10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 4 / 3
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 5 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 34,580 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.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
My CVT transmission broke down while I was driving the car at 56,000 miles, well before the 120,000 best practice mark.
- Arlington, VA, USA
While driving a noise and vehicle slowed down. Light and info came on stating drive train problem take to nearest dealer. We drove it 2 miles to Bill Utter Ford. We were told it might be a week to get it back because of parts delay. Unknown cause of transmission failure. About 40,000 miles on vehicle. Consumer received a call from dealer about my vehicle. Dealer stated it was not the transmission, but a failed throttle body. They said it was not covered in the TSB-16-0139.
- Denton, TX, USA
On 31-October-2021, I was driving my 2017 Ford Escape SE 1.5l turbo (87,094 miles) on the highway, just prior to my exit ramp, I noticed a slight shudder in the power train. After exiting and arriving to the stop light, all seemed normal... until I took my foot off the brake and pressed on the accelerator.... Nothing. Like I was in neutral... I put my hazard lights on and turned the car off. After 4 or 5 minutes, I started the car, put it into Drive and slowly accelerated. I was able to drive about.5 miles where it slipped out of gear again. I safely coasted into a parking lot and turned off the car. After 5-10 minutes, I started the car, put it in Drive, and was able to reach my intended destination less than.5 miles away. From there, I had the vehicle towed to the dealership where I purchased it. The dealership where I had every manufacturer recommended service complete. I was told the transmission was bad. The options I was given was a rebuilt trans $5700 or a used transmission $5300. I opted to have it rebuilt by a 3rd party for $3100. On 28-March-2022, (90,991 miles) I was driving, approximately 45 MPH, when the car became abruptly sluggish. Then I noticed in my rearview mirror that a massive plume of white smoke was coming from my exhaust. At that point, the cabin began to fill with smoke and the engine light, oil light, and alert screen became alive. I immediately pulled over and exited the vehicle. I had the car towed to the closest shop. There they found a hole in the block about the size of a silver dollar. Diagnosis - Major Internal Engine Failure. Cost for a used to rebuilt motor, $5000 - $9000.... These things SHOULD NOT happen at 87K and 90K miles! While there is currently no recall for this engine or power train, I find it most interesting that a Class Action Lawsuit is currently underway for major internal engine failure (between 60K and 100K miles) for the this exact motor and manufactured year
- Kentwood, MI, USA
While driving at about 45 mph my car started decelerating while still having the gas pedal depressed and the RPMs shot up. I could no longer accelerate and had to coast off the main road, thankfully not getting hit. Had it towed to a Ford dealership and the transmission is a complete loss. Only have 69, 330 miles on it.
- Prattville, AL, USA
Tork Converter Failure, 3/13/2022.No Warning. Car stopped moving. No check engine light.No noise or symptoms before hand. Tork Converter failed. Boiled transmission fluid and ruined transmission.Daughter was driving and the car just stopped and would not move. If this had happened on a busy highway she could have been killed. If this had happened with someone behind her she would have been killed. Car was inspected by Sunbelt Ford in Americus, Ga. Confirming Tork Converter failure and $6190 repair charge with 6-8 week timeframe. Ford knows of this issue and no recalls. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED!
- Ellaville , GA, USA
At 19,500 miles, we stopped at a rest stop. Turned car back on 5 mins later, pulled out into traffic and the car would no longer go above 10-15 miles per hour. RPMs would shoot up, but car wouldn't go accelerate. Appeared to be "limp mode." Could still go into reverse. No warning lights on at this time. Stopped, turned car off and back on after a few minutes. No change. Eventually tried 'sport' mode just to see. At this point the car recognized an error, warnings came up and read "service transmission now." Towed car, mechanic read out error code P0984. Tech replaced valve body, filled transmission, and reset computer. At 21,250 miles, while in large amount of stop and go traffic between 45-10 MPH in left lane of interstate, car without warning again suddenly lost power and wouldn't go above 10-15 MPH and RPMs would shoot up with no acceleration. This time warning lights immediately lit up with "service transmission now" again. Had to maneuver across three lanes of traffic to pull over. Tried turning car on and back off several times. Could reverse, but could never get above 15 MPH. Towed car home. Three days later, go to drive car to mechanic and suddenly it was working normal again, no warning lights. Went to mechanic anyway, again read out P0984 error code. Mechanic did entire transmission replacement, stating he's seen this before and entire transmission replacement was only way to fix and guarantee this would stop happening. Completed work. Sold car at 23,000 miles.
