RoadVitals

2010 Ford Escape Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints 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.
50
Latest Oct 26, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
2%
of 2,068 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2010 Ford Escape submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 50 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming brake

The 25 most recent of 50, in the owner's own words

Body & structureBrakesEngine
Filed Oct 26, 2025

Bout the vehicle from a used car dealership in Victorville and in 22 days the truck valve body gave out in the middle of me driving almost causing a car accident on freeway. The solenoid D is stuck in off and the transmission on this model is known to do this I need help or some answers

NHTSA ID
11695708
Incident
Oct 5, 2025
Body & structureBrakesEngine
Filed Oct 8, 2025

concerns regarding my 2010 Ford Escape. Within thirty (30) days of purchase, the transmission completely failed, rendering the vehicle inoperable. Additionally, upon further inspection, it was discovered that the entire underbody of the vehicle is severely rusted and corroded. This corrosion appears extensive enough to compromise the structural integrity of the frame and essential safety components. While operating the vehicle prior to transmission failure, I also experienced significant shaking and vibration during both driving and braking. These issues raise major safety concerns, as they could indicate underlying brake, suspension, or frame instability. Given the combination of a failed transmission, extensive underbody rust, and unsafe driving behavior, I believe this vehicle may present a serious risk to myself and others on the road. These types of defects and corrosion levels are unusual for a vehicle of this make and model and could point to a broader safety or manufacturing issue. I am requesting that Ford review this matter urgently and provide direction on possible inspection, repair, or compensation options. I am more than willing to provide documentation, photos, or mechanic reports to assist in your evaluation. Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. I look forward to your prompt response regarding next steps.

NHTSA ID
11692025
Incident
Oct 5, 2025
Brakes
Filed Apr 8, 2025

Brakes go all the way to the floor, barely could stop. No accident happened. It's very scary to even drive it anymore. I have taken it to 3 shops, 2 of the 3 say it's the ABS module. I have read a lot of reviews on this car having this issue. Probably nothing to be done since it's not even made anymore. Parts are getting obsolete.

NHTSA ID
11653497
Incident
Apr 2, 2025
BrakesFuel system
Filed Sep 29, 2024

While driving, the brakes have no pressure. When starting the vehicle, the brakes go all the way to the floor. I took my car to several difference garages, and they determined the brake booster was the issue. No repair has been done, but the brakes go all the way to the floor and is difficult to stop. The 2nd issue is after the local Ford dealership performed work on the fuel system for a recall, the vehicle will sputter after refueling. This will cause the vehicle to almost shut off at a stop. I called the dealership, but they won't reexamine the recall. If I fill my tank up when I refuel, the fumes of the gas smell so badly you can't drive for a day after.

NHTSA ID
11617072
Incident
Jun 17, 2024
Brakes
Filed Mar 1, 2024

vehicle getting stuck in park, I have press the brakes several times to get it to unlock and switch to drive, or push the emergency brake.

NHTSA ID
11574812
Incident
Jan 1, 2024
Brakes
Filed Jan 17, 2024

Sometimes when braking, brakes fail to engage. ABS light come on to check sys. I’ve had ABS Sys checked could not find any problem

NHTSA ID
11566156
Incident
Jul 11, 2023
BrakesSteering
Filed Dec 14, 2023

The contact owns a 2010 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that her husband was able to drive to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the ABS had failed, which led to the power steering failure. An unknown ABS part was replaced; however, the power steering failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the battery was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the power steering control module (PSCM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000 (Steering). The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.

NHTSA ID
11560163
Incident
Dec 14, 2023
Mileage
11,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 27, 2023

I was sitting at a red light with my foot on the brake. I was behind another car when all of a sudden I hear a chime looked at my cluster and it said "check brake system" and my car was rolling forward. I could feel I still was pressing on the brake and wasn't sure what to do so I put the car in park. Once the light changed I turned into the side street and when braking realized that while my brakes were slowing down the car they were not stopping it as normal. I made my way carefully to my mothers home as I was on my way to drop her off when it occurred. While driving I realized I could still stop the car with the brakes but I needed to put more force than usual and the brakes had more resistance. The car also did not stop smoothly but more like hard braking. Once I arrived at her home I turned off and on the car and it was still displaying the check brakes. I turned off the car again and pulled on the emergency brake release just in case and when I turned on the car everything worked as normal. I had the car towed home and had a mobile mechanic come and check it out. For him the car worked fine and no codes displayed in his system. I have contacted my local dealership and Ford Twitter to seek help. As of now my dealership hasn't contacted me after 24 hours and the Twitter account states they will look into it. Searching online there appears to be many other instances reported similar to mine. Possibly related to the Ford Fusion brake recall NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V904000. This car was purchased used but has been taken care of and had regular maintenance at both a local shop and Ford. I've never experienced this before but am extremely hesitant to drive now as I don't want to cause an accident or be stranded somewhere. If this is indeed related to the Fusion campaign there should be a recall as all other incidents reported were also for a 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid.

