Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2015 Ford Escape owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at 45 MPH, he noticed that the front end of the vehicle was vibrating. A bystander informed the contact that a part had detached and was dragging underneath the front end of the vehicle. The contact veered to the side of the road and noticed that the skid plate or engine splash guard had detached. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed that the skid plate and inserts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact purchased the skid plate and screws from the dealer and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The independent mechanic replaced the skid plate and the screws; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. …
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated upon entering the rear passenger's door, the contact became aware that the door failed to securely latch closed. The door-ajar warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: RQ19005 (Latches/Locks/Linkages, Structure). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The door panel falls off the door very easily and then becomes stuck. The door cannot open due to the panel catching on the floor of the car. This is dangerous to have a door that does not work. I brought my car to Ford to get this fixed and after having my car for 6 days, the next time I drove on the freeway it fell off again and has the same problem. I've seen multiple reports of this
Rear passenger door won't latch. Appears to be a problem with the mechanism in the door. It remains stationary when the door handle is pulled. Door doesn't stay closed when driving. No accidents, no injuries. Initial occurrence happened when parked.
The vehicle was sitting parked under a carport for almost 24 hrs. When it inexplicably caught fire. The ensuing fire burned the carport and spread to the structure causing extensive property damage to the exterior and interior of the residence. A passerby made the elderly occupants of home aware of the fire and they were able to get out. The area of fire origin was identified as being on the passenger side of the engine compartment. There appears to be some other evidence and/or instances of fires in these vehicles occurring the same way.
Rear driver side door becomes stuck. On at least 3 different occasions, the clips attaching the plastic panel to the inside of the door break, causing the plastic to stick against the door frame and resulting in the door not opening. This is a serious safety issue! Each time, the car has been stationary when I have noticed the problem. All of a sudden, the door will become difficult to open ("sticky") or does not open at all. I have taken the car to be fixed at 2 different Ford dealerships, both of which will only replace the clips and add extra screws to hold the plastic on the door. With only replacement of clips, the door worked for approximately 6 months. With the additional screws, the door worked for approximately 2 years. However, now that the car is no longer under warranty, I was charged $140.77 to replace a few plastic clips. …
I have been to Ford 3 times trying to get help with an absurd amount of road noise coming from my 2015 Escape. This has become a recent issue to the point where the back seat passenger cannot make out what the driver or front seat passenger are saying. After my 3 visits, Ford has dismissed this problem with little interest. When driving you can feel air from the road as you are in the vehicle. This is a safety hazard as I am worried if debris were to hit my car or if I were to get in an accident there could be serious damage to myself or my passengers. I have also had issues with my trunks lift gate. It fails to latch requiring me to either drive with it unlatched or fiddle with it until it closes. I have also struggled with the doors latching closed which have resulted in my passengers opening and closing the doors several times until the sensor says they are closed. …
To whom May concern: I have taken my vehicle in for the recall 16v643000_recall 16s30. Door latches May break in result preventing the doors from securely closed when, in fact, it is not. As a matter fact, while the vehicle is motion all of the rear doors open up. I had to tie it up with rope as I taking into the dealership. Vehicle VIN:[redacted] Ford of kendall s dixie hwy, palmetto bay, fl 33157 now the dealership is saying that I need a case number in order to fix the matter at hand. I also concern about other recalls for this vehicle listed below: 15v436000_recall 15c06-ignition switch (keys/button) 15v406000_recall 15c03-blank display on my instrument panel 17v472000_recall 17s17-improperly manufactured bolts for seat belts/ buckles or seatbelt anchors could have been used. Please contact me asap at [redacted]
Door handles and locks recall. They sent us a recall notice about 6 weeks ago. We called to make an appointment and they said it would take about 2 weeks to get the part and they would put us on their wait list and call us. They have not called us and we have called several times and they keep putting us off with the excuse that there were so many calls it was taking longer then they expected. They had told us that they put us at the top of the list because we were among the first to call. We wonder if there is that long of a list or are they blowing us off. Meanwhile there is a within industry note for a problem with that model car with the front driver and passenger seats not being seated correctly in the body of the car (no recall notice yet) as well as the problem with the door handles. …
My left back passenger door panel keeps pulling off the door and prevents the door from opening. I literally have to either pull the door so hard from the outside to get it open or climb in the back from the right back passenger door to pull the panel up slowly as someone is slowly opening the door from the outside. I have taken the vehicle up to the lou fusz Ford dealership in chesterfield, mo., where I purchased the vehicle twice already and this will be the third time! The first time I was told they needed to replace the panels clips. The second time I was told the needed to replace the whole panel. Now, I am not sure why the panel keeps pulling off and prevents the door from opening. I feel it is a hazard to my children. What could happen if we were in a crash and they could not get out of their door?
Body complaints in other Escape years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2015 Ford Escape?
NHTSA has 36 complaints about the body & structure of the 2015 Ford Escape, 3% of the model year's 1,125 complaints. The component named most often is body (32 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2015 Ford Escape body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2015 Ford Escape, though it has 9 recalls 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 2015 Ford Escape body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 49,000 miles, and 33% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries to body & structure 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.