Vehicle report
2023 Ford Escape
Free recalls, owner complaints, and NHTSA safety ratings for the 2023 Ford Escape, plus how to check this specific vehicle before you buy.
The 2023 Ford Escape has 11 NHTSA recalls on record and 15 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Its overall NHTSA crash-test rating is 5 out of 5. Below is the full breakdown, plus how to check this specific vehicle by VIN before you buy in Alberta.
11
Open recalls
15
Complaints
5
Overall safety
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2023 Ford Escape recalls (11)
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. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed January 9, 2023. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 1st Quarter of 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S73. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 22V-191. Vehicles previously remedied under 22V-191 will need to have the new remedy performed.
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 components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
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. Dealers will replace the engine long-block in 2023 Escape and Corsair vehicles. For the other vehicles, dealers will update the powertrain control module software. If a connecting rod bearing failure is detected, dealers will replace the engine long-block. All inspections and repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 14, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S27. This recall expands and replaces recall number 22V-484. Vehicles previously repaired under 22V-484 will need to have the new remedy completed.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Escape, Super Duty F-250, Super Duty F-350, Super Duty F-450, and Super Duty F-550 vehicles equipped with a digital instrument panel cluster. The module may have been improperly soldered, preventing the instrument panel from illuminating. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."
Remedy: Dealers will replace the module or instrument panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 4, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C25.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Escape two-wheel drive vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise control. The cruise control radar module was misaligned during production.
Remedy: Dealers will adjust the angle of the radar module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 3, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S39.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2023-2024 Escape, 2024 Mustang, and 2025 Explorer vehicles. The fuel injectors may have been assembled without O-ring support discs, which can result in a fuel leak.
Remedy: Dealers will install new fuel injector O-rings and O-ring support discs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 7, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S54.
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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
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.
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 charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 30, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S79.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2022-2025 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator, and 2023-2024 Corsair vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse.
Remedy: The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on June 26, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Owner notification letters were sent on October 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S49.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus, 2023-2025 Escape, 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2025 Lincoln Corsair, Maverick, and Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with a 1.5L or 2.0L MPC engine and an engine block heater. The engine block heater may overheat when the vehicle is parked with the block heater plugged in.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the block heater element and inspect the electrical cord, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug coupled, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 9, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S52.
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. 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 components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
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. Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S54.
ENGINE
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Escape, and 2025 Bronco Sport vehicles. The cylinder head may have been improperly manufactured, which can cause the ball plugs to fail, resulting in an oil leak.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the cylinder head assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S61.
2023 Ford Escape safety ratings
5
Overall
5
Front
5
Side
4
Rollover
Source: NHTSA NCAP ratings.
2023 Ford Escape owner complaints (15)
- POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH the "WRENCH Icon" was illuminated and the message "Service Gear Shifter" and the vehicle began to rapidly reduce speed. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the shoulder of the highway road and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be rebuilt. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 33,000.
- SERVICE BRAKES
The car started and when I went to put it in gear, turns off. Park brake limited function appeared on the dash . The car would not let me put it in gear without turning off. A month prior my dash with the speedometer was blank while driving not allowing me to see my speed . I turned the car off and on three different times. Only after sitting for several hours would the dash info reappear.
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the engine unexpectedly stated revving at a high rate. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with turbo charger assembly failure. The turbo charger assembly was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The oxygen sensor was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 42,616.
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V789000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the unrepaired recall repair was an inconvenience because the battery could only be charged to 80-percent. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure.
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE
My 2023 Ford Escape is equipped with a factory-installed rearview backup camera system and SYNC infotainment system. Beginning on or around February 2026. I began experiencing a series of recurring, intermittent, and worsening failures with the rearview camera and the Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) that controls it. These failures render the backup camera system unreliable or completely non-functional during vehicle operation. Specific Symptoms Observed •BLUE / BLANK SCREEN: When the vehicle is placed in reverse, the rearview camera display shows a solid blue screen or goes completely blank rather than displaying the rear camera image. This failure occurs with no warning and leaves me unable to see what is behind the vehicle while backing up. •INVERTED / UPSIDE-DOWN IMAGE: The rearview camera image displays upside-down and/or mirrored, rendering the image confusing and unsafe. Guidelines, directional aids, and proximity warnings displayed on screen are also inverted, making them unusable. •DISTORTED / CORRUPTED IMAGE: The camera feed displays visual distortion, artifacts, freezing, flickering, or corruption that makes it impossible to accurately interpret what is behind the vehicle. •APIM FAILURE: The Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) — the core software module controlling the SYNC 3 display and camera feed — has failed or malfunctioned. Dealership diagnosis has identified the APIM as requiring repair or replacement. This module failure is the root cause of the camera display issues described above. The failures occur intermittently and unpredictably. The camera may function correctly for a period, then fail on the next use. In some cases, the failure is persistent across multiple ignition cycles. There is no consistent triggering condition — the defect occurs in varied weather conditions, temperatures, and after varying periods of use. Turning the vehicle off and back on sometimes temporarily restores the camera, but the defect returns.
- POWER TRAIN
2023 Ford Escape with approximately 80,000 miles. While traveling home, vehicle started shifting violently making loud bang. Lost acceleration while traveling on a two-way roadway with no shoulder. Vehicle would shift violently and allow acceleration momentarily and then would again lose acceleration. Just prior to reaching a pull off area in a safe place, the vehicle shifted violently one last time and would no longer accelerate. The service engine now warning light then came on advising of a powertrain malfunction. Vehicle was towed to Ford dealership and the technition reported that the planetary gears were locked up and a full transmission replacement would need to be done. This posed a serious safety issue on the road way due to the initial sudden speed changes becuase of the loss of acceleration and then the complete loss of ability to accelerate causing the vehilce to have to drift slowely to the shoulder while impeding traffic.
