2015 Ford Escape Complaint Log

Transmission failure. I took the vehicle into a local Ford dealer for a recall on the shifter cable bushing and days later I experienced transmission failure for the first time, while driving. I returned to the dealer to have this checked and they insisted there was no issue with the cable bushing but the problem was inside the transmission. I decided to research issues with the transmission of these vehicles and I have found testimonies of hundreds of people online who have experienced the exact same issue with Ford Escapes of multiple years and the transmissions failing in the midst of driving, putting them in dangerous situations. Others claim to have contacted Ford and they are unwilling to do anything to fix this. I have tried to contact Ford myself and experienced the same response. This is unacceptable and needs to be addressed before serious accidents are caused if they have not been already. Unable to upload an image of the recent service note on this form, not working for some reason.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact noticed that the coolant level was low. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced and there was coolant in cylinder #4. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated there was oil in the turbo booster. The manufacturer was contacted and referred her to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 169,000.

I was driving all of a sudden I hear a loud noise in the rear passenger side. Then the car stalled in the middle of the road. I let it sit for a minute it will start up. The next day check engine light came on went to the auto part store they read the code... P1450 fuel tank vacuum. I've seen where Ford focus had this issue and a recall was issued, also people with the same vehicle as me had or having the same issue. This very dangerous especially if you driving on the highway. Good thing I was on a side road. A recall needs to be issued for this. Have not had repaired yet. It's the holiday weekend. I uploaded the pic of the code

While driving, the vehicle’s transmission starting coming out of gear, then lose of power, go back into gear for a moment, then go out of gear causing coasting and lose maneuverability. After being shut down immediately and towed to a mechanic, diagnostic is transmission out for some reason and misfires in two cylinders. Vehicle has less than 80K miles. Can’t really tell as the digital screen also went out. Vehicle has had regular service by a Ford dealership.

I have been trying to schedule an appointment for the following recall. The dealership tells me that Ford does not have a fix for the shifter cable bushing. How long do they have to come up with a fix. Jan 01,2001 Manufacturer Recall Number22S25 NHTSA Recall Number22V254 Recall StatusRecall Incomplete Summary IT MAY BE POSSIBLE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CABLE BUSHING IS DAMAGED OR MISSING.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while at a stop light the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence. The contact stated that when he started the vehicle in the morning, the transmission failure warning illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 131,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated during acceleration. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The dealer informed the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle had previously been serviced at Mac Haik Ford (10333 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77024) where the brackets and mounts for the engine and housing and mounts for the transmission were replaced due to rattling sounds coming from underneath the hood while driving. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The manufacturer advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was 154,499.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made abnormal sounds and then shuddered. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty. The vehicle was then towed to a transmission specialist, who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer informed the contact that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

Vehicle Information Make: Ford Model: Escape Model Year: 2015 Component: Power Train (Transmission) Date of Incident (approximate): 2021 (first signs) — Ongoing I purchased my 2015 Ford Escape new in 2015. Around 2021, I began experiencing intermittent stalling issues. If I ran errands and made multiple short trips, the vehicle would sometimes stall after restarting, especially on the second or third trip. If I allowed the car to rest between trips, the problem would occasionally not occur. I reported the issue to Briarwood Ford multiple times. Each time, they told me they couldn't replicate the problem and, since the check engine light wasn’t on, there was "no issue." Eventually, the check engine light did activate. Briarwood Ford then replaced an airflow valve, kept the car for a few days, but again said they couldn’t replicate the stalling. Shortly after that, following a standard oil change, the transmission failed completely. I contacted several dealerships before having the vehicle towed to Hillsdale Ford. They took approximately four weeks to replace the transmission, which cost me $7,000 out of pocket. Even after the transmission replacement, the car continued to drive poorly. It began accelerating inconsistently, sometimes surging or hesitating, and I noticed a burning smell. I informed the dealer, and they said there was a recall involving a brushless component, which they replaced. However, they said they couldn't detect any burning odor. Now, three years later, the vehicle still doesn’t accelerate smoothly. It’s overly sensitive to throttle input and sometimes seems to hesitate or get stuck when trying to accelerate. I am concerned that this ongoing issue is part of a larger safety problem related to the transmission or powertrain that Ford has not addressed properly

For the second time, the plastic retaining nuts have come off of the splash shield underneath to come lose and almost causing an incident. No warning prior to the failure.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V254000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer had been notified of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the vehicle failed to move and the gear shifter seized in drive(D). There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V254000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and the contact was informed that parts were on back order. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. Parts distribution disconnect. The approximate failure mileage was 150,780.

