2021 Ford Escape: Solid

1. Engine18% · 63 complaints · median 29,000 miles
2. Body and structure31% · 111 complaints · median 39,000 miles
3. Brakes15% · 53 complaints · median 5,000 miles
4. Fuel and propulsion11% · 40 complaints · median 45,000 miles
5. Electrical12% · 43 complaints · median 37,000 miles
6. Powertrain8% · 29 complaints · median 55,000 miles
7. Air bags1% · 3 complaints
8. Driver assistance3% · 10 complaints
9. Visibility3% · 9 complaints
10. Seats and belts2% · 8 complaints

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

• NHTSA 26V117000March 2026604,533 vehicles

  Visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Aviator, and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may fail and prevent the windshield wipers from operating properly.

  Risk: Windshield wipers that fail to operate properly can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the front wiper motors as necessary, free of charge.

• NHTSA 26V123000March 2026889,950 vehicles

  Back over prevention: software

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2020-2024 Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The image on the center display may flip or invert, resulting in an incorrectly displayed rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

  Risk: An incorrectly displayed rearview image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Dealers will update the accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software, free of charge.

• NHTSA 25V829000December 2025108,762 vehicles

  Structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: hinge and attachments

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2025 Escape vehicles. The liftgate hinge covers may not be properly secured and detach from the vehicle.

  Risk: A detached liftgate hinge cover can create a distraction or a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Dealers will inspect and reinstall, or replace any missing liftgate hinge covers as necessary, free of charge.

• NHTSA 25V789000November 202520,558 vehicles

  Electrical system: propulsion system: traction battery

  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.

  Fix: Dealers will update the battery energy control module (BECM) and hybrid powertrain control module (HPCM), free of charge.

• NHTSA 25V685000October 202559,006 vehicles

  Equipment: electrical: engine block heater

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

  Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

  Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied.

• NHTSA 25V467000July 2025694,271 vehicles

  Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2020-2022 Escape 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.

  Fix: Dealers will update the engine control software.

• NHTSA 25V442000June 2025200,237 vehicles

  Back over prevention: software

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.

  Risk: A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge.

• NHTSA 25V345000May 20251,809 vehicles

  Engine

  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.

  Fix: 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.

• NHTSA 25V165000March 202533,576 vehicles

  Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 22V-859 or 24V-187. 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.

  Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge.

• NHTSA 24V954000December 202420,484 vehicles

  Electrical system: propulsion system: traction battery: management system/energy control module (BMS/BECM)

  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.

  Fix: Owners are advised not to charge battery till the remedy has been completed.

• NHTSA 24V852000November 202427,678 vehicles

  Equipment: other: labels

  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.

  Fix: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge.

• NHTSA 24V330000May 20249,312 vehicles

  Power train: automatic transmission: control module (TCM/PCM/TECM)

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Maverick, 2020-2022 Escape, and 2021-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The Hybrid Powertrain Control Module (HPCM) software may cause the vehicle to shift into neutral unexpectedly, causing a loss of drive power.

  Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Dealers will update the HPCM software, free of charge.

• NHTSA 23V380000May 2023125,322 vehicles

  Engine

  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.

  Fix: 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.

• NHTSA 22V859000November 2022521,746 vehicles

  Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system

  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.

  Fix: Dealers will update the engine control software to include fuel injector leak detection and install a drain tube, free of charge.

• NHTSA 22V484000July 2022100,689 vehicles

  Structure: body: bumpers: active shutters/grill · Structure: frame and members: underbody shields · Engine and engine cooling

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape, 2021-2022 Lincoln Corsair, and 2022 Maverick 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.

  Fix: 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.

• NHTSA 22V191000March 2022345,451 vehicles

  Engine and engine cooling: engine: oil/lubrication

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2022 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. The engine oil separator housing may crack and develop an oil leak.

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

  Fix: Dealers will inspect the oil separator for damage or oil leaks, and replace the oil separator and seals, as necessary, free of charge.

• NHTSA 22V149000March 20223 vehicles

  Electrical system: propulsion system: traction battery · Hybrid propulsion system

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022 Corsair and 2021-2022 Escape vehicles equipped with a 2.5L Hybrid powertrain. The high voltage battery may fail, resulting in a sudden loss of drive power.

  Risk: A sudden loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Dealers will replace the high voltage battery, free of charge.

• NHTSA 22V109000February 2022155 vehicles

  Engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Escape Hybrid vehicles. The engine crankshaft may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.

  Risk: Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

  Fix: Dealers will inspect the crankshaft and replace the engine, as necessary, free of charge.

• NHTSA 21V922000November 2021114,666 vehicles

  Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Bronco Sport and Escape vehicles. The rear brake linings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can affect braking performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

  Risk: During certain situations, the driver may have to apply more brake pedal force, and the distance required to stop the vehicle may be extended, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Dealers will replace the front brake pads, free of charge.

• NHTSA 21V869000November 20211 vehicles

  Electrical system: propulsion system: traction battery · Hybrid propulsion system

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling one 2021 Escape vehicle equipped with a 2.5L hybrid powertrain. The high voltage battery may fail, resulting in a sudden loss of drive power.

  Risk: A sudden loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

  Fix: A dealer will replace the high voltage battery, free of charge.

• NHTSA 21V625000August 202113,773 vehicles

  Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump: control/drive module

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, and 2021-2022 Bronco Sport vehicles. The fuel delivery module may leak inside the fuel tank, causing low fuel pressure which could result in an engine stall.

  Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Ford sent NHTSA 225 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2021 Escape. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

• 25M03 · August 2026Customer Satisfaction Program 25M03 Certain 2020-2025 Model Year Escape, 2021-2025 Model Year Corsair and 2022- 2025 Model Year Maverick Vehicles equipped with a 2.5L Hybrid or Plug-In Hybrid engine…
• 25B51 · May 2026Certain 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco, 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco Sport, 2020-2022 Model Year Corsair and Escape, 2016-2024 Model Year Explorer, 2019-2020 Model Year Fusion, 2016-2018 Model Year Focus…
• SSM 54631 · March 2026Some 2020-2026 Escape and 2022-2026 Maverick 2.5L Duratec hybrid vehicles may require various repairs on the exhaust system.
• SSM 54601 · February 2026Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code.
• 23B56 · December 2025Customer Satisfaction Program 23B56 - Supplement #2 Certain 2020 - 2023 Model Year Escape Vehicles Inspect Front Door Check-Arm Reinforcement Spot Welds REF: Customer Satisfaction Program 23B56 -…
• 25M02 · December 2025Customer Satisfaction Program 25M02 Certain 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco Sport and 2020-2022 Escape with 1.5L Engine and 8F35 Transmission Upstream Catalytic Converter Replacement, If Required
• 25N03 · October 2025Customer Satisfaction Program 25N03 Certain 2021-2023 Model Year Bronco Sport and 2020-2022 Escape with 1.5L Engine and 8F35 Transmission.
• 23B56 S1 · July 2025Certain 2020 - 2023 Model Year Escape Vehicles Inspect Front Door Check-Arm Reinforcement Spot Welds On all of the affected vehicles, the front door check-arm reinforcement welds can crack and may…

All 2021 Escape bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2021 Ford Escape reliable?

Owners filed 359 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Ford Escape in its first five years on the road, about 234 for every 100,000 sold: 1.1× the rate of a typical Escape year. That's close to a typical year. Ratings compare Escape years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.

What are the most common 2021 Escape problems?

Owners' complaints most often involve the engine (18%), the body and structure (31%) and the brakes (15%). A complaint can name more than one area.

Has the 2021 Ford Escape been recalled?

Yes. NHTSA lists 21 recall campaigns for the 2021 Ford Escape, the most recent in March 2026 (visibility). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.