Model year guide

2023 Ford Escape

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2023 Ford Escape is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 301 on record.

2023 Ford Escape at a glance

Safety recalls11
Owner complaints99
Combined26–40 mpg

Free: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

2023 Ford Escape recalls 11

Engine NHTSA Campaign #25V372000 · manufacturer #25S61 · 03/06/2025

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.

Fix: Dealers will replace the cylinder head assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S61.

Electrical System NHTSA Campaign #25V343000 · manufacturer #25S52 · 23/05/2025

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus, 2023-2025 Escape, 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2025 Lincoln Corsair, Maverick, and Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with a 1.5L or 2.0L MPC engine and an engine block heater. The engine block heater may overheat when the vehicle is parked with the block heater plugged in.

Fix: Dealers will replace the block heater element and inspect the electrical cord, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug coupled, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Owner notif…

Engine NHTSA Campaign #25V345000 · manufacturer #25S54 · 23/05/2025

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape, 2021-2023 Corsair, and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines that were repaired incorrectly under recall 23V380. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an eng…

Fix: Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as quickly as possible if they hear unexpected engine noises, notice a reduction in vehicle power, or see smoke. Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2025. Owner…

Back Over Prevention:software NHTSA Campaign #25V315000 · manufacturer #25S49 · 09/05/2025

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2022-2025 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator, and 2023-2024 Corsair vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse.

Fix: The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safet…

Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery:management System/energy Control Module (bms/becm) NHTSA Campaign #24V954000 · manufacturer #24S79 · 20/12/2024

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Ford Escape, and 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.

Fix: Owners are advised not to charge battery till the remedy has been completed. Dealers will perform a battery energy control module (BECM) software update, and replace the high voltage battery pack, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 30, 2025. Owners may conta…

Equipment:other:labels NHTSA Campaign #24V852000 · manufacturer #24C39 · 08/11/2024

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Fix: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.

Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System:injectors NHTSA Campaign #24V634000 · manufacturer #24S54 · 23/08/2024

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2023-2024 Escape, 2024 Mustang, and 2025 Explorer vehicles. The fuel injectors may have been assembled without O-ring support discs, which can result in a fuel leak.

Fix: Dealers will install new fuel injector O-rings and O-ring support discs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 7, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S54.

Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control NHTSA Campaign #24V440000 · manufacturer #24S39 · 14/06/2024

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.

Fix: Dealers will adjust the angle of the radar module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 3, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S39.

Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel NHTSA Campaign #23V506000 · manufacturer #23C25 · 21/07/2023

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 D…

Fix: Dealers will replace the module or instrument panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 4, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C25.

Engine NHTSA Campaign #23V380000 · manufacturer #23S27 · 26/05/2023

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape, 2022-2023 Maverick, and 2021-2023 Corsair vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.

Fix: Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as quickly as possible if they hear unexpected engine noises, notice a reduction in vehicle power, or see smoke. Dealers will replace the engine long-block in 2023 Escape and Corsair vehicles. For the other vehicles, dealers will update the powertr…

Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System NHTSA Campaign #22V859000 · manufacturer #22S73 · 18/11/2022

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.

Fix: Dealers will update the engine control software to include fuel injector leak detection and install a drain tube, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed January 9, 2023. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 1st Quarter of 2023. Own…

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 7 Oct 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

2023 Ford Escape common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 99 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Engine
Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.
Power Train
Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.
Forward Collision Avoidance
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.
Lane Departure
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.
Vehicle Speed Control
Test cruise control and throttle response, and watch for any hesitation or unintended acceleration.

2023 Ford Escape MPG & running costs

Combined26–40 mpg
City34 mpg
Highway34 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$2,058
EPA size classSmall Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios) or Automatic 8-spd
Electric range520 mi
Charge time (240V)3.4 hours
Forced inductionTurbocharged
Engine start-stopYes
5-yr fuel cost vs average new car$2,208 less

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 6 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2023 Ford Escape costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$10,290
Fuel only$10,290
Per mile$0.14

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2023 Ford Escape vehicles on record

Other Ford Escape model years

2023 Ford Escape — frequently asked questions

Does the 2023 Ford Escape have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for the 2023 Ford Escape. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are free.

What are the most common problems with the 2023 Ford Escape?

Across all 99 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are electrical system, engine, power train.

What gas mileage does the 2023 Ford Escape get?

The 2023 Ford Escape has U.S. EPA estimates of 26–40 mpg combined, depending on engine and trim (6 versions).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.