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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
63,053 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2015 Ford Escape drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2015 Ford Escape Owner Comments (Page 2 of 11)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #193

Jan 172024

Escape

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving down the road and all of a sudden my vehicle lurched forward despite me depressing the brakes then would not shift into any gear or move at all. I turned the vehicle off waited 10 minutes and attempted to restart the vehicle so that I could move into a safer area out of traffic. The vehicle began shaking and would not go into gear but did roll enough that I was able to move out of the way of incoming traffic. There were no warning lights displayed on the dash and the vehicle was not malfunctioning prior to the event. The other issue has been that the backup camera repeatedly fails to function at all. Instead the screen is either blue or black and no images are visible.

- Bonaire, GA, USA

problem #192

Nov 172023

Escape

  • 119,853 miles
I have coolant leaking into cylinder 4 of my 1.6L engine. I-??m constantly having to refill my coolant tank because the coolant is getting burned up when it leaks into my engine which in turn produces big white clouds of smoke from my exhaust pipe. It is available for inspection. I-??m constantly worried for my safety because my car could potentially overheat and lead to a fire if my coolant is going elsewhere other than its designated place. My car has been to numerous mechanics in order to figure out the issue and has recently been confirmed on [XXX] by Dave Knapp Ford located in Greenville, Ohio that there is coolant leaking into cylinder 4. My car has not been inspected by any other higher ups. My engine light has not been working since the day we bought the car in August of 2023 for reasons we do not know of, so we were not instantly notified that there was an issue with the engine. The symptoms we did notice were loss of coolant almost everyday even after filling up, no visible puddles of coolant on the ground, white smoke from exhaust, a burning smell, bubbling in coolant tank, violent shaking of entire car, car dying after starting engine, and very low rpm when in idle. These symptoms really became visible at the start of November of 2023 and have gotten worse since then to the point where my car barely wants to start. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Bradford, OH, USA

problem #191

Dec 212023

Escape

  • miles
Driving along just fine went pass another car on the road. While acelarating the made a sudden hard shift and then started to hessitate. The car did this down town phx 75 to 25 causing to cars behind me to crash into each other so yeah I have to say that would be a saftey issue. As it was doing this the car said transmission failure. So I had the car towed and when I got it home I hooked it up to my autel code reader bi directional scanner. There was a proplem with 1st gear not having the correct ratio and 6th gear invalid ratio. That is all it said.

- Salome, AZ, USA

problem #190

Dec 012023

Escape

  • 87,265 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, he noticed a burning odor. Additionally, the contact stated that while making a right turn from a complete stop, he depressed the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated while driving several days later, the vehicle made an abnormal winding and knocking sound. An independent mechanic inspected the vehicle at the residence and determined that the abnormal sound was due to the torque converter not receiving enough fluid from the transmission pump. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving. The contact stated that while accelerating from a Four-Way Stop, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact was able to push the vehicle to the side of the road with the assistance of bystanders. The contact stated that he turned off and restarted the vehicle, and he was able to drive to the nearby independent mechanic. The mechanic referred the contact to a Ford dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with internal transmission failure, which caused the low transmission fluid pressure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 87,265.

- Lawrence, MA, USA

problem #189

Dec 052023

Escape

  • 128,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic signal, the vehicle started to vibrate and made an abnormal sound from under the floorboards. The contact shut off and restarted the vehicle and was able to drive to his destination. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact later drove the vehicle to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission flex plate had cracked and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

- Aliquippa, PA, USA

problem #188

Oct 152023

Escape

  • 88,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that shortly after having the vehicle serviced by the dealer, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who diagnosed a general failure with the Eco boost engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 88,000.

- Towson, MD, USA

problem #187

Oct 172023

Escape

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Was in the middle of driving and hit the accelerator and the car would not go anywhere. Mechanic/Ford dealership said it was the transmission, that the trans pump fluid wasn't pumping correctly and it caused the trans to fail. Had no warnings that anything was wrong. Needed an entirely new transmission then was charged for extra parts(nuts, bolts), in addition to the new transmission. Cost was $7336.47

- South Bound Brook, NJ, USA

problem #186

Oct 182023

Escape

  • 132,010 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud humming sound heard inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the transmission was shifting abnormally. The contact stated he drove the vehicle to his destination. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 132,010.

- Saint Clair, MO, USA

problem #185

Oct 012020

Escape

  • miles
I am writing to bring to your attention a critical safety issue I recently encountered with my 2015 Ford Escape. I am deeply concerned about the lack of response and accountability from Ford regarding this matter, and I kindly request your assistance in addressing this potentially life-threatening problem. During a recent incident, my vehicle's power steering suddenly failed, rendering the car extremely difficult to maneuver. The lack of power steering made it nearly impossible for me to maintain a straight line, let alone perform any evasive maneuvers to avoid potential hazards on the road. Fortunately, this incident occurred in a drive-thru, and my children were not present in the vehicle at the time. I dread to think of the consequences if this failure had happened while driving at higher speeds or in a more critical situation. Upon taking my car to the Ford dealership for inspection and repair, I was shocked to learn that the power steering issue is not covered under my warranty. The dealership informed me that because my vehicle has exceeded 60,000 miles and is now over four years old, it falls outside the warranty coverage. I find it deeply troubling that Ford refuses to acknowledge the obvious flaw in the design of the car's power steering system, especially when comparable Ford models such as the 2011-2013 Fusion have been recalled for the exact same issue. As a loyal Ford customer, I implore you to thoroughly investigate and address this widespread problem, not only for my own sake but also for the safety and well-being of countless other Ford owners who may be facing similar risks. This dangerous design flaw poses a significant threat to drivers and their passengers, and it is utterly irresponsible for Ford to shirk responsibility and shift the financial burden onto the customers.

