2015 Ford Escape Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
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What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2015 Ford Escape, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine27123.2%
- Powertrain (other)26823.0%
- Driver assistance14012.0%
- Electrical13011.1%
- Steering796.8%
- Fuel system574.9%
- Body & structure373.2%
- Interior & seats353.0%
- Other / unspecified272.3%
- Brakes252.1%
- Visibility191.6%
- Transmission181.5%
- Airbags161.4%
- Seat belts141.2%
- Suspension131.1%
- Exterior lighting131.1%
- Tires & wheels50.4%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING RUFF, AND STALLING AND WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM EXAUST LIKE IT EITHER A BLOWN HEAD GASKET OR A CRACK IN THE BLOCK. I CHECKED FOR OTHER CARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS TO BE THE SAME ISSUE. THIS SEEMS LIKE THIS WOULD BE A SAFTEY ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE STOPPING ON THE ROAD,
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the transmission shifting from second to third gear, the vehicle was jerking, and the vehicle became inoperable. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the coolant level was low. The vehicle became inoperable when the engine temperature became overheated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.
Dash board panel comes on when you turn on the car, but once you put it in drive it automatically shuts off accept the rpm gauge, car goes into limp mode when driving and causes it to not allow any acceleration or movement of vehicle.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
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 local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not available. 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. The contact stated that while reversing, the image on the screen was scrambled, distorted, upside down, or blank. The failure mileage was 150,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rearview camera failed to operate as needed, with the message "Camera Not Available - See the Dealer" displayed on the instrument panel. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Back up camera is STILL not working as intended. When backing up camera goes blank. This already an existing recall, but its been a long time since its been issued and I dont think they are trying to remedy it.
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.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
The vehicle currently has 119,000 miles. While driving, I received a service steering assist fault on my dashboard and immediately lost all power steering. There was no previous signs of any sort of power steering failure whatsoever. After diagnosing the vehicle, it was determined that the power steering control assist module head failed, which is directly attached to the rack and pinion assembly. After doing some research, it is very apparent that this is a common issue on all Fords of this era that have electric power steering. Due to the module being built into the rec companion, the entire rack assembly has to be replaced, which is about a $3000 job at the dealership. Given how much this is a reported problem I am surprised that it’s not already recall. This raises a severe driver safety concern as when operators are on the highway and lose all power steering, there is a little to no reaction that they are able to have when going 70+ miles per hour.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly started to decelerate even though the RPM was extremely elevated. There was a high-pitched whine coming from the vehicle, and the tires screeched before the vehicle came to an abrupt stop, ceasing all functions. The contact turned off the vehicle in the middle of the interstate because the vehicle could not be moved to the shoulder. A passerby assisted with pushing the vehicle to the side of the road using a push bar. The contact stated that the steering wheel had seized. The vehicle was restarted, and the message “Transmission Fault - Service Immediately” was displayed, followed by the check engine warning light becoming illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 132,000. The VIN was not available.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
Breaks suddenly failed with no warning.
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.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
Backup camera recall has been since October 2025 and they have not stocked the parts since. I feel that that has been excessively long
I own a 2015 Ford Escape. The rearview backup camera intermittently fails when I first start the vehicle. Each time I put the car in reverse shortly after startup, the screen displays the message: “Camera is unavailable. Please contact your dealership.” After driving for several minutes, the camera usually begins working again. This is a safety concern because the camera is not available when I first back out of parking spaces, driveways, or other areas where pedestrians, children, or other vehicles may be present. The failure is unpredictable, and the camera is supposed to be a safety device to prevent accidents while reversing. The issue seems to worsen in hot weather, but it has happened on multiple occasions regardless of temperature. I have researched and found that other Ford owners report similar issues with backup cameras failing intermittently. Since rearview cameras are federally mandated safety equipment, I believe this problem should be investigated for a possible recall.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Older man pulled out in front of me, I t-boned his truck going 47 mph. His insurance totaled it. The airbags never deployed.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
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..
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
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 .
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .