Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
2015 Ford Escape — Known Issues & Recalls
Complaints from Jan 2019 to Dec 2020
The most reported issue is power train problems (213 complaints). 26 complaints involved crashes. 18 involved fires.
Open Safety Recalls (9)
NHTSA Campaign: 17V472000
Component: SEAT BELTS
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford F-150 and E-350, 2014-2015 Ford Escape, and 2015 Lincoln MKC vehicles. Improperly manufactured bolts may have been used to install certain seats, seatbacks, seatbelt buckles, or seatbelt anchors on these vehicles.
Risk: The improperly manufactured bolts may fracture. If a seat, seatback, or seatbelt anchor attaching bolt fractures, the affected component may not be properly secured, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected bolts, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed September 8, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available in the fourth quarter of 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S17.
NHTSA Campaign: 16V643000
Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S30.
NHTSA Campaign: 15V406000
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured May 19, 2014, to February 6, 2015, and Transit Connect vehicles manufactured May 11, 2014, to July 2, 2015. Due to a software incompatibility issue, the instrument panel cluster be inoperative including a blank multiple functional display (MFD), and non-functional warning chimes, messages and warning lights. Specific warning chimes, messages and warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Control and Displays."
Risk: If the instrument cluster is inoperative, the driver of may not be warned of safety related issues such as low tire pressures or disabled air bags, increasing the risk of personal injury or a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument panel software, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C03.
NHTSA Campaign: 15V436000
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured April 1, 2014, to June 12, 2015, Ford Focus vehicles manufactured June 17, 2014, to June 12, 2015, and Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured April 22, 2014, to June 12, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the engine may continue to run after the key or the START/STOP engine button is turned to off. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Risk: If the engine does not turn off as expected, someone could move the transmission shifter out of park and the vehicle may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. The recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C06.
NHTSA Campaign: 20V331000
Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.
NHTSA Campaign: 22V254000
Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015 Escape vehicles equipped with 2.0L engines. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Risk: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the under hood shifter bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S25.
NHTSA Campaign: 22V413000
Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Risk: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
NHTSA Campaign: 25V695000
Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Risk: A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.
NHTSA Campaign: 26V011000
Component: EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.
Owner-Reported Issues (20 of 972)
Back Over Prevention →13 issues
Your back-over prevention system may not be functioning as intended. This system is designed to help prevent accidents when backing up, so if it's not working properly, you may not receive the intended warning or braking assistance when reversing.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your rearview camera stops working when you shift into reverse. It started by showing a blank screen intermittently, then stopped working altogether at around 157,000 miles. Ford has issued a recall for this issue, but the replacement part wasn't available when you needed it fixed. Your dealer can order the correct backup camera assembly and install it as part of the recall.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your rear-view camera stops working or shows a flickering image when you shift into reverse, making it difficult to see behind your vehicle safely. Ford has issued a recall (Campaign 25V695000) to address this issue, but the repair parts aren't currently available. The fix will likely involve replacing the rear-view camera module or its wiring connections.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your rear-view camera shows a distorted or black image when you put the car in reverse, blocking your view of what's behind you. This makes it unsafe to back up since you can't see properly. Ford has a recall for this issue, but the repair parts aren't available yet, and the company has taken longer than expected to fix it. The repair will likely involve replacing or recalibrating the rear-view camera system.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your rearview camera occasionally stops working or shows a distorted image when you're backing up, making it difficult to see behind your vehicle. This problem has happened multiple times, but no warning lights appear on your dashboard. Ford issued a recall (Campaign 2569V5000) to fix this issue, but the replacement part hasn't been available yet, and you're concerned about how long you've been waiting for the repair. The fix will likely involve replacing the rearview camera or its electrical components.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your rearview camera stops working or displays intermittently when you try to back up, making it difficult to see behind your vehicle. You've been notified of a recall for this issue, but Ford hasn't yet made the necessary parts available to fix it—the dealer confirmed parts are currently only being distributed for Mustangs under the same recall. The camera hasn't been repaired yet, and you feel the manufacturer has taken too long to address this safety feature.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your rearview camera is displaying an upside-down image when you shift into reverse, making it difficult to see behind your vehicle safely. Ford has issued a recall (Campaign 25V695000) to fix this, but the replacement part hasn't been available yet, causing a significant delay. Getting the camera or its mounting bracket replaced should resolve the issue.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
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 local dealer was not contacted.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the rearview camera became inoperable and the image appeared blank. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the remedy parts required to complete the recall repair were not yet available.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 15V436000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), 22V413000 (POWER TRAIN), and 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair for the back over prevention camera was not yet available. The contact stated that the rear-view camera displayed a black screen while the vehicle was in reverse(R).
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a blurry image. The contact stated that the image was foggy.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a blank screen. The contact stated that occasionally the rear-view camera failed to operate as intended.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Engine →2 issues
Your check engine light came on due to a misfire in cylinder 2. When you tried to replace the spark plugs, they were stuck and wouldn't come out. The dealership found that coolant had leaked into the cylinder, and they said the entire engine needs to be replaced. This repair costs more than your vehicle's value.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
- The car loses coolant while the engine is running. This coolant loss is nearly imperceptible, except that the car's heat stopped working reliably. If the car is left idling with the heat on, it does not become warm.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Unknown Or Other →2 issues
Your Ford Escape caught fire under the hood while parked in a parking lot, about 10-15 minutes after you parked it. No crash was involved, but the vehicle experienced a fire. This requires immediate investigation to identify what caused the fire under the hood.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your rear-view camera screen suddenly went blank while reversing, forcing you to brake immediately. This has happened multiple times, and while Ford has issued a recall for this problem, your dealer has refused to repair it. The screen typically turns blue before displaying a warning message. Fixing this will likely involve having the dealer diagnose and replace the faulty camera or display unit under the recall.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Power Train →1 issue
Your transmission suddenly started slipping while driving uphill, with loud whirring sounds and violent jerking, followed by metal clanking noises and loss of power. The engine RPMs spiked but the car couldn't stay in gear or park, though no warning lights appeared on the dashboard. The dealership found the transmission fluid was burnt black and confirmed the transmission needs complete replacement.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Equipment,engine,back Over Prevention →1 issue
Your 2015 Ford Escape won't start, even though no warning lights are showing. You're concerned about a potential fire risk and received recall notices from Ford. The dealer confirmed that the replacement parts are on backorder and hasn't been able to diagnose or repair the vehicle yet. The fix will likely involve replacing parts related to the back-over prevention system or other equipment once the dealer receives the parts.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Unknown Or Other,lane Departure,back Over Prevention →1 issue
Your backup camera displays a blank or distorted image when you shift into reverse, making it difficult to see what's behind your vehicle. You've had two 2015 Ford Escapes with this same issue, both are under recall as of October 2025, but your dealer has been unable to provide a fix for the past 6 months. This problem puts you at risk of an accident since you're relying on a camera that isn't working properly. The fix will likely involve replacing or reprogramming the backup camera system once Ford releases the official recall repair procedure.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Get notified when any of these become free repairs
We'll alert you if a new recall is issued for your vehicle — that means a free fix at the dealer.
Related Vehicles
Other Ford Escape years: