Owners have filed 32 complaints
about the 2023 Ford Escape Hybrid with NHTSA between 2023 and 2025.
The largest single group is the electrical system.
Across this model's run it ranks 4 of 13 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 9
Against the median year of the Ford Escape Hybrid. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 81
15.6% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 100
100% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
How 2023 compares with every other Ford Escape Hybrid
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
233.3%
1,000 – 9,999 miles
350.0%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
116.7%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Jun 2023peak 4Jun 2025
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Citrus Heights, CA1 injured
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Ear piercing sound coming from what appears to be the stereo speaker system. It was so loud it felt like it blew out my ear drums by the time I got it turned off. Days later my ears are still ringing with intermittent headaches. I have scheduled a warranty service with the local ford dealership. There was no warning and started as soon as I started the car. No one has inspected the vehicle. This took place on 6/14/2025.
NHTSA complaint #11667568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Flat Rock, NCCrash
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
See attached document for complaint
NHTSA complaint #11570029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at 10 mph, she crashed into the rear of a Nissan Versa that abruptly stopped. The emergency braking system failed to engage. There were no reported injuries. A police report was filed. The air bags did not deploy. There was no reported fire. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who stated that the insurance adjuster would have to check the black box. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 4,850.
NHTSA complaint #11545259 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 600 milesSouderton, PA1 injured
SEATS
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while exiting the vehicle, his right leg made direct contact with the floor seat railing, causing a minor laceration. The contact stated that to prevent further injury, the contact duct taped padding to the end of the seat railing. The dealer was not notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and informed the contact to reach out to Ford's warranty department; the contact was then transferred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 600.
NHTSA complaint #11525034 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 600 milesSouderton, PA1 injured
SEATS:BARRIERS
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while exiting the vehicle, his right leg made direct contact with the floor seat railing, causing a minor laceration. The contact stated that to prevent further injury, the contact duct taped padding to the end of the seat railing. The dealer was not notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and informed the contact to reach out to Ford's warranty department; the contact was then transferred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 600.
NHTSA complaint #11525034 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Citrus Heights, CA1 injured
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Ear piercing sound coming from what appears to be the stereo speaker system. It was so loud it felt like it blew out my ear drums by the time I got it turned off. Days later my ears are still ringing with intermittent headaches. I have scheduled a warranty service with the local ford dealership. There was no warning and started as soon as I started the car. No one has inspected the vehicle. This took place on 6/14/2025.
NHTSA complaint #11667568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Renton, WA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Bad battery. Yes, the dealership did replace the 12V battery, however since I do not drive often, and not 60 miles a day. I was advised to install a battery maintainer, which I should have been told at the time of purchase. However, how inconvenient as I will have a power cord in the driveway, and I would have to connect and disconnect the battery maintainer, which to me is a safety issue. I see online Ford has had these problems with their battery. Is Ford doing anything about this problem to ensure this type of problem is fixed? I purchased a new vehicle so I would not have problems.
NHTSA complaint #11662421 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 8,000 milesManchester, MO
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly switched from hybrid to gasoline and started to lose motive power. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the failure persisted. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V954000 (Electrical System); the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 8,000.
NHTSA complaint #11657199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Port Charlotte, FL
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
The lane keeping system in my 2023 ford escape hybrid platinum keeps me too far to the left. When driving the lane keeping system keeps me too close to the center lane marker. I believe it is a potential safety issue for my car to be so close to the left side lane marker, often with the edge of my rear view mirror only inches from the left side lane marker. My local ford dealer says the lane keeping system can not be recalibrated to center the vehicle about 6 inches more to the right (passenger) side to provide a lager safety buffer on the left side of the car. I believe the lane keeping system should be capable of being calibrated.
NHTSA complaint #11640805 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Port Charlotte, FL
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
The lane keeping system in my 2023 ford escape hybrid platinum keeps me too far to the left. When driving the lane keeping system keeps me too close to the center lane marker. I believe it is a potential safety issue for my car to be so close to the left side lane marker, often with the edge of my rear view mirror only inches from the left side lane marker. My local ford dealer says the lane keeping system can not be recalibrated to center the vehicle about 6 inches more to the right (passenger) side to provide a lager safety buffer on the left side of the car. I believe the lane keeping system should be capable of being calibrated.
