Reliable Auto DB

2021 Ford Escape reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2021 Ford Escape has 343 complaints with NHTSA after 6 years, or 40 per year. That is about even with the other Escape years here. Their median is 38 complaints per year. NHTSA has 19 recalls on file, including Back-over prevention, software, Motor, and Hinge.

2020 Ford Escape SEL
Photo by SsmIntrigue, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

343

Per year

40

Recalls

19

Years on the road

6

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Structure (92 of 343), then Fuel system, gasoline (44) and Engine (43). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 39,000 miles, and the middle half falls between 14,000 and 61,000 miles. Those filings include 9 that report a crash, 9 that report a fire, and 5 that report an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 Escape has 1,596 complaints, 46 per year, and the 2022 has 231 complaints, 33 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 Ford Escape. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (19)

Recall back-over prevention, software 2026-03-03 · NHTSA campaign 26V123000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2020-2024 Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The image on the center display may flip or invert, resulting in an incorrectly displayed rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy Dealers will update the accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C11. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 5, 2026.
Vehicles affected 889,950
Recall visibility, windshield wiper, motor 2026-03-03 · NHTSA campaign 26V117000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Aviator, and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may fail and prevent the windshield wipers from operating properly.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the front wiper motors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed April 2, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in October 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S14. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 4, 2026.
Vehicles affected 604,533
Recall structure, body, liftgate, hinge 2025-12-01 · NHTSA campaign 25V829000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2025 Escape vehicles. The liftgate hinge covers may not be properly secured and detach from the vehicle.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and reinstall, or replace any missing liftgate hinge covers as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 3, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SD6. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 3, 2025.
Vehicles affected 108,762
Recall equipment, electrical, engine block heater 2025-10-10 · NHTSA campaign 25V685000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Remedy 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 blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
Vehicles affected 59,006
Recall gasoline fuel system, fuel injection 2025-07-11 · NHTSA campaign 25V467000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco Sport and 2020-2022 Escape vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.
Remedy Dealers will update the engine control software. In addition, dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel rail assembly and fuel injectors, free of charge. As an interim repair, dealers will update the engine control software, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed August 29, 2025. Second letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in July 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S76. This recall expands and replaces previous recall numbers 22V-859, 24V187, and 25V165. Vehicles previously remedied under 22V-859, 24V187, and 25V165 will need to have the new final remedy performed once it is available.
Vehicles affected 694,271
Recall back-over prevention, software 2025-06-27 · NHTSA campaign 25V442000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
Remedy Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.
Vehicles affected 200,237
Recall Engine 2025-05-23 · NHTSA campaign 25V345000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape, 2021-2023 Corsair, and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines that were repaired incorrectly under recall 23V380. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
Remedy Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as quickly as possible if they hear unexpected engine noises, notice a reduction in vehicle power, or see smoke. Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S54.
Vehicles affected 1,809
Recall gasoline fuel system, fuel injection 2025-03-14 · NHTSA campaign 25V165000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 22V-859 or 24V-187. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.
Remedy Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S21.
Vehicles affected 33,576
Recall electrical system, propulsion system, traction battery, battery management system 2024-12-20 · NHTSA campaign 24V954000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Ford Escape, and 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.
Remedy Owners are advised not to charge battery till the remedy has been completed. Dealers will perform a battery energy control module (BECM) software update, and replace the high voltage battery pack, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 30, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S79.
Vehicles affected 20,484
Recall Labels 2024-11-08 · NHTSA campaign 24V852000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.
Vehicles affected 27,678
Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, transmission control module 2024-05-10 · NHTSA campaign 24V330000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Maverick, 2020-2022 Escape, and 2021-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The Hybrid Powertrain Control Module (HPCM) software may cause the vehicle to shift into neutral unexpectedly, causing a loss of drive power.
Remedy Dealers will update the HPCM software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S33.
Vehicles affected 9,312
Recall Engine 2023-05-26 · NHTSA campaign 23V380000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape, 2022-2023 Maverick, and 2021-2023 Corsair vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
Remedy Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as quickly as possible if they hear unexpected engine noises, notice a reduction in vehicle power, or see smoke. Dealers will replace the engine long-block in 2023 Escape and Corsair vehicles. For the other vehicles, dealers will update the powertrain control module software. If a connecting rod bearing failure is detected, dealers will replace the engine long-block. All inspections and repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 14, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S27. This recall expands and replaces recall number 22V-484. Vehicles previously repaired under 22V-484 will need to have the new remedy completed.
Vehicles affected 125,322
Recall gasoline fuel system, fuel injection 2022-11-18 · NHTSA campaign 22V859000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.
Remedy Dealers will update the engine control software to include fuel injector leak detection and install a drain tube, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed January 9, 2023. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 1st Quarter of 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S73. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 22V-191. Vehicles previously remedied under 22V-191 will need to have the new remedy performed.
Vehicles affected 521,746
Recall Engine and engine cooling 2022-07-07 · NHTSA campaign 22V484000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape, 2021-2022 Lincoln Corsair, and 2022 Maverick vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
Remedy Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as quickly as possible if they hear unexpected engine noises, notice a reduction in vehicle power, or see smoke. Dealers will modify the under engine shield and active grille shutter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 19, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S47.
Vehicles affected 100,689
Recall engine and cooling, engine, oil and lubrication 2022-03-25 · NHTSA campaign 22V191000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2022 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. The engine oil separator housing may crack and develop an oil leak.
Remedy Dealers will inspect the oil separator for damage or oil leaks, and replace the oil separator and seals, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 18, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S21.
Vehicles affected 345,451
Recall electrical system, propulsion system, traction battery 2022-03-11 · NHTSA campaign 22V149000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022 Corsair and 2021-2022 Escape vehicles equipped with a 2.5L Hybrid powertrain. The high voltage battery may fail, resulting in a sudden loss of drive power.
Remedy Dealers will replace the high voltage battery, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S48.
Vehicles affected 3
Recall hydraulic brakes, foundation components, disc, caliper 2021-11-23 · NHTSA campaign 21V922000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Bronco Sport and Escape vehicles. The rear brake linings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can affect braking performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Remedy Dealers will replace the front brake pads, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C31.
Vehicles affected 114,666
Recall electrical system, propulsion system, traction battery 2021-11-10 · NHTSA campaign 21V869000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling one 2021 Escape vehicle equipped with a 2.5L hybrid powertrain. The high voltage battery may fail, resulting in a sudden loss of drive power.
Remedy A dealer will replace the high voltage battery, free of charge. The owner notification letters were mailed December 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S48.
Vehicles affected 1
Recall gasoline fuel system, delivery, fuel pump, control module 2021-08-10 · NHTSA campaign 21V625000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, and 2021-2022 Bronco Sport vehicles. The fuel delivery module may leak inside the fuel tank, causing low fuel pressure which could result in an engine stall.
Remedy Dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. Interim notification letters (remedy not available) were mailed on September 30, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 14, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S38.
Vehicles affected 13,773

