IllustrationParked car in garage on saturday like normally done for 3+ years. Next thing, car is completely unresponsive. Will not start, honk doesnt work, no lights nothing. If this happened in the middle of the road (and it has happened to other drivers), its a safety issue. Tried jump starting, nothing works.
2021 Ford Escape Hybrid
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2021 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
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
Limited mileage data: 21 of 122 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Engine. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
22 reportsBrakes became sluggish and parking brake would not disengage. Towed car to Autonation Ford. They diagnosed and found "internal failure of electric brake booster requiring replacement. It took them 30 days to locate a part and complete repairs. Car had 41,634 miles and the cost was $3,087 not including my $2,406 rental charges be…
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Brakes became sluggish and parking brake would not disengage. Towed car to Autonation Ford. They diagnosed and found "internal failure of electric brake booster requiring replacement. It took them 30 days to locate a part and complete repairs. Car had 41,634 miles and the cost was $3,087 not including my $2,406 rental charges before they offered a loaner. When I contacted Ford, they said it was out of warranty...I knew that.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the message that the vehicle had lost power was displayed. The contact disconnected the Hybrid setting and indicated the loss of power with the Hybrid battery. The failure was self-corrected; however, the failure stil…
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The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the message that the vehicle had lost power was displayed. The contact disconnected the Hybrid setting and indicated the loss of power with the Hybrid battery. The failure was self-corrected; however, the failure still occurred intermittently. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 21V869000 (Electrical System, Hybrid Propulsion System) and 22V149000 (Electrical System, Hybrid Propulsion System). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recalls. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer confirmed the VIN was not included in the recalls. The failure mileage was 50,000.
vehicle was recalled 11+ months ago, but no remedy as yet been found. If the issue was so serious, why no repair procedure has been determined?
My battery has died and needed replaced, there are transmission issues related to the recall and the power train failing.
Hybrid battery failure. Vehicle wouldn’t start and activated many warning notices on the instrument panel. Vehicle could not be shifted from the park position. Only way the vehicle could be moved was to activate the neutral tow feature which allowed shift knob to be moved from park to neutral position. Vehicle has since been…
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Hybrid battery failure. Vehicle wouldn’t start and activated many warning notices on the instrument panel. Vehicle could not be shifted from the park position. Only way the vehicle could be moved was to activate the neutral tow feature which allowed shift knob to be moved from park to neutral position. Vehicle has since been taken to Conway Ford in Conway SC to be repaired via flatbed truck towing service. Conway Ford worked on the vehicle and determined that a hybrid battery module needed to be replaced. After replacement of module the hybrid issue remained unresolved. Ford has since approved Convey Ford replacement of the hybrid battery. Dealer is currently in the process of replacing hybrid battery. Prior to the hybrid failure there were no advance notices.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the next morning the vehicle lost electrical power and failed to start. The contact could only open the door by using the key manually. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The fai…
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The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the next morning the vehicle lost electrical power and failed to start. The contact could only open the door by using the key manually. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The failure mileage was 14,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that AAA was notified and was able to jumpstart the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that a message indicating to turn off the voltage to save power or restart vehicle app…
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The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that AAA was notified and was able to jumpstart the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that a message indicating to turn off the voltage to save power or restart vehicle appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed to drive the vehicle more and the battery was replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the contact then stated that the front passenger’s side window inadvertently rolled down. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the glider and sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact related the failure to the NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V149000 (Electrical System, Hybrid Propulsion System). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after driving for an hour and parking the vehicle, after picking up her coat from the passenger’s side seat she saw a burn mark on the seat with smoke coming from the seat. Additionally, the contact had a burning sensation in her eyes due to the strong chemical burning…
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The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after driving for an hour and parking the vehicle, after picking up her coat from the passenger’s side seat she saw a burn mark on the seat with smoke coming from the seat. Additionally, the contact had a burning sensation in her eyes due to the strong chemical burning odor coming from the passenger’s seat. The contact did not seek medical assistance. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 37,600.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that on several occasions, the electrical system had malfunctioned causing the vehicle to inadvertently shut off. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the 12-volt battery was faulty. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included i…
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The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that on several occasions, the electrical system had malfunctioned causing the vehicle to inadvertently shut off. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the 12-volt battery was faulty. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V869000 (Electrical System, Hybrid Propulsion System). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. Additionally, while operating the vehicle, the Forward Collision Avoidance system activated; however, there was no vehicle or object nearby. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who changed the Forward Collision Avoidance System sensitivity however the failure continued. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 500.
Official recalls
122V109000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:hard Parts Internal/mechanical
Feb 24, 2022
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Escape Hybrid vehicles. The engine crankshaft may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the crankshaft and replace the engine, as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed March 2, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S10.
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
2PE23013 · Failed Door Check Arm Attachment Point
Opened Jul 7, 2023 · Closed Jan 24, 2024
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure:body:door ; Structure:body:door:hinge And Attachments
On July 7, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-013 to investigate instances of check arm bracket failure in the front doors in model year (MY) 2020-2021 Ford Escape vehicles. At the time of opening, ODI received 118 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging this failure. To date, ODI has received 593 VOQs alleging this failure, with a variety of reported failure conditions. The most common reported failure condition was reduced door functionality (e.g. door was more difficult to open or close) and the least common was inadvertent door opening. Other reported failure conditions include inability to latch and inability to open. Three VOQs reported injuries, one of which requiring medical attention. ODI conducted a consumer survey which yielded an additional 44 injuries (although the VOQs did not indicate any injury), none of which requiring medical attention. All these injuries were bumps/bruises from the door closing on occupants’ arms and legs while entering and exiting the vehicle. The function of the check arm system is to provide hold-open assist at specific angles and to assist with door closing energy. It does not provide vertical support of the door and is independent of the latching mechanism. This failure is progressive and detectable by vehicle occupants. Consumers commonly report hearing a popping or snapping noise when opening and closing the door. This noise is caused by some of the welds between the bracket and door structure failing and detaching. There may also be visible damage present to the welds in the door structure. Continued use of the door may result in all welds separating and the bracket fully detaching from the door structure, which could lead to increased resistance in closing and opening the door, restrained window operation, and the door freely rotating when open. ODI inspected 3 consumer vehicles in the field, and 2 test vehicles at Ford’s testing facility. The test vehicles were retrofitted with the failed component. ODI observed an increased door closing resistance, however, was unable to reproduce an inadvertent open while parked or driving, or a failure to latch or open condition. Testing also verified this failure did not affect the door ajar warning system. This system provides an audible and visual warning in the event a door did not achieve primary latch position. Ford has provided details on a one-time-repair customer satisfaction program (23B56), stating that they will provide customers with a letter, currently targeted for March 2024, to bring their vehicle to a Ford dealership for a proactive repair. Dealers will inspect the door check arm welds for damage and will either provide a rivet plate to reinforce the existing door check arm or will provide a replacement door, depending on the level of damage present. Customers will be eligible for reimbursement if they previously paid to repair this issue. In view of the high detectability of failure, low potential hazard to drivers, and Ford’s customer satisfaction program to provide a proactive repair, this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Structure:body:door
On July 7, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-013 to investigate instances of check arm bracket failure in the front doors in model year (MY) 2020-2021 Ford Escape vehicles. At the time of opening, ODI received 118 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging this failure. To date, ODI has received 593 VOQs alleging this failure, with a variety of reported failure conditions. The most common reported failure condition was reduced door functionality (e.g. door was more difficult to open or close) and the least common was inadvertent door opening. Other reported failure conditions include inability to latch and inability to open. Three VOQs reported injuries, one of which requiring medical attention. ODI conducted a consumer survey which yielded an additional 44 injuries (although the VOQs did not indicate any injury), none of which requiring medical attention. All these injuries were bumps/bruises from the door closing on occupants’ arms and legs while entering and exiting the vehicle. The function of the check arm system is to provide hold-open assist at specific angles and to assist with door closing energy. It does not provide vertical support of the door and is independent of the latching mechanism. This failure is progressive and detectable by vehicle occupants. Consumers commonly report hearing a popping or snapping noise when opening and closing the door. This noise is caused by some of the welds between the bracket and door structure failing and detaching. There may also be visible damage present to the welds in the door structure. Continued use of the door may result in all welds separating and the bracket fully detaching from the door structure, which could lead to increased resistance in closing and opening the door, restrained window operation, and the door freely rotating when open. ODI inspected 3 consumer vehicles in the field, and 2 test vehicles at Ford’s testing facility. The test vehicles were retrofitted with the failed component. ODI observed an increased door closing resistance, however, was unable to reproduce an inadvertent open while parked or driving, or a failure to latch or open condition. Testing also verified this failure did not affect the door ajar warning system. This system provides an audible and visual warning in the event a door did not achieve primary latch position. Ford has provided details on a one-time-repair customer satisfaction program (23B56), stating that they will provide customers with a letter, currently targeted for March 2024, to bring their vehicle to a Ford dealership for a proactive repair. Dealers will inspect the door check arm welds for damage and will either provide a rivet plate to reinforce the existing door check arm or will provide a replacement door, depending on the level of damage present. Customers will be eligible for reimbursement if they previously paid to repair this issue. In view of the high detectability of failure, low potential hazard to drivers, and Ford’s customer satisfaction program to provide a proactive repair, this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Structure:body:door:hinge And Attachments
On July 7, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-013 to investigate instances of check arm bracket failure in the front doors in model year (MY) 2020-2021 Ford Escape vehicles. At the time of opening, ODI received 118 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging this failure. To date, ODI has received 593 VOQs alleging this failure, with a variety of reported failure conditions. The most common reported failure condition was reduced door functionality (e.g. door was more difficult to open or close) and the least common was inadvertent door opening. Other reported failure conditions include inability to latch and inability to open. Three VOQs reported injuries, one of which requiring medical attention. ODI conducted a consumer survey which yielded an additional 44 injuries (although the VOQs did not indicate any injury), none of which requiring medical attention. All these injuries were bumps/bruises from the door closing on occupants’ arms and legs while entering and exiting the vehicle. The function of the check arm system is to provide hold-open assist at specific angles and to assist with door closing energy. It does not provide vertical support of the door and is independent of the latching mechanism. This failure is progressive and detectable by vehicle occupants. Consumers commonly report hearing a popping or snapping noise when opening and closing the door. This noise is caused by some of the welds between the bracket and door structure failing and detaching. There may also be visible damage present to the welds in the door structure. Continued use of the door may result in all welds separating and the bracket fully detaching from the door structure, which could lead to increased resistance in closing and opening the door, restrained window operation, and the door freely rotating when open. ODI inspected 3 consumer vehicles in the field, and 2 test vehicles at Ford’s testing facility. The test vehicles were retrofitted with the failed component. ODI observed an increased door closing resistance, however, was unable to reproduce an inadvertent open while parked or driving, or a failure to latch or open condition. Testing also verified this failure did not affect the door ajar warning system. This system provides an audible and visual warning in the event a door did not achieve primary latch position. Ford has provided details on a one-time-repair customer satisfaction program (23B56), stating that they will provide customers with a letter, currently targeted for March 2024, to bring their vehicle to a Ford dealership for a proactive repair. Dealers will inspect the door check arm welds for damage and will either provide a rivet plate to reinforce the existing door check arm or will provide a replacement door, depending on the level of damage present. Customers will be eligible for reimbursement if they previously paid to repair this issue. In view of the high detectability of failure, low potential hazard to drivers, and Ford’s customer satisfaction program to provide a proactive repair, this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
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.