NHTSA complaint #11640805 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Urbana, IL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
It seems to be the hybrid battery, it does not hold a charge, our safety or others are not affected it is the hassle of having to jump start your vehicle when it happens. This is a 2023 Escape Hybrid. The dealer had it towed and tried to figure it out but could not. They said that Ford is aware of the problem but have no fix. So we have been charged for the use of remote features but can not use them, on the window sticker. I have heard others that have put in the bigger battery and it solved the problem but Ford will not reimburse you because it is not a recall. We were told we have to drive the car for at least an hour every day to keep the battery charged, we also get this message every day, Remote features disabled to preserve battery, We have got that message since 1 week after the purchase. I don't know if anyone else has reported this problem, but on the complaint sites when it is googled it pops up with everyone's frustration with the problem and ford. They do not seem to care about the problem
NHTSA complaint #11632890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cincinnati, OH
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Popping sound coming under body around gas tank and hybrid battery. Dealerships knows the problem but has not come up a solution to resolve it. They know it’s most common problem with 2020 to 2024 models. The noise is big deal that u can hear it over the radio. I fear that will fall off and cause accidents or hurt someone’s. The problem start when you go past 35 miles hour or more.
NHTSA complaint #11632590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 16,000 milesCedar Lake, IN
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the low battery warning was illuminated. The contact stated many of the safety features such as the blind spot warning, Electronic Stability Control, and other unknown warnings were illuminated and indicated that the features were disabled. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that there was no failure of the 12V battery. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had researched online and read that the 12V battery was not able to power all of the safety features for the same year, make, and model. The contact stated that the failure was recurring. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 16,000.
NHTSA complaint #11632663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 8,000 milesWarrenton, OR
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the Lane Assist, Forward Collision Avoidance, and other safety features intermittently failed to operate as needed with various messages displayed. The dealer was notified of the failure, and a diagnostic test was performed; the contact was informed that the Hybrid battery had failed to operate at full capacity which caused to the failures. The contact was informed that there was no remedy for the failure. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.
NHTSA complaint #11630126 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Arkansas City, KS
ENGINE
Failed to shift into reverse. Seems to run some sort of safety check. Still does not reverse Dash active and showing messages from safety check - lights work. Wont shift into reverse. Car is parked in garage where it has been for previous 14 hours. Temp is above freezing No previous indication of problems other than low tire pressure on one tire.
NHTSA complaint #11627492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cranford, NJ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
See attached document for complaint.
NHTSA complaint #11623677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cranford, NJ
INTERIOR LIGHTING
See attached document for complaint.
NHTSA complaint #11623677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fairfax, VA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
12volt battery is too small Ford replace the battery with another small battery that one failed Vehicle went into sleep mode twice I payed for a AGM battery about a month ago I haven’t had trouble since I want Ford to pay for the larger battery $308.32
NHTSA complaint #11615519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Taylor Mill, KY
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This vehicle is on the shop having it's 3rd 12 volt battery (4th overall if you count the factory battery) installed since I bought it in July 2023. There have been multiple instances of the car refusing to start and actually had to be towed to the dealer on one occasion. The only warning that you get when it is becoming an issue is that the vehicle shows going into deep sleep mode in the Ford Pass app. The batteries seem to last about 6 months on average. I do not have copies of all the service records with me at this time but can provide if needed.
NHTSA complaint #11610122 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Platteville, WI
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
My vehicle incorrectly read highway number signs as though they were speed limit signs. This occurred eight times on state highway [XXX] in Florida; and once on state highway [XXX]. The speed limit was actually 55 mph on highway [XXX]. If I would have had “Predictive Speed Assist” turned on, and was using adaptive cruise control, it would have automatically decelerated to 40, +/- whatever “tolerance” I had set. What would happen if this occurs on highway 80, or highway 100? Acceleration to 100 mph, and possibly to 120 mph if I had the tolerance set to +20? This error, which happened while I was a passenger, could significantly exacerbate problem #1. See details in the attached 5 page pdf. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11573696 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Platteville, WI
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
My vehicle incorrectly read highway number signs as though they were speed limit signs. This occurred eight times on state highway [XXX] in Florida; and once on state highway [XXX]. The speed limit was actually 55 mph on highway [XXX]. If I would have had “Predictive Speed Assist” turned on, and was using adaptive cruise control, it would have automatically decelerated to 40, +/- whatever “tolerance” I had set. What would happen if this occurs on highway 80, or highway 100? Acceleration to 100 mph, and possibly to 120 mph if I had the tolerance set to +20? This error, which happened while I was a passenger, could significantly exacerbate problem #1. See details in the attached 5 page pdf. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11573696 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Flat Rock, NCCrash
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
See attached document for complaint
NHTSA complaint #11570029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Memphis, TN
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The incident is that my car continuously enters "Deep Sleep" or "Battery Saver" mode, even immediately after very long drives. This has been recurring since June 2023, and has resulted in one battery replacement at 6 weeks after the car was received (temporarily remediated the issue for about 6 weeks). This has not caused an accident or injury, but does call into question vehicle reliability (e.g., will it start?). I have taken the car in to attempt repairs multiple times to no avail.
