2021 Ford Escape Complaint Log

On [XXX] while driving north on [XXX] from Corpus Christi, TX to San Antonio, TX our 2021 Ford Escape started to become difficult to accelerate and as we pressed on the pedal to accelerate the vehicle didn't not go any faster it began to reach a slow speed of about 35-30mph on a highway with vehicles going over 70mph, with no other choice but to pull over to the side of the road to avoid crashing into on coming traffic we proceeded to steer the vehicle towards Exit 36 into the city of Mathis, TX at which point the vehicle entered a forced neutral condition and then automatically shifted into “Park”, at which point a warning light that looks like a wrench came on, along with multiple warning messages in the instrument panel cluster we heard an audible chime. After shifting back into Drive the vehicle went limp and had limited torque slowing down to speeds lower than 30mph it then came to an abrupt stop and refused to go into gear, as we noticed the vehicle's engine seems to shut off it seemed to suddenly enter into a neutral state and began to move slower than 30mph and we steered the vehicle into a nearby gas station, thankfully barely making it into the rest stop before the vehicle locked into an emergency brake position and wouldn't allow us to return it to drive or out of any gear other than neutral. In neutral it would move a few feet then return to an emergency braking position with all four tires locked and the emergency brake light coming on and refusing to go off even when we diseganged the emergency brake, rendering the vehicle immobile. We were lucky to be able to make it off the freeway without having anyone crash into us with vehicles passing us at speeds greater than 70mph and our vehicle dropping to lower than 30mph and locking into a neutral position, thankfully we were able to make it to the nearest exit and call for help. After numerous failed attempts to return the vehicle back into drive, not being able to do anything w INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

A/C Drain hose clogging results in driver side and passenger side floorboards flooded. Water dripping on feet when driving and making turns after A/C drain gets clogged or heatshield drain hole not properly aligned with drain hose. Also A/C Drain hose not long enough to drain out at the appropriate spot. Official procedures to correct the problem is to remove underside heatshields and add a hose extension to the A/C Drain hose to allow drainage at correct location. My shoes and feet are soaked anytime I drive the vehicle after having the A/C on. Cannot use A/C until drain hose is unclogged/extended which is a simple procedure on other vehicles except this one.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle had stalled with several undisclosed messages displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but was offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

While accelerating at a stop light I heard a thud in the hood of my car and then it started to smoke so I pulled off the road and turned off vehicle but the car caught fire and the entire front end burned.

When going in reverse the breaks squeal. I have reported this in the past but was told "the noise was normal in this car." I have worked on cars for years and i don't by that. The noise is coming from rear wheels. The router on the left rear has not worn normally. there are groves worn in it. The amount of break dust on the left front wheel is not normal. I realize this happens normally, but this is above and beyond what I would call normal. It could indicate a problem with the break distribution valve. Thank you in advance for your help with this problem.

Problem Description Component/System Failed: The driver-side front door has been inoperable since April 2024, unable to open or close, linked to Ford’s Customer Satisfaction Program 23B56 (faulty door welds/hinges). Vehicle is available for inspection. Safety Risk: I must climb over the passenger seat to enter/exit, risking injury, especially in emergencies. My disabled veteran father, who shares the car, cannot drive it due to inaccessibility, severely limiting his mobility. An inoperable door could delay evacuation, endangering us both. Confirmed by Dealer: Empire Ford, New Bedford, MA, confirmed the issue in October 2024, tying it to 23B56. They quoted 2-3 weeks for parts but haven’t repaired it as of April 10, 2025. Inspections: Only Empire Ford inspected it in October 2024. They admitted to marking the work order as done without repairs, restarting the process. No other inspections by Ford, police, or insurers occurred. Symptoms/Warnings: No warning lights or messages. Around April 2024, the door became hard to open/close, then failed completely, remaining stuck closed. No prior noises or partial issues noted. Details: In October 2024, I took my Escape to Empire Ford for the 23B56 repair. They said parts would take 2-3 weeks. After months without updates, I learned they falsely marked the job complete, forcing a restart. Six months later, the door is still broken, and they only say parts are “ordered,” offering no timeline. This aligns with NHTSA’s PE23013 investigation into Escape door welds. The delay makes the car unsafe and unusable for my father. I request NHTSA’s help to push Ford for a prompt fix or loaner vehicle.

My coolant exploded while in the middle of the road, engine stopped accelerating. Warning light turned on right as acceleration was reduced to nothing. No prior warning & temp gauge was normal it’s I lost acceleration. Had to turn on hazards to warn cars behind me as it was sudden. No warning lamps prior to the coolant leak besides the low tire pressure.

I see no recalls for 2021 Ford Escape SEL AWD 2.0L. Vehicle was parked next to house under carport all day and owner smelled smoke. Looked out house window and seen front of vehicle on fire and catching house on fire. The fire department put it out but the vehicle was a total lose and house has significant damage and is unlivable until repairs can be made. There were no indications this was going to happen. These models need to have a recall.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that there was an abnormal grinding sound while driving at slow speeds. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power transfer unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and informed the contact there was no coverage for the repair on the VIN and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 90,147.

