2005 Ford Escape Electrical Problems

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2005 Ford Escape on November 25, 2025. The contact discovered a mileage and VIN discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 199,500. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a routine inspection, and the dealer informed the contact that during the diagnostic test there was another VIN was associated with the vehicle, and the mileage listed on the diagnostic test was 199,345. The other VIN linked in the diagnostic test for the vehicle was associated with a 2006 Ford Escape, and the mileage was 199,345. It was later discovered that the dealer who had sold the vehicle to the contact had purchased the vehicle in 2018, and the mileage was 199,876. The contact stated that the mileage on the reverse side of the Title was 199,876. The Police were notified; however, no assistance was provided.

NHTSA ID

11705617

Incident

Dec 13, 2025

Mileage

199,876 mi

Drove vehicle to drop off dog at sitters, started vehicle began to make u-turn and vehicle stalled. Attempted to restart, cranks but won't run. Recently purchased from used car dealer, new battery was installed, no trouble up to this point. Began checking usual problems, fuel delivery, crank pos.sensor, cam pos sensor, have no spark. Upon further research this appears to be faulty coils, spark plugs and pcm from factory but no recall has been employed. Possibility of collision during u-turn very likely. Loss of power to all systems could cause extreme risk to life at higher speeds. Ford Motor Company is aware of this problem, with the high number of similar problems in the NHTSA data base it is impossible for them not to know. The NHTSA should force Ford to fix this. If you make a product that can be dangerous if faulty, you are responsible to the public to do the right thing. I think that if the governmental agency responsible for traffic safety won't do their job then a class action lawsuit should be started. I bet I could find a good lawyer in the SF Bay area.

NHTSA ID

11491442

Incident

Oct 27, 2022

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his son was driving 30 MPH, the vehicle turned off inadvertently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact's son shifted into neutral(N) and veered to the side of the road. The contact's son was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact's son then drove to his residence. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ID

11485442

Incident

Sep 20, 2022

Mileage

90,000 mi

unknown

NHTSA ID

11472379

Incident

Jul 5, 2022

MY 2005 FORD ESCAPE V6 STALLS OUT SKIPS SPUTTERS AND MY TRUCK JERKS REALLY BAD THEN ANTI THEFT SYMBOL ON DASHBOARD COMES ON AND TRUCK SWITCHES OFF AND BACK ON IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY WITH TRAFFIC WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD .VERY DANGEROUS.ALSO MAKING A THUMPING NOISE FROM IN THE AIR INTAKE.GAS PEDAL CABLE WIRE BROKE .SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE.I BELIEVE THERE ARE SEVERAL RECALLS.PLEASE LET ME KNOW SO THE FORD COMPANY CAN FIX WHATEVER IT IS THAT MAY BE UNDER RECALL. THANKS!

NHTSA ID

11387642

Incident

Nov 3, 2020

Mileage

237,000 mi

2005 FORD ESCAPE. PURCHASED WITH A CAR LOAN IN 2012. @ 40,000 MILES.$$ KEPT ALL REGULAR MAINTENANCE UP. $$REPLACED BATTERY & HAD $$ALL BRAKES DONE FRONT & BACK IN 2014. $$PAID OFF LOAN IN 2015, & 2016 ROLLED OVER TO 95,000 MILES.. $$HAD TO REPLACE ALTERNATOR & BATTERY & $$REDO THE BRAKES IN 2016. $$IN 2018 HAD TO REPLACE ALTERNATOR AGAIN..(NOTE: DURING ALL THESE YEARS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY COMING ON & SHOWING 'CHECK EMISSIONS SYSTEM'.. BRINGING UP ALL SORTS OF FUEL & EMISSIONS CODES. $$REPLACED 4 DIFFERENT FUEL RELATED PARTS AS WELL). IN 2019 ALL BRAKES FAILED! & HAD A NEAR CRASH! $$HAVING TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LINES. THEN IN APRIL 2019 DRIVING AN ALASKA MOUNTAIN PASS IN A SPRING WINTER STORM! MAJOR BREAKDOWN!! LOST ALL POWER WITH NO CONTROL OF STEERING OR BRAKING.. PANEL WAS LIGHTING UP ON & OFF LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE! ENGINE CHUGGING & SPUTTERING LIKE GETTING NO FUEL BUT ALSO NOT GETTING THE POWER TO KEEP RUNNING.. $$LEFT STRANDED 500 MILES FROM HOME. $$HAD TO GET TOWED BACK HOME! TO HAVE A PCM BURN UP! $$NEW/REMANUFACTURED PCM, $$NEW ALTERNATOR, $$NEW BATTERY, $$NEW COILS!! STILL DID NOT RUN RIGHT! CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL COMING ON ONLY SHOWING CHECK EMISSIONS SYSTEM, BUT ALL PARTS REPLACED! ENGINE SPUTTERING BUT NO CODE ON DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE TO GIVE RIGHT CORRECT PROBLEM OR HOW TO FIX!$$$!! 6 MONTHS LATER, REPLACING ALTERNATOR YET AGAIN!! $$4 ALTERNATORS ONE IN 3 YEARS!! $$3 COILS REPLACED. & ENGINE IS STILL NOT RUNNING RIGHT!! SEEMS ONCE THIS PCM GOES OUT.. IT'S ALL OVER FOR THIS VEHICLE!! NOTHING IS KEEPING IT GOING ANYMORE, $$JUST A MONEYPIT OF ENDLESS FIXING & BREAKING DOWN ON THE ROAD! NOT TO MENTION HOW IT STALLS OUT IN MID DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS! LEAVING YOU WITH NO STEERING OR BRAKES OR POWER TO STOP! AND THEN CRASH!?! I'M FEELING LEFT IN THE DUST BY FORD COMPANY WITH NO COMPENSATION ON OVER $20,000 SPENT ON A FORD ESCAPE THAT CAN'T RUN!

