What ownership is like, what breaks at what mileage, what the repairs cost, and what to check before you buy one.
NHTSA complaints per catalog listing run from 64.19 for 2001 (1,027 complaints across 16 listings) down to 7.71 for 2007 (393 across 51), against a generation median of 16.16. 2001 is 4.0 times that median and 3 of 12 enriched ads (25.0%) mention a problem against a 20.0% median, but it has only 16 listings and our rule needs 30. Of the years with 30 or more listings (2003 to 2007), the highest is 2005 at 30.46 per listing, 1.9 times the median and short of the 2.0x our rule needs. No year is flagged.
| Miles | Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| about 104K-119K (CarComplaints averages) | Automatic transmission failure | $2,490-$3,280 average repair (CarComplaints: 2001 Escape, 23 complaints, $2,490 at 118,600 mi; 2004 Escape, 17 complaints, $3,280 at 104,300 mi) | These are averages from complaining owners, not shop quotes, and they rest on 17 and 23 complaints. Ask for transmission service records and feel for slips or harsh shifts on the test drive. |
| any | Recalls on file: stuck throttle on 3.0L V6 (12V353000, 2001-2004), engine stall on deceleration (04V165000, 2001-2003), hybrid coolant pump (14V526000, 2005-2008), remanufactured CD4E shift lever bolt (15V606000, 2001-2008) | Free at a Ford dealer when open | 12V353000: inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the speed control cable connector could stick the throttle. 14V526000: the hybrid coolant pump may fail and overheat the hybrid electronics. 15V606000 applies only to cars that had a remanufactured transmission fitted in mid-2015. Confirm each by VIN. |
No year in this generation was flagged. A year is flagged by our rule only when all three hold: (1) its NHTSA complaints per catalog listing is at least 2.0x the median for its generation, (2) the share of ads that mention a problem is above the generation median, and (3) we track at least 30 listings for that year. The cutoff was fixed before we looked. Ad mentions are not failures, and a flag is a reason to inspect harder, not a verdict on any one car.
| Year | Complaints | Top components | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 1,027 | Engine And Engine Cooling, Power Train, Service Brakes, Hydraulic | |
| 2002 | 1,070 | Engine And Engine Cooling, Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Power Train | |
| 2003 | 598 | Vehicle Speed Control, Structure, Power Train | |
| 2004 | 499 | Vehicle Speed Control, Suspension, Structure | |
| 2005 | 1,584 | Suspension,structure, Suspension, Structure | |
| 2006 | 720 | Service Brakes, Power Train, Vehicle Speed Control | |
| 2007 | 393 | Service Brakes, Power Train, Engine |
source: NHTSA complaints database (api.nhtsa.gov). Complaints are owner reports, not confirmed failures.
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We don't tell you to skip a year; we flag by a fixed rule, and no Escape year trips it. Third-party lists often name 2013, 2014 and 2008. 2013 has 6.86 NHTSA complaints per catalog listing (2,757 across 402 listings) against a 2013-2019 median of 3.95, which is 1.7 times and short of our 2.0x cutoff. 2008 has 15.90 (2,417 across 152) against a 2008-2012 median of 11.70, 1.4 times. 2020 has 6.89 (1,839 across 267) against a 2020-present median of 2.17, but only 3 of 192 ads (1.6%) mention a problem against a 1.6% median, so it is not flagged.
For the 6F35 automatic in 2013-2019 cars, CarComplaints averages are $4,460 at 77,850 miles (2013, 28 complaints) and $4,210 at 84,900 miles (2014, 64 complaints). One forum owner paid $4,200 for a remanufactured unit with labor and warranty on a 2014 SE at about 120,000 miles. Those are complaining owners' costs, not shop quotes.
Turbo 2013-2019 Escapes have drawn such complaints. CarComplaints lists 22 for the 2017 with an average repair of $6,620 at 74,850 miles, and 5 for the 2018 at $5,250 and 97,100 miles. Avturo puts an independent-shop repair at $4,000-$7,000 and says no safety recall covered it on 2018 cars. The 1.6L has separate cylinder head recalls (12V431000, 13V583000, 17V209000).
On 2008-2011 Escapes, NHTSA recall 14V284000 covers a steering torque sensor that may fail to detect driver input, which could remove electric power assist. CarComplaints counts 105 complaints for the 2008 with an average repair of $1,260 at 108,100 miles. The recall repair is free at a Ford dealer when open.
Ford recalled 2020-2022 Escapes with the 1.5L for cracked fuel injectors that may leak fuel inside the engine compartment (Consumer Reports). The repair is free, and Ford extended the warranty on cracked injectors to 15 years (Ford). Cars repaired under the first campaign were recalled again, so check the VIN for the latest status.
Yes, NHTSA files them under names like ESCAPE HYBRID, ESCAPE HEV and ESCAPE PHEV, and many complaints are listed under more than one. For 2008, ESCAPE and ESCAPE HYBRID each show 2,417 records because they overlap, so the union is 2,417. We count each complaint once.