AI Damage2021 Ford Escape: common problems
Owners of the 2021 Ford Escape filed 351 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and service brakes. The maker issued 204 service bulletins for this year. We found 2 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 351
- involving a crash
- 9
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 204
- YouTube repair videos
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Structure 26% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel system 13% of all complaints
- 5 Engine 13% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel/propulsion system 8% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 7% of all complaints
- Structure: 92 complaints (26% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 18.
- Service brakes: 49 complaints (14% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 7.
- Powertrain: 45 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 36.
- Fuel system: 45 complaints (13% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 6.
- Engine: 44 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 9.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.5 L · petrol · turbo · 3 cylnamed in 2 complaints
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- 2.5 L · hybrid · 4 cyl
- 2.5 L · plug-in hybrid · 4 cyl
- automatic, 8-speed
- CVT
Drive: FWD, AWD, 4WD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 351 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 92 | 0 | 18 |
| Service brakes | 49 | 6 | 7 |
| Powertrain | 45 | 1 | 36 |
| Fuel system | 45 | 0 | 6 |
| Engine | 44 | 1 | 9 |
| Electrical system | 34 | 2 | 48 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 29 | 1 | 5 |
| Visibility | 26 | 1 | 5 |
| Backover prevention | 11 | 0 | 6 |
| Seat belts | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 7 | 1 | 4 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 7 | 1 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| Exterior lighting | 5 | 0 | 1 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The contact made multiple attempts to stop the vehicle by depressing the brake pedal; however, the brakes failed to operate as needed. The contact crashed into a fire hydrant but the air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact suffered pain in her stomach and neck but did not seek immediate medical attention.
The contact stated she did not notice any warning light being illuminated. The contact stated she began to drive backward with the vehicle turning in circles, and crashed into a fire hydrant. The vehicle crashed into the hydrant on the passenger rear bumper side which was crushed.
Felt sudden, hard bang under left foot while driving approx. 40 MPH. Car then lost control. Driver steered to right to get off road, hitting a curb in the process. Found broken left front axle when finally able to stop the car. There were NO obstacles or potholes to cause this accident (photos).
Her collision warning did not go off until after she hit the car in front of her so she had didn't have enough time to stop. We pulled off into a parking lot and called the police to inspect the cars. Two weeks later there was a recall on the back brake pads.
Brakes did not work. Went through intersection crashed into tree. Injured, taken to hospital, vehicle towed, police report made. Vehicle is available for inspection. Would like to have vehicle inspected! Not yet inspected by anyone. No warning of problem. Vehicle has about 250 miles on it. Just leased on Dec 2, 2021.
Issue Date: 2026-03-05 Campaign: 26C11/26V123 On my vehicle, it may be possible to have the SYNC screen image on the center display flipped or inverted immediately after an ignition cycle. Safety Risk This may result in the image displayed being inverted or flipped, which includes all buttons.
The severe defect was discovered at a mere 27,000 original miles by a certified independent technician fount the broken motor mounts during inspection, and I confirmed experiencing excessive, violent vibrations inside the vehicle cabin radiating heavily through the chassis.
My vehicle has experienced repeated transmission failures requiring major repairs. During diagnosis, the dealership reported excessive transmission material and missing friction material inside the transmission for second time. This is now the second transmission repair on the vehicle.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 178 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 8% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Escape has 780 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 351, below average.
What to check before buying
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This article supersedes TSB 25-2466 to add Bronco Sport, Escape, Maverick and Corsair, as well as removing…
This article supersedes TSB 25-2466 to add Bronco Sport, Escape, Maverick and Corsair, as well as removing Expedition and Navigator. One time use parts for Corsair and Bronco Sport were also added to the parts list…
- For Various Ford and Lincoln vehicles, if diagnostics lead to the replacement of the front seat cushion…
For Various Ford and Lincoln vehicles, if diagnostics lead to the replacement of the front seat cushion cover J-clips, lower-level service parts are now available. Use service part W709919-S901 if the J-clip is…
- Reason for update
update the Parts list to correct a part description " Loctite 638", update the claim quantity for the drain/fill plug, update the claim quantity of the wheel hub bolts (Corsair) and limited the parts list for…
- Some 2020-2026 Corsair/Escape, 2021-2026 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2026 Maverick vehicles equipped with an…
Some 2020-2026 Corsair/Escape, 2021-2026 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2026 Maverick vehicles equipped with an 8F35 transmission may exhibit a shudder condition, most noticeable at speeds below 60 mph (100 km/h), with no…
- Certain 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco, 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco Sport, 2020-2022 Model Year Corsair and…
Certain 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco, 2021-2024 Model Year Bronco Sport, 2020-2022 Model Year Corsair and Escape, 2016-2024 Model Year Explorer, 2019-2020 Model Year Fusion, 2016-2018 Model Year Focus RS, 2022-2024…
- 2020-2026 Explorer/Escape/Corsair, 2021-2026 Bronco Sport/Bronco, 2022-2026 Maverick, 2024-2026…
2020-2026 Explorer/Escape/Corsair, 2021-2026 Bronco Sport/Bronco, 2022-2026 Maverick, 2024-2026 Mustang/Ranger/Nautilus vehicles equipped with a 2.0L or 2.3L EcoBoost engine may require removal of the turbocharger…
- Reason for update
add Bronco Sport and Escape vehicles and add labor operations to repair the rear right/left carpet area. Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit a condition where the carpet is loose or…
- Reason for update
To add a Step to reprogram the all-wheel drive (AWD) module for Bronco Sport vehicles. Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit all of the following conditions: Shudder chatter condition…
- Various 2020-2026 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with blind spot information system (BLIS) may…
Various 2020-2026 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with blind spot information system (BLIS) may experience an inoperative blind spot monitoring with a "Blind Spot System Fault" message displayed in the instrument…
- Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines…
Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation
- Some 2019-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC3 may experience various connectivity concerns…
Some 2019-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC3 may experience various connectivity concerns with The Ford App Lincoln App including but not limited to: missing activation prompt pop-upon the vehicle's…
- Some 2020-2026 Escape and 2021-2026 Corsair vehicles equipped with a 2.5L engine may exhibit a fuel door…
Some 2020-2026 Escape and 2021-2026 Corsair vehicles equipped with a 2.5L engine may exhibit a fuel door that won't open with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P04CA stored in the powertrain control module (PCM). This may…
NHTSA lists 204 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Ford Escape?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, service brakes, powertrain. Total complaints: 351. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (19%), windows, sunroof (16%), knocking, grinding or other noise (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2021 Ford Escape?
NHTSA lists 204 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 2021 Ford Escape 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 2021 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 2026-11-04.