Model year record
2005 Ford Escape Hybrid recalls & problems
The 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 178 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is service brakes (39 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2005 Ford Escape Hybrid 4-DR
| Frontal crash | Not Rated |
|---|---|
| Side crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Escape Hybrid 2WD Hybrid
| City / highway | 30 / 28 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
2.3 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (variable gear ratios) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,300/year to fuel
Escape Hybrid 4WD Hybrid
| City / highway | 28 / 26 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
2.3 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (variable gear ratios) · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $2,500/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 39 | 119,000 mi |
| Suspension | 30 | 120,000 mi |
| StructureBody; Frame and members › Underbody shields | 24 | 126,472 mi |
| SteeringElectric power assist system | 22 | 77,112 mi |
| Service brakes, hydraulicAntilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Abs warning light; Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module | 20 | 70,538 mi |
| Engine | 17 | 101,548 mi |
| Electrical systemPropulsion system › Traction battery; Wiring | 16 | 94,320 mi |
| Engine and engine coolingCooling system | 12 | 74,000 mi |
| Unknown or other | 9 | 76,359 mi |
| Wheels | 9 | 118,000 mi |
| Power trainAxle assembly; Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Column shift | 8 | 92,040 mi |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 7 | 125,000 mi |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Hybrid propulsion system
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT FOUND NO DEFECTS UPON INVESTIGATION. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT CALLED TOM MASANO FORD LINCOLN (1600 LANCASTER AVE, READING, PA 19607) WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD CALL HIM BACK. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT LINKED HIS FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V526000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE…
- Structure › Body
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED CORROSION ALL AROUND THE FRAME. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 169,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
- Engine
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE TO LITHIA FORD LINCOLN OF ROSEBURG (1650 NE STEPHENS ST, ROSEBURG, OR 97470, (541) 537-4643) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT TWO HYBRID FANS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CLAIMED THAT A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE; HOWEVER, UPON INVESTIGATION, NO RECALLS COULD BE FOUND. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND WERE CURRENTLY ORDERING THE PARTS FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
- Engine
OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS I HAVE HAD THE ISSUE OF 'STOP SAFELY NOW' ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THESE ISSUES DIDN'T START UNTIL THE MEC PUMP WAS REPLACED UNDER A RECALL. AFTER THAT MY 2005 ESCAPE HYBRID WILL SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING OR NOT START OR CUT OUT THE HYBRID POWER AND RUN ON ENGINE ONLY. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE WE HAVE GOTTEN ALL OTHER SERVICE DONE THREE TIMES FOR THESE ISSUES. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TELL ME ANYTHING, STATING ONLY THAT THERE ARE NO CODES, SO NO IDEA WHERE TO LOOK. I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE COMPUTER CAN KNOW TO TELL ME TO STOP DRIVING THE CAR, YET NOT RECORD A DTC. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON THE FIRST WARM DAY OF THE SUMMER - DROVE ACROSS TOWN, PARKED…
- Service brakes
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO ENGAGE THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JERRY'S FORD ALEXANDRIA (6510 LITTLE RIVER TURNPIKE, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22312, (703) 256-5000), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
- Electrical system
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE "STOP SAFELY" WARNING INDICATOR FLASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN DUE TO THE FAILURE. MANTECA FORD (555 N MAIN ST, MANTECA, CA 95336, (209) 239-3561) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE DIAGNOSED IN ORDER TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
- Unknown or other
CAR TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING MESSAGE ON DASH SAYS TO STOP SAFELY NOW CAR WILL START UP AGAIN AFTER WAITING A WHILE. CAR STOPPED WHILE ON FREEWAY BARELY MADE IT TO THE SHOULDER.
- Service brakes
WHILE COMING UP TO A STOP SIGN THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME AS THE CAR CONTINUED TO ROLL PASS THE STOP SIGN. FLOORING THE BRAKES CAUSED THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN SLOWLY. I ENDED UP PULLING OVER IMMEDIATELY, TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE AND INSPECTING THE VEHICLE. I SAW NO CLEAR INDICATION OF ANYTHING BEING WRONG. WHEN I TURNED BACK ON THE VEHICLE EVERYTHING WAS FINE, UNTIL THE SAME THING HAPPENED THE NEXT DAY. I TOOK THE CAR TO A FEW CAR SHOPS BUT NO ONE COULD FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE CAR WAS EVEN TAKEN FOR A TEST DRIVE BY THE MECHANIC BUT PERFORMED WITH NO PROBLEMS. ONE OF THE SHOPS RECOMMENDED I REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER OR THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert soundsClosedLed to recall 22V063000
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…
- Electronic Throttle Body MalfunctionClosed
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…