With 4 recalls and 71 complaints, the 2023 Ford Escape rates as elevated on the safety concern scale. Always run the VIN through NHTSA's lookup tool before signing.

Recalls

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Recall Findings

22V8590002022-18-11

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment.

A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.

View at NHTSA

23V5060002023-21-07

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Escape, Super Duty F-250, Super Duty F-350, Super Duty F-450, and Super Duty F-550 vehicles equipped with a digital instrument panel cluster. The module may have been improperly soldered, preventing the instrument panel from illuminating. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."

An inoperable instrument panel cannot show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, which may increase the risk of a crash.

View at NHTSA

24V4400002024-14-06

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Escape two-wheel drive vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise control. The cruise control radar module was misaligned during production.

Misalignment of the radar module can result in the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) misclassifying an overhead object as an object in the vehicle's path, causing the vehicle to unexpectedly slow and/or stop. Other safety systems that depend on the radar model (Pre-Collision Assist, Forward Collision Warning, and Auto Emergency Braking) could have diminished or lost function. These conditions increase the risk of a crash.

View at NHTSA

View all 4 recalls

25V3720002025-03-06

ENGINE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Escape, and 2025 Bronco Sport vehicles. The cylinder head may have been improperly manufactured, which can cause the ball plugs to fail, resulting in an oil leak.

An oil leak can result in loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.

View at NHTSA

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

Top Complaint Areas

The 2023 Ford Escape's biggest weak point? ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. It leads 71 total complaints spanning 1 years. Budget for a thorough pre-purchase inspection, especially in that area.

01Electrical System12

02Power Train8

03Engine8

04Unknown Or Other4

05Electrical System,engine3

71 total across 1 model years (2023–2023)Full data at NHTSA.gov

Ford Escape Fuel Economy

26–40mpg combined

23-42city

31-37hwy

$1,100-$1,700/yr

Fuel economy for the 2023 Ford Escape ranges from 26 to 40 MPG combined across 6 setups. The table below breaks it down by trim so you know exactly what you're signing up for.

By Trim

Escape FWD PHEV - Automatic (variable gear ratios)

40mpg

2.5L 4-cyl · Front-Wheel Drive

42 city37 hwy~$1,100/yr10/10 Clean

Escape AWD HEV - Automatic (variable gear ratios)

39mpg

2.5L 4-cyl · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive

42 city36 hwy~$1,100/yr7/10 Clean

Escape FWD HEV - Automatic (variable gear ratios)

39mpg

2.5L 4-cyl · Front-Wheel Drive

42 city36 hwy~$1,100/yr7/10 Clean

Escape FWD - Automatic 8-spd

30mpg

1.5L 3-cyl Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive

27 city34 hwy~$1,450/yr6/10 Average

Escape AWD - Automatic 8-spd

28mpg

1.5L 3-cyl Turbo · All-Wheel Drive

26 city32 hwy~$1,550/yr6/10 Average

Escape AWD - Automatic 8-spd

26mpg

2.0L 4-cyl Turbo · All-Wheel Drive

23 city31 hwy~$1,700/yr5/10 Average

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Where to Find 2023 Ford Escape

38States

26%in top 3

The biggest cluster of inventory is in Michigan (11%), but the remaining listings are spread across 37 other states nationwide.

MIMichigan

1,82111%

TXTexas

1,4159%

FLFlorida

1,1057%

PAPennsylvania

1,0526%

MOMissouri

9176%

ILIllinois

8625%

OHOhio

6964%

DEDelaware

6144%

MNMinnesota

4773%

CACalifornia

4403%

GAGeorgia

4323%

NCNorth Carolina

4183%

INIndiana

4082%

NYNew York

3922%

DCWashington DC

3532%

MDMaryland

3362%

AZArizona

3152%

TNTennessee

3152%

NJNew Jersey

2892%

KY279

NH276

CO275

WI267

OK234

WA208

OR174

NV140

UT138

IA133

NE131

AL129

VA127

ME126

MA124

RI117

KS104

NM92

ID85

Geographic distribution reflects all active listings for this model, not just 2023.

Buying a 2023 Ford Escape?

Answers to common buyer questions

Is the 2023 Ford Escape a good car to buy?

The 2023 Ford Escape has 4 recalls on record. There are 4 recalls on record, so check that they've been completed before buying. The most commonly reported issue area is electrical system, which is worth inspecting during a test drive. Review the safety data and pricing breakdown above.

Are there recalls on the 2023 Ford Escape?

There are 4 documented recalls for the 2023 Ford Escape. Don't let that scare you; most are routine. Just make sure they're all resolved before you sign. Details in the safety overview.

What's the gas mileage of the 2023 Ford Escape?

Fuel economy ranges from 26 to 40 MPG combined. If you drive 15,000 miles a year, that gap is worth about $707 annually. See the fuel economy section for per-trim data.

What are common problems with the 2023 Ford Escape?

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM is the number-one complaint area for the 2023 Ford Escape, based on 71 NHTSA filings. During a test drive, pay extra attention to this system. See the known issues section for the full breakdown.