Model year 2026 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
2026 Ford Escape: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings
EPA rates the 2026 Ford Escape at 26–40 mpg combined across 5 versions. NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 4 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.
Safety recalls
3
EPA combined mpg
26–40
NHTSA overall rating
5/5
Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT
NHTSA lists this vehicle as ESCAPE PHEV.
Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Ford dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.
2026 Ford Escape recalls
NHTSA's recall file lists 3 safety recalls for the 2026 Ford Escape, newest first.
Power train: Automatic transmission: Internal: Park pawl
NHTSA 26V301000Reported May 12, 2026
Filed by
Ford Motor Company (manufacturer recall no. 25C69)
Units affected
208 (estimate)
Problem
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Escape and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The integrated park module may fail to lock into the park position when the driver shifts into park. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Risk
A loss of park function can allow the vehicle to rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
The Secondary On Board Diagnostic Module C (SOBDMC) software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 16, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C69. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 15, 2026. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V863.
Ford Motor Company (manufacturer recall no. 25SC4)
Units affected
25,237 (estimate)
Problem
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Ford Escape and 2023-2026 Lincoln Corsair plug-in hybrid vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.
Risk
Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will update the battery energy control module (BECM) and hybrid powertrain control module (HPCM) software, free of charge. Owners are advised to only use "Auto EV" mode and will be instructed by mail to limit the maximum charge of the battery until the remedy has been completed. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SC4. This recall expands previous recall numbers 24V954 and 25V489. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 18, 2026.
Ford Motor Company (manufacturer recall no. 25C68)
Units affected
780 (estimate)
Problem
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Corsair and Escape vehicles. The seat belt retractors for the left and right rear passenger seats may not be securely fastened.
Risk
An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and secure, or replace the seat belt retractor bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 26, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C68. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 15, 2025.
Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.
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2026 Ford Escape fuel economy by version
EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination; electric figures are in MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent). Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.
Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.
EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.
2026 Ford Escape crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
2026 Ford Escape NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Rollover risk
Forward collision warning
2026 FORD ESCAPE GAS SUV N/A AWD
5 stars
5 stars
5 stars
4 stars
17.4%
No
2026 FORD ESCAPE GAS SUV N/A FWD
5 stars
5 stars
5 stars
4 stars
16.9%
No
2026 FORD ESCAPE HEV SUV HEV AWD
5 stars
5 stars
5 stars
4 stars
17.4%
No
2026 FORD ESCAPE HEV SUV HEV FWD
5 stars
5 stars
5 stars
4 stars
16.9%
No
2026 FORD ESCAPE PHEV SUV PHEV FWD
5 stars
4 stars
5 stars
4 stars
14.3%
No
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.
Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.
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2026 Ford Escape owner complaints
Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 Ford Escape, most recently on Aug 29, 2026. 0 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.
Most-cited components in 2026 Ford Escape complaints
Component named in complaints
Mentions
Electrical system
2
Engine
2
Fuel/propulsion system
1
Service brakes
1
Unknown or other
1
Visibility/wiper
1
Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.
