2020 Ford ESCAPE HYBRID

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2020 Ford ESCAPE HYBRID has 358 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is body/structure problems (29% of all complaints), specifically: vehicle has <500 miles on it. headliner dropping below door trim on both front driver and passenger side. *tr. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 5 injuries

358

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

4.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

BODY/STRUCTURE

104 complaints

29%

• VEHICLE HAS <500 MILES ON IT. HEADLINER DROPPING BELOW DOOR TRIM ON BOTH FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. *TR
• VEHICLE PURCHASED 5/12/20. ON 5/22/20, AT ODO 84 MILES, ON STARTUP, VEHICLE DISPLAYED POWERTRAIN FAULT - ILLUMINATES WHEN A POWERTRAIN OR AWD FAULT HAS BEEN DETECTED. CONTACT YOUR AUTHORIZED DEALER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. VEHICLE FLAT BED TOWED TO SUNSTATE FORD WEST COLONIAL DR ORLANDO FL (PURCHASE
• I WAS DRIVING FOR LYFT IN FLAGSTAFF ARIZONA A PASSENGER OPEN UP THE RIGHT REAR DOOR A GUST OF WIND PUSHING THE DOOR FURTHER OPEN THEN IT SHOULD HAVE CAUSING THE DOOR TO BEND

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“VEHICLE HAS <500 MILES ON IT. HEADLINER DROPPING BELOW DOOR TRIM ON BOTH FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

65 complaints

18%

• UNEXPECTED "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING APPEARED ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE. ENGINE LOST POWER AND WAS ON BATTERY-ONLY (HYBRID VEHICLE). PULLED OVER, AND ENGINE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. UNABLE TO RE-START ENGINE IMMEDIATELY AFTER. DEALERSHIP STATED "ENGINE/DRIVETRAIN FAULT" BU
• 2020 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE DRIVING. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER PERFORMED A SOFTWARE UPDATE AND THAT THE ENGINE SHOULD NOT FAIL AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. *JS
• My car, at the time was a moving vehicle at a NYC parkway intersection. malfunctioned. Dashboard, navigation radio went black. Navigation panel shows vehicle network communications error. car stopped moving.gear can shift. hazard light or hatch can turn one. Once dealer restarted the car, system gen

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“UNEXPECTED "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING APPEARED ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE. ENGINE LOST POWER AND WAS ON BATTERY-ONLY (HYBRID VEHICLE). PULLED OVER, AND ENGINE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. UNABLE TO RE-START ENGINE IMMEDIATELY AFTER. DEALERSHIP STATED "ENGINE/DRIVETRAIN FAULT" BU”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

60 complaints

17%

• WHILE STEADILY DRIVING AT 40 MPH ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY, I SUDDENLY LOST ENGINE POWER AND SIMULTANEOUSLY RECEIVED A WARNING MESSAGE ON THE DRIVER'S DISPLAY TO STOP VEHICLE SAFELY NOW. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO WHERE ROAD HAD A SHOULDER, BUT THE CAR'S SPEED WAS LIMITED TO MAYBE 10 MPH EVEN WITH THE ACCE
• BRAND NEW 2020 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID CAR INTERMITTENTLY STOPS AND CEASES. SEEMS SOMETHING WRONG WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH DOWN RESIDENTIAL STREET. CAR IS INACCESSIBLE AND CANT EVEN GET INTO NEUTRAL. TRIED DISENGAGING ELECTRICAL BATTERY. HAD TO LET SIT FOR 15+ MINS AND
• THE TOP OF DASH BOARD IN ITS ENTIRETY BUT SPECIFICALLY THE TRIM PIECE AROUND THE HEADS-UP DISPLAY ON SPECIFIC TRIM/MODES CREATES A REFLECTION UPON THE WINDSHIELD, PARTICULARLY DIRECTLY IN THE DRIVERS MAIN SIGHT LINE, WITH SUCH LOW OPACITY IT MAKES DRIVING VISIBILITY DIFFICULT. ADDITIONALLY THE TRIM

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“WHILE STEADILY DRIVING AT 40 MPH ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY, I SUDDENLY LOST ENGINE POWER AND SIMULTANEOUSLY RECEIVED A WARNING MESSAGE ON THE DRIVER'S DISPLAY TO STOP VEHICLE SAFELY NOW. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO WHERE ROAD HAD A SHOULDER, BUT THE CAR'S SPEED WAS LIMITED TO MAYBE 10 MPH EVEN WITH THE ACCE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

