2021 Ford Escape problems and complaints
Owners have filed 343 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Ford Escape. The most-reported areas: Structure (92), Unknown Or Other (59), Service Brakes (49).
Key takeaways
- 343 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 9 involve a crash, 9 a fire, 5 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 92 | 27% |
| Unknown Or Other | 59 | 17% |
| Service Brakes | 49 | 14% |
| Fuel System | 44 | 13% |
| Gasoline | 44 | 13% |
| Power Train | 43 | 13% |
| Engine | 43 | 13% |
| Electrical System | 34 | 10% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 27 | 8% |
| Visibility | 15 | 4% |
| Back Over Prevention | 11 | 3% |
| Hydraulic | 9 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Ford Escape SUV AWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2021 Ford Escape SUV FWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Seat Belts - filed 2026-09-15
Seatbelts in the rear unbuckle themselves while driving. Children sit in the rear seats and the alert light doesn't always go off when not buckled.
Power Train,electrical System,fuel/Propulsion System - filed 2026-09-15
Windows sometimes don't roll up or down, driver side doors do not lock, vehicle doesn't properly accelerate/very slow to go like gas isn't reaching where it needs to go, the transmission area makes a clunking noise, and the back sensor seems to have fallen out and it constantly beeps as if I am going to hit something, ...
Engine - filed 2026-09-14
Engine will periodically and randomly stall and quit while driving. Mostly in city but it quit while driving on highway I-10 at 65 mph in one incident.
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More for the 2021 Ford Escape
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.