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 2011 Ford Escape owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon approaching the vehicle, the contact observed gasoline leaking underneath the fuel tank. The contact became aware of a crack in the gasoline tank seal. The contact stated that there was a constant odor of gasoline on the interior of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 240,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the fuel tank was leaking and there was an abnormally strong fuel odor inside and outside the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who confirmed the fuel leak. The mechanic applied epoxy to the leak, but the failure recurred. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the odor of fuel was present inside the cabin of the vehicle. Upon inspection, the contact discovered a crack in the fuel tank which caused the fuel leak. The cause of the failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 220,000.
Back in June, I took my vehicle to have it checked out. When I accelerate, the SUV would feel like it was dragging something under the tires and riding very rough and bumpy, actually the vehicle was shaking while driving, then it would stop when I slow down. Even when I turn off the engine for a few hours and then drive it, its fine. No warning lights on dashboard. Fred Beans replaced spark plugs, changed filters, cleaned throttle body, oil change. Now it 's doing the same thing. If I am idle in park with AC on for a few minutes, it does it. Sometimes after I fill it with fuel, it does it. As far as I am know, they never checked the fuel pump. SUV shakes for about 2 minutes then stops. It feels as though I am getting a flat in all tires.
The fuel pump was replaced and a new one was installed and now the engine is misfiring really hard and when the vehicle is placed in drive or reverse the engine tries to stall. The mechanic is saying that I will have to purchase a fuel rail pressure sensor that controls the fuel to each fuel injector. If this item or the whole fuel system is on a Recall List. Then I shouldn't have to pay anything to have it repaired and replaced by the Dealership. I do need to be notified about this issue immediately. This is a 2011 Ford Escape XLT AWD 4dr SUV with 3.0 V6 Flex Fuel system.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact's daughter observed that the vehicle was on fire. A police and a fire report were filed. The contact's husband extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher before the fire department arrived. There were no injuries. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 16V777000 (fuel/propulsion system); however, the remedy was not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not destroyed. The failure mileage was 65,000.
My Escape has Ford recall #16s41 on it. I began to smell a strong gasoline smell around my car. I took it into my local dealership for repairs and it was diagnosed with the recall issue. Even though this recall has been in place since nov/dec of 2016 there is still no part to repair it 8 months later. The dealership said they were going to replace it with a part that has the same defect/recall. I do not feel comfortable with this. There is an increased risk of fire due to fuel leak. This time I could smell gas. Will I next time? What if the car had been parked in the garage where fumes could build up and something sparked and our whole house exploded. I cannot continue to put myself, my children and friends and family (including other children) in my car when I do not feel that it is safe and Ford cannot certify that it is safe. …
This vehicle had a recall regarding the fuel delivery module repaired in May 2019 (by chapman Ford in horsham, pa), just before I bought the car in June. In late August 2019, the car was having difficulty starting. I brought it to my local Ford dealership (fullerton Ford in somerville, nj). They insisted chapman Ford did a poor job with the recall repair (specifically connecting the fuel pump) and Ford corporate authorized fullerton to fix chapman's poor work (free of charge for me). A few days ago, the vehicle failed to start even when jump started. The local Ford dealerships (malouf Ford in north brunswick, nj and fullerton Ford) said they didn't have an opening to work on the car for 3 weeks. I wanted to take this vehicle to a Ford dealership but I can't afford to be out of a vehicle for 3 weeks so I took the car to a private shop (quality auto center in franklin park, nj) . …
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16V777000 (fuel system, gasoline) approximately eight months ago. The parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. While the vehicle was parked, a strong fuel odor was detected coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to autonation Ford valencia (23920 creekside rd, valencia, ca 91355 [phone]) where a fuel leak was discovered. The contact was informed by the dealer that she would have to pay for diagnostic testing and for the repairs. The contact informed the dealer that she had received a recall notice for a fuel leak. The dealer replied that the letter was an advance notice and the recall had not been issued by the manufacturer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. …
I was driving approximately 70 MPH on an interstate, and my car suddenly lost any ability to accelerate. We managed to maneuver to the shoulder, stop the car, restart it and everything seemed fine. This had happened 1+ years previously, and we discovered Ford had issued an extended warranty on the throttle body. We took it to the dealer, the throttle body was found to be faulty, and it was replaced under that warranty. However, now it has happened again, only this time I paid to have the same throttle body replaced as it is no longer covered under a warranty. I am worried that this will keep happening, ie. Randomly I will no longer have the ability to accelerate the vehicle while driving at a high speed and potential in high traffic. Its terrifying to lose that kind of control. I believe a previous investigation had been opened for this issue, thus the extended warranty program. …
Related recalls
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured February 26, 2009, to April 29, 2012, and 2010-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured February 25, 2009, to December 12, 2010. On vehicles with a 3.0L engine, the Fuel Delivery Module (FDM) may crack, causing a fuel leak.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the FDM flange with one that has a redesigned fuel supply port, free of charge. Remedy parts are currently unavailable.
Fuel System complaints in other Escape years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2011 Ford Escape?
NHTSA has 284 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2011 Ford Escape, 22% of the model year's 1,318 complaints. The component named most often is delivery (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Ford Escape fuel system problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 16V-777 (fuel pump, Oct 26, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2011 Ford Escape fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 49,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire 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.