NHTSA ID
11534838
Incident
Jul 22, 2023
Brakes
Filed Mar 8, 2023

Brakes spontaneously failing. When you start the car the brakes go all the way to the floor. Despite bleeding the brakes and replacing the master cylinder no change. Appears to be ABS which is a common report of failure in these cars.

NHTSA ID
11510718
Incident
Feb 1, 2023
Brakes
Filed Jan 20, 2023

Serious safety issue. Brake system complete failure in the driveway at my house. Luckily nobody was hurt and no damage to the vehicle or our home. Vehicle had to be towed to dealer. Critical electric brake component failed. Which one is unclear. There are several in "series" in the braking system. When the one failed it destroyed the others as well. Serious safety design flaw. One compenant detroys all? Fortunate we were not in traffic and or highway speed etc. Very popular vehicle. Millions sold. Unknown if others have eperienced the same catastophic failure. Vey expensive repair. They say it will be $4820 + tax.

NHTSA ID
11502826
Incident
Aug 9, 2022
Brakes
Filed Jan 11, 2023

I found out there is a recall on over 600,000 cars from 2006 to 2010. Mainly Ford fusion for the same problem I'm having on my 2010 Ford escape. There is an ABS breaking valve that sticks and the ABS module needs to be replaced. This is happened on my car and is not under the recall but it's the same model as the 2010 Ford fusion and the same part. Why is this? I brought this into my dealer the first time they said the brakes were bad and the rear brakes needed to be adjusted and the valve was sticking but they were able to get it unstuck. They flush the brake fluid as well after $500 nearly $600 I went to drive the car and it was exactly the same. That's when they said it was the ABS brake module, the valve sticking and needed to be replaced. This seems to be a pretty common problem with these cars. Why is there no recall on this?

NHTSA ID
11501184
Incident
Dec 26, 2022
Brakes
Filed Sep 7, 2022

8-26-2022 - Traveling on Highway in Colorado, clear evening, dry road conditions. While normal driving at 690 mph I came up to a stop light intersection. The light was green and turned yellow while I was coming up to the intersection. I pressed my brake normally and the pedal went to the floor, there was no warning of any brake issues, the brakes are in normal operating condition. Had there been any vehicles crossing the intersection, I would not have been able to avoid a serious collision. I pulled off and was able to pump the brakes back to where I could stop the vehicle. I have absolutely no confidence in this vehicle stopping.

NHTSA ID
11483393
Incident
Aug 26, 2022
Brakes
Filed Sep 7, 2022

My brakes were squishy, so I took it to a Ford dealership, where they replaced the master cylinder and the sender twice. After driving the vehicle about 10 times, they became squishy again, when I was approaching a red light. I became afraid that I would not be able to stop, so I started pumping them, and was able to stop. There were no lights to indicate where the problem was located. I took the vehicle to a different repair shop where they tested the replaced components under pressure, and they failed. Again, the master cylinder and sender unit were replaced. Today, 9-6-2022 a light came on stating the brake fluid was low. I returned to the repair shop where they determined the ABS unit needs to be replaced. Again, the brake fluid message was the only indication that something was wrong. To me this is a safety issue, and I was afraid to drive the vehicle thinking they could completely fail and I would not be able to stop causing an accident.

NHTSA ID
11483186
Incident
Mar 14, 2022
Brakes
Filed Dec 22, 2021

The contact owns a 2010 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal would depress the floorboard without warning. The contact stated that he would have to pump the brakes and engage the ABS to stop the vehicle. The contact had taken the vehicle to several dealers where he had the brake lines bled, the master cylinder replaced, and the hydraulic control unit replaced. Despite the multiple repairs, the contact stated that extra brake travel time was needed to stop the vehicle. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and informed him that they could not determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ID
11444677
Incident
Aug 1, 2017
Mileage
100,000 mi
BrakesSuspension
Filed Jan 26, 2021

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) AND ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM(ABS) DISPLAY ON THE DASHBOARD: WHEN BRAKING AT A STOP THE BREAK SKIPS AND STRUGGLES TO BREAK. WHEN TURNING WHILE THE FOOT IS ON THE BREAK IT ALSO SKIPS. WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH PERIODICAL TURNS ON AND OFF. THE BREAK SKIPPING DOES NOT ALWAYS OCCUR. FAST BREAKING CAN TRIGGER SKIPPING OF THE BREAKS. RAIN ALSO INCREASES THE LIKELINESS OF BREAK SKIPPING AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MAKING IT HARD TO CONTROL STEERING. THE BRAKE PAD AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN CHECKS AND ARE NORMAL. FORD ESCAPE 2010. INSTANCES HAVE BEEN HAPPENING AT RANDOM SINCE 2018 AT A FREQUENCY OF 3-4 TIMES A WEEK.

