2006 Ford ESCAPE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
464 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
83,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: . 405 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 92 of 464 complaints (19.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 93 | 20.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 68 | 14.7% |
| Engine operation | 41 | 8.8% |
| Steering behavior | 28 | 6.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 23 | 5.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 1.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 92 |
| Suspension | 60 |
| Power Train | 55 |
| Engine | 47 |
| Structure:Body | 45 |
| Service Brakes | 41 |
| Electrical System | 30 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 21 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 92; Suspension: 60; Power Train: 55; Engine: 47; Structure:Body: 45; Service Brakes: 41; Electrical System: 30; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 21
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 36 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 54 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 77 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 89 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 102 |
| 150,000 and above | 47 |
Under 25,000: 36; 25,000 to 49,999: 54; 50,000 to 74,999: 77; 75,000 to 99,999: 89; 100,000 to 149,999: 102; 150,000 and above: 47
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (102). 59 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 11 |
| 2007 | 12 |
| 2008 | 28 |
| 2009 | 28 |
| 2010 | 38 |
| 2011 | 35 |
| 2012 | 42 |
| 2013 | 40 |
| 2014 | 63 |
| 2015 | 52 |
| 2016 | 34 |
| 2017 | 14 |
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2019 | 13 |
| 2020 | 14 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2005: 1; 2006: 11; 2007: 12; 2008: 28; 2009: 28; 2010: 38; 2011: 35; 2012: 42; 2013: 40; 2014: 63; 2015: 52; 2016: 34; 2017: 14; 2018: 14; 2019: 13; 2020: 14; 2021: 5; 2022: 5; 2023: 8; 2024: 3; 2025: 3; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 93 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 68 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 41 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10155907 · 2006-04-23 (April 23, 2006)
I PURCHASED A 2006 ESCAPE HYBRID ON APRIL 9TH & IMMEDIATELY IT HAD BRAKE FAILURE PROBLEMS - ESSENTIALLY NO BRAKES. IT HAS BEEN AT DEALERSHIP SINCE APRIL 10TH. THEY CLAIMED IT WAS FIXED ON APRIL 22 & WHEN I WENT TO GET IT, SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED IN TEST DRIVE. THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT ELSE IS WRONG. THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE SENSOR, BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT DIDN'T RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE ESPECIALLY IN SOUTH FLORIDA, WHERE THE ABILITY TO PROPERLY BRAKE IS HIGHLY ESSENTIAL. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10155907 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10183311 · 2007-02-23 (February 23, 2007)
APPROXIMATELY EVERY 8,000 MILES THE PARKING BRAKE ON THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION, INLINE-4, FWD LOOSENS AND MUST BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE TIGHTENED. THUS FAR, THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE. WHILE PARKING ON A HILL THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE CLUTCH NO LONGER HOLDS THE VEHICLE IN PLACE AFTER 17,000 MILES. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10183311 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10183107 · 2007-02-21 (February 21, 2007)
ACCELERATOR WAS STICKING IN THE UP POSITION. TOOK GREAT FORCE TO FREE IT FROM THE UP POSITION TO GIVE THE VEHICLE GAS. AS THIS VEHICLE HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, IT WAS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. DEALER SAID THEY KNEW OF OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE THROTTLE BODY. REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY UNDER WARRANTY AND THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 12,553 miles reported. Look up ODI 10183107 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10191100 · 2007-05-03 (May 3, 2007)
