2021 Ford ESCAPE PHEV
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2021 Ford ESCAPE PHEV has 28 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.0x the segment average of 28. The most common issue is electrical problems (29% of all complaints), specifically: the contact owns a 2021 ford escape. the contact stated while driving approximately 5 mph and coming to a complete stop, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. the failure recurred several times. the battery warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was not taken to be d. There is 1 recall issued for this model year.
28
Total Complaints
1
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
1.0x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems(top 5 of 8)
ELECTRICAL
8 complaints- • The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH and coming to a complete stop, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The failure recurred several times. The battery warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not taken to be d
- • Stalls in traffic while in EV mode (Electric Vehicle mode). It has failed 3 times while driving in the last 10 days. This is unsafe because there is no chance to pull out of traffic.
- • The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V380000 (Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact st
“The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH and coming to a complete stop, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The failure recurred several times. The battery warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not taken to be d”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Recalls (1)
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: The remedy is currently under development. 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. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, and instructions to limit the maximum charge of the battery were mailed December 8, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. 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.
Estimated Insurance Cost for 2021 Ford ESCAPE PHEV
How this estimate is calculated
Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.
Maintenance & Warranty
Recommended Ford ESCAPE PHEV Service Intervals
IOLM (Intelligent Oil Life Monitor) may signal earlier. Older 5.4L Triton engines have specific service needs — check the manual.
"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.
Ford New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage
These are the terms for a new Ford. If you're buying a used 2021 ESCAPE PHEV, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Ford dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 28 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ELECTRICAL: The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH and coming to a complete stop, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The failure recurred several times. The battery warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not taken to be d
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: The car shakes while the car is in idle. The car displays an illuminated crossed out child car seat and the word “on”. These two alerts do not turn off. Even though there is no one seated in a back and two adults are seated in the front seats. It also leaks fluid. I have an appointment w
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BODY/STRUCTURE: 2021 Ford Escape PHEV Power Liftgate. First three weeks (320 miles) of ownership the power liftgate opened or closed spontaneously 5-6. On each occasion the engine/electric was off, the car was in park and the parking brake on. While still in the cabin the liftgate opened spontaneously opened. On t
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐SPEED CONTROL: Our 2021 Ford Escape has "Intelligent" adaptive cruise control. It has the capacity to adjust our car speed based on the highway speed limit signs it encounters. It reads all speed correctly but it also reads "black and white, square, numeric, County Road signs as Speed Signs. This is dangerous as m
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐RECALLS: Verify all 1 recall have been completed — free at any Ford dealer
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Ford ESCAPE PHEV — Year Comparison
How does 2021 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
Full years-to-avoid analysis →NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 28
- Recalls
- 1
- Fire reports
- 0
- Crash reports
- 1
- Injury reports
- 1
- Segment avg
- 28
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2021 Ford ESCAPE PHEV