What 1,026 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Ford Escape

WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON APRIL 25, 2024. THE ENGINE IGNITED AND CAUGHT FIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE I HAD NO PROBLEMS OR COLLISIONS NO CONCERNS NO MAJOR MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO MY VEHICLE CATCHING FIRE ON APRIL 25, 2024

NHTSA ODI 11585648

While driving my vehicle went into limp mode and then caught on fire.

NHTSA ODI 11531839

My car caught on fire While it was parked. I contacted ford ford had no knowledge of fires in the car. Come to find out. It's all over the internet that there are fires in the ecoboost fuel system. They are refusing to fix the car. I am disabled and I feel like they are taking advantage of me because of that. I had an extended warranty even at the same time which obviously meant nothing. This is a great injustice and I really really really really really need help. I have tried everywhere. Please help me.

NHTSA ODI 11512573

I had drove my car to chick fil a. I was inside for less than 5 minutes waiting on my order. When I came back outside my car was on fire. I’ve read articles about many other people having problems with their Ford Escaped catching fire. https://www.fordescape.org/threads/2014-ford-escape-engine-fire.88258/ If I had stayed in my car for a few more minutes I could’ve been inside and I could be dead right now. There seems to be a issue with the 2013 and 2014 model years combusting suddenly but, I think they need to include the 2015 model.

NHTSA ODI 11464296

VEHICLE HAS HAD FUSE ISSUES FROM DAY 1. HAD THE WIRING GOING TO SUNVISOR LIGHTED MIRROR START SMOKING WHEN WE CHANGED THE FUSE. WIRING WAS PINCHED FROM THE FACTORY. THEN THE HEADLIGHT DRIVERS SIDE KEEPS BLOWING FUSE. NOW TRYING FIND OUT WHY.

NHTSA ODI 11270707

THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING PARKED UNDER A CARPORT FOR ALMOST 24 HRS. WHEN IT INEXPLICABLY CAUGHT FIRE. THE ENSUING FIRE BURNED THE CARPORT AND SPREAD TO THE STRUCTURE CAUSING EXTENSIVE PROPERTY DAMAGE TO THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR OF THE RESIDENCE. A PASSERBY MADE THE ELDERLY OCCUPANTS OF HOME AWARE OF THE FIRE AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET OUT. THE AREA OF FIRE ORIGIN WAS IDENTIFIED AS BEING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE APPEARS TO BE SOME OTHER EVIDENCE AND/OR INSTANCES OF FIRES IN THESE VEHICLES OCCURRING THE SAME WAY.

NHTSA ODI 11270440

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD ESCAPE. APPROXIMATELY THREE HOURS AFTER THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE ALARM SOUNDED. THE CONTACT NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE HOOD AREA NEAR THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT. FLAMES WERE LATER SEEN COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD AREA INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA ODI 11205967

I WAS SITTING I THE TRUCK LETTING IT WARM UP BEFORE I STARTED MY DAY I WAS SCROLLING THREW MY PHONE I LOOKED UP I SAW HUDGE FLAMES I REACHED TO UNLOCK THE DOOR WHEN I REALIZED THE LOCKS STOPPED WORKING I WAS LOCKED IN THE CAR LUCKILY I HAD MY WINDOWS CRACKED ENOUGH TO REACH OUT AND OPEN THE DOOR THE RADIO BLEW UP ON MY WAY OUT THE CAR IT WAS SO HOT I DIDN'T EXPECT ANYTHING I NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SCARED ME TO DEATH WORST CAR EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE I WAS SCARED TO DEATH I CAN'T EXPLAIN HOW BAD I FEEL MY TRUCK WAS MY NEW BEST FRIEND I KEPT THE TRUCK CLEAN PRETTY I'M HURT IT'S BURNED ALL UP ALMOST TOOK MY LIFE IF I WOULD HAVE LOOK UP ANY LATER I WOULD HAVE DIED

NHTSA ODI 11163160

I WAS DRIVING IN MAINE. I'M NOT SURE IF I HIT A PATCH OF ICE OR IF THE STEERING FROZE UP. I WAS TRAVELING 35 IN A 40 MPH ZONE AND ON A CURVE, THE VEHICLE VEERED OFF THE ROAD INTO A BOG. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SINK AND I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR A FEW MINUTES. THEN I NOTICED A FLAME COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. IT TOOK ALL OF MY STRENGTH BUT I PUSHED THE DOOR OPEN AND BEGAN SWIMMING AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. AS I WAS ABOUT 20 FEET FROM THE VEHICLE, IT EXPLODED. I WAS IN THE WATER AND ICE FOR APPROX. 10 MINUTES. THE FIRE DEPT, POLICE, AND EMT'S ARRIVED AND PULLED ME FROM THE WATER AND TOOK ME TO THE HOSPITAL. I HAVE 2ND DEGREE BURNS ON MY ARM AND LEGS. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS AND THE ADJUSTER SAID THE ONLY THING THAT COULD BE SALVAGED WAS 1/2 OF MY LICENSE PLATE. I ASKED WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS AND THE ADJUSTER SAID THAT PERHAPS IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND WATER MIXED WITH THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE. ALTHOUGH HE DID STATE THAT HE WAS SPECULATING AND HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE AND EXPLOSION. THE VEHICLE IS SITTING AND I HAVE ASKED THAT IT NOT BE DESTROYED (WHAT'S LEFT OF IT) UNTIL THE CAUSE CAN BE DETERMINED. THIS CONCERNS ME GREATLY BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. I BELIEVE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD BEEN IN THE VEHICLE, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TIME TO ESCAPE. THERE WAS NO SMOKE - ONLY FIRE AND THEN THE EXPLOSION. THE SHOCK IS STARTING TO WEAR OFF AND I KEEP ASKING MYSELF HOW IN THE WORLD A CAR COULD "JUST EXPLODE". PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD ANY PROBLEM LIKE THIS OR IF ANYONE CAN SUGGEST WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS CATASTROPHE. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10839645

I WAS DRIVING AND I'M NOT SURE IF I HIT A PATCH OF ICE OR STEERING FROZE UP. I WAS TRAVELING 35 IN A 40 MPH ZONE AND ON A CURVE, THE VEHICLE VEERED OFF THE ROAD INTO A BOG. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SINK AND I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR A FEW MINUTES. I TRIED PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE TO GET OUT OF THE WATER AND ICE. THEN I NOTICED A FLAME COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. I PUSHED THE DOOR OPEN AND BEGAN SWIMMING AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. AS I WAS ABOUT 30 FEET FROM THE VEHICLE, IT EXPLODED. I WAS IN THE WATER AND ICE FOR APPROX. 10 MINUTES. THE FIRE DEPT, POLICE, AND EMT'S ARRIVED AND PULLED ME FROM THE WATER AND TOOK ME TO THE HOSPITAL. I HAVE 2ND DEGREE BURNS ON MY ARM AND LEGS. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS AND THE ADJUSTER SAID THE ONLY THING THAT COULD BE SALVAGED WAS 1/2 OF MY LICENSE PLATE. I ASKED WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS AND THE ADJUSTER SAID THAT PERHAPS IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND WATER MIXED WITH THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE. HE DID STATE THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE AND EXPLOSION. THE VEHICLE IS SITTING AND I HAVE ASKED THAT IT NOT BE DESTROYED (WHAT'S LEFT OF IT) UNTIL THE CAUSE CAN BE DETERMINED. THIS CONCERNS ME GREATLY BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. THE SHOCK IS STARTING TO WEAR OFF AND I KEEP ASKING MYSELF HOW IN THE WORLD A CAR COULD "JUST EXPLODE". PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD ANY PROBLEM LIKE THIS OR IF ANYONE CAN SUGGEST WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS CATASTROPHE. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10839049