Ford Escape years to avoid
Every Ford Escape model year on file (2012-2024), ranked worst to best by severity index - the share of owner complaints that report a crash, fire, injury or fatality.
2024
Worst year on file
96.0
Severity index
Electrical System
Most-reported system
2018
Cleanest year on file
Ranked worst to best
| # | Model year | Severity | Complaints | Most-reported system |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2024 Ford Escape | 96.0 High | 76 | Electrical System |
| 2 | 2012 Ford Escape | 63.5 Medium | 604 | Steering |
| 3 | 2014 Ford Escape | 62.2 Medium | 2,089 | Engine |
| 4 | 2019 Ford Escape | 57.3 Medium | 596 | Engine |
| 5 | 2022 Ford Escape | 55.0 Medium | 236 | Fuel System |
| 6 | 2015 Ford Escape | 47.3 Medium | 1,129 | Power Train |
| 7 | 2023 Ford Escape | 47.2 Medium | 101 | Electrical System |
| 8 | 2013 Ford Escape | 43.6 Low | 2,757 | Engine |
| 9 | 2021 Ford Escape | 42.4 Low | 350 | Structure |
| 10 | 2016 Ford Escape | 35.2 Low | 1,164 | Power Train |
| 11 | 2017 Ford Escape | 27.0 Low | 2,698 | Engine |
| 12 | 2020 Ford Escape | 23.7 Low | 1,541 | Structure |
| 13 | 2018 Ford Escape | 23.0 Low | 1,817 | Engine |
A high rank here means a larger share of this year's complaints described a crash, fire or injury - not that the vehicle is unsafe to drive, and not a reliability or repair-cost rating. Complaint counts are not normalised by units sold.
Ford Escape complaints and recalls by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crashes | Fires | Severity | Most-reported system |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 604 | 2 | 38 | 3 | 63.5 Medium | STEERING |
| 2013 | 2,757 | 18 | 50 | 91 | 43.6 Low | ENGINE |
| 2014 | 2,089 | 16 | 47 | 104 | 62.2 Medium | ENGINE |
| 2015 | 1,129 | 9 | 30 | 20 | 47.3 Medium | POWER TRAIN |
| 2016 | 1,164 | 4 | 39 | 10 | 35.2 Low | POWER TRAIN |
| 2017 | 2,698 | 4 | 39 | 15 | 27.0 Low | ENGINE |
| 2018 | 1,817 | 4 | 26 | 6 | 23.0 Low | ENGINE |
| 2019 | 596 | 3 | 24 | 3 | 57.3 Medium | ENGINE |
| 2020 | 1,541 | 23 | 20 | 4 | 23.7 Low | STRUCTURE |
| 2021 | 350 | 19 | 9 | 9 | 42.4 Low | STRUCTURE |
| 2022 | 236 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 55.0 Medium | FUEL SYSTEM |
| 2023 | 101 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 47.2 Medium | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM |
| 2024 | 76 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 96.0 High | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM |
Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs. Complaint counts are not normalised by units sold; a high-volume seller will attract more filings than a rare trim.