2020 Ford Escape Hybrid

Defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Maverick Hybrid and 2020 Escape Hybrid vehicles. The Hybrid Powertrain Control Module (HPCM) software may cause the vehicle to shift into neutral unexpectedly, causing a loss of drive power.

Risk. A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will update the HPCM software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 12, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S33. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning January 15, 2026. This is an expansion of Recalls 24V330 (24S33) and 25V133 (25S16).

On July 7, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-013 to investigate instances of check arm bracket failure in the front doors in model year (MY) 2020-2021 Ford Escape vehicles. At the time of opening, ODI received 118 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging this failure. To date, ODI has received 593 VOQs alleging this failure, with a variety of reported failure conditions. The most common reported failure condition was reduced door functionality (e.g. door was more difficult to open or close) and the least common was inadvertent door opening. Other reported failure …

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after …

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving during rainy weather, the windshield wipers became inoperable and operated slowly. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V117000 (Visibility); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that the part for the repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to provide the recall repair. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000.

While driving down the road the vehicle lost all power and left my wife in a dangerous position on the road. The vehicle was just in for service 4 days before and we were told the vehicle had no error codes. The vehicle has lost power on multiple occasions and we have had it at different dealer service departments where ford trained technicians continue to tell us nothing is wrong with the vehicle. However, I find the vehicle to be unsafe and unfit for the road.

Brought vehicle in for Manufacturer Recall Number26C11 NHTSA Recall Number26V123 During the recall, the reprogramming procedure was unsuccessful and left my APIM non-operational. Fremont Ford returned the vehicle to me without a functioning display screen or backup camera while waiting for the replacement part to arrive. I was also informed that Ford would not provide a rental vehicle for this recall. As a result, I brought in a fully functional vehicle for a recall service and received it back with critical features no longer operational. This situation does not seem appropriate, particularly given that the backup camera is a safety-related system. I am now on day three without a functioning backup camera and have had difficulty contacting the dealership for updates or assistance.

The thin metal gear shift dial has peeled extensively beginning in 2022 leaving RAZOR SHARP edges that cause constant skin lacerations as it's impossible to change gears and not to touch the sharp edges. I understand this is a very common problem with 2020 Ford models. Ford has now corrected the problem with newer models and the gear shift does not peel on newer models. However, that is STILL no help for current owners with the defective gear shifts. This is a serious defect causing unavoidable injury and needs to be addressed. This is the same problem that the defective window controls had and they were corrected by recall. This is NOT a cosmetic problem. Cosmetic problems do not cause injury. Why is the NHTSA and Ford not taking this seriously?

The rear cross traffic sensors are not detecting cross traffic when in reverse every time. It will work sometimes, but it failed to work at all for weeks. I have video showing it not working properly. I brought this to the dealership and was told that this is something that I will be required to fix out of my own pocket. This safety feature should be fixed or replaced at no cost the me because I was not involved in it no longer functioning. It is not clear why safety features that malfunction should be repaired at cost to the vehicle owner. If they stop functioning they should be fixed by the manufacturer.

I went to [XXX] for the weekend, and on Sunday XXX I just left a restaurant and my car was parked on the street. As I left I was driving down a one way public street. I thought I hit a parked car to my right because I heard a noise that sounding like I hit something. I looked in the mirror and saw I was far from the parked cars and kept going. I went about a mile more and parked, and when I got out of the vehicle my friend/passenger said what happened to your car? and the passenger side top cover of my tailgate was missing. I told him I had a safety recall with ford and they fixed it earlier this year, but when looked at the remaining clip, it was just a square piece of Velcro showing. Cover was gone. It was there in the morning when we left the hotel and put our luggage in the rear liftgate cargo hold. Note; The day prior I was driving 2 and a half miles from [XXX] to [XXX] on the XXX. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the panoramic sunroof center trim piece became dislodged. The contact associated the failure with Technical Service Bulletin: 23-213 and stated it was a known issue with the panoramic sunroof center trim pieces being dislodged due to extreme heat and weather. The dealer was contacted and stated that a master technician was needed to perform the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

When the outside temperature gets over 95F, the rotary gear shifter locks up in Park and will not let you shift into Drive. Multiple restarts over 30 minutes with the A/C center console pointed down to cool off the rotary shifter dial. This really is annoying. Twice I was late for appointments. I am handicapped disabled veteran and need this car to work, 100 percent of the time. The ford escape online forums, nor Ford have a fix. It's a KNOWN problem on the forums. Ford said they fixed it when I sent it in for an unrelated maintenance stop. DID NOT FIX IT.

