2021 Ford Escape Owner Complaints

Complaint Summary
The 2021 Ford Escape has 307 reported complaints.
- Top issues involve structure:body and unknown or other.
Reliability Score
Reliability Score
Based on 307 complaints
Most Frequent Issues
STRUCTURE:BODY
57 18.6%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
39 12.7%
SERVICE BRAKES
38 12.4%
ENGINE
27 8.8%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
24 7.8%
Quick Insights
The top category is STRUCTURE:BODY, accounting for 18.6% of all complaints.
Owners have reported issues across 40 distinct vehicle systems.
Note: Complaint data reflects owner reports and may not always indicate a verified defect. Compare with Recalls and TSBs for a complete picture.
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What owners keep reporting on the 2021 Ford Escape
The 2021 Ford Escape has 307 owner complaints in this dataset. STRUCTURE:BODY is the most common complaint category, representing about 19% of the reports shown here.
Most common complaint categories
The top complaint groups for the 2021 Ford Escape are STRUCTURE:BODY (57), UNKNOWN OR OTHER (39), SERVICE BRAKES (38).
Are these complaints a serious red flag?
Potentially. 141 complaint reports involve higher-attention systems like brakes, steering, engine, powertrain, fuel, suspension, airbags, or electrical components, which is enough to justify a focused inspection.
What should buyers inspect on a used 2021 Ford Escape?
Start with the top complaint systems, compare them against the recall report, then inspect service records for evidence that those same areas were already repaired or monitored.
Detailed Complaint Log
Showing 37 of 37 systems
STRUCTURE:BODY
53 Reports21% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
since I have owned this SUV the break has been bad I have taken it in with no help from ford now the weld on my drive side door has broken away from the frame. ford has told me that there nothing they can do about it, and I have to pay for the repairs. i have had the car for 2 1/2 years and i have read on line that this has happen to a lot of people
5/18/2023
At 38,000 miles I got into my car and it started making a popping noise on my drivers side door when opening it and closing it. After further inspection, I cannot put my window down and I am met with resistance whenever trying to open or close it. This poses safety concerns in the event of a car crash. Apparently this is not a recall item at this time and I am awaiting my dealership to even see if itâs covered as it is past 36,000 miles.
6/12/2023
SERVICE BRAKES
35 Reports14% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in reverse, an abnormally loud humming noise would emit from the vehicle upon depression of the brake pedal without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer on numerous occasions and on the latest visit, she had the brake pads replaced; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and a case was filed. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000.
12/6/2021
Wife was driving vehicle. Came to intersection at end of our street. Applied brakes. Brakes did not work. Went through intersection crashed into tree. Injured, taken to hospital, vehicle towed, police report made. Vehicle is available for inspection. Would like to have vehicle inspected! Not yet inspected by anyone. No warning of problem. Vehicle has about 250 miles on it. Just leased on Dec 2, 2021.
12/17/2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
31 Reports12% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
While driving on the interstate a fire started under the hood and shortly after smoke entered the driver cabin. Luckily I was able to pull over and get out of the vehicle before the fire reached the driver cabin. It is going to be investigated by a company hired by AAA, the appraiser from the insurance company was not able to find a cause due to the fire damage being too bad. The first warning message was engine coolant overtemperature and a couple of others followed.
1/12/2022
It was a four month old car. I was driving and the engine coolant light came on. I traveled an additional 1/4 of a mile and another driver pulled up next to me and said that my car was on fire. I pulled off to the side of the road, and within about a minute, the entire car was engulfed in flames. I was fortunate to get out of the vehicle uninjured, and I promptly notified the deal of what had happened.
2/20/2022
ENGINE
18 Reports7% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
The contactâs daughter owned a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an unknown speed, the coolant warning light illuminated. As the contact's daughter began to pull over, she began to lose control of the vehicle as a black smoke started coming from the engine. The vehicle caught on fire once the contact's daughter had exited the vehicle. The fire department arrived at the scene and was able to extinguish the fire. A fire report was filed. There was no injury reported. Due to the failure, the vehicle was initially towed to a tow yard however, the current location of the vehicle was unknown. The contact's daughter notified the dealer of the failure and a week later and she was informed that an investigation would be started. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure mileage was unknown.
