2020 Ford Ecosport

On September 20, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-015 to investigate instances of engine failure due to loss of oil pressure in model year (MY) 2018-2021 Ford EcoSport vehicles. Some consumers reported a low engine oil pressure warning lamp immediately preceding a complete loss or reduction of motive power while the vehicle was in motion. The investigation revealed that the engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm may fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure. A loss of engine oil pressure can result in engine seizure, which can result in a loss of motive power and a loss of mechanical vacuum pump required to provide power braking assist, increase the risk of a crash. On December 22, 2023, Ford filed recall 23V-905 for certain MY 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The recall remedy provides the replacement of the oil pump drive belt tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt with redesigned parts to improve robustness. In view of the recall action being taken by Ford, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford EcoSport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was notified of the failure and confirmed that parts were unavailable. The contact later received a letter stating that parts were available; however, the dealer stated that due to a limited supply, they could only service the recall if the vehicle had experienced the failure. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer to be repaired. Upon inspection, the mechanic discovered that the engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm was fractured, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11755410

Incident

Jul 29, 2026

It was a recall oil pump tensor bar. They fixed that blew the engine.I had to wait for them to fix what they messed up with the engine.They fixed that drove forty miles away from the dealer and the engine overheated

NHTSA ID

11749561

Incident

Apr 24, 2026

My automatic transmission has a problem going into gear, slow to engage in any gear. when needing to accelerate there is no response, just the high rev of the engine but absolutely no acceleration. The car has a hard jerk and thud sound when it does go into gear, this is when driving the car.

NHTSA ID

11748806

Incident

Jul 7, 2026

The affected component is the powertrain system in my 2020 Ford EcoSport. The vehicle has experienced repeated powertrain-related failures and is available for inspection upon request. In May 2025, the vehicle required a full engine replacement, yet I am continuing to experience serious powertrain-related issues. The vehicle has displayed powertrain malfunction warnings and has experienced improper acceleration, hesitation, loss of power, and instances where the vehicle has stopped at intersections. These issues create a serious safety risk because the vehicle may not respond when acceleration is needed, including when entering traffic, turning, merging, or attempting to avoid hazards. A vehicle that loses power or stops unexpectedly at intersections creates a risk of collision and puts myself, my passengers, and other motorists in danger. This issue has occurred multiple times and has required repeated service attention. The vehicle is scheduled to be inspected again due to the ongoing powertrain failure concern. Despite significant repairs, including a complete engine replacement, the underlying issue appears to remain unresolved. Prior to the failures, the vehicle displayed warning messages related to the powertrain system. The symptoms have included reduced acceleration, hesitation, loss of power, and the vehicle stopping unexpectedly while driving. The vehicle has been inspected by Ford service providers, including the prior engine replacement performed in May 2025. I am submitting this complaint because repeated powertrain failures, loss of acceleration, and unexpected stopping while operating the vehicle present a significant safety concern. I believe this issue warrants investigation to determine whether there is a broader defect affecting 2020 Ford EcoSport vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11748784

Incident

May 10, 2025

On April 3, 2026, this vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic mechanical failure as I was driving on US-169, in Kansas City, Mo.,l The engine seized and the fuel line ruptured resulting in an undercarriage fire with small explosions. I had to be physically extracted from the burning vehicle by a Clay County Sheriff’s Deputy, Clay County Sheriff’s Department, Liberty, Missouri (Report #CC2600810). This catastrophic asset and recall remedy failure is the direct result of a recognized federal safety defect (Ford Safety Recall 23S64 / NHTSA Campaign 23V905). The original engine blew from an oil pump failure in October 2024 and was towed to certified Ford dealer Smithville (Mo.) Ford on October 9, 2024 as per the recall. The new engine was not re-installed until May 24, 2025 due to delay in getting parts At the time of the recall reinstallation, the vehicle had 61,556 miles on it. When the fire happened on April 3 of this year, the vehicle had 70, 956 miles . I want to emphasize that Under explicit authorization from Ford Motor Company’s recall interim guidelines, the dealership performed a complete engine assembly swap. Per the official service invoice, this replacement engine was backed by a 3-year or 100,000-mile Ford Powertrain Warranty. At the time of the fire 11 months later, the vehicle had not yet reached 71,000 miles and was fully covered under active factory warranty.