NHTSA ID
11390108
Incident
Jan 25, 2021
Brakes
Filed Sep 28, 2020

REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER, BOOSTER FRONT ROTORS CALIPERS AND PADS. PEDAL IS SOFT AND GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR WHEN BRAKING WHILE STOPPING.

NHTSA ID
11361488
Incident
Sep 28, 2020
Mileage
135,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 23, 2020

I HAVE TO PUSH MY BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR FOR IT TO STOP. THE ONLY TIME IT WILL CATCH IS IF I BRAKE HARD OR AGGRESSIVE BUT THEN THE PEDAL WILL START TO SINK TO THE FLOOR

NHTSA ID
11360698
Incident
May 5, 2020
Mileage
125,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 3, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, SHE HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER BAYWAY LINCOLN LOCATED AT 12333 GULF FWY, HOUSTON, TX 77034, (281) 929-6500, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING TO FLUSH THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY AND HAVE UNKNOWN PARTS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V904000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC), HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.*DT*JB

NHTSA ID
11352939
Incident
Apr 1, 2020
Mileage
120,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 28, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD, WHICH EXTENDED THE BRAKING DISTANCE. MULLINAX FORD OF MOBILE (7311 AIRPORT BLVD, MOBILE, AL 36608) WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,495.

NHTSA ID
11322511
Incident
Apr 27, 2020
Mileage
125,495 mi
BrakesSeat beltsSteering
Filed Mar 7, 2020

STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION GETTING WORSE BY DAY SEAT BELTS IN BACK DON'T WORK PROPERLY . SOMETIMES DONT WORK AT ALL BREAKS DONT WORK AFTER CARWASH.

NHTSA ID
11316786
Incident
Feb 17, 2020
Mileage
182,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Feb 27, 2020

WE'VE HAD THE BRAKES FAIL ONCE BEFORE AND ONCE AGAIN TODAY. WE HIT THE BRAKES ON THHE INTERSTATE AND AFTERWARDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE LAST TIME, WE TOOK IT TO A SERVICE STATION AND THEY COULDNT' FIND ANYTHING WRONG. IT HAPPENED AGAIN THIS MORNING ON THE INTERSTATE. I BELIEVE IT'S RELATED TO FSA 19S54 RECALL AND THAT FORD ESCAPES SHOULD BE EVALUATED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

NHTSA ID
11311811
Incident
Feb 27, 2020
Mileage
150,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jan 28, 2020

HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP. THE ABS SYSTEM ENGAGED AND THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. AFTERWARDS I HAD NO BRAKE. CAR HAS BEEN IN FOUR DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS AND I HAVE SPENT OVER $2000. I HAVE HAD FRONT BRAKES AND REAR BRAKES REPLACED, MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED AND A USED ABS MODULE REPLACED. STILL DO NOT HAVE PROPER BRAKE. FOUND SERVICE NOTICE ONLINE FROM FORD #19S54 WHICH ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE ON SOME FORD VEHICLES AND STATES A RECALL IS IN PROGRESS.. ESCAPE IS NOT INCLUDED BUT PROBLEMS ARE THE SAME. SIMILAR PARTS ARE USED ON MANY FORD VEHICLES. ESCAPE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN RECALL. MY CAR IS USELESS WITHOUT BRAKES.

NHTSA ID
11302456
Incident
Dec 20, 2019
Mileage
170,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jan 3, 2020

I WAS DRIVING IN WET WEATHER AND SLID ON SOME LEAVES WHILE BRAKING. THIS CAUSED AN ACTIVATION OF THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS). AFTER THE ABS EVENT I HAD A DIFFICULT TIME STOPPING THE CAR. THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SPONGY AND IT TOOK ALL OF MY EFFORT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. THIS SPONGY BRAKES PERSISTED FOR SEVERAL MILES. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY CAR TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD MECHANIC. HE CHECKED THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. THE BRAKE SYSTEM HAD RETURNED TO NORMAL BY ITSELF.

NHTSA ID
11296999
Incident
Jan 3, 2020
Mileage
74,759 mi
Brakes
Filed Oct 21, 2019

FAULTY ABS MODULE FROM FACTORY CAUSING 'SOFT' BRAKES THAT LIMIT STOPPING ABILITY AND POTENTIALLY FATAL RESULT. MANY FORD ESCAPE OWNERS SUFFERING SAME ISSUE BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL DESPITE IT BEING A FACTORY FAULT.

NHTSA ID
11270068
Incident
Oct 21, 2019
Mileage
96,000 mi
BrakesOther / unspecified
Filed Sep 10, 2019

WHEN DRIVING MY VEHICLE THE BRAKES BEGIN TO MAKE LOUD NOISES THEN IT WILL SLOW DOWN AS I'M TRYING TO ACCELERATE. THEN IT WILL PICK BACKUP WITH SPEED. AFTER WHICH I BEGAN TO NOTICE A BURNING SMELL AS IF THE TIRES ARE BURNING..

NHTSA ID
11254340
Incident
Sep 5, 2019
Mileage
120,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .