Complaint volume
304 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
2021 Ford Escape Complaints
304 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Ford Escape, grouped by component category.
304 Total complaints
9 Crash reports
8 Fire reports
5 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, fuel system, gasoline. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 9 crash reports, 8 fire reports, 5 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 69 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 38,675 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, fuel system, gasoline?
- 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 2021 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.
2021 Ford Escape
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Ford Escape complaints?
9 Crash
8 Fire
5 Injury
0 Fatality
12 Towed
2 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Ford Escape complaint categories?
STRUCTURE 73
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 34
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 25
SERVICE BRAKES 23
POWER TRAIN 17
ENGINE 13
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 9
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 9
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 7
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 6
304 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2023 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Right headlight was not attached to car properly the clips are bend that hold it on the vehicle. Has been like this since I drove it off the lot. It makes it hard to see at night since the headlight does not sit properly. It points downward. I have reported this to the dealership where I bought it and to Ford itself. They say I didn't report it soon enough but I had just had eye surgery when I bought the car and thought I was having issues because of my eyes. Car is still under bumper to bumper warranty and they refuse to fix the issue. The service manager at the ford dealership did take pictures pf the vehicle and said there was no way this car had ever been wreaked cause there's not a scratch on it and it had to come off the assembly line that way. The service manager got in trouble from the dealership for telling me this. The want to charge me 1,500.00 to fix this and it's only two brackets. This is a huge safety concern because I can not see well at night. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2023 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V859000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2023 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V859000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact was informed by the dealer that the manufacturer was only allowing dealers to order one part per week, therefore, the approximate wait time would be over 2 months. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the rear brakes were not releasing as designed. There was an abnormal groaning sound detected while reversing. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed and it was determined that the calipers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure was approximately 17,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 17,000 |
| Mar 2023 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Started the vehicle and turned the defroster on high setting one morning to defrost the windshield with heavy frost. Car had been running about 3-4 minutes and I heard a cracking sound. I noticed a 12" crack in the middle of the windshield when the frost was melted off. The car was still parked when the windshield cracked and was not being driven due to visibility being limited by frost. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES | There was a brake recall on my vehicle last year. Which was supposedly repaired. I was still having issues with the brakes so I took it to the dealership for a secondary repair. They flat out told me it would not fix the problem and goes is working on it. But according to their records. The recall has been fixed. And it has not been. I have attempted repairs through the dealership twice. And my brakes are still not working properly. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes made an abnormally loud sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer three times. The dealer replaced the rear and front brake caliper bushings; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure mostly occurred while reversing the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 16,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,000 |
| Feb 2023 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V859000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear brakes made abnormal sounds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the bushing kit for the rear brakes needed to be replaced; however, the replacement parts were on backorder. The dealer also confirmed that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000. Parts distribution disconnect. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,000 |
| Feb 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing out of a parking garage and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes made an abnormal grinding sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V922000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. However, the failure reoccurred 3 months later. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where unknown repairs were completed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake pads needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 18,000 |
| Jan 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES | When braking in reverse, especially in the mornings, there's a horrible grinding noise. It acts as if it doesn't want to stop. Have contacted the dealership multiple times and they claim they've addressed the recall issue but it just continues. They've gotten to the point that they won't return my calls to address the issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2023 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V859000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 current recall problems with vehicle. Brake recall has been an issue since November 2021. The brakes were supposedly fixed. Then there came a horrific squealing noise when vehicle in reverse. And driving. Also when braking when vehicle in motion. Horrible grinding sound. Contacted dealer. Said back order on parts to fix squealing. Apparent issues with bushing. Per the dealership. Has been going on for months. Still have no been contacted for repair. There is no solution regarding the November 2022 recall about the fuel injector. There is currently 7 very serious recalls involving this vehicle. I’m afraid to drive my vehicle. But continue to pay for a death trap. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The contact leased a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes emitted an abnormal squealing sound. The contact stated that the failure mainly occurred while reversing. Additionally, a message indicating that the Forward Collision Avoidance camera had failed and needed to be repaired was displayed. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 48,971. | Crash: No Fire: No | 48,971 |
| Nov 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while in the reverse(R) position, the vehicle independently increased in speed without warning. The contact made multiple attempts to stop the vehicle by depressing the brake pedal; however, the brakes failed to operate as needed. The contact crashed into a fire hydrant but the air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact suffered pain in her stomach and neck but did not seek immediate medical attention. The fire hydrant was damaged as a result of the failure. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was repaired. Since the repair, the contact stated that the vehicle would shake when driving over 30 MPH without warning. She also mentioned that a loud, squeaking noise would emit from the vehicle while in reverse. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where they were unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed | 3,000 |
| Oct 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing and depressing the brake pedal, an abnormally loud rattling was coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact indicated that the failure was intermittent but mainly occurred in the mornings after the vehicle had been parked overnight. The local dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed they were aware of the failure; however, the cause of the failure was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 7. | Crash: No Fire: No | 7 |
| Sep 2022 | SEAT BELTS | "PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT PRETENSION AND RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY INTERNALLY FAULTED:" This caused the seat belt light to be illuminated. This was repaired free of charge by the dealership. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2022 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard squeaking and grinding sound coming from the brake pedal. The contact also stated that she smelled a burning odor throughout the vehicle and the vehicle hesitated and was pulling to the right. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer where she received a manufacturer recall regarding the transmission fluid overflow. The vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was informed the transmission was two and a half quarts over the specifications. The contact stated that the dealer drained the two and a half quarts of oil however, the contact stated that she was advised not to drive the vehicle. The contact was concerned that due to the burning odor, the vehicle could possibly explode. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number and a loaner vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Sep 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing, the brake pedal was depressed and there was an abnormal screeching noise detected. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who informed him the failure was due to the weather. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 6,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,000 |
| Sep 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | A sample owner letter is not available online for NHTSA-ID 22V191 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | The car smells like gas on the inside. Ford says no codes so no issue. Started when 15000 miles on ur and ur still smells like gas with 21000 miles on it. Ford can’t seem to find the issue after being in shop 3 weeks. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Speed is telling me the limit is 80 when there is no speed limit like that in the area and the speed limit actually is 45. Steering wheel keeps telling me to put my hands on the wheel when both hands are on the wheel. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | Breaks make a grinding sound when backing out | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | My time time has almost caused me to pass various stop signs and red lights as well as rear end vehicles in front of me who stop abruptly due to increase traffic in my area for summer. The brakes also squeak terribly. I need this repaired ASAP before I cause an accident and Ford still has yet to provide the parts to complete the repairs and this is my only vehicle. I have had the vehicle less then a year | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I just had it in the shop. The car acts like there is going to be a collision when nothing is in front of it. Also try’s to pull me off the road. Been computer and electrical issues since I bought the vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing down her driveway, that as soon as she had placed the vehicle in reverse, it independently accelerated to approximately 20 MPH. The contact attempted to depress the brake pedal and did not have any brake function. The contact stated she did not notice any warning light being illuminated. The contact stated she began to drive backward with the vehicle turning in circles, and crashed into a fire hydrant. The vehicle crashed into the hydrant on the passenger rear bumper side which was crushed. The contact stated that the engine was still running but that the vehicle had been stopped by the hydrant. The police arrived on the scene and filed a report. The contact had injured her back on impact with the hydrant, however, she did not seek medical attention until later. She went to a chiropractor and not a doctor. The vehicle was taken to a body repair shop and the damage was repaired, however the vehicle had not been taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The reverse and brake failure had not been diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 250. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed | 250 |