Most common 2020 Ford Escape problems
Share of the 1,612 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Escape complaints by model year
Best Escape years: 2025, 2012, 2023. Years to avoid: 2017, 2020, 2013, 2018, 2014. Compare all years →
2020 Ford Escape recalls (23)
Back over prevention › Software
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.
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.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
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.
Structure › Body › Hatchback/liftgate › Hinge and attachments
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.
Equipment › Electrical › Engine block heater
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.
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.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Pads
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Escape vehicles. The rear brake pads may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can reduce brake function in the event of a brake booster malfunction.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front brake pads, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 5, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C31.
Fuel system, gasoline › Fuel injection system
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.
Show 17 more recalls
Back over prevention › Software
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…
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.
Engine
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.
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.
Fuel system, gasoline › Fuel injection system
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.
Electrical system › Propulsion system › Traction battery › Management system/energy control module (BMS/becm)
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…
Equipment › Other › Labels
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.
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.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)
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.
Engine
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…
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.
Fuel system, gasoline › Fuel injection system
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.
Structure › Body › Bumpers › Active shutters/grill
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…
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.
Electrical system › Propulsion system › Traction battery
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Escape and 2021 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with 2.5L hybrid powertrains. Insufficient welds inside the high voltage battery may fail, resulting in a loss of drive power.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the high voltage battery, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on July 12, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2022.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Oil/lubrication
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.
Power train › Driveline › Driveshaft
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Edge, 2020 Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Escape and 2021 Lincoln Corsair and Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. An inadequate amount of lubricant in the rear drive unit may cause seizure of the rear drive axle.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the rear drive unit lubricant level. Axles found to have lubricant at the minimum level will be filled to the full level.
Electrical system › Body control module/BCM
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with a key-start ignition system. The Body Control Module (BCM) intermittently may not pick up the signal from the rear Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensors or the Remote Key Fob.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the BCM, free of charge. Owners are advised that two key fobs are required for the repair to be completed. The recall began December 1, 2020.
Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Remedy became available on February 1, 2021.
Power train › Automatic transmission
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Edge, Transit Connect and Lincoln MKX and 2020 Escape and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing or loose bolts.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the start/stop accumulator, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Air bags › Side/window
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Escape and Transit vehicles. The affected vehicles may have an improperly crimped diffuser in the side curtain air bags which may result in the diffuser detaching from the inflator in the event of an air bag deployment.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side curtain air bag modules, free of charge. An interim letter notifying owners of the safety risk was mailed August 3, 2020. The recall began January 11, 2021.
Seats › Mid/rear assembly
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2020 Ford Escape:
Rearview Camera FMVSS 111 Noncompliance
On September 23, 2020, Ford Motor Company (Ford) filed a noncompliance recall report under 49 CFR Part 573 (NHTSA Recall No. 20V-575), recalling 620,246 Model Year (MY) 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles for a noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 111, Rear Visibility.
Failed Door Check Arm Attachment Point
On July 7, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-013 to investigate instances of check arm bracket failure in the front doors in model year (MY) 2020-2021 Ford Escape vehicles. At the time of opening, ODI received 118 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging this failure. To date, ODI has received 593 VOQs alleging this failure, with a variety of reported failure conditions.
What 2020 Ford Escape owners say
Body & structure all 670 →
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and 25V829000 (Structure); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. While starting the vehicle, the engine made a choking sound. The failure was more prevalent after fully refueling the vehicle. While driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle was shaking abnormally. While approaching a red light and attempting to stop, the vehicle shut off unintendedly. The vehicle was restarted, and the contact pulled over to the side of the road, where the vehicle started to shake. The contact waited for a while before restarting the vehicle. When the vehicle was restarted, the engine started choking and the vehicle shut off. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while closing the front driver's side door, added pressure was needed why closing the door. The contact stated that she had to apply pressure to the front passenger's side door to close the door securely. As a result, the front driver's and passenger's side windows rolled down halfway and failed to operate as designed. The vehicle as taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the front driver's and passenger's side spot welds had cracked, and the front driver's and passenger's side doors needed to be replaced. The contact was then informed by the dealer to take the vehicle to a local repair shop to have the door welded. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the mileage on the vehicle was over the warranty mileage coverage. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 243 →
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that she had parked the vehicle in the driveway and went to manually open the garage door to reverse inside the garage. The contact stated that while opening the garage door, the vehicle started rolling back. The contact stated that the front driver's side door knocked her down, and the front driver's side tire rolled up her right foot. The vehicle crashed into the contacts residential garage. The contact stated that she sustained a crushing wound on the heel of her right foot that was 7 inches long and 1 inch wide. The contact stated that her right heel blew wide open and the tendons and muscles were detached from the bone. The contact stated that she underwent surgery and 3 months of basic bed rest. The vehicle was taken to an autobody repair shop, where it was repaired. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while shifting into reverse, the vehicle drove forward instead of reversing. During the most recent failure, after starting the vehicle, the contact shifted the vehicle into park, and the vehicle collided with the contact's home. No warning lights illuminated. No air bags deployed. No injuries were sustained, and no medical attention was provided. A Police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the valve body was binding internally, and sticking shift valves assembly had failed. The vehicle was repaired under warranty. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 33,704.
Fuel & propulsion system all 197 →
The contact owned a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 15-20 MPH and coming to a stop with his wife in the front passenger seat and daughter in the rear seat, the coolant temperature warning light illuminated; however, the temperature gauge indicated that the vehicle temperature was normal. The contact then saw smoke coming out of underneath the hood of the vehicle. The contact parked and turned off the vehicle. The contact and his family immediately exited the vehicle. The contact stated that the front end of the vehicle burned significantly. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. A fire department report was filed. A police report was filed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, where it was totaled. The Chevrolet dealer, where the vehicle was purchased was notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that since owning the vehicle, the front driver's side door was replaced by the dealer after the door failed to open. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 25 MPH and attempting to make a left turn, the vehicle failed to respond as intended, continued driving straightforward and nearly drove off the road into a wooded area. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where a wheel alignment was performed. Additionally, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated and related the warning light to the recall. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the purge valve had failed, and the purge valve was replaced. …
2020 Ford Escape engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid | CVT | FWD | 44 / 37 / 41 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl plug-in hybrid | CVT | FWD | 43 / 38 / 41 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid | CVT | 4WD | 43 / 37 / 40 |
| 1.5L 3-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | FWD | 27 / 33 / 30 |
| 1.5L 3-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 26 / 31 / 28 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 23 / 31 / 26 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2020 Ford Escape a good car?
Based on 1,612 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2020 Escape rates avoid: 3.1× as many complaints as a typical year of the Escape at the same age. It is one of the Escape years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Ford Escape?
The body & structure — 670 complaints, 42% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (243) and fuel & propulsion system (197).
How many recalls does the 2020 Ford Escape have?
There are 23 recalls for the 2020 Ford Escape, the most recent from March 3, 2026 (software). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Escape?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2025, 2012 and 2023. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2017, 2020, 2013, 2018 and 2014. See the full Ford Escape years comparison.
At what mileage do 2020 Ford Escape problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 45,000 miles; 56% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.