- POWER TRAIN
Stopped at a Light and took off thru the intersection and car made a loud bang noise then no power and kept bogging out, pulled into parking lot and stopped then car wouldn’t move. Shut car off then restarted it and put into reverse and car drive forward, put in neutral and car still drove forward, couldn’t get it to go into reverse, now the motor is tilting back to fire wall like motor mounts are broke and it’s make a grinding noise when idling.
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE
[Recurring No-Start Issue with Multiple Warning Alerts – Safety Concern] I am reporting a recurring vehicle issue involving failure to start, which I believe may pose a safety risk. The issue has occurred five times: August 11, 2023 April 12, 2025 June 13, 2025 December 12, 2025 April 1, 2026 During these incidents, the vehicle failed to start and displayed multiple warning messages on the dashboard. On some occasions, the vehicle only started after several hours. The vehicle becomes completely inoperable when this issue occurs. After the third occurrence, I brought the vehicle to an authorized service center. However, the issue was not resolved and has continued to occur. This repeated failure raises serious concerns about vehicle reliability and safety, as the vehicle may become inoperable without warning. I have attached documentation, including repair records and photos of the dashboard warnings. I am submitting this report so that this issue can be properly investigated.
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
1.engine failed and my infotainment system turned off 2.i feel like I was scared because I didnt know if I was going to come back on 3. No 4. No
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Battery Issue, Pull Over" displayed, and the battery, check engine, and master warning lights illuminated. The contact pulled over and contacted the dealer, who instructed him to turn off and restart the vehicle. After following the dealer's instructions, the failure was resolved. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V091000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the recall but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.
- STRUCTURE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,VISIBILITY/WIPER
While pulling into a residential parking space at low speed, the vehicle (2023 Ford Escape) suddenly accelerated unexpectedly without additional throttle input. The acceleration was abrupt and forceful, and I was unable to stop the vehicle before it struck the structure in front of the parking space. The incident occurred at very low speed and under normal driving conditions. The driver was applying the brake at the time of the unintended acceleration. Airbags deployed upon impact. There were no prior warning lights or indications of a mechanical issue before the incident. The vehicle sustained significant front-end damage.
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the radio displayed a blank screen. A dealer was contacted. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 34,756.
- STRUCTURE
The left rear liftgate hinge cover flew off in the car wash during the drying cycle. The same thing has happened to my 2020 Escape and that vehicle is covered under a recall but this 2023 Escape is not. I feel it should be because it has the same issue for the same part.
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V789000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
- ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I am reporting a recurring safety issue involving sudden loss of power while driving in my 2023 Ford Escape. The vehicle has experienced multiple incidents where, while accelerating or pulling into traffic, it suddenly loses power, hesitates, or fails to respond to the accelerator. In some cases, the RPM drops unexpectedly, and the vehicle will not move or respond for several seconds. After this delay, the vehicle may jerk or surge forward suddenly. This creates a dangerous situation, especially when entering busy roads or intersections, as it puts me at risk of being struck by oncoming traffic. This issue has occurred multiple times and has been brought to the dealership on several occasions. The vehicle has undergone multiple repair attempts, including major engine-related repairs such as cylinder head and cooling system work, as well as a fuel system component replacement. Despite these efforts, the problem persists. On multiple visits, the dealership has stated they were unable to duplicate the issue, even though the condition continues to occur during normal driving. The vehicle has been out of service for an extended number of days due to these ongoing issues. This defect is intermittent but poses a serious safety hazard due to the unpredictable loss of power and delayed acceleration. I am concerned about the risk of an accident or injury if this issue is not properly identified and corrected. I am requesting that this issue be investigated, as it appears to be a recurring defect that may affect other vehicles of the same make and model
Checking a used Ford Escape before you buy
The recall, complaint, and safety data above describes the 2023 Escape in general. To know the condition and history of the specific vehicle you're looking at, check it by VIN. A VIN check shows whether this particular Escape's recalls are still outstanding, and a full history report adds accident, title, and ownership records the data above can't show.
Before you buy a 2023 Ford Escape in Alberta:
- Run a free VIN check on the exact vehicle for its own recalls and safety data.
- Run an Alberta Personal Property Registry lien search so you don't inherit debt.
- Get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- If it's a dealer, confirm their AMVIC licence.
See other model years of the Ford Escape, or browse more Ford models.
2023 Ford Escape — questions and answers
Does the 2023 Ford Escape have any recalls?+
Our check found 11 NHTSA recalls associated with the 2023 Ford Escape. Check the specific vehicle by VIN to see which remain outstanding, since some may already have been repaired. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer.
How many complaints does the 2023 Ford Escape have?+
NHTSA lists 15 owner complaints for the 2023 Ford Escape in our results. Complaints are problems reported by owners and don't always lead to a recall, but a pattern of similar complaints is worth weighing before you buy.
Is the 2023 Ford Escape safe?+
The 2023 Ford Escape has an overall NHTSA crash-test rating of 5. Review the front-crash, side-crash, and rollover ratings above, and pair safety ratings with a mechanical inspection of the specific vehicle.
How do I check a 2023 Ford Escape VIN?+
Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN into our free VIN check to see recalls, complaints, and safety ratings for that exact vehicle, then run an Alberta Personal Property Registry (PPR) lien search before you pay.
Are recall repairs on a Ford free?+
Yes. Safety recall repairs are performed at no cost by a franchised Ford dealer, even for a used vehicle and even if you're not the original owner. Confirm the required parts are in stock before relying on the fix.
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