There are 50 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2011 Ford Escapein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Component: Driver-side door latch and lock assembly. The driver-side door latch appears to have failed, preventing the door from opening from both the inside and outside and creating an occupant entrapment risk. The failure is fully reproducible and ongoing. The condition first occurred without any prior warning signs, messages, or symptoms and has persisted for more than a day without resolving. Although the vehicle responds to unlock commands from the key fob, keypad, and interior door controls with normal audible confirmation, the driver door frequently remains unable to open. Failure behavior includes: •The driver door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle, preventing occupant exit. •The door also cannot be opened from the outside during these events. •An occupant became trapped inside and had to crawl across the vehicle and exit through the passenger side. •The vertical lock indicator moves between locked and unlocked positions, but the latch does not release. •The electronic systems appear functional, yet the mechanical latch does not respond. •Using the physical key can sometimes force the lock cylinder past a mechanical click point, temporarily allowing the door to open; however, this places the mechanism into abnormal states where the door may remain permanently unlocked or, when turned in the opposite direction, cannot be opened at all regardless of unlock attempts. •All other vehicle doors operate normally. Video evidence documenting the failure is available. This condition presents a serious safety concern because occupants could become trapped inside the vehicle during an emergency or after a crash, delaying rescue. The latch mechanism is a critical safety component that consumers cannot reasonably inspect, predict, or maintain. Given the life-safety implications of a door that cannot be opened from either side, this issue warrants investigation for potential defect trends.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 101,000, and at the time of programming the keys, it was discovered that the mileage was 122,765. The VIN was incomplete.
The contact owned a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, as the contact was approaching a traffic light, the brake pedal was depressed; however, it failed to stop as intended. The contact moved to the other lane when the vehicle came to a stop. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone and the contact was informed that three sensors needed to be replaced. Two sensors were replaced; however, the ABS sensor was not replaced due to cost. The contact stated that on the drive home, an abnormal odor was coming from the vehicle. While the vehicle was parked, the vehicle was consumed by fire and destroyed. The Fire and Police departments were called. A fire report was filed; the Fire Department stated the cause of the fire was due to faulty wiring. The contact notified her insurance company and the vehicle was towed to an unknown location. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and jerked, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was diagnosed by Roadside Assistance as a failure with the alternator. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed as it was confirmed that the alternator had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The dealer was not contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,499.
The power steering keeps going out and the car becomes almost impossible to control. I have to turn the car off and on several times for it to work again. I am scared to drive it because I do not want to wreck. No warnings it just goes out. This has happened on numerous occasions. I noticed recalls on this for the same reason on the same vehicle. Why does my car not have the same recall?
Discovered my car has electric power steering not seeing a reservoir did some research and seen that there were a lot of 2011 Ford Escapes with safety recalls three being the main problems I've had with my car since I began financing it almost 4 years ago my last payment is in 2 weeks. Went to leave a driveway and within a few seconds my steering wheel locked up and I thought it was strange that's when I found out I have electric power steering and that there has been recalls turned the car off turn to back on and it was just fine. Found out that is a common thing although it may not be considered a safety recall just yet but I would believe it is a major problem because anytime in my life if I was to believe my power steering was failing me I would still have control over the wheel but this thing locks up as if I ain't going nowhere. I seen that there has been recalls for fuel systems front wheel bearings and electric power steering. My engine light has been on for a very long time and people say it's because of the O2 sensor causing a misfire to appear random. My front wheels kind of knock making me think it could be between the rack axle and bearing. Other than that my radio face button stopped working one day as if they were possessed until they completely shut off and I have no access to it besides the steering wheel components. Rear wiper stuck in the up position one day was causing a tick I could hear with no power and no key in the ignition that caused my battery to die several times 2 years in a row. Realized unplugging my rear wiper made it quit but I can't use my front washer fluid without it being unplugged. And my AC Open Air Max AC and heating cooling climate control buttons work but the blower only works on high making me think yet another electrical issue being the blower speed regulator is bad. I would say these are safety issues package together. This website says I have 0unrepaired recalls. Might try fix it with a torque sensor/calling dealership.
