NHTSA (USA)Critical
At a glance
What can fail
The engine block heater may crack and leak coolant, creating an electrical short circuit when plugged in.
This page covers 10 recalls, 990 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2015 Ford Escape.
23–26 mpg combined
9–10.2 L/100km
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 5 tested variants for this model year.
4/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
The 2015 Ford Escape draws its heaviest complaint volume around the powertrain and engine. On the powertrain side, owners frequently report rough or shuddering behavior in the 40–45 mph range, typically when the transmission shifts into higher gears under automatic operation, some describe needing to manually hold a lower gear to avoid the roughness. Engine complaints round out the second-largest cluster, though the reported symptoms vary. The electrical system generates a smaller but notable share of complaints, with owners describing rearview camera failures, including intermittent blackouts, flickering, and the image displaying upside down, as a recurring issue. Some owners also report the instrument cluster going inoperable alongside the camera problems. The camera-related reports appear to reflect a pattern across multiple owners rather than isolated incidents.
990
Total Complaints
27
Crash-Related
19
Fire-Related
23
With Injuries
By System
The 2015 Ford Escape has 10 recalls, the most serious being a fire risk from the engine block heater on 2.0L-equipped vehicles, where a coolant leak can cause an electrical short when the heater is plugged in.
Several recalls involve the transmission shifter. The bushing connecting the shifter cable to the transmission can degrade or fall off, leaving the vehicle in a different gear than the shifter indicates. A related issue can prevent the engine from shutting off when the key or start/stop button is turned to off. In both cases, if the driver exits the vehicle without applying the parking brake, the vehicle can roll unexpectedly.
On the occupant safety side, bolts used to mount certain seats, seatbacks, and seatbelt hardware can fracture, which may prevent those components from holding properly in a crash. Door latches on this vehicle can also fail to hold a door fully closed, and prior repair attempts on this latch defect did not fully resolve the issue for all vehicles.
The rearview camera can display a distorted or blank image when reversing, reducing visibility behind the vehicle. The instrument cluster can also go dark, leaving the driver without warnings for low tire pressure or a disabled airbag.
At a glance
What can fail
The engine block heater may crack and leak coolant, creating an electrical short circuit when plugged in.
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Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the block heater or install a threaded plug and remove the electrical cord.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rearview camera may show a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when you put the vehicle in reverse.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rubber bushing connecting the shifter cable to the transmission can wear down or come loose, potentially affecting shift control.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the worn bushing and install a protective cap over the cable bushing at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The shift cable can disconnect from the transmission, causing it to stay in a different gear than what the shifter shows. If you exit the vehicle without the parking brake applied, it may move unexpectedly.
What the fix does
A dealer will replace the shift cable bushing and install a protective cap to prevent the cable from detaching.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rubber bushing that connects the shifter cable to the transmission can wear down or come loose, potentially affecting gear shifting.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the shifter bushing and install a protective cap over the cable bushing at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A door latch component may break, making doors hard to close or allowing doors to appear closed when they're actually unsecured.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect door latches and replace them if needed at no cost. Owners can also check latch date codes online to verify if repair was done correctly.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Certain seats, seatbacks, seatbelt buckles, or seatbelt anchors may have been installed with improperly manufactured bolts that could fail to secure these components.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the affected bolts with proper ones at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A component inside the door latches can break, causing doors to fail to latch or appear closed when they are actually unsecured.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The engine may continue running after you turn off the key or press the START/STOP button, preventing the engine from shutting down as intended.
What the fix does
Dealers will update your vehicle's body control module software at no cost to fix the engine shutdown issue.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software issue prevents the instrument panel cluster from displaying information properly, leaving the screen blank and disabling warning chimes, messages, and warning lights.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the instrument panel software at no cost to restore normal cluster operation.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
