Ford Escape Hybrid Problems by Year
NHTSA has 1,742 owner complaints and 2 safety recalls on file for the Ford Escape Hybrid, across 15 model years (2005–2025). The 2008 model year has the most complaints (443). The most reported problem area overall is engine.
Ford Escape Hybrid years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Escape Hybrid year: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2020. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2008 Escape Hybrid: 443 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2020 Escape Hybrid: 288 complaints, 1 recall
- 2006 Escape Hybrid: 219 complaints, 0 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2025 Escape Hybrid: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 2024 Escape Hybrid: 4 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2013 Escape Hybrid: 5 complaints, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Ford Escape Hybrid problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 345 | 14 | 6 |
| Service Brakes problems | 321 | 12 | 16 |
| Steering problems | 276 | 10 | 4 |
| Electrical System problems | 240 | 14 | 1 |
| Structure problems | 186 | 11 | 3 |
| Power Train problems | 159 | 13 | 2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 97 | 11 | 11 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 94 | 8 | 2 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 82 | 13 | 1 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 72 | 7 | 0 |
| Suspension | 45 | 6 | 0 |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 28 | 5 | 1 |
| Wheels | 21 | 8 | 1 |
| Air Bags | 17 | 10 | 10 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 17 | 4 | 5 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 16 | 5 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 16 | 9 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 15 | 5 | 0 |
| Visibility | 14 | 9 | 0 |
| Lane Departure | 10 | 3 | 1 |
| Back Over Prevention | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 9 | 6 | 0 |
| Equipment | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Seats | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| Tires | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Parking Brake | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Ford Escape Hybrid problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2020: structure (105) · engine (64)
- 2009: steering (70)
- 2008: service brakes (129) · steering (110) · engine (74) · electrical system (64)
- 2006: service brakes (57)
All Ford Escape Hybrid model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Escape Hybrid | 1 | 0 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | |
| 2024 Escape Hybrid | 4 | 0 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2023 Escape Hybrid | 24 | 0 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2022 Escape Hybrid | 68 | 0 | — | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2021 Escape Hybrid | 124 | 1 | — | Engine | More complaints than other years |
| 2020 Escape Hybrid | 288 | 1 | — | Structure | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2013 Escape Hybrid | 5 | 0 | — | Engine | |
| 2012 Escape Hybrid | 15 | 0 | — | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2011 Escape Hybrid | 37 | 0 | — | Steering | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2010 Escape Hybrid | 59 | 0 | — | Steering | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2009 Escape Hybrid | 153 | 0 | — | Steering | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2008 Escape Hybrid | 443 | 0 | — | Service Brakes | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2007 Escape Hybrid | 124 | 0 | — | Service Brakes | More complaints than other years |
| 2006 Escape Hybrid | 219 | 0 | — | Service Brakes | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2005 Escape Hybrid | 178 | 0 | — | Service Brakes | Far more complaints than other years |
More from Ford: all Ford models · Ford VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Escape Hybrid years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2005 (178), 2006 (219), 2008 (443), 2009 (153), 2020 (288) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Escape Hybrid year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Ford Escape Hybrid?
Engine, with 345 complaints across 14 model years.
How many recalls does the Ford Escape Hybrid have?
2 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.