NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Ford Escape. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
Awd fault. Module needed replaced
Start vehicle an error start popping up, I have to cook OK to clear them. Lots of features that are not available, including hill assist, awd, cruise control. AWD module failure Is it available for inspection upon request? Yes How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Yes awd and pre-collision assist are not available. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Yes several errors start cycling through allowing the driver to click OK. Hill Start assist not available Pre-collision assist, not available Service advance trac AWD fault service required See Manual
I had warning lights flashing on my dashboard continuously "parking assist off" "AWD off" "Collison Assist Off" I could not change my car over to snow, ice, or deep snow it all showed not available. This happened 3 or 4 days before I took it back to the dealership. I researched online and found out there were a lot of complaints about the 2020 Ford Escape 2.0 Titanium which is what my car is. I also seen where people were talking about a class action lawsuit due to the low miles on their cars and this happening. My car only has 31,000 miles. I took my car to the shop I had an appointment and they told me the ADM Module was bad. This is the same thing everyone online complained about. This is costing me $1100.00 to replace. I did not have any AWD traction this was useless. I read that someone said the recall should be expanded. Which tells me there was a recall at one point for this problem.
Ford had issued a customer satisfaction program recall on 2020 and 2021 Escape doors. On my 2020 escape se the driver side spot welds on the door attachment point are failing. The door no longer opens all the way and causing a loud popping sound when in use. My driver window no longer goes up or down as a result of the loose arm inside the door. My dealership ordered the door replacement back in January and no doors have been shipped by ford and no response is being given to the dealers as to an estimated time of delivery or notice there is a shortage. I contacted Ford Customer Service and was told my case has been escalated for faster resolution at the start of March and to expect a phone call about the case. I have heard nothing from Ford since and my dealer is at a loss of what to do because they have multiple customers in the same situation. I’m paying $550 a month for this vehicle and I’m struggling to get into it.
There is a courtesy replacement on the main fuel injector. I just recently had to replace my turbo. No my car bogs down won't go and smells like eggs which is the catalytic converter. The injection brakes the converter which brakes the turbo and Ford is not interested in helping very much. How can
The contact’s daughter owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving on several occasions at various speeds, she observed abnormal sounds coming from the engine compartment before the vehicle lost power. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it a diagnosed that the turbo was inoperable and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the check engine warning light illuminated approximately 10 days later. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that a gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but a week later, the check engine warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,181.
Receiving multiple errors and Ford determined it is the AWD module that needs to be replaced. However, they say my vehicle is not included in the recall based on vehicle identification number.
I have a 2020 Ford Escape and the wrench light came on and I received messages on the dash that said (faulty AWD, faulty hill assist, and faulty collision detection. I took it to Kayser Ford in Madison Wisconsin on January 15,2025 and they replaced the AWD module at a cost of $996. By doing some research, I know find out that there appears to have been a recall on 2020 Ford Escapes for this problem. Kayser Ford says there is no recall and I am questioning this. Thank you.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that occasionally the vehicle was difficult to start or was idling roughly at start-up. The contact stated that while driving on a neighborhood road at various speeds and attempting to make a turn, the vehicle lost automotive power and shut shutoff. The contact stated that the electrical components remained operational. The message “Service Vehicle Soon” was displayed, and the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000.
Driving down road and came to stop sign and vehicle engine turned off due to start/stop feature and would not turn back on. Received alert battery was going into deep sleep mode. While stuck at stop sign. Had to put in park, turn vehicle off and back on to proceed to move. This is 3rd time see pic of happened Also separate issue the computers sync 3 software will not take and now the screen doesn't work, remote start won't work, gps doesn't work had you drive around in circles.
