CSR

Ford · NHTSA safety record

2023 Ford Escape

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 99 safety complaints about the 2023 Ford Escape with the US government. Of those, 2 describe a crash, 3 mention a fire, 1 person was injured and no death is recorded. 11 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 41 complaints, 41% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 19,280 miles, the median across the 25 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers August 2023 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

99 complaints on file

99

Complaints

2

Describe a crash

3

Mention fire

1

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 41 · 41%
ENGINE 28 · 28%
POWER TRAIN 22 · 22%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 11 · 11%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 9 · 9%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 7 · 7%
LANE DEPARTURE 7 · 7%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 7 · 7%
STRUCTURE 5 · 5%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 4 · 4%
SERVICE BRAKES 4 · 4%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 3 · 3%
0 19 38

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 99.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2026 at 39.

44 33 22 11
23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2023 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2023 Ford ESCAPE, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test SUV AWD SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 17.4% 16.9%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

11 on file

ENGINE

25V372000 · June 3, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Escape, and 2025 Bronco Sport vehicles. The cylinder head may have been improperly manufactured, which can cause the ball plugs to fail, resulting in an oil leak.
The risk
An oil leak can result in loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the cylinder head assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S61.

Ford Motor Company · up to 404 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE

25V345000 · May 23, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape, 2021-2023 Corsair, and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines that were repaired incorrectly under recall 23V380. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
The risk
An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
The remedy
Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as quickly as possible if they hear unexpected engine noises, notice a reduction in vehicle power, or see smoke. Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S54.

Ford Motor Company · up to 1,809 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

25V343000 · May 23, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus, 2023-2025 Escape, 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2025 Lincoln Corsair, Maverick, and Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with a 1.5L or 2.0L MPC engine and an engine block heater. The engine block heater may overheat when the vehicle is parked with the block heater plugged in.
The risk
An overheated engine block heater can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the block heater element and inspect the electrical cord, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug coupled, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Owner notification letters were mailed June 9, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S52.

Ford Motor Company · up to 6,781 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

25V315000 · May 9, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2022-2025 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator, and 2023-2024 Corsair vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse.
The risk
A frozen or missing rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, 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 June 26, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Owner notification letters were sent on October 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S49.

Ford Motor Company · up to 1,076,138 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/ENERGY CONTROL MODULE (BMS/BECM)

24V954000 · December 20, 2024

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Ford Escape, and 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.
The risk
Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Owners are advised not to charge battery till the remedy has been completed. Dealers will perform a battery energy control module (BECM) software update, and replace the high voltage battery pack, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 30, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S79.

Ford Motor Company · up to 20,484 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

24V852000 · November 8, 2024

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The risk
Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The remedy
Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.

Ford Motor Company · up to 27,678 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS

24V634000 · August 23, 2024

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2023-2024 Escape, 2024 Mustang, and 2025 Explorer vehicles. The fuel injectors may have been assembled without O-ring support discs, which can result in a fuel leak.
The risk
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will install new fuel injector O-rings and O-ring support discs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 7, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S54.

Ford Motor Company · up to 24 vehicles across all model years covered

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

24V440000 · June 14, 2024

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Escape two-wheel drive vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise control. The cruise control radar module was misaligned during production.
The risk
Misalignment of the radar module can result in the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) misclassifying an overhead object as an object in the vehicle's path, causing the vehicle to unexpectedly slow and/or stop. Other safety systems that depend on the radar model (Pre-Collision Assist, Forward Collision Warning, and Auto Emergency Braking) could have diminished or lost function. These conditions increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will adjust the angle of the radar module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 3, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S39.

Ford Motor Company · up to 209 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

23V506000 · July 21, 2023

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Escape, Super Duty F-250, Super Duty F-350, Super Duty F-450, and Super Duty F-550 vehicles equipped with a digital instrument panel cluster. The module may have been improperly soldered, preventing the instrument panel from illuminating. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."
The risk
An inoperable instrument panel cannot show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, which may increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the module or instrument panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 4, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C25.

Ford Motor Company · up to 38,695 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE

23V380000 · May 26, 2023

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape, 2022-2023 Maverick, and 2021-2023 Corsair vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
The risk
An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
The remedy
Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as quickly as possible if they hear unexpected engine noises, notice a reduction in vehicle power, or see smoke. Dealers will replace the engine long-block in 2023 Escape and Corsair vehicles. For the other vehicles, dealers will update the powertrain control module software. If a connecting rod bearing failure is detected, dealers will replace the engine long-block. All inspections and repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 14, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S27. This recall expands and replaces recall number 22V-484. Vehicles previously repaired under 22V-484 will need to have the new remedy completed.

Ford Motor Company · up to 125,322 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

22V859000 · November 18, 2022

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.
The risk
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will update the engine control software to include fuel injector leak detection and install a drain tube, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed January 9, 2023. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 1st Quarter of 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S73. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 22V-191. Vehicles previously remedied under 22V-191 will need to have the new remedy performed.

Ford Motor Company · up to 521,746 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 injured

Unknown

NHTSA complaint 11568800. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

fire · towed · 7,400 miles

The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at 55 MPH he smelled a burning odor. The vehicle was pulled into a parking lot where the hood was lifted and the odor emanated strongly from the engine compartment. Additionally, he noticed sparking, and then flames erupted. The vehicle was towed to an unknown repair center. The fire department distinguished the fire. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 7,400.

NHTSA complaint 11564593. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

fire

As I was driving home with about 5 minutes to go, in my brand new (2 week old)2023 Ford Escape, I smelled something burning. I pulled over and saw smoke so I turned off the car and got out. As I got out of the car I looked under and saw fire. I got away from the car and as I did, the fire kept growing and growing from under the hood. The fire went high enough to hit the trees on the side of the roasd. The police and fire department came and were able to put out the fire but not before the car was distroyed. There were no warning lights or any other symtoms of a problem prior to smelling burning. The Ford company has not responded to me from the day my wife spoke to a representative on

NHTSA complaint 11548405, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · 37,000 miles

The contact owned a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the infotainment center would display a black screen, and while doing so, the radio would continue to play. The contact stated that while driving at different speeds, the trunk would suddenly open, causing the contact to have to pull over and close the trunk in order to continue to drive. The failure occurred 3 times while the vehicle was parked at home. There would be a burning odor emitting from the vehicle intermittently; however, there would be no smoke or indication of where the smell was coming from. While parked at home and unoccupied, the rear window suddenly shattered, and the vehicle caught on fire. The fire department

NHTSA complaint 11709631, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
While driving, multiple unrelated warning lights and warning messages appeared on the dashboard. Odometer changed to display dashes instead of mileage. Speedometer got stuck displaying an incorrect value (such as '0' when the vehicle was in motion, or '59' when the vehicle was as a complete stop). Warning messages displayed while vehicle was in motion included "Park brake fault Service now", "Pre-Collision Assist not available", "Service AdvanceTrac", "Cross-Traffic System fault", and several more. Ford mobile app connected to the car reported 26 different errors. Safety was at risk due to speedometer displaying incorrect values and safety features going offline. Symptoms would come and go

NHTSA complaint 11766858, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
The liftgate hinge cover flew off of my car on the highway and hit the car behind me. Other Escape years have been recalled, but the 2023 year was skipped.

NHTSA complaint 11766687. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
About a month ago, my vehicles dash lit up and the car told me to shut it off. I had it towed to the dealership who then completed module updates and said I was all set. 20 minutes after picking it up, all of the lights came back on the dash and I brought it back. They again completed some kind of update with little to no information on what they did or the steps they took. Once again, I picked up my vehicle and immediately had a lit up dash. It was brought back and they had my car for 2 weeks before installing a new module. After picking up my car, I again dealt with lights on my dash, but this time one in particular. I had a notice to “Service Advancetrac” and a notification on my Ford

NHTSA complaint 11766827, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Ford issued notice 25SC4 then issued another one, 26N15 about the risk of fire with the high voltage battery in my car. These notices state a potential for a short circuit in the battery which they say could result in "increasing the risk of a crash" , "increasing the risk of injury", and it "can progress to a vehicle fire". These are all unacceptable risks to me and my family. Their software "remedy" is to reduce the charging limit to 80% (12% of the electric driving range.) This is not acceptable to me. And the remedy only reduces the risk of a fire, it does not eliminate it. I think to best and safest resolution is to replace the batteries.

NHTSA complaint 11765612. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
**On August 19, 2026, while driving my 2023 Ford Escape on Interstate 57 (I-57), with approximately 35,575 miles on the vehicle, the vehicle suddenly accelerated unexpectedly. I immediately attempted to apply the brakes, but the vehicle did not respond as expected and I could not stop it immediately. I became very frightened and started sounding the horn and turned on the hazard warning lights. I noticed that the lane immediately to my right was relatively clear, so I moved into that lane and applied the brakes again. The vehicle then responded to the brakes, allowing me to slow down and stop. I moved as far to the right as possible and stopped on the side of the road. I was extremely

NHTSA complaint 11758424, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
My 2023 Ford Escape (with fewer than 50,000 miles) began experiencing significant mechanical issues. I noticed exhaust fumes entering the cabin that passengers and I would inhale, loud noises from under the hood, and lose power during acceleration. After inspecting the vehicle, the dealership determined that the turbocharger wastegate/flapper valve had failed mechanically, causing the turbocharger to overboost and sustain internal damage. This failure led to numerous drivability issues, including hesitation, rough shifting, delayed upshifts, loud whining noises during cold starts, slipping during acceleration, and, at times, the inability to shift beyond second gear. Ultimately, the

NHTSA complaint 11748002, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Ford Escape

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 24 9 —
2024 76 8 1
2022 232 19 —
2021 348 19 —
2020 1,602 23 —
2019 588 3 —
2018 1,804 4 —
2017 2,689 4 —
2016 1,131 4 —
2015 1,106 9 —
2014 2,086 16 4
2013 2,750 18 —
2012 602 1 —
2011 1,316 2 —
2010 2,070 3 —

Other 2023 Ford models

Every Ford on this site — 359 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst