2005 Ford Escape

Family: Escape · filed with NHTSA as ESCAPE, ESCAPE HEV, ESCAPE HYBRID

Summary

In its first three years the 2005 Escape drew 115 complaints — 1.0× the median of its generation (2001–2007). It does not stand out from the other years of this generation.
These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
Complaints are spread across systems: the largest, Suspension, holds 32% of the 1,542 that name a component.
5 recalls filed for this model year.
3 federal defect investigations cover this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints: 1,584
Recalls: 5
Investigations: 3
NCAP overall: Not rated
Combined MPG: 17–29
Annual fuel cost: $2,150–$3,650
Median mileage at complaint: 105,000 mi (n = 1,388)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths: 44 / 20 / 29 / 2

What owners report

Suspension

489 complaints · 32% of complaints that name a component · median 120,200 mi (n = 437)

Owner report The right lower control arm separated from the subframe due to subframe rust. It caused loss of handling and rendered the car immobile. It was caused by a panic stop at a low speed. The car was towed to an independent garage where it is awaiting repair. Parts affected were the subframe, CV axle joint and the front fend…

Owner report I was driving at ~35MPH and suddenly hear a loud clanking sound from the rear right tire. The car has minimal rust however the rear right tire well has extensive internal weakness that caused the shock to disconnect from the frame. This happened completely unexpectedly and could lead to accidents and death. It seems th…

Body & Structure

459 complaints · 30% of complaints that name a component · median 120,000 mi (n = 411)

Owner report The contact owns a 2005 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after her father inspected the vehicle, he made her aware that there was damage to the rear subframe. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the rear subframe needed to be replaced. The contact became aware of NHTSA Camp…

Owner report Rear driver's side door will not close/latch. Latch can be manually moved, but does not engage when shutting door. Currently using bungee cords to keep door closed as I have children and no other vehicle. Vehicle was parked, door was opened from inside to allow passenger to exit, but when they attempted to shut the …

Engine

251 complaints · 16% of complaints that name a component · median 101,245 mi (n = 229)

Owner report I was heading back to Louisville Ky from bowling green Ky when my suv started to slow down and started running rough and check engine light flashed then stayed on I pulled off the road called aaa to have the suv towed back to bowling green to where I could have it checked the next day when I went to start it it was kno…

Owner report I HAVE A 2005 ESCAPE I BOUGHT FOR MY 19YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. THE CAR KEEPS STALLING OUT PUTTING HER AT RISK DRIVING TO AND FROM WORK. WE CHANGED THE GAS FILTER AND MAKE SURE THE FLUIDS ARE CHECKED ON A REGULAR BASIS BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE HELPED. THE CAR KEEPS STALLING OUT. SHE WILL BE DRIVING AND IT JUST CUTS OFF. D…

3% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2001–2007)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 118.

Model year	All complaints	First three years	Note
2001	996	468	most complaints
2002	1,027	418	most complaints
2003	558	121
2004	499	60	fewest complaints
2005	1,584	115
2006	720	64	fewest complaints
2007	393	45	not compared

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

15V606000 · POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

Filed 2015-09-29 · 57 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2001-2008 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured March 31, 2001, to September 1, 2009. The affected vehicles are equipped with either a 2.3L or 3.0L engine and have had their CD4E transmission replaced with remanufactured one that was rebuilt between June 11, 2015 through July 15, 2015. These service repair part transmissions have a shift lever bolt that may not be properly tightened. As a result, the shift control lever could disengage from the transmission without warning.

Risk: If the shift lever disengages from the transmission, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the gear selection indicator may show that the transmission is in the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not actually be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmissions and either tighten the manual shift lever bolt or replace the manual shift lever assembly. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S28.

15E045000 · SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING

Filed 2015-06-03 · 576 vehicles

Defect: The Timken Company (Timken) is recalling certain aftermarket front wheel bearings, part number 510072, sold from January 22, 2015, to May 21, 2015, to be used as service parts on 2001-2012 Ford Escape, 2001-2011 Mazda Tribute, and 2005-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles. The affected wheel bearings have incorrect dimensions of a 42mm bore, 76mm outer dimension, and 39mm width, instead of a 42mm bore, 78mm outer dimension and a 45mm width.

Risk: Use of an incorrectly sized wheel bearing can adversely affect the braking and steering of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Timken has begun notifying distributors who will offer purchasers replacement wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015. Owners may contact Timken customer service at 1-866-984-6536.

14V526000 · HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

Filed 2014-09-03 · 70,209 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 Ford Escape hybrid electric vehicles manufactured October 13, 2003, to June 20, 2008, and 2006-2008 Mercury Mariner hybrid electric vehicles manufactured June 10, 2005, to June 20, 2008. The coolant pump for the hybrid system may fail resulting in the hybrid electronics overheating.

Risk: If the hybrid electronics system overheats, it may shut down the powertrain, resulting in a stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the original Motor Electronics Coolant (MEC) Pump with an improved brushless pump, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on October 27, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S19.

06V111000 · SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT

Filed 2006-04-07 · 134,365 vehicles

Defect: CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITHOUT SIDE AIR CURTAINS OR MOONROOFS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 201, "OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN INTERIOR IMPACT." DURING TESTING, THE FREE MOTION HEAD FORM REGISTERED A MEASUREMENT ABOVE THE PERMITTED LIMIT AT THE LEFT HAND A-PILLAR TRIM AREA.

Risk: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, PERSONAL INJURY TO OCCUPANTS MAY OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL MAKE MODIFICATIONS TO THE ENERGY ABSORBING MATERIAL LOCATED ABOVE THE HEADLINER IN THE AFFECTED AREA FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 19, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

04V602000 · LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

Filed 2004-12-20 · 262,113 vehicles

Defect: CERTAIN 2004-2005 SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND CERTAIN 2001-2003 SPORT UTIITY VEHICLE HAVING REAR LIFTGATE COMPONENTS SERVICED WITH 2004 EQUIVALENT COMPONENTS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 206, 'DOOR LOCKS AND DOOR RETENTION COMPONENTS.' THE REAR LIFTGATE LATCHING SYSTEM DOES NOT MEET THE INERTIA LOAD REQUIREMENT IN ONE DIRECTION.

Risk: IF THE LIFTGATE IS LEFT UNLOCKED, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THAT IT MAY OPEN DURING A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR LIFTGATE LATCH RELEASE ROD, THE RELEASE ROD ATTACHMENT CLIP AND THE DOOR HANDLE RETURN SPRING. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 31, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

Federal investigations

Action	Component	Opened	Closed	Recall
DP22005	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM	2023-01-27	2023-08-07	22V063000
DP12006	ENGINE	2012-10-02	2013-02-21
AQ10001	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	2010-11-18	2015-12-28

DP22005: Pedestrian alert sounds

DP12006: Electronic Throttle Body Malfunction

AQ10001: Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit

Engines and fuel economy

Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Fuel cost / yr
Escape 2WD	2.3L 4cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	19	23	21	$2950
Escape 2WD	2.3L 4cyl	Manual 5-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	21	27	24	$2600
Escape 2WD	3.0L 6cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	17	23	19	$3300
Escape 4WD	2.3L 4cyl	Automatic 4-spd	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive	17	20	18	$3450
Escape 4WD	2.3L 4cyl	Manual 5-spd	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive	19	24	21	$2950
Escape 4WD	3.0L 6cyl	Automatic 4-spd	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive	16	20	17	$3650
Escape Hybrid 2WD	2.3L 4cyl Hybrid	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-Wheel Drive	30	28	29	$2150
Escape Hybrid 4WD	2.3L 4cyl Hybrid	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive	28	26	27	$2300

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

Variant	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover
2005 Ford Escape 4-DR.	Not Rated	Not Rated	Not Rated	★★★☆☆
2005 Ford Escape Hybrid 4-DR	Not Rated	Not Rated	Not Rated	Not Rated

Service bulletins

Ford issued 84 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about engine and engine cooling.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

Date	Component	Summary
2023-04-04	STRUCTURE	For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle identification numbe…
2016-09-21	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL	The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. The IDS has a limited refresh rate …
2016-09-21	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM	The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. The IDS has a limited refresh rate …
2016-09-08	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY	Some 2005-2012 Escape Hybrid and 2006-2011 Mariner Hybrid vehicles may set DTCs P0A81 (battery pack cooling fan 1 control circuit) and/or P0A96 (battery pack cooling fan 2 control circuit) in the traction battery control module (TBCM). Thes…
2016-06-08	SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT	2005-2008 ESCAPE/MARINER HYBRID - ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITH DTC(S) C1478, C1479, C1480 AND/OR C1481
2012-03-01	SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC	FORD/MERCURY: SOME HYBRID VEHICLES MAY REQUIRE A UNIQUE BLEED PROCEDURE AFTER A REPLACEMENT FOR ONE OR MORE OF HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS. *PE
2010-09-14	POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)	FORD/MERCURY: MIL ON WITH DTC P0351-P0356; MULTIPLE COIL PRIMARY CIRCUIT. BUILT ON OR BEFORE 10/03/05. SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.0L ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT A MULFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ON WITH TWO OR MORE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES …
2009-12-01	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY	FORD/MERCURY: SOME VEHICLES MAY SET DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS) P0A81 (BATTERY PACK COOLING FAN 1 CONTROL CIRCUIT) AND/OR P0A96 (BATTERY PACK COOLING FAN 2 CONTROL CIRCUIT) IN THE TRACTION BATTERY CONTROL MODULE (TBCM). THESE CODES BY…
2009-06-01	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	FORD/MERCURY: VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A RED TRIANGLE LIGHT AND CODES INDICATING A TRANSAXLE OVERTEMP. CONDITION MAY RESULT IN REDUCED POWER AS SYSTEM ACTIVATES FAIL SAFE OPERATION. *PE
2008-04-01	SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR/TONE RING	2005-08 ESCAPE/ESCAPE HYBRID/MARINER - 2006-08 MARINER HYBRID - WHEEL SPEED SENSOR RING REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE UPDATE TO WORKSHOP MANUAL. *NJ

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this Escape, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Ford Escape model page.

Sources

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.