6 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
A software error affects the backup camera. The screen may show a blank image when you shift into reverse, so you cannot see what is behind the vehicle. Or the camera picture may stay on the screen after you have shifted out of reverse, which can distract you while driving forward. Either situation raises the risk of a crash. A dealer will update the rearview camera software free of charge.
On some EcoSports, the shafts that carry power from the transmission to the front wheels can slip out of place. If that happens while you are driving, the engine keeps running but the car stops pulling — you lose drive power, possibly in traffic. A disconnected shaft also means the car may roll away when parked unless the parking brake is set. A dealer will inspect both shafts and replace them if needed. Always set the parking brake until it is fixed.
The belt that drives the engine's oil pump, or the part that keeps that belt tight, can break. Without that belt, oil stops circulating through the engine. The engine can shut off while you are driving, and once it does, the power assist for your brakes goes away, so the brake pedal gets much harder to push. Ford dealers will put in a new belt and tensioner at no cost, and will replace the whole engine free if the broken belt already ruined it.
Some frontal airbags were built without part of the material that inflates them — the first-stage booster propellant and its sleeve are missing. Depending on the vehicle, it is the driver's airbag or the front passenger's airbag that is affected. An airbag missing that material will not inflate the way it is supposed to in a crash, so it will not protect the person sitting in that seat. These vehicles do not meet the federal crash protection standard.
The front seats in these EcoSports have frames that were not welded correctly at the factory. Because of that bad weld, the seat back may not be held firmly in place and can feel loose or move when it shouldn't. The seats don't meet federal safety rules for seating and seat belt anchor points. Ford is replacing the entire front seat assemblies, not just patching the welds, and the work costs owners nothing.
Some EcoSports were shipped with the European brake fluid cap label and a European owner's manual instead of the U.S. versions. Nothing is broken on the car itself, but the wrong label could lead you or a shop to add the wrong kind of brake fluid. The wrong fluid can hurt how well the brakes work. Dealers will swap in the correct brake fluid cap and the correct owner's manual kit at no cost.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the Ford Ecosport. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 726 | 18 | 2 | 10 |
| 2019 | 459 | 7 | 2 | 5 |
| 2020 | 395 | 5 | 8 | 6 |
| 2021 | 258 | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| 2022 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: