2015 Ford Escape Brakes Problems

Breaks suddenly failed with no warning.

NHTSA ID

11745040

Incident

Jun 15, 2026

Transmission failure at 79211 miles. Vehicle has been serviced and maintained regularly. Transmission shop stated this is a "very common issue" with this specific transmission, that they see failures frequently. This occurred just a month or two after the recall repair for the shifter cable bushing. Front left wheel speed sensor also went bad around the same time, causing traction control to engage specifically when turning left even on dry roads and at lower speeds. Also occurred when vehicle was in reverse, at low speeds. This also caused the "intelligent 4WD" (hill assist and acceleration assist) to fail/shut down and all indicators on the dashboard went to blank/dashes. This occurred the first time while stopped at a stop sign facing uphill. It occurred as second time days later WHILE DRIVING 35MPH.

NHTSA ID

11719708

Incident

Jan 28, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the ABS and the traction control warning lights illuminated. The messages "4-Wheel Drive Temporarily Disabled" and "Hill Start Assist Not Available" were displayed. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving after starting the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated while responding, and there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to Westlake Auto, where it was diagnosed and determined that the ABS module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ID

11672157

Incident

Jul 2, 2025

Mileage

70,000 mi

Older man pulled out in front of me, I t-boned his truck going 47 mph. His insurance totaled it. The airbags never deployed.

NHTSA ID

11655901

Incident

Mar 20, 2025

I was getting off I77 and went to push my brake pedal and it wouldn't move and i couldn't slow down. I had no warning lights come on. Thankfully i made it home. I checked for brake fluid and it was good

NHTSA ID

11546533

Incident

Sep 25, 2023

While my family and I were returning from lunch and pulling into a parking space at my moms apartment complex, my 2015 Ford escape SE eco-boost, had a sudden unintentional acceleration where it basically accelerated forward and we hit a building. During this, the brakes were unresponsive, and there was building and vehicle damage. Luckily, the post to the building prevented us from driving through the entire building. I have read several reports of the Ford escape experiencing this exact problem. We are lucky we were not killed. Ford has had no recalls for this very deadly issue.

NHTSA ID

11546486

Incident

Sep 23, 2023

while driving car shit off and displayed message “transmission not in park” once coasted to a stop car unable to turn back on with steering wheel, gear shift, and brakes locked. inside lights and screens, brake lights, and fog lights will turn on, but car will not turn over or attempt to start

NHTSA ID

11529405

Incident

Jun 28, 2023

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic test and the mechanic stated that the muffler was bent, and that the vehicle needed new tires. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the brakes needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 79,055. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID

11503448

Incident

Dec 13, 2022

Mileage

79,055 mi

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to stop in a reasonable amount of time. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact forcefully depressed the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The contact was able to continue driving to his residence while using the parking brake. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

NHTSA ID

11475634

Incident

Jul 24, 2022

Mileage

128,000 mi

I have been in two accidents since my purchase of the vehicle. I haven’t even had a year. When it’s an emergency and breaks need to be applied suddenly the breaks are locking up and will not go down. It eventually does once I start pumping them. But I was recently in two accident BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE AND THE PURCHASE OF THIS CAR HAS BECOME MY NIGHTMARE

NHTSA ID

11418801

Incident

Mar 19, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT, THE BRAKING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT, AND THE TPMS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE BRAKES INDEPENDENTLY ENGAGED AND VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 46 MPH. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL FUNCTION AFTER THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WHEEL SPEED SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

NHTSA ID

11407291

Incident

Feb 17, 2021

Mileage

53,000 mi

AT 127,000 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WE WERE TOLD THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. FORD WAS NOT WILLING TO WORK WITH US EVEN THOUGH WE HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. NOW WE ARE TOLD THAT THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

11352668

Incident

Apr 19, 2019

Mileage

127,000 mi

THE CAR DOES NOT STOP AS EFFECTIVELY AS IT SHOULD. NEVER DID A GREAT JOB BUT NOW, EVEN WITH BRAND NEW TIRES AND BRAKES, WILL STILL SKID TO A STOP.N

NHTSA ID

11349071

Incident

Jan 1, 2020

Mileage

70,000 mi

DRIVING NORMALLY AND APPROACHED STOP SIGN. APPLIED BRAKES WITH NO STOPPING POWER. WENT THROUGH STOP SIGN AND STOPPED WITH EMERGENCY BRAKES.BRAKE FAILURE WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR INDICATION BEFORE OR AFTER INCIDENT. VACUUM PUMP AND COUPLER FAILURE. AFTER REPAIR, TURBO FAILURE 10 MINUTES AFTER.