7/19/2021
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle began vibrating and the contact heard an abnormal noise. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to drive to his destination. The contact took the vehicle to local dealer and was informed that there was no remedy for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 700.
11/18/2021
POWER TRAIN
13 Reports5% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
The transmission automatically went into park in the middle of an intersection and was inoperable from that time and had to be towed from the intersection.
7/20/2021
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard squeaking and grinding sound coming from the brake pedal. The contact also stated that she smelled a burning odor throughout the vehicle and the vehicle hesitated and was pulling to the right. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer where she received a manufacturer recall regarding the transmission fluid overflow. The vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was informed the transmission was two and a half quarts over the specifications. The contact stated that the dealer drained the two and a half quarts of oil however, the contact stated that she was advised not to drive the vehicle. The contact was concerned that due to the burning odor, the vehicle could possibly explode. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number and a loaner vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
9/26/2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
12 Reports5% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
I rented this Ford Escape from Avis this month and ran into what could have been an incredibly dangerous safety issue due to a massive oversight in the car's design. I installed a small booster seat in the passenger side back seat for my 10 year-old son. He got in the seat and attached his seat belt, which he has done hundreds of times before in our own car. About 1 hour into a 2-hour freeway trip, a notification went off on the dashboard, telling me that a seat belt in the back had come undone. My son tried frantically to reattach the buckle but was unable. I had to exit the freeway and park on the side of the road. When I tried to reattach the buckle, I saw why there was a problem: He had inserted the buckle into the CENTER receptacle, not the passenger-side one. The receptacle didn't click, as it was probably designed not to do, but because the metal of the buckle has a slight angle to it, there was enough tension for it to temporarily hold. However even a minor accident could have been fatal because my son wasn't property strapped in. There are several issues here. First, the dash indicator should have been designed to tell me that there was weight on the right rear seat but no buckle was attached to that receptacle. Second, the center receptacle did not immediately reject the right-most buckle; instead, the bent angle of the buckle's metal temporarily held it in place and made my 10 year-old believe he was strapped in. Finally, the receptacles themselves have no play from side-to-side. This, plus the angle of the buckle's metal, means that when a booster seat is installed, there is not enough room to fully attach the buckle into the receptacle without exerting a LOT of force to push the receptacle to the left. I can't imagine the buckle can be attached at all with a larger child seat. The image I attached shows why this is; attaching a car seat requires exerting enough force to bend the metal holding the receptacle in order to attach the buckle.
1/24/2022
In September 2021 the car had 2 incidents of not being able to stop with the brakes while backing down my drive. The auto stop shut down was on. In the first instant I almost hit a senior with a walker. He fell but only scraped his hand and was not hit by the car. The second time, May 2022, the car crashed into the neighbor's front porch and took down a fence, I got out of the car and then fell in the street and broke my pelvis. The third time I was going down the steep drive and was able to steer the car until it stopped. The 4th time< May 6, 2022, I was backing out of a parking space, May and did not turn off the engine stop button and the car went into reverse don the lot. I managed to avoid hitting a row of cars and 1 man before I got the car to stop.
5/7/2022
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
11 Reports4% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V859000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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. Parts distribution disconnect.
1/13/2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V859000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear brakes made abnormal sounds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the bushing kit for the rear brakes needed to be replaced; however, the replacement parts were on backorder. The dealer also confirmed that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
2/13/2023
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
11 Reports4% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while opening the front driver's side door, the door made an abnormal popping sound. Additionally, the contact stated that the door failed to open wide enough or close securely. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times and the dealer applied a lubricant to the door, and the door was adjusted; however, the failure persisted. The contact also stated that the door only opened 6-8 inches wide, causing him to slide in or out when entering or exiting the vehicle. The dealer informed the contact of the door weld failure, and that the manufacturer had determined that the door 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 17,000.
8/29/2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while parked, the driver's side door hinge had fractured which caused the contact to not be able to open the door or roll the window open. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a Ford dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the door needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
10/10/2023
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
9 Reports4% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
Vehicle was being driven down the road. Vehicle stalled. Check engine light came on. Attempted to restart vehicle but vehicle stalled again. Smelled fuel. Heard a boom then fire ignited. Fire came from the underside of vehicle and flames were rising on driver side of vehicle with black smoke. Attempted to exit vehicle from driver side door but was unable to do so due to flames. Crawled over to passenger side of vehicle and exited the vehicle. Fire department extinguished the fire with water. Fire reignited and fire department extinguished fire again. Insurance company inspected the vehicle but was unable to determine root cause of fire.
7/27/2021
While driving on the interstate a fire started under the hood and shortly after smoke entered the driver cabin. Luckily I was able to pull over and get out of the vehicle before the fire reached the driver cabin. It is going to be investigated by a company hired by AAA, the appraiser from the insurance company was not able to find a cause due to the fire damage being too bad. The first warning message was engine coolant overtemperature and a couple of others followed.
1/12/2022
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
7 Reports3% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V922000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
1/10/2022
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V922000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
1/18/2022
STRUCTURE
6 Reports2% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from underneath the hood. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the shutter deflectors to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 300.
4/10/2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while opening the front driver's side door of the vehicle, the door made an abnormal popping sound. The contact stated while opening the door for a second time, the door made an abnormal grinding sound. The contact stated that the front driver's side door check arm weld had fractured internally, which prevented the window from rolling up and down as needed. Additionally, the door failed to close as intended and made an abnormal clicking sound while opening. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the front driver's side door check arm weld had fractured internally. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number:Â PE23013Â (Structure). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 43,200.
10/18/2023
SUSPENSION
5 Reports2% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
Felt sudden, hard bang under left foot while driving approx. 40 MPH. Car then lost control. Driver steered to right to get off road, hitting a curb in the process. Found broken left front axle when finally able to stop the car. There were NO obstacles or potholes to cause this accident (photos).
2/15/2022
Bought my 2021 Ford Escape a year ago, since a month after purchase, grinding noises Only when backing up, rain or shine or cold or hot. Getting worse within this year. Brought in 3-4 times, every time mechanic said nothing was wrong it was normal for this type of vehicle. Brought a few months ago to a different (not dealership) mechanic something Not right and needs fixing asap. Also noted crack and leaking from suspension! Dealership not willing to help, if my kids and I get into an accident because of this and a death or major injury shall occur , this will never be the end.! This has to stop! Treat cars like family please, because mine are in it.
4/5/2023
SEAT BELTS
4 Reports2% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
I rented this Ford Escape from Avis this month and ran into what could have been an incredibly dangerous safety issue due to a massive oversight in the car's design. I installed a small booster seat in the passenger side back seat for my 10 year-old son. He got in the seat and attached his seat belt, which he has done hundreds of times before in our own car. About 1 hour into a 2-hour freeway trip, a notification went off on the dashboard, telling me that a seat belt in the back had come undone. My son tried frantically to reattach the buckle but was unable. I had to exit the freeway and park on the side of the road. When I tried to reattach the buckle, I saw why there was a problem: He had inserted the buckle into the CENTER receptacle, not the passenger-side one. The receptacle didn't click, as it was probably designed not to do, but because the metal of the buckle has a slight angle to it, there was enough tension for it to temporarily hold. However even a minor accident could have been fatal because my son wasn't property strapped in. There are several issues here. First, the dash indicator should have been designed to tell me that there was weight on the right rear seat but no buckle was attached to that receptacle. Second, the center receptacle did not immediately reject the right-most buckle; instead, the bent angle of the buckle's metal temporarily held it in place and made my 10 year-old believe he was strapped in. Finally, the receptacles themselves have no play from side-to-side. This, plus the angle of the buckle's metal, means that when a booster seat is installed, there is not enough room to fully attach the buckle into the receptacle without exerting a LOT of force to push the receptacle to the left. I can't imagine the buckle can be attached at all with a larger child seat. The image I attached shows why this is; attaching a car seat requires exerting enough force to bend the metal holding the receptacle in order to attach the buckle.
1/24/2022
PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT PRETENSION AND RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY INTERNALLY FAULTED: This caused the seat belt light to be illuminated. This was repaired free of charge by the dealership.
9/27/2022
STEERING
4 Reports2% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
We bought a new 2021 Ford Escape and within 2 weeks I noticed the steering would occasionally lock up for a few seconds when making a turn. It got worse over the week and at one turn I had to force the wheel back by using both hands on one side of the wheel causing a grinding sound. I would have driven up onto the sidewalk if I couldn't get it to come back. Brought it to the dealer's service center and was told by the service manager "this is a known issue (something in the steering column disintegrating) and they had fixed this same issue plenty of times before. The have changed the design of the steering column, but did not know if this car had one of the old steering columns or the new ones." There was no warning what-so-ever. I question if this was a known issue, why was there no recall and why wasn't this checked before the car was sold. Someone could have been seriously injured or killed.
2/26/2022
The braking system is extremely choppy and sensitive and even after having the car almost a year I have been unable to master it. I have a plug in feature for my insurance purposes and it goes off 7-10 times that I break because of the sensitivity of the brakes. Iâve owned many vehicles and Iâve never had issues such as these to the extent Iâve told others I would NOT recommend this car to anyone! The steering is also very sensitive so much so that I fear one emergency shift would easily send the car out of control of rolling.
3/24/2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
3 Reports1% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
My daughter was coasting and the person in front of her slammed on their brakes causing her to slam on hers. Her collision warning did not go off until after she hit the car in front of her so she had didn't have enough time to stop. We pulled off into a parking lot and called the police to inspect the cars. Two weeks later there was a recall on the back brake pads. She ended up getting a ticket for impeding traffic which ended up costing $150.00 plus $5.50 for fees. I also have damage to the grille and bumper on my car that needs to get fixed.
1/13/2022
I just had it in the shop. The car acts like there is going to be a collision when nothing is in front of it. Also tryâs to pull me off the road. Been computer and electrical issues since I bought the vehicle.
7/8/2022
VISIBILITY/WIPER
3 Reports1% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
Passenger wiper arm comes loose and does not maintain position, causing wiper to either not work at all or misalign and cross the driver side wiper. Result is impaired visibility. Both episodes occurred in winter weather. Have had two episodes so far (1/12/22, 2/11/22) both requiring dealer service to re-align wipers to factory spec and tighten. On 2/11/22 both wipers became entangled during freeway driving, destroying both wiper blades and causing dangerous driving conditions due to poor visibility in rainy conditions. On 1/12/12 the dealer's service adviser showed owner location of the screw that holds wiper, and advised that when it comes loose, here's how to tighten it then come to dealer for it to be returned to factory spec. On 2/11/22 the dealer's service tech blamed driver for using windshield wipers "with powerful motors" when it is rainy/icy outside.
2/15/2022
Started the vehicle and turned the defroster on high setting one morning to defrost the windshield with heavy frost. Car had been running about 3-4 minutes and I heard a cracking sound. I noticed a 12" crack in the middle of the windshield when the frost was melted off. The car was still parked when the windshield cracked and was not being driven due to visibility being limited by frost.
3/7/2023
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
3 Reports1% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the front driver's side window failed to go up or roll down. Additionally, the contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, he opened the front driver's side door, and the door flew open as if there was an internal fracture. The contact also stated that he had to slam the door to close the door securely, and there were holes near the door latching point. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the door needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE23013 (Structure). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000. The VIN was unavailable.
10/27/2023
The contact's brother owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the front driver's side door made an abnormally loud sound while opening. Additionally, the contact stated that the spot welds on the check arm bracket were fractured. The contact stated that the front driver's side door could only be closed from the inside while raising the check arm. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE23013 (Structure). The dealer was notified of the failure and charged and diagnostic fee. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.
12/15/2023
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2 Reports1% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing down her driveway, that as soon as she had placed the vehicle in reverse, it independently accelerated to approximately 20 MPH. The contact attempted to depress the brake pedal and did not have any brake function. The contact stated she did not notice any warning light being illuminated. The contact stated she began to drive backward with the vehicle turning in circles, and crashed into a fire hydrant. The vehicle crashed into the hydrant on the passenger rear bumper side which was crushed. The contact stated that the engine was still running but that the vehicle had been stopped by the hydrant. The police arrived on the scene and filed a report. The contact had injured her back on impact with the hydrant, however, she did not seek medical attention until later. She went to a chiropractor and not a doctor. The vehicle was taken to a body repair shop and the damage was repaired, however the vehicle had not been taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The reverse and brake failure had not been diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 250.
7/5/2022
Front windshield is prone to crack. I have had to replace 5 windshields since I first purchased the vehicle. It is a known documented issue. Assuming aerodynamics is the issue and can cause more than the reasonable amount of cracked windshields. Valve body and transmission went out at 100,243 miles. All requested/required regular maintenance was completed.
3/13/2024
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2 Reports1% of totalPreviewing the first 2 complaint summaries.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering and jerking abnormally. The contact also stated that the engine had overheated, and the vehicle could not be driven for more than an hour. The check engine and oil pressure warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or local dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
6/28/2024
See attached document for complaint.
3/28/2025
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
1 Report0% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, her foot would repeatedly slip off the accelerator pedal and go underneath the brake pedal. The contact stated that this could lead to a potential failure while driving at high speeds. The contact also noted that the accelerator pedal was too small for normal operation. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer where they acknowledged a potential failure with the small accelerator pedal and the contact was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified, and the contact was given a claim number. She was then referred to NHTSA for further assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 0.
11/5/2021
WHEELS
1 Report0% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
Felt sudden, hard bang under left foot while driving approx. 40 MPH. Car then lost control. Driver steered to right to get off road, hitting a curb in the process. Found broken left front axle when finally able to stop the car. There were NO obstacles or potholes to cause this accident (photos).
2/15/2022
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
1 Report0% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, he became aware that the Back Over Protection camera was inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to replicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 5,618. The contact has stated that when a pedestrian or a vehicle is in view of the back up camera, there is no warning signal to alert them.
3/24/2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
1 Report0% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH to enter the freeway, the Auto Start/Stop feature inadvertently stopped the vehicle. There were no warning lights on the instrument panel. The vehicle had to be manually disabled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 7,000.
4/26/2022
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
1 Report0% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
I just had it in the shop. The car acts like there is going to be a collision when nothing is in front of it. Also tryâs to pull me off the road. Been computer and electrical issues since I bought the vehicle.
7/8/2022
AIR BAGS
1 Report0% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while in the reverse(R) position, the vehicle independently increased in speed without warning. The contact made multiple attempts to stop the vehicle by depressing the brake pedal; however, the brakes failed to operate as needed. The contact crashed into a fire hydrant but the air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact suffered pain in her stomach and neck but did not seek immediate medical attention. The fire hydrant was damaged as a result of the failure. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was repaired. Since the repair, the contact stated that the vehicle would shake when driving over 30 MPH without warning. She also mentioned that a loud, squeaking noise would emit from the vehicle while in reverse. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where they were unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.
11/15/2022
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
1 Report0% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
The contact leased a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes emitted an abnormal squealing sound. The contact stated that the failure mainly occurred while reversing. Additionally, a message indicating that the Forward Collision Avoidance camera had failed and needed to be repaired was displayed. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 48,971.
12/30/2022
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
1 Report0% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the rear brakes were not releasing as designed. There was an abnormal groaning sound detected while reversing. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed and it was determined that the calipers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure was approximately 17,000.
3/9/2023
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
1 Report0% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
Right headlight was not attached to car properly the clips are bend that hold it on the vehicle. Has been like this since I drove it off the lot. It makes it hard to see at night since the headlight does not sit properly. It points downward. I have reported this to the dealership where I bought it and to Ford itself. They say I didn't report it soon enough but I had just had eye surgery when I bought the car and thought I was having issues because of my eyes. Car is still under bumper to bumper warranty and they refuse to fix the issue. The service manager at the ford dealership did take pictures pf the vehicle and said there was no way this car had ever been wreaked cause there's not a scratch on it and it had to come off the assembly line that way. The service manager got in trouble from the dealership for telling me this. The want to charge me 1,500.00 to fix this and it's only two brackets. This is a huge safety concern because I can not see well at night.
3/14/2023
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
1 Report0% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated the driver-side window failed to operate properly (open or close). 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 unknown.
8/2/2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
1 Report0% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
I was in the middle of driving and going around a curve and all of a sudden advance Trac warning light is on hill assist warning comes on and pre collision assist comes on and none of the stability sensors are working in my car and I noticed my steering is very off sometimes itâs stiffer than usual and sometimes itâs not as stiff and that is dangerous I think it definitely needs to be recalled thatâs very serious can cause loss of control of the vehicle
9/9/2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
1 Report0% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
I was in the middle of driving and going around a curve and all of a sudden advance Trac warning light is on hill assist warning comes on and pre collision assist comes on and none of the stability sensors are working in my car and I noticed my steering is very off sometimes itâs stiffer than usual and sometimes itâs not as stiff and that is dangerous I think it definitely needs to be recalled thatâs very serious can cause loss of control of the vehicle
9/9/2023
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
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The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop, the vehicle started shuddering. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was an internal transmission failure caused by the torque converter shudder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
1/11/2024
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
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The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that condensation from the air conditioner unit had leaked into the vehicle causing the carpet to become wet, developing mold and mildew inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the failure was due to a clogged air conditioning drainage hole. The air conditioner drainage hole was unclogged, and the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure had recently reoccurred. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 30,000.
7/22/2024
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
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The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing, there was an abnormal screeching sound coming from the brakes. The contact stated that whenever it rained, there was water accumulating in the taillights. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the calipers and pads needed to be replaced. Additionally, the contact was informed that the lights needed to be replaced. The brake pads were replaced, but the failure recurred. The dealer informed the contact that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case and extended the warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.
9/5/2024
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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Over the past 4 months the powertrain malfunction light has illuminated 4 times on random occasions. The first time it came on while I was driving home from shopping. I did not notice the light until I stalled in the intersection trying to get on to the interstate. Stopped at the Ford dealership and insisted they scan it while the light was on. They refused and kept it for 2 days to tell me there was nothing wrong. Two weeks later, I was again traveling at an average speed. The light illuminated. Stopped at Advanced Auto Parts as it was late evening and Ford was closed. They could not pull a code with the light on stating it could be electrical. Towed the car home on a trailer from 45 minutes away. Upon inspection we discovered the coolant was low, added coolant and light went away. No issues for 3 months after that. The third time it came on I was accelerating on to the interstate. The engine was still pretty cold. The car went into limp mode and struggled to accelerate to highway speed. I parked the car and the light went away after sitting for a few hours. I thought it could be the oil was low or dirty. Took vehicle for oil change at Ford and they could see the light triggering but no code. Light did not come back for about 3 weeks. Fourth time I was driving at an average speed. Light came on and I was able to take vehicle directly to Ford again. Ford scanned the car while running with the light on and got a code for throttle/pedal sensor issues. The throttle position sensor was changed in July 2023. The car is currently at Ford awaiting a diagnosis and replacement of the issue. The powertrain light illuminating is a repeated issue with this vehicle.
1/26/2025
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
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The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the front driver's side door. The door failed to stay ajar when needed. Additionally, the contact stated that the door swung open unexpectedly while parked on an angle. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted, and the vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the door needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
2/14/2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:FUEL GAUGE
1 Report0% of totalPreviewing the first 1 complaint summaries.
There is an open recall that is unrepaired on the door but my problem is same as thousands of customers reporting a fuel issue to Ford. I spoke to Ford and the case manager agreed that it's so many customers calling on the Ford Escape fuel consumption issue and there should be a recall issued to fix whatever is causing it. My car had 13,000 miles on it used and I just made my second car payment. I began that week noticing something is not right. I hear a ticking at times in the engine, My MPG number on dashboard is rapidly flipping between random numbers from 99.9 MPG, down to 10 MPG and then 75 MPG and then 6 MPG and ect. I filled up and should have had 249 miles till empty and I got 147 miles before filling up again. Ford has recalls on 2021 Ford escapes for high pressured fuel injectors but only a customer satisfaction on my VIN. Now Ford said a code that alerts them my heating element is throwing a code, my USB charging ports are now throwing a code and stopped working. This is not normal. Why is this 2021 not recalled to replace injectors or whatever is the problem but other 2021 escapes are. Recall this before it breaks down and people owe like 20,000 left and no car. Thank you so much for your time and consideration. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
3/2/2025
Data and Methodology
Scores are derived from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints, normalized by vehicle segment averages.
What are the most common owner complaints for the 2021 Ford Escape?
Are complaints about the 2021 Ford Escape a serious warning sign?
How should buyers use complaint data for the 2021 Ford Escape?
Are complaints about the 2021 Ford Escape severe?
Complaint list entries are sourced from owner-submitted NHTSA ODI records.
Ford Escape: How should complaint data influence buying decisions?
Carfocal links complaint data directly to recall and maintenance routes for the same model year.
- Complaint entries
- 307
- Top-topic view
- 5 grouped topics shown
- Primary source
- NHTSA ODI owner complaint records
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