2011 Ford Escape Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 26about this part
- Share
- 2%of 1,319 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 65,000miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 26 complaints about the air bags of the 2011 Ford Escape, 2% of the 1,319 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 65,000 miles. 18 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I was t-boned while making a right hand turn in the driver's door. I was driving the car. The damage resulted in $15,500 + resulting in a total loss. I went to the er suffering from head trauma. I sustained a significant concussion, was out of work for 1 week. My air bags never went off.”
NHTSA complaint #10544626, filed 2013-09, 46,000 miles“I just got off the freeway on ramp and slowed for traffic. Traffic just started to go so, I just took my foot of the brake and slowly proceeded to move, when out of nowhere I was thrown forward and out of my seat. The violent impact pushed my vehicle into a truck in front of me, that impact caused me to fly backwards and my driver's seat broke. My concern is that the airbags didn't go off and my seat broke causing injury. The seat should have never broke.”
NHTSA complaint #10668522, filed 2014-12, 24,000 miles“My wife was in a accident involving her 2011 Ford Escape. She was hit in the front end by another vehicle and her car was totaled. Her air bag didn't deploy!! She was beat up and bruised quite a bit but was lucky to not have any broken bones. I believe that if either vehicle were traveling faster than they were she might had been severely injured if not killed. I sent Ford the info including the VIN number 3 days ago and have not had a reply. Do you think this was an anomaly or have you heard other Ford escapes with the same issue?? …”
NHTSA complaint #10924449, filed 2016-11, 98,000 miles“Takata recall on may 11th 2019, my auntie and I were involved in a accident that was no fault of my own. A black toyota stop in front of when us, I hit the brakes on impact, the airbags deployed and blowup in my face, knocking out one of my crowns and shift my teeth, I went to the dentist office after leaving the hospital, the doctor told me I swallowed particles and my left side of my face would not stop hurting, I also let the dentist know the airbag blowup in my face, he found my root canal was framed in half, in order to fix the problem I would have to pay 12,000.00 of my own money to…”
NHTSA complaint #11254038, filed 2019-09, 100,000 miles“My fiance was driving my Escape and had an accident she rearended a truck and none of the airbags went off and the motor was pushed all the way back to the firewall.”
NHTSA complaint #10663254, filed 2014-12, 60,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10038965Apr 1, 2011Comm-trans lund: some 2009-2011 models may have the air bag inicator flashing with a stored trouble code. This is a software problem.
Air bags: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 4% |
| 2024 | 6 | 8% |
| 2023 | 1 | 1% |
| 2022 | 4 | 2% |
| 2021 | 2 | 1% |
| 2020 | 13 | 1% |
| 2019 | 11 | 2% |
| 2018 | 9 | 0% |
| 2017 | 21 | 1% |
| 2016 | 25 | 2% |
| 2015 | 17 | 2% |
| 2014 | 32 | 2% |
| 2013 | 54 | 2% |
| 2012 | 25 | 4% |
| 2011 | 26 | 2% |
| 2010 | 14 | 1% |
| 2009 | 14 | 1% |
| 2008 | 31 | 2% |
| 2007 | 12 | 5% |
| 2006 | 17 | 4% |
| 2005 | 34 | 2% |
| 2004 | 45 | 9% |
| 2003 | 60 | 11% |
| 2002 | 79 | 8% |
| 2001 | 63 | 6% |
| 2000 | 1 | 20% |
Other parts of the 2011 Ford Escape
412 complaintsFuel system
284 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
268 complaintsEngine
248 complaintsVehicle speed control
245 complaintsElectrical system
117 complaintsOther or unknown
58 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
45 complaintsBody and structure
43 complaintsSuspension
32 complaintsBrakes
26 complaintsEngine cooling
17 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2011 Ford Escape
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology