RoadVitals

2024 Ford Escape

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
78
+2 complaints in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
8
Latest Jun 3, 2025
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
5
6 injuries, 1 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 78 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2024 Ford Escape, most frequently naming the driver assistance, electrical and engine categories. 8 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 159 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

8 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

ENGINE

Jun 3, 2025
404 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Escape, and 2025 Bronco Sport vehicles. The cylinder head may have been improperly manufactured, which can cause the ball plugs to fail, resulting in an oil leak.
The risk: An oil leak can result in loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the cylinder head assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S61.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 25S61View on NHTSA.gov

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER

May 23, 2025
6,781 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus, 2023-2025 Escape, 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2025 Lincoln Corsair, Maverick, and Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with a 1.5L or 2.0L MPC engine and an engine block heater. The engine block heater may overheat when the vehicle is parked with the block heater plugged in.
The risk: An overheated engine block heater can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the block heater element and inspect the electrical cord, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug coupled, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Owner notification letters were mailed June 9, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S52.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 25S52View on NHTSA.gov

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

May 9, 2025
1,076,138 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2022-2025 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator, and 2023-2024 Corsair vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse.
The risk: A frozen or missing rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on June 26, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Owner notification letters were sent on October 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S49.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 25S49View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

BrakesPowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Nov 3, 2026

I just had my oil change and I noticed that all power train parts are rusted like it's a 20 years old car when it's only 3 years old and I have picture that I can send you

NHTSA ID
11775325
Incident
Oct 23, 2026
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Oct 28, 2026

My vehicle was traveling okay back in the beginning of June 2026. While driving down the road with my children in the car the vehicle started throwing several codes out of no where. The codes were pre-collision assist not available, Service Advance Trac, Park Break fault service now. I took it to O'reileys after calling the Ford Dealership that (at the time) was local and that was their recommendation. I had the car scanned and it recorded a first cylinder misfire. We had to disconnect the battery and jump the car to get it to start. I brought the car to the Ford Dealership I baught the car from on June 12th where they kept the car for a week returning it on the 18th and stated they reprogrammed the gateway module. A week and a day later I had the same issue arise but with MORE codes, not starting without jumping, stalling while driving. the dealership had my car from 07/06/2026 - 07/27/2026 and replaced and reporgrammed the new gateway module. I made it 45 minutes from the dealership when the car started throwing even more codes including powertrain codes, parking brake codes. Endangering the lives of me and my children. The dealership came and got the car 7/29 via private tow and checked it in 7/30. They kept my car until 10/22 due to numerous codes, safety concerns. Stated they replaced the wiring harness, all modules, tested the wires one by one, applied a pigtail from the wiring harness to the PCM. Yesterday 10/27, five day after ford had my car for 85 days and we are throwing all the codes YET AGAIN for a 4th time but now umongst the stalling and the codes and the braking concerns we are also now having power steering concerns. This has now endagered the lives of me my husband and my children under numerous occasions. Ford has had my car a total of 112 days in the last 5 months 85 of them concecutively. We have even contacted Ford Motor Company and BBB Auto Line and were told there is nothing anyone can do due to it being out of premesis or over mileage.

NHTSA ID
11774328
Incident
Jun 10, 2026
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Aug 3, 2026
Crash reported2 injuries reported1 death reported

We are concerned that the seatbelt and possibly airbag malfunctioned and contributed to my mother in laws death on 11/17/2025. The drivers seatbelt had not been latching properly and would come unlatched at random times prior to the accident. The car was taken to dealership, based on the seatbelt not staying latched and it was repaired on 10/20/2025. She continued to have issues with it after the repair. Less than a month later, she was killed in a low speed collision. The cause of death was ruled blunt force trauma to the chest. The officer on the scene expressed concern that the seatbelt malfunctioned and that it did not hold her securely.

NHTSA ID
11754539
Incident
Nov 17, 2025
Filed Jul 17, 2026
Crash reported

I was driving my 2024 Ford Escape approximately at 20-25 mph on the street when the hood flew open, hit, and shattered my windshield. The hood remained against the windshield and I immediately stopped the car and removed the hood from the windshield. I was not injured as a result of this incident. There was no warning or alert that the hood might have been open. Most cars have a hood ajar alert but it appears that in this case the system failed. I subsequently drove the car home and alerted my insurance company and the Bill Brown Ford Dealership. I took the car to the dealership and they inspected the car and stated the safety hood latch was intact. However, prior to the incident, I did not open the hood nor did I release the hood safety latch. There was never a warning light to indicate the hood was ajar. I did filed a police report with the Farmington Hills Police Department. There were no

NHTSA ID
11751097
Incident
Jul 11, 2026
Airbags
Filed Jun 23, 2026
Crash reported1 injury reported

The car was in an accident. The curtain bags and the ones in the floor went off. The steering wheel did not.

