Car Record Book

2025 Ford Escape recalls & problems

The 2025 Ford Escape has 9 safety recalls and 26 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is electrical system (7 complaints).

Recalls9safety recalls
Complaints26filed by owners
Crashes · fires0 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints
2025 Ford Escape in an NHTSA crash test
2025 Ford Escape in an NHTSA crash test

Safety recalls

Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Emission control › Gas recirculation valve (egr valve)

NHTSA recall 26V122000 · Mar 3, 2026 · 47,804 vehicles

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Ranger, Lincoln Nautilus, Mustang, Maverick, Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Corsair, Bronco Sport, and Bronco vehicles. The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve may fail, resulting in an unexpected loss of drive power.

Risk: An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the EGR valves, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 31, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 4, 2026.

Seat belts › Rear/other › Retractor

NHTSA recall 25V862000 · Dec 12, 2025 · 780 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (OVSC)

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Corsair and Escape vehicles. The seat belt retractors for the left and right rear passenger seats may not be securely fastened.

Risk: An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and secure, or replace the seat belt retractor bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 26, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C68. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 15, 2025.

Structure › Body › Hatchback/liftgate › Hinge and attachments

NHTSA recall 25V829000 · Dec 1, 2025 · 108,762 vehicles

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2025 Escape vehicles. The liftgate hinge covers may not be properly secured and detach from the vehicle.

Risk: A detached liftgate hinge cover can create a distraction or a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and reinstall, or replace any missing liftgate hinge covers as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 3, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SD6. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 3, 2025.

Electronic stability control (esc)

NHTSA recall 25V787000 · Nov 14, 2025 · 2 vehicles

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Maverick and Escape vehicles. The cover for the electric brake booster's ECU may cause the printed circuit board to overheat and result in a loss of vehicle stability control systems (anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, and traction control) or a loss of brake power assist.

Risk: Loss of vehicle stability control or brake power assist can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the electric brake booster, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 28, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SC6. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 17, 2025.

Components: Electronic stability control (esc); Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist

Engine

NHTSA recall 25V372000 · Jun 3, 2025 · 404 vehicles

Problem: 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.

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.

Fix: 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.

Equipment › Electrical › Engine block heater

NHTSA recall 25V343000 · May 23, 2025 · 6,781 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: An overheated engine block heater can increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: 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.

Components: Equipment › Electrical › Engine block heater; Electrical system

Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera

NHTSA recall 25V161000 · Mar 14, 2025 · 4,721 vehicles

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Escape vehicles. The rearview camera may incorrectly display an inverted image when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk: An inverted rearview camera image will not accurately display what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C08.

Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel

NHTSA recall 25V049000 · Jan 31, 2025 · 298 vehicles

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Bronco Sport, Escape, and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) may not illuminate at startup or while driving. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays" and 102, "Transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect" as well as FMVSS numbers 126, 108, 135, 138, 208, and 305.

Risk: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the instrument panel cluster, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 17, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C02.

Air bags › Frontal

NHTSA recall 24V850000 · Nov 8, 2024 · 15 vehicles

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Escape vehicles. The passenger side instrument panel cover may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Risk: During air bag deployment, the air bag cover may break and project fragments into the vehicle, or the air bag may deploy improperly, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

Fix: Dealers will replace the passenger side instrument panel cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 18, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C38.

Components: Air bags › Frontal; Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel

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

2025 Ford Escape NHTSA side crash test
NHTSA side barrier crash test
2025 Ford Escape NHTSA side pole crash test
NHTSA side pole crash test

2025 Ford Escape Gas SUV AWD

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Rollover risk17.4%

Forward collision warning: Standard & Optional · Lane departure warning: Standard

2025 Ford Escape Gas SUV FWD

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Rollover risk16.9%

Forward collision warning: Standard & Optional · Lane departure warning: Standard

2025 Ford Escape HEV SUV AWD

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Rollover risk17.4%

Forward collision warning: Standard · Lane departure warning: Standard

2025 Ford Escape HEV SUV FWD

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Rollover risk16.9%

Forward collision warning: Standard · Lane departure warning: Standard

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 FWD HEV Hybrid

39mpg combined
City / highway42 / 36 mpg
FuelRegular Gasoline

2.5 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (variable gear ratios) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $1,700/year to fuel

Escape AWD HEV Hybrid

39mpg combined
City / highway42 / 36 mpg
FuelRegular Gasoline

2.5 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (variable gear ratios) · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive · about $1,700/year to fuel

Escape FWD

30mpg combined
City / highway27 / 34 mpg
FuelRegular Gasoline

1.5 L · 3 cyl · Automatic 8-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,250/year to fuel

Escape AWD

28mpg combined
City / highway26 / 32 mpg
FuelRegular Gasoline

1.5 L · 3 cyl · Automatic 8-spd · All-Wheel Drive · about $2,400/year to fuel

Escape AWD

26mpg combined
City / highway23 / 31 mpg
FuelRegular Gasoline

2 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 8-spd · All-Wheel Drive · about $2,600/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 areaComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuriesTypical mileage*
Electrical system
7000—
Forward collision avoidance
Automatic emergency braking; Adaptive cruise control
6000—
Engine
5000—
Unknown or other
5000—
Engine and engine cooling
40005,000 mi
Power train
3000—
Lane departure
Assist
2000—
Vehicle speed control
Cruise control
2000—
Steering
2000—
Fuel/propulsion system
2000—
Structure
Body
2000—
Air bags
1000—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.