Power Train. Review the 320 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Back Over Prevention. Review the 206 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 199 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

36 crash reports10 fire reports16 injury reports

Visibility/wiper complaints

14 reports

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59,941 miles · Jun 30, 2019

Visibility/wiper

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WINDSHIELD WIPERS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING ON JUNE 20, 2019. CONFIRMED IT WAS NOT A FUSE. IT WAS SUMMER WHILE I WAS AWAY ON VACATION WHEN THIS HAPPENED WHICH IS AN 8 HR DRIVE FROM HOME. WIPERS SPONTANEOUSLY STARTED WORKING LIKE NORMAL AFTER TWO DAYS NOT WORKING. THAT SAME DAY ON JUNE 22, 2019 DURING DRIVE IN 95 DEGREE HEAT ON HIGHWAY IN STAND STILL TRAFFIC ON 8 HOUR DRIVE HOME, WIPERS STARTED TURNING ON AT VARIABLE SPEEDS ON THEIR OWN AND COULD NOT BE SHUT OFF, CHANGED SPEEDS, OR AFFECTED BY ANYTHING WITH THE WIPER SWITCH. THE WIPERS ARE NOT AUTOMATIC OR RAIN SENSING AND IT WAS A CLEAR DAY. WIPERS DID NOT TURN OFF UNTIL TRAFFIC CLEARED, THE CAR WAS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND PRESUMABLY COULD BE COOLED BY THE CAR MOVING. A SLIGHT MELTING SMELL WAS NOTED DURING SPONTANEOUS TURNING ON OF WIPERS. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY CONTROL MODULE AS THE CONNECTION WAS BAD AND AFFECTING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. COST ME $433.47 IN PARTS AND LABOR.

NHTSA ODI #11228586

24,750 miles · Aug 13, 2018

Visibility/wiper

****NOTE - VIN FOR A TOYOTA RAV4 2010, NOT A 2016 FORD ESCAPE. NEED MORE INFORMATION **** IN LIGHT RAIN, THE WIPERS JAM ON THE WINDSHIELD. AT TIMES, DIRECTLY IN YOUR VIEW. THIS OCCURS FREQUENTLY. IT OCCURS WHEN MOVING AND STATIONARY.

NHTSA ODI #11119537

17,000 miles · Feb 15, 2018

Visibility/wiper

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THE BACK WINDSHIELD ON MY 2016 FORD ESCAPE SHATTERED FOR THE SECOND TIME WITHIN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IN BOTH INSTANCES, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS WARMING UP THE CAR ONE MORNING AT MY RESIDENCE WITH THE BACK DEFROSTER ON. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT THIS WEEK, WHICH I DID NOT DISCOVER UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY UPON APPROACHING THE VEHICLE. THE BACK DEFROSTER WAS USED WHILE WARMING UP THE VEHICLE THAT MORNING. THE CAUSE OF THIS IS UNKNOWN, HOWEVER, I SUSPECT IT MAY SOMEHOW BE RELATED EITHER WITH USE OF THE BACK DEFROSTER COMBINED WITH THE COLD WEATHER, OR PERHAPS SOMETHING STRUCTURALLY. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS OCCUR WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE I'VE DRIVEN BEFORE AND FOR IT TO HAPPEN TWICE LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS SOME SORT OF DEFECT WITH THE VEHICLE, AS I DO NOT BELIEVE IT WAS HIT WITH A FOREIGN OBJECT, ESPECIALLY TWO TIMES. BESIDES THE COST AND INCONVENIENCE, I AM ALSO CONCERNED WITH A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE INVOLVING THE BACK WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ODI #11073031

500 miles · Oct 20, 2016

Visibility/wiper

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD ESCAPE. WHEN IT RAINED, AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF WATER ENTERED THE VEHICLE. THE WATER POURED INTO THE VEHICLE FROM THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE WINDOWS. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE TO BECOME DRENCHED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR R…

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NHTSA ODI #10917588

Official recalls

26V011000 · Equipment:electrical:engine Block Heater

Jan 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 & remedy

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.

25V695000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

Oct 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 & remedy

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.

22V413000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl); Power Train:shift Linkage/cable/rod

Jun 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 & remedy

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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:shift Linkage/cable/rod

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.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

17V398000 · Air Bags:knee Bolster

Jun 26, 2017

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Ford Escape vehicles. The driver's knee airbag modules installed in these vehicles were produced without the inflator gas generant material, and, as a result, the air bags may not inflate properly in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash, if the driver's knee air bag does not inflate as intended, the driver has an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace driver's knee air bag, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C11.

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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Ford Escape problems

Ford Escape transmission problems →Ford Escape electrical problems →