I learned last week that the vehicle that I lease (it's actually a car subscription) from SwingleCollins & Associates ([XXX], CISR, COMMERCIAL ACCOUNT MANAGER,[XXX], O [XXX] | F [XXX] ) has been recalled after entering the VIN # for my vehicle. I immediately contacted the vehicle owner (i.e. SwindleCollins) to alert them that the vehicle had been recalled and is not safe. While it appears the manufacturer of the vehicle, Ford, does not currently have parts to repair the vehicle, SwindleCollins has refused to replace my vehicle until such parts are available from the manufacturer. This puts me and my passengers at risks and seems in violation of the contract and I would like to therefore report the incident. Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 15-25 MPH, the vehicle began to hesitate and started stalling. The contact pulled to the side of the roadway and waited before continuing to drive. The contact stated that the vehicle then stalled four times while driving. The contact was in the middle of the road. The contact turned off the vehicle and was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact drove to her residence. The contact stated that upon restarting the vehicle and attempting to reverse, the vehicle moved forward instead. The transmission warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was inoperable. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that she would be responsible for towing and repair expenses of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V254000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

The bushing to my vehicle unattached itself while I was in the car and my 6 year old child. The car continued to roll forward although I tried to hold the brakes down and it would not go into park. I had to use the emergency brakes to keep the vehicle from continuing to roll forward. I looked up a recall for my vehicle but it has no remedy to the issue. I cannot drive my car in the condition that it is in because it will not go into gear or crank up because it is stuck in reverse.

On several occasions i've lost the power steering when the car is in DRIVE making it almost impossible to steer. Thankfully i was going so slow i was able to get the car to a safe spot but this could be extremely dangerous if it happens at highway speeds. According to the Ford Escape forums this is a known issue but it has still failed to become a recall. There were no warnings prior to losing the power steering, only a warning that i was "at fault" once it failed. It is available for inspection. It has not been inspected by anyone yet.

Our 2015 Escape is having the same problem as the recall recently released for the 2020-23 models. We are getting terrible fuel smell inside the vehicle. Getting unsafe to drive.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at low speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact waited for 45 minutes before restarting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the failure was due to the starter and steering column. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V254000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 156,597. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle had overheated and as a result, the contact added coolant into the reservoir. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to add coolant to the coolant reservoir. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.

My Vehicle had no issues prior to the date of 6/02/2022. On this date I was driving in a large city when my transmission kept switching gears by itself slipping. Eventually my transmission went out in whole. It was towed day of and was told that my transmission needed to be replaced fully. I had checked online to make sure no recalls were on my vehicle at that time. This happened to be false information. On 7/15/22 after 6 weeks of being in the shop I received my vehicle back. It is now 7/20/22 and I have received a recall in the mail for my transmission. I have done my research and am I aware that there is compensation involved in the incident that happened with my vehicle. I should have been told 60 days ago that there was a recall before such incident happened like I should have been. I will have a lawyer involved if no contact is made. I have gone through too much stress and turmoil to not have my case filed and looked at.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the gear shifter was shifted into park(P) however, the intended gear was not recognized, causing the contact to apply the parking brake to park the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission shift cable bushing was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 179,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that whenever the START/STOP button was depressed, the vehicle failed to turn off as needed. A message to “Please Shut Off the Engine” to save the battery was displayed. The contact called the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called another local dealer, Stuart Powell Ford Lincoln Mazda (225 S Danville Bypass, Danville, KY 40422, (859) 236-8917) but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed her that the vehicle was not covered under recall. The contact stated the failure was similar to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V436000 (Electrical System). The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.

The contact's wife owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was on and parked, the vehicle rolled forward about 3MPH and crashed into the house. The air bags did not deploy and no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not destroyed and the house was slightly damaged. The police was not called. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle will be towed to a dealer. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 123,082.

Vehicle had a new Ford manufactured motor put in, while driving since the new motor was put in, it developed a knock and at one point started smoking. Luckily we were in town and at a lower speed we were able to pull into a parking lot and turn it off. We were unable to tell where the smoke was coming from. The car has been at the shop for a month and we were notified that the engine had failed again with less than 10,000 miles on it.

The bushing connecting the shifter to transmission broke and popped off causing the car to not go into park and not be able to turn on again after shutting the car off. Had to attempt to push broken bushing down to get it into park and have the car towed due to safety concern.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after reversing at approximately 3 MPH, the vehicle was shifted into drive(D) and the contact depressed the accelerator and the engine started making a loud revving sound. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to move forward. The contact said that the service transmission and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to accelerate to approximately 30 MPH and driven to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

The vehicle is showing that it is in Neutral, indicated in the VIC. However, the shifter is all the way up in the park position. Being in neutral, this allowed my daughter to start the vehicle, as soon as it was started, she took her foot off of the break and she rolled her 2015 Ford Escape into our home fence. Now she is terrified. This seems very similar to the 2013-2014 recall. When I checked this vehicles VIN, no recalls are showing required due. Dangerous!

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing in the driveway, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle worked as designed. There was an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering gear needed to be replaced. The part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 37,179.

Was driving and came to a stop and vehicle said transmission not in park and shut off. Tried to restart and it did even attempt to turn over so I was stuck in the lane of traffic on the road.

Though the vehicle indicated that it was in park, both by the VIC and the shift being all the way in the forward position, the vehicle was still rolling after my daughter turned the vehicle off. This incident nearly caused my 16 year old daughter to hit a fence. It caused her to fear driving for a period of time. I had to have the vehicle towed to Jimmy Granger Ford in Stonewall, Louisiana to have it repaired. They informed me that the vehicle required the transmission cable assembly to be replaced, part number; CJ5Z-7E395-A. The total cost of the repair was, $1075.94. This issue is eerily similar to the issues that are in the recalls of earlier model Ford Escapes and Manufacturer Recall Number 22S43.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the door ajar warning light illuminated. The contact then pulled over safely to the side of the road and tied a rope from the door to the other door to keep the door closed. The vehicle was diagnosed at the dealer and it was determined that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V331000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages) however, the VIN was not included. The contact stated that due to the dealer cost for the repair, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 32,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, black smoke was coming from under the hood, and moments later the vehicle lost automotive power and stalled. After examining under the hood, the contact discovered oil was leaking from the engine. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic who diagnosed that there was a hole in the engine block causing the oil leak. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 130,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while stopped at a stop light, the vehicle jerked would not accelerate properly. The contact was able to park the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) and referred the contact to the NHTSA. The failure mileage was 85,000.

The smell of burning wires, engine light on and off

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle lost normal transmission functionality. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000.

Steering assist failed, unable to steer car

I had drove my car to chick fil a. I was inside for less than 5 minutes waiting on my order. When I came back outside my car was on fire. I’ve read articles about many other people having problems with their Ford Escaped catching fire. https://www.fordescape.org/threads/2014-ford-escape-engine-fire.88258/ If I had stayed in my car for a few more minutes I could’ve been inside and I could be dead right now. There seems to be a issue with the 2013 and 2014 model years combusting suddenly but, I think they need to include the 2015 model.

As I was slowing my vehicle died without warning, I had to quickly put in park to restart. Everything died. The car did restart but I almost got reared from the car behind me. I have heard like a roaring sound at times comming from the back area. I keep gas at no less the 1/4 tank so I know the gas is fine. My engine light come on and go off after awhile, now my ABS and AWD and On Hill Start is deactivate is comming on. I’m 65 and I had hoped this would be a safe vehicle for me, with very few problem but it looks like this is not the case. I have only had this vehicle 3 months I need your help to resolve this issue Please. Thank You

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon shifting into drive(D), the vehicle started reversing instead of moving forward. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle then shifted into drive(D) for a second time however, the vehicle slowly moved forward and started to reverse. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V254000 (Power Train). The manufacturer referred the contact to NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, he attempted to shift it into gear; however, the shifter failed to select the desired gear. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the shifter cable bushing was defective. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The approximate failure mileage was 104,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the gear shifter was not able to shift out of park(P). The vehicle was towed to a dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V254000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 131,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that occasionally there was an abnormal gasoline odor while the vehicle was idling and there was white smoke coming from the exhaust. The contact stated coolant was entering into the piston. The contact stated that the power train, ABS, the power train system, and service interval lights were illuminated. The contact stated that there several computer codes indicating an engine misfire, the control circuit was open, and the power train system showed coolant bypass had failed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer and was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and there was no recall related to the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 73,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle was slipping gears. The transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 133,000.

After purchasing suv the back seatbelt buckle popped while holding carseat. Second incident while driving car shut off and radio made a popping noise electrical issues stored happening Radio went out electrical functions won’t stay positioned back camera is blinking on an off upside down

The engine in the car has a cracked engine block. It first showed up as engine issues and the the spark plug could not be removed. The engine was reviewed by an independent garage and then a Ford Dealership and was verified as a cracked engine block that was allowed coolant into the cylinders. The dealership has another escape in with the same problem. We have been told that the VIN number does not indicate this engine as an issue, but it is as the block is cracked. The independent shop told us that the issue is a manufacturing defect in the block due to a soft material used in creating the engine. Once the engine light came on we brought the car to the shop and it was diagnosed as an issue. The car sat at the Ford dealership for 3 months and we were told the engine was on backorder and corporate was giving us the run around that the engine kept get putting on backorder. We are very frustrated with Ford as they are not stepping up to the problem with a manufacturing defect.

The contact's wife owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his wife was driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was then referred to the local dealer to diagnose the vehicle. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V436000 (Electrical System) and was informed by the manufacturer that the repairs were completed back in April 2016. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the engine overheated. The contact stated that the high engine temperature warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the coolant hose needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 138,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle intermittently failed to restart after being parked after an extended driving period. The contact stated that after multiple attempts, the computer system would activate; however, the vehicle would fail to start-up. The contact also stated that only the passenger’s side exterior lights would illuminate while the vehicle was in operation. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic and was informed that the BCM (Body Control Module) was defective. The mechanic then referred the contact to a dealer since he did not have the equipment to repair the vehicle. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V436000 (Electrical System). The dealer was notified and the contact was informed that her vehicle was not included in the recall. An appointment was then scheduled to have the vehicle serviced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

While driving on rural roads (30-45mph) the vehicle had a sudden loss in power, as though the transmission was slipping. The problem went away as suddenly as its onset, but approximately a week later, a warning 'Transmission Failure, Service Now.' appeared and the vehicle immediately went into limp mode, and would not shift into higher gears. AAA was called to tow the vehicle to the dealer for service. The Ford dealer received the vehicle and reported that the clutch plates had failed. This vehicle had the original transmission fail at 65,000 miles. Ford refused to pay for any parts or labor, as the car was out-of-warranty (by 5000 miles). Customer payed out-of-pocket for diagnosis, parts, and labor to install a new transmission ($5820.86). The second failure noted above occurred at 81,000 miles (only 15,000 miles / 18 months on the new transmission) and was covered under the warranty of the prior transmission.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 15V436000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), 22V413000 (POWER TRAIN), and 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair for the back over prevention camera was not yet available. The contact stated that the rear-view camera displayed a black screen while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the driver's visibility, which prevented the driver from safely operating the vehicle. In addition, an alarm alerting the driver of a person or an object behind the vehicle failed to function as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.