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Vehicle speed controlPart report

2023 Ford Escape Vehicle speed control Problems

Complaints
7about this part
Share
7%of 102 total for the year
Median mileage
—not reported
Trend
Too newThis model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.

NHTSA recorded 7 complaints about the vehicle speed control of the 2023 Ford Escape, 7% of the 102 complaints for this model year. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“I drive a 2023 Ford escape active, 8F35 transmission, with 111,114 miles on it. I purchased my car in July 2025 from truauto of Ladson SC with 93,000 miles on it. Had a transmission complete failure in December 2025 (5 months after buying). Ford dealership in Valdosta Georgia (where I lived) was no help in trying to get it fixed and it sat on there lot for a months or so, because it was undriveable. I got it towed back to SC to get it fixed by a local transmission shop and it is being halted due to a current planetary lawsuit with these cars for parts. …”

NHTSA complaint #11718102, filed 2026-02

“I have had many issues with this vehicle. Most concerning is that the other night while driving down the road at night, my car blacked out and I had no lights inside or headlights outside while driving in the dark. My back hatch button only works when it wants to. My screen freezes every once in awhile and also makes horrible noises very frequently. I’ve had one case of my screen freezing on a longer drive with my seat warmer on and the seats getting too hot and burning me. My safety features shut off all the time. My cruise control wouldn’t work at all on a 4 hour drive last month. …”

NHTSA complaint #11720435, filed 2026-02

“**On August 19, 2026, while driving my 2023 Ford Escape on Interstate 57 (I-57), with approximately 35,575 miles on the vehicle, the vehicle suddenly accelerated unexpectedly. I immediately attempted to apply the brakes, but the vehicle did not respond as expected and I could not stop it immediately. I became very frightened and started sounding the horn and turned on the hazard warning lights. I noticed that the lane immediately to my right was relatively clear, so I moved into that lane and applied the brakes again. The vehicle then responded to the brakes, allowing me to slow down and stop. …”

NHTSA complaint #11758424, filed 2026-08

“While pulling into a residential parking space at low speed, the vehicle (2023 Ford Escape) suddenly accelerated unexpectedly without additional throttle input. The acceleration was abrupt and forceful, and I was unable to stop the vehicle before it struck the structure in front of the parking space. The incident occurred at very low speed and under normal driving conditions. The driver was applying the brake at the time of the unintended acceleration. Airbags deployed upon impact. There were no prior warning lights or indications of a mechanical issue before the incident. …”

NHTSA complaint #11735200, filed 2026-05

“The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving with the cruise control set to 45 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated to 65 MPH. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer and was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was unknown.”

NHTSA complaint #11580041, filed 2024-03

Vehicle speed control: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202528%
202445%
202377%
202294%
202151%
2020201%
201981%
2018231%
2017311%
2016323%
2015141%
2014422%
2013923%
20127012%
201124519%
201055827%
200927916%
20081759%
20074016%
20069921%
200514911%
20049820%
20039016%
200210010%
200110711%

Other parts of the 2023 Ford Escape

Electrical system
41 complaints
Engine
28 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
25 complaints
Forward collision avoidance
11 complaints
Other or unknown
9 complaints
Fuel system
7 complaints
Lane departure
7 complaints
Body and structure
5 complaints
Brakes
4 complaints
Engine cooling
4 complaints
Back-over prevention (rear camera)
3 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
3 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2023 Ford Escape

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 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