NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2015 Ford Escape. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
The Sunroof spontaneously shattered while I was driving home. Upon further inspection, it looked like the glass was becoming separated from the frame as well.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking, and the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the fob and the heat did not work as intended. The contact stated that the heater blew out cold air in some vents and heat in others and the key fob would not connect to the vehicle. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated intermittently but eventually went off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed engine due to a coolant leak and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed of an unknown recall however, the contact was informed that the VIN was not associated with the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,530.
I drove at 60 MPH during rush hour on a very crowded highway. I tried to accelerate, but I was losing speed. My RPM was working, but I was not accelerating. I took my foot off the accelerator and tried again, and then the car accelerated briefly (without continuous pressure--it accelerated without me--- and again lost power. I had nowhere to stop. I got off at a ramp one mile away, coasting at 17 MPH. The "Transmission Fault" warning appeared as we entered a gas station. $190.00 tow bill. Our mechanic of 18 years diagnosed total transmission failure. My car has been well cared for, with recommended check-ups/oil changes. There were zero warning signs of trouble. The mechanic recommended this car be evaluated by a Ford dealership. The approximate cost from the Ford dealership is $6000.00. This was a VERY very dangerous situation with children in the car in rush hour traffic on a highway. I have 91,163 miles on the car with a total transmission failure.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the RPMs revved, but the vehicle failed to respond and decelerated to 17 MPH. The contact stated that she continued driving and pulled into the nearest gas station. The message "Transmission Fault" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a blue 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. The message "Rear Camera Inoperable" was displayed on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, the contact almost struck a tree while reversing. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the rearview camera displayed a black screen while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. Most recently, the rearview camera no longer functioned as intended and failed to activate as designed. The local dealer was not 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 unknown.
Sunroof will not close and every time it rains it leaks so much to the point that it’s going to cause more electrical issues. I will not take this back to the Randy Marion dealership in west Jefferson NC they also sold me this car with a bad transmission which ended back up in the shop for 3 plus months. They were completely incompetent about handling the situation. So I will not go back to them. Also they sold this cat with seatbelts that are so lose if I were to have a wreck I would probably go through the windshield. They didn’t want to repair that without me handling the bill.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated upon entering the rear passenger’s door, the contact became aware that the door failed to securely latch closed. The door-ajar warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: RQ19005 (Latches/Locks/Linkages, Structure). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The image in my reverse camera on my dashboard is upside down when I put the gearshift in reverse. Impossible to see if anything is behind me. I have not had it looked at yet by a dealership. Just began happening a few days ago. No warning lights at all came on. There are examples of this happening to other cars on YouTube. Seems like a common but dangerous problem with certain Fords.
driving 2015 Ford Escape slowly in parking lot Steering Assist Fault- service needed' message appeared on screen, and steering seemed to become unpowered. I maneuvered it to park, turned ignition to off. Turned back on and all seems fine on day 2 - (This vehicle does not have replaceable power steering fluid.) Auto Parts store helper tested battery, alternator and starter all fine.
I was driving down the road and all of a sudden my vehicle lurched forward despite me depressing the brakes then would not shift into any gear or move at all. I turned the vehicle off waited 10 minutes and attempted to restart the vehicle so that I could move into a safer area out of traffic. The vehicle began shaking and would not go into gear but did roll enough that I was able to move out of the way of incoming traffic. There were no warning lights displayed on the dash and the vehicle was not malfunctioning prior to the event. The other issue has been that the backup camera repeatedly fails to function at all. Instead the screen is either blue or black and no images are visible.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the transmission was shifted into drive (D) and reverse (R), the vehicle failed to move. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was determined that the PTU, front axles, CV axle shafts, and bearing retainer needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the transmission had previously been replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.
backup camera is not working. says to call dealership. dealership says they dont know what is wrong with it. safety hazard for backing up.
Engine misfired and then completely stalled at 75MPH on freeway. This alone was the major issue putting us and the public at risk. Had car towed to mechanic who indicated there was coolant intrusion into the cylinder block, thereby causing the engine to fail. This apparently is an ongoing issue with Escapes and there is litigation to this point. Well, it happened to me. Due to the failure of Ford to deal with this issue (it is well known and documented) My family was put at risk. We now have a worthless piece of junk, a car that is in pristine condition and no engine.All symptoms and issues were the same.. initial engine warning light and then the failure occurred. The only other sign was increased coolant usage.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument cluster screen became inoperable. The contact stated that the instrument cluster screen displayed a white screen. The contact stated that the instrument cluster screen failure was intermittent. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 70,243.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the instrument panel was blank. Over several days, the instrument panel screen returned; however, the panel intermittently went blank while driving without warning. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V406000 (Electrical System) which was linked to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
My transmission failed on 12-22-23 not the recall that is on it already i mean completly failed just stipped working all together with no warning of a problem until 2 days later when I got it to the transmission shop 2 weeks prior my thermostat failed with no warning the transmission shop made me aware they have alot of ford escapes with failed transmissions my vehicle only had 83,794 miles at the time I have always done regular oil changes I would like to have this issue further investigated for recall issue as I have driven vehicles with over 200,000 miles and never had a transmission issue
DRIVING ALONG JUST FINE WENT PASS ANOTHER CAR ON THE ROAD. WHILE ACELARATING THE MADE A SUDDEN HARD SHIFT AND THEN STARTED TO HESSITATE. THE CAR DID THIS DOWN TOWN PHX 75 TO 25 CAUSING TO CARS BEHIND ME TO CRASH INTO EACH OTHER SO YEAH I HAVE TO SAY THAT WOULD BE A SAFTEY ISSUE. AS IT WAS DOING THIS THE CAR SAID TRANSMISSION FAILURE. SO I HAD THE CAR TOWED AND WHEN I GOT IT HOME I HOOKED IT UP TO MY AUTEL CODE READER BI DIRECTIONAL SCANNER. THERE WAS A PROPLEM WITH 1ST GEAR NOT HAVING THE CORRECT RATIO AND 6TH GEAR INVALID RATIO. THAT IS ALL IT SAID.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at 35 MPH, when the accelerator pedal was depressed there was an abnormal sound and the vehicle independently shut down. The check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle stalled. The failures occurred on several different occasions. The "Electrical Malfunction" message was displayed on the instrument panel and the Check Engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that after waiting for an hour, the vehicle restarted. The failure occurred on several different occasions; the infotainment screen had to be reset whenever the failure occurred. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound whenever the vehicle was in reverse. The Check Engine warning light was illuminated. The failure occurred on several different occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to get a diagnosis however, the contact stated that the failure was not diagnosed or repaired; The contact stated that the independent mechanic gave a diagnosis stating that the water pump needed to be replaced and repaired the vehicle however, the contact was concerned that the failures that had occurred was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic signal, the vehicle started to vibrate and made an abnormal sound from under the floorboards. The contact shut off and restarted the vehicle and was able to drive to his destination. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact later drove the vehicle to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission flex plate had cracked and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, he noticed a burning odor. Additionally, the contact stated that while making a right turn from a complete stop, he depressed the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated while driving several days later, the vehicle made an abnormal winding and knocking sound. An independent mechanic inspected the vehicle at the residence and determined that the abnormal sound was due to the torque converter not receiving enough fluid from the transmission pump. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving. The contact stated that while accelerating from a Four-Way Stop, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact was able to push the vehicle to the side of the road with the assistance of bystanders. The contact stated that he turned off and restarted the vehicle, and he was able to drive to the nearby independent mechanic. The mechanic referred the contact to a Ford dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with internal transmission failure, which caused the low transmission fluid pressure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 87,265.
The transmission has failed and fuel propulsion. While driving on the highway with no warning it slowed down considerably, which almost caused me to be rear-ended. Yes, it's even inspected. No warning lamps. PLEASE CHECK, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF 2015 FORD ESCAPES WITH FAULTY TRANS AND FUEL PROPULSION ISSUES.
I have coolant leaking into cylinder 4 of my 1.6L engine. I’m constantly having to refill my coolant tank because the coolant is getting burned up when it leaks into my engine which in turn produces big white clouds of smoke from my exhaust pipe. It is available for inspection. I’m constantly worried for my safety because my car could potentially overheat and lead to a fire if my coolant is going elsewhere other than its designated place. My car has been to numerous mechanics in order to figure out the issue and has recently been confirmed on [XXX] by Dave Knapp Ford located in Greenville, Ohio that there is coolant leaking into cylinder 4. My car has not been inspected by any other higher ups. My engine light has not been working since the day we bought the car in August of 2023 for reasons we do not know of, so we were not instantly notified that there was an issue with the engine. The symptoms we did notice were loss of coolant almost everyday even after filling up, no visible puddles of coolant on the ground, white smoke from exhaust, a burning smell, bubbling in coolant tank, violent shaking of entire car, car dying after starting engine, and very low rpm when in idle. These symptoms really became visible at the start of November of 2023 and have gotten worse since then to the point where my car barely wants to start. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Steering randomly locks up and jerks to one side. I've had it checked twice and both places reported not finding any issues. Not showing any codes to repair it
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that the horn was inoperable. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the horn could be faulty because it was made from plastic. The vehicle had been repaired three times however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to to NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 78,000.
Suddenly smoke billowed from the exhaust. No notification arose through the car's system. The shop tore it apart to find the problem. Said it was an eco boost failure, which also ruined the catalytic converter. A week and $5837 later, they said it was fixed. The next morning it billowed smoke from the exhaust. Took it back to the shop. They then said the problem was a ruined engine. The engine is backordered and will cost about $8000 to replace. The car's engine trouble system never came on despite the numerous codes that are associated with an eco boost failure and I'm sure countless other codes that should indicate an engine failure problem. I travel I-25 and US Highway 6 twice daily for work. If the engine had seized, since it had been damaged, that could have been disastrous for others and me. It is not that hard to alarm codes for safety reasons. Industry does it all the time. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I have been having issues with coolant loss for over a year now. After doing research online I'm seeing this is a really common problem for Escapes and other models built around the same time frame. I believe this issue is with Ford and they should be responsible to fix it, considering all the evidence supporting how common of an issue this is.
Steering rack needs to be replaced. It’s growling when I turn, and now that it’s below freezing in Maine, it’s locking up. It tries to lock up while I’m driving. It’s very dangerous, but the job is a 2-3K job. I’ve researched the issue, and this has happened with MANY Ford vehicles. See other links below: [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] These are just a few of hundreds of articles reporting the same problem. This is clearly an issue with Ford’s steering racks and should be investigated as it’s extremely dangerous and shouldn’t be happening to so many people. I still owe 10K on this car and have already put thousands into it for repair. Something has got to give with this company making poorly made vehicles that are not built to last. 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 at an undisclosed speed, the back-over prevention feature was activated; however, the back-over prevention system failed to function as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed back-over prevention camera and that the back-over prevention camera needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle overheated with a message to “Pull Over and Turn Off Vehicle” displayed. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed and it was determined that there was fluid leaking into cylinder #1 and that the cylinder and head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the head gasket and short block were previously replaced due to fluid leaking into cylinder #3; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the vehicle started to sputter with white smoke coming from the exhaust. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that coolant intrusion had damaged the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 135,000.
2023 my back up camera was only working 75% of the time. I took the car into the Ford dealer and they said it is a known problem and the waiting period for the replacement takes up to a year. They recommended I keep checking back to see if it's in stock. The fee to replace is about $350. I was told I could prepay, but they couldn't give me a date for arrival of the part. They openly admit, some have waited up to a year. Here we are 6 months later and now the camera works less than 50% of the time. Ford knows this is an issue but it's not a recall item. To me this is a safety issue. I still view my surroundings in total prior to backing up, but the back up camera was always an added safety feature. I feel that this is not a cost the consumer should bear. Ford should recall faulty backup cams. Thank you for your time and consideration.
There was not any wreck
The contact owned a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the front of the vehicle collided with two trees. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained back, chest, and abdomen injuries and received medical attention. The vehcile was towed to a lot where it was deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud humming sound heard inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the transmission was shifting abnormally. The contact stated he drove the vehicle to his destination. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 132,010.
Was in the middle of driving and hit the accelerator and the car would not go anywhere. Mechanic/Ford dealership said it was the transmission, that the trans pump fluid wasn't pumping correctly and it caused the trans to fail. Had no warnings that anything was wrong. Needed an entirely new transmission then was charged for extra parts(nuts, bolts), in addition to the new transmission. Cost was $7336.47
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that shortly after having the vehicle serviced by the dealer, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who diagnosed a general failure with the Eco boost engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 88,000.
The contact's wife owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and the steering wheel became firm. The contact observed a communication power assist failure message on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 99,600.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing, the rearview camera image was upside down. There was no warning illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the rearview camera could not be reset, and the dealer determined that the rearview camera needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.
The cars electrical system has failed multiple times while driving leading to no headlights , brake lights and all other electrical components. we have had vehicle serviced by multiple different mechanics including ford dealership however problem persists shortly after repair each time. vehicle does not display any forewarning of failure such as no check engine lights or any indication that anything is wrong. all services and inspections show nothing is wrong however vehicle service records show electrical system and battery serviced/changed multiple time due to reoccurring problem. manufacturer says that our vin is not included in the recall however vehicle has all same issues as recalls from May 2014 to July 2015 .Vehicle was manufactured April 04,2015. how are vehicle does not fall under any of these recalls is beyond my understanding , at this point in time vehicle does not run due to multiple mechanics being unable to pin point or fix electrical issues. Would like vehicle reinspected for any of these recalls and car fixed and safe to drive.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that, while in reverse, the back-over prevention camera displayed a black screen. The back-up prevention camera alarm sounded off, and the safety system advised the driver to look out for objects in the rear of the vehicle, without the transmission being shifted into reverse. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The transmission failed in 2018 whilst it was still under warranty and a local Ford dealer fixed it under warranty. In 2023 the trans totally failed. Yes it is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I was driving on an expressway at the time it happened which was terrifying but also put me, my passenger, and other drivers at risk as I tried to pull it over to the side. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, it was confirmed by the warning message displayed on my vehicle's screen. It was confirmed by Roy O'Brien Ford in 2018, Shores Care Care Center in 2018 & 2023. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No; the failure came totally out of the blue. The first warning indicator displayed after the transmission totally failed.
I was getting off I77 and went to push my brake pedal and it wouldn't move and i couldn't slow down. I had no warning lights come on. Thankfully i made it home. I checked for brake fluid and it was good
coolant leaking not the water pump or thermosat or heater hose it is coolant intrusion on cylinder 1 and 3
While my family and I were returning from lunch and pulling into a parking space at my moms apartment complex, my 2015 Ford escape SE eco-boost, had a sudden unintentional acceleration where it basically accelerated forward and we hit a building. During this, the brakes were unresponsive, and there was building and vehicle damage. Luckily, the post to the building prevented us from driving through the entire building. I have read several reports of the Ford escape experiencing this exact problem. We are lucky we were not killed. Ford has had no recalls for this very deadly issue.
Electric power steering intermittently loses communication with module. It's very dangerous. Just driving straight down the road or making a turn it cuts out and it's like a ghost grabs the wheels and jerks you off the road or into oncoming traffic. I've hit guardrails and many curbs, luckily no oncoming traffic. This should be a serious recall if I've ever seen one. One of the most dangerous malfunctions I've ever experienced and I'm a technician.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the engine temperature warning light illuminated. The contact stated that when the coolant was added, there was condensation underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the "Service Transmission" warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle started to rev at a high RPM without the contact depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the engine was revving abnormally loud, and the vehicle continued to lose motive power. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact stated that the dealer attempted to diagnose the vehicle however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 47,031.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal sound, and the gear shifter was difficult to operate. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to reach out to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 120,503.
all equipped with 1.6-liter gasoline turbocharged direct-injected engines — could be subject to a lack of coolant circulation resulting in the engine overheating
The contact’s son owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her son was driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was steered to the side of the roadway and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.