NHTSA ID

11322541

Incident

Apr 22, 2018

Mileage

105,000 mi

THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING OTHER VEHICLES.

NHTSA ID

11300509

Incident

Sep 18, 2019

Mileage

146,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S ALARM SOUNDED AFTER LOCKING THE DOORS WITH THE KEY FOB. WHEN THE CONTACT MANUALLY INSERTED THE KEY INTO THE DOOR AND TURNED IT TO THE LEFT, THE ALARM WOULD TURN OFF. WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED TO THE RIGHT, THE ALARM WOULD SOUND. IN ADDITION, THE ALARM WOULD SOUND A HALF HOUR TO 45 MINUTES AFTER LOCKING THE DOORS. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,000.

NHTSA ID

11243252

Incident

Jun 25, 2019

Mileage

142,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHEN TRAVELING ON AN INCLINE. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHIICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER A FEW MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER TRAIN CABLE CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 152,000.

NHTSA ID

11174533

Incident

Jan 5, 2019

Mileage

152,000 mi

DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE MY 05 ESCAPE BEGAN TO SKIP,STALL & DIED, ANTI THEFT LIGHT CAME ON. I DRIVE FOR 20 MILES SLOW WITH IT SKIPPING AND STALLING. WHEN I LEFT OFF ON GAS IT WOULD CONTINUE TO RUN UNTIL I MADE IT TO SAFE PLACE. ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE FOR REPAIR ON STATE HWY IT STALLED AND WENT DEAD. FORD DEALERSHIP REPROG KEYS- REPAIRED DRIVE OFF, BARELY OFF THE LOT AND IT QUIT AGAIN. NOW I SEE THIS IS A MANUFACTURES ISSUE WITH 05 ESCAPES AFTER AN ONLINE SEARCH. NEW FORD DIAGNOSIS- NEW PLUGS & COIL PACK, INTAKE GASKET. 170,000 MILES. MY ALARM RANDOMLY GOES OFF TOO WHICH COULD BE RELATED TO ELECTRICAL ISSUES. FORD MOTOR IS LIABLE IF SOMEONE'S VEHICLE STALLS AND IS KILLED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM THEY KNOW ABOUT BUT HAVE NOT CORRECTED OR RECALLED.

NHTSA ID

11155410

Incident

Nov 22, 2018

Mileage

170,000 mi

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE AND GETTING TO A DESTINATION, PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND TURN OFF THE KEY WILL NOT REMOVE FROM THE SWITCH HAVE DID ALL THE TROUBLESHOOTING IT IS IN GEAR ALL THE WAY OFF AND STILL CAN'T REMOVE IF WE LEAVE IT SET FOR ABOUT AN HOUR WE CAN THEN REMOVE THE KEY THIS STARTED ON MONDAY OCT 8TH AND HAS DONE IT EVER SINCE CONSISTENTLY

NHTSA ID

11142437

Incident

Oct 8, 2018

Mileage

137,002 mi

WELL MY DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON RANDOMLY. IT MAKES THE DOME LIGHTS STAY ON. NEED HELP BEFORE IT GETS WORSE.

