Problems · NHTSA complaints
2011 Ford Escape Hybrid problems
Owners filed 1,334 complaints about the 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid with NHTSA between Jan 2011 and Jul 2026. The most-cited component is steering (408).
Complaints
1,334
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
39
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
39
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Steering408
- Power train273
- Fuel/propulsion system256
- Vehicle speed control253
- Engine251
- Electrical system112
- Structure42
- Fuel system, gasoline33
- Suspension31
- Air bags27
- Service brakes26
- Visibility/wiper25
- Visibility23
- Engine and engine cooling17
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
25
27
399
109
73
78
110
131
78
53
55
62
56
43
34
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 25 |
| 2012 | 27 |
| 2013 | 399 |
| 2014 | 109 |
| 2015 | 73 |
| 2016 | 78 |
| 2017 | 110 |
| 2018 | 131 |
| 2019 | 78 |
| 2020 | 53 |
| 2021 | 55 |
| 2022 | 62 |
| 2023 | 56 |
| 2024 | 43 |
| 2025 | 34 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Steering
408 reports5 crashes
“The steering wheel locked in one position i pulled over shut off the car restarted and the steering wheel started working again. Is their a recall on my 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid with this problem. This scared me to death I got lucky and the road was straight and I was able to stop the car. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX]”
Power train
273 reports2 crashes
“While driving, the power steering assist intermittently fails without warning. This makes steering very difficult and creates a serious safety hazard, especially at low speeds or during turns. The issue can be temporarily resolved by turning the engine off and restarting the vehicle, but it recurs unpredictably. There are no warning lights or error messages displayed on the dashboard. This is a known issue on this model year and may relate to a defective EPS (electric power steering) module. Please investigate.”
Fuel/propulsion system
256 reports1 crash1 fire
“The fuel pump was replaced and a new one was installed and now the engine is misfiring really hard and when the vehicle is placed in drive or reverse the engine tries to stall. The mechanic is saying that I will have to purchase a fuel rail pressure sensor that controls the fuel to each fuel injector. If this item or the whole fuel system is on a Recall List. Then I shouldn't have to pay anything to have it repaired and replaced by the Dealership. I do need to be notified about this issue immediately. This is a 2011 Ford Escape XLT AWD 4dr SUV with 3.0 V6 Flex Fuel system.”
Vehicle speed control
253 reports8 crashes
“THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STARTED BY FLASHING ALL LIGHTS TO STAYING ON. THEN THE SPEED CONTROLS, SPEEDOMETER, RPM GAUGE, AND HEAT SENSOR WOULD NOT WORK. ON TOP OF ALL THIS. THE BRAKES BEGAN TO MAKE A CLICKING NOISE WHEN THIS ISSUE WOULD HAPPEN AND THE BRAKES WOULD ACT ROUGH. NO MECHANIC COULD FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM UNTIL IT WAS TO LATE. THIS NEEDS TO BE BETTER KNOWN AND BETTER MANAGED.”
Engine
251 reports3 crashes5 fires
“The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and jerked, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was diagnosed by Roadside Assistance as a failure with the alternator. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed as it was confirmed that the alternator had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The dealer was not contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,499.”
Electrical system
112 reports2 crashes3 fires
“The contact owned a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, as the contact was approaching a traffic light, the brake pedal was depressed; however, it failed to stop as intended. The contact moved to the other lane when the vehicle came to a stop. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone and the contact was informed that three sensors needed to be replaced. Two sensors were replaced; however, the ABS sensor was not replaced due to cost. The contact stated that on the drive home, an abnormal odor was coming from the vehicle. While the vehicle was parked, the vehicle was consumed by fire and destroyed. The Fire and Police departments were called. A fire report was filed; the Fire Department stated the cause of the fire was due to faulty wiring. The contact notified her insurance company and the vehicle was towed to an unknown location. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.