NHTSA complaint #11569374 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
New Helen, MN
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Low Battery Voltage on a brand new 2023 Escape caused the engine to not start, leaving me stranded in 10 degree weather. Had to call Ford towing to get me and my car home. Indicators of low battery voltage include dome lights not turning on, battery saver mode in the FordPass app, and messages on the infotainment screen. Been a week and the dealer has not been able to fix this problem. According to many forum posts, this seems to be a problem in 2020-2023 Ford Hybrid Escapes. See: [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] There should not be this many battery issues, without Ford fixing the actual problem with a recall or TSB. Please help us. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11567403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Blairsville, GA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Several symptoms occur: First off Its cold where we live & the car goes into deep sleep mode every night. I get a FordPass message that states battery saver feature is activated. The car fails to start using the remote start or Key Fob. Dome lights don't turn on and remote features not allowed. This is a serious safety concern as it's getting colder, and engines not starting on a brand new vehicle is unacceptable. Please investigate this issue, as Ford dealers claim there is nothing wrong a TSB/Recall is needed to resolve this problem for all customers.
NHTSA complaint #11565069 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Blairsville, GA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Several symptoms occur: First off Its cold where we live & the car goes into deep sleep mode every night. I get a FordPass message that states battery saver feature is activated. The car fails to start using the remote start or Key Fob. Dome lights don't turn on and remote features not allowed. This is a serious safety concern as it's getting colder, and engines not starting on a brand new vehicle is unacceptable. Please investigate this issue, as Ford dealers claim there is nothing wrong a TSB/Recall is needed to resolve this problem for all customers.
NHTSA complaint #11565069 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Blairsville, GA
ENGINE
Several symptoms occur: First off Its cold where we live & the car goes into deep sleep mode every night. I get a FordPass message that states battery saver feature is activated. The car fails to start using the remote start or Key Fob. Dome lights don't turn on and remote features not allowed. This is a serious safety concern as it's getting colder, and engines not starting on a brand new vehicle is unacceptable. Please investigate this issue, as Ford dealers claim there is nothing wrong a TSB/Recall is needed to resolve this problem for all customers.
NHTSA complaint #11565069 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Schenectady, NY
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Several symptoms occur: Car goes into deep sleep mode after an hour sitting idle. Car fails to start, with all warning lights active on dashboard. Dome lights don't turn on and remote features not allowed due to low battery. This is related to non-AGM 12V batteries being installed in the 2020, 2022, and 2023 Hybrid Escape. 2021's have the AGM battery and there are no problems reported on the forums regarding this issue for that model year. This is a serious safety concern as the winters get colder, and engines not starting on a brand new vehicle is a matter of life and death. Please investigate this issue, as Ford dealers claim there is noting wrong, and they refuse to install the AGM batteries. A TSB is needed to resolve this problem for all customers. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11560226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Schenectady, NY
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Several symptoms occur: Car goes into deep sleep mode after an hour sitting idle. Car fails to start, with all warning lights active on dashboard. Dome lights don't turn on and remote features not allowed due to low battery. This is related to non-AGM 12V batteries being installed in the 2020, 2022, and 2023 Hybrid Escape. 2021's have the AGM battery and there are no problems reported on the forums regarding this issue for that model year. This is a serious safety concern as the winters get colder, and engines not starting on a brand new vehicle is a matter of life and death. Please investigate this issue, as Ford dealers claim there is noting wrong, and they refuse to install the AGM batteries. A TSB is needed to resolve this problem for all customers. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11560226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Schenectady, NY
ENGINE
Several symptoms occur: Car goes into deep sleep mode after an hour sitting idle. Car fails to start, with all warning lights active on dashboard. Dome lights don't turn on and remote features not allowed due to low battery. This is related to non-AGM 12V batteries being installed in the 2020, 2022, and 2023 Hybrid Escape. 2021's have the AGM battery and there are no problems reported on the forums regarding this issue for that model year. This is a serious safety concern as the winters get colder, and engines not starting on a brand new vehicle is a matter of life and death. Please investigate this issue, as Ford dealers claim there is noting wrong, and they refuse to install the AGM batteries. A TSB is needed to resolve this problem for all customers. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11560226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.