Problems · NHTSA complaints

2025 Ford Escape problems

Owners filed 26 complaints about the 2025 Ford Escape with NHTSA between Jun 2025 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (7).

Complaints
26
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system7
  2. Engine5
  3. Forward collision avoidance4
  4. Engine and engine cooling4
  5. Power train3
  6. Steering2
  7. Lane departure2
  8. Structure2
  9. Vehicle speed control2
  10. Fuel/propulsion system2
  11. Exterior lighting1
  12. Visibility/wiper1
  13. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  14. Air bags1

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 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20257
202619

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.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

7 reports3 related recalls
“I am requesting a serious investigation into potentially life-threatening steering, braking, and stability-control interventions in modern vehicles. I have experienced unexpected steering forces, directional changes, shaking, and behavior consistent with unintended wheel-specific braking across multiple vehicles, including my 2019 Toyota Prius and rental vehicles from several manufacturers. These behaviors occur on ordinary roads with uneven asphalt, pavement seams, manhole covers, and cross-slopes. I am concerned that electronic steering, stability control, wheel-speed sensors, or driver-assistance systems may be interacting incorrectly. How can these features be considered safe if their interventions can push a vehicle toward another traffic lane or into a bicycle lane? The risk is especially serious during freeway lane changes, when drivers must simultaneously monitor traffic ahead, approaching vehicles behind, blind spots, and available space. An unexpected steering or braking intervention at that moment can create a dangerous loss of control. I am also concerned that drivers may lack a meaningful way to disable certain interventions, even when they believe…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 10, 2026Steering, Electrical system, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11770269

Engine

5 reports1 related recall
“I bought this vehicle in mid April 2026 with 9,500 miles. It has the 1.5L Ecoboost engine. I drove the car for 3,000 miles and noticed the coolant was at ‘minimum’ and wondered why a car with so few miles is using coolant. I took the car to my dealer and they confirmed coolant intrusion into the engine due to a bad head gasket. The vehicle is now at the dealer waiting on either a new head gasket or other more intensive repairs due to internal damage. I wanted to flag this because the engine is the 3rd version of this engine but the same issues as previous versions. The repair is under warranty.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2026EngineODI 11739774

Forward collision avoidance

4 reports
“I am writing to file a formal safety complaint regarding a systemic, life-threatening defect in the tuning of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) software in modern vehicles, specifically experienced in the 2024 Ford Escape. I am a professional driver who operates vehicles for approximately 14 hours a day. My livelihood and my life depend on predictable vehicle handling. The current federal mandates surrounding un-deletable active driver assists are not protecting drivers; they are actively creating high-risk highway hazards. The Safety Defect: When encountering standard municipal road imperfections—such as sunken manhole covers, jagged asphalt seams, or road inclinations—the vehicle’s inertial (G-sensor) and lane-keeping software drastically overreacts. 1. Unprovoked Steering Redirection: The software interprets mechanical displacement from a pothole or road seam as an accidental lane drift. The vehicle then forcefully and violently applies steering torque to "correct" the lane position, throwing the vehicle toward adjacent traffic lanes. 2. Aggressive Stability Control Intervention: Upon hitting a road depression,…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 7, 2026Lane departure, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11769493

Engine and engine cooling

4 reports1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2025 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the message that the engine was overheating was displayed, and the vehicle drove under reduced power. The contact exited the highway, pulled into a gas station, and waited for the engine to cool down. The contact resumed driving, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer with the check engine warning light illuminated. The dealer later informed the contact that the warning light was no longer illuminated, and the failure could not be duplicated while test-driving the vehicle for an hour. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 23, 2026Engine and engine coolingODI 11752454

Power train

3 reports
“1. Passenger airbag fails to activate randomly. Passenger airbag light shows "off" with a passenger in the seat. Sometimes it works but often stays off for a whole day. 2. Transmission shifts gears by itself. Drive to neutral, Reverse to park. A software update changed the behavior but did not eliminate the fault. Now goes from Drive to Park. One time the vehicle shut off by itself after shifting from Drive to Park. It has been to the dealer 3 times for these problems, now scheduled for a fourth time. They keep saying they can't find the fault.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 12, 2026Power train, Air bagsODI 11723865

Steering

2 reports
“Turn Signal is barely audible when turning. If the radio is on, or at higher speeds on the highway, it is impossible to hear the turn signal. Sometimes, you may miss hit the turn signal when changing lanes, and may not actual signal, when you meant to.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 7, 2025Steering, Electrical systemODI 11698285
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.