
2021 Ford ECOSPORT
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2021 Ford ECOSPORT has 350 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (61% of all complaints), specifically: the contact owns a 2021 ford ecosport. the contact stated while driving 65 mph, the vehicle stalled. the contact stated that a message to shift to park(p) and restart the vehicle was displayed. the contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle however, the failure recurred. the vehicle was taken to . ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.
350
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
4.4x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ENGINE
213 complaints- • The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that a message to shift to park(P) and restart the vehicle was displayed. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to
- • My vehicle has the 4 cylinder (non eco boost) engine. It started having an emissions system fault which has been causing exhaust and fuel fumes to not only be very strong under the hood, but has become very strong inside the cab when the climate control is on. Since this started, my wife and I have
- • The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the low-pressure oil message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact pulled the vehicle off to the shoulder of the highway and had the vehicle towed to the dealer. Once at the dealer, a diagnostic test was
“The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that a message to shift to park(P) and restart the vehicle was displayed. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
47 complaints- • Upon normal acceleration at a stop light, the car accelerated normally for about 2 seconds and then a loud grinding sound followed and I lost all acceleration in the middle of a busy intersection unexpectedly with cars having to slam their brakes behind me and steer into other oncoming traffic to av
- • The vehicle locked up and would't move at 10,000 miles. We were lucky that the car was in someone's driveway instead of on the road. The vehicle was new at the time of purchase. I have a relative who is an auto technician and he said that he has experienced this problem with Ford transmissions many
- • According to the dealership, the axle seal tore and leaked transmission fluid. No lights, warnings or messages ever appeared in the days leading up to or following the incident. I noticed a mechanical whining sound about 24hrs prior to the incident (what the dealership later explained was transmissi
“Upon normal acceleration at a stop light, the car accelerated normally for about 2 seconds and then a loud grinding sound followed and I lost all acceleration in the middle of a busy intersection unexpectedly with cars having to slam their brakes behind me and steer into other oncoming traffic to av”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
23 complaints- • The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that a message to shift to park(P) and restart the vehicle was displayed. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to
- • Faulty sensors that appeared to have been fixed with more faulty sensors. The car's sensors result in the car thinking it is in park, locking up the wheel, and losing some of the drive assist and controls.
- • On 7/18/2023, this vehicle was involved in a fatal crash. The vehicle stopped moving and would not proceed forward after stopping major roadway. A motorcycle struck the vehicle from behind and the two occupants were killed. The owner of the vehicle contacted the dealership where she bought it from
“The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that a message to shift to park(P) and restart the vehicle was displayed. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
21 complaints- • While driving I have experienced an issue 3 times since buying my vehicle in April 2021. The issue pertains the vehicle shutting down while in motion and following a message on the screen stating to put the vehicle in "park" and restart the vehicle. I am afraid this will happen while i am in the hig
- • The car has more than once accelerated on its own without any cruise control or pressing of the gas pedal. Usually just a short burst in low speed areas like parking lots. The engine almost retroactively overreacts to a light tap on the gas pedal. So far have caught it every time and been able to hi
- • EcoSport. Lease [XXX]. Car broke down at 6900 miles [XXX], was fixed and broke down again at 10,300 miles ([XXX]-towed to North Brothers Ford. same problem. (oil pump and engine issues). Apparently a fix won't be available until 2nd quarter in 2024, probably looking at June. I've been told that I ca
“While driving I have experienced an issue 3 times since buying my vehicle in April 2021. The issue pertains the vehicle shutting down while in motion and following a message on the screen stating to put the vehicle in "park" and restart the vehicle. I am afraid this will happen while i am in the hig”
— NHTSA complaint filing
BRAKES
13 complaints- • Upon normal acceleration at a stop light, the car accelerated normally for about 2 seconds and then a loud grinding sound followed and I lost all acceleration in the middle of a busy intersection unexpectedly with cars having to slam their brakes behind me and steer into other oncoming traffic to av
- • My brakes let go while I was stopped at a traffic light almost causing me to rear end the car in front of me. Luckily the light turned green and the car in front of me moved before I ran into them. Went to try pull off the road to check what was going on and my brakes started working again. This inc
- • The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the low oil pressure warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and contacted her son. The contact's son inspected the oil pump and oil filter but could not determine the cause of the failure.
“Upon normal acceleration at a stop light, the car accelerated normally for about 2 seconds and then a loud grinding sound followed and I lost all acceleration in the middle of a busy intersection unexpectedly with cars having to slam their brakes behind me and steer into other oncoming traffic to av”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 350 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ENGINE: The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that a message to shift to park(P) and restart the vehicle was displayed. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: Upon normal acceleration at a stop light, the car accelerated normally for about 2 seconds and then a loud grinding sound followed and I lost all acceleration in the middle of a busy intersection unexpectedly with cars having to slam their brakes behind me and steer into other oncoming traffic to av
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that a message to shift to park(P) and restart the vehicle was displayed. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: While driving I have experienced an issue 3 times since buying my vehicle in April 2021. The issue pertains the vehicle shutting down while in motion and following a message on the screen stating to put the vehicle in "park" and restart the vehicle. I am afraid this will happen while i am in the hig
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Ford ECOSPORT — Year Comparison
How does 2021 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 350
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 1
- Crash reports
- 8
- Injury reports
- 5
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2021 Ford ECOSPORT