10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 5
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 0
Average Mileage:
26,488 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2015 Ford Escape:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #33

Nov 302019

Escape

  • 107,988 miles
Coolant bypass valve constantly melts away I have to replace it every 2 moths

- Fayetteville, NC, USA

problem #32

Dec 272019

Escape

  • 74,000 miles
While traveling on the interstate in our 2015 Ford Escape titanium, we began to exit and found we had no brakes. We had to utilize the parking brake in order to bring the car to a stop. We took the car to a Ford dealership for repairs. They determined that the brake power assist had failed because the vacuum pump locked up causing the cam drive to break inside the cam shaft. This also caused metal shaving contamination in the engine of the car which can cause the motor to lock up at any time without warning. Our research revealed that a recall was issued for this exact problem in the 2013 Ford Escape; however, there has been no recall issued for the 2015 Ford Escape. This is clearly a design flaw/faulty parts issue that still has not been corrected. We have contacted the manufacturer to see if they would do anything; but they refused and also refused to let us speak to someone else regarding this. So, we are stuck with a $2,200 car repair bill on a 4 1/2 year old vehicle with 74,000 miles that Ford knows is an issue but refuses to do anything about. This doesn't include possibly a new motor if it locks up due to the metal shaving contamination. The brakes failing unexpectedly was a safety hazard and now we have another potential safety hazard if the motor locks up while we are driving the vehicle.

- Auburn, AL, USA

problem #31

Jan 112020

Escape

  • 56,000 miles
Starting on the evening of January 9, 2020, my car would stall when idling. After restarting, and while driving home; the car stalled several more times. I was able to drive to and from work on Friday, January 10, 2020 however after picking my daughter up, the car started stalling when idling, and it continued to stall. If it was "revved" up, than it seemed to run okay for awhile. It ran fine on the morning of Saturday, January 11, 2020 however it started stalling around 12:00. I stopped at a local mechanics shop and was told to go to a Ford dealership because there are "silent" recalls. The vehicle continued to stall but I managed to stop at an auto parts store, explained what was happening, and it was suggested putting fuel injector in, which I purchased at the time than filled my gas tank up. I managed to get to the Ford dealership, jim shorkey in white oak and made an appointment for Monday, January 13, 2020 however after the last time the vehicle stalled, I had a hard time restarting it, and it was not doing anything when I was pushing in the gas pedal so I called Ford roadside assistance, and had it towed to jim shorkey.,

- Elizabeth, PA, USA

problem #30

Sep 082019

Escape

  • miles
I brought my car last year about 4 months ago it started me to many problems started smelling gas when I put the gas it don't start I take it to the shop they get to fix I cost me now I take it to Ford shop they told me that I have transmission I need the new one

- Fall River, MA, USA

problem #29

Sep 032019

Escape

  • 62,000 miles
Engine shut off while driving. Car also has been having a starting issue. The instrument cluster would come on, fuel pump would prime, go to start and nothing. If the battery was unplugged for 5 minutes it was more likely to start. Thankfully it happen on a city street and not the highway that I was going to be getting on.

- Dallas, GA, USA

problem #28

Jul 292019

Escape

  • 84,000 miles
I was driving to work. Had no noise, lights, or warning of any kind..I was pushing on the gas pedal..the car quit moving. I thought maybe a computer error. Coasted to the side of the road, turned the car off..waited a minute..re started it..started to drive..went just a few feet and it did it again...again..no noise, warning lights..nothing. I made a phone call..I was right around the corner from a car repair shop. Really kinda coasted in. Of course they looked at it..gave me the great news as to it had catastrophic transmission failure. I had it towed from there to a Ford dealership..they found the same issue. The tow company that towed my car in the next 2 weeks towed 4 of them..all with transmission issues. I also talked to a transmission shop that stated Ford is having and has been having transmission problems. Ir was a little scary and dangerous to be driving 55mph in morning traffic and have your car just wait moving.

- Spring Hill, KS, USA

problem #27

Aug 232019

Escape

  • 77,000 miles
The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission degraded over time and caused the bushing to detach from the transmission. This caused me to be able to move the shift lever to park and turn car off, while the transmission was stuck in reverse with no warning message or audible chime.

- Fuquay Varina, NC, USA

problem #26

Aug 112019

Escape

  • 70,000 miles
Lost ability to put shifting lever in drive, neutral, or reverse. Took several tries to put shifting lever back into park. Only option was to tow the vehicle. Ford dealer discovered it was a problem with the bushing for the shifter cable, which is a known problem and already part of a safety recall for 2013-2014 Ford Escapes but not 2015. This recall should be extended to 2015 Escapes as well.

- West Chester, OH, USA

problem #25

Jul 252019

Escape

  • 80,000 miles
I have a door latch problem. Looked it up and found that in Sep 2016 a saftey recall was put out by Ford for the door latches for 2013 - 2015 Ford Escapes. I tried to explain this to the dealership service center and they do not have this recall listed. I have this problem and I need it fixed.

- Riverview, FL, USA

problem #24

May 012019

Escape

  • miles
Transmission appear to have a delay when attempting to increase speed. You press the gas but the car just sits in an idle mode and after a bit it catches up with itself but make a loud noise and jolts the car aggressively. This happens on city street and highway when I am trying to accelerate.

