The 2023 Ford Escape is a small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicle covered by 6 EPA fuel-economy configurations. In NHTSA's records it has accumulated 101 owner complaints and 11 recall campaign(s). Of those complaints, 2 report a crash and 3 report a fire; 1 complaints report injuries totalling 1 injured people, and 0 deaths are recorded across all complaints for this model-year. The single most-reported component is Electrical System, named in 41 complaints (40.6% of the total). The sections below reproduce the underlying records in full: crash-test ratings, every recall campaign with its NHTSA campaign number, complaint counts by component, and EPA fuel-economy figures for each configuration.
NHTSA Safety Ratings
NHTSA tested the 2023 Ford Escape SUV FWD under its 5-Star Safety Ratings program. Ratings run from 1 to 5 stars; "Not rated" means NHTSA did not publish a score for that test for this variant.
| Test | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash — overall | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash — driver | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash — passenger | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash — overall | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash — driver | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash — passenger | ★★★★★ |
| Side pole crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover resistance | ★★★★☆ |
NHTSA also rated other 2023 Ford Escape variants: 2023 Ford Escape SUV AWD — 5★ overall. The table above shows the most completely rated variant.
Electronic stability control was fitted as standard equipment on the tested variant, and NHTSA records no safety recall investigation rating adjustments for it.
Recall Campaigns (11)
NHTSA lists 11 recall campaign(s) that include the 2023 Ford Escape. Each campaign below shows the official NHTSA campaign number, the affected component, and the manufacturer's own summary, consequence and remedy statements as published by NHTSA. To check whether a specific vehicle is covered, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.
Campaign 22V859000 — Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System 18/11/2022
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will update the engine control software to include fuel injector leak detection and install a drain tube, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed January 9, 2023. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 1st Quarter of 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S73. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 22V-191. Vehicles previously remedied under 22V-191 will need to have the new remedy performed.
Campaign 23V380000 — Engine 26/05/2023
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape, 2022-2023 Maverick, and 2021-2023 Corsair vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
Consequence: An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as quickly as possible if they hear unexpected engine noises, notice a reduction in vehicle power, or see smoke. Dealers will replace the engine long-block in 2023 Escape and Corsair vehicles. For the other vehicles, dealers will update the powertrain control module software. If a connecting rod bearing failure is detected, dealers will replace the engine long-block. All inspections and repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 14, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S27. This recall expands and replaces recall number 22V-484. Vehicles previously repaired under 22V-484 will need to have the new remedy completed.
Campaign 23V506000 — Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel 21/07/2023
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Escape, Super Duty F-250, Super Duty F-350, Super Duty F-450, and Super Duty F-550 vehicles equipped with a digital instrument panel cluster. The module may have been improperly soldered, preventing the instrument panel from illuminating. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."
Consequence: An inoperable instrument panel cannot show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the module or instrument panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 4, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C25.
Campaign 24V440000 — Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control 14/06/2024
Summary: 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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
Campaign 24V634000 — Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System:injectors 23/08/2024
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2023-2024 Escape, 2024 Mustang, and 2025 Explorer vehicles. The fuel injectors may have been assembled without O-ring support discs, which can result in a fuel leak.
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will install new fuel injector O-rings and O-ring support discs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 7, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S54.
Campaign 24V852000 — Equipment:other:labels 08/11/2024
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.
Campaign 24V954000 — Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery:management System/energy Control Module (bms/becm) 20/12/2024
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Ford Escape, and 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.
Consequence: Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to charge battery till the remedy has been completed. Dealers will perform a battery energy control module (BECM) software update, and replace the high voltage battery pack, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 30, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S79.
Campaign 25V315000 — Back Over Prevention:software 09/05/2025
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2022-2025 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator, and 2023-2024 Corsair vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse.
Consequence: A frozen or missing rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on June 26, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Owner notification letters were sent on October 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S49.
Campaign 25V343000 — Electrical System 23/05/2025
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus, 2023-2025 Escape, 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2025 Lincoln Corsair, Maverick, and Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with a 1.5L or 2.0L MPC engine and an engine block heater. The engine block heater may overheat when the vehicle is parked with the block heater plugged in.
Consequence: An overheated engine block heater can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the block heater element and inspect the electrical cord, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug coupled, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Owner notification letters were mailed June 9, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S52.
Campaign 25V345000 — Engine 23/05/2025
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape, 2021-2023 Corsair, and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines that were repaired incorrectly under recall 23V380. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
Consequence: An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as quickly as possible if they hear unexpected engine noises, notice a reduction in vehicle power, or see smoke. Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S54.
Campaign 25V372000 — Engine 03/06/2025
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Escape, and 2025 Bronco Sport vehicles. The cylinder head may have been improperly manufactured, which can cause the ball plugs to fail, resulting in an oil leak.
Consequence: An oil leak can result in loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the cylinder head assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S61.
Owner Complaints (101)
Owners have filed 101 complaints about the 2023 Ford Escape with NHTSA. Complaint counts are not sales-adjusted — higher-selling vehicles naturally attract more complaints — but the breakdown by component shows where owners report problems most often.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 41 | 40.6% |
| Engine | 28 | 27.7% |
| Power Train | 24 | 23.8% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 11 | 10.9% |
| Unknown Or Other | 9 | 8.9% |
| Lane Departure | 7 | 6.9% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 6.9% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 7 | 6.9% |
| Structure | 5 | 5.0% |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 4.0% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 4.0% |
| Back Over Prevention | 3 | 3.0% |
Complaints by Component — Visual
Bar length is proportional to the most-reported component for this model-year (Electrical System, 41 complaints).
By filing year, complaints peaked in 2026 with 41 filings. Owners filed 101 complaints in total across 4 calendar years in the database extract. Complaints involving a crash number 2 and those involving a fire number 3; 1 complaints report at least one injury.
EPA Fuel Economy
The EPA classifies the 2023 Ford Escape as a small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicle and published ratings for 6 configurations (engine, transmission, drive and fuel combinations). Combined fuel economy spans 26–40 MPG; the median configuration returns 34.5 city / 35 highway / 34.5 combined MPG. Fuel types covered: Regular Gasoline.
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | Fuel | Combined MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 39.5 |
| 1.5L 3-cyl | Automatic 8-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 30 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | Automatic 8-spd | All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 26 |
| 1.5L 3-cyl | Automatic 8-spd | All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 28 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 39 |
Showing the 5 most common configuration groups of 6 EPA configurations.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls and safety ratings databases and EPA FuelEconomy.gov dataset, accessed October 2026. See our methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2023 Ford Escape have?
NHTSA's complaints database held 101 complaints for the 2023 Ford Escape when accessed in October 2026. The most-reported component was Electrical System with 41 complaints.
How many recalls affect the 2023 Ford Escape?
NHTSA lists 11 recall campaign(s) covering the 2023 Ford Escape in the data accessed in October 2026, including campaign 22V859000 for Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System.
What is the 2023 Ford Escape's safety rating?
NHTSA gave the tested 2023 Ford Escape SUV FWD an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with 5 stars for frontal crash, 5 for side crash and 4 for rollover resistance.
What MPG does the 2023 Ford Escape get?
The EPA rated 6 configurations of the 2023 Ford Escape. Combined fuel economy ranges from 26 to 40 MPG, with a median of 34.5 MPG (median city 34.5, median highway 35).