​VEHICLE INFORMATION ​Year/Make/Model: 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid Titanium ​Component: Electrical / Instrument Cluster / Digital Display Unit (IPC) ​Hazard: Critical Visual Hazard & Operational Safety Defect ​STATEMENT OF SAFETY CONCERN The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in the 2020 Ford Escape Titanium is experiencing severe pixelation and flickering, indicating imminent screen failure. Because this trim lacks mechanical gauges, screen failure blinds the driver to vital real-time operating metrics: ​Speedometer: Prevents real-time speed monitoring, increasing collision risk. ​Engine Temperature: Hides thermal warnings, risking sudden engine breakdown or overheating. ​Fuel Gauge: Obscures fuel levels, risking sudden loss of propulsion in active traffic. ​Warning Lights: Hides critical alerts for Brake System, Airbags, Tire Pressure, and High-Voltage Hybrid System faults. ​OPERATIONAL HAZARD ANALYSIS Driving with a malfunctioning instrument panel creates immediate hazards: ​Driver Distraction: Constant screen flickering directly in the driver's line of sight creates a dangerous visual distraction, especially at night. ​Power Loss Risk: Lack of fuel/hybrid monitoring increases the likelihood of stalling on highways or busy intersections. ​Loss of Safety Warnings: The vehicle cannot communicate critical restraint or braking system failures to the driver. ​REQUESTED ACTION / RESOLUTION This condition represents an active safety defect. I request: ​Immediate diagnostic and repl

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a local dealer for NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V123000 (Back Over Prevention). The dealer performed the software reprogramming; however, a week after the recall repair, the display screen and rearview camera shut off again. Additionally, a piece of interior ceiling trim fell and struck the contact's arm, resulting in a minor injury. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not repaired due to the dealer's request for a diagnostic fee for the recall remedy inadequacy. The contact mentioned that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer, where it was informed that the vehicle needed an unknown oil. The vehicle was repaired, but the check engine light continued to be illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 82,000.

Changed 12V battery because liftgate was inconsistently opening. Would click but not release. I have tried the resetting the system with accessory mode, pressing brake and flashing highbeams, have disabled liftgate and reenabled liftgate, have even tried the emergency release under access panel and it still will not open but clicks.

Our 2020 Ford Escape Titanium began making a flutter noise at lower speeds. An independent mechanic checked for codes and none were present. He advised to drive until the check engine light comes on. Two days later the car had a knocking noise in the engine compartment. Driving home, accelerating onto a hiway the engine made a loud metallic noise as the engine started to overspeed. The car shut itself off and we pulled over to the shoulder. We were stuck on a 65 mph 4 lane hiway for 3 hours trying to work with roadside assistance for a tow. We towed it to McGraw Ford in Aransas Pass, TX and it sat in their back lot for 8 weeks with no diagnosis. We then had it towed to a Ford certified mechanic near our home and he wanted many hours of labor as the transmission needed to be removed to provide an estimate. He was throwing numbers approaching $10k as a guess. We elected to sell the car to a private party for far less than its value.

The panoramic sunroof cover, it is available for inspection upon request my safety was jeopardized while driving my car at the time, the problem has not been reproduced, but it has been confirmed by dealer the Ford dealer told me that it would cost me $2000 plus a $200 labor fee to get it repaired and I did tell him that I had looked on a site and saw that this happened happened to a lot of Ford escape buyers. There weren’t any warnings as I was driving, and I pushed the button to open up the sunroof. The cover just flapped and went all the way back as I was driving and came off of the track and the black plastic part that’s in the middle fell down and I could never get that to stick back up again. I first noticed when I would have my sunroof slanted. I never would open it all the way, but just slanted. I would hear a rattling noise so I would close it and I opened my sunroof all the way up twice and the third time when I decided to open it all the way up while I was driving that’s when the whole thing just fell, fell the middle black part and the cover while I was driving and it scared the daylights out of me while I was driving on the road.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V123000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted but 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. The contact stated that the sync screen intermittently displayed an inverted image. The contact added that the inability to properly use the display posed a safety risk, as it may increase the likelihood of a crash. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000.

Sluggish acceleration, car would not go faster than 37 MPH at full throttle, appeared to be running on hybrid motor only, not on engine power. 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid. 2.5 L engine. Only got 1 mile, returned home. No smoke, no fire, just not accelerating. Car was completely fine the day before. Got towed to Ford dealer next morning.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal coolant consumption was noticed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

I recently found out through a Ford dealer that there was a recall on the door on my Ford escape. I never received anything in the mail. I had the issue fixed by my local mechanic and he used Ford parts. I would like A reimbursement.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was an abnormally strong odor of mold and mildew was inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who discovered that rainwater had leaked into the trunk and spare tire well, causing mold and mildew to develop inside the vehicle. The contact was informed that the carpet needed to be replaced. The exact cause of the water intrusion was unknown. The vehicle was not yet repaired. There was no illness or sickness reported. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 60,000. The VIN was not available.

The vehicle is just under 37K miles. I was operating the vehicle normally, and the wrench icon came on, indicating a powertrain issue. There are recalls for this for some vehicles but not all, and it seems to occur just after warranties expiring. I am concerned my vehicle falls under this service bulletin but has not been properly added: SSM 49157 - 2020 Escape - Illuminated MIL With DTCs U0100, U0401, P166B, P1753, P0929, And/Or P0919 Some 2020 Escape vehicles may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) U0100, U0401, P166B, P1753, P0929, and/or P0919. The vehicle may also exhibit an illuminated powertrain malfunction (wrench) indicator lamp. This may be due to the software in the gear shift module (GSM). To correct the condition, reprogram the GSM using the latest software level of the appropriate Ford diagnostic scan tool. For claiming, use causal part number 7P155 and applicable labor operations in Section 10 of the Service Labor Time Standards (SLTS) Manual. APPLICABLE VEHICLES 2020 CAR: TC CX482N ESCAPE 2020 CAR: TC CX482N ESCAPE 2020 CAR: TC CX482N ESCAPE

The sunroof cover came down and blocked my rear visibility. It took a few attempts to get the cover back up because I need to see what is behind me for safety purposes. Then, when I was sesrching online for the solution, I realized a lot of people with 2020 - 2022 Ford Escapes were also having issues with the sunroof cover. It is quite dangerous for it to fall.

The hybrid battery coolant line has a leak and is available for inspection. Driving the vehicle with this leak can compromise the battery resulting in overheating which could cause the vehicle to break down, fire, or burn. The dealer confirmed the leak. The dealer was a manufacturer dealer and they inspected the vehicle. There were no indications of a leak.

The car has a panoramic roof with automatic open/close sunshade that cover the interior of the glass. I was opening the sunshade to open the moon roof and the shade all of the suden came down and did not roll as intended and my visibility while I was driving was gone for a second until my wife helped out quickly so we do not crash. The problem is common for this car in the ford forums online and the dealerships are not concerend or applying any responsbility of the problem and the safety of it. there was no message or warning but it put myself and my family in danger. I went and got it inspected by the dealership but they did not take responsibilty.

Gear selector knob silver plating is flaking off and leaving sharp edges.the edges are sharp enough to cut your fingers

While filling the gas tank with fuel the fuel spits back causing an unsafe condition. There is a technical service bulletin for this by Ford (number 22-2433), but no recall. Many people have complained about this condition.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH on the highway, the vehicle decelerated unintendedly. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that after driving a short distance and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle responded as needed. The vehicle was driven to the intended destination. The contact stated that the incident was significantly frightening. An unknown dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced recall NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V380000(Engine); however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,400.

