Problem Lookup › Ford › Escape › 2026
Car problem report
2026 Ford Escape problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2026 Ford Escape has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated November 9, 2026.
- 1safety recall
- 4owner complaints
- 0crash reports
- 0fire reports
- 0injuries reported
The least complained-about Ford Escape year on file: 4 complaints, against an average of 1,128 for the other model years.
Every Ford Escape model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2026 Ford Escape?
The components named most often in the 4 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
Has the 2026 Ford Escape been recalled?
1 U.S. safety recall. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Electrical System: Propulsion System: Traction Battery Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Ford Escape and 2023-2026 Lincoln Corsair plug-in hybrid vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.
Risk: Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will update the battery energy control module (BECM) and hybrid powertrain control module (HPCM) software, free of charge. Owners are advised to only use "Auto EV" mode and will be instructed by mail to limit the maximum charge of the battery until the remedy has been completed. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SC4. This recall expands previous recall numbers 24V954 and 25V489. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 18, 2026.
Is the 2026 Ford Escape recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSAMulti Vehicle Line: Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) Unexpected Activation / Deactivation
Risk: Affected vehicles have been identified where the Traffic Sign Recognition and Driver Alert System are being turned on or off without the expected notification to the driver.
Fix: Update the vehicles configuration and Software.
UK DVSA26S62 Kuga – EDS Wiring touch
Risk: Affected vehicles may have a touch condition between a fixing screw and push nut to the Instrument Panel (IP) wiring harness. If the vehicle’s wiring is damaged different warning messages may appear depending on which wire is affected. These could include warnings for the airbag system eCall stability control or driver assistance features such as Lane Keeping Aid or Pre-Collision Assist. The airbags will not deploy by accident but if an airbag warning is ignored the airbags may not work correctly in a crash. In some cases the vehicle could lose power while driving and display a “Stop safely now” message. If this happens braking and steering will still work so the driver can safely bring the vehicle to a stop. Damaged wiring could also cause a short circuit which may increase the risk of fire.
Fix: Inspect and reposition wiring harness to increase clearance and protect surfaces and if necessary repair or replace the instrument panel wiring harness.
UK DVSAKuga Ranger - Potential Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve Failure
Risk: On affected vehicles the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve may fail leading to weak acceleration engine vibration a no start condition or a loss of power.
Fix: Replace the EGR valve.
UK DVSAMulti Vehicle Line: Unintended High Beam Behaviour - Compliance
Risk: Affected vehicles may experience erratic behaviour of the Glare Free High Beam function under certain circumstances.
Fix: Update the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Electronic Control Unit software.
UK DVSA25SC4 Kuga - Do not charge high voltage battery to levels above 80%
Risk: On affected vehicles the high voltage battery may have some cells that could potentially develop a short circuit leading to a Stop Safely Now message and possible loss of motive power or battery thermal venting.
Fix: Update the vehicle's Battery Energy Control Module software.
EU Safety GateA screw and push nut may come into contact with the wiring harness behind the driver-side instrument panel and damage the wires.As a result, this could cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of an accident. Moreover, the wiring harness could overheat due to a short circuit, increasing the risk of fire.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 08/10/2026
EU Safety GateAn internal short circuit may occur in the cells of the high-voltage battery which can lead to a fire.In addition, a loss of propulsion power may occur, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
What do 2026 Ford Escape owners report?
4 of the 4 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
When driving on the highway. The moonroof cloth screen was open and began hearing a crackling sound coming from the moonroof when suddenly shattered and collapsed inward.
Description On your vehicle, the integrated park module ipm may not properly engage the park pawl, preventing the vehicle from locking into park when park p is selected. If this condition occurs, a wrench light and shift system fault message will be displayed in the instrument panel cluster. Additionally, the vehicles electronic parking brake epb will automatically apply. Safety Risk If the park pawl is not properly engaged and the electronic parking brake - epb - is not applied, your vehicle may experience a roll-in-park, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy A remedy is not yet available…
PHEV sometimes fails to "start". That is, vehicle will not enter "Ready" mode when brake is depressed and Start button is pressed. Instead, 'Refuel Error', 'Stop Safely Now', 'Service AdvancTrac', 'PreCollision Assist Not Available', and several other warnings appear. This only occurs on the first 'start' of the day, when the EV battery has been recharged overnight, indoors. Outdoor use/charging does not have this effect. Concerned that something is overheating during indoor charging. Dealer has not been able to fix.
My 2026MY Ford Escape is having intermittent rear view camera issues. On two separate occasions in the last week, when I put the vehicle into reverse, there is no image displayed on the center stack screen. The screen was completely blank and did not show what is behind my vehicle. I tried putting the vehicle back into park and then back into reverse and it still did not work. Yesterday, I took the vehicle to my local Ford dealership and was told that there is no recall for this. I worked at Ford for 32 years and I am familiar with the laws governing safety features on passenger vehicles. I am…
In-depth Ford Escape guides
- Ford Escape rough idle and misfire problems: what 1,588 owners reportedGuide · 5 min read
- Ford Escape engine failure problems: what 1,360 owners reportedGuide · 8 min read
- Ford Escape overheating problems: what 2,293 owners reportedGuide · 6 min read
- Ford Escape check engine light problems: what 2,384 owners reportedGuide · 6 min read
2026 Ford Escape: questions owners ask
Is the 2026 Ford Escape reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 Ford Escape; the most common categories were electrical system (2, 50%), engine (2, 50%), fuel/propulsion system (1, 25%). There is 1 safety recall.
What are the most common problems with the 2026 Ford Escape?
Across 4 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are electrical system (50% of complaints), engine (50% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (25% of complaints), service brakes (25% of complaints), visibility/wiper (25% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2026 Ford Escape have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2026 Ford Escape; the most recent (campaign 26V091000, 2026-02-18) concerns Electrical System: Propulsion System: Traction Battery. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own Escape
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved November 9, 2026. Model year 2026 only; combines NHTSA's entries for ESCAPE GAS, ESCAPE GAS ICE, ESCAPE PHEV and ESCAPE PHEV PHEV. How these reports are made.
Is something missing or wrong on this page? Tell CarHooq. One line is enough; every message is read.