Ford Escape years to avoid
Across the 2015–2022 Ford Escape, the 2017 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 2,669, about 2.5× the 1,084 median of the other seven model years with enough complaints to compare. The most-reported components that year were the engine and the powertrain. The 2021 drew the fewest, at 367. Separately, the 2020 carries the most recall campaigns, 24. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
The 2017 Escape is the outlier of the 2015–2022 Ford Escape, with 2,669 complaints against the model's 1,096.5 median.
Every Escape model year, ranked
Every Escape model year NHTSA holds records for, most complaints first. Counts are NHTSA records as of 2026-09-15; recall campaigns and complaints are counted separately because a recall is the manufacturer acting and a complaint is an owner reporting. Years with enough on record have a page of their own.
| Model year | Owner complaints | vs the 1,096.5 median | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Escape | 2,669 | 2.4× | 4 | the engine |
| 2020 Escape | 1,810 | 1.7× | 24 | the body structure |
| 2018 Escape | 1,783 | 1.6× | 4 | the engine |
| 2016 Escape | 1,109 | 1× | 4 | the powertrain |
| 2015 Escape | 1,084 | 1× | 9 | the powertrain |
| 2019 Escape | 581 | 0.5× | 3 | the engine |
| 2022 Escape | 373 | 0.3× | 21 | the engine |
| 2021 Escape | 367 | 0.3× | 21 | the body structure |
Buying a Ford Escape? Check its VIN.
Model-year complaint totals do not describe one car. Confirm its identity free, then decide whether to review its reported title, mileage and auction history before you buy.
Title brands · Odometer records · Auction history, where reported
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See what the paid report includes →How to read these numbers
- A higher count is not proof of a worse car. Complaint volume rises with sales volume and with years on the road.
- The comparison is between years of the Escape only. It says nothing about how the Escape compares with other models.
- NHTSA publishes owner reports without verifying them. A complaint is an allegation, not a defect finding.
- Recall campaigns cover production ranges. Only a VIN lookup shows whether one vehicle is included and whether the work was done.
Primary sources behind this page
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
Ford Escape year-by-year questions
Which Ford Escape year should I avoid?
Across the 2015–2022 Ford Escape, the 2017 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 2,669, about 2.5× the 1,084 median of the other seven model years with enough complaints to compare. The most-reported components that year were the engine and the powertrain. The 2021 drew the fewest, at 367. Separately, the 2020 carries the most recall campaigns, 24. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
Which Ford Escape year is the safest bet?
Of the 2015–2022 Ford Escape, the 2021 drew the fewest owner complaints to NHTSA — 367, against the model's 1,096.5 median. Newer years have had less time on the road, which lowers their count on its own, so treat this as a starting point and check the individual VIN.
Do complaint counts mean the Ford Escape is unreliable?
No. NHTSA complaints are unverified owner reports, and the count rises with how many vehicles were sold and how long they have been on the road. They are useful for comparing years of the same model — which is what this page does — not for ranking one model against another.
How do I check a specific Escape?
Take the 17-character VIN from the windshield or driver-door label and run it through NHTSA's free recall lookup. That reports open campaigns for that exact vehicle, including whether the repair is still outstanding. A model-year page cannot tell you that.