2015 Ford ESCAPE: complaints, problems and recalls

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD ESCAPE (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR WHEEL WELLS WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,800. UPDATED 03/04/15*LJ UPDATED 10/15/2015*JS

Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10667633 at NHTSA ↗

MY WIFE HAD A FLAT TIRE ON THIS BRAND NEW CAR AFTER ONLY ABOUT 1,600 MILES. THE TIRES ON THIS NEW CAR ARE THE CONTINENTAL CONTIPROCONTACT 235/45 R19 95H. THERE APPEARED TO BE A SMALL GASH/SLIT TOWARD THE RIM OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE -- ON THE SIDE OF THE TIRE. MY WIFE DOES NOT RECALL DRIVING OVER ANY ROAD HAZARD THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED SUCH A GASH/SLIT. THERE WAS ALSO AIR SEEPING FROM THE TIRE WHERE IT MEETS THE RIM WHEN I TOOK IT INTO OUR FORD DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT WHERE THIS WAS LEAKING. DOESN'T SEEM TO ME THAT WE NECESSARILY DID ANYTHING …

Owner-reported narrative. 1,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10680335 at NHTSA ↗

BRAND NEW 2015 FORD ESCAPE DROVE FINE UNTIL 800 + MILES THEN... ACCELERATOR HESITATION OF 2-3 SECONDS OR MORE OCCURS AFTER INITIAL OR FIRST USE OF ACCELERATOR. HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS WARM OR COLD. UNSAFE TO PULL OUT OF DRIVEWAYS, MAKE LANE CHANGES SAFELY ETC IF ANY CARS WITHIN VIEW OR NEARBY. COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN TRAFFIC. FIRST VISIT FOR REPAIR: FORD DEALER AND FORD MANUFACTURER EXPLAIN HESITATION BUT DO NOT DENY IT IS OCCURRING. SERVICE DRIVE AND MANUFACTURER EXPLANATION FOR HESITATION IS: "ENGINE IS GEARING DOWN" "THE TURBO IS…

Owner-reported narrative. 868 miles reported. Look up ODI 10689793 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE EXHIBITS SEVERE INTERMITTENT BRAKE SQUEAL. THREE TIMES IN FOR SERVICE. 1ST TIME, NO PROBLEM FOUND. SECOND TIME, WITH VIDEO EVIDENCE OF SQUEAL, TECH DIAGNOSED LEFT REAR BRAKE. DEGLAZED AND AND CLEANED. 3RD TIME, PADS CHANGED AND ROTORS MACHINED. NO CHANGE. SQUEAL RETURNED IN TWO DAYS. ADVISED BY FORD THIS IS NORMAL, BUT I COULD TAKE IT TO ANOTHER DEALER FOR SERVICE. THREE TIMES IN ONE MONTH. *JS

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10690483 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF AN AMBULANCE, THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A PATCH OF BLACK ICE. THE VEHICLE SLID TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRAVELED DOWN A TEN FOOT EMBANKMENT. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A WALL AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER SUFFERED A MILD CONCUSSION AND LACERATIONS ON BOTH SIDES OF HIS EARS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION ON THE SCENE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,361 miles reported. Look up ODI 10691672 at NHTSA ↗

PURCHASED VEHICLE 1/30/2015 AND DROVE OFF LOT WITH 3 MILES ON IT. LESS THAN A WEEK LATER VEHICLE STARTED STALLING AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND HESITATING UPON ACCELERATION. VEHICLE WAS IN FORD REPAIR SHOP FOR 12 DAYS WITH 1200 WORTH OF PARTS REPLACED ON TRANSMISSION. PICKED UP VEHICLE WITH 810 MILES ON IT AND LESS THAN A WEEK AND 150 MILES LATER THE VEHICLE IS AGAIN STALLING AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS UPON ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 788 miles reported. Look up ODI 10692693 at NHTSA ↗

THE ADDED REMOTE START WORKS. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU OPEN ANY DOOR TO GET IN THE ESCAPE...THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF. I WOULD THINK THAT THIS WOULD INCREASE THE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE ENGINE, STARTER, AND THE IGNITION DUE TO THE FACT THAT YOUR HAVING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AGAIN.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10702413 at NHTSA ↗

WARNING ON SCREEN. TAKE CAR TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND AFTER SITTING THERE FOR OVER 3 HOURS I WAS TOLD THE ISSUE WAS THE COOLING TEMPERATURE SENSOR. WHEN THEY CAME TO TELL ME THE CAR WAS FINISHED I WAS TOLD THEY DID NOT DO ANYTHING BUT UNPLUG THE SENSOR AND WAIT 5 MINUTES THE RECONNECT TO CLEAR THE CODE. SINCE THEN THE CAR TAKES A LONG TIME TO HEAT UP FOR THE HEATER. IT WILL BLOW COLD AIR. I AM DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS CAR. I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO WAIT OVER 3 HOURS AT THE DEALER EITHER FOR JUST UNPLUGGING THE SE…

Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10703798 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2015-06-24 (June 24, 2015)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured May 19, 2014, to February 6, 2015, and Transit Connect vehicles manufactured May 11, 2014, to July 2, 2015. Due to a software incompatibility issue, the instrument panel cluster be inoperative including a blank multiple functional display (MFD), and non-functional warning chimes, messages and warning lights. Specific warning chimes, messages and warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Control and Displays."

Consequence: If the instrument cluster is inoperative, the driver of may not be warned of safety related issues such as low tire pressures or disabled air bags, increasing the risk of personal injury or a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument panel software, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C03.

Reported: 2015-07-08 (July 8, 2015)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured April 1, 2014, to June 12, 2015, Ford Focus vehicles manufactured June 17, 2014, to June 12, 2015, and Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured April 22, 2014, to June 12, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the engine may continue to run after the key or the START/STOP engine button is turned to off. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Consequence: If the engine does not turn off as expected, someone could move the transmission shifter out of park and the vehicle may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. The recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C06.

Reported: 2016-09-06 (September 6, 2016)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.

Consequence: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S30.

Reported: 2017-07-25 (July 25, 2017)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford F-150 and E-350, 2014-2015 Ford Escape, and 2015 Lincoln MKC vehicles. Improperly manufactured bolts may have been used to install certain seats, seatbacks, seatbelt buckles, or seatbelt anchors on these vehicles.

Consequence: The improperly manufactured bolts may fracture. If a seat, seatback, or seatbelt anchor attaching bolt fractures, the affected component may not be properly secured, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected bolts, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed September 8, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available in the fourth quarter of 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S17.

Reported: 2020-06-08 (June 8, 2020)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.

Consequence: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.

Reported: 2022-04-14 (April 14, 2022)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015 Escape vehicles equipped with 2.0L engines. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shifter bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S25.

Reported: 2022-06-10 (June 10, 2022)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

Reported: 2025-10-13 (October 13, 2025)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.

Consequence: A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, 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 October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.

Reported: 2026-01-15 (January 15, 2026)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

Consequence: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.