Ford Escape HEV Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 64 consumer complaints across the 3 model years of the Ford Escape HEV (2005–2007) that have at least 5 complaints. 2006 has the most, with 37. Across all years, the part named most often is brakes (33 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All Escape HEV model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 15 | 36,566 | 0 | 3 | — | Stable |
| 2006 | 37 | 68,646 | 1 | 6 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2005 | 12 | 106,500 | 0 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Brakes33 47%
- Electrical system10 14%
- Engine cooling6 8.6%
- Transmission and drivetrain5 7.1%
- Steering5 7.1%
- Engine5 7.1%
- Suspension3 4.3%
- Body and structure3 4.3%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2006: “I was driving my Ford escape and I started to hear a banging noise come from my right rear tire. To later find out that it is my strut tower is rusted out. It is ridiculous that so many people have the same problem and that Ford has not done anything to fix the matter, it is irresponsible.I believe that Ford should take responsibility for their vehicle's and fix them or figure out how to solve the problem.”
NHTSA complaint #10682028, filed 2015-02, 135,000 miles2007: “The brakes do not work. There is little to no braking power when depressing the brake, and the brakes feel stiff to engage. One shop fixed all my rotors and pads and a caliper, but the brakes still did not function. They told me I had to go to a dealer to get the brakes bled... Nothing else could be done. So I took it to a Ford dealer and they said it would cost over $4000 to fix. The main ABS control unit and hydraulic control unit were what the computers said were the problem. After some pleading, they agreed to try a used part for only $900. …”
NHTSA complaint #10965885, filed 2017-03, 172,000 miles2005: “The brakes failed while attempting to stop at a stop sign. The car went through the stop sign. A few minutes later while driving, the ABS and service brakes light came on. I drove the vehicle directly to the dealer. They were not able to look at it until two days later. I was told the brake hoses needed replacing. I replaced them. The brakes seemed to be working. A few days later, I got the service brakes warning, as well as the service 4x4 warning in the info screen. The brakes seemed to be working. This time they replaced the wheel sensor at the dealer. …”
NHTSA complaint #10448561, filed 2012-02, 102,525 milesOther Ford models
38,897 complaintsFord Explorer
34,624 complaintsFord Escape
27,530 complaintsFord Fusion
22,441 complaintsFord Focus
22,107 complaintsFord Taurus
18,162 complaintsFord Windstar
14,152 complaintsFord Edge
14,106 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology