2015 Ford ESCAPE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2015 Ford ESCAPE has 1283 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 16.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (22% of all complaints), specifically: purchased vehicle 1/30/2015 and drove off lot with 3 miles on it. less than a week later vehicle started stalling at traffic lights and hesitating upon acceleration. vehicle was in ford repair shop for 12 days with 1200 worth of parts replaced on transmission. picked up vehicle with 810 miles on it . ⚠️ 29 fire reports filed.

29 fire reports 19 crash reports 20 injuries

1283

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

16.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

284 complaints

22%

• PURCHASED VEHICLE 1/30/2015 AND DROVE OFF LOT WITH 3 MILES ON IT. LESS THAN A WEEK LATER VEHICLE STARTED STALLING AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND HESITATING UPON ACCELERATION. VEHICLE WAS IN FORD REPAIR SHOP FOR 12 DAYS WITH 1200 WORTH OF PARTS REPLACED ON TRANSMISSION. PICKED UP VEHICLE WITH 810 MILES ON IT
• I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW ABOUT A YEAR AGO. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED AN INTERMITTENT HESITATION WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AFTER SLOWING OR FROM A FULL STOP. THE HESITATION VARIES FROM ABOUT TWO SECONDS OR LONGER. WHEN THE CAR DOES ACCELERATE IT SURGES FORWARD AT A FAST RATE OF SPEED. WHILE TRY
• A COUPLE MONTHS AFTER BUYING THE CAR, IT STARTED STALLING AFTER DRIVING IT HOME FROM WORK.TOOK TO DEALER PUT ON THE COMPUTER, NOTHING SHOWED UP AS BEING WRONG? THEY TOLD ME TO PUT SEAFOAM GAS TREATMENT IN DIDN'T WORK. THE STALLING KEPT HAPPENING AFTER DRIVING A LONG DISTANCE. AFTER MANY TIMES TO TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“PURCHASED VEHICLE 1/30/2015 AND DROVE OFF LOT WITH 3 MILES ON IT. LESS THAN A WEEK LATER VEHICLE STARTED STALLING AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND HESITATING UPON ACCELERATION. VEHICLE WAS IN FORD REPAIR SHOP FOR 12 DAYS WITH 1200 WORTH OF PARTS REPLACED ON TRANSMISSION. PICKED UP VEHICLE WITH 810 MILES ON IT ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

277 complaints

22%

• THE ADDED REMOTE START WORKS. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU OPEN ANY DOOR TO GET IN THE ESCAPE...THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF. I WOULD THINK THAT THIS WOULD INCREASE THE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE ENGINE, STARTER, AND THE IGNITION DUE TO THE FACT THAT YOUR HAVING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AGAIN.
• WARNING ON SCREEN. TAKE CAR TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND AFTER SITTING THERE FOR OVER 3 HOURS I WAS TOLD THE ISSUE WAS THE COOLING TEMPERATURE SENSOR. WHEN THEY CAME TO TELL ME THE CAR WAS FINISHED I WAS TOLD THEY DID NOT DO ANYTHING BUT UNPLUG THE SENSOR AND WAIT 5 MIN
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER 10 SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRICAL FUSE NUMBER 60 NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. T

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 9 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“THE ADDED REMOTE START WORKS. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU OPEN ANY DOOR TO GET IN THE ESCAPE...THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF. I WOULD THINK THAT THIS WOULD INCREASE THE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE ENGINE, STARTER, AND THE IGNITION DUE TO THE FACT THAT YOUR HAVING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AGAIN.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

133 complaints

10%

• WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND HEARD A NOISE(I DESCRIBED THE NOISE LIKE A ROCK HITTING THE GLASS) LOOKED AT MY WINDSHIELD AND DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. WENT HOME AND PARKED MY CAR IN THE GARAGE. GOT IN THE CAR A COUPLE DAYS LATER AND GOT IN THE CAR, STARTED THE CAR AND MY SUNROOF WENT BACK ABOUT AN
• SOLD CAR11/6/15 WITH TWO OPEN SAFETY RECALLS. COMPLIANCE RECALL 15C06 - SUPPLEMENT #1 " IN SOME OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES, THE ENGINE MAY CONTINUE TO RUN AFTER TURNING THE IGNITION KEY OFF(VEHICLES WITH STANDARD IGNITION KEYS), OR AFTER PRESSING THE ENGINE START/STOP BUTTON (VEHICLES WITH PUSH-BU
• PURCHASED 2015 ESCAPE ON MAY 1, 2015. FEBRUARY 2016 WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID WOULD NOT WORK. TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND THAT A SQUIRREL HAD NESTED UNDER THE HOOD AND CHEWED THE LINES AS WELL AS A PART ON THE PUMP FOR THE WIPER FLUID WHILE IT WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. COST WAS $250.00 FOR REPA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 6 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND HEARD A NOISE(I DESCRIBED THE NOISE LIKE A ROCK HITTING THE GLASS) LOOKED AT MY WINDSHIELD AND DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. WENT HOME AND PARKED MY CAR IN THE GARAGE. GOT IN THE CAR A COUPLE DAYS LATER AND GOT IN THE CAR, STARTED THE CAR AND MY SUNROOF WENT BACK ABOUT AN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

130 complaints

10%

• WARNING ON SCREEN. TAKE CAR TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND AFTER SITTING THERE FOR OVER 3 HOURS I WAS TOLD THE ISSUE WAS THE COOLING TEMPERATURE SENSOR. WHEN THEY CAME TO TELL ME THE CAR WAS FINISHED I WAS TOLD THEY DID NOT DO ANYTHING BUT UNPLUG THE SENSOR AND WAIT 5 MIN
• STARTED CAR AND THE ALARM WENT OFF ON THE DASH SAYING THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WAS AJAR. WE OPENED THE DOOR AND LOOKED AT THE DOOR TO MAKE SURE NO ONE HAD HIT THE CAR. NO DAMAGE COULD BE FOUND. SHUT CAR OFF AND RESTARTED. ALARM CONTINUED WITH DASH READING FRONT PASSENGER DOOR AJAR. DROVE CAR HOME WI
• MY FORD ESCAPE 2015 WOULDN'T SHUT OFF AFTER TURNING. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT CAR WAS ON AFTER I HAD PARK,WITHOUT THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION. I DROVE HOME WHEN I TRIED TO SHUT THE ENGINE; IT DIDN'T. THE CAR WAS TOW TO THE NEAREST FORD. THE MOTOR WAS STILL RUNNING WHEN IT WAS BEING TOW. FORD COULDN'T FIND

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 10 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“WARNING ON SCREEN. TAKE CAR TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND AFTER SITTING THERE FOR OVER 3 HOURS I WAS TOLD THE ISSUE WAS THE COOLING TEMPERATURE SENSOR. WHEN THEY CAME TO TELL ME THE CAR WAS FINISHED I WAS TOLD THEY DID NOT DO ANYTHING BUT UNPLUG THE SENSOR AND WAIT 5 MIN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

97 complaints

• Backup camera blanks out and goes upside down below is the approximate start date, still doing it. Only reporting due the current recall that doesn't go back to 2015 models
• The back-up camera in my vehicle will operate for a few moments - if the weather is below 50 degrees or if you are parked in a shady area - but it will just cut-off. The system is working and all the fuses are good but the back-up camera only works intermitted. I am reporting this as an issue on t
• The vehicles rear view camera works intermitantly - sometimes it is blank, or upside down and sometimes it works - as I saw they are recalling 2019 models with the issue I think my 2015 model has the same issue. Please issue a recall on this model aswell thank you

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“Backup camera blanks out and goes upside down below is the approximate start date, still doing it. Only reporting due the current recall that doesn't go back to 2015 models”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1283 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: PURCHASED VEHICLE 1/30/2015 AND DROVE OFF LOT WITH 3 MILES ON IT. LESS THAN A WEEK LATER VEHICLE STARTED STALLING AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND HESITATING UPON ACCELERATION. VEHICLE WAS IN FORD REPAIR SHOP FOR 12 DAYS WITH 1200 WORTH OF PARTS REPLACED ON TRANSMISSION. PICKED UP VEHICLE WITH 810 MILES ON IT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: THE ADDED REMOTE START WORKS. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU OPEN ANY DOOR TO GET IN THE ESCAPE...THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF. I WOULD THINK THAT THIS WOULD INCREASE THE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE ENGINE, STARTER, AND THE IGNITION DUE TO THE FACT THAT YOUR HAVING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AGAIN.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND HEARD A NOISE(I DESCRIBED THE NOISE LIKE A ROCK HITTING THE GLASS) LOOKED AT MY WINDSHIELD AND DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. WENT HOME AND PARKED MY CAR IN THE GARAGE. GOT IN THE CAR A COUPLE DAYS LATER AND GOT IN THE CAR, STARTED THE CAR AND MY SUNROOF WENT BACK ABOUT AN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: WARNING ON SCREEN. TAKE CAR TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND AFTER SITTING THERE FOR OVER 3 HOURS I WAS TOLD THE ISSUE WAS THE COOLING TEMPERATURE SENSOR. WHEN THEY CAME TO TELL ME THE CAR WAS FINISHED I WAS TOLD THEY DID NOT DO ANYTHING BUT UNPLUG THE SENSOR AND WAIT 5 MIN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)