2025 Ford Escape: common problems and reliability
· 4th generationToo new to grade yet.
30 owner complaints, most about electrical system. 10 recalls.
Should I buy a 2025 Escape?The 2025 Ford Escape has 30 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 10 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are electrical system and engine. Owners most often flag 12v battery failures causing app connectivity issues, slow system shutdown, and starting problems.
Safety record for the 2025 model year
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2025 Ford Escape vehicles (US, public record).
Too new to grade: we score a model year once it has been on the road for 3 years. How we score it
Is 2025 a good year for the Escape?
Across the 27 Escape model years we track, complaint volume runs from 5 (2000) to 4,834 (2008). With 30 complaints, the 2025 Escape sits below the model's median of 1,110.
These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.
Where owners report problems
Recalls affecting the 2025 Escape
electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Campaign 24V850000Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Escape vehicles. The passenger side instrument panel cover may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Campaign 25V049000Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Bronco Sport, Escape, and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) may not illuminate at startup or while driving. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays" and 102, "Transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect" as well as FMVSS numbers 126, 108, 135, 138, 208, and 305.
back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Campaign 25V161000Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Escape vehicles. The rearview camera may incorrectly display an inverted image when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
electrical system
Campaign 25V343000Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus, 2023-2025 Escape, 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2025 Lincoln Corsair, Maverick, and Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with a 1.5L or 2.0L MPC engine and an engine block heater. The engine block heater may overheat when the vehicle is parked with the block heater plugged in.
Show 6 more recalls
engine
Campaign 25V372000Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Escape, and 2025 Bronco Sport vehicles. The cylinder head may have been improperly manufactured, which can cause the ball plugs to fail, resulting in an oil leak.
electronic stability control (esc)
Campaign 25V787000Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Maverick and Escape vehicles. The cover for the electric brake booster's ECU may cause the printed circuit board to overheat and result in a loss of vehicle stability control systems (anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, and traction control) or a loss of brake power assist.
structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments
Campaign 25V829000Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2025 Escape vehicles. The liftgate hinge covers may not be properly secured and detach from the vehicle.
seat belts:rear/other:retractor
Campaign 25V862000Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Corsair and Escape vehicles. The seat belt retractors for the left and right rear passenger seats may not be securely fastened.
engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:gas recirculation valve (egr valve)
Campaign 26V122000Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Ranger, Lincoln Nautilus, Mustang, Maverick, Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Corsair, Bronco Sport, and Bronco vehicles. The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve may fail, resulting in an unexpected loss of drive power.
electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery
Campaign 26V091000Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Ford Escape and 2023-2026 Lincoln Corsair plug-in hybrid vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.
What owners report on the 4th generation Escape
Owner sentiment toward the fourth-generation Escape is mixed, with praise for the hybrid powertrain's reliability and the 2.0L engine's performance, but significant criticism of the 1.5L engine, 12V battery issues, wind noise, and parts delays.
- Very frequent12V battery failures causing app connectivity issues, slow system shutdown, and starting problems
- Recurrent1.5L three-cylinder engine failures requiring replacement
- RecurrentSeat leather cracking or tearing on Premium trim
- RecurrentPre-Collision Assist disabled warning due to frost, ice, or dirt on sensors
- RecurrentWind noise from driver side mirror area
Owner insights for the 4th generation Escape. Read the full 4th generation owner report.
Typical used price
Used Escape listings typically run $9,995–$20,378.
Other Escape model years
Compare every Escape year side by side to see how 2025 ranks against the rest.
Compare the Escape against its rivals
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