The shade retraction on the moonroof is malfunctioning, causing the fabric to not retract completely, the sagging fabric is causing visibility obstruction. My Ford dealership have inspected the issue and have quoted me an approximate price of $1700 to fix the issue, which is currently cost prohibitive for me ($400 for the replacement part + approx 6 hours of labor), unfortunately this will not be covered by my warranty. There were no warning messages prior to failure, I pressed the button to open my moonroof one day and this happened, if I was driving this would have caused an accident because my visibility of rear view is blocked, luckily I was parked when I discovered this issue. This issue first appeared in June 2024. I went to the dealership in July 2024, because it was cost prohibitive to fix I have not used the moonroof since then because it affects visibility.

Whenever I shut off my 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid or when I am about to turn it on, a message appears on the touchscreen that says: "System off to save battery, please turn ignition off or start engine." I have replaced the battery but I get the same error message. When I took the car to Firestone, they performed a Diagnostic which did not indicate that there was anything wrong with the battery. When I spoke to a Hybrid Battery Specialist, he told me that the error message was for my "12 volt battery. It is a fairly common problem with your Escape. The Ford dealership may have a fix for it. It is possible that you just need to replace the 12 volt battery." My local Ford Dealership did not have a fix for it. Since this is a fairly common problem with the Ford Escape, I think a recall should be issued to have Ford rectify the issue.

Sunroof internal protective part lost its adhesion and fell while driving. Sunroof fabric came loose causing the sunroof to malfunction potentially causing more damage if you try to use it.

The lift gate fills with water when it rains and I worry that it can interfere with the backup camera.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while exiting the vehicle, there was an abnormal crackling sound coming from the driver's side door. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE23013 (Structure). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 78,000.

I have received 2 letters from manufacturer, than I had appointment dealer service, I went there and worker sad to me we don't have it, than I tried another services , they same answer, than I contacted ford, ford told to me car is good condition don't need replacement

Upon purchasing and receiving the car from a dealership, I attempted to drive it around my neighborhood and after about 1 minute received a warning saying "safely stop now!" and the steering wheel locked and the power shut off in the middle of the street. The car would not turn back on and had to be towed to the dealership. The dealership (not Ford) already replaced the battery and that did not fix the issue. They are having to take it to Ford service to get it looked at. This poses a very significant safety risk because it could have happened on the highway, as some Ford Escape users have reported on forums. Before purchasing the car, all available recalls were addressed and "resolved", but clearly not all issues have been fixed.

Liftgate latch does not work and trunk no longer opens after 55,000 miles. This is one fewer choice to exit the car in an emergency.

We were traveling to Springfield MO and just before Strafford our 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid SE flashed a wrench warning on our screen and immediately went into limp mode in rush hour traffic on I-44. We were in the passing lane going up a hill at the time passing a commercial truck and our speed dropped significantly. Luckily the vehicles behind us to were able slow down in time.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the display screen on the instrument panel intermittently went black. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the sync system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact researched online and became aware of Customer Satisfaction Program Number: 24B47; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

The windshield wipers locked up and would not function.

The spot weld in the driver’s side door arm has failed. The door is not closing properly and makes a loud clunk when opening or closing. Car is available for inspection, Dealer can not assess for another week.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that the vehicle had been repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V380000 (Engine). The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer and stated that the dealer only updated the powertrain control module, and had not inspected the engine. The contact stated that there was still a risk of an engine compartment fire. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while refueling the vehicle at the gas station, fuel was splashing out of the fuel filler neck. The contact stated that upon attempting to refuel the vehicle again, the gas pump nozzle unintendedly stopped several times and fuel splashed onto the contact; however, the fuel tank was not full. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The message "Service Engine Soon" and other unknown messages were displayed on the Ford Mobile App. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the canister purge valve was blocked and was obstructing the fuel circulation. The dealer determined that the fuel lines, the fuel system valves, and the canister purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 43,578.

See attached document for complaint

After the car was sitting in a parking lot without shade, unable to shift car out of park. Driver in seat, doors shut, seatbelt on--all normal circumstances; ready to drive. Brake pressed, rotary shifter stuck in P. No warnings or lights on dash Brake lights illuminated when pedal pushed. Temp on dash reads 103 degrees. After sitting with the car running for 30 minutes with AC on; attempted to shift as normal--shifter knob works. Have not called service center yet; plan to report as earliest convenience.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that there was extreme moisture inside the driver's side rear taillight housing. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who took pictures of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 2,002.

The round gear nob will not release out of PARK. It happens when it is 105°+. The car starts. Then I put my foot on the break and try to turn round gear shift nob from PARK to REVERSE and the nob will not move. Break lights work. All doors closed. Seatbelt on. I've been sitting in my car for about the last 25 minutes and using the air conditioner to try to cool down the console, dash and the gear shift knob and everything's nice and cold but I still cannot get the knob to turn. I have also turned off and restarted the engine about three times and still I am stuck here in a parking lot and the car's not going anywhere. This happened a year ago and I brought it into the a Sacramento Ford dealership but because it didn't get hot during their working hours they were not able to replicate the problem. So here I am again and it's after Ford hours and I normally get service at Folsom Lake Ford in California but how am I going to get them to replicate the issue and they say they can't replicate the same problem then how can I get this fixed. Meanwhile I'm stranded in a not so safe area with a lot of homeless people around that are having violent issues.

When temperature is over 100F, (when it's parked for a while). 1. Foot on brake 2. Turn engine button on 3 Shift into Drive . The shifter button wheel will not turn into any gear. It's locked into Park . You have to open all the windows, and direct as much A/C air downward to the shifter wheel to get it to cool off (10 minutes usually). Then, it will shift into Drive and everyone is happy. However, if this was an emergency (like someone has heat stroke), depending on this Ford Escape would be a life threatening decision.

For a little over 24 hours the front driver side door began making a strange crunching like noise. The next day upon attempting to close the door, three welds that hold a long black hinge within the door broke. These are small, sheet metal welds and in no way appropriate for something as heavy and important as a car door.

While driving, the wrench icon illuminated, and the vehicle began to decelerate, unable to exceed 35mph. The Ford Pass app relayed a message indicating a Powertrain Malfunction with reduced power. It also warned that, "the powertrain control module has detected the engine timing chains have exceeded 95% of their useful life and requires service now. The control system invokes a symptom of limited power." During service, the dealer reset the codes, and the vehicle functioned well for about two weeks before the same problem recurred, leading to its tow to another dealer. There, the codes were reset again, and the engine vibration sensor was replaced. However, merely two days post-repair and two weeks after the initial code reset, the issue resurfaced. The codes have been cleared once more, and the vehicle is scheduled for another dealer visit next week. Each incident occurred roughly five minutes into the drive, in speed zones of 45 and 55 mph. Between incidents, the vehicle operates normally without any noise, warnings, or symptoms. This poses a significant safety risk, as unexpected deceleration during heavy traffic could lead to dangerous situations.

The door hinge's weld came off. All of the sudden the door was making noises when opening and closing. When finally, it wouldn't close at all. I was looking on what was wrong and the door hinge wasn't welded on the door and it shows 3 dots where the welding broke off.

My escape continues to shut down after parking and will not restart. Push button light will sometimes turn green but will not come on , dial to P flashes but will not move . Sometime I can quickly jump it off and it restarts but most recently and to get someone to disconnect both batteries and reconnect and it will start … it acts like it has to restart the electrical system . I have seen many examples of others having the same issues

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the AWD system fault message was displayed. Additionally, the message was flashing. The local dealer was contacted, and informed the contact that a diagnostic test was needed to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Gear shifter locked into park when there are excessive outdoor heat temperatures. (Over 95°) The car must run for 20-30 minutes to cool down before shifter will unlock into Drive. Took it to the dealership where they could not recreate the problem (in September when temperatures dropped) and were unable to fix it. I have reported once before and have seen multiple online forums of others having the same issue in the 2020 ford escape models. This should be an immediate safety recall. I would not be able to leave in a timely manner if there were an emergency with my husband or kids. I cannot perform my job of assessing patients homes if I cannot drive my vehicle when it is hot outside.