- Washington Dc, DC, USA
Had car in for 4 spark plugs replaced and one ignition coil replaced. After leaving mechanic, the car suddenly slowed down, dashboard screen came on with "High Engine Temperatures pull over safely and call your Ford dealer", and the check engine light came on. The car would not go over 10 miles an hour. I limped back to the mechanic. He could not find a problem, the scanner they use under the dash came back with several readings. None had anything to do with the spark plugs or ignition coil. He kept it for several hours, researching, then unplugged the battery for a while. Plugged it back up, then nothing wrong. He called me, I picked the car up and drove about 1.5 to 2 miles and same thing happened. the car suddenly slowed down, dashboard screen came on with "High Engine Temperatures pull over safely and call your Ford dealer", and the check engine light came on. The car would not go over 10 miles an hour. I limped back to my house. Had the car towed to a Ford dealership. They held it for 6 calendar days then ran a diagnostic on the car. It came back with sealant broke, coolant leaked into engine. I need a new engine. I am under the understanding this issue of coolant into engine was fixed back in 2020, with Ford's the Customer Satisfaction Program # 19B37. OF which I participated, but apparently, according to the Customer Satisfaction Program Customer Service person, the is nothing that can be done about it now. According to several Technical Service Bulletins and SSM bulletins, Ford has known about this issue for a while now. According to VehiclesHistory.com, NHTSA has a class action lawsuit concerning "coolant into the engine" against Ford. So here is one more complaint.
- Saint Louis, Mo, MO, USA
Catastrophic transmission failure and immediate loss off acceleration. Insurance tested transmission fluid by certified lab and found glycol coolant contamination in transmission resulting in catastrophic failure.
- Cumming, GA, USA
2017 Ford Escape Transmission issue: I have maintained my vehicle in accordance with the 2017 Ford Escape manual since I purchased it. My vehicle has always been reliable until suddenly, at a little over 105,000 miles, my vehicle's transmission started slipping. My car revved and no check engine light or warning indicator ever came on. The car finally jutted forward, so I pulled it off the side of the road and had it towed to a Ford dealership service center. The dealership looked at the car and said I would need a whole new transmission and the parts are on back-order to which he also stated, "which indicates to me this is a common problem with the 2017 Ford Escape." I then towed the vehicle to a different Ford dealership service center to get a different opinion. This different service center also said I would need a new transmission. My car is available for inspection upon request. The safety of myself and others were put at risk since the issue occurred without any warning on a highway and before a car's reliability would be questioned (2017 year with 105,000 miles with no prior issues). The problem has been confirmed by two Ford dealership service centers.
- Annapolis, MD, USA
As I was driving on I-75 on the evening of Sunday, November 14, 2021 around 8:30, at approximately 75 mph (I was in the middle lane passing a semi-truck), my car suddenly lost power. The RPMs began to go all the way up, the drop all the way down repeatedly. Lights came on, and a red light came on saying something like "Transmission malfunction Service now". Thankfully, I was near an exit and was able to get off the interstate. I parked at a gas station and let my car sit for about 30 minutes. It immediately cranked back up, but would not drive. I called roadside assistance and had it towed to a nearby Ford dealership. Two days later, I was told I would need a new transmission due to the overdrive gear breaking apart and spreading metal throughout the transmission, rendering it basically useless. My car only has around 77,500 miles on it. In fact, I still have the original battery and tires. I have NEVER had any indication of a problem with the transmission - no noises, no lights, nothing. I take my car to my local dealership for oil changes and inspections when it is time. Not once have I ever been told there were any issues. I just feel this must have been a faulty part in order for it to simply break apart that fast to cause my car to stop working while I was driving, not to mention the fact it was able to ruin my entire transmission. I do not have any invoices to share at this time. I am still trying to come up with $6500 for the repair so I can get my car back. Thank. you for your time and consideration.
- Tallahassee, FL, USA
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently started shuddering. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road for a moment. The contact continued to drive the vehicle however, the failure recurred intermittently while driving that same day. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic who advised the contact that he could not determine the cause of the failure as the OBD reader could not read the codes. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving and the vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic who advised the contact that he could not duplicate the failure. The transmission was flushed. The contact stated that the failure persisted, and the vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring more frequently while driving. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.
- Lexington Park, MD, USA
I was driving on the highway when all of a sudden the car started bucking and revving to 4,000 rpm and would not go at highway speed. It continued to fluctuate the rpms but drop in speed. I had to pull over, shut off the car and restart. It drove for a little bit, started bucking again, revved to 4,000 rpms and lost power as I was trying to get off the exit - almost stalling in the turn. I had to pull over again, shut it off and restart. It went for a little bit then started revving like crazy, dropped speed quickly and then completely shut down. There were no warning lights, no check engine lights, no messages until the car finally died and it flashed a transmission problem. I have had the car from new and have always serviced it at the Ford Dealer. It has 98,000 miles and was told that is needs a transmission.