NHTSA ID

11130065

Incident

Aug 25, 2018

Mileage

133,000 mi

ONE OF MY DOOR OPEN SENSORS ACTS UP WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT CAUSING THE ALARM TO SOUND ON ITS ON. WHEN IT'S COLD THE OPEN DOOR INDICATOR GOES AWAY AND ALARM DOESN'T GO OFF. HOW CAN I FIND OUT WHICH SENSOR TO SERVICE?

NHTSA ID

11123547

Incident

May 14, 2015

Mileage

95,000 mi

THE LIGHT FOR THE AIRBAGS IS YELLOW AND HAS BEEN FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS. I ASK THE MECHANIC WHAT THAT MEANT. HE TOLD ME THE AIRBAGS WOULDN'T DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. I ALSO FOUND OUT THE MODULE THAT CONTROLS THAT ALSO CONTROLS THE AUTO LOCK ON THE DOORS WHEN YOU TAKE OFF. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BUT I'M NOT ABLE TO AFFORD THE REPAIR SO I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY BUT THEY TOLD ME THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THAT, NEEDLESS TO SAY, I JUST HOPE I DON'T EVER NEED THEM. THE MODULE JUST GAVE OUT AND THE LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS BEEN ON ANY TIME THE CAR IS TURNED ON. I NO LONGER HAVE THE REPAIR BILL KRAPHOL FORD GAVE ME. ON 01/30/2016 I SENT IN A COMPLAINT BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT, SO THIS IS A REPEAT.

NHTSA ID

11120759

Incident

Jan 30, 2016

Mileage

90,000 mi

MY VEHICLE ALARM WILL JUST START GOING OFF NOBODY IS NEAR THE KEYS OR VEHICLE, IT WILL JUST GO OFF AND YOU HAVE TO HIT THE BUTTON ON THE KEY AND SHUT IT OFF TODAY AT WORK I WAS SITTING AT MY DESK AND IN A MATTER OF 10 MINUTES IT WENT OFF 4 TIMES. I AM NOT SURE WHY IT IS DOING THIS, BUT IT IS CONCERNING.

NHTSA ID

11113325

Incident

Jul 24, 2018

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY THE CAR JOLTED. AFTER 3-5 MORE MILES THE CAR KEPPED JOLTING AS IF IT WANTED TO DIE THEN LOST ALL POWER, EVEN THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS WOULDNT COME ON. ONCE I TURNED THE CAR OFF IT TURNED BACK ON FINE THEN CONTINUED THE PROCESS. THE CAR FOR NO APPARENT REASON DIED ON THE FREEWAY AND I COULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT TO WHERE MY LIFE WAS ALMOST LOST. I MADE IT TO MY MECHANIC SHOP THEY RAN THE CARE FOR CODES AND NO CODES CAME UP AT ALL. MY MECHANIC HAS DONE RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT SOME 2005-2008 FORED ESCAPES HAVE RECALLS. HE FEELS AS MY CAR IS ONE BECAUSE MY CAR HAS THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALL. IN THIS ARTICLE I HAVE HAD ALL OF THESE ISSUES.THE 2005 ESCAPE HAS PROBLEMS WHERE THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING. FORD FINALLY ISSUED A SEPTEMBER 2014 RECALL. TIME WILL TELL IF THE RECALL FIX REALLY SOLVES THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER THE 2005 ESCAPE ALSO HAS A DEFECT WHERE THE PCM (POWER CONTROL MODULE) FRIES AT AROUND 100K MILES. FORD EXTENDED THE PCM WARRANTY TO 80,000 MILES, BUT ONLY AFTER MOST OWNERS WERE PAST THE MILEAGE LIMIT. NOW OWNERS ARE ON THE HOOK FOR THE AVERAGE REPAIR COST OF OVER $2,000 (!!)

NHTSA ID

11073748

Incident

Feb 16, 2018

Mileage

5 mi

CAR ALARM ALWAYS GOING OFF CAUSES INTERIOR LIGHTS TO RUN BATTERY DOWN. ALARM WILL NOT RESET LOCK DOORS. SENSOR LIGHT COMES ON WITH DOOR AJAR AND ALARM REFUSES TO SET. HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A YEAR OR MORE. COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET FROM OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THERE IS NO RECALL. OTHERS ARE SAYING IT IS THE LATCH THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACE BUT FORD COMPANY CAN'T TELL US THIS. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE VEHICLE IS MOVING OR NOT FOR THE DOOR TO BE AJAR.

