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2023 Ford Escape
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2023 Ford Escape — Safety Summary
The 2023 Ford Escape has 11 NHTSA safety recalls and 94 owner complaints on record. Transport Canada separately lists 9 Canadian recalls for this model. The most frequently reported complaint area is electrical system. It earned an NHTSA overall safety rating of 5 out of 5. Based on this public data we rate its risk profile as high. Enter your VIN above to confirm which of these apply to your exact vehicle, then get the Smart Buyer Report for AI analysis of this model's reliability, common issues by mileage, and a pre-purchase inspection checklist.
NHTSA Safety Ratings
Government crash test results
NHTSA Recalls
11 recall(s) for this year/model
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
18/11/2022Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.
Remedy: Dealers will update the engine control software to include fuel injector leak detection and install a drain tube, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed January 9, 2023. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 1st Quarter of 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S73. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 22V-191. Vehicles previously remedied under 22V-191 will need to have the new remedy performed.
ENGINE
26/05/2023Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape, 2022-2023 Maverick, and 2021-2023 Corsair vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as quickly as possible if they hear unexpected engine noises, notice a reduction in vehicle power, or see smoke. Dealers will replace the engine long-block in 2023 Escape and Corsair vehicles. For the other vehicles, dealers will update the powertrain control module software. If a connecting rod bearing failure is detected, dealers will replace the engine long-block. All inspections and repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 14, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S27. This recall expands and replaces recall number 22V-484. Vehicles previously repaired under 22V-484 will need to have the new remedy completed.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
21/07/2023Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Escape, Super Duty F-250, Super Duty F-350, Super Duty F-450, and Super Duty F-550 vehicles equipped with a digital instrument panel cluster. The module may have been improperly soldered, preventing the instrument panel from illuminating. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."
Remedy: Dealers will replace the module or instrument panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 4, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C25.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
14/06/2024Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Escape two-wheel drive vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise control. The cruise control radar module was misaligned during production.
Remedy: Dealers will adjust the angle of the radar module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 3, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S39.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
23/08/2024Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2023-2024 Escape, 2024 Mustang, and 2025 Explorer vehicles. The fuel injectors may have been assembled without O-ring support discs, which can result in a fuel leak.
Remedy: Dealers will install new fuel injector O-rings and O-ring support discs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 7, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S54.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
08/11/2024Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/ENERGY CONTROL MODULE (BMS/BECM)
20/12/2024Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Ford Escape, and 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to charge battery till the remedy has been completed. Dealers will perform a battery energy control module (BECM) software update, and replace the high voltage battery pack, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 30, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S79.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
09/05/2025Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2022-2025 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator, and 2023-2024 Corsair vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse.
Remedy: The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on June 26, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Owner notification letters were sent on October 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S49.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
23/05/2025Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus, 2023-2025 Escape, 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2025 Lincoln Corsair, Maverick, and Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with a 1.5L or 2.0L MPC engine and an engine block heater. The engine block heater may overheat when the vehicle is parked with the block heater plugged in.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the block heater element and inspect the electrical cord, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug coupled, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Owner notification letters were mailed June 9, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S52.
ENGINE
23/05/2025Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape, 2021-2023 Corsair, and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines that were repaired incorrectly under recall 23V380. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as quickly as possible if they hear unexpected engine noises, notice a reduction in vehicle power, or see smoke. Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S54.
ENGINE
03/06/2025Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Escape, and 2025 Bronco Sport vehicles. The cylinder head may have been improperly manufactured, which can cause the ball plugs to fail, resulting in an oil leak.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the cylinder head assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S61.
Transport Canada Recalls
9 Canadian recall(s) from the official Transport Canada database
Engine
2023-05-29Issue: On certain vehicles equipped with a 2.5 L HEV or PHEV engine, a manufacturing problem could lead to an engine failure. In some cases, an engine failure can create the risk of a fire. Safety Risk: An engine failure could cause a fire. Corrective Actions: Ford will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to update the powertrain control module (PCM) software or replace the engine, as necessary. To reduce the safety risk, Ford recommends that you should shut off the engine as soon as possible if you hear unusual engine noises, see smoke from the engine compartment, or notice reduced engine power.
Lights And Instruments
2023-07-24Issue: On certain vehicles, the instrument cluster could remain blank. As a result, warnings, tell-tales and gauges may not display. Note: This recall only affects vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster. Safety Risk: Warnings, tell-tales and gauges that don't display could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Ford will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the instrument panel cluster or instrument panel cluster module, as necessary.
Brakes
2024-06-14Issue: On certain vehicles, the cruise control radar module may not have been aligned correctly during production. As a result, the adaptive cruise control may falsely detect an obstacle and stop or slow down the vehicle suddenly. Additionally, other driver assistance systems may not work properly, including the pre-collision assist, forward collision warning and/or automatic emergency braking. Note: This recall only affects two-wheel drive vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise control. Safety Risk: A vehicle that brakes or stops suddenly when there is no risk of a collision could increase the risk of a crash. Vehicle safety systems that don't work correctly could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Ford will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to realign the cruise control module radar.
High Voltage
2024-12-20Issue: On certain vehicles, a problem inside the high-voltage battery could cause a short circuit. If this happens, there could be a loss of power to the wheels and/or the high-voltage battery could overheat. Note: This recall only affects certain plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) equipped with a 2.5 L engine. Safety Risk: A loss of power to the wheels could increase the risk of a crash. A battery that overheats can create a fire risk, even while the vehicle is parked and turned off. Corrective Actions: To reduce the safety risk, Ford advises not to charge your vehicle until the recall repairs have been completed. Ford will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to update the battery energy control module (BECM) software. The software will monitor the high-voltage battery and warn you if it detects a problem. If you see this warning, you should contact a dealership to arrange replacement of the high-voltage battery pack.
Visual System
2025-05-09Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the rearview camera image not to display or to freeze when the transmission is shifted into reverse. Safety Risk: A rearview camera image that doesn't display correctly could reduce a driver's ability to see behind the vehicle while backing up. This could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Ford will notify owners by mail and send a wireless over-the-air software update to eligible vehicles to update the SYNC software. Alternatively, you may schedule an appointment to have the update performed at a Ford dealership.
Engine
2025-05-23Issue: On certain vehicles, the engine block heater could overheat when the block heater is plugged in. Note: This recall only affects certain vehicles equipped with a 1.5 L or 2.0 L engine and a factory-installed block heater. Safety Risk: An engine block heater and/or wiring that overheats or melts could create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: To reduce the safety risk, Ford advises you not to plug in the engine block heater until the recall repairs have been completed. Ford will notify owners by mail. You can choose to have the dealer remove the block heater, or once the final repair is available, Ford will send you another notice to advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the block heater element. The dealer will also inspect and, if necessary, replace the block heater electrical cord.
Engine
2025-06-03Issue: On certain vehicles, the cylinder head may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the cylinder head plug(s) could fail. If this happens, engine oil could leak and cause a loss of power to the wheels. Note: This recall only affects certain vehicles equipped with a 1.5 L engine. This recall could also affect certain cylinder heads sold at dealerships as a replacement part. Safety Risk: A loss of power to the wheels could increase the risk of a crash. Oil that leaks onto hot components can create the risk of a fire. Additionally, an oil leak could create a hazard for others and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Action: Ford will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect and, if necessary, replace the cylinder head.
High Voltage
2025-11-14This recall was replaced by Transport Canada recall no. 2026-070. Issue: On certain vehicles, the software update installed by a Ford dealer during recall 24S79 (Transport Canada recall no. 2024-781) may not be effective. As a result, a second repair is required. On certain vehicles, a problem inside the high-voltage battery could cause a short circuit. If this happens, there could be a loss of power to the wheels and/or the high-voltage battery could overheat. Note: This recall only affects certain plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) equipped with a 2.5 L engine. Safety Risk: A loss of power to the wheels could increase the risk of a crash. A battery that overheats can create a fire risk, even while the vehicle is parked and turned off. Corrective Actions: To reduce the safety risk, Ford advises not to charge your vehicle until the recall repairs have been completed. Ford will notify owners by mail. The corrective actions for this recall are under development.
High Voltage
2026-02-18Issue: On certain vehicles, the software update installed by a Ford dealer during recall 24S79 (Transport Canada recall no. 2024-781) may not be effective. As a result, a second repair is required. On certain vehicles, a problem inside the high-voltage battery could cause a short circuit. If this happens, there could be a loss of power to the wheels and/or the high-voltage battery could overheat. Note: This recall replaces Transport Canada recall no. 2025-628. This recall only affects certain plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) equipped with a 2.5 L engine. Safety Risk: A loss of power to the wheels could increase the risk of a crash. A battery that overheats can create a fire risk, even while the vehicle is parked and turned off. Corrective Actions: To reduce the safety risk, Ford advises that you set the maximum charge setting of your vehicle at 80% and to only use normal EV mode until the recall repairs have been completed. Ford will notify owners by mail. The corrective actions for this recall are under development.
Contains information sourced from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database, licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Data is provided "as is" from Transport Canada's monthly release and may not reflect real-time updates. Transport Canada does not endorse this service. Always confirm open recalls with the manufacturer or Transport Canada before purchase.
Owner Complaints
94 complaint(s) filed with NHTSA
Top complaint categories:
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