Reliability & cost of ownership
Ford Escape Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Ford Escape? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars where on file — then open the year you're shopping for its AI reliability outlook where NHTSA has enough data.
Ford Escape problems by model year
223 recall entries across 26 model years and 27,486 owner complaints across 27 model years on file, sourced from the federal NHTSA database. We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the remaining model year — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Ford Escape, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- engine7,228 complaints
- power train4,662 complaints
- steering3,944 complaints
- electrical system2,528 complaints
- engine and engine cooling2,332 complaints
- vehicle speed control2,300 complaints
- structure2,232 complaints
- unknown or other2,119 complaints