NHTSA ID

11066014

Incident

Jan 1, 2016

TERRIFYING! POTENTIALLY FATAL . POWER JUST CUT OUT ON HIGHWAY WHILE GOING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. NO STEERING, NO BRAKES. NO POWER. ALL WARRING LIGHTS ABLAZE, BUT NO WARNING BEFOREHAND! GRATEFULLY, I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE AND MANAGED TO GET THE CAR INTO THE MEDIAN. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES, CAR RESTARTED. LUCKILY I WAS ONLY 1/4 MILE FROM THE EXIT. I READ ABOUT THIS WELL KNOWN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. IT IS THE PCM. APPARENTLY FORD USED FAULTY SPARK PLUGS. THE FIX IS TOO COSTLY. I WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE. FORD RECALLED THE 2005 ESCAPE HYBRID BUT NOT THIS MODEL? CRIMINAL

NHTSA ID

11065559

Incident

Jan 28, 2018

Mileage

112,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING, THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PLACED THE GEARSHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO COAST OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT WAITED FOR A FEW MINUTES AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PARK AND RIDE LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,607.

NHTSA ID

11012794

Incident

Aug 4, 2017

Mileage

122,607 mi

WHEN THE CAR IS FULLY LOCKED AND ALL DOOR WELL SHUT THE REAR RIGHT DOOR SENSOR SAYS ITS OPENED OR AJAR WHICH MAKES THE ALARM GO OFF WHEN NO ONE HAS TRIED TO TOUCH THE CAR AND BECAUSE OF THIS IT HAS DRAIN THE BATTERY WHILE HAVING A LESS THAN 1 YEAR OLD BATTERY

NHTSA ID

11010831

Incident

Jul 26, 2017

Mileage

140,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE ANTI-THEFT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER (CAPITAL FORD LOCATED AT 4222 OLEANDER DR WILMINGTON, NC 28403) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ID

11004949

Incident

Jun 1, 2017

Mileage

200,000 mi

WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPS, ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. IF I START IT AGAIN IT TURNS ON JUST FINE BUT EVERYTIME I STOP AT A LIGHT OR AT TRAFFIC, THE ENGINE STALLS. WENT TO THE FORD DEALER AND THEY CANT TELL WHAT IS HAPPENING BECAUSE THERE IS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON. THEY CHECKED IT AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE, BATTERY, OILS. THEY SAY THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR BUT THE DEADLINE FOR THIS WAS ON JANUARY 2015. NOW FORD WONT REPAIR MY VEHICLE BECAUSE IT HAS MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD (IT HAS LESS THAN 116,000 MILES).

NHTSA ID

10986272

Incident

May 17, 2017

Mileage

116,000 mi

MY 2005 FORD ESCAPE LTD WITH 122K MILES WITH NO WARNING STALLS WHEN I COME TO A STOP, OR WHEN I'M GOING LESS THAN 5 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAS DONE THEN SAME THING WHEN I WAS DRIVING 65 ON MY WAY TO LAX, HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND WAS ALMOST SIDE SWIPED AND REAR ENDED BY CARS. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE, NOR CAN THE MECHANIC FIND ANYTHING WRONG. AFTER DOING RESEARCH I'VE COME TO LEARN THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THIS YEAR AND MODEL, YET FORD WILL NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE WITH A RECALL. THIS IS DANGEROUS, I'M SCARED TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS VEHICLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. FORD IS IN THE KNOW. I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME ACTION BEING DONE.

NHTSA ID

10966039

Incident

Mar 2, 2017

Mileage

1,224,500 mi

ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING; ALMOST $4,000 IN REPAIRS HAVE FAILED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND IT KEEPS HAPPENING. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10946569

Incident

Dec 20, 2016

Mileage

87,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL PASSENGER BACK TOWER WHEEL RUSTED ON MY 2005 FORD ESCAPE THE METER SENSOR KEEP GOING OFF LIKE THE DOORS ARE STILL OPEN THE RIMS OF THE CAR HAS RUSTED LIKE WE HAD THE CAR FOR 30 YEARS IN MOTION WHEN I NOTICE THE WHEEL TOWER RUSTED OUT

NHTSA ID

10910649

Incident

Jul 14, 2016

Mileage

16,400 mi