← New search

2011 Ford Escape Hybrid

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 68.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Escape Hybrid years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

36 reports with mileage · 1 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Steering. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Power Train complaints

5 reports
Clear category filter
114,980 miles · Sep 14, 2018
EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE, USED, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. I ASKED FOR THE CARFAX AND IF THERE WERE ANY ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. THE SALESMAN LET ME GLANCE AT HIS SCREEN AND SCROLLED THROUGH TO HUMOR ME AND PROMISED THERE WERE NO ISSUES. A FEW DAYS AGO WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY USING CRUISE CONTROL, THE CC KICKED OFF AND MY CAR JERKED…

Read full complaint

I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE, USED, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. I ASKED FOR THE CARFAX AND IF THERE WERE ANY ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. THE SALESMAN LET ME GLANCE AT HIS SCREEN AND SCROLLED THROUGH TO HUMOR ME AND PROMISED THERE WERE NO ISSUES. A FEW DAYS AGO WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY USING CRUISE CONTROL, THE CC KICKED OFF AND MY CAR JERKED. SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD TROUBLE ACCELERATING AND CONTROLLING THE SPEED OF MY CAR. A LITTEL ORANGE WRENCH CAME ON. THIS MORNING AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I FELT LIKE I ALMOST GOT INTO 3 ACCIDENTS FOR LACK OF CONTROL OF MY CAR. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME I SHOULDN'T EVEN BE DRIVING IT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF SPEED CONTROL. NOW I'M STUCK PAYING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS, MAYBE THOUSANDS, FOR LACK OF PROPER DISCLOSURE AND FAULTY MANUFACTURING. FORD ISSUES A LIFETIME WARRANTY RATHER THAN A RECALL, WHICH IS A DISGRACE AS THEY'RE WAITING FOR CUSTOMERS TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS AND GET HURT BEFORE THEY FIX ANYTHING. THIS SHOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE!

NHTSA ODI #11129597

13,000 miles · Sep 1, 2015
EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING EASTBOUND ON I70 THROUGH KANSAS, MY 2011 ESCAPE HYBRID LOST POWER TO THE DRIVE TRAIN. WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE STARTED RACING AS IF IT HAD SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. WHILE COASTING, I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN BACK TO DRIVE. IT CONTINUED TO BE UNRESPONSIVE TO MY STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I COASTED…

Read full complaint

WHILE DRIVING EASTBOUND ON I70 THROUGH KANSAS, MY 2011 ESCAPE HYBRID LOST POWER TO THE DRIVE TRAIN. WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE STARTED RACING AS IF IT HAD SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. WHILE COASTING, I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN BACK TO DRIVE. IT CONTINUED TO BE UNRESPONSIVE TO MY STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I COASTED TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. I DID NOT NOTICE ANY INDICATOR WARNING AT THE TIME, ALTHOUGH IN SUBSEQUENT SIMILAR EVENTS, THE STOP SAFELY HAZARD WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND RESTARTED. THE CAR SHOWED NO SIGN OF ANY PROBLEM. I PUT THE CAR IN GEAR AND DROVE ON WITHOUT FURTHER TROUBLE. THE DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AND SUGGESTED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS SOMEHOW A RANDOM OCCURRENCE THAT WAS UNLIKELY TO HAPPEN AGAIN. AS I DISCOVERED, IT HAPPENED OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUT ONLY ON LONG TRIPS, AND THE SERVICE PEOPLE COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. MOST RECENTLY THE CAR FAILED AS DESCRIBED NO LESS THAN 16 TIMES ON A 1300 MILE TRIP THIS SUMMER.

NHTSA ODI #10760726

71,099 miles · Jul 12, 2015
Power Train

I DROVE AWAY FROM MY HOME AND FOR THE FIRST TWO BLOCKS FELT THAT THE CAR WAS ACTING SLUGGISH AND NOT ACCELERATING PROPERLY; I WAS HAVING TROUBLE GETTING OVER 15 MPH. I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR SLOWLY ACCELERATED TO AROUND 25 MPH. THE WRENCH WARNING LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. I PULLED OVER, STOPPED …

Read full complaint

I DROVE AWAY FROM MY HOME AND FOR THE FIRST TWO BLOCKS FELT THAT THE CAR WAS ACTING SLUGGISH AND NOT ACCELERATING PROPERLY; I WAS HAVING TROUBLE GETTING OVER 15 MPH. I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR SLOWLY ACCELERATED TO AROUND 25 MPH. THE WRENCH WARNING LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. I PULLED OVER, STOPPED AND STARTED IT AGAIN, BUT AGAIN THE ACCELERATION WAS VERY SLOW. I THEN TURNED AROUND HEADED FOR HOME, VERY AFRAID THAT IT WOULD SIMPLY ROLL TO A STOP. OVER A DISTANCE OF 10 BLOCKS, WITH THE ACCELERATOR PRESSED TO THE FLOOR THE ENTIRE TIME, I ONLY MANAGED TO GET TO 25 MPH AND THAT TOOK MANY MINUTES. I ONLY HAVE 71,000 MILES ON THE CAR, AND THERE WERE NO ISSUES AT ALL BEFORE THIS, NOT EVEN WHEN WE DROVE EARLIER ON THE SAME DAY.

NHTSA ODI #10733438

33,000 miles · Sep 15, 2014
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING MY NEWLY PURCHASED FORD ESCORT (BOUGHT IN MAY 2014) I LOST POWER,THE VEHICLE DID NOT SHUT OFF BUT I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE & IT SPUTTERED & SHOOK UNTIL I COULD SAFELY PULL OFF THE ROAD. A LIGHTED WRENCH CAME ON WHICH I HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS UNTIL I LOOKED IN THE MANUAL (DRIVETRAIN). ONCE I WAS SAFELY OFF THE R…

Read full complaint

WHILE DRIVING MY NEWLY PURCHASED FORD ESCORT (BOUGHT IN MAY 2014) I LOST POWER,THE VEHICLE DID NOT SHUT OFF BUT I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE & IT SPUTTERED & SHOOK UNTIL I COULD SAFELY PULL OFF THE ROAD. A LIGHTED WRENCH CAME ON WHICH I HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS UNTIL I LOOKED IN THE MANUAL (DRIVETRAIN). ONCE I WAS SAFELY OFF THE ROAD I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF & WAITED AWHILE & STARTED IT BACK UP & IT HAD POWER AGAIN & I CONTINUED ON MY WAY. I WAS OUT OF TOWN AT THE TIME WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. I REALLY AM CONFUSED AS TO WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS. I FEEL MY FAMILY WAS IN DANGER AS I WAS ON A VERY BUSY ROADWAY & LOST POWER IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS MY FIRST FORD VEHICLE & SO FAR NOT IMPRESSED. I REALLY HOPE THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE SOON. WHY DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THERE IS A CATASTROPHE FOR SOMETHING TO GET DONE? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10633224

62,000 miles · Sep 2, 2013
Power Train

AS I WAS PULLING OUT ON THE ROAD WITH MY WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN ABOARD, THE CAR SUDDENLY AND WITH OUT WARNING LOST POWER AND WENT INTO LIMP MODE. SOME $500.00 PLUS DOLLARS LATER, WE FOUND OUT THE THROTTLE BODY, SAME AS THE ARTICLE MENTIONED, WAS DEFECTIVE AND WE WERE ALSO TOLD THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE PART FROM THE FACT…

Read full complaint

AS I WAS PULLING OUT ON THE ROAD WITH MY WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN ABOARD, THE CAR SUDDENLY AND WITH OUT WARNING LOST POWER AND WENT INTO LIMP MODE. SOME $500.00 PLUS DOLLARS LATER, WE FOUND OUT THE THROTTLE BODY, SAME AS THE ARTICLE MENTIONED, WAS DEFECTIVE AND WE WERE ALSO TOLD THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE PART FROM THE FACTORY BUT A RECALL HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED. THANK GOD I WAS NOT PASSING ANYONE AT THE TIME. FORD SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10538393

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

3

DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

DP15001 · Loss Of Power Steering While Driving

Opened Apr 1, 2015 · Closed Jun 14, 2018

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering:electric Power Assist System

On May 27, 2014, amended June 2, 2014, Ford Motor Company (Ford) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect that may result in a sudden loss of power steering assist while driving in approximately 746,067 model year (MY) 2008 through 2011 Ford Escape vehicles equipped with electric power assisted steering (NHTSA 14V-284, Ford 14S05). Ford's DIR described the defect condition as a poor signal to noise ratio [SNR] in the torque sensor within the Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) system [which] does not allow the PSCM to determine the driver's steering input. When the system detects this fault condition, it transitions the EPAS system to the fail-safe/manual steering mode.Ford's DIR indicates that loss of power steering assist while driving would require higher steering effort at lower vehicle speeds, which may result in an increased risk of a crash.Ford's remedy instructs dealers to check the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) to determine the proper repair procedure. If no DTCs are present, dealers are to update the PSCM and instrument cluster module software. The updated PSCM software changes the torque sensor fault strategy so that the SNR condition does not result in a loss of power steering assist while driving.In addition, audible and visual warnings are provided for torque sensor faults.If DTCs indicating faults in the torque sensor, PSCM or Power Steering Motor (motor) are present in the initial recall inspection, the dealer performs the following repairs: 1) replaces the torque sensor for torque sensor faults (DTC B2278); or 2) replaces the steering column for faults related to the PSCM (DTC B1342) or motor (DTC B2277).Continued in attachment pages

DP12006 · Electronic Throttle Body Malfunction

Opened Oct 2, 2012 · Closed Feb 21, 2013

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine

In a letter dated August 30, 2012, The North Carolina Consumers Council (NCCC) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a defect investigation of alleged electronic throttle body failures resulting in engine stall or surge while driving in model year (MY) 2005 through 2012 Ford Escape vehicles. On October 2, 2012 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Defect Petition DP12-006 to evaluate whether to grant or deny the petition. The petition is hereby granted on certain model years. The NCCC letter cites two complaints of stall while driving in MY 2009 Ford Escape vehicles that were diagnosed as failed throttle bodies with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P2111, Throttle Body Stuck Open, and P2112, Throttle Body Stuck Closed. The petitioner indicates that the owners of both vehicles reported experiencing repeated incidents of stalling and engine surging. According to Ford, Escape non-hybrid vehicles are equipped with Electronic Throttle Body (ETB) assemblies beginning with MY 2009. Vehicles manufactured between June 22, 2009 and October 15, 2009 may contain contaminated printed circuit boards (PCB) with plating variations. Plating variations could lead to a lack of continuity in the throttle position sensor circuit where P2111 and/or other DTCs would be generated and stored. Ford and its electronic throttle body supplier, Delphi, modified the PCB manufacturing process and issued a technical service bulletin (TSB) 09-23-5. Vehicles produced after October 15, 2009 incorporated ETBs manufactured with a PCB process that resolved this condition. ODI's analysis identified a total of 123 unique reports indicating allegations of reduced motive power or vehicle stall. Depending on the condition of throttle control system malfunction, a driver may experience varying levels of reduced engine performance associated with three limp home modes. In two limp modes, reduced engine performance may maintain vehicle speeds above 20mph while the third is a limited limp home mode with engine speeds limited to approximately 900 RPM. Allegations of stall appear to be related to the limited limp home mode. Vehicles are not likely to unexpectedly stall as a result of this condition, but drivers may characterize the reduced functionality as a stall, even though their vehicle may still has motive capability. Allegations of vehicle surge appear to be related to limp home mode operation. Complaints alleging surge are most likely related to engine RPM fluctuations at low vehicle speeds or idle as the control system engages to prevent engine stall. In limited limp mode, rough-idle conditions may exist while the control system attempts to modulate engine RPMs once the vehicle reaches a reduced speed to maintain approximately 900 RPM. Separately, ODI received 59 complaints alleging incidents of engine stall while driving in model year (MY) 2010-2011 Ford Fusion vehicles. Approximately 60 percent (36) of the incidents occurred at speeds of 40 miles per hour or more. Eighty percent of complaints (47) were received beginning March 2012 and 14 complaints reported that the throttle body was replaced or DTCs associated with limp home modes. Additionally, Ford issued TSB 10-21-6 addressing DTCs associated with idle speed drops and limited limp home mode. The petition is granted on certain model years.Preliminary Evaluation PE13-003 has been opened to assess the scope, frequency and potential safety consequences associated with the alleged defect.See full copy of the closing resume for this defect petition for list of the VOQs associated with the defect petition analysis.