Ford Escape Reliability
Quick answer
Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 23,553 complaints about the Ford Escape with NHTSA, most often about the engine and the transmission, and NHTSA lists 85 recall campaigns. We have no published sales figures for the Escape to turn that into a per-1,000-sold rate, so these counts compare its model years with each other, not with other models. CarWhere's year-by-year verdict engine flags 2008–2010, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2020 as years to avoid and rates 2024 as a better year. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
By CarWhere Research · Last reviewed 2026-11-10 · Source: NHTSA
23,553
NHTSA owner complaints (2008–2026)
533
Complaints citing a crash
85
Recall campaigns
8
Years to avoid
Most-reported Ford Escape problems
NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, by the component owners named, filed 2007–2026. A complaint can name more than one component. The last three columns count complaints that report a crash, a fire or an injury.
| Component | Complaints | Share | Crash | Fire | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 7,184 | 31% | 52 | 193 | 34 |
| Powertrain / transmission | 4,234 | 18% | 64 | 19 | 48 |
| Steering | 3,884 | 16% | 94 | 2 | 42 |
| Electrical system | 2,184 | 9% | 33 | 64 | 33 |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 1,806 | 8% | 15 | 28 | 9 |
| Speed control / throttle | 1,685 | 7% | 77 | 5 | 27 |
| Engine & cooling | 1,619 | 7% | 2 | 16 | 0 |
| Body structure | 1,446 | 6% | 38 | 15 | 50 |
Of all 23,553 complaints, 533 (2%) report a crash, 297 (1%) a fire and 370 (2%) an injury.
For 2020-and-newer models (2,878 complaints), the most-reported areas are the body structure (847), the electrical system (413), the transmission (406), the engine (399).
Ford Escape complaints by model year
Where problems concentrate. Year flags come from CarWhere's year-by-year verdict engine, which compares each Escape model year with the model's other years. The full year-by-year verdicts are on the years-to-avoid page.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 2,417 | 5 | Steering | Avoid |
| 2009 | 1,846 | 3 | Steering | Avoid |
| 2010 | 2,130 | 5 | Speed control / throttle | Avoid |
| 2011 | 1,356 | 3 | Steering | — |
| 2012 | 619 | 2 | Steering | — |
| 2013 | 2,757 | 18 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2014 | 2,090 | 16 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2015 | 1,142 | 9 | Powertrain / transmission | — |
| 2016 | 1,186 | 4 | Powertrain / transmission | — |
| 2017 | 2,705 | 4 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2018 | 1,825 | 4 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2019 | 602 | 3 | Engine | — |
| 2020 | 1,841 | 24 | Body structure | Avoid |
| 2021 | 385 | 21 | Body structure | — |
| 2022 | 388 | 21 | Engine | — |
| 2023 | 139 | 13 | Electrical system | — |
| 2024(new) | 90 | 10 | Electrical system | Better year |
| 2025(new) | 31 | 10 | Electrical system | — |
| 2026(new) | 4 | 3 | Electrical system | — |
Raw counts are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, and older years have had longer to collect complaints. Years marked "new" have had less than three years on the road. — = not flagged either way.
Ford Escape recalls
NHTSA lists 85 recall campaigns across Ford Escape model years 2008–2026. The ones below cover the most model years (campaigns with a park advisory first). Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Model years | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12V336000Jul 18, 2012 | 2013 | Fuel system — delivery / hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through July 11, 2012, and equipped with a 1.6L engine. These vehicles have an engine compartment fuel line which may split, resulting in a leak.NHTSA park-it advisory: do not drive until repaired. |
| 26V011000Jan 16, 2026 | 2013–2019 | Equipment — electrical / engine block heater | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the… |
| 22V413000Jun 10, 2022 | 2013–2019 | Powertrain / transmission — automatic transmission / gear position indication (prndl) | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or… |
| 26V091000Feb 18, 2026 | 2022–2026 | Electrical system — propulsion system / traction battery | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Ford Escape and 2023-2026 Lincoln Corsair plug-in hybrid vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and… |
| 25V789000Nov 14, 2025 | 2020–2024 | Electrical system — propulsion system / traction battery | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Ford Escape and 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair plug-in hybrid vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and… |
Best and worst Escape years
- Years to avoid: 2008–2010, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2020.
- Better years: 2024.
- 2024–2026: too new to judge fully; complaint counts are still building.
Ford Escape years to avoid: the verdict for every model year →
What to inspect on a used Ford Escape
Based on the components owners report most. None of these replaces an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- Body: look under the car for rust or damaged subframe and rocker areas, and check panel gaps for signs of repair.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Recalls: check the VIN for open recalls; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any Ford Escape can be better or worse than the model's record. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
Ford Escape reliability FAQ
Is the Ford Escape reliable?
Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 23,553 complaints about the Ford Escape with NHTSA, most often about the engine and the transmission, and NHTSA lists 85 recall campaigns. We have no published sales figures for the Escape to turn that into a per-1,000-sold rate, so these counts compare its model years with each other, not with other models. CarWhere's year-by-year verdict engine flags 2008–2010, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2020 as years to avoid and rates 2024 as a better year. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
What are the most common Ford Escape problems?
In NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, the most-reported areas are the engine (7,184), the transmission (4,234), steering (3,884) and the electrical system (2,184). For 2020-and-newer models, the most-reported areas are the body structure, the electrical system and the transmission. One complaint can name more than one component, and complaints are unverified owner reports.
What years of the Ford Escape should you avoid?
CarWhere's year-by-year verdict engine flags 2008–2010, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2020 as years to avoid and rates 2024 as a better year. Each model year is compared only with other Escape years: complaints are adjusted for time on the road, and serious ones (engine, transmission, brakes, steering, fuel system, or a reported crash, fire or injury) count double, with a smaller adjustment for recall campaigns.
How long does a Ford Escape last?
In CarWhere's lifespan study, 1.5% of 35,315 used Escape listings in the US had passed 200,000 miles and 8.3% had passed 150,000. Among those 10+ years old, 6.1% are past 200,000 miles. Maintenance history matters more than the model average for any one car.
How many recalls does the Ford Escape have?
NHTSA lists 85 recall campaigns covering Ford Escape model years 2008–2026. The one covering the most model years is 12V336000 (fuel system, 2013). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How do I check a specific used Ford Escape?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
How we measure Escape reliability
- Complaints are every NHTSA owner complaint filed for the Ford Escape, model years 2008–2026, across all the body-style and trim names NHTSA files them under, de-duplicated by complaint number. They are unverified owner reports.
- Year flags compare each Escape model year only with other Escape years, so they say which years to prefer, not how the Escape compares with other models.
- This is federal complaint and recall data, not a survey and not comparable to Consumer Reports or J.D. Power ratings. It does not estimate repair costs.
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints and NHTSA recall campaigns (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-11-10; published U.S. sales figures; CarWhere years-to-avoid analysis.