2020 Ford Escape Hybrid Powertrain (other) Problems

When the outside temperature gets over 95F, the rotary gear shifter locks up in Park and will not let you shift into Drive. Multiple restarts over 30 minutes with the A/C center console pointed down to cool off the rotary shifter dial. This really is annoying. Twice I was late for appointments. I am handicapped disabled veteran and need this car to work, 100 percent of the time. The ford escape online forums, nor Ford have a fix. It's a KNOWN problem on the forums. Ford said they fixed it when I sent it in for an unrelated maintenance stop. DID NOT FIX IT.

NHTSA ID

11755477

Incident

Jul 27, 2026

Our 2020 Ford Escape Titanium began making a flutter noise at lower speeds. An independent mechanic checked for codes and none were present. He advised to drive until the check engine light comes on. Two days later the car had a knocking noise in the engine compartment. Driving home, accelerating onto a hiway the engine made a loud metallic noise as the engine started to overspeed. The car shut itself off and we pulled over to the shoulder. We were stuck on a 65 mph 4 lane hiway for 3 hours trying to work with roadside assistance for a tow. We towed it to McGraw Ford in Aransas Pass, TX and it sat in their back lot for 8 weeks with no diagnosis. We then had it towed to a Ford certified mechanic near our home and he wanted many hours of labor as the transmission needed to be removed to provide an estimate. He was throwing numbers approaching $10k as a guess. We elected to sell the car to a private party for far less than its value.

NHTSA ID

11747622

Incident

Apr 19, 2026

The vehicle is just under 37K miles. I was operating the vehicle normally, and the wrench icon came on, indicating a powertrain issue. There are recalls for this for some vehicles but not all, and it seems to occur just after warranties expiring. I am concerned my vehicle falls under this service bulletin but has not been properly added: SSM 49157 - 2020 Escape - Illuminated MIL With DTCs U0100, U0401, P166B, P1753, P0929, And/Or P0919 Some 2020 Escape vehicles may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) U0100, U0401, P166B, P1753, P0929, and/or P0919. The vehicle may also exhibit an illuminated powertrain malfunction (wrench) indicator lamp. This may be due to the software in the gear shift module (GSM). To correct the condition, reprogram the GSM using the latest software level of the appropriate Ford diagnostic scan tool. For claiming, use causal part number 7P155 and applicable labor operations in Section 10 of the Service Labor Time Standards (SLTS) Manual. APPLICABLE VEHICLES 2020 CAR: TC CX482N ESCAPE 2020 CAR: TC CX482N ESCAPE 2020 CAR: TC CX482N ESCAPE

NHTSA ID

11644872

Incident

Feb 25, 2025

Upon purchasing and receiving the car from a dealership, I attempted to drive it around my neighborhood and after about 1 minute received a warning saying "safely stop now!" and the steering wheel locked and the power shut off in the middle of the street. The car would not turn back on and had to be towed to the dealership. The dealership (not Ford) already replaced the battery and that did not fix the issue. They are having to take it to Ford service to get it looked at. This poses a very significant safety risk because it could have happened on the highway, as some Ford Escape users have reported on forums. Before purchasing the car, all available recalls were addressed and "resolved", but clearly not all issues have been fixed.

NHTSA ID

11615260

Incident

Sep 12, 2024

We were traveling to Springfield MO and just before Strafford our 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid SE flashed a wrench warning on our screen and immediately went into limp mode in rush hour traffic on I-44. We were in the passing lane going up a hill at the time passing a commercial truck and our speed dropped significantly. Luckily the vehicles behind us to were able slow down in time.

NHTSA ID

11611195

Incident

Aug 26, 2024

When temperature is over 100F, (when it's parked for a while). 1. Foot on brake 2. Turn engine button on 3 Shift into Drive . The shifter button wheel will not turn into any gear. It's locked into Park . You have to open all the windows, and direct as much A/C air downward to the shifter wheel to get it to cool off (10 minutes usually). Then, it will shift into Drive and everyone is happy. However, if this was an emergency (like someone has heat stroke), depending on this Ford Escape would be a life threatening decision.

NHTSA ID

11602982

Incident

Aug 16, 2023

While driving, the wrench icon illuminated, and the vehicle began to decelerate, unable to exceed 35mph. The Ford Pass app relayed a message indicating a Powertrain Malfunction with reduced power. It also warned that, "the powertrain control module has detected the engine timing chains have exceeded 95% of their useful life and requires service now. The control system invokes a symptom of limited power." During service, the dealer reset the codes, and the vehicle functioned well for about two weeks before the same problem recurred, leading to its tow to another dealer. There, the codes were reset again, and the engine vibration sensor was replaced. However, merely two days post-repair and two weeks after the initial code reset, the issue resurfaced. The codes have been cleared once more, and the vehicle is scheduled for another dealer visit next week. Each incident occurred roughly five minutes into the drive, in speed zones of 45 and 55 mph. Between incidents, the vehicle operates normally without any noise, warnings, or symptoms. This poses a significant safety risk, as unexpected deceleration during heavy traffic could lead to dangerous situations.

