2011 Ford Escape Engine Problems
Owners have filed 248 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2011 Ford Escape, 19% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 47,102 miles. The words owners use most often: “throttle body” (33% of reports).
- 248engine complaints
- 47,102median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 40%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Throttle body: mentioned in 82 of 248 complaints (33%)
- Side road: mentioned in 33 of 248 complaints (13%)
- Off restarted: mentioned in 18 of 248 complaints (7%)
- Put park: mentioned in 15 of 248 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 236 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 248 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 5 a fire.
Ford Escape engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Escape | 2 | 67% | — |
| 2025 Escape | 5 | 19% | — |
| 2024 Escape | 13 | 17% | 4,092 |
| 2023 Escape | 28 | 28% | 6,200 |
| 2022 Escape | 33 | 14% | 39,200 |
| 2021 Escape | 44 | 13% | 79,000 |
| 2020 Escape | 121 | 8% | 65,500 |
| 2019 Escape | 316 | 53% | 61,194 |
| 2018 Escape | 1,164 | 64% | 78,667 |
| 2017 Escape | 1,578 | 59% | 70,000 |
| 2016 Escape | 200 | 17% | 64,000 |
| 2015 Escape | 239 | 21% | 74,000 |
| 2014 Escape | 727 | 35% | 74,000 |
| 2013 Escape | 1,265 | 46% | 75,000 |
| 2012 Escape | 73 | 12% | 40,500 |
| 2011 Escape | 248 | 19% | 47,102 |
| 2010 Escape | 493 | 24% | 52,000 |
| 2009 Escape | 254 | 15% | 70,167 |
| 2008 Escape | 83 | 4% | 85,500 |
| 2007 Escape | 25 | 10% | 100,400 |
| 2006 Escape | 47 | 10% | 93,000 |
| 2005 Escape | 130 | 9% | 113,000 |
| 2004 Escape | 31 | 6% | 109,748 |
| 2003 Escape | 24 | 4% | 127,413 |
| 2002 Escape | 36 | 4% | 150,000 |
| 2001 Escape | 27 | 3% | 125,436 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2011 Ford Escape. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I purchased this vehicle on 10/16/25 through Affordable Auto Sales 692 Pleasant St Fall River Ma as it is a buy here pay here. It had 97,626 miles on it day of purchase. I noticed trouble with power steering as it is electric and kept locking up and asked several times to fix it. It didn't get…
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and jerked, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was diagnosed by…
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering failed to work as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with EGR valve failure. The contact…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2011 Ford Escapes have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 248 owner complaints about engine for the 2011 Ford Escape (19% of the 1,317 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Ford Escape engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 47,102 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2011 Ford Escape?
The most frequent phrase is “throttle body”, in 82 of 248 complaints, followed by “side road” (33).
Other 2011 Ford Escape problems
See all 2011 Ford Escape problems or engine problems across all Escape years.