Ford Escape Reliability
35,050 NHTSA complaints (2000–2026). Complaint rate: 181.1 per 1,000 vehicles.
Ford Escape Generations
Manufacturer redesigns the car every few years (a “generation”). Each generation has different engineering and common issues. Click a generation to see year-by-year breakdown.
| Generation | Years | Complaints | Crashes | Volume | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 1 | 2001–2007 | 7,239 | 411 | Show years | |||
| Gen 2 | 2008–2012 | 10,574 | 283 | Show years | |||
| Gen 3 | 2013–2019 | 14,391 | 348 | Hide years | |||
| 2013 | 3,664 | 66 | View 2013View→ | ||||
| 2014 | 2,614 | 78 | View 2014View→ | ||||
| 2015 | 1,228 | 37 | View 2015View→ | ||||
| 2016 | 1,186 | 46 | View 2016View→ | ||||
| 2017 | 3,095 | 50 | View 2017View→ | ||||
| 2018 | 1,961 | 38 | View 2018View→ | ||||
| 2019 | 643 | 33 | View 2019View→ | ||||
| Gen 4 | 2020–present | 2,841 | 55 | Show years |
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2008–2010 Ford Escape (176 crash-related complaints). The 2021–2023 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: ENGINE.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
Too New
Need 3+ years on the road for reliable complaint data.
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Ford Escape Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 6,728 | 0.8% |
| POWER TRAIN | 3,916 | 1.6% |
| STEERING | 3,790 | 2.8% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2,167 | 1.7% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2,125 | 6.3% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1,959 | 2.1% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1,763 | 0.9% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1,652 | 0.4% |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1,644 | 2.7% |
| SUSPENSION | 1,047 | 2.6% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000GOOD | — | 5 | 1 | — | View 2000View→ |
| 2001 | Gen 1 | 1,387 | 109 | 93 | View 2001View→ |
| 2002 | Gen 1 | 1,394 | 96 | 147 | View 2002View→ |
| 2003GOOD | Gen 1 | 736 | 55 | 35 | View 2003View→ |
| 2004GOOD | Gen 1 | 715 | 49 | 21 | View 2004View→ |
| 2005 | Gen 1 | 2,030 | 54 | 24 | View 2005View→ |
| 2006GOOD | Gen 1 | 627 | 26 | 10 | View 2006View→ |
| 2007GOOD | Gen 1 | 350 | 22 | 2 | View 2007View→ |
| 2008AVOID | Gen 2 | 2,400 | 80 | 9 | View 2008View→ |
| 2009AVOID | Gen 2 | 2,339 | 53 | 2 | View 2009View→ |
| 2010AVOID | Gen 2 | 3,178 | 43 | 3 | View 2010View→ |
| 2011 | Gen 2 | 1,868 | 50 | 12 | View 2011View→ |
| 2012GOOD | Gen 2 | 789 | 57 | 4 | View 2012View→ |
| 2013AVOID | Gen 3 | 3,664 | 66 | 128 | View 2013View→ |
| 2014AVOID | Gen 3 | 2,614 | 78 | 147 | View 2014View→ |
| 2015 | Gen 3 | 1,228 | 37 | 31 | View 2015View→ |
| 2016 | Gen 3 | 1,186 | 46 | 14 | View 2016View→ |
| 2017AVOID | Gen 3 | 3,095 | 50 | 23 | View 2017View→ |
| 2018 | Gen 3 | 1,961 | 38 | 7 | View 2018View→ |
| 2019GOOD | Gen 3 | 643 | 33 | 4 | View 2019View→ |
| 2020 | Gen 4 | 1,925 | 28 | 6 | View 2020View→ |
| 2021GOOD | Gen 4 | 362 | 14 | 11 | View 2021View→ |
| 2022GOOD | Gen 4 | 261 | 10 | 6 | View 2022View→ |
| 2023GOOD | Gen 4 | 131 | 1 | 5 | View 2023View→ |
| 2024TOO NEW | Gen 4 | 131 | 2 | — | View 2024View→ |
| 2025TOO NEW | Gen 4 | 27 | 0 | — | View 2025View→ |
| 2026TOO NEW | Gen 4 | 4 | 0 | — | View 2026View→ |
See also: Ford Escapeaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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