1) AWD module failed, 2) The failure of this module resulted in the deactivation of the Advance Track, Hill Start, and pre collison detection systems. 3)Dealer inspected and ran a diagnostics which into the problems listed above. 4)Manufacturer has inspected it. 5)The warnings and systems failure happen when the module failed.
with awd module. tested power ground to the module. isolated to faulty module No hill start, AWD faulty module, new purge valve
I was driving for uber and I smelled something biting along with my passengers, we had just gone through an area with a lot of smoke, so we figured it was that. After I dropped them off I noticed smoke billowing from my engine. The next day I had noticed my car was low on coolant, so I drove to Ace Hardware to grab some. After I put the coolant in the car I went to Publix to get some groceries and when I got back I smelled the smoke again. I did some research and there was a class action lawsuit against for Ford for the Escape with 1.5L engines and the fuel injectors cracking which caused coolant intrusion damaging the engine and causing them to over heat. I had my car towed to the dealership and the ECT light came on along with a parking brake warning.. This car has been nothing but a headache, nothing but repairs since I’ve had it. There is also a CSP, Customer Satisfaction Protocol for The fuel injectors cracking and I was never told about it all the times I’ve been to the dealership. I’m thinking that’s what caused the overheating..
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife pulling into a parking spot, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated and crashed into the wall of a Dollar General Store. The contact stated that his wife sustained injuries and bruises to both legs from the deployment of the air bags underneath the steering wheel. Medical attention was not sought. A Police report was filed; however, the Police report number was not available. The vehicle was towed to a dealer but was not diagnosed. The contact retrieved the vehicle, and the vehicle was taken to an Auto Body Shop to be diagnosed and an estimate for the repair was provided. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact was locked outside of the vehicle; however, the key fob was within range. On another occasion, the contact attempted to start the vehicle using the key fob and the manufacturer app however, the vehicle stalled. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the battery was dead and needed to be replaced. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V954000 (Electrical System). The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,470.
I am smelling gas every time I put gas and it won't start after putting gas there's a strong smell of gas inside my vehicle the recall has not been fixed yet I am a single mother and this is a safety risk issue how do I go forward powertrain is also still coming up I have other things popping up saying recalls were never fixed please help
Car will stop locking it won’t lock from the door, or automatically, or with the remote.
For 6 months, after a routine visit and safety recall preformed by ford, I have had an issue with the park brake engaging on its own. When pressing the button to disengage it, the car would not disengage and would remain locked. The only way to disengage it would be to throw the car into reverse, press the button to disengage the park brake and step on the gas pedal as fast as you could. After 6 months of trying to diagnose the issue, ford pittsville came up inconclusive, replacing multiple parts of the e-brake such as the buttons themselves, the wires connecting the brakes, and checking over the brakes. The issue itself was unrecreatable but the only common denominator was remote starting the car via the app. The most recent investigation this past month conducted by ford revealed that the pin for my brake and e brake was loose after they (ford) had replaced it. They fixed the connection and delivered my car to me. I hadnt even driven the car yet, only remote started it due to the heat. When the car was started, it immediately popped up with a new issue. The powertrain had failed, with codes popping up via fords system indicating the: park brake, brake system, gear shift, and 5 other codes that i cannot recall at the moment showing on their system. Ford diagnosed the problem, finding the gear shift itself was not engaging due to a loose pin (code: P0929:77). I was told that the car was safe to drive but there has been zero communication on when the part would be ordered or taken care of. I have tried to follow up multiple times with the dealership in the past two weeks and update them about the cars current state, including now with the error still showing, my steering feels loose and my car feels as if it is drifting while i drive.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact later discovered that there was smoke coming from the engine compartment and the A/C unit. The contact stated that after several minutes the vehicle returned to normal operation. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was notified that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V859000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stationary, the window made a popping sound and the front passenger’s side window failed to function as designed. The wrench and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that several unstated maintenance repairs were needed. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 123,145.
Car experiences delayed start after depressing ignition button and then afterwards the power steering does not work.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of an abnormal odor on the interior of the vehicle. The contact stated that the odor was entering the interior of the vehicle through the vents. The contact stated the abnormal odor had a sweet smell. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. In addition, the contact stated the transmission was slipping. The contact was informed that a software update needed to be performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.
This 2020 Ford Escape-with less than 67k miles on it-is mostly inoperable, as of this date. This car was financed, from a Fort Lauderdale. FL used car dealership, on or around [XXX]. The check engine light was on. I went to Autozone to see what codes this could be attributed to. I was given printouts, reflecting codes P0171 & P2BF1 [air flow ratio and/or fuel injector related issues]. Additionally, the oil life on the car was at 0%. I then checked to see if there were any open recalls. There were and on 12/3/24, 2 recall repairs were done at Grieco Ford (Oil separator Pan: 22V191; Drain Tube replacement: 22S73). The car was fine. An oil change took place on 12/14/24, where the engine coolant was topped off. There were no issues and the car was driven periodically, since its purchase, to Miami, because my Mother suffered a stroke on 10/21/24 and was in her 2nd intensive rehab. As her only child, I am her POA and advocate. However, on [XXX] serious overheating occurred, when I drove less than 1.5 miles away from home, and no engine coolant was in the reservoir. The car was sputtering and losing power. I had to pull over several times just to make it back home. Additionally, a seemingly oily/milky substance was around the radiator. As of [XXX], the motor mounts are worn causing the engine to violently shake and the original radiator is warped due to potential oil/coolant leaks the vehicle could have experienced, well before these recall repairs were executed. Also, there is another recall on this vehicle regarding fuel injector leaks. Ford has failed at any meaningful strides in fixing the litany of engine malfunctions; electrical system failures; and this car's computers disconnect in diagnosing issues adequately. I found out all of these AFTER financing this car due to limited options had due to a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. I already paid $270 for January's-full coverage-insurance payment & have to pay a $410 CAR PAYMENT ON A CAR I CAN'T DRIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Went to open the drivers side left front door and heard a loud clunk, now door isn't opening or shutting properly and we can't use the drivers window either. I've heard of peoples doors falling off while driving because of this and we just bought the car at the end of October. We have yet to get it looked at, but it's not a cheap fix. There were no warnings or signs. I opened it normal like every other time.
All wheel drive module not working on 2020 Ford Escape with 25,600 miles.
Lugnuts are swollen and a flat had occurred and I couldn't remove the wheel was almost hit by on coming traffic finally gave up replenished air into tire and drove Home . Took car into Ford dealership they said all of the Lugnuts swell on newer models not just mine I asked for a replacement quote it's 300 for new Lugnuts and then labor too and hopefully they won't break a wheel removing them I said if I agreed would they replace them with the same defective Lugnuts that swell and his answer was yes .Please do something about thease dangerous swelling Lugnuts before someone's life is taken. I told the dealership not to do the replacement and done some research I can get a replacement set for entire car for 40 bucks at Autozone and called my local mechanic and they said 50 bucks to replace all of them and autozone told me thease are standard non swelling steel Lugnuts .My faith in Ford has definitely changed to zero.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the DPFE sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred approximately five months later when the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated, and several minutes later, the power train warning light illuminated and a message to "Refer to the Owner’s Manual” was displayed and the vehicle failed to accelerate above 40 MPH. The contact stated that the vehicle went into "LIMP Mode". The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and turned off. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic where DTC: P0402 and P1061 were retrieved, and the vehicle was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,819.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE STOPPED FUNCTIONING IN ICY/SNOWY CONDITION. CAUSING UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS. WARNING MESSAGE: Driver display indicates, "ALL wheel drive module faulty, driver assist not available. Service required!" and an orange wrench displayed >>There is already a bulletin on this issue for 2020 Ford Escapes CSB21B19, April 2021, however our VIN was not included in bulletin. >> We took the car back to the dealership for repairs and they said they are having MANY Escapes coming in with this issue whose VINs are also not included in the original bulletin >> No pre warning. The first time we saw the warning the AWD failed on snowy road. >>We contacted FORD customer service and got the run around. FORD NEEDS TO INCREASE THE LIST OF VINS INCLUDED IN THE BULLETIN SO PEOPLE CAN GET THE MODULE REPLACED TO PREVENT THE LOSS OF AWD IN SNOWY/ICY CONDITIONS.
Power Transfer Unit failure. The vehicle is only four years old with solely highway mileage. They cost to replace the PTU is $1990 which is quite a bit to pay for a manufacturer issue. I purchased this car brand new from the dealership.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the RPM increased, and the check engine and power train warning lights illuminated. In addition, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.
I started experiencing transmission issues with my vehicle around 80,000 miles. When I initially brought it to a Ford dealership for inspection, I was told there was nothing wrong—despite also reporting other concerns with the vehicle. The jerking and shifting issues continued over the following months and became more frequent. Once the vehicle reached just over 100,000 miles, I returned to the dealership and was then informed that the transmission had failed. This was frustrating, as I had been reporting symptoms for a long time with no resolution. To this day, no warning lights or dashboard messages have appeared to indicate any transmission issues.No warning lights, messages, or diagnostic codes appeared before or during the progression of this issue. The only symptom has been the physical jerking and irregular shifting, which first appeared around 80,000 miles. I have a case number with Ford.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the ABS and Traction Control warning messages had been displayed and the power steering had failed causing the steering wheel to become difficult to turn in each direction. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the steering column was faulty. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failures but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 16,900.
All 4 TPMS have failed within one week and are not registering the PSI. I have to manually check the tire pressure. Turned vehicle on and came as warning across dash. Began with drivers side rear.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Edge. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud clanking noise coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the exhaust cap and catalytic converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed a gasoline odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the purge valve had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the gasoline odor was still present. Additionally, the contact stated that the AWD warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the AWD system failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle downshifted with no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V550000 (Power Train). A case was opened, and the manufacturer referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
On a cross country road trip the vehicle started leaking transmission fluid. Took it to the dealer where they told me the Torque Converter seal has be installed incorrectly at the factory. This has been leaking since the vehicle was new. The splash shield is fabric and absorbs all the leaking fluid until it is saturated leading to possible transmission failures.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle seized in gear. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to reverse. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into park or drive. The check engine warning light flashed on and off. The wrench symbol was displayed. The powertrain inactive message was displayed. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V330000 (Power Train). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where an unknown diagnosis was completed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, opened a case, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 103,635.
Panoramic headliner fabric is sagging causing an obstruction to drivers rear view while also creating a hazard for rear passengers in the event of an accident.
Seat belt fault
CVT transmission is faulty and the gears shudder and slip. It also lags between shifting, causing near accidents. My local ford dealer tried to fix it last year and couldn’t, it seems like they don’t even know how to fix it. It should be a recall, it makes driving frustrating and unsafe.
I have 2 recalls on my vehicle and every time I tried to schedule the service I was told that they couldn’t because the parts were on back order and they didn’t know when they could get them in. It’s been 2 years.
Clunking sound from rear of vehicle when making slow turns. Dealer states needs a new rear drive unit no warning lights present in dash
AWD fault service required see manual Pre-collision assist not available Service advance trac Hill start assist not available. These are the codes that popped up when I started my car this morning. Escape has 74,000 miles on it. I got this warning one other time about 20,000 or 25,000 miles ago and it went away. This Time every time I start the car I get this warning. After a Google search I found many other drivers reporting this issue with the 1.5 and the 2.0 model engine. The AWD drive control model ground is the issue. This forum here found the issue and found a work around to fix it: [XXX] . Would be nice if Ford would fix the problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The awd module is faulty. It's causing thr collision assistance, the lane assistance, the awd and a few other things to not work or throw a faulty warning. I've been doing some digging and it seems to be a very common thing. The ford escape titanium is already in recall I believed
Driver door hinges are loose. Door makes loud cracking noise when opening and closing. It’s very hard to close. My window will not go down either.
1st: water reservoir tank was empty and didn't notice it until heat was cold...inspected and filled reservoir back to max had it tested and couldn't find reason for coolant to be low...Ford tech told me to drive it because they were unable to explain.2nd issue when vehicle sets overnight when backing out of carport back brake system sounds like a scrubbing sound then after drive awhile it may or may not do it when I put it in reverse. just curious. Haven't had said vehicle but one year.
All Wheel Drive (AWD) triggered a fault and stopped functioning while drive, resulting in loss of traction and wheel slippage in slippery conditions. Ford dealership diagnosed a faulty AWD module and admitted this is a very common problem with all 2020 Ford Escapes but that it is NOT covered under warranty. Ford is well aware of these issues with their AWD modules but has so far refused to initiate a recall of their know-faulty AWD modules.
Door Hing has a bad weld and causes a loud noise and resistance when closing the Driver's door.
See attached document for complaint.
Front drivers side door makes loud popping sound when opening or closing. Now it doesn't shut completely. One of the spot welds near the door check has torn through the metal frame, and is causing the window to not roll up or down. When driving over any small bump or uneven road, door cracks loudly, and twice has popped open in transit, then would not close until I pulled over, stopped, and manhandled the door to a close.