Home · 2011 Ford Escape Hev · Complaints

What 1,334 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Ford Escape Hev

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (1,334)Crash / fire / injury (56)Steering (408)Fuel system (287)Transmission & drivetrain (273)Speed control (253)Engine (251)Electrical system (112)Visibility & wipers (46)Body & structure (42)Brakes (31)Suspension (31)

7 of 1,334 complaints match · Body & structure · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Apr 3, 2017Electrical systemBody & structureEngineFire

IGNITION AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUSES,ETC FAILURE RESULTED IN TWO SPONTANEOUS FIRES WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED, DESTROYING THE CAR'S ABILITY TO FUNCTION. LEAWOOD, KS. POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS PHOTOGRAPHED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FILED A POLICE REPORT

NHTSA ODI 10970335

Feb 15, 2017Body & structure1 injury

WHILE CLOSING LIFT GATE THE GLASS EXPLODED BEFORE THE LIFT GATE EVER MADE CONTACT WITH VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, IN MY DRIVEWAY.

NHTSA ODI 10954877

Dec 23, 2016AirbagsBody & structureEngineCrash

DRIVING A 2011 FORD ESCAPE, AND WHILE WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT HEADING SOUTH AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION, UPON THE LIGHT TURNING GREEN, I PROCEEDED TO ENTER THE INTERSECTION AT APPROX. 10 MPH. NEXT THING I KNOW, I AM T-BONING A CAR THAT RAN THE RED LIGHT ENTERING THE INTERSECTION FROM THE EAST AT 40 MILES AND HOUR. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE HER APPROACH BECAUSE OF A LARGE TRUCK ON MY LEFT THAT WAS TURNING LEFT TO GO EAST. THE IMPACT SPUN THE CAR THAT RAN THE RED LIGHT AROUND 180 DEGRESS THEN HIT A THIRD CAR AND STOPPED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AMONGST ANY OF THE PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT. MY CONCERN IS THAT MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE TOTAL FRONT OF MY CAR WAS SMASHED IN AND THE BUMPER JUST ABOUT TORN OFF. DAMAGE INCURRED BY MY CAR MADE IT A TOTAL LOSS. DRIVERWHO RAN THE RED LIGHT WAS TICKETED BY THE POLICE. LOOKING AT THE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF MY CAR, THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE GONE OFF.

NHTSA ODI 10937229

Sep 20, 2013AirbagsBody & structureCrash1 injury

I WAS T-BONED WHILE MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR. THE DAMAGE RESULTED IN $15,500 + RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS. I WENT TO THE ER SUFFERING FROM HEAD TRAUMA. I SUSTAINED A SIGNIFICANT CONCUSSION, WAS OUT OF WORK FOR 1 WEEK. MY AIR BAGS NEVER WENT OFF. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10544626

Feb 12, 2013Body & structureVisibility & wipers1 injury

CLOSING REAR LIFT GATE AFTER THE CAR REMAINED STATIONARY OVERNIGHT, THE WINDOW SHATTERED ONTO THE GROUND AND INTO THE TRUNK. LOW TEMPERATURE FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE WAS 19 DEG F. SUBSEQUENT CLEAN-UP EFFORTS REVEALED SCRATCHES TO CAR BODY AND RESULTED IN PERSONAL INJURY (LACERATIONS). FORD WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR COST BASED ON VEHICLE MILEAGE, DESPITE EXPLICIT REFERENCE TO PE 11-016 AND TO FORD TECHNICAL SERVICES BULLETIN 10-22-10. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10497896

Jan 7, 2013Body & structureVisibility & wipers1 injury

AFTER UNLOADING ITEMS FROM REAR CARGO AREA, TAILGATE WAS CLOSED, AND THE REAR TAILGATE WINDOW EXPLODED IN MY FACE SPONTANEOUSLY. IT SEEMED AS IF THE RECIPROCATING ARMS PERHAPS DID NOT COLLAPSE COMPLETELY AND WENT THROUGH THE WINDOW. AN INDIVIDUAL WHO ASSISTED IN CLEANING UP THE DEBRIS WAS CUT BY THE GLASS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10491692

Oct 9, 2012Body & structureSpeed controlCrash

I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE NEXT TO THE BUILDING WHERE I WORK AND THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND HIT THE BRICK WALL, BROKE A WINDOW AND DENTED THE BUILDING AC UNIT. DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE HOOD, BUMPER AND GRILLE. COST TO REPAIR $4282.75. *TR SEPTEMBER 25,2012 I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED BECAUSE IT CONTINUES TO SURG FORWARD ON A DAILY BASIS. THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 10479463

Working with the data? Download all 1,334 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 14, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Ford Escape Hev verdict →