2006 Ford Escape Hybrid: common problems

Owners of the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid filed 219 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and engine. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 219
involving a crash: 6

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 40% of all complaints
2 Engine 20% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 16% of all complaints
4 Steering 11% of all complaints
5 Vehicle speed control 9% of all complaints
6 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
7 Engine and cooling 5% of all complaints
8 Fuel/propulsion system 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Service brakes: 87 complaints (40% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine: 43 complaints (20% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 36 complaints (16% of all).
Steering: 24 complaints (11% of all).
Vehicle speed control: 19 complaints (9% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 219 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

warning lights, check engine54 · 25%
brake failure29 · 13%
stalls while driving26 · 12%
steering or power steering problems18 · 8%
loss of power / limp mode12 · 5%
rust, corrosion12 · 5%
knocking, grinding or other noise9 · 4%
A/C or heater8 · 4%
overheating, coolant loss6 · 3%
jerking, harsh shifts4 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	87	3
Engine	43	1
Electrical system	36	0
Steering	24	0
Vehicle speed control	19	0
Powertrain	18	1
Engine and cooling	12	0
Fuel/propulsion system	10	0
Hybrid propulsion system	10	0
Structure	8	0
Suspension	7	0
Visibility	5	0
Wheels	5	0
Air bags	3	2

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

My front airbag came out from steering wheel and at the same time my right hand was burned by the hot gas leaking from the air bag. My injury is in a 2in x 2in size. My hand get recovered after one month leaving a dark scar. I bought this car from a dealer.
Air bags · crash · 2015-04-16 · NHTSA complaint #10705996
December 6 2013 my car was struck on center column. The truck went through a stop sign striking my car as I was making a left turn. The side airbag should have deployed according to the manual that came with my vehicle but did not.
Air bags · crash · 2014-03-24 · NHTSA complaint #10574362
While driving on highway at high speed (55mph), entire powertrain (gas engine and hybrid motor) completely shutdown with no warning leading to an abrupt loss of power and control of the vehicle, and was unable to completely pull off the road safely.
Engine · crash · 2012-08-25 · NHTSA complaint #10472438
Catastrophic brake failure causing property damage and damage to car. We have taken our vehicle to a ford dealership twice in past year to find out why our brakes "catch" causing a momentary loss of braking. They told us both times that they couldn't find any problem and sent us out without an answer or fix.
Service brakes · crash · 2010-06-04 · NHTSA complaint #10334553
The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the brushless Motor Electronics Coolant (MEC) pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.
Hybrid propulsion system · 2023-06-02 · NHTSA complaint #11524998
The contact stated that on multiple occasions while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine turned over for two seconds and stalled. The contact stated that an unknown service warning light was illuminated, indicating to pull the vehicle over.
Hybrid propulsion system · 2023-02-13 · NHTSA complaint #11506951
When the contact took the vehicle to an unknown dealer in fenton, michigan for maintenance, it was diagnosed that the shock tower frame was rusted. The vehicle was deemed unsafe to drive. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in a recall.
Structure · 2019-07-25 · NHTSA complaint #11234801
The hybrid electronics system overheated, the dashboard lights went on and the alert system said to "stop car slowly" and then "check emissions system". The car slowed down and lost almost all power. After turning it on again, the car had no power and could not accelerate.
Fuel/propulsion system · 2019-07-15 · NHTSA complaint #11231913

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20097
201019
201118
201223
201325
201438
201526
201628
201711
201810
201911
20211
20232

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,843 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 5% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Escape Hybrid has 109 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 219, above average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, engine, electrical system. Total complaints: 219. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (25%), brake failure (13%), stalls while driving (12%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2006 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.