2006 FORD ESCAPE XLT CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE SEAT COVERS HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER AND JERKING WHILE DRIVING OVER 70 MPH AND REAR WIPER NOT WORKING CORRECTLY**CC THE CONSUMER STATED SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE REST OF THE WAY TO HER DESTINATION, THE VEHICLE WAS RIDING ROUGH AND JERKING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A INOPERATIVE TORQUE CONVERTER. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL, DRIVE ROUGHLY AND JERKED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10191100 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10208786 · 2007-11-13 (November 13, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45-60 MPH OR WHEN SLOWING DOWN, THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND THE CONTACT MUST MAKE 2-5 ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THREE DEALERS AND NONE WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLS AFTER STOPPING. UPDATED 11/26/07. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10208786 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10147721 · 2006-01-13 (January 13, 2006)
2006 FORD ESCAPE XLT AWD - VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL AND CAN BE FELT IN BODY AT ABOUT 55-65 MPH. INTO DEALER 4X FOR ATTEMPTED REPAIRS. CONSULTED WITH FACTORY. NO IDEA WHAT IS CAUSING IT. DEALER STATED SOME OF THE MODELS ON THE LOT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS COULD BE AN ENGINEERING FAULT OR AN ASSEMBLY FAULT - BUT FORD IS SELLING FAULTY VEHICLES- AND NOT TAKING ANY SERIOUS ATTEMPT TO RECTIFY. COULD POTENTIALLY BE A SERIOUS MECHANICAL FAILURE IN THE FUTURE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10147721 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10161329 · 2006-07-03 (July 3, 2006)
SIGNIFICANT VIBRATION FELT AT STEERING WHEEL WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ENOUGH VIBRATION FELT TO CAUSE FATIGUE TO THE OPERATOR'S FOREARMS/HANDS - MOST UNPLEASANT WHEN DRIVING 100+ MILES. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10161329 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10172460 · 2006-11-02 (November 2, 2006)
AM/FM CD PLAYER COMES ON WITH ENGINE/IGNITION OFF. BOUGHT VEHICLE IN 2004 AND LATER THAT YEAR BROUGHT IT BACK TO DEALER BECAUSE RADIO WOULD COME ON BY ITSELF AND DRAIN BATTERY. DEALER REPLACED RADIO UNDER WARRANTY. IN 2005 BROUGHT VEHICLE IN TO DEALER AGAIN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER CLAIMS THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. NOTHING DONE. IN 2006 BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER AGAIN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, VEHICLE NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER CHARGED $80 DIAGNOSTIC FEE. STATED PROBLEM WAS DEFECTIVE RADIO, OFFERED TO REPLACE RADIO FOR $390 …
Owner-reported narrative. 20,050 miles reported. Look up ODI 10172460 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10186417 · 2007-03-28 (March 28, 2007)
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING NOISE WHEN SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKES AND NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. SHE HAD TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE DEALER CHANGED THE WIRING HARNESS. HOWEVER, SIX MONTHS LATER THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALER WAS INSPECTING THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE REASON FOR THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16…
Owner-reported narrative. 16,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10186417 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10289507 · 2009-10-23 (October 23, 2009)
I OWN A 2006 FORD ESCAPE XLT . FOR THE PAST MONTH OR SO, WHENEVER I TRY TO FILL UP MY GAS TANK WITH GAS, THE GAS PUMP TURNS OFF, PREVENTING ME FROM FUELING UP. I HAVE TRIED DIFFERENT GASOLINE COMPANIES AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. EVERYWHERE I GO, THE GAS PUMP WILL CLICK OFF ON ME AS IF THE GAS TANK IS FULL. I HAVE TO PULL OUT THE GAS NOZZLE, PLACE IT BACK IN AND IT THEN TURNS OFF AGAIN. HAPPENS OVER AND OVER. TAKES ME APPROX. 15 MINUTES TO FILL UP TANK.I HAVE CONTACTED FORD & THEY CLAIM THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING & THAT THERE …
Owner-reported narrative. 46,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10289507 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10352616 · 2010-08-29 (August 29, 2010)
FUEL TANK VENT SYSTEM DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. FUEL FILLER NOZZLE DOES NOT SHUT OFF, RESULTING IN FUEL OVERFILLING FROM THE FILL TUBE AND SPILLING OUT AROUND THE VEHICLE... SEEMS LIKE THIS COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10352616 at NHTSA ↗