Despite solid crash test ratings from both the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the 2015 Ford Escape simply has too many unaddressed complaints, from electrical failures to cracked engine blocks, to be a smart used SUV purchase.
- The 2015 Ford Escape earned Good ratings in most categories from the IIHS, except for a pair of Poor ratings in front impact tests.
- There are seven recalls for the 2015 Escape on file with the NHTSA, with two investigations and 555 complaints.
- Engine hesitation and overheat may be the result of a cracked engine block and coolant leak.
- There have been two recalls for rollaway due to a degraded cable bushing.
- Electrical issues are a major concern, with power steering failure taking the lead.
Engine May Hesitate and Overheat
Out of 555 total driver complaints, engine and powertrain reports take a substantial lead at 117 and 160 reports, respectively. One recent complaint reports that the SUV simply failed to accelerate properly while at speed. Another driver reports that the temperature gauge topped out at “FULL HOT” in mere seconds.
Other drivers report transmission slip and rough shifting, total engine failure occurring out of nowhere, and loud knocking and smoking. Thus far there have been no investigations into these issues, and there have been no recalls pertaining to engine overheat or failure.
One affected driver reports their trip to the mechanic resulting in a diagnosis of coolant leak, or “coolant invasion of the #1 cylinder,” potentially owing to a flawed engine block. This would seem to be corroborated by reports of cracked engine blocks.
Whether this explains all of these engine and powertrain failures, or even a significant percentage of them, who can say. But with nothing else to go on, that seems like as likely a culprit as anything for the moment. Engine failure has typically been reported in the low 100,000 range.
The 2015 Escape Has Been Recalled for Rollaway Twice
There was a recall for just under 100,000 2015 Escapes in early 2022 concerning rollaway. In affected vehicles, specifically those with 2.0L engines, the bushing that attached the shifter cable to the transmission had a tendency to degrade and detach, especially with exposure to road salt.
Should that happen, you might shift your Escape into park without the SUV actually going into park. This would result in vehicle rollaway if parked on an incline or someone were to bump your vehicle in any way. You can use the parking brake, of course, but it’s not uncommon for that to slip a driver’s mind.
A second recall was issued just a couple months later, this time for nearly three million Ford units in total, including a number of 2013-2019 model Escapes. It was the same problem this time: cable bushings had a tendency to degrade, leaving your SUV rolling down the street.
Unfortunately, there have been a number of complaints related to the issue. Specifically, because of the sheer scale of this recall, dealers are running out of parts, and drivers are waiting around for replacements to ship, leaving them with unrepaired vehicles in the meantime.
Power Steering Failure Leads Long List of Electrical Problems
There are 81 complaints on file for electrical system problems, and 55 for steering, with a common complaint being that the power steering will simply go out while you’re driving. In some instances, this is accompanied by a loss of electrical power or engine shutdown.
A recall was issued in 2015 for inoperative instrument clusters, and another that same year for an issue where the engine would stay on when the driver attempts to turn it off. But these are only two issues among a whole range of electrical problems.
Quite often, if you’re seeing a whole bunch of different electrical problems, the issue comes down to rats and mice chewing through the wires. Electrical wiring these days is typically coated in a soy-based material rather than plastic, and rodents can’t get enough of this stuff.
This might not explain each and every incident. But if you are seeing electrical glitches in your 2015 Escape, it might be worth looking under the hood for the signs of rodent infestation, and applying some repellent before the problem gets any worse.
Age and Unaddressed Complaints Make the 2015 Ford Escape a Poor Choice of Used SUV
There’s a lot to like about the 2015 Ford Escape, but when you combine the vehicle’s age with electrical failures and reports of cracked engine blocks, there’s simply too much here to worry about. Simply put, it’s hard to feel confident behind the wheel of this SUV.
Every creak and pop you hear under the hood, you’re going to be sweating bullets wondering if the transmission is finally going to give out. Every electrical glitch will seem like a prelude to engine shutdown. You don’t need that kind of stress on the road when you could just go with a newer model or a Honda CR-V.
