The Lemon Index2024 Ford Escape.
The 2024 Ford Escape is so far better than average by owner complaints: 88 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 70, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about electrical, it has 8 recalls, and it gets 26 to 39 mpg combined. The best Ford Escape year is 2019.
Early read
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 88 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Ford Escape year. 2024 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 4K to 19K miles on the car (15 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
Recalls 8
- engine 2025
The cylinder head may have been improperly manufactured, which can cause the ball plugs to fail, resulting in an oil leak.
- electrical 2025
The engine block heater may overheat when the vehicle is parked with the block heater plugged in.
- back over prevention 2025
A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse.
Show all 8 recalls
- electrical 2024
A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.
- equipment 2024
The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard.
- electrical 2024
The passenger side instrument panel cover may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended.
- fuel system, gasoline 2024
The fuel injectors may have been assembled without O-ring support discs, which can result in a fuel leak.
- automatic emergency braking 2024
The cruise control radar module was misaligned during production.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Ford told dealers about
Ford sent dealers 158 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- 2024 Escape/Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines should not be taken out of…
- Various AWD/4WD/4x4 warning messages
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Escape SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ford Escape SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ford Escape HEV SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ford Escape HEV SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $1650–2450 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 1.5L 3-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl.
In owners' words
Instrument screen went black. Was unable to power screen back on. Noted screen was hot to touch. After about 5 min screen powered back on by itself.
2024 Ford Escape owner · NHTSA complaint 11729255
More owner reports
Possible battery short circuit. Safety recall issued months ago. recall no. 24V954 /24S79)
NHTSA complaint 11757604
Blind spot fault, Pre-collision assist fault, Cross-traffic system fault warning icons appeared on dashboard in June 2024. Been to the Ford service dept. four times with no resolution.
NHTSA complaint 11663680
Quick answers
Is the 2024 Ford Escape reliable?
It's too early to be sure. So far it has drawn 1.4× fewer complaints than average per car sold, against other 2024 cars after the same time on the road (early Lemon Index 70; 100 is average). The best Ford Escape year by this measure since 2010 is 2025.
What are the most common 2024 Ford Escape problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are electrical (41%), automatic emergency braking (30%) and lane assist (20%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2024 Ford Escape have?
8 safety recalls (latest: engine). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2024 Ford Escape get?
26 to 39 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2024 Ford Escape safe?
NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
Does the 2024 Ford Escape have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2024 Ford Escape cost in fuel a year?
About $1650 to $2450 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2024 Ford Escape have?
1.5L 3-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl.
What Ford Escape year is better than the 2024?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2019, 2015 and 2018.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works