- Victorville, CA, USA

problem #184

Sep 252023

Escape

  • miles
coolant leaking not the water pump or thermosat or heater hose it is coolant intrusion on cylinder 1 and 3

- Nac, TX, USA

problem #183

Sep 112023

Escape

  • 47,031 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the "Service Transmission" warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle started to rev at a high RPM without the contact depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the engine was revving abnormally loud, and the vehicle continued to lose motive power. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact stated that the dealer attempted to diagnose the vehicle however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 47,031.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

problem #182

Sep 082023

Escape

  • 120,503 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal sound, and the gear shifter was difficult to operate. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to reach out to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 120,503.

- Rochester, NY, USA

problem #181

Aug 102023

Escape

  • miles
We were driving our Ford Escape when the RPMs shot up, and our car would no longer accelerate. The transmission is whirring, and we are unable to operate the vehicle safely. It keeps losing the ability to accelerate and move forward. This comes only a year or so after we had the recall for the bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission.

- Bloomington, IN, USA

problem #180

Aug 202023

Escape

  • miles
After transmission shifter cable brushing repair I Received a transmission error warning on my car. Car is now going in reverse while in driving almost got into car accident with my kids in car. I believe there is a transmission problem with these model vehicle. Local shop unable to diagnose properly. Unable to drive.

- Washington Dc , DC, USA

problem #179

Aug 132023

Escape

  • miles
The vehicle started and appeared to be working properly. Without warning, the message center displayed a message indicating that the automatic transmission had failed and advising the driver to pull over. Pressing the accelerator caused the engine to rev past 3000 RPM but did not cause the vehicle to move. After the engine had been shut off for a few minutes, the vehicle could be restarted but would only move a short distance before the transmission once again failed to engage. The vehicle was towed to a Ford dealer on a flatbed. The service department's inspection revealed that the torque converter had failed catastrophically and distributed metal shavings through the entire transmission hydraulic system. The service advisor noted that the transmission filter was clogged with metal fragments from the torque converter. She suggested that turning the engine off allowed enough fragments to drop out of the filter so that a small amount of fluid could get through -- enough to move the vehicle a very short distance before the problem repeated. The recommended repair is to replace the transmission and torque converter with remanufactured parts, flush the cooler and lines, install a new thermal switch, and fill the system with fresh fluid. The vehicle, with the defective transmission installed, is at the dealer awaiting parts. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or an insurance carrier; the only inspection was performed by dealer personnel as part of the trouble diagnosis. If this sudden failure had occurred on a freeway or major surface street instead of a side street with light traffic, it would probably have triggered a rear-end collision involving the Ford Escape and one or more vehicles behind it when the Escape abruptly lost drive and coasted down. The potential for injury in such an accident should be self-evident.

- Livonia, MI, USA

problem #178

Jun 152023

Escape

  • miles
While putting the vehicle in park, the vehicle continued to roll and accelerate in an unintended direction, forward. This caused the vehicle to crash into and through a house, causing around $15,000 worth of damage. The vehicle remained difficult to control for the driver.

- Greenfield, IN, USA

problem #177

Jul 192023

Escape

  • 104,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her son-in-law was driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an unusual grinding sound and stopped the vehicle and shifted into park(P); however, when he attempted to shift back into drive(D), the gear shifter was inoperable. The driver was only able to shift into reverse(R). The vehicle was towed to the dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the transmission had been replaced twice. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.

- Pulaski, VA, USA

problem #176

Jul 112023

Escape

  • miles
Transmission Converter Torque. I have had the car 7 months and had nothing but issues with this used car. However, since the first day of having, there was a hesitation and sputtering which I was told was due to the fuel line. The dealer fixed that but than washed there hands of us. After, It kept shuddering so I took it back to a mechanic and was told the above. After reading the reviews, this should be recalled immediately and is dangerous to drive on and can cause a serious accident or injury for anyone in the car.

- Laporte , IN, USA

problem #175

Jun 232023

Escape

  • 103,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while coming to a complete stop at a traffic light, the vehicle shuddered significantly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taking to the service station, where an independent mechanic replaced the sparks plugs. The contact stated while reversing out of the service station, the vehicle shut off. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure persisted while reversing and while attempting to drive from a complete stop. The contact stated that she would quickly depress the accelerator pedal after shifting into drive(D) or reverse(R) to prevent the vehicle from shutting off. The contact stated that the failure had been occurring increasingly more. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and attempting to drive, the engine revved, but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle was undrivable. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the local dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.

- Brooklyn Park, MD, USA

problem #174

Dec 202022

Escape

  • miles
Update to previous report filed Report No. 11521661. Another class action lawsuit filed on this same issue alleging FORD's knowledge of this issue and lack of response. Is the NHTSA going to act? This is dangerous. https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2023/ford-canada-lawsuit-ecoboost-engines-leak-coolant.shtml

- Yorkville, IL, USA

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