Platform Heritage
The Ford Escape is a compact crossover SUV manufactured and marketed by the Ford Motor Company from the 2001 to the 2026 model years across four generations, as Ford's first SUV derived from a car platform.
Introduced for model year 2005, the Escape's hybrid electric variant was both Ford's first hybrid-electric vehicle and the first hybrid SUV in the U.S. market by any manufacturer. The Escape was sized between the Ford EcoSport and Ford Edge.
The first two generations used the Ford CD2 platform, jointly developed with Mazda, and was co-developed with two rebadged variants, the Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner. All three were marketed in North America, although the Mariner was not marketed in Canada. The Escape was marketed in Europe as the Ford Maverick for model years 2001- 2008.
Under the mid-2000s "One Ford" globalization strategy, the third and fourth-generation designs of the Escape were co-developed with the Ford Kuga, designed by Ford of Europe. Sharing a common body and chassis underpinnings (and several engines), the Escape and Kuga are manufactured in their respective home markets. As with previous generations, the fourth-generation Escape was offered with gasoline, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid options. Outside of North America, the Ford Escape is marketed in Australia, China, and Taiwan.
In August 2025, it was announced that Ford would discontinue the Escape after model year 2026.
Source: Wikipedia intro extract · as of Jun 19, 2026
Key facts for this model year
313NHTSA owner complaints
19Safety recalls on file
73Top issue reports · Structure
$0Typical OEM recall remedy cost to you
Verify the data — open primary sources · as of Jun 19, 2026
System Defect Summaries & Field Data
Active safety recalls on file: 19 (source: NHTSA Recalls API · as of Jun 19, 2026)
Top NHTSA complaint categories
Recent recall summaries
Campaign 21V869000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY · API record
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.
Campaign 21V625000 · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP:CONTROL/DRIVE MODULE · API record
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.
Campaign 21V922000 · SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER · API record
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."
Campaign 22V149000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY · API record
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.
Campaign 22V191000 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION · API record
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.
YouTube voice themes below are research hints only — verify against NHTSA data before citing.
On-Site Ford Escape Pre-Purchase Checklist
- Verify OBD-II readiness monitors are complete (not recently cleared) using a full protocol scan.
- Compare dashboard mileage to ECU-stored odometer modules where accessible.
- Pull permanent and pending DTCs — not only stored codes visible on the dash.
- Inspect systems related to STRUCTURE (NHTSA complaint cluster — verify during test drive and PPI).
- Inspect systems related to UNKNOWN OR OTHER (NHTSA complaint cluster — verify during test drive and PPI).
- Inspect systems related to FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE (NHTSA complaint cluster — verify during test drive and PPI).
- Inspect systems related to SERVICE BRAKES (NHTSA complaint cluster — verify during test drive and PPI).
- Inspect systems related to POWER TRAIN (NHTSA complaint cluster — verify during test drive and PPI).
- Confirm recall remedy completed for ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY (campaign 21V869000).
- Confirm recall remedy completed for FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP:CONTROL/DRIVE MODULE (campaign 21V625000).
- Confirm recall remedy completed for SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER (campaign 21V922000).
- Run a MotoMetrics on-site scan for Ford Escape before signing the bill of sale.