NHTSA ID

11596376

Incident

May 15, 2024

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the AWD system fault message was displayed. Additionally, the message was flashing. The local dealer was contacted, and informed the contact that a diagnostic test was needed to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ID

11595419

Incident

Feb 1, 2024

Mileage

150,000 mi

Gear shifter locked into park when there are excessive outdoor heat temperatures. (Over 95°) The car must run for 20-30 minutes to cool down before shifter will unlock into Drive. Took it to the dealership where they could not recreate the problem (in September when temperatures dropped) and were unable to fix it. I have reported once before and have seen multiple online forums of others having the same issue in the 2020 ford escape models. This should be an immediate safety recall. I would not be able to leave in a timely manner if there were an emergency with my husband or kids. I cannot perform my job of assessing patients homes if I cannot drive my vehicle when it is hot outside.

NHTSA ID

11594274

Incident

Jun 13, 2024

Was driving the car when it suddenly went dead with the following message on the screen: “Vehicle network communication error”. By chance I happened to be able to coast off the road otherwise i would have been stranded on a very busy road. The vehicle was towed to a Ford dealer where the problem was reproduced, the car has been at the dealer for 1 week now with no idea what the problem is. There was no warning prior to the error appearing and the vehicle completely stopping. Reviewing Ford forums there are at least two other instances of this happening. Do not have any repair information yet as it is not fixed and the solution is unknown at this time.

NHTSA ID

11590669

Incident

May 18, 2024

Car was parked on sloped driveway by dealer's service department driver. Car was shut off and in park, but parking brake was not on. The driver was out of the car taking pictures when it started to roll backwards down the driveway. The driver saw it happen and set the parking brake, It rolled approximately 18 inches and then stopped. I had thought that this had happened previously, but it was much more noticeable watching from outside the car. I contacted the dealer immediately and was told it was normal and to just pay attention to it. He did not suggest bringing it in for inspection. No warning lights or messages.

NHTSA ID

11564609

Incident

Jan 8, 2024

The Recall (Under Hood engine fire) is causing crankshaft wear due to containments being present destroying the engine, my engine has been deemed unsafe and can currently no longer use my vehicle until ford fixes the problem

NHTSA ID

11557925

Incident

Dec 1, 2023

Recall came out in May. Still no remedy....

NHTSA ID

11539862

Incident

May 26, 2023

The dial shifter gets stuck/ locked in position (Park) when overly hot outside. Takes significant time to cool car and release.

NHTSA ID

11539665

Incident

Aug 20, 2023

Transmission becomes unresponsive and unreliable in high temps and locks into whatever gear it was in IE if left in the sun in park the shifter won’t budge until enough time for it to cool down has passed

NHTSA ID

11533384

Incident

Jul 19, 2023

Vehicle enters deep sleep mode within minutes of parking and won’t start again until it is jump started. This software problem has left me stranded three times.

NHTSA ID

11511893

Incident

Feb 26, 2023

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while having an annual inspection on the vehicle, the inspector informed her that the computer was not reading the vehicle and advised her to contact the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer stated that an unknown module needed to be updated. The contact was unsure of what module needed to be updated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer advised her to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 140,800.

NHTSA ID

11508798

Incident

Feb 9, 2023

Mileage

140,800 mi

This has happened a few times sporadically since I have owned the vehicle in 2020. As I am driving it will alert me to stop safely now. The car will loose power and not allow me to go past 15 mph. The screen will go blank and the ac will not throw cool air. This is concerning because since the car looses power, it is dangerous if I am at a fast speed. Once I pull over, sometimes I cannot turn off the car. And if I do turn it off, I cannot turn it back on for a few minutes.

NHTSA ID

11494994

Incident

Nov 26, 2022

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 76 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated without warning. The contact deactivated the cruise control feature and attempted to accelerate; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The contact pulled over safely, turned off, and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired; however, the mechanic stated that the power module was possibly inoperable. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed, and stated that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The failure mileage was 19,500.

NHTSA ID

11489971

Incident

Oct 15, 2022

Mileage

19,500 mi

In three occasions the automatic transmission has stopped working, operating under normal city driving conditions. Turning the car off and on again, it has worked properly. The car has less than 4000 miles. I took it to the Ford repair shop and there is a defect in the hybrid transmission, and it will take 4-6 weeks to be solved. Unbelievable such problems in a vehicle with such a few number of miles. Where is the quality control...

NHTSA ID

11429336

Incident

Jul 29, 2021

Car randomly stopped and the stop safely now message appeared. The car would not turn off. The dash was still illuminated. I held the car start button for several seconds and the car finally turned off and I was able to reset it. The transmission light and battery light came on. I have not had any issues sense.

NHTSA ID

11421933

Incident

Jun 20, 2021

MY CAR HAS SUFFERED A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE DRIVING AT FULL SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON TWO OCCASIONS. THESE WERE VERY, VERY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. EACH TIME IT WAS ONLY THROUGH GOOD LUCK THAT WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT ACROSS TWO LANES OF SPEEDING TRAFFIC IN A CAR WITH NO ENGINE POWER TO PULL OFF ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. AFTER THE CAR WAS SHUT DOWN FOR A FEW MINUTES, IT RESTARTED EACH TIME. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE HAPPENED IN JUNE, 2020, WHILE DRIVING WITH MY CHILD. I NOTICED RIGHT AFTER THAT FORD HAD ISSUED A RECALL/UPDATE NOTICE FOR MY CAR THAT SEEMED TO BE ABOUT THE PROBLEM THAT CAUSED THE LOSS OF POWER. IT WAS DESCRIBED AS A "20B14 POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE UPDATE". I HAD THIS RECALL/UPDATE DONE BY A FORD DEALER ON JULY 24TH, 2020. I ASSUMED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A DEFECT IN THE CAR'S OPERATING SYSTEM, BUT THAT THE RECALL/UPDATE HAD FIXED THE PROBLEM. THEN, YESTERDAY, APRIL 9TH, 2020, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. MY WIFE AND CHILD WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR HAD A SUDDEN AND TOTAL LOSS OF POWER, AND IT WAS ONLY THROUGH GOOD LUCK THAT THEY AVOIDED A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AND GOT THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I NOTICED THAT NIGHT THAT FORD HAD SENT ME AN AUTOMATIC MESSAGE TO MY PHONE SAYING "THE HYBRID POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE HAS DISABLED THE GASOLINE ENGINE FUNCTION DUE TO AN ADDITIONAL CONCERN BEING DETECTED." I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE FORD DEALER TODAY AND THEY TELL ME THAT THEY UPDATED THE OPERATING CODE OF THE VEHICLE TO ADDRESS THIS KNOWN PROBLEM WITH "OPERATION NO. 212080A" TO SUM UP, MY CAR HAS NOW STOPPED DEAD ON THE HIGHWAY AT FULL SPEED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS BECAUSE OF AN OPERATING SYSTEM ERROR. THERE MUST BE A DEFECT IN EITHER MY INDIVIDUAL CAR OR IN THIS MODEL OF CAR FOR A PROBLEM THIS SERIOUS TO HAPPEN TWICE.

NHTSA ID

11407409

Incident

Apr 9, 2021

Mileage

28,799 mi

AFTER PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND ONTO THE STREET, THE FORD ESCAPE LOST DRIVE POWER AND COULD NOT REACH LEGAL SPEED. STOPPED AND PUT ON FLASHERS. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SHOWED A "STOP SLOWLY NOW" MESSAGE PLUS SEVERAL MALFUNCTION LIGHTS WERE ON. COULD NOT PUT THE CAR IN PARK OR NEUTRAL AND COULD NOT RESTART THE DRIVETRAIN. LATER EVEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLANK. ABOUT 1 HR LATER, WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND PULL OFF THE STREET AND WAITED FOR A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER. DEALER HAS NOT LOOKED AT THE CAR YET, BUT THIS IS APPARENTLY RELATED TO FORD'S CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 20B14.

NHTSA ID

11376932

Incident

Nov 28, 2020

Mileage

3,700 mi

CAR SHOWED ERROR OF 'STOP SAFELY NOW' AND THE GAS ENGINE TURNED OFF AND WOULD NOT TURN BACK ON. THIS IS A AWD HYBRID ESCAPE, WAS STRANDED ON SIDE OF ROAD FOR 15+ MINUTES. AFTER TURNING OFF AND ON MULTIPLE TIMES THE CAR FINALLY WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE FROM PARK, GAS ENGINE DID THEN TURN ON. DEALER HAS NO CLUE WHAT HAPPEN, DID A 'MASTER RESET' AND SAID IT'S FIXED. THIS IS AN UNSAFE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11366172

Incident

Sep 22, 2020

Mileage

3,500 mi

VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARDS ON INCLINE WHILE IN DRIVE. AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THEN REMOVING FOOT TO PUT ON GAS THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACK AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. WE ALMOST ROLLED BACK INTO A LADY THAT WAS PUSHING A STROLLER. FORD SAYS THEY HAVE NO REPAIR FOR THIS PROBLEM. I CAN PROVIDE VIDEO.

NHTSA ID

11350126

Incident

Jun 18, 2020

Mileage

1,500 mi