42 complaints

12%

• VEHICLE PURCHASED 5/12/20. ON 5/22/20, AT ODO 84 MILES, ON STARTUP, VEHICLE DISPLAYED POWERTRAIN FAULT - ILLUMINATES WHEN A POWERTRAIN OR AWD FAULT HAS BEEN DETECTED. CONTACT YOUR AUTHORIZED DEALER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. VEHICLE FLAT BED TOWED TO SUNSTATE FORD WEST COLONIAL DR ORLANDO FL (PURCHASE
• WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH A WARNING APPEARED "STOP SAFELY NOW" WITH A HAZARD SIGN. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY LOST POWER AND SLOWED TO APPX 5MPH. WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN SPEED AND ACCELERATOR DID NOT RESPOND. APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS LATER AN ONCOMING AMBULANCE APP
• PASSENGER SIDE BLIND SPOT WARNING IDICATOR IN MIRROR COME ON WHEN NO OTHER VEHICLE IS PRESENT. AT OTHER TIMES, INDICATOR DOES NOT COME ON AT ALL, EVEN IF A VEHICLE IS PRESENT IN THE BLIND SPOT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. INDICATOR CANNOT BE TRUSTED. MANY OWNERS REPORT THIS SAME PROBLEM ON FORUMS. FORD

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“VEHICLE PURCHASED 5/12/20. ON 5/22/20, AT ODO 84 MILES, ON STARTUP, VEHICLE DISPLAYED POWERTRAIN FAULT - ILLUMINATES WHEN A POWERTRAIN OR AWD FAULT HAS BEEN DETECTED. CONTACT YOUR AUTHORIZED DEALER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. VEHICLE FLAT BED TOWED TO SUNSTATE FORD WEST COLONIAL DR ORLANDO FL (PURCHASE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

29 complaints

• MULTIPLE TIMES VEHICLE HAS SAID STOP SAFELY NOW WHILE DRIVING AND LIMITED ME TO ENOUGH POWER TO MAINTAIN 15MPH AT THE MOST. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND HAS REQUIRED PULLING TO THE SHOULDER.
• I RECEIVED A NOTOFICATION FOR A "FIELD SERVICE ACTION" 20B14 FOR A POWETRAIN CONTROL MODULE UPDATE ON MY 2020 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID DUE TO "STOP SAFELY NOW" AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND DTC'S P0340 AND P0340 I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 23 APRIL 2020 FOR THE UPDATE, I WAS THEN INFORMED MY MY SERVIC
• VEHICLE PURCHASED 5/12/20. ON 5/22/20, AT ODO 84 MILES, ON STARTUP, VEHICLE DISPLAYED POWERTRAIN FAULT - ILLUMINATES WHEN A POWERTRAIN OR AWD FAULT HAS BEEN DETECTED. CONTACT YOUR AUTHORIZED DEALER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. VEHICLE FLAT BED TOWED TO SUNSTATE FORD WEST COLONIAL DR ORLANDO FL (PURCHASE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“MULTIPLE TIMES VEHICLE HAS SAID STOP SAFELY NOW WHILE DRIVING AND LIMITED ME TO ENOUGH POWER TO MAINTAIN 15MPH AT THE MOST. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND HAS REQUIRED PULLING TO THE SHOULDER.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 358 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: VEHICLE HAS <500 MILES ON IT. HEADLINER DROPPING BELOW DOOR TRIM ON BOTH FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: UNEXPECTED "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING APPEARED ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE. ENGINE LOST POWER AND WAS ON BATTERY-ONLY (HYBRID VEHICLE). PULLED OVER, AND ENGINE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. UNABLE TO RE-START ENGINE IMMEDIATELY AFTER. DEALERSHIP STATED "ENGINE/DRIVETRAIN FAULT" BU
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: WHILE STEADILY DRIVING AT 40 MPH ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY, I SUDDENLY LOST ENGINE POWER AND SIMULTANEOUSLY RECEIVED A WARNING MESSAGE ON THE DRIVER'S DISPLAY TO STOP VEHICLE SAFELY NOW. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO WHERE ROAD HAD A SHOULDER, BUT THE CAR'S SPEED WAS LIMITED TO MAYBE 10 MPH EVEN WITH THE ACCE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: VEHICLE PURCHASED 5/12/20. ON 5/22/20, AT ODO 84 MILES, ON STARTUP, VEHICLE DISPLAYED POWERTRAIN FAULT - ILLUMINATES WHEN A POWERTRAIN OR AWD FAULT HAS BEEN DETECTED. CONTACT YOUR AUTHORIZED DEALER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. VEHICLE FLAT BED TOWED TO SUNSTATE FORD WEST COLONIAL DR ORLANDO FL (PURCHASE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)