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Buying a used 2020 Ford Escape? Check these 23 recalls first
23 NHTSA recalls · 1,523 owner complaints on file
Every listed recall on this year is rated critical, and nearly all describe a leak or short that can lead to an engine-bay fire — transmission fluid, engine oil, fuel injectors, hybrid battery, block heater. None carry a stop-driving or park-outside warning. Its 1,523 NHTSA complaints are by far the most of any Escape year here; these are unverified owner reports, concentrated in structure (605), power train and electrical, with 20 crashes, 4 fires and 28 injuries alleged.
Before you buy
- Get the 17-character VIN from the seller and run it at nhtsa.gov/recalls. It shows which recalls are still unrepaired on that exact car.
- Run the VIN through NHTSA to confirm the fuel injector and oil leak recalls were actually completed.
- If it's a hybrid, ask whether the battery short-circuit and engine fire recalls were done — and re-done, since one recall covers a bad prior repair.
- Look and smell for fuel, oil or transmission fluid seepage in the engine bay and under the car.
- Open recalls are repaired free at any Ford dealer, whoever owns the car — an open recall is a to-do item, not a bill.
Recalls covering the 2020 Ford Escape
| Recall | Area | Severity |
|---|
| Ford and Lincoln transmission leak creates fire risk | Power Train | critical |
| Ford Escape and Bronco Sport can leak engine oil | Engine And Engine Cooling | critical |
| Ford Escape, Maverick and Lincoln Corsair engine fire risk | Engine And Engine Cooling | critical |
| Ford Escape and Bronco Sport fuel injector may leak | Fuel System, Gasoline | critical |
| Ford Escape, Maverick and Corsair hybrid engines can catch fire | Engine | critical |
| Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair hybrid battery short circuit | Electrical System | critical |
| Ford Escape and Bronco Sport fuel injector may leak | Fuel System, Gasoline | critical |
| Ford Escape and Maverick hybrids: bad repair leaves fire risk | Engine | critical |
| Ford Bronco Sport and Escape fuel leak can cause fire | Fuel System, Gasoline | critical |
| Ford and Lincoln engine block heaters can catch fire | Equipment | critical |
| Ford and Lincoln seat backs may be dangerously weak | Seats | high |
| Ford Escape and Transit side curtain airbags may not inflate | AIR Bags | high |
| Ford and Lincoln SUVs may lose rear axle lubricant | Power Train | high |
| Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair hybrids may lose drive power | Electrical System | high |
| Ford Maverick, Escape and Lincoln Corsair may lose power | Power Train | high |
| Ford Escape brake pads may lengthen stopping distance | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | high |
| Ford and Lincoln backup camera image may go blank | Back Over Prevention | medium |
| Ford Escape may not warn of low tire pressure | Electrical System | medium |
| Ford and Lincoln rearview cameras may show blank image | Back Over Prevention | medium |
| Ford Escape, Explorer, Lincoln backup camera image may flip | Back Over Prevention | medium |
| Ford Explorer, Escape and Lincoln wiper motors may quit | Visibility | medium |
| Ford and Lincoln vehicles missing dashboard airbag warning label | Equipment | low |
| Ford Escape liftgate hinge covers can fall off | Structure | low |
What owners have reported to NHTSA
1,523 complaints filed for this model year, including 20 mentioning a crash, 4 a fire and 28 injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, and popular models collect more of them simply because more are on the road.
| Problem area | Complaints | Recall in this area? |
|---|
| Structure | 605 | Yes |
| Power Train | 236 | Yes |
| Fuel System | 194 | Yes |
| Electrical System | 155 | Yes |
| Engine | 120 | Yes |
Other model years