← New search
2024 Ford Escape
The verdict
1 thing going for it, 3 to watch.
Cons
Official recall campaigns exist for this vehicle. See the Safety Recalls section for what failed and how it's fixed.
Why we say this — NHTSA — Safety Recalls
27 of 76 owner complaints are about the electrical system. Tap it in the heatmap to read the real reports.
Why we say this — NHTSA — Owner Complaints
5 complaint(s) involved a crash and 0 involved a fire.
Why we say this — NHTSA — Owner Complaints
Pros
Earned a strong overall government crash-test rating.
Why we say this — NHTSA — 5-Star Safety Ratings
Neutral
Official EPA fuel economy. We show this as a neutral fact — whether it's 'good' depends on the vehicle's class.
Why we say this — U.S. EPA / DOE — fueleconomy.gov
Take this with you:
★★★★★Crash-test safety
0Safety recalls
0Owner complaints
7% involved a crash or fire
26–39Combined MPG
ℹ️ Recalls & complaints are reported per model — the same across every trim & engine. Fuel economy (and crash ratings by body style) can vary — use the pickers in those sections.
Safety Recalls
Official recall campaigns. Tap one to see the danger and the fix.
What is a recall, really?
A recall means the government made the manufacturer admit a safety defect — and the fix is free at any dealer, forever, even for used cars. Recalls range from a software update to "the steering wheel can detach," so read the danger line on each one. Buying used? Ask the seller for proof each recall was completed, or have a dealer run the VIN. Recalls also have a quieter cousin worth reading: technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Campaign 24V440000
What's wrong: 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 danger: 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 fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign 24V634000
What's wrong: 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 danger: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign 24V852000
What's wrong: 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 danger: 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 fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign 24V850000
What's wrong: 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."
The danger: 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.
The 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.
NHTSA Campaign 24V954000
What's wrong: 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 danger: 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 fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign 25V315000
What's wrong: 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 danger: A frozen or missing rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign 25V343000
What's wrong: 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 danger: An overheated engine block heater can increase the risk of a fire.
The 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.
NHTSA Campaign 25V372000
What's wrong: 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 danger: 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 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.
Source: NHTSA — Safety Recalls · re-checked about every 24 hours
Where Owners Report Problems
Where owners report the most trouble — based on 76 complaints (5 involved a crash, 0 a fire). Tap a part to read the real reports.
Raw count — best-sellers naturally log more complaints than rare cars, so judge it against the peer comparison below, not on its own.
Why don't we show complaints per vehicle sold?
Because no official source publishes sales counts per model — that data is sold by private firms, and the free numbers online are guesses. A rate built on a guessed denominator is a guess wearing a lab coat, so we refuse to show one. Instead we show comparisons where fleet size cancels out or is disclosed: the same model across its own years, the crash/fire severity mix, and the peer ranking below — each with its methodology attached.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 27):
Instrument screen went black. Was unable to power screen back on. Noted screen was hot to touch. After about 5 min screen powered back on by itself.
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V091000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the front driver’s and front passenger’s side seat heaters failed to adjust the temperature once the heater maintained a high level. The contact had owned prior Ford vehicles that automatically lowered the seat temperature once a certain temperature was maintained for a while. The contact had to manually adjust the seat temperature to avoid a potential burn due to the prolonged seat temperature. The dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
Following ongoing unresolved ADAS and Pre-Collision Assist failures that have required repeated service visits and manufacturer engineering involvement, my vehicle underwent a master modem/system reset while in dealership custody. After this reset, vehicle access, safety alert history, and diagnostic data were erased, preventing verification, monitoring, or reconstruction of safety-critical events. Safety Issue Description On or about December 11, 2025, while the vehicle remained in service for unresolved safety system failures, the dealership performed a master reset of the vehicle’s modem/telemetry system. Immediately afterward: •My FordPass access was removed •All historical vehicle alerts and safety warnings were erased •No active alerts are displayed, despite documented prior ADAS failures •The vehicle now shows no alert history, no mileage data, and no retrievable safety logs •The vehicle appears as a new/uninitialized vehicle in the FordPass system This reset occurred without resolving the underlying safety defect and while engineering had previously indicated no fix was available. Systems Affected The loss of telemetry, alert history, and diagnostic logging impacts multiple Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including but not limited to: •Forward Collision Warning •Automatic Emergency Braking •Lane Departure Warning •Lane Keeping Assistance •Blind Spot Warning •Rear Cross-Traffic Warning These systems rely on integrated camera, sensor, and software data that can no longer be verified, reviewed, or audited. Why This Is a Safety Concern The master reset eliminated evidence of prior safety warnings and failures, impairing: •Driver awareness of active or recurring safety conditions •Manufacturer and regulator ability to diagnose or confirm defect behavior •Event reconstruction in the event of a collision or near-miss •Oversight of whether safety systems are functioning as designed
The safety-critical driver-assistance systems on my 2024 Ford Escape have remained in a failed state since March 2025. The Blind Spot Detection (BLIS), Cross-Traffic Alert, Park Aid, Pre-Collision Assist, and Front Camera systems all display warnings and do not function reliably. The vehicle has now been in the dealership for over 62 cumulative days for this safety defect, including 38+ continuous days on the current repair order. Ford engineering has taken control of the case and has stated there is no fix available and no estimated timeline for repair. A major electronic module was replaced under engineering direction in November, but the same safety-system faults continue. The vehicle’s alert history and FordPass data have remained frozen and non-updating for months, indicating a continued system-level electronic failure. The vehicle is still at the Ford dealership under engineering control with no repair available, which confirms the defect is ongoing, unresolved, and unrepairable at this time. These persistent failures impact multiple crash-avoidance systems and create a significant safety risk during lane changes, cross-traffic backing, parking maneuvers, and forward-collision situations. I request NHTSA review this as a potential defect trend involving the 2024 Ford Escape driver-assistance systems.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 19):
The adaptive speed control is supposed to react to changes in speed limits. It also reacts to bridge capacity signs. This causes a sudden change in speed that the occupants and the following vehicle did not expect. In one location the speed limit is 50mph and there is a bridge with a 20 ton limit. The vehicle brakes to slow down to 20mph when passing the sign.
Following ongoing unresolved ADAS and Pre-Collision Assist failures that have required repeated service visits and manufacturer engineering involvement, my vehicle underwent a master modem/system reset while in dealership custody. After this reset, vehicle access, safety alert history, and diagnostic data were erased, preventing verification, monitoring, or reconstruction of safety-critical events. Safety Issue Description On or about December 11, 2025, while the vehicle remained in service for unresolved safety system failures, the dealership performed a master reset of the vehicle’s modem/telemetry system. Immediately afterward: •My FordPass access was removed •All historical vehicle alerts and safety warnings were erased •No active alerts are displayed, despite documented prior ADAS failures •The vehicle now shows no alert history, no mileage data, and no retrievable safety logs •The vehicle appears as a new/uninitialized vehicle in the FordPass system This reset occurred without resolving the underlying safety defect and while engineering had previously indicated no fix was available. Systems Affected The loss of telemetry, alert history, and diagnostic logging impacts multiple Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including but not limited to: •Forward Collision Warning •Automatic Emergency Braking •Lane Departure Warning •Lane Keeping Assistance •Blind Spot Warning •Rear Cross-Traffic Warning These systems rely on integrated camera, sensor, and software data that can no longer be verified, reviewed, or audited. Why This Is a Safety Concern The master reset eliminated evidence of prior safety warnings and failures, impairing: •Driver awareness of active or recurring safety conditions •Manufacturer and regulator ability to diagnose or confirm defect behavior •Event reconstruction in the event of a collision or near-miss •Oversight of whether safety systems are functioning as designed
The safety-critical driver-assistance systems on my 2024 Ford Escape have remained in a failed state since March 2025. The Blind Spot Detection (BLIS), Cross-Traffic Alert, Park Aid, Pre-Collision Assist, and Front Camera systems all display warnings and do not function reliably. The vehicle has now been in the dealership for over 62 cumulative days for this safety defect, including 38+ continuous days on the current repair order. Ford engineering has taken control of the case and has stated there is no fix available and no estimated timeline for repair. A major electronic module was replaced under engineering direction in November, but the same safety-system faults continue. The vehicle’s alert history and FordPass data have remained frozen and non-updating for months, indicating a continued system-level electronic failure. The vehicle is still at the Ford dealership under engineering control with no repair available, which confirms the defect is ongoing, unresolved, and unrepairable at this time. These persistent failures impact multiple crash-avoidance systems and create a significant safety risk during lane changes, cross-traffic backing, parking maneuvers, and forward-collision situations. I request NHTSA review this as a potential defect trend involving the 2024 Ford Escape driver-assistance systems.
My 2024 Ford Escape remains in the dealership since Nov 3, 2025. Today I was notified that Ford engineering and the dealer still cannot clear the ongoing Pre-Collision Assist / Forward Collision Warning faults. This is now the 13th documented safety-system failure. Multiple ADAS systems have failed since March 2025 (BLIS, Cross Traffic, Park Aid, Front Camera). After the Nov 14 IPMA module replacement, new issues developed including TPMS failure and alert-history not recording events. Vehicle is unsafe to drive and unrepairable after multiple attempts. Ford engineering states codes will not clear.”
See attached document for complaint.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 18):
The safety-critical driver-assistance systems on my 2024 Ford Escape have remained in a failed state since March 2025. The Blind Spot Detection (BLIS), Cross-Traffic Alert, Park Aid, Pre-Collision Assist, and Front Camera systems all display warnings and do not function reliably. The vehicle has now been in the dealership for over 62 cumulative days for this safety defect, including 38+ continuous days on the current repair order. Ford engineering has taken control of the case and has stated there is no fix available and no estimated timeline for repair. A major electronic module was replaced under engineering direction in November, but the same safety-system faults continue. The vehicle’s alert history and FordPass data have remained frozen and non-updating for months, indicating a continued system-level electronic failure. The vehicle is still at the Ford dealership under engineering control with no repair available, which confirms the defect is ongoing, unresolved, and unrepairable at this time. These persistent failures impact multiple crash-avoidance systems and create a significant safety risk during lane changes, cross-traffic backing, parking maneuvers, and forward-collision situations. I request NHTSA review this as a potential defect trend involving the 2024 Ford Escape driver-assistance systems.
The 2024 Ford Escape continues failing to record safety events. Alert history and messages sections are NOT updating after warnings . Because the alert-history system is failing, the vehicle does not store warnings. This prevents accurate diagnosis and hides safety-critical failures. ADAS systems are unreliable, making lane changes, reversing, and merging unsafe. Ford dealership and engineering hotline have been working on the vehicle since Nov 3 and have repeatedly reproduced ADAS failures. Safety alerts have continued since March 2025. Ford engineers and dealership technicians have inspected the vehicle multiple times, including the current visit (Nov 3–present). Engineering hotline continues to escalate. ADAS warnings have appeared since March 24, 2025. Today’s event shows that the Alert History and Messages features STILL do not log warnings even after repairs. “Following multiple failed repairs and an IPMA module replacement, the 2024 Ford Escape still fails to record critical safety alerts. As of today, the Alert History shows only a single old entry and does not log new ADAS warnings. The Messages section also shows numerous unread messages but does not display new alert data. This confirms the ADAS system and data-logging subsystem are still malfunctioning after weeks in the dealership and engineering involvement.”
My 2024 Ford Escape remains in the dealership since Nov 3, 2025. Today I was notified that Ford engineering and the dealer still cannot clear the ongoing Pre-Collision Assist / Forward Collision Warning faults. This is now the 13th documented safety-system failure. Multiple ADAS systems have failed since March 2025 (BLIS, Cross Traffic, Park Aid, Front Camera). After the Nov 14 IPMA module replacement, new issues developed including TPMS failure and alert-history not recording events. Vehicle is unsafe to drive and unrepairable after multiple attempts. Ford engineering states codes will not clear.”
See attached document for complaint.
Component: Forward Collision Avoidance / Lane Departure / Visibility / Electrical / I am filing this complaint regarding a loaner vehicle (2026 Ford Escape Hybrid) provided to me while my 2024 Escape remains in the dealership for unresolved ADAS safety failures. The loaner has now shown two separate ADAS malfunction warnings: the first on Nov 13, 2025 (“Front Camera Fault / Pre-Collision Assist Not Available”), and the second on Nov 23, 2025 showing another safety system failure during startup. My primary Escape has been in the shop since Nov 3 for identical ADAS issues that Ford engineering has not been able to repair. The fact that the loaner demonstrates the same failures raises concern that this may be a systemic defect affecting multiple model years. The dealership has also acknowledged multiple Escapes with similar issues. Safety risk remains high.
Of 16 reports about this part, 1 involved a crash and 0 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 16):
I was driving my 2024 Ford Escape approximately at 20-25 mph on the street when the hood flew open, hit, and shattered my windshield. The hood remained against the windshield and I immediately stopped the car and removed the hood from the windshield. I was not injured as a result of this incident. There was no warning or alert that the hood might have been open. Most cars have a hood ajar alert but it appears that in this case the system failed. I subsequently drove the car home and alerted my insurance company and the Bill Brown Ford Dealership. I took the car to the dealership and they inspected the car and stated the safety hood latch was intact. However, prior to the incident, I did not open the hood nor did I release the hood safety latch. There was never a warning light to indicate the hood was ajar. I did filed a police report with the Farmington Hills Police Department. There were no
On January [Insert Date], 2026, my 2024 Ford Escape suffered a sudden turbocharger failure that saturated the vehicle’s internal HVAC system with toxic ethylene glycol coolant. The vehicle’s ventilation system subsequently pumped these toxic chemical vapors directly into the enclosed passenger cabin. The inhalation of these toxic chemical vapors posed an immediate, life-threatening risk to my pregnant wife and myself (a patient with moderate persistent asthma), backed by formal medical warning letters from our OB/GYN and Pulmonologist. When I refused to take delivery of the un-remedied vehicle, a Ford corporate representative mandated that I drive it anyway, stating that if I suffered a respiratory crisis while operating the vehicle, I should simply "call the ambulance". This ultimatum caused an immediate severe hypertensive crisis (160/112 BP), requiring emergency medical transport to CHI Health Immanuel and cardiac evaluation. This represents a critical component failure causing toxic cabin air contamination, compounded by a complete failure of the manufacturer’s remedy. Ford Engineering and Woodhouse Ford Service admitted in writing that they have NO scientific test to verify cabin air safety and NO official technical procedure to decontaminate the internal HVAC housing following this chemical saturation. Ford’s only attempt at a remedy was an external spot clean and a simple filter replacement, leaving toxic residual chemicals inside the blower housing. Ford's directive to operate a chemically contaminated vehicle without any scientific validation of air safety constitutes an extreme, ongoing non-operational safety defect that risks public safety. To protect my family from severe injury, I was forced to abandon the vehicle at a massive financial loss.
Power lift get kept closing which caused injury to my son. Lift gate if there is obstruction anywhere it should stop and go back up. Well this kept closing hit my son in the head caused severely bruised nose, laceration on his head and a mild concussion.
I have had my car in the service department twice and continue to have the same issue. I am scheduled to have the car in the shop again on 2-19-26. For several months! After stopping and starting, my car stalls for a few seconds and then takes off. Yesterday, the car stalled while crossing the interstate and there was another vehicle behind me. I am terrified that the car is not going to restart and I will be trying to cross a road or I will be rear ended l.
Component: Forward Collision Avoidance / Lane Departure / Visibility / Electrical / I am filing this complaint regarding a loaner vehicle (2026 Ford Escape Hybrid) provided to me while my 2024 Escape remains in the dealership for unresolved ADAS safety failures. The loaner has now shown two separate ADAS malfunction warnings: the first on Nov 13, 2025 (“Front Camera Fault / Pre-Collision Assist Not Available”), and the second on Nov 23, 2025 showing another safety system failure during startup. My primary Escape has been in the shop since Nov 3 for identical ADAS issues that Ford engineering has not been able to repair. The fact that the loaner demonstrates the same failures raises concern that this may be a systemic defect affecting multiple model years. The dealership has also acknowledged multiple Escapes with similar issues. Safety risk remains high.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 13):
On January [Insert Date], 2026, my 2024 Ford Escape suffered a sudden turbocharger failure that saturated the vehicle’s internal HVAC system with toxic ethylene glycol coolant. The vehicle’s ventilation system subsequently pumped these toxic chemical vapors directly into the enclosed passenger cabin. The inhalation of these toxic chemical vapors posed an immediate, life-threatening risk to my pregnant wife and myself (a patient with moderate persistent asthma), backed by formal medical warning letters from our OB/GYN and Pulmonologist. When I refused to take delivery of the un-remedied vehicle, a Ford corporate representative mandated that I drive it anyway, stating that if I suffered a respiratory crisis while operating the vehicle, I should simply "call the ambulance". This ultimatum caused an immediate severe hypertensive crisis (160/112 BP), requiring emergency medical transport to CHI Health Immanuel and cardiac evaluation. This represents a critical component failure causing toxic cabin air contamination, compounded by a complete failure of the manufacturer’s remedy. Ford Engineering and Woodhouse Ford Service admitted in writing that they have NO scientific test to verify cabin air safety and NO official technical procedure to decontaminate the internal HVAC housing following this chemical saturation. Ford’s only attempt at a remedy was an external spot clean and a simple filter replacement, leaving toxic residual chemicals inside the blower housing. Ford's directive to operate a chemically contaminated vehicle without any scientific validation of air safety constitutes an extreme, ongoing non-operational safety defect that risks public safety. To protect my family from severe injury, I was forced to abandon the vehicle at a massive financial loss.
When I am stopped at a light or stop sign and go to pull into an intersection, halfway into the intersection the vehicle stalls and does not want to move. It has caused me to almost get into several car accidents and thankfully other vehicles have been able to brake before hitting me. It has been scary as I have had my daughter each time in the back seat and a few times it would have been on her side she sits that would have been hit. Myself or a passenger is going to seriously get injured with the vehicle doing this. I took it to the garage and they can find nothing wrong with it as there are no lights on or codes but as soon as I pulled off the lot it happened again and it does it daily.
My vehicle has been stalling for several months. I have taken to the dealership multiple times and it is still not fixed. Since the last visit at the service department it has done this 5 times. Twice today. It has done this multiple times crossing the interstate.
I have had my car in the service department twice and continue to have the same issue. I am scheduled to have the car in the shop again on 2-19-26. For several months! After stopping and starting, my car stalls for a few seconds and then takes off. Yesterday, the car stalled while crossing the interstate and there was another vehicle behind me. I am terrified that the car is not going to restart and I will be trying to cross a road or I will be rear ended l.
The vehicle has a documented defect involving [System, e.g., the HVAC system] which has resulted in [Defect, e.g., chemical residue entering the cabin]. This issue has caused [Safety/Health Impact, e.g., respiratory distress for the occupants] while the vehicle is in operation. I have taken the vehicle to an authorized dealership, and the service department has confirmed the presence of the [Defect], but they have stated they have no established protocol to decontaminate or repair the issue. Despite the documented health risks and the dealership's inability to clean the residue, the manufacturer has instructed that the vehicle is safe to drive. I am filing this complaint because the vehicle remains an unresolved safety hazard to all occupants.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 10):
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the radio display turned off while driving and while the vehicle was idling. The failure was intermittent. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V315000 (Back Over Prevention), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the dealer was unable to successfully perform the accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software update while receiving assistance from the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 35,690.
Following ongoing unresolved ADAS and Pre-Collision Assist failures that have required repeated service visits and manufacturer engineering involvement, my vehicle underwent a master modem/system reset while in dealership custody. After this reset, vehicle access, safety alert history, and diagnostic data were erased, preventing verification, monitoring, or reconstruction of safety-critical events. Safety Issue Description On or about December 11, 2025, while the vehicle remained in service for unresolved safety system failures, the dealership performed a master reset of the vehicle’s modem/telemetry system. Immediately afterward: •My FordPass access was removed •All historical vehicle alerts and safety warnings were erased •No active alerts are displayed, despite documented prior ADAS failures •The vehicle now shows no alert history, no mileage data, and no retrievable safety logs •The vehicle appears as a new/uninitialized vehicle in the FordPass system This reset occurred without resolving the underlying safety defect and while engineering had previously indicated no fix was available. Systems Affected The loss of telemetry, alert history, and diagnostic logging impacts multiple Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including but not limited to: •Forward Collision Warning •Automatic Emergency Braking •Lane Departure Warning •Lane Keeping Assistance •Blind Spot Warning •Rear Cross-Traffic Warning These systems rely on integrated camera, sensor, and software data that can no longer be verified, reviewed, or audited. Why This Is a Safety Concern The master reset eliminated evidence of prior safety warnings and failures, impairing: •Driver awareness of active or recurring safety conditions •Manufacturer and regulator ability to diagnose or confirm defect behavior •Event reconstruction in the event of a collision or near-miss •Oversight of whether safety systems are functioning as designed
The 2024 Ford Escape continues failing to record safety events. Alert history and messages sections are NOT updating after warnings . Because the alert-history system is failing, the vehicle does not store warnings. This prevents accurate diagnosis and hides safety-critical failures. ADAS systems are unreliable, making lane changes, reversing, and merging unsafe. Ford dealership and engineering hotline have been working on the vehicle since Nov 3 and have repeatedly reproduced ADAS failures. Safety alerts have continued since March 2025. Ford engineers and dealership technicians have inspected the vehicle multiple times, including the current visit (Nov 3–present). Engineering hotline continues to escalate. ADAS warnings have appeared since March 24, 2025. Today’s event shows that the Alert History and Messages features STILL do not log warnings even after repairs. “Following multiple failed repairs and an IPMA module replacement, the 2024 Ford Escape still fails to record critical safety alerts. As of today, the Alert History shows only a single old entry and does not log new ADAS warnings. The Messages section also shows numerous unread messages but does not display new alert data. This confirms the ADAS system and data-logging subsystem are still malfunctioning after weeks in the dealership and engineering involvement.”
Version, perfectly formatted, non-repetitive, and aligned with the newest updates (vehicle still in shop, engineering cannot fix, extended delays, failed module replacement). Yes, use today’s date (Nov 21, 2025) as the incident date. ⸻ Complaint #7 – NHTSA 900-Character Version (Copy/Paste Ready) Incident Date: 11/21/2025 After a dealership-installed replacement of the IPMA/Front Camera module (authorized by Ford engineering) 11/14/2025 , the ADAS safety systems (BLIS, Cross-Traffic, Pre-Collision Assist, Park Aid, and alert history logging) are still malfunctioning. The vehicle has now been out of service since Nov 3 and the dealer reports that Ford engineering is still unable to identify a fix. The alert history remains corruptive and fails to record events. This is still unresolved ADAS issues and prolonged repair delays. Dealer has been exceptional in communication and left (2) voicemail stating Engineering hotline continues working on it but Ford’s inability to provide a remedy leaves the vehicle unsafe and unusable until further notice. Nov 3 - ongoing in shop.