I AM A 79 YEAR OLD DISABLED MAN WHEN I STOPPED AT TH SPOKANE VA HOSPITAL THE DRIVER'S DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK. I TRIED EVERYTHING I COULD AND COULD NOT UNLOCK THE DOOR.TO GET OUT.EVEN THE KEY IS ONLY AN ELECTRIC SWITCH THERE IS NO MECHANICAL WAY TO OPEN THE DOOR. IF I HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE CAR WAS ON FIRE I WOULD HAVE DIED. AS IS I HAD AN EXTREMELY DIFICULT TIME CLIMBING OUT OF THE CAR. I DROVE TO A FORD DEALER TO SEE IF THEY COULD FIX IT BUT THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE TWO OR MORE WEEKS BEFORE THEY COULD HELP ME. I ASKED THEM IF I HAD TO STAY IN THAT CAR FOR ALL THAT TIME.
THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STARTED BY FLASHING ALL LIGHTS TO STAYING ON. THEN THE SPEED CONTROLS, SPEEDOMETER, RPM GAUGE, AND HEAT SENSOR WOULD NOT WORK. ON TOP OF ALL THIS. THE BRAKES BEGAN TO MAKE A CLICKING NOISE WHEN THIS ISSUE WOULD HAPPEN AND THE BRAKES WOULD ACT ROUGH. NO MECHANIC COULD FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM UNTIL IT WAS TO LATE. THIS NEEDS TO BE BETTER KNOWN AND BETTER MANAGED.
I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH DASH CLUSTER GOING CRAZY WHILE DRIVING ,I HAVE RESERCHED ON LINE AND HAVE FOUND MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE ,WOULD BE NICE IF FORDWOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUE.
THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM ON THE FORD ESCAPE HYBRID FAILED UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING AT ONLY 60K MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, AND ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON AT ONCE AND THE SYSTEM READ "CHECK BRAKES." THE BRAKES FELT LOOSE, AND I TOOK IT A MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY. THEY THOUGHT THAT PRESSURE WAS GETTING SENT UNEVENLY TO BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE, SO THEY FLUSHED THE BRAKES. HOWEVER, THEY DISCOVERED TOTAL ABS FAILURE, AND A $3000 FIX ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE ALL OVER THE INTERNET. THERE ARE FACEBOOK GROUPS ADVOCATING FOR A RECALL OF THIS VEHICLE. WE WERE LUCKY THAT WE DIDN'T CRASH INTO SOMEONE. THE BRAKES ONLY WORK IF YOU APPLY EXTREME FORCE TO THEM, AND EVEN THEN THEY GET LOOSE AND THE CAR STARTS TO ROLL AWAY. THESE ISSUES ARE BECOMING EXTREMELY PREVALENT NOW IN 2020 THAT THE 2008-2011 ERA OF THIS HYBRID IS GETTING A BIT OLDER. THAT BEING SAID, THIS MODEL ONLY HAS 60K MILES ON IT AND SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD BRAKE FAILURE. HTTP://WWW.CARPROBLEMZOO.COM/FORD/ESCAPEHYBRID/BRAKE-ABS-WARNING-LIGHT-PROBLEMS.PHP HTTPS://FORUMS.EDMUNDS.COM/DISCUSSION/5850/FORD/ESCAPE-HYBRID/FORD-ESCAPE-HYBRID-BRAKE-PROBLEMS/P4
I HAVE ONLY OWNED MY PRE-OWNED VEHICLE FOR 3 YEARS AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE DRIVER SIDE FRONT BEARING 2X'S, REAR WIPER MOTOR TWICE AND NOW VEHICLE WILL STALL WHILE IN MOTION AND AT STOPS FOR TRAFFIC LIGHTS. I HAVE ALWAYS DRIVEN FORDS AND FEEL THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WITH THE ASSEMBLY LINE BECAUSE I LEARNED OF ANOTHER FROM THE SAME ASSEMBLY LINE THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE KEY TURNED IN THE IGNITION; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT LEAST SEVEN OTHER TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TEXAS COUNTRY FORD (321 E COKE RD, WINNSBORO, TX 75494), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE CAR JUST DIED AND DID NOT START AGAIN AND I CANT FIGURE OUT WHATS WRONG WITH THE CAR BUT EVEN IN THE OFF ENGION SWITCH STILL WAS TRYING TO START ITS SELF SO I HAD TO REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLES SO IT WOULD STOP TRYING TO START AND WE CANT FIGURE OUT WHATS WRONG WITH IT STILL AND WE JUST SPENT 3500.00 TO GET THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND AT THIS TIME WE HAVE NO CLUE HOW TO FIX IT .
BACK DOOR WONT OPEN, REAR WIPER DOESN'T WORK, RAIN COMES IN THROUGH BACK DOOR.