NHTSA ID

11348724

Incident

Aug 2, 2020

Mileage

77,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY 2015 FORD ESCAPE DOWN THE HIGHWAY. AS I WAS GETTING READY TO GET IN TRAFFIC TO EXIT MY BRAKES WOULDN'T PRESS DOWN. TRYING FRANTICALLY AND AS HARD AS I COULD I COULDN'T GET MY BRAKES TO PRESS DOWN TO SLOW. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO DOWN SHIFT MY CAR AND USE THE E-BRAKE TO GET TO A SHOULDER AND AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I HAD A FRIEND WHO'S A MECHANIC CHECK OUT MY CAR AND HE TOLD ME IT WAS MY VACUUM PUMP FOR MY BRAKES. HE ALSO NOTED WHEN HE SAW WHAT MY CAR WAS AND THAT IT WAS AN ECO BOOST THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WHAT THEY REFER TO AS A SOCCER MOM KILLER. HE'S SEEN THIS BEFORE. WHEN THE PUMP FAILS IT SHOOTS SHRAPNEL INTO MY TURBO THEN INTO THE ENGINE CAUSING SERIOUS DAMAGE THAT WILL COST ME $5000-8000 TO FIX NOW. I HAVE SEEN OTHER FORD MODELS WITH THIS PROBLEM THAT HAVE RECALLS ALREADY BUT NOT MY SPECIFIC MAKE AN MODEL.

NHTSA ID

11342588

Incident

Jul 28, 2020

Mileage

83,000 mi

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE IN OUR 2015 FORD ESCAPE TITANIUM, WE BEGAN TO EXIT AND FOUND WE HAD NO BRAKES. WE HAD TO UTILIZE THE PARKING BRAKE IN ORDER TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. THEY DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE POWER ASSIST HAD FAILED BECAUSE THE VACUUM PUMP LOCKED UP CAUSING THE CAM DRIVE TO BREAK INSIDE THE CAM SHAFT. THIS ALSO CAUSED METAL SHAVING CONTAMINATION IN THE ENGINE OF THE CAR WHICH CAN CAUSE THE MOTOR TO LOCK UP AT ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING. OUR RESEARCH REVEALED THAT A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM IN THE 2013 FORD ESCAPE; HOWEVER, THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL ISSUED FOR THE 2015 FORD ESCAPE. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW/FAULTY PARTS ISSUE THAT STILL HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. WE HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING; BUT THEY REFUSED AND ALSO REFUSED TO LET US SPEAK TO SOMEONE ELSE REGARDING THIS. SO, WE ARE STUCK WITH A $2,200 CAR REPAIR BILL ON A 4 1/2 YEAR OLD VEHICLE WITH 74,000 MILES THAT FORD KNOWS IS AN ISSUE BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT. THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE POSSIBLY A NEW MOTOR IF IT LOCKS UP DUE TO THE METAL SHAVING CONTAMINATION. THE BRAKES FAILING UNEXPECTEDLY WAS A SAFETY HAZARD AND NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD IF THE MOTOR LOCKS UP WHILE WE ARE DRIVING THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11309702

Incident

Dec 27, 2019

Mileage

74,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A CLUNKING NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKES SQUEAKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHOCK ABORBERS WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. CHAPMAN FORD (9371 ROOSEVELT BLVD, PHILADELPHIA, PA) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000. *BF *JB

NHTSA ID

11204340

Incident

Apr 1, 2019

Mileage

47,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING MY 2015 FORD ESCAPE DOWN A MOUNTAIN ROAD, THE BOLT FOR THE VACUUM PUMP DRIVING THE POWER ASSISTED BRAKES SHEARED OFF (SIMILAR TO THE RECALLED ISSUE ON FORD EDGE AND EXPLORER VEHICLES). WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT FELT AS IF THERE WERE NO BRAKES AT ALL AND IT TOOK ALL OF MY FORCE (I'M A 300LB 6'4" MALE) APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDDLE TO STOP THE CAR. THE CAR WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. I WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE ON FORD VEHICLES WITH THE ECOBOOST ENGINE AND CAM DRIVEN VACUUM PUMP. HAD I BEEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC OR AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, A VEHICLE COLLISION WITH INJURIES WOULD LIKELY HAVE OCCURRED AS THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THE POWER ASSIST HAD STOPPED WORKING.

NHTSA ID

11154500

Incident

Oct 21, 2017

Mileage

36,000 mi

ABS BRAKE FAILURE. GOING DOWN A HILL, BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR (ABS LIGHT CAME ON), THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LIGHT SHUT OFF, BRAKES CAME BACK, BUT NOT BEFORE HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF US.

NHTSA ID

11103633

Incident

Jun 23, 2018

Mileage

36,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL PULLED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE WINDOW FORD DEALER LOCATED IN SPOKANE, WA, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO FRED HILL FORD LOCATED IN SPOKANE, WA WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE TURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA ID

11015180

Incident

Apr 7, 2016

Mileage

30,000 mi

THE BRAKE FLUID CONTAINER INSIDE THE ENGINE VIBRATED LOOSE AND THE SCREWS CAME ALL THE WAY OUT AND LEFT THE CONTAINER OF BRAKE FLUID HANGING INSIDE THE ENGINE. THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS PROBLEM. A ROAD ASSISTANCE COMPANY HELPING ME START MY CAR AGAIN AFTER THE ELECTRICAL PANEL MALFUNCTIONED OPENED THE HOOD TO FIND THIS PROBLEM. THE SCREWS ARE COMPLETELY GONE, AND I WILL HAVE TO HAVE THIS TAKEN IN TO FORD TO GET REPLACEMENT SCREWS TO FIX THIS.

NHTSA ID

10968546

Incident

Mar 25, 2017

Mileage

26,000 mi

REAR ROTORS HAD EXCESSIVE RUST AFTER 5000 MIES. CAUSED REAR BRAKES TO GRIND AND MAKE LOUD NOISE. ALSO CAUSED A ONE TIME BACK UP FOR REAR BRAKES NOT TO WORK. FORD DEALERSHIP IN DICKSON, TN DID A GREAT JOB OF FIXING THE PROBLEM. THEIR SERVICE DEPT WAS EXCELLENT.

NHTSA ID

10816896

Incident

Dec 24, 2015

Mileage

5,000 mi

WHILE BACKING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING AND AUDIBLE WARNINGS SOUNDED. THE CAR STARTED SHAKING. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP OR STEER MY CAR. I HAD A LOW SPEED COLLISION WITH A PROPERLY PARKED CAR. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS INJURED. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON AN OPEN ROAD THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. I HAD REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO MY DEALER PREVIOUSLY. THEY APPLIED AN EXISTING RECALL SAYING THAT IT FIXED THE ISSUE. THAT WAS ON THE 20TH OF OCTOBER 2015. THE CAR IS BEING TOWED TO MY DEALER'S BODY SHOP FOR INSPECTION BY USAA. I NEVER WANT TO DRIVE IT AGAIN. I AM TOLD TO TRADE IT IN . HOW IN GOOD CONSCIENCE CAN I DO THAT??

NHTSA ID

10794691

Incident

Nov 17, 2015

Mileage

15,700 mi

THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WHEN BACKING SQUEALS EVERY TIJME AND EVERY DAY SSINCE WE HAD THE CAR. HERE IT IS JULY ALMOST AUG. HAD BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER ONCE IN MARCH AND AGAIN FOR THE SAME THING LAST WEEK FRIDAY. THEY TELL ME AND MY WIFE THAT THEY CAN NOT GET IT TO DO IT AT THE DEALER. MY WIFE AND I WAS SITTING IN MY OTHER ESCAPE GETTING READY TO LEAVE WHEN THEY BACKED IT UP AND BOTH MY WIFE AND I HEARD IT FROM MY CAR AND THEY SAY THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM? BOLD LIE. THEY SAY THE SQUEAL IS ALSO NORMAL THAT IS ANOTHER BOLD LIE. THEY JUST DO NOT WANT TO REPLACE THE PADS ON T HE CAR A $44 DOLLAR ITEM TO SATISFY A CUSTOMER FROM HEARING THAT HORIDOUS NOISE EVERYDAY. IF IT IS NORMAL THEN WHY MY 2014 ESCAPE DOES NOT DO IT?

NHTSA ID

10735860

Incident

Dec 26, 2014

Mileage

200 mi

VEHICLE EXHIBITS SEVERE INTERMITTENT BRAKE SQUEAL. THREE TIMES IN FOR SERVICE. 1ST TIME, NO PROBLEM FOUND. SECOND TIME, WITH VIDEO EVIDENCE OF SQUEAL, TECH DIAGNOSED LEFT REAR BRAKE. DEGLAZED AND AND CLEANED. 3RD TIME, PADS CHANGED AND ROTORS MACHINED. NO CHANGE. SQUEAL RETURNED IN TWO DAYS. ADVISED BY FORD THIS IS NORMAL, BUT I COULD TAKE IT TO ANOTHER DEALER FOR SERVICE. THREE TIMES IN ONE MONTH. *JS

NHTSA ID

10690483

Incident

Jan 28, 2015

Mileage

1,500 mi