2020 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID Recalls, Complaints & Safety

Sluggish acceleration, car would not go faster than 37 MPH at full throttle, appeared to be running on hybrid motor only, not on engine power. 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid. 2.5 L engine. Only got 1 mile, returned home. No smoke, no fire, just not accelerating. Car was completely fine the day before. Got towed to Ford dealer next morning.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal coolant consumption was noticed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

I recently found out through a Ford dealer that there was a recall on the door on my Ford escape. I never received anything in the mail. I had the issue fixed by my local mechanic and he used Ford parts. I would like A reimbursement.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was an abnormally strong odor of mold and mildew was inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who discovered that rainwater had leaked into the trunk and spare tire well, causing mold and mildew to develop inside the vehicle. The contact was informed that the carpet needed to be replaced. The exact cause of the water intrusion was unknown. The vehicle was not yet repaired. There was no illness or sickness reported. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 60,000. The VIN was not available.

The vehicle is just under 37K miles. I was operating the vehicle normally, and the wrench icon came on, indicating a powertrain issue. There are recalls for this for some vehicles but not all, and it seems to occur just after warranties expiring. I am concerned my vehicle falls under this service bulletin but has not been properly added: SSM 49157 - 2020 Escape - Illuminated MIL With DTCs U0100, U0401, P166B, P1753, P0929, And/Or P0919 Some 2020 Escape vehicles may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) U0100, U0401, P166B, P1753, P0929, and/or P0919. The vehicle may also exhibit an illuminated powertrain malfunction (wrench) indicator lamp. This may be due to the software in the gear shift module (GSM). To correct the condition, reprogram the GSM using the latest software level of the appropriate Ford diagnostic scan tool. For claiming, use causal part number 7P155 and applicable labor operations in Section 10 of the Service Labor Time Standards (SLTS) Manual. APPLICABLE VEHICLES 2020 CAR: TC CX482N ESCAPE 2020 CAR: TC CX482N ESCAPE 2020 CAR: TC CX482N ESCAPE

The sunroof cover came down and blocked my rear visibility. It took a few attempts to get the cover back up because I need to see what is behind me for safety purposes. Then, when I was sesrching online for the solution, I realized a lot of people with 2020 - 2022 Ford Escapes were also having issues with the sunroof cover. It is quite dangerous for it to fall.

The hybrid battery coolant line has a leak and is available for inspection. Driving the vehicle with this leak can compromise the battery resulting in overheating which could cause the vehicle to break down, fire, or burn. The dealer confirmed the leak. The dealer was a manufacturer dealer and they inspected the vehicle. There were no indications of a leak.

The car has a panoramic roof with automatic open/close sunshade that cover the interior of the glass. I was opening the sunshade to open the moon roof and the shade all of the suden came down and did not roll as intended and my visibility while I was driving was gone for a second until my wife helped out quickly so we do not crash. The problem is common for this car in the ford forums online and the dealerships are not concerend or applying any responsbility of the problem and the safety of it. there was no message or warning but it put myself and my family in danger. I went and got it inspected by the dealership but they did not take responsibilty.

Gear selector knob silver plating is flaking off and leaving sharp edges.the edges are sharp enough to cut your fingers

While filling the gas tank with fuel the fuel spits back causing an unsafe condition. There is a technical service bulletin for this by Ford (number 22-2433), but no recall. Many people have complained about this condition.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH on the highway, the vehicle decelerated unintendedly. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that after driving a short distance and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle responded as needed. The vehicle was driven to the intended destination. The contact stated that the incident was significantly frightening. An unknown dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced recall NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V380000(Engine); however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,400.

The shade retraction on the moonroof is malfunctioning, causing the fabric to not retract completely, the sagging fabric is causing visibility obstruction. My Ford dealership have inspected the issue and have quoted me an approximate price of $1700 to fix the issue, which is currently cost prohibitive for me ($400 for the replacement part + approx 6 hours of labor), unfortunately this will not be covered by my warranty. There were no warning messages prior to failure, I pressed the button to open my moonroof one day and this happened, if I was driving this would have caused an accident because my visibility of rear view is blocked, luckily I was parked when I discovered this issue. This issue first appeared in June 2024. I went to the dealership in July 2024, because it was cost prohibitive to fix I have not used the moonroof since then because it affects visibility.

Whenever I shut off my 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid or when I am about to turn it on, a message appears on the touchscreen that says: "System off to save battery, please turn ignition off or start engine." I have replaced the battery but I get the same error message. When I took the car to Firestone, they performed a Diagnostic which did not indicate that there was anything wrong with the battery. When I spoke to a Hybrid Battery Specialist, he told me that the error message was for my "12 volt battery. It is a fairly common problem with your Escape. The Ford dealership may have a fix for it. It is possible that you just need to replace the 12 volt battery." My local Ford Dealership did not have a fix for it. Since this is a fairly common problem with the Ford Escape, I think a recall should be issued to have Ford rectify the issue.

Sunroof internal protective part lost its adhesion and fell while driving. Sunroof fabric came loose causing the sunroof to malfunction potentially causing more damage if you try to use it.

The lift gate fills with water when it rains and I worry that it can interfere with the backup camera.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while exiting the vehicle, there was an abnormal crackling sound coming from the driver's side door. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE23013 (Structure). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 78,000.

I have received 2 letters from manufacturer, than I had appointment dealer service, I went there and worker sad to me we don't have it, than I tried another services , they same answer, than I contacted ford, ford told to me car is good condition don't need replacement

Upon purchasing and receiving the car from a dealership, I attempted to drive it around my neighborhood and after about 1 minute received a warning saying "safely stop now!" and the steering wheel locked and the power shut off in the middle of the street. The car would not turn back on and had to be towed to the dealership. The dealership (not Ford) already replaced the battery and that did not fix the issue. They are having to take it to Ford service to get it looked at. This poses a very significant safety risk because it could have happened on the highway, as some Ford Escape users have reported on forums. Before purchasing the car, all available recalls were addressed and "resolved", but clearly not all issues have been fixed.

Liftgate latch does not work and trunk no longer opens after 55,000 miles. This is one fewer choice to exit the car in an emergency.

We were traveling to Springfield MO and just before Strafford our 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid SE flashed a wrench warning on our screen and immediately went into limp mode in rush hour traffic on I-44. We were in the passing lane going up a hill at the time passing a commercial truck and our speed dropped significantly. Luckily the vehicles behind us to were able slow down in time.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the display screen on the instrument panel intermittently went black. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the sync system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact researched online and became aware of Customer Satisfaction Program Number: 24B47; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

The windshield wipers locked up and would not function.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that the vehicle had been repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V380000 (Engine). The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer and stated that the dealer only updated the powertrain control module, and had not inspected the engine. The contact stated that there was still a risk of an engine compartment fire. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

The spot weld in the driver’s side door arm has failed. The door is not closing properly and makes a loud clunk when opening or closing. Car is available for inspection, Dealer can not assess for another week.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while refueling the vehicle at the gas station, fuel was splashing out of the fuel filler neck. The contact stated that upon attempting to refuel the vehicle again, the gas pump nozzle unintendedly stopped several times and fuel splashed onto the contact; however, the fuel tank was not full. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The message "Service Engine Soon" and other unknown messages were displayed on the Ford Mobile App. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the canister purge valve was blocked and was obstructing the fuel circulation. The dealer determined that the fuel lines, the fuel system valves, and the canister purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 43,578.

See attached document for complaint

The round gear nob will not release out of PARK. It happens when it is 105°+. The car starts. Then I put my foot on the break and try to turn round gear shift nob from PARK to REVERSE and the nob will not move. Break lights work. All doors closed. Seatbelt on. I've been sitting in my car for about the last 25 minutes and using the air conditioner to try to cool down the console, dash and the gear shift knob and everything's nice and cold but I still cannot get the knob to turn. I have also turned off and restarted the engine about three times and still I am stuck here in a parking lot and the car's not going anywhere. This happened a year ago and I brought it into the a Sacramento Ford dealership but because it didn't get hot during their working hours they were not able to replicate the problem. So here I am again and it's after Ford hours and I normally get service at Folsom Lake Ford in California but how am I going to get them to replicate the issue and they say they can't replicate the same problem then how can I get this fixed. Meanwhile I'm stranded in a not so safe area with a lot of homeless people around that are having violent issues.

After the car was sitting in a parking lot without shade, unable to shift car out of park. Driver in seat, doors shut, seatbelt on--all normal circumstances; ready to drive. Brake pressed, rotary shifter stuck in P. No warnings or lights on dash Brake lights illuminated when pedal pushed. Temp on dash reads 103 degrees. After sitting with the car running for 30 minutes with AC on; attempted to shift as normal--shifter knob works. Have not called service center yet; plan to report as earliest convenience.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that there was extreme moisture inside the driver's side rear taillight housing. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who took pictures of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 2,002.

When temperature is over 100F, (when it's parked for a while). 1. Foot on brake 2. Turn engine button on 3 Shift into Drive . The shifter button wheel will not turn into any gear. It's locked into Park . You have to open all the windows, and direct as much A/C air downward to the shifter wheel to get it to cool off (10 minutes usually). Then, it will shift into Drive and everyone is happy. However, if this was an emergency (like someone has heat stroke), depending on this Ford Escape would be a life threatening decision.

For a little over 24 hours the front driver side door began making a strange crunching like noise. The next day upon attempting to close the door, three welds that hold a long black hinge within the door broke. These are small, sheet metal welds and in no way appropriate for something as heavy and important as a car door.

While driving, the wrench icon illuminated, and the vehicle began to decelerate, unable to exceed 35mph. The Ford Pass app relayed a message indicating a Powertrain Malfunction with reduced power. It also warned that, "the powertrain control module has detected the engine timing chains have exceeded 95% of their useful life and requires service now. The control system invokes a symptom of limited power." During service, the dealer reset the codes, and the vehicle functioned well for about two weeks before the same problem recurred, leading to its tow to another dealer. There, the codes were reset again, and the engine vibration sensor was replaced. However, merely two days post-repair and two weeks after the initial code reset, the issue resurfaced. The codes have been cleared once more, and the vehicle is scheduled for another dealer visit next week. Each incident occurred roughly five minutes into the drive, in speed zones of 45 and 55 mph. Between incidents, the vehicle operates normally without any noise, warnings, or symptoms. This poses a significant safety risk, as unexpected deceleration during heavy traffic could lead to dangerous situations.

The door hinge's weld came off. All of the sudden the door was making noises when opening and closing. When finally, it wouldn't close at all. I was looking on what was wrong and the door hinge wasn't welded on the door and it shows 3 dots where the welding broke off.

My escape continues to shut down after parking and will not restart. Push button light will sometimes turn green but will not come on , dial to P flashes but will not move . Sometime I can quickly jump it off and it restarts but most recently and to get someone to disconnect both batteries and reconnect and it will start … it acts like it has to restart the electrical system . I have seen many examples of others having the same issues

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the AWD system fault message was displayed. Additionally, the message was flashing. The local dealer was contacted, and informed the contact that a diagnostic test was needed to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Gear shifter locked into park when there are excessive outdoor heat temperatures. (Over 95°) The car must run for 20-30 minutes to cool down before shifter will unlock into Drive. Took it to the dealership where they could not recreate the problem (in September when temperatures dropped) and were unable to fix it. I have reported once before and have seen multiple online forums of others having the same issue in the 2020 ford escape models. This should be an immediate safety recall. I would not be able to leave in a timely manner if there were an emergency with my husband or kids. I cannot perform my job of assessing patients homes if I cannot drive my vehicle when it is hot outside.

Was driving the car when it suddenly went dead with the following message on the screen: “Vehicle network communication error”. By chance I happened to be able to coast off the road otherwise i would have been stranded on a very busy road. The vehicle was towed to a Ford dealer where the problem was reproduced, the car has been at the dealer for 1 week now with no idea what the problem is. There was no warning prior to the error appearing and the vehicle completely stopping. Reviewing Ford forums there are at least two other instances of this happening. Do not have any repair information yet as it is not fixed and the solution is unknown at this time.