Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Ford Escape owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
A quien corresponda Por medio de la presente me pongo en contacto con ustedes por motivo de falla mec nica en mi auto m vil Ford escape 2009 ya que hace aproximadamente dos meses atr s al llenar el tanque de gasolina me percat que el interior ol a a combustible y al revisarlo not que se tiraba por debajo del veh culo lo cual me llev a investigar posible causa encontrando que en ese modelo es falla del fabricante solicitando sea reparado para evitar posible incendio del mismo ya que seg n lo que encontr es muy probable sufrir accidente en este estado del veh culo
I change my brakes twice in not even a full month My alternator belt came off I replaced it when I put it in park it rolls it shakes and it takes a minute to go faster once I go 40 mph the acceleration pedal vibrates tire pressure sensor stays on and also it keep saying check fuel tank injector
Pulling into a parking spot in front of a business when the car suddenly accelerated causing the car to jump the curb and side swipe a brick column before hitting a bench by then I was able to turn off the ignition stopping the car. Caused damage to the car and the property
Driving to work which is about 2 miles from where I am located at. My car suddenly loses power, the radio is still working, A/C is still working as well as the engine but I was not getting no acceleration at all and to top it all off, my steering wheel locked on me and 3 lights on the dashboard illuminated: wrench light, oil and engine light. I got the engine light fixed the other week as well as an oil change several weeks back and the wrench was the first for me. I done some research and I see that I am not the only customer with a Ford Escape with this problem. I called different mechanics, some say its the alternator or it could be the throttle body, but either way I am screwed because Ford charges an arm and a leg to fix the problem, but does not refund you if the problem continues to persist. I called my local Ford dealership in ft. …
Vehicle stalled and went into "limp-home" mode after accelerating from a stopped condition.("limp-home" mode is a mode programmed by Ford engineers to only allow the vehicle to move forward under limited power, generally only 1-2 MPH.) I later found out that this was due to a faulty electronic throttle body. The vehicle then stalled an additional two times about two weeks apart from the first incident. I was able to use my own OBD ii code scanner to detect the error code p2111. I found out that this component was determined to be faulty and Ford motor corporation issued an extended warranty coverage for this component. However, Ford will only replace this part if they are able to document the error code themselves on their code scanner. The problem lies in the design of this vehicle in that it won't store this particular code. …
I had my EVAP canister leak which I paid to have replaced approximately 100 miles ago on this vehicle due to a gas leak. Now I've been told they have to replace the seal because it is leaking fuel around this EVAP canister and it's a "closed" system. They claim the seal blew because of the system when they put in the new EVAP canister. They offered to do this for an additional $178.60 at Ford's quick lane service. When they replaced the EVAP canister why didn't they redo the seal then? They claim it didn't show on the codes in the computer. Yet the gas smell never went away and I found gas under my vehicle everyday from before and since the "repair" of the EVAP canister. I was away and when I returned I called them and took it in and that's when I was given this information. They also tell me other internal seals can also go when they change this EVAP canister. …
Driving to work this morning at 70 MPH in the far left lane, car again suddenly loses power, slows way down, no response when pushing on gas pedal and the wrench light was on again. Turned on hazards and had to cross 4 lanes of heavy morning commuting traffic to get off the freeway. As I stopped the car, again it acted like it was going to stall out. Put the car in park and turned off the motor. Turned the car back on, which didn't fire up as usual, but it did restart. Put the car in drive and drove to work without incident. I am scared to drive this car anymore! People on the freeway were not willing to slow down to let me over, the kept flying around me. I called two dealerships and explained what was happening and both said they would have to charge me to diagnose the problem regardless of the reported throttle body issues. …
While coming to a stop at a major intersection with a car in front of me, my 2009 Ford Escape suddenly accelerated and would not stop, despite my frantic efforts to brake the car; I swerved to my right, went through 6 inches of snow on grass curb and then went up a 5 ft. Ice bank, where my wheels jammed in the ice and I stopped, sitting at nearly a 45 degree angle, 5 ft. Above the road. My front bumper was mangled in the ice bank and my passenger-side mirror was broken off by a stop sign. If not for the snow bank, I would have continued into the very busy intersection, where I and other drivers would have undoubtedly been injured or killed. I want to emphasize that despite hitting the brake, the car with unintended acceleration problem, did not stop, it kept going until hitting the snow-ice bank.
The first two times the problem happened were immediately after backing out of my driveway, going to work. I put the transmission in drive and accelerated. Almost immediately the car lost power and slowed--putted along as if it were running on 2 cylinders. I stopped, turned off the engine and waited perhaps 20-30 seconds, then restarted the engine. Then engine then ran fine, and I continuted on my way. Yesterday, however, the problem struck 3 times as I was driving home from work. Each time, I tried the above response, and it worked--for a short time. I live about 4 miles from work, and the problem arose 3 times in the approx. 15 minutes it takes to drive home. My wife mentioned that the problem struck when she was driving the car the day before.
I was driving my car to work in a busy intersection the car lost the ability to move but not the power car came to a stop shut off car and it started but was riding rough. This happened two more times on my way home . Was almost rear ended. My brother who has been a certified mechanic for thirty yeas diagnosed the car and it said throttle body valve stuck open.I did not get hurt but if I had been on a highway or in faster traffic I could have. I think others should be warned. I have never received anything from monaco Ford in glastonbury where I bought the car the and my address is the same as when I bought it new. My brother is replacing the part for me .
Fuel System complaints in other Escape years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2009 Ford Escape?
NHTSA has 203 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2009 Ford Escape, 12% of the model year's 1,693 complaints. The component named most often is delivery › hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Ford Escape fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2009 Ford Escape, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2009 Ford Escape fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 69,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to fuel & propulsion system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.