2015 Ford Escape Problems

The contact owned a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, her husband became aware that there was fire coming from under the hood. The fire was three feet high. The contact's husband attempted to extinguish the fire. The Fire Department arrived on scene and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was consumed by the fire. The fire inspector informed the contact that the source of the fire was inconclusive. The contact stated that the fire caused damage to the garage. The contact and husband sustained smoke inhalation. The contact stated that the fire had occurred immediately after the vehicle was parked and the contact's husband had exited the vehicle and entered the residence. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. A Police report was filed. In addition, after researching, the VIN had an unrepaired recall repair, NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V436000 (Electrical System). The contact stated that the vehicle was purchased in 2015, the check engine warning light was illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times, but the failure was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

Engine cylinder head. Coolant is leaking into the engine cylinder(s) (coolant intrusion). Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I was driving to DCA and while on [XXX] on the highway my engine totally overheated requiring I drift into an isolated parking area near east potomac park. I checked and the coolant had totally run dry. Upon ubering to get more coolant and waiting for the engine to cool down, I topped it off and took it to the mechanic. They informed me on a KNOWN Ford 2015 Escape SE Ecoboost issue where the Ecoboost allows coolant intrusion. This is similar to: Safety Recall 17S09 on the 2014 model but instead of oil leakage, it is coolant related. I received a single warning of engine overheating and within 5 seconds the temperature gauge shot up to max and multiple alerts began. I had under 30 seconds to cross multiple lanes and get to a parking spot before catastrophic failure. Since then, I have been able to continue driving by keeping coolant levels extremely high, but it is a significant cost to repair (full engine replacement required) due to the design of the Ecoboost. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I replaced my transmission around 156000 miles the repair shop replaced my transmission with a brand new transmission from a ford dealer. Less than 6000 miles on my new transmission it needed to be replaced again. My transmission is having issues again with less then 20000 miles on the second transmission.

I visited the dealership for a shift bushing recall service. When I checked the car after leaving, I noticed that a required part of the repair, the white cap shown in the official documentation, was missing. When I returned to let them know the job wasn't done right, the staff insisted it was done correctly. However, under Part 573 Safety Recall Report 22V-254, that cap is required to be installed.

Safety Recall 25V695 has still remained unresolved. My rear camera randomly fails and reports a problem.

See attached document for complaint.

I have a 2015 Ford Escape, and the rear view camera has been recalled. My rear camera that is inoperable has caused me almost several accidents. I feel very unsafe and the remedy to fix it has not been authorized yet. The safety of myself and others is largely put at risk. I am still waiting for parts to arrive at the Ford dealership so this recall can be taken care of. Until then, I do have an attorney on standby in case an accident does occur due to the failure of the rear view camera on the vehicle not working. Please be advised!

The rear-view camera could display a blank or distorted image on the center display screen when the vehicle is in reverse. We also receive a message that the rear-view camera is unavailable on the center display screen.

While driving the power steering goes completely out. It jolts suddenly and causes to steer off course. The steering tightens up making it difficult to safely make turns. Occasionally the steering assist goes back on without warning, forcing another jolt and overcorrection. It can not be safely driven with this malfunction. It forces the wheel to suddenly turn hard unexpectedly., making it dangerous for me, my passengers, and other drivers in the road We have had the problem confirmed by a Ford service mechanic. A Steering Assist notification flashes on the dash, as well.

"While driving down a steep mountain hill, my 2015 Ford Escape suffered a sudden and complete loss of electric power steering assist without any advance warning... We came within inches of a catastrophic collision and almost crashed directly into a utility pole." I'm absolutely terrified & Now going to cost a fortune. No injury, Just wife Panic attack.

The battery keeps dying even though it's been tested and is good. Lights keep shorting out I've had to replace the brake light and wires twice. The coolant is disappearing causing the vehicle to overheat even after driving ahort diatances but no puddle is left to show a cracked tank or something similar.

Suspension issue

The trim around the windshield is dry rotted and falling off. Pieces fly off driving down the road which could be dangerous to other drivers and damage their vehicles.

The door panel falls off the door very easily and then becomes stuck. The door cannot open due to the panel catching on the floor of the car. This is dangerous to have a door that does not work. I brought my car to Ford to get this fixed and after having my car for 6 days, the next time I drove on the freeway it fell off again and has the same problem. I've seen multiple reports of this

The contact owned a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V331000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages); and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list because she no longer owns the vehicle. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the rear passenger's side door failed to lock and latch securely. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine was overheating. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with a coolant leak in the engine. The independent mechanic stated that there was coolant leaking into the #3 cylinder, causing the engine to overheat. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V011000 (Equipment); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact was concerned about driving the vehicle due to a potential fire risk. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention) and 26V011000 (Equipment). An appointment was scheduled with the local dealer who confirmed that the parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Additionally, the vehicle was scheduled to be towed to the local dealer. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while in reverse and depressing the brake pedal, there was a squeaking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, and the brake pads were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The back over prevention camera failed to produce an image while in reverse. The dealer was contacted about the recall and confirmed that another letter would be sent once the remedy was available.

Breaks suddenly failed with no warning.

For approximately two years, my Ford Escape’s rearview camera has been inoperative, displaying “Camera Not Available. Please Contact Ford Dealership.” I subsequently discovered an outstanding safety recall addressing rearview camera defects. Approximately one year after the recall was issued, Ford still has not made an official remedy available for my vehicle. I contacted Ford Customer Support multiple times to request a repair timeline. Ford suggested that I pay a dealership to replace the camera now and seek reimbursement once the official recall remedy becomes available. Local Ford dealerships quoted $643–$978 for this repair. Ford did not provide a definite timeline for either the remedy or reimbursement. I am concerned that Ford is shifting the upfront cost of addressing a recognized safety issue onto vehicle owners. Some owners may be unable to afford the repair; others may lose receipts, sell their vehicles, or miss the opportunity to request reimbursement after an extended delay. If a replacement camera can restore functionality, Ford should explain why it cannot fund that interim repair directly. An inoperative rearview camera reduces visibility of pedestrians, children, vehicles, and obstacles while reversing. It may also reduce the vehicle’s resale value while the recall remains unresolved. My camera has already been unusable for approximately two years, and the recall has remained without an available remedy for about a year. I request that NHTSA review Ford’s delay, its customer-paid interim repair proposal, and whether affected owners should receive free temporary replacements while awaiting a permanent remedy. I also ask NHTSA to assess whether further oversight is warranted to ensure a timely, effective, no-cost recall repair.

Backing out of parking place at Kroger and camera not working almost hit a pedestrian.

The contact’s daughter owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact's daughter stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated while attempting to shift gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 106,000.

I have 2 ford escapes, a 2015 (referenced in this complaint) and a 2016. Both have experienced catastrophic transmission failure within weeks of each other. The transmission would slip, shudder and eventually disable and indicate service is needed. This happened while traveling highway speeds and the vehicle became disabled on the highway. As it was sudden, there was not time to get it safely off of the road and presented hazards to me and other drives until a tow truck could be engaged.

I was driving on US highway 221B I got a cramp pain in my left leg and I grabbed it and looked down. When I looked up I hit the guard rail on the right side of the road and then it bounced me to the left side and hit it . No air bags deployed !

On 4-13-26 an unknown subject hit my wife head on causing significant damage to our vehicle. None of the airbags deployed causing injury to my wife’s forehead, right foot and left knee

My child got into the back passenger seat and wasn’t able to click her seatbelt into the buckle. I used a flashlight to see if something had gotten stuck in it, there’s nothing. It simply won’t click in. The red button can be pressed down but won’t allow the seatbelt to go into it. I used this same seatbelt and could buckle into both other buckles.

I recently purchased this vehicle. The driver seatbelt does not retract snugly when fastened. The tensioner is not working. I am afraid it will not hold me if I crash. I will fix this. It is a serious safety issue!

Suspension issue

DRIVER'S SEAT STOP WORKING AND THE ENGINE LEAKS AND THE SUSPENSION WENT BAD AND TRANSMISSION STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC ON FOULK ROAD IN WILMINGTON DELAWARE APRIL 18, 2025 AND WAS VERY SCARED AND NERVOUS..

My headlight are severely oxidized and are cracking. It makes it very hard to see at night. I took it to a repair shop and they could not get the headlight anywhere but from the dealer which are to expensive. I’m a student and can’t afford what they charge for new ones.

When one of my back up lights went out it shorted out the back up video camera. After replacement, found out from Ford that the wiring of the lighting is tied also into the video camera system. After replacement the camera shorts out and is not replaceable.

My Ford Escape was fitted with two Cooper tires (235/55 R 17) that had to be replaced with less than 20k miles on them. After using the tires in normal city/highway situations, both tires started to bulge causing vibration when driving the vehicle. This was due to the belts breaking within the tire. While this specific tire is not currently under recall, I believe it should be. There is no reason these tires should've worn out so quickly and it sounds like the exact same issue many of their other tires currently under recall have. They are well under their warranty of 80k miles, but I will not put another Cooper tire on my car. I've only included the TIN from one tire, because I do not have the TIN for the first one that bulged. It has already been removed and disposed of. This happened to both of my Coopers in each rear position of my car.

All 4 tires the inside sidewall . Are coming apart like a split . The size is 235/45/19 Kelly edge . Have only a little over 27.000 thousand miles on them .