2020 Ford Escape: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 1,484 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 23 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
1,484
Complaints
23
Recalls
20
Crash reports
4
Fire reports
28
Injuries
22.1
Severity index
Severity index 22.1 - Low. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 103 2020 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2020 Ford Escape ranks 89 of 103 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 14% of its model-year peers. See the full 2020 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| STRUCTURE | 603 | 40.6% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 298 | 20.1% |
| POWER TRAIN | 226 | 15.2% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 150 | 10.1% |
| FUEL SYSTEM | 115 | 7.7% |
| GASOLINE | 114 | 7.7% |
| ENGINE | 108 | 7.3% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 69 | 4.6% |
The single most-reported system is STRUCTURE, cited in 603 of 1,484 complaints (40.6%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 40 |
| 2021 | 42 |
| 2022 | 55 |
| 2023 | 506 |
| 2024 | 394 |
| 2025 | 289 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 157 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 8.7x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V633000 | 28/08/2019 | SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recline |
| 20V415000 | 17/07/2020 | AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Escape and Transit vehicles. The affected vehicles may have an improperly crimped diffuser in the side curtain air bags which may result in the diffuser detaching from the inflator in the event of an air bag deployment. |
| 20V635000 | 15/10/2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE/BCM | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with a key-start ignition system. The Body Control Module (BCM) intermittently may not pick up the signal from the rear Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensors or the Remote Key Fob. In the even |
| 20V550000 | 10/09/2020 | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Edge, Transit Connect and Lincoln MKX and 2020 Escape and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing or loose bolts. |
| 20V575000 | 23/09/2020 | BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently dis |
| 21V011000 | 15/01/2021 | POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Edge, 2020 Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Escape and 2021 Lincoln Corsair and Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. An inadequate amount of lubricant in the rear drive unit may cause seizure of the rear drive axle. |
| 22V191000 | 25/03/2022 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2022 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. The engine oil separator housing may crack and develop an oil leak. |
| 22V331000 | 13/05/2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Escape and 2021 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with 2.5L hybrid powertrains. Insufficient welds inside the high voltage battery may fail, resulting in a loss of drive power. |
| 22V484000 | 07/07/2022 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape, 2021-2022 Lincoln Corsair, and 2022 Maverick vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate |
| 22V859000 | 18/11/2022 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment. |
| 23V380000 | 26/05/2023 | ENGINE | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape, 2022-2023 Maverick, and 2021-2023 Corsair vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate nea |
| 24V330000 | 10/05/2024 | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM) | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Maverick, 2020-2022 Escape, and 2021-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The Hybrid Powertrain Control Module (HPCM) software may cause the vehicle to shift into neutral unexpectedly, causing a loss of drive power. |
| 24V852000 | 08/11/2024 | EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply |
| 24V954000 | 20/12/2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/ENERGY CONTROL MODULE (BMS/BECM) | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Ford Escape, and 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure. |
| 25V165000 | 14/03/2025 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 22V-859 or 24V-187. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment. |
| 25V345000 | 23/05/2025 | ENGINE | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape, 2021-2023 Corsair, and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines that were repaired incorrectly under recall 23V380. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be relea |
| 25V442000 | 27/06/2025 | BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2 |
| 25V467000 | 11/07/2025 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2020-2022 Escape vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment. |
| 25V685000 | 10/10/2025 | EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolan |
| 25V693000 | 10/10/2025 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Escape vehicles. The rear brake pads may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can reduce brake function in the event of a brake booster malfunction. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal M |
| 25V829000 | 01/12/2025 | STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | Ford 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. |
| 26V117000 | 03/03/2026 | VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Aviator, and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may fail and prevent the windshield wipers from operating properly. |
| 26V123000 | 03/03/2026 | BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2020-2024 Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The image on the center display may flip or invert, resulting in an incorrectly displayed rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As s |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.