Complaint volume
1436 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2020 Ford Escape Complaints
1436 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2020 Ford Escape, grouped by component category.
1436 Total complaints
19 Crash reports
3 Fire reports
22 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are structure, unknown or other, power train. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 19 crash reports, 3 fire reports, 22 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 305 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 45,215 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to structure, unknown or other, power train?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2020 Ford Escape?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2020 Ford Escape
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2020 Ford Escape complaints?
19 Crash
3 Fire
22 Injury
0 Fatality
30 Towed
9 Medical attention
What are the most common 2020 Ford Escape complaint categories?
STRUCTURE 503
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 188
POWER TRAIN 110
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 80
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 38
STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 34
ENGINE 30
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 26
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 18
VISIBILITY/WIPER 18
1,436 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | Drivers side door hinge has failed. Makes a cracking noise when opening and closing the door. Window will not close automatically if opened so now not able to open it anymore. Occasionally getting warnings that the door is not secure when the car is in Drive. Dealer says $2-3k to replace the door. Vehicle is 3.5 years old but only 23k miles so not covered by warranty. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Driver door doesn’t latch properly, and window won’t open/close. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The driver's side door was making a creaking noise then a loud pop occurred. Took it to a Ford autobody shop and they said the weld on the check arm attachment broke. I can't use the window. Estimate for repair is over $2000. My car has 38659 miles and is a 2020 Ford Escape. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | The driver's side door makes a popping/cracking noise when opening. Check arm/hinge seems to have failed and the door is not only making noise but the door assembly is pulling apart. The window now does not go all the way down. The vehicle is available for inspection. The door does not properly open or close properly and at times has to be double checked when in the vehicle to make sure it is closed all the way. This is not safe for travel. The vehicle was brought to the dealership and they said they would have to take it to the body shop in order to inspect it. Estimate of charges for repairs is $3,000 - repair would require a new door (both panels), hinges, and paint along with labor. There were zero warnings prior to the failure. The door just makes noise (popping or cracking) when opening and closing. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The vehicle information screen "APIM" froze, went black then after re-starting the car seemed to be reset. The large screen then showed only the back-up camera while in drive. The screen display is not the same each time the vehicle is started. It could be black or show partially such as the navigation system or the radio. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for servicing the malfunction a recall and the driver door limiter problem. the vehicle was returned with the recall corrected instructions for the door repair but the APIM is still broken. the part for repair is on back order, the timeframe for replacement is unknown. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | ENGINE | The shifting mechanism failed with just 13,000 miles; the vehicle is barely 3 years old. This appears to be a manufacturing defect and I incurred costs in repair. The manufacturer denied responsibility. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | My Escape has just over 41,000 miles. Very well taken care of and after sitting in a personal garage, while on vacation, I opened drivers side door and LOUD popping noise began when opening or closing. I took to dealership where I lease from and was informed door stop is broken and only way to fixe is total door replacement. This would need to be at my own cost, I REFUSE TO PAY SINCE I DID NOTHING TO IT, and I exchange in 7 months. This is freaking ridiculous. I can now not use my window and literally am anxious to use my only care to get to and from work. They need to fix!! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | The spot welds on the driver's door broke. This causes the door to grind when opening/closing. If left for too long, this could lead to the entire door being unusable. No one has looked at this issue other than myself. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | SEATS | The seat heating element is stuck up out of the seat pushing into the person driving. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | The door hinge bracket is over extending and popping when the door is opened all the way. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | The passenger side door has become unusable. When opening it seems to fall of some sort of hinge and is hard to close so we aren’t able to use the driver side door. We took it to Ford BEFORE our warranty expired and they said it wasn’t covered. Now we see that hundreds of people has also had this happen so we know for a fact it was a “lemon” but they refuse to fix it and will cost us thousands to repair even though it’s a factory malfunction. The door is dangerous because it can fall open at any time. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Warped Instrument Panel Upper Section – 2020 Ford Escape This should be covered by the manufacturer!!!!! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | Not reported to dealer yet but the driver door hinge welds broke and I believe the door could come off. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Error message that AWD, and associated sponsors are not functioning. This is failure of AWD Module LX6Z 7P238 AANP. Ford has issued a minimum recall/service warning (but not all 2020 Escape models). All warnings and assistance related to AWD are incapacitated/not functioning, including auto parking brake. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | Door welds associated with the door check stop failed. Problem is the same as SSM-50150. Ford is telling me that it’s 1800$ to repair and I am on the hook for the repair. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | Spot welds on driver side door where the "Check Arm" attaches to the door have come loose. Unable to close the door. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | SEATS,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the driver’s side door was emitting a clicking sound while the door was moved. The contact stated that the door weld had fractured. The window failed to roll up automatically due to the failure. The back of the driver’s side seat had started tearing which exposed the frame of the seat. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who replaced the door however, the failure persisted due to parts from the old door being used to secure the new door. The seat had not been repaired. The dealer was informed of the failure however, the vehicle had not been taken to the dealer for additional repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 68,000 |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | Driver door is creaking and not wanting to close all the way | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | The driver door started making a popping/creaking sound when I opened and closed it. The sound was quiet at first, like I wasn't even sure I heard it right, then it got really loud and stopped altogether and my window wouldn't roll down properly. The sound only lasted a week or two fron when it started to when it stopped. I took it to the Ford dealership where I bought it, and they told me the door check became UNWELDED inside the door. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while opening the driver's side door, he heard an abnormal popping sound. The contact stated that the popping sound was intermittent at first but had become a recurring failure. Additionally, the driver's side window failed to open and close normally. The contact observed four missing spot welds on the door hinge. The contact also stated that the passenger’s side door had started making the popping sound while opening the door. There were several spot welds missing. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the driver's side door needed to be replaced, but at the owner’s expense. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE23013 (Structure). The failure mileage was approximately 61,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 61,000 |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to exit the vehicle from the driver's side, the door made an abnormal sound and was difficult to open. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined a structural failure of the door well. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but was unable to assist. The failure mileage was 56,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 56,000 |
| Aug 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Driver door popping and cracking arm weld broken | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | My driver door hinge has come apart from door due to welding, which has impacted my window from going down and although i lock the doors they are still able to come unlock by pulling door handle which leaves my car vunerable to vandelism or theft. i made an appointment and got the first date available. My vehicle is a lease and out of warranty although I paid for extra miles and after showing them all the data from NHTSA they want me to pay $450-$500 and be without a vehicle for a minimum of 4 days with a max of 5 without a loaner and for me to pay for a rental car on top of paying monthly note along with repair and rental which already has inflated rates. They need to fix and have a recall. This is dangerous and can be costly considering your car door is unlock in the "lock position". | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the front driver's side door made an abnormal popping sound while opening and then failed to close. Additionally, the front driver's side window failed to roll up. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the welding on the front driver's side door bracket was faulty, causing the bracket to detach. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the contact was referred to the collision center. The vehicle was then towed to the collision center, where it was diagnosed that the front driver's side door needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 93,000 |
| Aug 2023 | STRUCTURE | Driver side door is making a clanking noise when opening and closing. I also had difficulty closing and keeping the door closed. The window will not open more than 6 inches. Door hinge or door stop on the interior of the door has some welding part that my mechanic says has broken within the door's frame. He identifies this as a manufacturing problem, not something my mechanic will attempt to fix. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |