What 1,035 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Ford Escape Gas

Drivers side, front seatbelt buckle is not latching properly without multiple attempts. Release latch seems to stick when depressed to release the belt, so then will not latch the next time it is inserted.

NHTSA ODI 11713089

When are the parts available for back up camera and block heater I don’t want my car to start on fire so I want it fixed

NHTSA ODI 11712678

Back up camera and block heater I’m waiting to get it fixed but the parts doesn’t come in how come

NHTSA ODI 11712103

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the rear-view camera intermittently failed to operate as needed. The contact stated that the message "Camera Unavailable" was displayed on the instrument panel, or there was a blank or distorted image on the screen. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not available. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11712139

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was notified about the recall and confirmed that the part was not yet available. 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 stated that while in reverse(R), the rearview camera display either a blank or a distorted image. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11712232

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not yet made aware of the issue. While reversing, the back over prevention camera screen displayed a black screen. The failure mileage was 200,000.

NHTSA ODI 11710361

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while shifted into reverse(R), the rear-view camera image displayed was distorted. No warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. 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 failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

NHTSA ODI 11709971

Cabin lost heat November 2025. Brought it in to the local Ford dealership right away and they said replacing replacing the oil cooler hose will probably fix it. Car worked fine for a couple of weeks but the cabin heat tapered off again. Made another appointment with the Ford dealership, but the first available appointment wasn’t until 2/23/26. I tried to drive anywhere as little as possible after this because I live in Fairbanks, AK and it’s commonly -30 this time of the year. Tried to leave work on [XXX] and a warning came up as I started driving away that the engine was overheating and power was reduced to minimize damage. I put my car back in my work parking spot and plugged it in until I could get an appointment at a local mechanic shop. Had the car towed to a local shop 1/6/26 and they inspected it 1/7/26. The report came back saying there was an internal coolant leak and found hydrocarbons in the cooling system. The recommended fix was to replace the entire engine with a quote for $12,000. That is more than I paid for the vehicle and way over the Kelly Blue Book worth. I did some research and found that there is a common coolant leak issue damaging engines of a certain range of Ford vehicles that has not become an official recall yet. I looked at other Ford Escape owner complaints and it looks like my 2015 Escape 1.6L has the same engine defect. I’m afraid if I pay for the engine replacement, this will just happen again. If I don’t pay, I still owe for my lease and will only get pennies to sell it as is for parts. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11709642

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly started to decelerate even though the RPM was extremely elevated. There was a high-pitched whine coming from the vehicle, and the tires screeched before the vehicle came to an abrupt stop, ceasing all functions. The contact turned off the vehicle in the middle of the interstate because the vehicle could not be moved to the shoulder. A passerby assisted with pushing the vehicle to the side of the road using a push bar. The contact stated that the steering wheel had seized. The vehicle was restarted, and the message “Transmission Fault - Service Immediately” was displayed, followed by the check engine warning light becoming illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 132,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11709736

The transmission just failed. No warning lights or anything. I was just driving along and it started to flutter then it hesitated and went into limp mode. Took it to the shop and it they said it needs a whole new transmission.

NHTSA ODI 11709338

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, and after several attempts, the vehicle restarted but continued to stall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11709443

Vehicle Information: 2015 Ford Escape – approximately 165,000 miles Incident Description: During normal operation while backing out of a parking space, the vehicle unexpectedly slipped out of the drive gear immediately after I shifted from reverse to drive. There were no warning lights, messages, or prior symptoms indicating a potential issue. After restarting the vehicle, it briefly engaged drive but was only able to travel approximately ten feet before abruptly shifting through multiple gears without any driver input. During each occurrence, the engine surged to unusually high RPMs despite no acceleration being applied. Safety Concerns: The unintended gear changes were accompanied by loud whining noises, and the vehicle was unable to remain in any gear long enough to be operated safely. This failure left the vehicle immobilized on a main roadway, causing a traffic backup and creating a hazardous situation for myself, my children, and surrounding motorists. Current Vehicle Condition: After the vehicle was towed home, I attempted several restarts. At no time did any warning indicators or a check‑engine light illuminate. Each attempt resulted in the transmission immediately disengaging from gear when shifted into either drive or reverse, accompanied by continued loud whining noises and repeated engine surging to high RPMs without throttle input. The vehicle is currently inoperable. Additional Details: I plan to take the vehicle to Keith Hawthorne Ford for diagnostic evaluation. I am concerned that this failure may be related to a previously repaired transmission recall, as the recall documentation states that the defect may recur and could require additional corrective action. The dealership is currently requiring a diagnostic fee of $199.95 to inspect the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11708742

Transmission is failing after being rebuilt. Has only 50,000 miles. It stalls if braking hard. Shifts hard and shudders. Has been serviced and checked by a mechanic.

NHTSA ODI 11708519

Unknown coolant leak. Coolant is being lost somewhere in the engine no visible leaks. Added coolant several times.

NHTSA ODI 11708563

Engine began giving white smoke from exhaust at start up. 2 Mechanics have checked it and said it’s a well Known coolant intrusion issue with these ford eco boost engines. High risk of overheating and engine failure (while driving, which is a major safety risk for my family).

NHTSA ODI 11707373

Coolant leak has been checked by mechanic to not be due to problems with any hoses or connections within the coolant system. Inspection is available upon request. The issue has caused the coolant level to drop below the minimum coolant level 4 times within 3 months with no warning or visible leaking occurring. This has been a regular occurrence with this vehicle for several months now.

NHTSA ODI 11707008

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear-view camera system displayed a blank screen. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part for the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that parts were not available, and the unrepaired recall was costing him money for his business. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11706604

the rear camera showed " unavailable" on the center display screen so I had to get this fixed and i paid $658.34 to get this fixed because the recall informational stated that "ford motor company is working to provide parts for this repair. when the remedy becomes available, ford motor company will notify you via mail to schedule a service appointment with your dealer for repairs to be completed free of charge" i was unable to wait for this IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE's parts to "come available" - not even sure what that is supposed to mean, but i would like reimbursement for this expense and not sure how to go about it.

NHTSA ODI 11706367

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45-50 MPH, the engine was overheating. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the coolant level was significantly low. The contact added coolant to the coolant reservoir. Additionally, the contact noticed that coolant was leaking onto the ground. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where a coolant line was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure had caused collateral damage to the vehicle. The contact stated that the transmission, the serpentine belt, and the pulley were replaced. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ODI 11706112

We had to replace the engine about 4 years ago and we’re still getting gas smell into the cabin. About 3 years ago, we broke down on the road because the transmission quit. All our repairs have been done through Ford service department. We are now broke down again because of the transmission. Something has to be done with the Ford Escape!

NHTSA ODI 11703875

My headlight are severely oxidized and are cracking. It makes it very hard to see at night. I took it to a repair shop and they could not get the headlight anywhere but from the dealer which are to expensive. I’m a student and can’t afford what they charge for new ones.

NHTSA ODI 11704077

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact stated that while shifting the gear shifter, the current gear did not appear on the instrument panel. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The "Transmission Fault Service Now" and "Low Temperature Will Reduce Power" messages were displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle was turned off and restarted and returned to normal operation. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the alternator needed to be replaced. The contact was concerned that it was an inaccurate diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

NHTSA ODI 11703007

My car's backup camera screen goes blue then black with message saying camera unavailable when I am in the middle of backing up my car. I literally almost hit a family passing at grocery store because of this. I bought this car this year in February from Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet. Please help fix this because It's scary to almost get in accidents daily. Not to mention my insurance would sky rocket.

NHTSA ODI 11702063

Vehicle is leaking coolant.

NHTSA ODI 11701136

The 6F35 transmission in my vehicle is shuddering and it seems like it’s going to possibly mess up my engine or anything else soon. It also jerks a bit forward from 0-25 along with gears slipping. This has almost caused an accident for me.

NHTSA ODI 11700794