Ford Escape problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 9 model years (2018–2026), NHTSA has logged 5,254 owner complaints and 50 safety recalls for the Ford Escape. That averages 87.3 complaints per year on the road — far more complaints than typical (index 2.16 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Compact SUVs segment it ranks #11 of 12 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 60.3.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is flat. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models are within 14% of the 2018 and 2019 models (59 early complaints per model year versus 57).
The 2020 model year has the highest rate (268.9 complaints per year) and the 2024 model year the lowest (31.5). Model years 2018 and 2020 run at least 50% above this model's average of 87.3 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years. Model years 2023 and 2024 run at least 40% below this model's average of 87.3 complaints per year on the road.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Engine (42.9% of complaints), followed by Body & structure (17.4%) and Transmission / powertrain (10.9%). Engine complaints are 1.9 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 131 complaints (2.5%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 117 injuries and 1 death.
In the last 12 months owners filed 1,131 complaints versus 1,230 in the previous 12 months — down 8%. The 2018 model year generated the most recent reports (357). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 55 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 50 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2025 (16). 5 NHTSA investigations have covered this model, 2 still open; the latest is “Underhood fires caused by fuel leak” (recall query, opened 2024-04-11, closed 2025-10-30).
Within its segment it has more complaints per year than Mazda CX-5, Kia Sportage, Volkswagen Tiguan and Jeep Compass, but fewer than Honda CR-V.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 ▲50%+ | 1,812 | 206.2 | 5.11 | 357 | 4 | Engine | View › |
| 2019 | 595 | 76.4 | 1.89 | 130 | 3 | Engine | View › |
| 2020 ▲50%+ | 1,826 | 268.9 | 6.66 | 279 | 24 | Body & structure | View › |
| 2021 | 379 | 65.5 | 1.62 | 129 | 21 | Body & structure | View › |
| 2022 | 382 | 79.8 | 1.98 | 103 | 21 | Engine | View › |
| 2023 | 137 | 36.2 | 0.9 | 56 | 13 | Electrical | View › |
| 2024 Fewest complaints | 88 | 31.5 | 0.78 | 47 | 10 | Electrical | View › |
| 2025 Too new to rank | 31 | 17.3 | 0.43 | 26 | 10 | Engine | View › |
| 2026 Too new to rank | 4 | 4.0 | 0.1 | 4 | 2 | Engine | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 1,131 · Previous 12 months: 1,230 Within ±30% year on year
Problem areas
Engine ›
2,255 · 42.9% · 1.93 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Body & structure ›
914 · 17.4% · 1.91 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Transmission / powertrain ›
571 · 10.9% · 0.93 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Unspecified or other ›
395 · 7.5% · 0.84 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Electrical ›
382 · 7.3% · 0.46 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Fuel system ›
264 · 5.0% · 1.16 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Brakes ›
150 · 2.9% · 0.47 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Wheels, tires & suspension ›
80 · 1.5% · 0.61 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Airbags & seat belts ›
65 · 1.2% · 0.33 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Driver-assist systems ›
64 · 1.2% · 0.21 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Steering ›
48 · 0.9% · 0.14 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Other
35 · 0.7% · 0.36 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Lighting
31 · 0.6% · 0.38 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 55 months
What owners report
On September 4, 2026, at approximately 6:00 PM, I was driving my 2018 Ford Escape SE (1.5L EcoBoost) and executing a left-hand turn across an intersection.
The thin metal gear shift dial has peeled extensively beginning in 2022 leaving RAZOR SHARP edges that cause constant skin lacerations as it's impossible to change gears and not to touch the sharp edges.
My daughter was driving our 2018 Ford Escape at highway speed when it suddenly began shaking and shuddering violently, with no advance warning. The check engine light came on for the first time as the shaking began.
While Driving Vehicle with Lane Keeping Assistance Activated the vehicle will not stay in the lane. It keeps pulling to either left or right past the white or yellow lines. I took vehicle to dealership they checked system and found no problem.
I am requesting a serious investigation into potentially life-threatening steering, braking, and stability-control interventions in modern vehicles.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Compact SUVs
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mazda CX-5 | 862 | 18.6 | 0.46 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 3 | Engine |
| 2 | Kia Sportage | 1,017 | 29.7 | 0.74 | Worsening | Rising | 12 | Engine |
| 3 | Volkswagen Tiguan | 1,267 | 29.7 | 0.74 | Improving | Rising | 28 | Engine |
| 4 | Jeep Compass | 1,853 | 31.4 | 0.78 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 12 | Engine |
| 5 | Subaru Forester | 2,453 | 45.0 | 1.11 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 14 | Body & structure |
| 6 | Jeep Cherokee | 2,906 | 55.5 | 1.38 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 25 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 7 | Chevrolet Equinox | 2,068 | 64.8 | 1.61 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 23 | Engine |
| 8 | Toyota RAV4 | 3,158 | 67.2 | 1.67 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 25 | Engine |
| 9 | Hyundai Tucson | 2,402 | 75.3 | 1.87 | Worsening | Rising | 15 | Engine |
| 10 | Nissan Rogue | 3,149 | 79.1 | 1.96 | Improving | Rising | 26 | Engine |
| 11 | Ford Escape | 5,254 | 87.3 | 2.16 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 50 | Engine |
| 12 | Honda CR-V | 6,037 | 139.4 | 3.46 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 25 | Steering |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 50
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 0
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2018 (4) · 2019 (3) · 2020 (24) · 2021 (21) · 2022 (21) · 2023 (13) · 2024 (10) · 2025 (10) · 2026 (2)
Investigations
- Healey Brothers Ford / Open Recall Sale Open
NHTSA is opening this audit query to investigate whether Healey Brothers Ford, LLC of Beacon, New York, has complied with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. The Safety Act requires, among other things, that a manufacturer notify its dealers of defects related to motor vehicle safety and noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and in turn that a…
- Rearview Camera FMVSS 111 Noncompliance Open
On September 23, 2020, Ford Motor Company (Ford) filed a noncompliance recall report under 49 CFR Part 573 (NHTSA Recall No. 20V-575), recalling 620,246 Model Year (MY) 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles for a noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 111, Rea…
- Underhood fires caused by fuel leak Closed
On April 11, 2024, NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (“ODI”) opened this Recall Query (“RQ”) to investigate the adequacy of, including various safety concerns associated with, the remedy program in recalls 22V-859 (filed Nov. 18, 2022) and 24V-187 (filed Mar. 8, 2024). The vehicle population associated with these recalls includes certain MY 2020-2022 Ford Escape vehicles and MY 2021-2023 For…
- Failed Door Check Arm Attachment Point Closed
On July 7, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-013 to investigate instances of check arm bracket failure in the front doors in model year (MY) 2020-2021 Ford Escape vehicles. At the time of opening, ODI received 118 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging this failure. To date, ODI has received 593 VOQs alleging this failure, with a variety of reported failure conditio…
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…