- Leander, TX, USA

problem #23

Jun 222019

Escape

  • 68,000 miles
Air conditioner sporadically blows slightly cool air, instead of cold air, when driving on city or highway. No discernible timing or conditions that might be underlying factors.

- Rossville, TN, USA

problem #22

Apr 152018

Escape

  • 30,000 miles
The tiny piece that connects the shifting cable to the transmission broke. I had the cable replaced ($900 repair) and the plastic piece broke again about 2 weeks later. The plastic piece is not made to be replace meaning the whole cable must be replaced so the engine must be lifted out for the repair. This cable makes the gear shifter inside the vehicle actually move the gear arm inside the transmission. When it breaks the care can't be shifted into park, drive, neutral, etc. This is a huge safety concern. When it broke the first time I was in a very tight parking garage backing out of the space I was parked in. I then tried to shift the gear to drive so I could pull out and the plastic piece broke. I blocked the whole parking garage exit for more than an hour while I waited on a tow truck. It was a night mare because we couldn't even get the car into neutral to push it out of the way. My car is a 2015 it should not have broken in the same place 2 times in less than a month. Especially since the piece is hard to access which makes for an expensive repair! this is a danger!

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

problem #21

Mar 072019

Escape

  • 24,000 miles
We have owned the car, 2015 Ford Escape SUV, for 70 days (certified pre-own). Drove it on a Tuesday. Went to start it on a Wednesday, and it would not fire or start. Warning messages included no key fob found-turn off vehicle-call service (although I had both in the car); 4 wd drive off; slis not available-call service. If it did fire, as soon as the car was put in gear, all the messages flashed and the car shut down. It was towed. In looking at the NHTSA site for complaints, it's time to make Ford culpable.

- Falmouth, MA, USA

problem #20

Jan 122019

Escape

  • 75,000 miles
When attaching a trailer to hitch, several times the automatic tailgate would attempt to close without warning. On one encounter, the tailgate actually hit me in the head, (before opening back up) as it closed on me while loading groceries. The 2015 Ford Escape has the "hands-free" tailgate. I called the customer service department and no further action was taken. Vehicle was stationary on both occasions. The last encounter took place about a month ago while I was loading the rear of the vehicle with suitcases, etc.

- Maywood, CA, USA

problem #19

Sep 142018

Escape

  • 90,798 miles
I start the car and let it warm up for 5 - 6 minutes befor putting it in drive. As I pull away its shuts off. I let it run again sotting in a parked position. I put it in drive and start to pull awsy, it shuts down again. It takes three to four tries before it will run smoothly.it always happens as I pull away from a parked position in my driveway. It has happened driving on the highway

- Fitchburg, MA, USA

problem #18

Nov 012018

Escape

  • 1 miles
When I drive my Ford Escape it doesn't want to shift into 2to 3rd it has delay in shifting and it's worse when it cold out ant then it down shifts hard it shifts like know other car or truck or SUV and when I'm trying to find a parking spot in a parking lot I just give it a little gas and it jumps forward fast so fast I almost hit cars and people walking and I had it in the Ford shop 5 or 6 times and they say will put it on Ford wire and Ford said that the way it should work and it won't hurt the transmission I think that is wrong and unsafe I only had the Ford Escape for 3 months I can be contacted by email at [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Charleston, IL, USA

problem #17

Dec 202018

Escape

  • 45,000 miles
Electrical problem: On my 2015 Ford excape ive had only abfew months at 40,000 mfiles the dash board lights and keys go crazy when vehical is turned off then cant unlock doors. When cut car back on computers are black. Was drive down the road and computer goes blank just like you cut the car off lost all electrical use. Had to wait a few mins to restart car. I called dealer and they say no recall on my vehicle. As I read the reviews my excape is doing the same as others. I think Ford should fix this as it is the same as others like this excape.

- Virgilina, VA, USA

problem #16

Oct 222018

Escape

  • 118,000 miles
I was sitting I the truck letting it warm up before I started my day I was scrolling threw my phone I looked up I saw hudge flames I reached to unlock the door when I realized the locks stopped working I was locked in the car luckily I had my windows cracked enough to reach out and open the door the radio blew up on my way out the car it was so hot I didn't expect anything I never had this problem before scared me to death worst car experience of my life I was scared to death I can't explain how bad I feel my truck was my new best friend I kept the truck clean pretty I'm hurt it's burned all up almost took my life if I would have look up any later I would have died

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #15

Nov 172018

Escape

  • 20,700 miles
With no warning my 2015 edge sport, with only 20,700 miles, suddenly lost power (died) and a lighted wrench appeared on dashboard with"'hill assist"?. fortunately no vehicles were immediately behind and I was able to safely coast to the side. I was then able to re-start the engine. The dealership's 'fix' was to reset the computer but I don't know if that has truly resolved the issue. I am very concerned this could happen again under more dangerous circumstances.

- Southlake, TX, USA

problem #14

Sep 212018

Escape

  • 22,000 miles
Driving along and the dashboard went off and on. Windows won't go up or down. No lights. Everything was flashing. Car only has 22,000 miles on it. It is also always kept in the garage. Electrical system problems. It's an sel and 6 cylinders. I was on a city street and just drove it straight to bill knight Ford. They gave me no car and I'm single so it's my only means of transportation. I am also a retired teacher and it is difficult to buy a car. I expect more out of a fairly new car.

- Broken Arrow, OK, USA

Read the next 13 complaints »