512 of the 36,256 complaints filed about the Ford Escape are about the wheels — 1% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2005.
512
Complaints
1%
Share of all complaints
23
Crashes
1
Fires
WHEELS
Transmission issues, jerking, stuttering, jumping, rmp jumping, horse power acting up, pulsating
NHTSA complaint #11747788 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
2018 Ford Escape. I have had the car since 12/2024. Less then 22000 miles in it. In this time I have had 4 alignment done. First one was 2 day after getting car. I pulls to the left. Second was 2 weeks after the first one. Then drove my car with a trailer on it to [XXX]. I made it [XXX] and dropped my load in a storage because I could not control the car. I was so scared. What should have taken maybe 2 days took a week. That was a nightmare trip. Ok so now in [XXX] took it to car max and explained what happened. Alignment always out. Always pulls to left. Carmax had my car 3 days called me and said I need a Alignment and 4 new tires. I was like what I just drove from [XXX]. Gentlemen told me I shouldn't have drove that car with it like that. I said carmax in [XXX] a load me to. Car repair places just think we can drop of our car and say here. I don't have another car to us will that one in the shop. Now the forth was when I got back into [XXX] which was maybe 2 months later. So my car did a lot of sitting in the driveway when I was in nc. With this car u have to have your hands both on the wheel because if u hit a pot hole the car goes crazy. I have been drive for about 40 yrs and I'm from [XXX] where u can drive not legally but able to drive with your knee,eat with the left hand will putting on makeup with the right. I can't do that. I can't even take my eyes off the road because the car will go to the left and I'm not even steering that way. So anyone out there please help. This is my first Ford and it's been a nightmare. Plus less then 40000 I have had a new battery alternator and start put in. My window wipes don't work. Came on it never rains in [XXX] so what the. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11747057 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
when I was crossing the road to turn around in a U-turn style, the rear end of the car locked up and I slid across several lanes of traffic. This happened only one time but was terrifying! A few times since then, the emergency brake will apply on its own causing the back end to freeze up. it's VERY random.
NHTSA complaint #11742324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
My car has following issues recently. 1. Tire pressure monitoring system failed for all four tires. 2. Electrical door lock systems failed. All these symptoms match the BCM recall for the model and year of my car. But my VIN is not included with the recall. I believe Ford did not include all impacted car in this recall.
NHTSA complaint #11742400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
The last 2 weeks my wipers have nearly quit functioning. They don’t go all the way up, will stop in the middle of the windshield, will not go down and when I use the wiper stick to try and get them to go back down the back wiper will start going as well even when I’m not hitting the switch for the back wiper. For the last year, three out of four TPS sensors have quit working as well. The dealership checked them and said they’re reading as if they’re working but the alert is on my dash and they do not read the tire pressure.
NHTSA complaint #11738946 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
On 2/12/2026 I was driving in Gordon County, GA. I was going about 25 MPH when I hit a pothole on the right hand side of the road. It resulted in a split wheel/rim on the right front side of my vehicle. It also damaged the wheel/rim on the right hand back side, as well as breaking the shock absorber on the right back side.
NHTSA complaint #11719083 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
TPMS Failure After IPMA Replacement – “After the dealership replaced the IPMA module on Nov 14, 2025 to address repeated ADAS system failures (BLIS, Cross-Traffic, Pre-Collision Assist, Park Aid, Front Camera Fault), the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) immediately stopped functioning. The FordPass app shows all four tire sensors missing (‘—’) and permanent ‘Tire Pressure Data Delayed’ warnings. This occurred while the vehicle remained in the shop for over 40 days with unresolved ADAS defects. The TPMS failure adds another safety-critical issue following a repair that already failed. This indicates escalating electronic instability and confirms the vehicle is unsafe and unreliable.”
NHTSA complaint #11701079 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while taking the vehicle in for a routine tire rotation, the dealer informed the contact that the lug nuts were swollen, and the tires could not be rotated. The contact's wife purchased a tool to remove the lug nuts and purchased replacement lug nuts. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, who was unable to use the tool to remove the lug nuts. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, AutoNation Ford Gulf Freeway (12227 Gulf Fwy, Houston, TX 77034), who was also unable to use the equipment to remove the lug nuts to replace them lug nuts with ones purchased by the contact. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 74,800. The VIN was not available.
NHTSA complaint #11697180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
Tire pressure monitoring system would go out them come back them go out and now not working at all.
NHTSA complaint #11696639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
I WENT TO TRADE IN MY CAR AND WAS INFORMED THAT FRAME BEHIND FRONT DRIVER SIDE IS ALMOST RUSTED THROUGH. MEANING THE BODY COULD DETACH FROM FRAME OR SOMETHING ELSE DANGEROUS COULD HAPPEN. THIS IS MY ONLY CAR AND NOW I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT.
NHTSA complaint #11694119 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
Upon starting our vehicle, we received several warning lights relating to collision control and that the AWD system had failed. This happened on a Saturday so we had to wait until Monday to bring the car in to the dealer for service. The service department told us that the diagnostic testing indicated that the AWD module and the PTU actuator motor needed to be replaced. Our vehicle is under six years and under 29,000 miles, along with being garage kept and having regular maintenance.