NHTSA ID
11746059
Incident
Jun 18, 2026
Powertrain (other)
Filed May 22, 2026

I had problems with the brakes at first (system pressure). Than it was a powertrain failure. Followed by Turbocharger wastegate failure. It affected the vacuum system, brakes, and acceleration ability. Brakes became firm, but not stopping as well when applied. Had extreme loss of power trying to get up to speeds to enter highway & interstate at 60 then 70 mph. Dealership ended up replacing turbo wastegate. Exactly one week after getting it back. All the same happened again. Seeing others complaining of turbo wastegate failure (which is tied into vacuum/ pressure system & does in turn affect vehicle breaking system)

NHTSA ID
11739552
Incident
Mar 31, 2026
Engine
Filed May 19, 2026

On January [Insert Date], 2026, my 2024 Ford Escape suffered a sudden turbocharger failure that saturated the vehicle’s internal HVAC system with toxic ethylene glycol coolant. The vehicle’s ventilation system subsequently pumped these toxic chemical vapors directly into the enclosed passenger cabin. The inhalation of these toxic chemical vapors posed an immediate, life-threatening risk to my pregnant wife and myself (a patient with moderate persistent asthma), backed by formal medical warning letters from our OB/GYN and Pulmonologist. When I refused to take delivery of the un-remedied vehicle, a Ford corporate representative mandated that I drive it anyway, stating that if I suffered a respiratory crisis while operating the vehicle, I should simply "call the ambulance". This ultimatum caused an immediate severe hypertensive crisis (160/112 BP), requiring emergency medical transport to CHI Health Immanuel and cardiac evaluation. This represents a critical component failure causing toxic cabin air contamination, compounded by a complete failure of the manufacturer’s remedy. Ford Engineering and Woodhouse Ford Service admitted in writing that they have NO scientific test to verify cabin air safety and NO official technical procedure to decontaminate the internal HVAC housing following this chemical saturation. Ford’s only attempt at a remedy was an external spot clean and a simple filter replacement, leaving toxic residual chemicals inside the blower housing. Ford's directive to operate a chemically contaminated vehicle without any scientific validation of air safety constitutes an extreme, ongoing non-operational safety defect that risks public safety. To protect my family from severe injury, I was forced to abandon the vehicle at a massive financial loss.

NHTSA ID
11738745
Incident
Jan 8, 2026
Filed Apr 27, 2026

Power lift get kept closing which caused injury to my son. Lift gate if there is obstruction anywhere it should stop and go back up. Well this kept closing hit my son in the head caused severely bruised nose, laceration on his head and a mild concussion.

NHTSA ID
11733934
Incident
Apr 25, 2026

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

26-2449 v2

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

This bulletin supersedes 26-2428. Reason for update: update the Service Procedure to remove the fuel tank isolationvalve replacement and include the fuel vapor vent valve replacement, and update the causal part number.

26L03

POWER TRAIN

Special Field Action 26L03 Certain 2013-2024 Model Year California Emissions-Certified Vehicles Transmission Fluid Auxiliary Pump Reimbursement

TSB 26-2449

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

This bulletin supersedes 26-2428. Reason for update: to update the Service Procedure to remove the fuel tank isolation valve replacement and include fuel vapor vent valve replacement and update the causal part number. Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P2450 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to the software in the PCM and/or the fuel vapor vent valve.

TSB 26-2442

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin supersedes 26-2297. Reason for update: Add 2022-2025 Transit vehicles. Some of the vehicles listed in the model statement above equipped with SYNC4 may experience a blank center display screen or black center display screen after welcome animation. The rear-view camera will still function when shifting the vehicle to reverse under these conditions.

SYNC-26.2.9.3 F-150,Escap

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Quality improvements include: -Enhanced Android Auto and Car Play connectivity

SSM 55221

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; POWER TRAIN

For 20222026 vehicles equipped with a 8F35 transmission, a revision to the Road Testing Vehicle procedure has been made in the WSM, Section 307-01 > Diagnosis and Testing. This updated procedure improves the diagnosis of customer reported transmission concerns and aids in locating the proper root cause. During diagnosis and testing, details regarding whether the condition is more prevalent when the vehicle is hot or cold, throttle percentage at the time of occurrence, vehicle speed, the specific shift involved, and whether the issue occurs during transmission engagements (N>R, N>D, R>D, and/or D>R) should be noted in the warranty claim. Engineering requests including these detailed operating conditions that will significantly assist with root cause analysis. Diagnosis, testing, and repair should use established labor times outside this article.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Ford Escape by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026320—
2025269052.5
2024Viewing788062.3
202310211060.2
202223919267.5
202135619267.3
20201,62323262.7
20196043059.4
20181,8334059.6
20172,7104057.7
20161,1934062.8
20151,1489269.1
20142,09116264.0
20132,75318361.2
20126042254.8
20111,3203456.4
20102,0715455.7
20091,6933354.8
20081,9745358.2
20072544254.8
20064645153.9
20051,3945255.3
20044998661.8
20035589865.2
20021,027101067.3
2001996151166.3
2000500—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.