2023 Ford Escape

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

Summary

In its first three years the 2023 Escape drew 86 complaints — 0.4× the median of its generation (2020–2026). It is among the least-complained-about 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.
Of the 129 complaints that name a component, 47% concern Electrical System (61).
13 recalls filed for this model year.
No federal defect investigations cover this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints: 139
Recalls: 13
Investigations: 0
NCAP overall: 5 of 5 stars
Combined MPG: 26–40
Annual fuel cost: $1,550–$2,400
Median mileage at complaint: 15,500 mi (n = 33)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths: 4 / 3 / 3 / 0

What owners report

Electrical System

61 complaints · 47% of complaints that name a component · median 15,500 mi (n = 16)

Owner report Ford issued notice 25SC4 then issued another one, 26N15 about the risk of fire with the high voltage battery in my car. These notices state a potential for a short circuit in the battery which they say could result in "increasing the risk of a crash" , "increasing the risk of injury", and it "can progress to a vehicle …

Owner report After incomplete over-the-air (OTA) update instrument panel cluster (IPC) fails to illuminate and only chimes when powered. Vehicle drives normally, but no speed, fuel, warning telltales shown to the driver. Safety issue as the driver is not informed of this critical vehicle information.

Engine

37 complaints · 29% of complaints that name a component · median 5,000 mi (n = 5)

Owner report vehicle threw code P0CFF, risking thermal management failure.Ford is refusing to honor the emissions/hybrid defect mandates, leaving a known thermal defect active on a high-voltage system. They're refusing to cover this under warranty for me.

Owner report Following the 24S79 thermal safety recall remedy, the high-voltage battery pack coolant pump failed, throwing code P0CFF:00:E8 in the BECM network. The manufacturer is denying warranty coverage on this unique hybrid thermal safety component, leaving the high-voltage battery pack uncooled.

Powertrain

26 complaints · 20% of complaints that name a component · median 33,000 mi (n = 7)

Owner report I was driving to work and the transmission faltered, grinded, tried to shift, and I thought the vehicle was going to crash. There were cars around me, and I was going about 30 to 35 miles per hour. I was able to pull over and turned off the car. I then drove it to an auto shop and the mechanic stated that it is the tra…

Owner report The transmission failed while driving around XXX near the Legends in [XXX]. Restarting from a stop the transmission clunked and after parking it would no longer go in reverse. Safety was a concern because the incident happened in a heavy traffic area. There were no other warnings from the car itself. The day before i…

7% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2020–2026)

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: 193.

Model year	All complaints	First three years	Note
2020	1,910	197
2021	498	189
2022	386	203
2023	139	86	fewest complaints
2024	88	88	not compared
2025	31	31	not compared
2026	4	4	not compared

Recalls

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

26V091000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

Filed 2026-02-17 · 25,237 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Ford Escape and 2023-2026 Lincoln Corsair plug-in hybrid vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.

Risk: Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will update the battery energy control module (BECM) and hybrid powertrain control module (HPCM) software, free of charge. Owners are advised to only use "Auto EV" mode and will be instructed by mail to limit the maximum charge of the battery until the remedy has been completed. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SC4. This recall expands previous recall numbers 24V954 and 25V489. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 18, 2026.

25V789000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

Filed 2025-11-14 · 20,558 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Ford Escape and 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair plug-in hybrid vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.

Risk: Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will update the battery energy control module (BECM) and hybrid powertrain control module (HPCM), free of charge. Owners are advised to only use "Auto EV" mode and will be instructed by mail to limit the maximum charge of the battery until the remedy has been completed. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SC4. Vehicles in this recall were previously recalled under 24V954 and will need to have the new remedy performed. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 18, 2025.

25V372000 · ENGINE

Filed 2025-06-03 · 404 vehicles

Defect: Ford 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.

Risk: An oil leak can result in loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.

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.

25V345000 · ENGINE

Filed 2025-05-23 · 1,809 vehicles

Defect: Ford 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.

Risk: An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.

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.

25V343000 · EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Filed 2025-05-23 · 6,781 vehicles

Defect: Ford 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.

Risk: An overheated engine block heater can increase the risk of a fire.

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.

25V315000 · BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

Filed 2025-05-09 · 1,076,138 vehicles

Defect: Ford 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.

Risk: A frozen or missing rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

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.

24V954000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/ENERGY CONTROL MODULE (BMS/BECM)

Filed 2024-12-20 · 20,484 vehicles

Defect: Ford 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.

Risk: Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.

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.

24V852000 · EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Filed 2024-11-08 · 27,678 vehicles

Defect: Ford 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."

Risk: Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

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.

24V634000 · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS

Filed 2024-08-23 · 24 vehicles

Defect: Ford 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.

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

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.

24V440000 · FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

Filed 2024-06-14 · 209 vehicles

Defect: Ford 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.

Risk: Misalignment of the radar module can result in the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) misclassifying an overhead object as an object in the vehicle's path, causing the vehicle to unexpectedly slow and/or stop. Other safety systems that depend on the radar model (Pre-Collision Assist, Forward Collision Warning, and Auto Emergency Braking) could have diminished or lost function. These conditions increase the risk of a crash.

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.

23V506000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

Filed 2023-07-21 · 38,695 vehicles

Defect: Ford 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."

Risk: An inoperable instrument panel cannot show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, which may increase the risk of a crash.

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.

23V380000 · ENGINE

Filed 2023-05-26 · 125,322 vehicles

Defect: Ford 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.

Risk: An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.

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.

22V859000 · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

Filed 2022-11-18 · 521,746 vehicles

Defect: Ford 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.

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.

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.

Federal investigations

None on file.

Engines and fuel economy

Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Fuel cost / yr
Escape AWD	1.5L 3cyl	Automatic 8-spd	All-Wheel Drive	26	32	28	$2250
Escape AWD	2.0L 4cyl	Automatic 8-spd	All-Wheel Drive	23	31	26	$2400
Escape AWD HEV	2.5L 4cyl Hybrid	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Part-time 4-Wheel Drive	42	36	39	$1600
Escape FWD	1.5L 3cyl	Automatic 8-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	27	34	30	$2100
Escape FWD HEV	2.5L 4cyl Hybrid	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-Wheel Drive	42	36	39	$1600
Escape FWD PHEV	2.5L 4cyl Plug-in Hybrid	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-Wheel Drive	42	37	40	$1550

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
2023 Ford Escape SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2023 Ford Escape SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2023 Ford Escape HEV SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2023 Ford Escape HEV SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2023 Ford Escape PHEV SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆

Service bulletins

Ford issued 208 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about unknown or other.

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
2026-10-14	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	This bulletin supersedes 26-2297. Reason for update: Add 2022-2025 Transit vehicles. Some of the vehicles listed in the model statement above equipped with SYNC4 may experience a blank center display screen or black center display screen af…
2026-10-06	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	For 20222026 vehicles equipped with a 8F35 transmission, a revision to the Road Testing Vehicle procedure has been made in the WSM, Section 307-01 > Diagnosis and Testing. This updated procedure improves the diagnosis of customer reported …
2026-10-02	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	2023-2026 Escape and 2025-2026 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with a 1.5L EcoBoost engine may require removal of the turbocharger wastegate control actuator linkage for various reasons. The Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-04 Fuel Chargin…
2026-09-29	FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	This bulletin supersedes 25-2326. Reason for update: update the service procedure to include the fuel tank isolation valve replacement, update the causal part number, and increase the labor time allowance to include the fuel tank isolation …
2026-09-29	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	This bulletin supersedes 25-2326. Reason for update: update the service procedure to include the fuel tank isolation valve replacement, update the causal part number, and increase the labor time allowance to include the fuel tank isolation …
2026-09-22	STRUCTURE:BODY	This article supersedes TSB 25-2466 to add Bronco Sport, Escape, Maverick and Corsair, as well as removing Expedition and Navigator. One time use parts for Corsair and Bronco Sport were also added to the parts list. Some of the vehicles lis…
2026-09-16	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	Quality improvements include: -Addresses a bug that may cause updates to fail
2026-09-09	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	Quality improvements include: -ePrivacy enhancements
2026-09-01	POWER TRAIN	Some 2023-2025 Escape vehicles built on or before 16-Sep-2024 equipped with 1.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an "Engine Coolant Over-Temperature" warning message displayed in the IPC and an illuminated MIL with DTCs P1285 and/or P1299 store…
2026-08-28	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	Customer Satisfaction Program 26N15 Certain 2020-2026 Model Year Escape and 2021-2026 Model Year Corsair Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) – High Voltage Battery Replacement

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.