NHTSA complaint #11692156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
My car togs a lot. My tire sensors keep going out. I've smelt gas before while driving. It's very slow going up hill. I hear grinding sounds intermittently
NHTSA complaint #11687030 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
My tire sensors keep going out. I've replace them twice already. It's a concern for my especially traveling at highway speed
NHTSA complaint #11687073 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
Tire pressure default sensor keeps going on and them off after a while. Tires are not low.
NHTSA complaint #11684164 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while receiving regular maintenance, the mechanic informed the contact that the lug nuts were swollen and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that after researching the issue, the contact became aware that the lug nut chrome caps would swell after a while, making the lug nuts difficult to remove with the standard equipment. The vehicle was taken to another mechanic, who was unable to remove the lug nuts due to the swelling. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
NHTSA complaint #11682076 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
I have a 2017 Ford Escape and just had it in the Ford dealer for inspection and was informed that all of my lug nuts are swollen a;nd stripped and need replacement. I checked online and found that this is a recurrent issue with Ford vehicles where the lug nuts can swell due to a two-piece design with a steel core and decorative outer shell, often made of aluminum or chrome. The outer shell can corrode, swell, and delaminate making it difficult or impossible to remove the lug nut with a standard lug wrench. This is a common issue among Ford models and can lead to drivers being stranded with flat tires. There was a Class Action suit started in 2017 that was subsequently dismissed. I feel that this is negligent on Ford's behalf as it is a known design fault and safety issue and they should be issuing a recall to replace these lug nuts at no cost. I agreed to have Ford replace the lug nuts as I was concerned for my safety, should I need to get the lug nuts off. The cost was $267.95 plus 6% tax = $284.03. I was also informed that the replacement lug nuts are the same design and are only guaranteed for 2 years. I fail to understand why this safety issue doesn't warrant a recall to be issued and I should be reimbursed for my replacement.
NHTSA complaint #11677859 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
Subject: Safety Complaint – TPMS & Trunk System Failure on 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid I’m reporting two ongoing issues with my 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid that I believe are connected to a recall I’ve seen issued for other vehicles of the same make and model year. 1. Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS): My dashboard only displays pressure readings for two of the four tires. The other two do not register at all, which makes it difficult to monitor tire safety. 2. Trunk Release Button Failure: The button to electronically open my trunk no longer works. I have to manually open the liftgate each time, which is not how the vehicle was designed to function. The last time I took my vehicle in for a recall-related service, I was told I would need to return to complete additional recall work. I never received follow-up communication, and my VIN currently does not show any active recalls, despite these ongoing issues and my earlier service visit. I have since discovered that other 2020 Ford Escape models have been recalled for failures related to the Body Control Module or related systems—which seem directly tied to my problems. I’m requesting a review of my case, as these failures could compromise vehicle safety. I’d also appreciate consideration for repair assistance or further investigation into whether my VIN should be included in the relevant recalls. Thank you for your time and attention.
NHTSA complaint #11675184 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
Tire pressure monitoring system failure in rear tire. Error message states failure on dashboard. Issue began happening week of July 7, 2025. Vehicle has not been inspected by dealer or other professional.
NHTSA complaint #11672746 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
While driving approximately 70 MPH on the highway, the rear passenger-side wheel rim suddenly failed and blew out, causing the tire to also blow out. The incident caused a sudden jolt and I nearly lost control of the vehicle. Thankfully, I was able to steer safely to the shoulder without crashing, but it was an extremely dangerous situation. The failure of the rim caused significant damage to the rear suspension. The vehicle required the following repairs: New rim Two new tires Right Rear Control Arm – Forward Right Rear Control Arm – Adjustable Right Rear Trailing Arm Lower Rear Lateral Link Rear Suspension Shock Absorber All of this stemmed from the catastrophic failure of the rim at highway speed, which I believe should never occur on a properly maintained vehicle with no prior wheel damage. The failure occurred without hitting debris or a known pothole and was not due to a slow leak or flat—it was a sudden rim failure. This presents a major safety hazard not only to drivers of Ford Escapes but to others on the road. I urge the NHTSA to investigate whether other similar failures have occurred in 2018 Ford Escape models. A recall or formal review may be warranted.
NHTSA complaint #11671741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
Bought 4 new tires from Costco Dec 2023. June 2024 tire rotation showed 5/32 and 6/32. after only 7K miles. Brought tires back to Costco and was told I had to wait to make a warranty claim until they are 2/32! This is forcing me to literally put my family's lives at risk. Finally in June 2025, after ONLY 17,312 miles driven the tires were at 3/32. Filed a warranty claim. Costco did the best they could, but in the end, I now have to buy new tires. I did receive ~$600 for the warranty claim but now have to spend another $432 PLUS an alignment. Total cost for now is $900 + $400 +200 (alignment). Not sure how other people view this, but I think I was completely ripped off. $1500 for new tires? REALLY? Tech stated that Bridgestone knows/knew these tires are/were problematic yet did nothing. These tires NEED TO BE RECALLED, the company investigated for deliberately putting peoples' lives at risk.
NHTSA complaint #11671555 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.