There are 18 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2011 Ford Escapein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact's husband owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic test determined that the wheel sensors needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the wheel sensors were replaced by the mechanic; however, the warning lights remained illuminated. The contact was informed that the ABS module needed to be replaced; however, the ABS module for the vehicle was no longer in production. The contact stated that several dealers where contacted; however, it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact suggested using an aftermarket part to replace the module; however, the dealers would not program the aftermarket part. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered several recommendations, but none of the recommendations were able to assist the contact with repairing the vehicle. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The brakes completely failed and I was unable to stop the car except by turning up hill and applying the emergency brake. I had it repaired by Ford in Bangor and it turned out that the ABS module had failed. It seems unreasonable that there was no mechanical backup to a failure of an electronic part.
Loss of brake assist. Pedal hard and unresponsive.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal would depress to the floorboard. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that the brake pads needed to be replaced. The brake pads were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The brake rotors and calipers were replaced but the failure persisted. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the flex brake line needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The flex brake lines were replaced by the contact's husband. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.
My 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid lost all braking when the brake peddle went to the floor while in the electronic mode on the battery not with the motor running. The internet has hundreds of ford escape with the same problem. My Ford dealer is not sure what is wrong. Can you please start an investigation to figure out how to fix this problem. I hit my own fence on the driveway after starting the car. Thank You [XXX] VIN: [XXX] 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid 4 door INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
2011 Ford Escape AWD- passenger side brake issue- after driving and brake/rotor getting hot making the rim even feel hot. My car vibrates when driving down the street because of this problem. It also has very poor stopping and after stop vehicle doesn’t like to move until I hit the gas pedal. I have very poor gas mileage because something is hanging up ( passenger side only ) THIS IS DANGEROUS and no one wants to do a recall- I’ve been having problems since 2020 we have replaced caliper/rotor/brake pads and the rubber brake hose fixes the problem for about 3-4 months then comes back getting where I don’t feel safe in my own vehicle and FORD doesn’t want to do NOTHING about it. Guess when someone gets hurt/death they will have a law suit on their hands because they know about the problem with the brakes
2011 Ford Escape AWD- passenger side brake issue- after driving and brake/rotor getting hot making the rim even feel hot. My car vibrates when driving down the street because of this problem. It also has very poor stopping and after stop vehicle doesn’t like to move until I hit the gas pedal. I have very poor gas mileage because something is hanging up ( passenger side only ) THIS IS DANGEROUS and no one wants to do a recall- I’ve been having problems since 2020 we have replaced caliper/rotor/brake pads and the rubber brake hose fixes the problem for about 3-4 months then comes back ( I called a FORD DEALER and they no about the issues I’m getting where I don’t feel safe in my own vehicle and FORD doesn’t want to do NOTHING about it. Guess when someone gets hurt/death they will have a law suit on their hands because they know about the problem with the brakes
ALL BRAKE/ABS WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AND BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR ON STARTUP BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY, AND REPEATEDLY AT ONLY 50K MILES. RESTARTING THE CAR RESULTS IN SOME BRAKE FUNCTION WITH ABS AND CHECK BRAKE WARNINGS. MECHANIC HAS READ THE CODES WHICH INCLUDE EVERY PART OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. EVERY. SINGLE. PART.
THE PROBLEM IS BRAKE LOSS IN REVERSE. IT HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AND INFREQUENTLY OVER THE PAST 7 YEARS. USUALLY WHEN BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE AND CANNOT STOP IMMEDIATELY. THE PEDAL WILL BE ROCK HARD WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS WILL DEPRESS AND BRAKES BACK TO NORMAL. SUMMER OR WINTER OR IN THE GARAGE THIS HAPPENS. I BROUGHT IT TO TWO DEALERSHIPS BUT THEY CANNOT FIND PROBLEM AS IT IS SO INTERMITTENT. IT SEEMS LIKE THE POWER ASSIST IS COMPLETELY GONE.
FRONT-RIGHT BRAKE DISC LOCKED UP ON AUGUST 21ST, 2019. IT ALSO MADE SMOKE. AFTER ONE HOUR, IT CAN DRIVE AGAIN. NOW IT ALWAYS MAKES BIG NOISE WHEN I PARK.
THE PROBLEM IS BRAKE LOSS IN REVERSE. IT HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY SOMETIMES ONCE A MONTH OR MAYBE 6 MONTHS WITH NO PROBLEM BUT SCARY WHEN BACKING OUT AND CANNOT STOP IMMEDIATELY. THE PEDAL WILL BE ROCK HARD WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS WILL DEPRESS AND BRAKES BACK TO NORMAL. IF IN A TIGHT SPOT OR PEDESTRIAN WALKS BEHIND THERE COULD BE BAD CONSEQUENCES AND GOOD LUCK PROVING IT IN COURT THAT THE BRAKES FAILED. SUMMER OR WINTER DOESNT MATTER. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO DEALERSHIP AND COMPLAINED ON ANOTHER FORUM BUT DEALER CANNOT FIND PROBLEM AS IT IS SO INTERMITTENT. IT SEEMS LIKE A VALVE IN THE SYSTEM STICKS. I HAD IT HAPPEN TO ME SEVERAL TIMES BUT MY WIFE DIDNT BELIEVE ME. WELL IT HAPPENED TO HER LAST WEEK AND SHE WAS SCARED. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS WITHOUT RESOLUTION AND IF NOTHING ELSE WILL PUT THIS CONCERN ON THE RECORD OR HOPEFULLY FORD TAKES THIS MORE SERIOUSLY. I WILL BE CONTACTING DEALER AGAIN AS THIS MUST BE FIXED ONCE AND FOR ALL. ANY IDEAS WELCOME.
WE BEGAN HAVING INTERMITTENT BRAKING INCIDENTS. SOMETIME THE CAR WOULD PULL SHARPLY, OR NOT AT ALL. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE CAR SEEMED TO NEED EXTRA PETAL PRESSURE TO STOP. WE TOOK IT TO SPENCER CREEK TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. INITIAL DIAGNOSTICS WAS POSSIBLE STICKING OF CALIPERS. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN OUTSIDE THE SHOP TO AWAIT PARTS. WHEN THE IT WAS TIME TO BRING THE CAR BACK INSIDE TO PUT ON THE LIFT, THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE HAD FROZE UP AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. SEE ATTACHED WORK ORDER. IF THIS MODULE HAD FAILED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, TI WOULD RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL.
WE HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMULTANEOUS DEPRESSION OF THE VEHICLE BRAKES AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS RESULTING IN THE CAR LURCHING FORWARD OR BACKWARDS UNCONTROLLABLY DEPENDING ON WHETHER TRAVELING FROM STATIONARY IN REVERSE OR GOING FORWARD. MOST RECENTLY, THIS DEFECT HAS RESULTED IN A TOTAL RIGHT -OFF OF OUR VEHICLE WHEN THE CAR REVERSED INTO A BRICK WALL AS WE WERE BACKING UP SLOWLY FROM A COMPLETE STANDSTILL. LUCKILY, NO INJURY WAS SUSTAINED TO PASSENGERS OR OTHER BY STANDERS BUT IT MOST CERTAINLY COULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF A PASSER BY.
BRAKES FAIL WHEN CAR IS IN REVERSE. PEDAL BECOMES VERY HARD, DOES NOT DEPRESS, AND CAR DOES NOT STOP. HAS NEVER HAPPENED WHEN DRIVING FORWARD. CONSISTENTLY HAPPENS, DAILY, ON THE FIRST APPLICATION OF BRAKES IN REVERSE.
2011 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE BRAKE PEDAL ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE WAS UNDERSIZED. WHILE DRIVING, HE FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND INSTEAD HIS FOOT HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. ON ONE OCCASION, THE CONSUMER HIT THE BUMPER OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND ANOTHER OCCASION, HE WAS FORCED TO DRIVE THROUGH A TRAFFIC CONTROLLING ARM AT A LOCAL GUARD HOUSE, BREAKING THE EXTENDED BARRIER ARM.*JB UPDATED 11/26/14
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING, AND HAD PULLED FROM A STOP SIGN. THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO STALL, AND SHE HAD NO CONTROL- NO BRAKES, NO THROTTLE, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE DIDN'T STOP HER, AND SHE FINALLY PUSHED IT INTO PARK AND THAT DID NOTHING. IT ROLLED TO A STOP, ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE RUNNING. SHE TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES, RESTARTED IT. IT RESTARTED, AND SHE PROCEEDED TO DRIVE TO HER DESTINATIONS WHICH WAS CLOSEBY. VERY SCARY, BUT FORTUNATELY, NO OTHER REAL TRAFFIC, BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD ESCAPE SXLT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE WOULD ABNORMALLY TRAVEL TO THE FLOORBOARD. ALSO, THERE WAS NO PRESSURE IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO FAILURE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED. A REPRESENTATIVE ALSO KEPT HER VEHICLE FOR FOUR DAYS AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,250. UPDATED 12/27/12 *CN UPDATED 12/31/2012 *JS
LAST YEAR I PURCHASED A 2011 FORD ESCAPE AND HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY DISSATISFIED WITH MY PURCHASE. THE SELLING DEALER, TOWER FORD IN GREAT NECK, NEW YORK HAS DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO HELP ME RECTIFY MY SERIOUS COMPLAINT AND CONCERNS WITH MY VEHICLE. ONE OF MY BIGGEST CONCERNS IS THAT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS, THE BRAKES ARE VERY LOW, AND A SWISHING LIQUID NOISE IS HEARD IN THE FUEL TANK WHEN STOPPING, THE RIGHT SIDE REAR PASSENGER DOOR SQUEAKS, AND THE CENTER CONSOLE IS LOOSE. I'VE BROUGHT MY TRUCK BACK TO THIS DEALER MANY TIMES AND ALL I RECEIVE IS THAT THEY CAN NOT VERIFY MY COMPLAINT AND CONCERNS. I AM CONCERNED FOR MY FAMILY AND MY SAFETY. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *JS
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026