2024 Ford Escape Complaints

AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS — Filed 11/17/2025

We are concerned that the seatbelt and possibly airbag malfunctioned and contributed to my mother in laws death on 11/17/2025. The drivers seatbelt had not been latching properly and would come unlatched at random times prior to the accident. The car was taken to dealership, based on the seatbelt not staying latched and it was repaired on 10/20/2025. She continued to have issues with it after the repair. Less than a month later, she was killed in a low speed collision. The cause of death was ruled blunt force trauma to the chest. The officer on the scene expressed concern that the seatbelt malfunctioned and that it did not hold her securely.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 07/11/2026

I was driving my 2024 Ford Escape approximately at 20-25 mph on the street when the hood flew open, hit, and shattered my windshield. The hood remained against the windshield and I immediately stopped the car and removed the hood from the windshield. I was not injured as a result of this incident. There was no warning or alert that the hood might have been open. Most cars have a hood ajar alert but it appears that in this case the system failed. I subsequently drove the car home and alerted my insurance company and the Bill Brown Ford Dealership. I took the car to the dealership and they inspected the car and stated the safety hood latch was intact. However, prior to the incident, I did not open the hood nor did I release the hood safety latch. There was never a warning light to indicate the hood was ajar. I did filed a police report with the Farmington Hills Police Department. There were no

AIR BAGS — Filed 06/18/2026

The car was in an accident. The curtain bags and the ones in the floor went off. The steering wheel did not.

POWER TRAIN — Filed 03/31/2026

I had problems with the brakes at first (system pressure). Than it was a powertrain failure. Followed by Turbocharger wastegate failure. It affected the vacuum system, brakes, and acceleration ability. Brakes became firm, but not stopping as well when applied. Had extreme loss of power trying to get up to speeds to enter highway & interstate at 60 then 70 mph. Dealership ended up replacing turbo wastegate. Exactly one week after getting it back. All the same happened again. Seeing others complaining of turbo wastegate failure (which is tied into vacuum/ pressure system & does in turn affect vehicle breaking system)

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE — Filed 01/08/2026

On January [Insert Date], 2026, my 2024 Ford Escape suffered a sudden turbocharger failure that saturated the vehicle’s internal HVAC system with toxic ethylene glycol coolant. The vehicle’s ventilation system subsequently pumped these toxic chemical vapors directly into the enclosed passenger cabin. The inhalation of these toxic chemical vapors posed an immediate, life-threatening risk to my pregnant wife and myself (a patient with moderate persistent asthma), backed by formal medical warning letters from our OB/GYN and Pulmonologist. When I refused to take delivery of the un-remedied vehicle, a Ford corporate representative mandated that I drive it anyway, stating that if I suffered a respiratory crisis while operating the vehicle, I should simply "call the ambulance". This ultimatum caused an immediate severe hypertensive crisis (160/112 BP), requiring emergency medical transport to CHI Health Immanuel and cardiac evaluation. This represents a critical component failure causing toxic cabin air contamination, compounded by a complete failure of the manufacturer’s remedy. Ford Engineering and Woodhouse Ford Service admitted in writing that they have NO scientific test to verify cabin air safety and NO official technical procedure to decontaminate the internal HVAC housing following this chemical saturation. Ford’s only attempt at a remedy was an external spot clean and a simple filter replacement, leaving toxic residual chemicals inside the blower housing. Ford's directive to operate a chemically contaminated vehicle without any scientific validation of air safety constitutes an extreme, ongoing non-operational safety defect that risks public safety. To protect my family from severe injury, I was forced to abandon the vehicle at a massive financial loss.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 04/25/2026

Power lift get kept closing which caused injury to my son. Lift gate if there is obstruction anywhere it should stop and go back up. Well this kept closing hit my son in the head caused severely bruised nose, laceration on his head and a mild concussion.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 04/04/2026

Instrument screen went black. Was unable to power screen back on. Noted screen was hot to touch. After about 5 min screen powered back on by itself.

BACK OVER PREVENTION — Filed 02/07/2026

The contact owns a 2024 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the radio display turned off while driving and while the vehicle was idling. The failure was intermittent. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V315000 (Back Over Prevention), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the dealer was unable to successfully perform the accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software update while receiving assistance from the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 35,690.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 03/28/2026

The adaptive speed control is supposed to react to changes in speed limits. It also reacts to bridge capacity signs. This causes a sudden change in speed that the occupants and the following vehicle did not expect. In one location the speed limit is 50mph and there is a bridge with a 20 ton limit. The vehicle brakes to slow down to 20mph when passing the sign.

ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 02/25/2026

When I am stopped at a light or stop sign and go to pull into an intersection, halfway into the intersection the vehicle stalls and does not want to move. It has caused me to almost get into several car accidents and thankfully other vehicles have been able to brake before hitting me. It has been scary as I have had my daughter each time in the back seat and a few times it would have been on her side she sits that would have been hit. Myself or a passenger is going to seriously get injured with the vehicle doing this. I took it to the garage and they can find nothing wrong with it as there are no lights on or codes but as soon as I pulled off the lot it happened again and it does it daily.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 03/02/2026

The contact owns a 2024 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V091000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. 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 — Filed 02/18/2026

My vehicle has been stalling for several months. I have taken to the dealership multiple times and it is still not fixed. Since the last visit at the service department it has done this 5 times. Twice today. It has done this multiple times crossing the interstate.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE — Filed 12/01/2025

I have had my car in the service department twice and continue to have the same issue. I am scheduled to have the car in the shop again on 2-19-26. For several months! After stopping and starting, my car stalls for a few seconds and then takes off. Yesterday, the car stalled while crossing the interstate and there was another vehicle behind me. I am terrified that the car is not going to restart and I will be trying to cross a road or I will be rear ended l.

ENGINE — Filed 01/08/2026

The vehicle has a documented defect involving [System, e.g., the HVAC system] which has resulted in [Defect, e.g., chemical residue entering the cabin]. This issue has caused [Safety/Health Impact, e.g., respiratory distress for the occupants] while the vehicle is in operation. I have taken the vehicle to an authorized dealership, and the service department has confirmed the presence of the [Defect], but they have stated they have no established protocol to decontaminate or repair the issue. Despite the documented health risks and the dealership's inability to clean the residue, the manufacturer has instructed that the vehicle is safe to drive. I am filing this complaint because the vehicle remains an unresolved safety hazard to all occupants.

AIR BAGS — Filed 01/06/2026

Air bag on the drivers side of the car A deer hit the drivers side and there was no airbag deployment, the restraints indicator Lamp warning light was on No No

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 08/01/2024

The contact owns a 2024 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the front driver’s and front passenger’s side seat heaters failed to adjust the temperature once the heater maintained a high level. The contact had owned prior Ford vehicles that automatically lowered the seat temperature once a certain temperature was maintained for a while. The contact had to manually adjust the seat temperature to avoid a potential burn due to the prolonged seat temperature. The dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

ENGINE — Filed 12/20/2025

Got a dash warning that car was over temperature or something to that effect and had to pull over on a two-lane highway(uphill). This was unsafe because I had to get over to the shoulder as soon as possible and avoid traffic. Vehicle is scheduled to be serviced at my ford dealer but have no outcome yet. I did later on check car with my OBD2 reader and saw a P1285 code which meant the cylinder head was over temperature. Upon further research it appears issue is known by ford and needs to be addressed by SSM 52219 which says head may have metal shavings in it and may need to be replaced.

EQUIPMENT — Filed 12/12/2025

The contact owns a 2024 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the infotainment system screen display was blank. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the dealer determined that the computer processing unit needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on two different occasions. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was walked through the process of resetting the system. No further information was available. The approximate failure mileage was 28,000.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 12/11/2025

Following ongoing unresolved ADAS and Pre-Collision Assist failures that have required repeated service visits and manufacturer engineering involvement, my vehicle underwent a master modem/system reset while in dealership custody. After this reset, vehicle access, safety alert history, and diagnostic data were erased, preventing verification, monitoring, or reconstruction of safety-critical events. Safety Issue Description On or about December 11, 2025, while the vehicle remained in service for unresolved safety system failures, the dealership performed a master reset of the vehicle’s modem/telemetry system. Immediately afterward: •My FordPass access was removed •All historical vehicle alerts and safety warnings were erased •No active alerts are displayed, despite documented prior ADAS failures •The vehicle now shows no alert history, no mileage data, and no retrievable safety logs •The vehicle appears as a new/uninitialized vehicle in the FordPass system This reset occurred without resolving the underlying safety defect and while engineering had previously indicated no fix was available. Systems Affected The loss of telemetry, alert history, and diagnostic logging impacts multiple Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including but not limited to: •Forward Collision Warning •Automatic Emergency Braking •Lane Departure Warning •Lane Keeping Assistance •Blind Spot Warning •Rear Cross-Traffic Warning These systems rely on integrated camera, sensor, and software data that can no longer be verified, reviewed, or audited. Why This Is a Safety Concern The master reset eliminated evidence of prior safety warnings and failures, impairing: •Driver awareness of active or recurring safety conditions •Manufacturer and regulator ability to diagnose or confirm defect behavior •Event reconstruction in the event of a collision or near-miss •Oversight of whether safety systems are functioning as designed

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 12/11/2025

The safety-critical driver-assistance systems on my 2024 Ford Escape have remained in a failed state since March 2025. The Blind Spot Detection (BLIS), Cross-Traffic Alert, Park Aid, Pre-Collision Assist, and Front Camera systems all display warnings and do not function reliably. The vehicle has now been in the dealership for over 62 cumulative days for this safety defect, including 38+ continuous days on the current repair order. Ford engineering has taken control of the case and has stated there is no fix available and no estimated timeline for repair. A major electronic module was replaced under engineering direction in November, but the same safety-system faults continue. The vehicle’s alert history and FordPass data have remained frozen and non-updating for months, indicating a continued system-level electronic failure. The vehicle is still at the Ford dealership under engineering control with no repair available, which confirms the defect is ongoing, unresolved, and unrepairable at this time. These persistent failures impact multiple crash-avoidance systems and create a significant safety risk during lane changes, cross-traffic backing, parking maneuvers, and forward-collision situations. I request NHTSA review this as a potential defect trend involving the 2024 Ford Escape driver-assistance systems.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING — Filed 10/11/2025

My issue is with the volume of the turn signal. when you are driving you cannot hear it.On the highway you have no idea that it is on. I almost was in an accident when I was unaware it was on and someone pulled out in front of me Talked with the dealer that stated all 2024 Escapes are they way. It is very unsafe

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 11/24/2025

Upon exiting a shopping center parking lot, I turned right onto a street which led up to a 1-lane construction site. I was travelling approximately 15 miles per hour, and drove approximately 50 feet when the car suddenly stalled. No fuel response to gas pedal. It still had momentum, and I was able to steer into a safe side spot. I sat there stunned. The car was still in drive gear. I put it into park and turned the car off. After another 1 or 2 minutes, I turned the car on again, and was able to drive it home another 2 miles. I did not have to drive through the construction zone. Had I been in the one lane construction, I could have been rear-ended because a stopped car would not have been expected by drivers behind me. It could have caused severe injury or even death to myself and/or driver coming behind me. This happened on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, at about 2:30 pm. BTW, this is a hybrid vehicle. That option was not given when starting this account

VISIBILITY — Filed 11/14/2025

The contact owns a 2024 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving, there was an unusual noise detected before the failure. The contact stated that while pulling into a parking lot, there was an extremely loud boom. The contact noticed that the rear windshield exploded without warning or impact. The contact and her sister, occupying the passenger seat, sustained injuries to their ears. The occupants reported that their ears were clogged, but medical attention was not provided. The vehicle was towed to her residence. The contact called the local dealer, who said to bring the vehicle in for inspection. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 16,000.

AIR BAGS — Filed 09/01/2025

Was in a rear end collision and the driver window and leg airbags deployed, but the steering wheel airbag did not deploy

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 11/17/2024

The contact owns a 2024 Ford Escape. The contact stated that his wife had driven approximately 500 miles during a trip from Tennessee to Michigan, where she made stops as needed. The contact stated that after his wife arrived to the destination, she noticed that she had sustained third-degree burns on the right buttock and on the right upper leg from the front driver's side seat heater. The contact stated that his wife was a nurse and was self-treating at the residence. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 14,000.