NHTSA ID

11748321

Incident

Apr 3, 2026

My 2020 Ford EcoSport (1.0L EcoBoost) is covered by Recall 23S64 / NHTSA 23V905 (engine oil pump drive belt). The defect causes sudden loss of motive power at highway speed (65+ mph), usually after 40+ minutes of driving, with the powertrain warning light and code P0299 (turbo underboost). Losing power in Los Angeles freeway traffic is the safety hazard. The recall remedy has failed repeatedly. In Oct 2025 the dealer tore down the engine, confirmed the oil pump belt had disintegrated and clogged the oil pickup, and replaced the complete engine (long block) under the recall in Dec 2025. The recall now shows as completed for this vehicle, but since that repair, with under 500 miles driven: (1) the turbocharger failed again and was replaced under warranty in Feb 2026, about 77 miles after the new engine; (2) in Apr 2026 the dealer found a cracked valve cover leaking oil into cylinder 3 (codes P0313, P0299); (3) on May 23, 2026 I picked the car up and the same power-loss condition returned THE SAME DAY - the dealer then found a loose air charge pipe; (4) on Jun 20, 2026 I picked the car up again and it failed THE SAME DAY. Both same-day failures are corroborated by round-trip rideshare receipts. The vehicle has been at the dealer since Jun 20, 2026, and the service advisor has not answered my written requests for diagnosis or coverage for over a week. Before the recall was confirmed, the same defect caused repeated repairs from Jun 2024 on (13 shop visits, 9 to Ford dealers). In Aug 2025 Ford's own technical hotline directed an engine teardown to find the root cause; the dealer advisor declined it. The remedy under Recall 23S64 has not remedied the defect: the recall-replaced engine has failed component by component within 500 miles and the vehicle remains out of service. All components are available for inspection at the dealer. Full repair orders, invoices, and dated records are available on request.

NHTSA ID

11748099

Incident

Jun 20, 2026

Fuel injectors, hand brake when reversing, spuddering when push on gas, windshield crack when cleaning from the inside accidently hit rear view mirror.

NHTSA ID

11745387

Incident

Oct 16, 2025

I had my car fixed from a recall for an engine oil pump or something like that. After it was fixed, my car will shut off when I’m at a stop light or while I’m driving. It is not safe and scares me. My check engine light will come on and off, and my local dealership won’t help unless the check engine light is on when I bring it in. This has been going on since early May.

NHTSA ID

11743081

Incident

Jun 9, 2026

Special Field Action 25L02 Certain 2017-2024 Model Year California Emissions-Certified Vehicles Transmission Control Assembly Reimbursement

Various 2019-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience a partially or fully black center display screen at start-up using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. This does not affect rear camera operation. This may be due to interference from the phone being connected into the media hub using a universal serial bus (USB) cable during SYNC system boot up. To correct his condition, advise the customer to disconnect the USB cable from the phone. If the center display screen displays normally, reconnect the phone. If the concern persists, disconnect the phone from the USB cable, cycle the ignition off and open the driver's door so the interior lights come on. Close the door, start the vehicle and wait for the center display screen to boot up past the start-up animation and display the home screen, then reconnect the phone using the USB cable. If the concern persists after this procedure, follow normal Workshop Manual diagnostics for a blank screen concern.

CERTAIN 2018-2024 MODEL YEAR VARIOUS VEHICLES — UPDATE SYNC SOFTWARE

Certain 2018 - 2024 Model Year Various Vehicles Update SYNC Software

Some 2019-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with a telematics control unit module (TCU) may exhibit the Location toggle button in the Connectivity setting menu grayed out with an inability to switch it off.

Certain 2018 - 2024 Model Year Various Vehicles Update SYNC Software In all the affected vehicles, due to an error in the SYNC software, you may experience SYNC system instability concerns and/or a failure to preserve certain settings across ignition cycles. This may result in a black infotainment screen that does not affect rear view camera, incorrect language setting, erased or unsaved radio presets, and potential inability to perform software updates.