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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2020 | WHEELS | DRIVING 25 MILES PER HOUR ON RESIDENT STREET WHEN TIRE BLEW OUT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,361 |
| Jul 2020 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER | MY 2020 FORD ESCAPE'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MAKES ODD WHIRRING SOUNDS AND SHIFTS HARD OFTEN WHILE DRIVING. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STILL HAS A HARD TIME SHIFTING SMOOTHLY EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLES BEEN WARMED UP AND DRIVEN FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES. THE REAR VIEW CAMERA HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN AND DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK. EVEN WHEN IT IS WORKING THE FEED IS USUALLY TERRIBLE QUALITY. WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK YOU CAN'T SEE ANYTHING OUT OF THE REAR VIEW CAMERA, THE IMAGE QUALITY TURNS GREYISH AND IMAGES LAG. | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,090 |
| Jun 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | BACKUP SAFETY CAMERA AND WARNING SYSTEM FAILS OUTSIDE TEMP IS ABOVE 70 DEGREES AND AIR CONDITIONING HAS NOT BEEN RUNNING LONG ENOUGH TO COOL THE VEHICLE INTERIOR. WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED OUTSIDE IN THE SUMMER THE BACKUP CAMERA WILL NOT WORK UNTIL THE AIR CONDITIONING RUNS FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,830 |
| Apr 2020 | ENGINE | TODAY, 4/19/2020, TWO OF MY CO-EMPLOYEES NOTICED THAT MY 2020 FORD ESCAPE WAS MAKING A TICKING SOUND. I DIDN'T HEAR THE TICKING SOUND UNTIL I WAS WAITING IN LINE AT ARBY'S DRIVE-THROUGH AT ABOUT 6:30 PM ARIZONA TIME.. THE TICKING IS COMING FROM MY ENGINE AREA UNDER THE HOOD. THE LOW OIL LEVEL INDICATOR LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON AND THERE IS NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF AN OIL LEAK ON THE PAVEMENT WHERE MY ESCAPE IS PARKED. COULD BE BAD SPARK PLUGS OR CAMSHAFT. THE ESCAPE HAS BEEN FINANCED WITH ALASKA CREDIT UNION AND I HAVE NOT MADE THE FIRST PAYMENT YET. $1,000 HAS BEEN PUT DOWN, $500 INITIALLY AND $500 ON A PROMISSORY NOTE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,500 |
| Apr 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | NOTHING HAS HAPPENED YET...BUT A FEW VERY CLOSE CALLS....THE EQUIPMENT THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS ATTACHED TO IS HUGE AND THE MIRROR IS SUCH THAT IS BLOCKS A MAJOR PART OF THE VIEW TO THE RIGHT...ESP WHEN I AM ON A CURVY ROAD...IT LITERALLY BLOCKS ANYTHING IN THAT AREA...ANYONE ON A SIDEWALK ETC ETC....WHEN I NEED TO LOOK TO THE RIGHT I HAVE TO BEND DOWN OR LEAN OVER...I AM GOING TO HIT OR KILL SOMEONE....I HAVE TRIED CALLING FORD....BUT HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY HAVE NO SAFETY DEPT...I AM SPOKEN TO PEOPLE IN EVERY COUNTRY WHO DO NOT KNOW HOW TO GET ME TO THE RIGHT DEPT...I HAVE LEFT MY PHONE NUMBER ETC...I ALSO ASKED IF THE MIRROR CAN BE SWAPPED OUT FOR A SMALLER ONE....I HAVE HAD TO RESORT TO PUTTING THE MIRROR UP AND DOWN...VS THE WAY IT IS SOLD.....ALSO, THIS CAR WAS MAD WITH NO COVER FOR THE CARGO AREA....I HAVE TALKED TO MANY PEOPLE ABOUT THIS..APPARENTLY THEY ARE WAITING FOR QUOTES FROM MANUFACTURERS....I OFTEN PUT MY CAR ON TRANSPORTERS...I MOVE ARTWORK AND ANTIQUES...I WOULD NEVER HAVE BOUGHT A CAR WITH NO CARGO COVER.....I AM OFTEN IN S FL...CARS ARE BROKEN INTO OFTEN...YET, AT THE CAR SHOW THERE WAS ON ON DISPLAY...TRICKING THE PUBLIC....THEY ARE HIDING FROM THESE ISSUES...PLEASE HELP ME GET ANSWERS...HAVE LEASED A FORD OVER 8 YEARS...NEVER AGAIN...AND I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THESE ISSUES SO THEY CAN RETHINK THE PURCHASE...SAFETY SHOULD COME FIRST.......I AM NOT INCLUDING PICS NOW...JUST SIT IN ANY 2020 ESCAPE..... | Crash: No Fire: No | 100 |
| Mar 2020 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2020 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE HEAD UP DISPLAY, DIGITAL SPEEDOMETER, FRONT VIEW CAMERA MISREPRESENTATION. *LD CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HEAD UP DISPLAY IN VEHICLE ONLY DISPLAYS SPEED IN KM/H. CONSUMER SAYS THAT THIS PRESENTS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE SPEED LIMITS IN THE US ARE DISPLAYED IN MPH. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DIGITAL SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYS SPEED IN KM/H IN BIG NUMBERS AND MPH IN TINY NUMBERS. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE WAS SUPPOSED TO COME EQUIPPED WITH A FRONT VIEW CAMERA, BUT THAT IT WAS MISSING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. *DL | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE BACKUP CAMERA HAS BEEN CHECKED AND "REPAIRED" TWICE. THE MONITOR WITHIN THE LAST FIVE DAYS HAS RAN A GAMETE OF PROBLEMS RANGING IN NOT DISPLAYING AN IMAGE TO THE IMAGE BEING DISTORTED WITH A SERIES OF LINES THAT MOVE VERTICALLY UP AND DOWN. THIS HAPPENS IN BOTH THE STATIONARY AND MOVING POSITIONS THE PASSENGER SIDE'S WARNING SYSTEM DOES LIGHT UP, BUT THERE IS NO RINGING SOUND MADE TO LET THE DRIVER KNOW THAT A VEHICLE IS IN THE DRIVER'S BLIND SPOT. THIS HAPPENS IN THE MOVING CONDITION. | Crash: No Fire: No | 430 |
| Feb 2020 | STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER | TL* THE CONTACT LEASED A 2020 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLAMP COVERS WERE FOGGY ON THE INSIDE HOWEVER, THE HEADLAMPS PROVIDED ADEQUATE ILLUMINATION. THE BULBS WERE LOCATED ABOVE THE HEADLAMP COVERS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STEVEN'S JERSEY CITY FORD 740 NJ-440, JERSEY CITY NEW JERSEY 07304 PHONE NUMBER (201)432-7272 TO BE INSPECTED. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE HEADLAMPS AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NO FAILURES WITH THE HEADLAMP COVERS. THE CONTACT ALSO FOUND THAT WATER PENETRATED THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR, AND DRIVER'S SIDE REAR PASSENGERS DOOR. THE DEALER REALIGNED THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR AND DRIVER'S SIDE AND REAR PASSENGER DOOR. THE DEALER REATTACHED THE DOORS METAL MOLDING. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILAGE WAS 100,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 100,000 |
| Jan 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | MOST STATES REQUIRE TRAILERS OF 3,000LB GVWR, AND SOME STATES ONLY 1,500LB, TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT BRAKING SYSTEM ON AT LEAST ONE AXLE OF THE TRAILER. FORD SELLS VEHICLES WITH FACTORY TOW PACKAGES RATED AT 3,500LB, BUT DOES NOT SUPPLY EVEN AN OPTIONAL ELECTRIC BRAKE CONTROLLER. FURTHER, THEY DON'T SUPPLY A "PLUG 'N' PLAY" HARNESS FOR AN AFTERMARKET CONTROLLER AS DO MANY MANUFACTURERS. THIS SITUATION HAS PREVAILED FROM AT LEAST 2013 ONWARD. WHEN WE PURCHASED OUR 2020 ESCAPE SEL WITH FACTORY TOWING, WE FULLY EXPECTED THAT THIS SHORTCOMING WOULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED. IT HAS NOT. AND THAT IT HAS EXISTED FOR TWO GENERATIONS OF THE ESCAPE SPANNING EIGHT MODEL YEARS LEADS ME TO CONCLUDE FORD IS WILLFULLY IGNORING THE LAWS OF MANY STATES, AND POTENTIALLY ENDANGERING THE DRIVERS OF THESE CARS AND OTHER DRIVERS SHARING THE ROADWAYS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 40 |
| Jan 2020 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | SINCE DAY ONE OF OWNERSHIP, IT HAS A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEN APPROACHING 25MPH THEN THE VIBRATION CONTINUES ALL THE WAY TO 75MPH. ALSO AT APPROX. 25MPH AN LOW HUMMING SOUND STARTS. THE HUMMING SOUND GETS LOADER AS SPEED INCREASES ALONG WITH THE ROAD NOISE. THE HUMMING AND VIBRATION STOP AS SOON AS YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR. BUT RESUMES AGAIN AS SOON AS THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED. THIS VIBRATION FEELS AS IF A WHEEL IS LOOSE OR COMING OFF OR THE THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ARE GOING TO FAIL CAUSING A SERIOUS PROBLEM. THIS BY NO MEANS IS NORMAL. BOTH DEALERSHIPS PERSONNEL THAT DROVE THE VEHICAL SAID ITS NOT NORMAL. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2019 | SEATS | THE DRIVERS SEAT (BOTTOM CUSHION) HAS A PIECE OF METAL OR HEAVY WIRING, ABOUT 2 INCHES LONG, AT THE BACK OF THE SEAT, WHERE YOUR TAILBONE IS. THE WIRE IS EASY TO FIND (IT RUNS BACK TO FRONT) UNDER THE SEAT MATERIAL. IT IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN DRIVING. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE FORD DEALER I LEASED IT FROM AND THEY CHECKED OTHER 2020 ESCAPES AND THEY WERE THE SAME. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THERE ISN'T ANYTHING THEY CAN DO UNTIL THERE IS A RECALL. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND HE SAID HE WOULD NOTE THE PROBLEM. I DREAD SITTING IN THE SEAT BUT I LOVE THE CAR. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |