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.
Ford Escape had a history of transmission issues prior to the 2015 vehicle I purchased used in Feb 2018. I was told the rough shifting and vehicle skipping (which started gradually the winter of 2021/2022) can be a hardware, software, shutter or torque problem. Even though there are class actions suits to resolve the software and hardware problems, Ford has not provided any assistance, instead expecting me to replace the transmission at my expense quoting the highest repair price despite not having an actual diagnostic which they also expect me to pay $169.00 for.
My 2015 ford ecspe se back up camera just stop working it would show a white screen flickers back and forward then all of suddenly it go to a black screen at first it look like it was some kind of message but couldn't really see what it said because of the flickering we thought it was the fuses but that's not the case it is a safety hazard for the back up camera not working.
While driving on a multi-lane road going 60mph the Transmission Fault Service Now warning popped up on my dash. Within a minute after I could feel the transmission moving into neutral, causing the RPMs to go very high, then the card would buck violently and it would go back into drive allowing me to continue to try to drive it to safety. This happened 3 or so more times as I had to stop at a traffic light with my hazards and I was unable to get the car to move forward again until the transmission slipped back into gear and I was narrowly able to get off the main road before it completely stopped working. My parking brake had to be engaged to stay still.
Horn works intermittently
I was driving on the highway 3 weeks ago and the dashboard turned off including the radio and there was no electricity inside the vehicle. Then a couple of minutes the power came back on. On 10/15/22 I got stranded at the border of San Ysidro because I had to turn off the car, I had to be pushed by the CBP Officers, since it was pass midnight (Sunday 10/16/22) I was waiting to be towed (magically the power came back on after almost 3hrs) and I was able to drive home. I took my car to Firestone, and they couldn't fix the problem, my car has been at the Ford dealership since Monday and finally after 4 days they know what the problem is, there is an issue in the network wiring to the BCM (Body Control Module). They still going to figure out the root of the problem. The dashboard turned off w/o warning no lights, no problems before.
The contact's daughter owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that his daughter experienced a malfunction with the front passenger’s side door latch mechanism. The door failed to latch and close securely. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that vehicle was not covered under a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no additional assistance and referred him to the NHTSA Hotline. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V331000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages). The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
The contact's son-in-law owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was hesitating and jerking while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was notified that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and acknowledged being aware of the failure; however, the manufacturer offered no assistance. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that she was unable to refuel the vehicle. The contact stated that upon inserting the nozzle, the gas pump stopped pumping continuously. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that fuel tank solenoid was filled with dirt. Additionally, the fuel tank assembly and related parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
My vehicle gave me a notice of “steering fault service now”. I then stopped at an advanced auto and that’s when steering failed completely with the notice on the dash of “steering failure stop safely”. What if this happened while going highway speed? Where I live highways have many curves. This is a dangerous and unacceptable situation. I can no longer steer and I drive for work. This is an enormous safety concern as this could’ve happened at any time, and I could have been injured or hit someone else due to this failure.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the front passenger’s side headlight and rear passenger’s side taillight malfunctioned and failed to illuminate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who discovered the headlight and taillight assemblies had been damaged due to overheating and melting of the assemblies and both needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 81,840.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle started to jerk forward forcefully. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving to her destination. The contact's husband continued to experience the failure the following day. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The VIN was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the dealer stated that the failure was not associated with the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 153,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle was losing motive power and the transmission was not shifting as needed. The transmission fault message was displayed. The contact was able to drive safely to her location. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the failure was not related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 106,000.
2015 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CABLE BUSHING FAILURE SAFETY RECALL. THE CONSUMER PAID TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER THE ADVICE OF THE DEALERSHIP. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS MADE DUE TO THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART WOULD FAIL AS WELL.
Transmission slips and is a safety hazard for my family unknown when it's in p or D no indication
2015 Ford Escape. Electronic automatic power steering failed in traffic taking 90year old to the doctor. Had it towed. After restarting car the steering worked. Been happening randomly but last week 3times in one afternoon. Ford dealer replaced defective parts. Said there is a recall for older models. Why not 2015? It was a moving safety hazard that Ford should have rectified before we were put at risk. The repair cost us $3100. Been reading other 2015 Escape owners have had similar incidents.
Took vehicle in for scheduled oil change, tire rotation and inspection. Upon cashing out was told they could not rotate tires because of bad lug nuts. Would have to order new ones at a cost of $227. This to me seems to be a Ford Company problem. If I would have had a flat tire, I would have been stranded as tire could not have been changed. This is unacceptable and Ford needs to fix this and I should be compensated.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated upon driving from a complete stop, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into cylinder #3 and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
The owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power and stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to depress the brake pedal to restart the vehicle and the brake pedal felt firm. The contact attempted to depress the brake pedal with her two feet but it failed to respond. The contact was able to depress the brake pedal after several attempts. The contact was able to drive to her residence and parked the vehicle. However, the failure reoccurred twice while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the body control module (BCM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer also informed the contact that the failure could be associated with the instrument cluster. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V406000 (Electrical System) that she associated with the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the instrument panel had gone blank. The contact stated that due to the failure, the tachometer, speedometer, tire pressure, and check engine warning light features were made inoperable. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while attempting to close the door, the door failed to latch securely. The driver's side rear door ajar warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with door latch failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 175,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while shifting from park(P) to drive(D), the vehicle emitted an abnormal loud sound. The contact shifted back to park(P) and upon shifting to drive (D), the failure reoccurred. There were unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate properly. There were no warning lights illuminated; however, there was a message indicating that the 4WD was inoperable. The contact pulled over and had the vehicle towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was notified that there was coolant in cylinder #3, and that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 127,071.
2015 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR EPAIRS MADE RELATED TO NHTSA SAFETY RECALL22V-413. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SHIFTER WAS STUCK IN THE PARK POSISTION. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED.
2015 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER STATED THAT THEY EXPERIENCED ISSUES WITH THEIR SHIFTER NOT SHIFTING INTO GEAR AND LOCKING UP. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR RECALL 22S25/22V254.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the dealer had previously replaced the transmission shifter cable bushing; however, the failure recurred with the gear shifter not recognizing the intended gear. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact's daughter owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and stalled while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was first taken to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic test determined that coolant had leaked into the cylinder block. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed her that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed by an authorized Ford dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the diagnosis was confirmed. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not under recall or warranty. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.
The temperature gauge pegged-out at FULL HOT in a matter of seconds, the engine overheated. The safety risk would be a seized or blown engine while driving. The problem was checked by two independent auto repair facilities and an authorized dealer service department. The authorized dealer representative said the vehicle had a "coolant invasion of the #1 cylinder. The car had a defective block so changing the head gasket was not recommended, replacing the engine was the prescribed fix. Each week for a period of three weeks the 'check engine' light came on. I went to my mechanic and he checked it out with his electronic engine diagnostic port, each time it showed that the #1 cylinder misfired. He could not find any reason/couldn't figure it out. The fourth week when the screen showed red when the engine overheated was the first time there was a light/warning other than the check engine. I immediately stopped, turned the engine off, opened the hood and notice the antifreeze reservoir was empty. Sharing this information helped my mechanic to piece the problem together and said the antifreeze was getting into cylinder #1and that I needed a head gasket, which was confirmed by another mechanic. They both recommended going to Ford for the work since they could get the part(s) quicker and perform the work more timely. Since Ford said the engine was defective then why doesn't Ford assist in the cost of repair and/or replacement?
2015 FORD EDGE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION.
Shifter is stuck, not able to maneuver safely. I will take my car tomorrow to an auto center to fix it.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the gear shifter inadvertently started to change gears without warning. As a result, the vehicle started to jerk, and the engine revved however, the vehicle failed to respond. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle then performed as designed; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the parking brake was engaged to prevent the vehicle from moving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. The contact then referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while he and his wife were driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering. The vehicle also was not shifting into gear and had unusual noise from the engine. There was a service transmission warning light illuminated. The contact also stated the transmission was slipping when attempted to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was currently being diagnosed. The dealer did a test drive and indicated was not sure if the failure was related to the NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000 .
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while shifting from the drive position to reverse the transmission malfunctioned and became stuck in the neutral position. The local mechanic examined the vehicle and diagnosed that the transmission shift cable bushing had failed. The mechanic provided a temporary fix for the failure by reattaching the bushing. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number 22V413000 (Power Train). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 67,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing the vehicle out of the driveway, the transmission seized in reverse. The vehicle was unable to restart. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was then towed to a local dealer. The dealer diagnosed a failure with the shifter cable bushing. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/avoid-ford-ecoboost-engine-all-cost/ Everything listed in this article happened to our Ford Escape From the EcoBoost, catalytic convertor, vacuum pump for the brakes, timing chain, head gasket, and main fuel line. We have paid over 6k to replace these parts. Only to be told the car needed a new PCM computer to run. We took the car to Thoroughbred Ford in Kansas City to replace the PCM, which the part itself cost us 1k. Ford replaced the PCM and the car still didn't work after more than one diagnostic test and another associated testing, they told us it wasn't a PCM problem at all, that in fact, the engine needs to be replaced. Meanwhile, Ford wants to charge us $2300, for a car that is known for having Ecoboost issues.
2015 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO BEING REIMBURSED FOR NHTSA SAFETY RECALL 22V-413.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The contact called the local dealer and the recall was serviced. Soon after the repair, the vehicle began to make an abnormal, rattling noise as the vehicle would independently accelerate without warning. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and was diagnosed with a defective torque converter; however, the parts for repair were on backorder. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
2015 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS MADE RELATED TO A SAFETY RECALL 22S43/22V413.
All four of my 235/55R17 103V XL tires are dry rotting. They are separating and creating a crack all along the tire shoulder. I bought these tires brand new in January 2020, they are not even 3 years old yet. The tires can blow due to the dry rotting causing me to crash, getting them replaced ASAP. No warning to them getting worse, until I did a tire check early this month.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the warning message “Engine overheating pull off safely and stop” illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact was able to pull off to the side of the road safely and turn off the vehicle. The contact waited for the vehicle to cool down, restarted the vehicle and the vehicle operated normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was notified of a coolant leak inside cylinder #4. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be repaired or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and a complaint was filed. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA for assistance. The failure mileage was 120,208.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to remove the rear passenger’s side wheel, the contact’s son-in-law discovered that the lug nuts were swollen and the supplied lug nut wrench could not be properly fit over the lug nuts. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer who replaced the lug nuts. No further information was available. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 61,510.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to stop in a reasonable amount of time. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact forcefully depressed the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The contact was able to continue driving to his residence while using the parking brake. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while depressing the START/STOP button to turn off the vehicle, the engine continued running. After the contact was able to turn off the vehicle, the instrument panel and radio remained operational. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V436000 (Electrical System). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 97,800.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the gear shifter was shifted into park(P) however, the computer did not recognize the intended gear with the "Transmission Gear in Reverse" message displayed. The contact used the parking brake to park the vehicle. The dealer and Johnson Brothers Ford (7455 S General Bruce Dr, Temple, TX 76502) were made aware of the failure and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.
Customer was driving vehicle up a hill and noticed that the shifter indicated the car was in neutral. Customer moved the shifter into park and stopped the car, because she could not put it in drive. Customer then applied the parking brake to stop the car from rolling backwards and turned the car off, then tried to restart it . And the car would no longer start. The dashboard indicated that the car was in reverse, even though the shifter said the car was in park. Customer had to have the car towed to the nearest Ford dealer for repairs. Customer had no prior warnings about this problem. Customer could have been placed at serious risk if she had been on a busier road.
Called the dealer on 7/13/2022 about NHTSA Safety Recall 22V254 and was told parts are on a national back order and only if vehicle failed or malfunctioned would the parts be sent to dealer so vehicle can be repaired. Dealer stated parts could not be obtained otherwise. Tried to call Ford on 7/13/2022 and was unable to get an answer. This in not acceptable.
Coolant intrusion
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure recurred with the gear shifter seizing. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who replaced the transmission; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, and the dealer replaced the transmission modulator; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware 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. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact called on behalf of her husband who owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that her husband was driving approximately 5 MPH, when the vehicle stalled. The gear shifter failed to move. After several attempts, the gear shifter moved into drive. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the cable bushing needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was unknown.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026