2011 Ford Escape
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Steering is the leading concern among 1,316 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 10th highest complaint count among 26 Escape model years with reports.
Of the 2011 reports, 38 involved a crash and 7 involved a fire. 38 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpOct 26, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured February 26, 2009, to April 29, 2012, and 2010-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured February 25, 2009, to December 12, 2010. On vehicles with a 3.0L engine, the Fuel Delivery Module (FDM) may crack, causing a fuel leak.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the FDM flange with one that has a redesigned fuel supply port, free of charge. Remedy parts are currently unavailable. Interim notices were mailed to owners on December 13, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S41.
Campaign 16V777000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, front, wheel bearingJun 3, 2015
The Timken Company (Timken) is recalling certain aftermarket front wheel bearings, part number 510072, sold from January 22, 2015, to May 21, 2015, to be used as service parts on 2001-2012 Ford Escape, 2001-2011 Mazda Tribute, and 2005-2011 Mercury Mariner vehicles. The affected wheel bearings have incorrect dimensions of a 42mm bore, 76mm outer dimension, and 39mm width, instead of a 42mm bore, 78mm outer dimension and a 45mm width.
Use of an incorrectly sized wheel bearing can adversely affect the braking and steering of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Timken has begun notifying distributors who will offer purchasers replacement wheel bearings, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015. Owners may contact Timken customer service at 1-866-984-6536.
Campaign 15E045000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, electric power assist systemMay 29, 2014
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured August 18, 2006, through September 11, 2010. The affected vehicles have a steering torque sensor that may not be able to properly detect driver steering input. As a result, the system could remove the Electric Power Steering (EPS) assist.
If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power steering control module (PSCM) and the instrument cluster module, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of the torque sensor signal or fault codes relating to the PSCM when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, the affected components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on July 18, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S05.
Campaign 14V284000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
263 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Feb 25, 2013
I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70MPH WHEN MY CAR SEEMED TO JUST COMPLETELY LOSE POWER. I HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURN IT OFF AND RESTART IT. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED EXACTLY THE SAME A COUPLE OTHER TIMES. ALSO HAPPEN ONCE WHEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY. I WAS AT A BUSY INTERSECTION AND THE CAR LOST POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. I WAS NOT ABLE TO GO ANYWHERE UNTIL I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT. I WAS NEARLY T-BONED AT 5 MONTHS PREGNANT. DEALER WAS HAVING A HARD TIME FIGURING OUT WHAT WAS WRONG BUT FINALLY FIGURED OUT THAT IT WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL. *TR
Power train, Engine, Feb 12, 2013
THREE TIMES WHILE TRAVELING AT 60+ MPH ON THE INTERSTATE THE VEHICLE LOST ALL THROTTLE RESPONSE AND A YELLOW WRENCH ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. TRYING TO NAVIGATE FROM THE LEFT LANE ACROSS 3 LANES OF HIGHSPEED RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WAS VERY DANGEROUS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A BAD THROTTLE BODY. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY. *TR
Power train, Engine, Jan 7, 2013
TURNED ONTO MY STREET ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN COULDN'T GIVE THE CAR ANY GAS. NOTICE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON. COASTED INTO DRIVEWAY TURNED CAR OFF-WAITED A FEW AND TURNED BACK ON. NO LIGHT AND CAR SEEMED FINE. NEXT DAY TOOK CAR OUT AND JUST AFTER GETTING ON HIGHWAY CAR DID THE SAME THING THIS TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL. TURNED OFF AND ON AND WRENCH LIGHT WENT OFF BUT ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. DROVE DIRECTLY TO DEALERSHIP. WAS TOLD IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY GOT STUCK AND WAS BEING REPLACED. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING ON BUSY ROADS! *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Jan 3, 2013
AFTER STOPPING AND UPON ACCELERATION THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN AND THE CAR STALLS. AFTER PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTARTING THE CAR, IT RUNS OKAY. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 4 TIMES OVER A 23 MONTH PERIOD. EACH TIME I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE FIRST TWO TIMES I WAS TOLD THE CAR WAS STILL BREAKING IN AND IT MUST BE DUE TO THE GAS I WAS USING. THE THIRD TIME, THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THE "WRENCH" LIGHT ONLY CAME ON ONCE. THEY SAID THEY HAD A NUMBER OF VEHICLES THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED WITH AND REPLACING THE THROTTLE BODY HELPED. THREE WEEKS AFTER THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY, IT HAPPENED AGAIN! THIS TIME ONLY THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. FORD SAYS THEY NEED A CODE TO TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS ONE OTHER PERSON, WHO HAS THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AS MINE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TOO. THIS PERSON ALSO HAD THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED. THE FACT THAT NO CODE IS TRIPPED IS A PROBLEM IN ITSELF! PLEASE HELP! I DO NOT WANT ANYONE TO BE KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed control, Dec 18, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SHOULDER AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE A TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,000. UPDATED 01/09/13*LJ
Engine, Dec 17, 2012
I WAS DRIVING AT 55MPH GOING EAST ON 301. I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN TO TURN LEFT ONTO 305, CROSSING OVER 301 WEST. AFTER STOPPING, I ACCELERATED TO CROSS OVER 301 WEST TO TURN ONTO 305 AND THE ENGINE DIED. LUCKILY I HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO DRIFT ACROSS THE ROAD AND MADE IT SAFELY ONTO THE SHOULDER OF 301. IF I DIDN'T I WOULD HAVE BEEN T-BONED BY CARS TRAVELING <55+MPH. *TR
Engine, Dec 17, 2012
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROX 55 TO 60 MILES PER HOUR I SUDDENLY, WITHOUT ANY KIND OF WARNING, LIGHT ETC, BEGAN TO QUICKLY SLOW DOWN. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING BUT I DID NOT HAVE ANY FORWARD POWER. I PULLED OVER, TURNED IT OFF AND BACK ON, THE ENGINE LIGHT AND WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON, THE WRENCH LIGHT WENT OUT BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. I STARTED IT BACK UP, DROVE DOWN THE BERM AT ABOUT 15-20 AND IT DID IT AGAIN; I STOPPED TURNED IT OFF AND BACK ON AND MANAGED TO GET OFF THE INTERESTATE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY; THIS WAS THE THROTTLE BODY THAT CAME ON THE VEHICLE. ABOUT $382.00 LATER MY CAR SEEMS TO BE DOING OKAY. MY POINT.....THIS IS DANGEROUS, EXTREMELY DANGEROUS - LUCKILY I DIDN'T HAVE A TRACTOR TRAILER BEARING DOWN ON ME....HOWEVER, THERE WERE SEVERAL HORNS AND ABRUPT STOPS. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THESE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. *TR
Engine, Dec 4, 2012, crash
2011 FORD ESCAPE ENGINE STALLS AT RANDOM TIMES: I BOUGHT THE CAR AS A FORD CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED VEHICLE IN AUGUST 2012. IN NOVEMBER THE STALLING ISSUE STARTED. IT'S HAPPENED TO ME THREE TIMES NOW. THE CAR JUST SHUTS OFF AND GOES INTO SOME TYPE OF IDLE MODE AND A LITTLE ORANGE WRENCH APPEARS ON THE DASH. TWO TIMES ON THE INTERSTATE AND AGAIN ONE MORNING COMING INTO WORK. WHEN IT STALLED ON THE FREEWAY I WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH AND HAD TO PULL OFF INTO THE GRASS -- HIT SOMETHING AND BLEW A FRONT TIRE. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. AFTER CHANGING THE FRONT TIRE IT STARTED RIGHT BACK UP BUT ONLY MADE IT 45 MINUTES BEFORE STALLING AGAIN (THIS TIME AT 45 MPH AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD). HAD SAME STALLING ISSUE ON THE WAY TO WORK BUT AT A LOWER SPEED. *TR
Engine, Oct 24, 2012
WHILE SITTING AT A BUSY INTERSECTION, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY...NO WARNING OR NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. I HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTART. A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL OTHER TIMES. LAST NIGHT, I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN IT SHUT DOWN AGAIN. I WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED BY THE CAR BEHIND ME. I TRAVEL 35 MILES EACH WAY TO WORK...INCLUDING SOME HIGHWAYS WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 55MPH. I'M AFRAID IT WILL HAPPEN THERE AND I'LL BE REAR-ENDED BY SOME TAIL-GATER. *TR
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 13, 2012
WHILE DRIVING THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR JUST DIED, HAD TO PULL OVER, THE 2ND TIME I WAS GOING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE AND GOING ABOUT 70 MPH I WAS LUCKY THERE WAS A PLACE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, BUT THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND STAYED ON FOR THE ENTIRE TRIP. WHEN I ARRIVED HOME AND SHUT THE CAR OFF AND STARTED IT AGAIN THE LIGHT WAS OFF. I LOOKED INTO THIS SINCE I HAVE ELDERLY PEOPLE I TAKE TO AND FROM DR. VISITS AND THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE 2005 , I HAVE READ THE COMPLAINTS ON LINE, MY QUESTION IS DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO BE IN A BAD ACCIDENT OR EVEN DIE BEFORE FORD WILL RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM? *TR
Power train, Engine, Jun 20, 2012
WHILE I WAS DRIVING 55 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE IN THE MIDDLE LANE WHEN SUDDENLY, WITH NO WARNING, WE WERE NO LONGER ABLE TO GET ENOUGH THROTTLE TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD. WE HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WE WERE ALMOST REAR-ENDED, I REALLY THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO BE KILLED. IT IS A VERY SCARY SITUATION, GOING FROM 55 MPH TO NOTHING. THE THROTTLE BODY FAILED COMPLETELY AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON THIS I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING MY SISTERS 2010 FORD ESCAPE WITH ONLY 45000 MILES ON IT. I HAD JUST HAD MY 30,000 MILE SERVICE DONE ON MY VEHICLE TWO WEEKS PRIOR AND ASKED THEM TO PLEASE CHECK THE THROTTLE BODY SINCE IT HAD HAPPENED TO MY SISTER, AND IT WAS FINE AT THAT TIME. I BELIEVE SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. WHEN I ASKED WHAT WAS TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN I WAS TOLD, "NOTHING, IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AT ANY TIME". WHEN I ASKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT, I WAS TOLD,"I HAVE BEEN WAITING ON A RECALL ON THIS FOR TWO YEARS." I WAS TOLD THIS FROM A FORD SERVICE PERSON AT THE FORD PLACE THAT REPAIRED MY VEHICLE IN INDIANA. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO FORD AT THE 800-392-FORD NUMBER THAT THE SAME FORD SERVICE WORKER GAVE ME WHEN I ASKED IF THERE WAS SOME PLACE I COULD CALL ABOUT THIS SITUATION TO HELP GET A RECALL. I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN MY VEHICLE. *JS
Engine and engine cooling, May 22, 2012
ON THE 5TH DAY OF USE OF MY NEW VEHICLE, I WAS RIDING AT 60 MPH ON A RAINY DAY WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER STOP WORKING, MY WINDOWS START FOGGING. THERE WAS NO CAR LIGHT ALARMS, CAR TEMPERATURE NORMAL (NO THERMOSTAT ALARM). I TOOK THE CAT TO FORD SERVICE, IT TOOK 4 DAYS TO FIX THE PROBLEM, FINDING OUT THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE THERMOSTAT AND AS A CONSEQUENCE IT AFECT THE AIR CONDITIONER. *TT
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 19, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AFTER SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO COAST AND STALL. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE TO THE NORMAL SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST BUT THERE WERE NO ERROR CODES. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR DUPLICATING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO STATED A CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE WILL CONTACT HIM WITHIN THE NEXT TWO DAYS. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,800.