This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
I have owned this vehicle since new. With now 62000 + miles I started having starting problems beginning earlier this year. The battery and starter have check out okay. The problem is with the ignition system. Sometimes the vehicle will not start when the key is turned- no noise, no clicking just nothing. I have learned to push the key in hard while turning and then the vehicle starts normally. At times even this will not work and I am stuck where ever I am until it decides to start after repeated attempts. After researching this issue on the internet I have read dozens of complaints from other people with the same issue across a range of years for the Ford Escape. I could not find any recall notices for this problem but there should be as I am guessing the number of vehicles with this issue has to be enormous.
While on highway traveling to Chicago, my vehicle power steering failed. I could not turn the wheel without great difficulty. The power steering is electrical so cannot drive without power steering. Had to leave car stranded in springfield, Illinois at landmark Ford and pay $50 per day for rental. It is a safety recall 14S05 and has failed in hundreds of thousands of cars in the us and Canada. According to the recall information online and my calls to dealerships; my car's recall updated the software to let me know the power steering would fail. They did not replace the torque sensor which is the item that failed on the highway and made my car not operational. If your torque sensor failed prior it was replaced by Ford under the recall - if it hadn't failed by the time of the software update the recall was closed out. I have found all this out today before my car has been fixed. So Ford will not fix my torque sensor and the cost is $617 plus the rental car at $50 per day. (my car failed 5 hours from home) - I have to go pick it up when it is fixed. Since it was a safety recall and the torque sensor had not been previously replaced, and Ford knew this was a problem with 1.1 million cars, why should I have to pay for a failed faulty part? my car only has 74,000 miles and is well maintained. The car was not involved in an accident but could have been very easily. However, the car was stranded 275 miles from home and Ford will not fix the faulty part. It is a safety issue and I am very unhappy. The torque sensor, steering column or whatever parts make this car unsafe should have been taken care of under the recall. Ford needs to do the right thing. There could have been an accident and loss of lives. This is unacceptable.
Car would sit in the driveway and lights and other accessories would come on. While driving the radio and other accessories would go off. Trouble with lift gate not opening and not closing. Car would not start sometimes. By wiggling various fuses and curcuit breakers the problem would subside for a while. I ended up spending over $1200 to replace the fuse block and wiring harness to fix the problem. I am living with my fingers crossed. I am a woman living on an extreamly limited income but I need my car. These problems were experienced while driving down the road, parked in my driveway, or any other time my car was in motion.
Beginning February 16, 2018 I began experiencing vibration and bouncing of steering wheel even when the vehicle was parked. I addition to steering concern - electrical system appears to be shorting out affecting the dash electronics such as indicator lights on dash, radio operation and door locks. The steering malfunction became steadily worse to the point that in early March 2018 I began inquiring on vehicle recalls. In speaking to Ford was advised that a steering unit recall was issued but my vehicle was not listed. Further communication with Ford identified the possibility that a clerical error occurred which failed to include my VIN to the recall as my vehicle sticker did not identify the date of manufacture only the month and year. More telephone calls with Ford identified my 2011 Ford Escape as being manufactured on 09/09/2010 and was included in the recall. Conversations since 2/16/18 yielded that mojave auto group performed a software reset in December 2014 rather than replacement of the steering unit. When I began speaking with Ford and NHTSA the vehicle was still operational. On 3/6/18 mojave auto group has inspected my vehicle and written up the power assist failure and found the steering column bad and needing replacement. Information on my vehicle has been documented within the mojave auto group system under so#605329
When driving my 2011 Ford Escape limited, the open door warning light, the TPMS light, and the parking brake light will come on. In conjunction with this, the A/C will blow warm, the turn signal indicators won't work, and the lift gate will lock. If I hit the top of the dashboard, it all resets. I took it to the autonation Ford on the gulf freeway in houston. They said to replace the instrument cluster at a cost of $1000. I have viewed multiple videos on youtube and read many posts on this very same issue. In every case, the vehicle owner said the instrument cluster replacement failed to correct the issue. What was found to be true in many of them was the discovery of cold solder joints on the instrument cluster circuit board. Once this was corrected, the vehicle ran normally with a fully functional instrument cluster. The conclusion to be drawn here is that it is a manufacturing defect that needs to be corrected by Ford. As to it being a safety issue, several of the posts stated that the entire cluster failed shutting the vehicle off. I have not experienced this yet but fear, if left uncorrected, that it could lead to that. The key point is that this is happening on hundreds, if not thousands, of Ford vehicles including not only my Escape, but Explorer, Expedition, and F150S. Ford should be held accountable for this glaring defect.
- Friendswood, TX, USA
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While driving the battery light came on, power steering went out, then all power to dash went out, pulled over and couldn't roll up the windows, no power at all, let it sit for a minute and was then able to roll up the windows.
All lights on instrument cluster come on randomly, gauges go to zero. Will remain in this condition until car is shut off. At times car will not restart without banging on the dash. Car does not have to be in motion for this to happen but most frequently it is. A new ignition switch did not solve problem. A check on the internet seems to indicate this is a common problem with this model car. This is an ongoing problem.
Ignition and electrical system, fuses, etc failure resulted in two spontaneous fires while the car was parked, destroying the car's ability to function. Leawood, ks. Police department has photographed the engine compartment and filed a police report
On 3 separate occasions, my vehicle shut off while I was driving. The lights flickered off, the brakes worked at approx. 30% after the car shut off and I had minimal steering capabilities and no acceleration capability. The car has also repeatedly been found with a dead battery (around 10 times now) when it has a brand new battery and alternator, and nothing within the vehicle has been left on to drain the power.
I was driving to my bank which is an hour away. As I drove up a steep mountain at the top the truck just shut off and I coasted to the side of hwy. After I stop tried starting 4 times and nothing happen. Set for 10mins then tried again truck started I made it back home without stalling.I took my in truck to be looked at diagnostic fuel throttle. Every day since im stalling 1or 2 a day trucks should be made to endure parts should be.more durable its always about cutting corners.making more money off of customer.can we just the land of the free and a home of honest amd integrity.I must work if dont have reliable trasnportation its difficult where I live. Please do something about all these defected trucks we trust Ford but I have lost trust in their ablity to make great lasting trucks.I will never buy another Ford again this my last one from Ford.thank you.
Having mechanical issues with my doors not closing. This has happened several times and each time it takes a lot of playing around with locking and unlocking before I can get the door shut.
Car would not start. Once started, power steering completely out. Had to drive home with no power steering.once power steering came on a day later, air is not working.
Re/ 2011 Ford Escape with 46246 miles vehicle did not start when the ignition key was turned on(engine did not turn over). The vehicle eventually started after multiple tries (key turned off then on again). The vehicle was taken into autonation Ford in torrance, ca. Where they replaced the "ignition lock housing" due to a broken ignition lock housing pin. Cost $733. Repairs completed 12/07/2016
Ford consumer satisfaction program 13N03. Related to etb. Car randomly would not accelerate - had to pull over three times while driving on the highway to turn car on and off. After turning car on, it was like nothing had happened.
Hello, a few months ago I purchased a used 2011 Ford Escape flex fuel from infinity/Volkswagen of fairfield, ca 94533. During the time my wife and I have been driving it, I have experienced some major troubles with the vehicle. When driving in the city or on the highway at any speed, the vehicles gas pedal all of a sudden loses pressure and I have no more gas. Promptly after that, the car begins to shake and eventually I have to pull over for safety reasons. This has happened more than 10 times now. I have been to the dealership 3 times already and explained to them what's going on. They just brushed it off and said " come back when the engine lights come on." I was very mad and frustrated but I let it be. Over the fourth of July weekend I was driving the vehicle the problem happened again this time I was on the freeway and had to immediately pull over because I was in the fast lane. It was so fast that I collided with the side of the shoulder to right of the fast lane and hit a dirt patch. Things could have been a lot worse. Thank god nobody was hurt. Im saying that my wife is the daily driver of the vehicle and to think that she is pregnant and has my 2 year old son if she was driving it things would be a lot worse for the dealership. I'm sick and tired of being treated like this. I'm a marine corps veteran and to be treated like [xxx] in the dealership tell me to "leave and have good day" is terrible. This is the third vehicle that I have purchased from them and by no means will there be any more business with them after this. Not caring about the safety of customers is wrong. I do not want this vehicle anymore. I repeat I do not want this vehicle anymore. I need something done about this please. If not I have no choice but to write my congressman about this situation, the department of veterans affairs and a lawyer. I hope that we can handle this in a civil manner. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
I continue to have issues with the electronic throttle body (etb), up to and including the complete shutdown of the system. I am the original owner of this vehicle and have abided by all service recommendations for this make/model. The extended warranty on the etb runs out at 100K (vehicle currently at 75K). There are times the vehicle shifts so violently that one would believe they've been rear-ended. When I take my vehicle in to the dealership (5 times, 2 different dealerships), I'm told they re-program the system and to give it another 500 to 1000 miles for the system to relearn my driving habits. The "reboot" lasts between 800 to 1500 miles on average. I don't understand why the etb can't be replaced in its entirety at this point.
Vehicle engine suddenly and randomly cuts out in the middle of driving, in motion on the highway, or soon after starting to drive, in motion leaving a parking lot. The accelerator becomes unresponsive and the car sputters to a stop. When you try to restart the car it turns on as if nothing happened.
Vehicle was parked for 4 days in driveway. Vehicle engine compartment became engulfed in flames unexpectedly. Cause unknown. A 2014 recall related to throttle body is suspicious. Recall was addressed under customer satisfaction program 13N03.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the fobik key was depressed to unlock the doors, the lift gate failed to unlock. The contact attempted to unlock the lift gate manually but the attempt failed. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000.
A/C pump cycles on and off but no A/C in summer. In winter -the defroster cuts out which I believe is a overheating resister thus not cycling the A/C. also switch is inop for fan on positions 1 and 2. I believe the system " malfunction" is a fire/ safety issue and needs a safety campaign because of all weather hazards such as fog, excessive summer temps, and freezing temps with condensation. Thanks
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- Murphy, NC, USA