- Knoxville, TN, USA
On August 13, while driving in stop-and-go traffic I noticed the car was handling funny. It was hesitating when I pushed the gas causing me to accelerate in an unpredictable way in traffic. That weekend I took the car to my mechanic who told me that he couldn-??t replicate the issue but if I had the issue again to bring the car back. There were also no error codes so any issue couldn-??t be diagnosed. On August 30 while driving home, I attempted to accelerate at an intersection (across 6 lanes of traffic) and the car would rev but not exceed 25 miles per hour. I literally limped into my mechanics shop but once again there were no error codes. However it was clear that something was completely wrong with the car. The car was towed to a transmission shop who inspected it and told me I needed a full transmission rebuild. They also couldn-??t explain why the car wasn-??t displaying any error codes. In the end I was without my car for 2 weeks, paid over $4,000 for the job, and had to borrow cars just to get to my teaching job. My car is well maintained. It is only four years old but has 100,000 miles -?" obviously past the warranty. However, I have never had a transmission fail on me. This is also the first time I-??ve ever purchased a Ford.
- Morris Plains, NJ, USA
The car would not get into gear without warning. The car would not produce power when I would press the gas. Then, moments later, without warning, the engine would rev without input, however, the car would not accelerate. I had to pull over and the turn the car off multiple times. I ended up getting a warning light indicating to service the transmission, but when I turned the car off, the warning light would go away, but continue to not get into gear and then jerk, especially at low speed. i ended up taking to the car to a mechanic and got an error code indicating that the car could not get into 5th gear. I was told that the vehicle needed transmission fluid change, which I did. I then drove for about 200 miles without issues. Then suddenly while driving at about 70mph, I the service transmission light came on. i pulled the vehicle over and turned off the car. About 20 minutes later, I again started driving at highway speed for about 5 miles, and the service transmission light did not show and I had no additional issues. I then parked the car over night and then started to drive to the highway. Approximately 5 minutes of driving at highway speed the car would no accelerate when I pressed the accelerator, and i attempted to accelerate the car, but the vehicle would not rev the engine nor provide power, I had no warning lights. When this happened, the car started to decelerate as if the car was in neutral. I ended up having to get the car towed and serviced. i am currently awaiting the results of what is wrong with the car.
- Philadelphia, PA, USA
I went to Lenoir City ford with issues of misfiring cylinder and mostly Limp Mode on the highway. They cleared my codes and sent me on my way. ^ This occured while my vehicle was still under warranty. Now, expired warranty, I have the same issue and they will not cover under warranty when the issue was first discovered. Good lord I need me a recall
- Crossville, TN, USA
I was driving along, approaching an intersection, and suddenly my car had no gears! The rpm's went sky high when I pressed on the gas but I had no drive. Thankfully I was able to coast to a turning lane and into a parking lot without incident. There had been no warning lights or funny noises and this was completely unexpected and could have caused an accident! I had to call a tow truck and the ford dealer that I took it to is now telling me the transmission needs replaced and that this is a common problem with this vehicle! And this is only 4 months after they replaced the engine that was bad! Shame on ford for not recalling this vehicle!
- Burghill, OH, USA
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at low speeds, after stopping the vehicle, the vehicle failed to accelerate. The vehicle was towed to tyler Ford located at 2626 S sw loop 323, tyler, tx 75701 who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 75,000.
- Ben Wheeler, TX, USA
I have a 2017 Ford Escape 67,338 took it to Ford dealer (galpin Ford) my complain was that my transmission when warm reverse gear is hard to engage and will not go over 55mph. Got a call back that it needs a new transmission. Ford refused to help on any way to fix it, almost $6,000 to replace a transmission with 67K on it, why is Ford company not helping customers with this problem, what is really bad for me is that I have 2017 Ford transit that has the same transmission. I hope Ford is not waiting for something bad to happen before they find a fix for this.
- Granada Hills, CA, USA
On 2/17/21 my automatic transmission malfunctioned on the way home from work on a busy interstate right after a major snow storm. No where safe to pull off. The car started jerking and lost power along with noise and system error flashed across dashboard stating transmission failure. Care eventually lost power and had to pull off the road. Car was towed in to dealership. Torque converter completely blew. They had my car for 6 weeks. I just got it back last night. They said the torque converter had to be redesigned and if it made me feel any better there were many others with the same issue I was having and they were working on. The icing on the cake was when they called me yesterday to say it was finally repair after 6 weeks that it fell under extended warranty so we got socked with the $100 deductable. When a major car part has to be "redesigned" for any repair to be made, that should be a red flag to the manufacturer and a recall issued.
- Amelia, OH, USA
- Durham , NC, USA