NHTSA's count is every vehicle in that campaign. A campaign can cover other model years and other models.

Complaints by component (343 total)

Structure
92
Fuel system, gasoline
44
Engine
43
Powertrain
43
Service brakes
40
Electrical system
34
Fuel and propulsion system
27
Visibility
15
Back-over prevention
11
Hydraulic brakes
9
Seat belts
8
Forward collision avoidance
7
Suspension
7
Visibility and wipers
7
Exterior lighting
5
Speed control
5
Steering
4
Engine and engine cooling
3
Air bags
2
Interior lighting
1
Lane departure
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Parking brake
1
Wheels
1
Show 16 more Show less
Crash-flagged

9

Fire-flagged

9

Injury reports

5

Death reports

0

Of the 73 complaints that include an odometer reading, the median is 39,000 miles. The middle half fall between 14,000 and 61,000 miles.

Complaints filed per year

82021342022792023562024702025962026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Windows sometimes don't roll up or down, driver side doors do not lock, vehicle doesn't properly accelerate/very slow to go like gas isn't reaching where it needs to go, the transmission area makes a clunking noise, and…"
    Powertrain, Electrical system, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-09-15
  • "Seatbelts in the rear unbuckle themselves while driving. Children sit in the rear seats and the alert light doesn't always go off when not buckled."
    Seat belts · filed 2026-09-15
  • "Engine will periodically and randomly stall and quit while driving. Mostly in city but it quit while driving on highway I-10 at 65 mph in one incident."
    Engine · filed 2026-09-14
  • "The transmission went out. Torque converter is shot. Only has 120,000 miles in it. This is a known problem with the 8f35 transmission. It needs to be recalled."
    Powertrain · filed 2026-09-13
  • "Coolant intrusion caused full engine to need to be replaced. Started with white smoke and engine overheating."
    Engine · filed 2026-09-09

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2021 Ford Escape HEV SUV AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Ford Escape HEV SUV FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Ford Escape PHEV SUV FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2021 Ford Escape SUV AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Ford Escape SUV FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Escape all-wheel drive 1.5L, 3-cyl Automatic 8-speed All-wheel drive 26 31 28 MPG $2300
Escape all-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 8-speed All-wheel drive 23 31 26 MPG $2500
Escape all-wheel drive hybrid 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Part-time four-wheel drive 43 37 40 MPG $1600
Escape front-wheel drive 1.5L, 3-cyl Automatic 8-speed Front-wheel drive 28 34 30 MPG $2150
Escape front-wheel drive hybrid 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 44 37 41 MPG $1600
Escape front-wheel drive plug-in hybrid 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 43 38 40 MPG / 520 mi range $1600

Specs and fitment

4th generation, 2020–present
Body styles SUV
Oil 5W-20 (1.5L EcoBoost); 5W-30 (2.0L EcoBoost); 0W-20 (2.5L hybrid/PHEV) synthetic , 5.4 qt capacity
Tire size 225/65R17 (S/SE) to 225/55R19 (Titanium)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA recall 24V-954 covers certain 2020-2024 Escape vehicles, together with 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsairs, for a manufacturing defect in one or more high-voltage battery cells that may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure. Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power and can also increase the risk of a fire. Owners are advised not to charge the battery until the remedy has been completed; dealers perform a battery energy control module software update and replace the high-voltage battery pack as necessary, free of charge. The campaign covers 20,484 vehicles.

Compare

Previous year 2020 Ford Escape Next year 2022 Ford Escape See every Ford Escape model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Ford Escape reliable?

The 2021 Ford Escape has 343 complaints with NHTSA after 6 years, or 40 per year. That is about even with the other Escape years here. Their median is 38 complaints per year. NHTSA has 19 recalls on file, including Back-over prevention, software, Motor, and Hinge.

What are common problems with a 2021 Ford Escape?

The complaints owners file most often name Structure (92 of 343), then Fuel system, gasoline (44) and Engine (43). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 39,000 miles, and the middle half falls between 14,000 and 61,000 miles. Those filings include 9 that report a crash, 9 that report a fire, and 5 that report an injury.

Is the 2021 Ford Escape more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 Escape has 1,596 complaints, 46 per year, and the 2022 has 231 complaints, 33 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Ford Escape been recalled?

The 2021 Ford Escape has 19 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Ford Escape?

Owners have filed 343 complaints about the 2021 Ford Escape with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Ford Escape get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Ford Escape is 34.2 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is my Ford Escape?

2008-2012 is the 2nd generation, 2013-2019 is the 3rd generation, and 2020-onward is the 4th generation.

Should I avoid charging my Ford Escape's high-voltage battery?

If your 2020-2024 Escape is covered by recall 24V-954, Ford advises not charging the high-voltage battery until the recall remedy has been completed.