Bracket that holds the check arm device in the door broke loose. It is not properly welded to the inside of the doors. Left stranded because the door could not be shut. Other 2021 Ford Escapes are having the same issues. There was no warning to indicate a problem with the door.

A cracking sound is heard when the door is opened and closed

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the front driver's side door. The door failed to stay ajar when needed. Additionally, the contact stated that the door swung open unexpectedly while parked on an angle. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted, and the vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the door needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

BOUGHT CAR NEW. HAD BOTH REAR SHOCKS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 18478 MILES BECAUSE OF LEAKING. NEED TO REPLACE BOTH REAR SHOCKS AGAIN AT 50250 MILES BECAUSE OF LEAKING. Three sets of shocks in 50,000 miles of normal driving is not normal,

dragging/grinding/ skipping noise when doing turns at slow speed, took to ford and they say it needs RDU(rear differential) replaced only has 66k miles of course just as soon as it is out of warranty

Transmission has failed.

I bought this car in August 2024. There wasn’t a problem, until I backed up. There is this moaning sound. It happens most of the time. This was supposed to be a certified used car. I took it to the dealership and they duplicated the sound I was talking about. Then they tell me they can’t fix it until they hear from Ford. Should be a fix 4th qtr 2024. I saw on Ford website there is a fix and I told them. They said they can’t do anything about it until ford tells them. They knew this was a problem. Most forums have a lot of ford escape owners are having the same problem. I just want it fixed. There is a TSB out for it, but the dealership won’t do anything. I feel like I am being given the run around.

The sunroof headliner will not retract and sags down into the rear view, making it difficult to see out the back of the car.

Driver door makes loud noise opening - know issue spot weld issues . Window won’t work this needs to be a recall

My 2021 Ford Escape SE is loosing coolant, but no leaks.

I’ve visited both Ourisman Ford of Manassas, VA and Ted Britt Ford of Chantilly, VA regarding this issue and asked when a fix is expected. At both dealerships, I was informed that this is not classified as a recall but rather part of Ford’s Customer Satisfaction Program. However, when I provided the service representative with the official letter from Ford, they were unable to locate either the Manufacturer Recall Number 25S76 or the NHTSA Recall Number 25V467 in their system. I’ve also explained that my vehicle—a 2021 model with fewer than 25,000 miles—is experiencing poor fuel economy, ranging between 23–29 MPG. Additionally, I’ve noticed a troubling performance issue: when accelerating from a complete stop, the car sometimes hesitates, then suddenly lurches forward, occasionally causing the tires to squeal.

The contact called on behalf of his wife who owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the temperature was cold the seat belt buckled and remained in place as needed; however, during hot temperatures the seat belt was difficult to unbuckle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the seat belt was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 62,000. The VIN was unavailable.

There was a safety recall on my car for the door hinges. I ended up getting a new door that had to be painted. The shop has had to repaint it 6 times due to faulty work. Also was denied getting to.go.to another repair shop

Door check bracket pulled off of door.

I HAVE TO KEEP PRESSING THE GAS HANDLE TO PUT GAS IN MY CAR BECAUSE THE [XXX] CARBON SENSOR [XXX] THINGY IS BROKE. also the door keeps clicking and TikTok says it’s going to fly off. Now that’s just dangerous. The clicky thingy is from something that is welded into the door keeps coming off of the car. Now that’s [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon having the A/C unit serviced, the service technician shocked and burned himself on the wiring harness. The contact was informed that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the issue. The contact was informed that the wiring harness needed to be replaced; however, the part was on backorder. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000.

The driver side door arm has broken without any reason. It now makes noise opening and closing and will need to be replaced

Almost every single time I back up my brakes make an awful noise. I've had the brakes looked at and nothing is wrong with them, I have read numerous articles about other people having this same issue with their 2021 Ford Escapes. Others have brought this to Ford's attention, and they always get told "that's normal". I should not have to hear my brakes screaming for no reason at 7am when leaving work, it is embarrassing and honestly irritating speaking that I would expect my vehicle to have no issues when ford talks to highly about the "quality" of their vehicles.

The spot weld on my driver's side door looks like it broke where the hinge is attached to the door. It's going to totally break.

My drivers door was making strange noises and not staying open. Took it to a ford dealer. They assessed it needed to be replaced as others are having the same issue. When I got my car back, now I can’t roll my window down except for a few inches. Safety issue! I’ve been waiting at least 4 months for a new door. The passenger side is to be fixed also because faulty parts were used when it was manufactured. Absolutely no word from the dealer when this will be repaired.

The door check system on the door assembly of my Ford Escape is attached to the body by three spot welds. These welds have come off and now it's not possible to lower the window. I was in a situation where I had to open the door to adjust my mirror on the road, this is very unsafe and can lead to accidents.

The drivers door check arm welds are breaking, the plate is flexing inside the door.

I noticed the door opening hard and making noise. Car parked at home, no accidents or dents. The Door Hinge weld has come disconnected. Tech confirmed on 4/10/2024. Car is still under factory warranty with 33,719 miles. Tech picked up car and brought back with no fix. Tech verified concern, returned vehicle with note Ford Advance Notice for the concern. And when consumer gets the recall notice they will contact me to fix it. In the meantime my warranty is nearly expired and they would not repair it.

Hinge on the front driver door the weld broke loose

I am unsure of the exact part but it is located in the driver side door. The car was stationary when the problem was noticed. My husband walked out to go to work and noticed that the door had started having issues. It makes a popping sound as the door opens and closes as well as the window no longer opens or closes. The door also doesn't open more than half way anymore, nor does it stay open. That has become a safety concern with our small children. The door is also starting to have issues closing all the way once it is attempted to shut the door. We tried contacting Ford and they know that there is an issue but told us that we have to deal with it or pay full price to fix the issue since there isn't an official recall on the part yet. They wouldn't even make an appointment to confirm which part was the issue. When we took it to Kia, which is the deal we bought the vehicle from, they see in their system that it is a part that has a recall and to take it to ford for a whole door replacement. Yet Ford refuses to help us until we have proof of letter that this part has caused an issue.

Front windshield is prone to crack. I have had to replace 5 windshields since I first purchased the vehicle. It is a known documented issue. Assuming aerodynamics is the issue and can cause more than the reasonable amount of cracked windshields. Valve body and transmission went out at 100,243 miles. All requested/required regular maintenance was completed.

Door check bracket detaches from driver door when it is opened.

Door welds were recalled and doors to replace have been on back order for months. My drivers side window now does not properly go up and down. Door pops when opened or closed and will not stay open if needed. My drivers side window also now has a scratch. I’m tired of waiting for a repair and still having to pay for a vehicle that is falling apart and nothing being done about it.

Driver door check arm bracket welds broke in door

Door hinge on driver side front came loose from weld and won’t let window roll down.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle, he heard an abnormal clicking sound coming from the door. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the door check arm attachment point. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE23013 (Structure). The failure mileage was 61,000.

2-23-24 2021 Gold Ford Escape AKA Goldie Purchased on 9-8-23 Miles at purchase 52,771 Current miles 60,054 2-22-24 I took my daughter to school. When I opened the door I heard a popping noise. When I got home I open the door to get out and heard a really big POP. I went to close the door it would not close. I gently tried to close it again but stopped because I did not want to make matters worse. I called a tow truck. The driver mentioned the door check was broken. My service advisor called to let me know the spot wells and door check were broken. She said I would have to take to body shop. My escape is available for inspection. I took Goldie to body shop 2-23-24. Advisor took pictures and said he would have technician look at it then send me a quote. He mentioned I may need a new door. After getting home I did some research on my issue and found the same issues are currently ongoing and Ford has not announces any solution to the matter. After reading the same issues online I am afraid to drive it. Anything faulty with a door in unsafe for me, my family and anyone else. The dealership I purchased Goldie from is aware of the issue because I had it towed there. The body shop knows because I went there and he took pictures to get me an estimate. The popping noise is all I heard which began est. 2-20-24

2021 Ford Escape 1.5L 19,502 miles Coolant loss with no visible leaks

The six Spot welds on the driver's door failed. The hinge bracket is adrift inside the car door. Al Packer Ford body shop advised this is a common flaw in the 2021 Ford Escapes.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while attempting to close the front driver’s side door, but the door check arm was no longer attached to the door, preventing the door from closing securely. No warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer, but the vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 37,000.

The door has spot wells I believe 6 total. 2 of them so far have come undone. It is the welds for the bracket that keeps the door from flying open.

The Door Hinge Welds came un done on the front drivers door owned car for less than 2 years bought brand new

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was veering to the right independently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where both the rear shock absorbers and the front passenger's side tie rod were replaced. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 60 MPH and at higher speeds, the front end of the vehicle was vibrating. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle while parked, she opened the hood and noticed that the engine was vibrating significantly while running. The contact stated that she also noticed a black stain on the engine. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer Casco Bay Ford1 (213 US-1, Yarmouth, ME 04096), and to a third dealer Rowe Ford Sales (91 Main St, Westbrook, ME 04092), where the contact was informed that the engine was operating as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 14,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the driver's side door was opened, there was a loud banging sound coming from the door. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with fractured spot welds. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

The door stop arm welds broke on drivers side door. I cannot roll down window because of this failure on ford's part.

Door is cracking only at 38k miles and the thing pops when I open and shut it on drivers side sounds like it’s going to fall right off