension arms and bushings

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

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

    • "Bought my 2021 Ford Escape a year ago, since a month after purchase, grinding noises Only when backing up, rain or shine or cold or hot. Getting worse within this year. Brought in 3-4 times, every time mechanic said nothing was wrong it was normal for this typ…"complaint #1885693
    • "I was driving and turned right and the issue started. Pulled over to a safe place and notice d rear wheel bracket was broken. Towed to dealer. The dealer insisted I hit something I did not. The car has less than 8600 miles. I could not believe this was no…"complaint #1900898
  28. #28

    throttle and pedal

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, her foot would repeatedly slip off the accelerator pedal and go underneath the brake pedal. The contact stated that this could lead to a potential failure while drivi…"complaint #1777190
    • "Over the past 4 months the powertrain malfunction light has illuminated 4 times on random occasions. The first time it came on while I was driving home from shopping. I did not notice the light until I stalled in the intersection trying to get on to the inters…"complaint #2059650
  29. #29

    transfer case awd

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that there was an abnormal grinding sound while driving at slow speeds. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power transfer…"~90,147 mi, complaint #2028608
  30. #30

    wiper and washer

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

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

    • "Passenger wiper arm comes loose and does not maintain position, causing wiper to either not work at all or misalign and cross the driver side wiper. Result is impaired visibility. Both episodes occurred in winter weather. Have had two episodes so far (1/12/22,…"complaint #1794850
    • "My windshield wipers aren’t working properly and it causes me to not be able to see while driving which cause me to hit a curb and damage my front fender and my trunk makes a nose when I drive like it wants to pop open my car flashes warnings and then no sign…"complaint #2211824
  31. #31

    wiring harness

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon having the A/C unit serviced, the service technician shocked and burned himself on the wiring harness. The contact was informed that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the issue. The contact…"~39,000 mi, complaint #2019481
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was serviced under Customer Satisfaction Program 23B-56; however, the replacement welding caused the front driver's side door to fail. Additionally, the co…"~76,000 mi, complaint #2240648
  32. #32

    abs module

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "The rear speed sensor on my 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid is fused to the differential due to corrosion. The failure disables safety systems (ABS/Traction Control), and the design requires a $800+ partial teardown of the drivetrain to fix a basic sensor. This is a d…"complaint #2186221
  33. #33

    ac compressor and refrigerant

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

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

    • "A/C Drain hose clogging results in driver side and passenger side floorboards flooded. Water dripping on feet when driving and making turns after A/C drain gets clogged or heatshield drain hole not properly aligned with drain hose. Also A/C Drain hose not long…"complaint #2037556
  34. #34

    battery and charging

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "Vehicle headlights constantly dimming in and out, replaced alternator and battery, problem still persisted if not worse than before. Vehicle constantly struggles to accelerate once at running temperature, high revs and doesn't accelerate at all, vehicle experi…"complaint #2201522
  35. #35

    differential

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "dragging/grinding/ skipping noise when doing turns at slow speed, took to ford and they say it needs RDU(rear differential) replaced only has 66k miles of course just as soon as it is out of warranty"complaint #2018754
  36. #36

    driveshaft axle cv

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "Felt sudden, hard bang under left foot while driving approx. 40 MPH. Car then lost control. Driver steered to right to get off road, hitting a curb in the process. Found broken left front axle when finally able to stop the car. There were NO obstacles or potho…"complaint #1794859
  37. #37

    exhaust system

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "Lithia ford is Fresno worked on exhaust and replaced cat converter on September 5th 2024 for the dealer in which I purchased my vehicle. Ford did not put the support bracket that holds the exhaust and catalytic converter in place back on after the repair. I pu…"complaint #2086827
  38. #38

    heater core and blower

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that condensation from the air conditioner unit had leaked into the vehicle causing the carpet to become wet, developing mold and mildew inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who d…"~30,000 mi, complaint #2009461
  39. #39

    instrument cluster

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

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

    • "Speed is telling me the limit is 80 when there is no speed limit like that in the area and the speed limit actually is 45. Steering wheel keeps telling me to put my hands on the wheel when both hands are on the wheel."complaint #1830244
  40. #40

    lighting exterior

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "Right headlight was not attached to car properly the clips are bend that hold it on the vehicle. Has been like this since I drove it off the lot. It makes it hard to see at night since the headlight does not sit properly. It points downward. I have reported th…"complaint #1880033
  41. #41

    lighting interior

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

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

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked with the vehicle turned off, the exterior and interior lights failed to turn off as intended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or deal…"~19,000 mi, complaint #2232079
  42. #42

    stability and traction control

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "I was in the middle of driving and going around a curve and all of a sudden advance Trac warning light is on hill assist warning comes on and pre collision assist comes on and none of the stability sensors are working in my car and I noticed my steering is ver…"complaint #1926366
  43. #43

    steering column

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "We bought a new 2021 Ford Escape and within 2 weeks I noticed the steering would occasionally lock up for a few seconds when making a turn. It got worse over the week and at one turn I had to force the wheel back by using both hands on one side of the wheel ca…"complaint #1798286
  44. #44

    transmission manual clutch

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "When I change gears to reverse, it’s hard to put in gear and studders as well. I am not sure what the issue here is with it."complaint #2080532
  45. #45

    trunk or liftgate

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

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

    • "Schedule repair maintenance with Spirit Ford Dundee MI on my 2021 Ford Escape on 1/16/2024 for water leaking in the spare tire compartment which created moisture to collect on interior windows and smell like mold. Spirit Ford said that it was leaking from the…"complaint #2073181
  46. #46

    unknown

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

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

    • "A sample owner letter is not available online for NHTSA-ID 22V191"complaint #1840623

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 21V625000, 21V869000, 21V922000, 22V149000, 22V191000, 22V484000, 22V859000, 23V380000, 24V330000, 24V852000, 24V954000, 25V165000, 25V345000, 25V442000, 25V467000, 25V685000, 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.