Ford Escape Forward Collision Avoidance Problems
Owners have filed 137 complaints with NHTSA about forward collision avoidance problems on the Ford Escape across 16 model years. The 2020 model year has the most (68). The words owners use most often: “collision assist” (27% of reports).
- 137forward collision avoidance complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 39%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.
- Collision assist: mentioned in 37 of 137 complaints (27%)
- Cruise control: mentioned in 32 of 137 complaints (23%)
- AWD module: mentioned in 23 of 137 complaints (17%)
- Hill start: mentioned in 17 of 137 complaints (12%)
At what mileage do forward collision avoidance problems happen?
Based on 22 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 137 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 3 an injury.
Ford Escape forward collision avoidance complaints by model year
| Model year | Forward Collision Avoidance complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Escape | 4 | 15% | 1,500 |
| 2024 Escape | 19 | 25% | 300 |
| 2023 Escape | 11 | 11% | 19,280 |
| 2022 Escape | 6 | 3% | 109,000 |
| 2021 Escape | 7 | 2% | 48,971 |
| 2020 Escape | 68 | 4% | 27,500 |
| 2019 Escape | 4 | 1% | 2,729 |
| 2018 Escape | 7 | 0% | — |
| 2015 Escape | 1 | 0% | 109,000 |
| 2014 Escape | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2013 Escape | 2 | 0% | — |
| 2010 Escape | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2009 Escape | 2 | 0% | 122,000 |
| 2008 Escape | 2 | 0% | — |
| 2004 Escape | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2001 Escape | 1 | 0% | 200,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Forward collision avoidance: adaptive cruise control
Model years: 2023, 2024
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Escape two-wheel drive vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise control. The cruise control radar module was misaligned during production.
Risk: Misalignment of the radar module can result in the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) misclassifying an overhead object as an object in the vehicle's path, causing the vehicle to unexpectedly slow and/or stop. Other safety systems that depend on the radar model (Pre-Collision Assist, Forward Collision Warning, and Auto Emergency Braking) could have diminished or lost function. These conditions increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will adjust the angle of the radar module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 3, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S39.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
I am requesting a serious investigation into potentially life-threatening steering, braking, and stability-control interventions in modern vehicles. I have experienced unexpected steering forces, directional changes, shaking, and behavior consistent with unintended wheel-specific braking across…
I am writing to file a formal safety complaint regarding a systemic, life-threatening defect in the tuning of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) software in modern vehicles, specifically experienced in the 2024 Ford Escape. I am a professional driver…
While driving, a message was displayed [Hill Start Assist Not Available] and all mileage figures previously displayed disappered. Additional warning lights were displayed indicating Traction Control, and ABS failures. Electric Power steering assist also stopped. Subsequent testing indicated the…
While driving, multiple unrelated warning lights and warning messages appeared on the dashboard. Odometer changed to display dashes instead of mileage. Speedometer got stuck displaying an incorrect value (such as '0' when the vehicle was in motion, or '59' when the vehicle was as a complete stop)…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Escapes have forward collision avoidance problems?
No. NHTSA has 137 owner complaints about forward collision avoidance for the Ford Escape. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford Escape forward collision avoidance?
Yes: 1 safety recall list forward collision avoidance. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about forward collision avoidance problems on the Ford Escape?
The most frequent phrase is “collision assist”, in 37 of 137 complaints, followed by “cruise control” (32).
Other Ford Escape problems
- Engine problems (7,208)
- Power Train problems (4,655)
- Steering problems (3,945)
- Electrical System problems (2,525)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (2,331)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (2,298)
- Structure problems (2,296)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (1,834)
See all Ford Escape problems.