I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE NEW. WITH NOW 62000 + MILES I STARTED HAVING STARTING PROBLEMS BEGINNING EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE BATTERY AND STARTER HAVE CHECK OUT OKAY. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEM. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED- NO NOISE, NO CLICKING JUST NOTHING. I HAVE LEARNED TO PUSH THE KEY IN HARD WHILE TURNING AND THEN THE VEHICLE STARTS NORMALLY. AT TIMES EVEN THIS WILL NOT WORK AND I AM STUCK WHERE EVER I AM UNTIL IT DECIDES TO START AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET I HAVE READ DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE ACROSS A RANGE OF YEARS FOR THE FORD ESCAPE. I COULD NOT FIND ANY RECALL NOTICES FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT THERE SHOULD BE AS I AM GUESSING THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES WITH THIS ISSUE HAS TO BE ENORMOUS.
CAR WOULD SIT IN THE DRIVEWAY AND LIGHTS AND OTHER ACCESSORIES WOULD COME ON. WHILE DRIVING THE RADIO AND OTHER ACCESSORIES WOULD GO OFF. TROUBLE WITH LIFT GATE NOT OPENING AND NOT CLOSING. CAR WOULD NOT START SOMETIMES. BY WIGGLING VARIOUS FUSES AND CURCUIT BREAKERS THE PROBLEM WOULD SUBSIDE FOR A WHILE. I ENDED UP SPENDING OVER $1200.00 TO REPLACE THE FUSE BLOCK AND WIRING HARNESS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I AM LIVING WITH MY FINGERS CROSSED. I AM A WOMAN LIVING ON AN EXTREAMLY LIMITED INCOME BUT I NEED MY CAR. THESE PROBLEMS WERE EXPERIENCED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY, OR ANY OTHER TIME MY CAR WAS IN MOTION.
WHEN DRIVING MY 2011 FORD ESCAPE LIMITED, THE OPEN DOOR WARNING LIGHT, THE TPMS LIGHT, AND THE PARKING BRAKE LIGHT WILL COME ON. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS, THE A/C WILL BLOW WARM, THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS WON'T WORK, AND THE LIFT GATE WILL LOCK. IF I HIT THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD, IT ALL RESETS. I TOOK IT TO THE AUTONATION FORD ON THE GULF FREEWAY IN HOUSTON. THEY SAID TO REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AT A COST OF $1000. I HAVE VIEWED MULTIPLE VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE AND READ MANY POSTS ON THIS VERY SAME ISSUE. IN EVERY CASE, THE VEHICLE OWNER SAID THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPLACEMENT FAILED TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. WHAT WAS FOUND TO BE TRUE IN MANY OF THEM WAS THE DISCOVERY OF COLD SOLDER JOINTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CIRCUIT BOARD. ONCE THIS WAS CORRECTED, THE VEHICLE RAN NORMALLY WITH A FULLY FUNCTIONAL INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE CONCLUSION TO BE DRAWN HERE IS THAT IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED BY FORD. AS TO IT BEING A SAFETY ISSUE, SEVERAL OF THE POSTS STATED THAT THE ENTIRE CLUSTER FAILED SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS YET BUT FEAR, IF LEFT UNCORRECTED, THAT IT COULD LEAD TO THAT. THE KEY POINT IS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING ON HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, OF FORD VEHICLES INCLUDING NOT ONLY MY ESCAPE, BUT EXPLORERS, EXPEDITIONS, AND F150S. FORD SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS GLARING DEFECT.
IGNITION AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUSES,ETC FAILURE RESULTED IN TWO SPONTANEOUS FIRES WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED, DESTROYING THE CAR'S ABILITY TO FUNCTION. LEAWOOD, KS. POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS PHOTOGRAPHED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FILED A POLICE REPORT
ALL LIGHTS ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER COME ON RANDOMLY, GAUGES GO TO ZERO. WILL REMAIN IN THIS CONDITION UNTIL CAR IS SHUT OFF. AT TIMES CAR WILL NOT RESTART WITHOUT BANGING ON THE DASH. CAR DOES NOT HAVE TO BE IN MOTION FOR THIS TO HAPPEN BUT MOST FREQUENTLY IT IS. A NEW IGNITION SWITCH DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. A CHECK ON THE INTERNET SEEMS TO INDICATE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM.
HAVING MECHANICAL ISSUES WITH MY DOORS NOT CLOSING. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND EACH TIME IT TAKES A LOT OF PLAYING AROUND WITH LOCKING AND UNLOCKING BEFORE I CAN GET THE DOOR SHUT. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
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