1. Component or System Failed: ADAS safety systems including Blind Spot Detection, Cross-Traffic Alert, Front Camera/IPMA, Pre-Collision Assist, and Park Aid. 2. How Safety Was Put at Risk: driving for months with intermittent or absent collision-avoidance systems, increasing risk of lane-change accidents and front-impact hazards. 3. Reproduced or Confirmed by Dealer: Yes — dealership and engineers confirmed errors in June, July, August, and November. 4. Inspected by Manufacturer: Yes — Ford Field Service Engineers were involved as early as June 2025. 5. Warning Messages: • Front Camera Fault • Cross-Traffic System Fault • Pre-Collision Assist Not Available • Blind Spot Fault (Recurring daily per my reports)
Of 6 reports about this part, 4 involved a crash and 0 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 6):
We are concerned that the seatbelt and possibly airbag malfunctioned and contributed to my mother in laws death on 11/17/2025. The drivers seatbelt had not been latching properly and would come unlatched at random times prior to the accident. The car was taken to dealership, based on the seatbelt not staying latched and it was repaired on 10/20/2025. She continued to have issues with it after the repair. Less than a month later, she was killed in a low speed collision. The cause of death was ruled blunt force trauma to the chest. The officer on the scene expressed concern that the seatbelt malfunctioned and that it did not hold her securely.
The car was in an accident. The curtain bags and the ones in the floor went off. The steering wheel did not.
Air bag on the drivers side of the car A deer hit the drivers side and there was no airbag deployment, the restraints indicator Lamp warning light was on No No
Was in a rear end collision and the driver window and leg airbags deployed, but the steering wheel airbag did not deploy
I am experiencing problems with the driver's side window getting stuck when I attempt to roll it up or down. Following a couple of visits to the Ford dealership, the service team was unable to find any diagnostic trouble codes or issues. The window's performance is compromised in both directions. Additionally, I have observed the passenger side airbag warning light flashing couple of times. I bought the vehicle on [XXX], Only 6 Months with this vehicle and during my June 6th, 2025 oil change, the service team recommended replacing the wiper blades, which seems excessive considering the low rainfall in San Diego, California. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 5):
When I am stopped at a light or stop sign and go to pull into an intersection, halfway into the intersection the vehicle stalls and does not want to move. It has caused me to almost get into several car accidents and thankfully other vehicles have been able to brake before hitting me. It has been scary as I have had my daughter each time in the back seat and a few times it would have been on her side she sits that would have been hit. Myself or a passenger is going to seriously get injured with the vehicle doing this. I took it to the garage and they can find nothing wrong with it as there are no lights on or codes but as soon as I pulled off the lot it happened again and it does it daily.
Upon exiting a shopping center parking lot, I turned right onto a street which led up to a 1-lane construction site. I was travelling approximately 15 miles per hour, and drove approximately 50 feet when the car suddenly stalled. No fuel response to gas pedal. It still had momentum, and I was able to steer into a safe side spot. I sat there stunned. The car was still in drive gear. I put it into park and turned the car off. After another 1 or 2 minutes, I turned the car on again, and was able to drive it home another 2 miles. I did not have to drive through the construction zone. Had I been in the one lane construction, I could have been rear-ended because a stopped car would not have been expected by drivers behind me. It could have caused severe injury or even death to myself and/or driver coming behind me. This happened on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, at about 2:30 pm. BTW, this is a hybrid vehicle. That option was not given when starting this account
There is no low fuel light on the dash. I just found this out because it is the first time I ran the gas that low. Brakes- When braking the transmission jumps. It makes the car hop. These are both safety concerns because you won’t know you have low fuel unless you shut the car off and turn it back on. With the brakes, no component should be making a car jump when you hit the brakes
Not sure if there's a fuel problem or what it could be, but my vehicle pause on the first take off. It doesn't happen all the time, but soon as I fuel my vehicle and proceeding to drive off I'm accelerating in traffic and the vehicle will stop, pause as if I'm braking, vehicle is still running, everything I still on, it just pause while accelerating ONLY on my first initial takeoff. I continue to try and accelerate, and then it will proceed to drive. Driving on the expressway, every now & then it has a egg sulfur smell..With NO codes reading. Service department will not fix unless they can read a potential code, or if they can catch the problem. However, the problem doesn't happen all the time. It's like having a tooth ache, & soon as you go to a dentist, the pain isn't there... The egg/sulfur smell doesn't always smell, it's like you drive it awhile, get on the expressway & you "MIGHT" discover the smell.
I stopped one day to get some gas and when I tried to start my 2024 Ford escape back up it failed to turn over. I started to get notices from my Ford pass app stating that I was having some issues with my turbine. The vehicle was leaving me stranded every time I tried to start it and it would try to stall on me. The engine didn't seem like it had enough power to run at a proper and normal status as an engine should properly run. When I would start the vehicle it would only start one time and then proceeded to stall on me and leave me stranded everywhere I went. The problem was never fixed. Then the dash lights started to tell me that the driver needed rest and flash a coffee cup in front of my eyes after I just got in the vehicle about 5 minutes before the lights came on. There was an awful smell that came out of the engine. I'm glad that my car didn't catch on fire before they repossessed it and I stopped making payments because the car was messed up and I'm not paying for a messed up vehicle but there was a serious issue with my 2024 Ford escape and I'm glad that they came and took it from me hopefully that kept me alive instead of burning up to death. Thank you
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 4 of 4):
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, several unknown safety features warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the message “Normal Cruise Control Braking Off” was displayed. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and a software update was performed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 4,500.
While accelerating the Vehicle I felt a massive kickback via the gas pedal, I was able to drive for half a mile more before the vehicle would no longer accelerate at all. The gas pedal was no working. The engine was overheating and a new warning popped up, upon the kickback with a wrench, and engine warning, along with a coolant over temp warning among others and service engine soon. The vehicle had just had an oil change not even a full month prior. My safety was put as risk as I could not accelerate in the middle of a high way and it just stopped out of no where. I saw another Escape 5 minutes later, stopped in the middle of a busy intersection with the same issue. No this problem was not confirmed, but we saw another vehicle with the same issue. No inspection, although my boyfriend is a mechanic and noticed the coolant was just below the minimum line. There were no warnings prior to failure.
While driving warnings for adaptive cruise, blind spot, forward collision, front camera, park aid etc start and then all the system quit. I have pictures. I took my car to dealership to be checked. At first I was told they could find nothing wrong. I showed them pictures of my alerts and messages on my ford pass app. I was told a software patch would be sent. I contacted them again to ask if there was more news. I was told not at this time. I saw there was a problem with this module on the 2025 escape.
I’m having trouble accelerating when the vehicle is stopped at a stop sign or when making a left or right turn. This has been dangerous because I end up stuck in the middle of intersections without being able to move. The vehicle is new and has 1400 miles on it.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 3 of 3):
There is no low fuel light on the dash. I just found this out because it is the first time I ran the gas that low. Brakes- When braking the transmission jumps. It makes the car hop. These are both safety concerns because you won’t know you have low fuel unless you shut the car off and turn it back on. With the brakes, no component should be making a car jump when you hit the brakes
While driving down the interstate at 60mph, screen displayed two error messages: “parking brake function limited” and “collision assistance unavailable.” I completely lost brake function for ~10 seconds. Only didn’t crash because no one was stopped ahead of me. Took to dealership who “couldn’t replicate” the issue, later told me they had fixed it by reprogramming the software. Two inconsistent answers gave me no sense of trust in the repair. This issue could kill somebody if at the wrong time and they were completely indifferent. I’ve since traded the car but have no faith Ford has any desire at all to investigate or resolve what could be a fatal error to someone.
When turning off my 2024 Ford Escape ST Line, if I sit in the vehicle for at least 15minutes to 30minutes there's a clicking noise coming from under the hood of the vehicle. Sounds like a ABS issue. I tried turning the vehicle back on, stepping on the brake pedal (push start) the brakes will go down into the floor, I then let off the brake, & proceed to start vehicle again and now the brakes are fine. I'm aware there's an issue, I was told from the dealership I have some sort of ABS problem, however the dealership will NOT repair unless there's a code reading the problem...
Of 2 reports about this part, 1 involved a crash and 0 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 2 of 2):
We are concerned that the seatbelt and possibly airbag malfunctioned and contributed to my mother in laws death on 11/17/2025. The drivers seatbelt had not been latching properly and would come unlatched at random times prior to the accident. The car was taken to dealership, based on the seatbelt not staying latched and it was repaired on 10/20/2025. She continued to have issues with it after the repair. Less than a month later, she was killed in a low speed collision. The cause of death was ruled blunt force trauma to the chest. The officer on the scene expressed concern that the seatbelt malfunctioned and that it did not hold her securely.
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated, and a message "Belt Monitor Service Required" was displayed. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed because the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced Customer Satisfaction Program: 24N08; as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 118,000.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 2 of 2):
I had problems with the brakes at first (system pressure). Than it was a powertrain failure. Followed by Turbocharger wastegate failure. It affected the vacuum system, brakes, and acceleration ability. Brakes became firm, but not stopping as well when applied. Had extreme loss of power trying to get up to speeds to enter highway & interstate at 60 then 70 mph. Dealership ended up replacing turbo wastegate. Exactly one week after getting it back. All the same happened again. Seeing others complaining of turbo wastegate failure (which is tied into vacuum/ pressure system & does in turn affect vehicle breaking system)
I have a loss of power when accelerating on my 2024 Ford Escape ST Line. This problem isn't all the time, I've noticed when I either fuel or driving off a hill of a driveway, similar to a restaurant hill and when proceeding to drive the vehicle will suddenly stop while I'm accelerating. When I take my foot off the accelerator then tap on the accelerator again, then it drives. This problem happens when driving in traffic. There's also a egg/sulfur smell while I'm driving on the expressway. Like it's misfiring. My frontend also rumble's when I' come to a stop.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 2 of 2):
The contact owns 2024 Ford Escape. The contact stated when the driver’s side door was opened, the door limiting bar detach from the vehicle. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the driver’s side door needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was transferred by the manufacturer to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 9,062.
Terrible wind noise when driving at speeds over 30 miles an hour. This can cause distractions while driving as it’s very noticeable.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the infotainment system screen display was blank. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the dealer determined that the computer processing unit needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on two different occasions. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was walked through the process of resetting the system. No further information was available. The approximate failure mileage was 28,000.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
My issue is with the volume of the turn signal. when you are driving you cannot hear it.On the highway you have no idea that it is on. I almost was in an accident when I was unaware it was on and someone pulled out in front of me Talked with the dealer that stated all 2024 Escapes are they way. It is very unsafe
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
TPMS Failure After IPMA Replacement – “After the dealership replaced the IPMA module on Nov 14, 2025 to address repeated ADAS system failures (BLIS, Cross-Traffic, Pre-Collision Assist, Park Aid, Front Camera Fault), the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) immediately stopped functioning. The FordPass app shows all four tire sensors missing (‘—’) and permanent ‘Tire Pressure Data Delayed’ warnings. This occurred while the vehicle remained in the shop for over 40 days with unresolved ADAS defects. The TPMS failure adds another safety-critical issue following a repair that already failed. This indicates escalating electronic instability and confirms the vehicle is unsafe and unreliable.”
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving, there was an unusual noise detected before the failure. The contact stated that while pulling into a parking lot, there was an extremely loud boom. The contact noticed that the rear windshield exploded without warning or impact. The contact and her sister, occupying the passenger seat, sustained injuries to their ears. The occupants reported that their ears were clogged, but medical attention was not provided. The vehicle was towed to her residence. The contact called the local dealer, who said to bring the vehicle in for inspection. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 16,000.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
When turning off my 2024 Ford Escape ST Line, if I sit in the vehicle for at least 15minutes to 30minutes there's a clicking noise coming from under the hood of the vehicle. Sounds like a ABS issue. I tried turning the vehicle back on, stepping on the brake pedal (push start) the brakes will go down into the floor, I then let off the brake, & proceed to start vehicle again and now the brakes are fine. I'm aware there's an issue, I was told from the dealership I have some sort of ABS problem, however the dealership will NOT repair unless there's a code reading the problem...
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 65-70 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the wrench warning light illuminated and the message "Engine over-temperature. Service Now" was displayed. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving and depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle operated as needed upon releasing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there were metal shavings in the engine cylinder head. The dealer determined that the head needed to be replaced under Ford SSM Number: 52219; however, the part was not available for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that as an independent mechanic, he was concerned that the repair offered by the manufacturer was only a temporary fix. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 4,500.
Many crash/fire reportsSome crash/fire reportsNo crash/fire in reports
Color = how serious (crash/fire involvement) · number = how many (share of all this car's reports). Tap any part to read real owner complaints.
Source: NHTSA — Owner Complaints · re-checked about every 24 hours
Crash-Test Safety Ratings
Official U.S. government 5-star crash-test results.
How to read these stars
These come from the government physically crash-testing this vehicle — front, side, and rollover — and scoring it 1 to 5 stars. Ratings are per body style, so a sedan and its coupe twin can differ. If a vehicle shows no rating, it usually means the government never tested that exact configuration — untested is not the same as unsafe, and we'll never blur that line.
2024 Ford Escape SUV FWD
Source: NHTSA — 5-Star Safety Ratings · re-checked about every 24 hours
Fuel Economy (MPG)
Official EPA estimates — the real numbers, not the brochure.
26–39Combined MPG
23–42City MPG
31–36Highway MPG
$1,600–$2,350Est. fuel cost / yr
Across 5 official EPA configurations · Fuel: Regular. Pick an engine/trim above for exact numbers.
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE — fueleconomy.gov · re-checked about every 24 hours