RoadVitals

2023 Ford Escape PHEV

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
13
Latest Oct 9, 2026
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Feb 17, 2026
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 13 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2023 Ford Escape PHEV, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and fuel system categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 2 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
26V091000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

Feb 17, 2026
25,237 units potentially affected
The defect: 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 battery failure.
The risk: Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy: Dealers will update the battery energy control module (BECM) and hybrid powertrain control module (HPCM) software, free of charge. Owners are advised to only use "Auto EV" mode and will be instructed by mail to limit the maximum charge of the battery until the remedy has been completed. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SC4. This recall expands previous recall numbers 24V954 and 25V489. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 18, 2026.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 25SC4View on NHTSA.gov
25V789000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

Nov 14, 2025
20,558 units potentially affected
The defect: 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 battery failure.
The risk: Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy: Dealers will update the battery energy control module (BECM) and hybrid powertrain control module (HPCM), free of charge. Owners are advised to only use "Auto EV" mode and will be instructed by mail to limit the maximum charge of the battery until the remedy has been completed. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SC4. Vehicles in this recall were previously recalled under 24V954 and will need to have the new remedy performed. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 18, 2025.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 25SC4View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 13
Engine
Filed Oct 9, 2026

Following the 24S79 thermal safety recall remedy, the high-voltage battery pack coolant pump failed, throwing code P0CFF:00:E8 in the BECM network. The manufacturer is denying warranty coverage on this unique hybrid thermal safety component, leaving the high-voltage battery pack uncooled.

NHTSA ID
11770254
Incident
Oct 8, 2026
Engine
Filed Oct 9, 2026

vehicle threw code P0CFF, risking thermal management failure.Ford is refusing to honor the emissions/hybrid defect mandates, leaving a known thermal defect active on a high-voltage system. They're refusing to cover this under warranty for me.

NHTSA ID
11770252
Incident
Oct 8, 2026
Electrical
Filed Aug 18, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V091000 (Electrical System). The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact contacted another dealer, Sheehy Ford of Richmond (10601 Midlothian Turnpike, Richmond, VA 23235); however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID
11757602
Incident
Jan 1, 2026
Electrical
Filed Jul 28, 2026

Purchased a 2023 Ford escape PHEV in May 2023. In January 2025, a safety recall 24S79, Ford explicitly instructed owners to immediately stop plugging in their vehicles and to avoid using external charging cables entirely. Then in February of 2026 after a year not being able to charge, recall 25SC4 was issued, advising owners to limit charging to a maximum of 80% capacity and operate exclusively in "Auto EV" mode. For 18+ months this vehicle has not been able to operate as advertised.

NHTSA ID
11753252
Incident
Jan 3, 2025
Electrical
Filed Jul 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle became inoperable. The vehicle was jump-started and the vehicle operated as intended. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V789000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available, and the contact associated the failure with the recall. The local dealer was contacted, and the battery was replaced. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and advised the contact not to charge the vehicle to full capacity to avoid the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

NHTSA ID
11751535
Incident
Nov 15, 2024
Mileage
12,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 14, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V789000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the recall was an inconvenience because the battery could only be charged to 80 percent. The dealer was notified and informed the contact that parts were still unavailable. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and referred the contact back to the dealer for assistance. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID
11750327
Incident
Dec 1, 2025
Electrical
Filed Jul 7, 2026

I received a recall notice for my car for the batteries. I parked my car in the garage so now I'm worried that my house is going to catch on fire and if I'm doing 70 mph down the freeway is my engine going to shut down. I'm not sure if this is part of it but my car doors lock on their own and a couple times my keys have been inside the car thank goodness I had an extra fob or the window was rolled down enough I could put my hand in it.

NHTSA ID
11748739
Incident
Mar 6, 2026
Filed Jun 30, 2026

Dear Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center, We are resending our original letter (dated March, 2026), as we have still not received any response or resolution regarding this ongoing recall matter. Since sending that letter, we received a notice stating the recall fix for the battery issue was finally available. Despite the significant inconvenience, we promptly brought our vehicle in to have the repair completed. We were then informed that only ONE of the two critical battery fixes was available and performed — the second, equally critical portion of the recall repair remains unavailable and unresolved. This is unacceptable. We have now been dealing with this issue for well over a year, have complied with every restriction Ford has asked of us, and made yet another trip to the dealer in good faith — only to be told the problem is still not fully fixed. As outlined in our original letter, we are asking Ford directly — not through our dealer, who has been unable to provide answers — for the following: 1.A confirmed timeline for when the remaining battery fix will be available and completed. 2.Confirmation of whether our current high-voltage battery will be fully replaced with an improved unit. 3.A formal response regarding compensation for the 24+ months we have been without full use of our vehicle’s core PHEV functionality — the primary reason we purchased and waited over 8 months for this vehicle. Our original email was sent Marc h 2026 and we have tried email, mailing and calling with no response or resolution. Considering the language of the recall we are very concerned about the safety AND also concerned we cannot use this as the commuter car intended.

NHTSA ID
11747324
Incident
Mar 2, 2026

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

26N15

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Customer Satisfaction Program 26N15 Certain 2020-2026 Model Year Escape and 2021-2026 Model Year Corsair Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) – High Voltage Battery Replacement

25M03

ENGINE

Customer Satisfaction Program 25M03 Certain 2020-2025 Model Year Escape, 2021-2025 Model Year Corsair and 2022- 2025 Model Year Maverick Vehicles equipped with a 2.5L Hybrid or Plug-In Hybrid engine - Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Differential Pressure Sensor Replacement, if Required After Dealer Evaluation

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Ford Escape PHEV by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026110—
2025510—
2024920—
2023Viewing132054.4
2022802045.1
2021221040.6
2020110—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.