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The 2021 Ford Escape has 326 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 active recall campaign on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2021 Ford Escape has 326 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall on file (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). The most-reported system is body at 80 complaints, typically surfacing around 44,045 miles (~$1,500 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Escape | 1,742 | 2 |
| 2019 Escape | 564 | 2 |
| 2020 Escape | 1,487 | 4 |
| 2021 Escape (this page) | 326 | 1 |
| 2022 Escape | 223 | 5 |
| 2023 Escape | 94 | 4 |
| 2024 Escape | 75 | 2 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Standard
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2021 Ford Escape SUV AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: brakes is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 12,998 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 1 active recall on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.0/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
When owners report each system failing, in actual miles — so you can see what's likely behind you, what's due around now, and what to budget for next. Enter your mileage to mark where you are.
"Typical" = median owner-reported failure mileage from the NHTSA complaint record for this exact year and model. Not a maintenance schedule — a heads-up on where this model's failures cluster.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing, there was a loud screeching sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who performed an unstated service on the vehicle, but the failure persisted. No further…
The contact leased a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes emitted an abnormal squealing sound. The contact stated that the failure mainly occurred while reversing. Additionally, a message indicating that the Forward…
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond while in reverse(R). In addition, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was…
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the front driver's and passenger's side doors failed to close properly. The contact had to forcefully close the doors. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the front driver's and…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
A sudden loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. AQ22002 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.0 out of 10 based on 326 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 Ford Escape is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
The 2021 Ford Escape is a higher-risk ownership prospect. Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open. The record behind that call: Brakes: 36 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 2,000–18,000 mi; Powertrain: 35 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 55,137–90,147 mi; Reliability score 7.0/10 — around the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the body first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 80 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 44,045 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,500 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.0 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 326 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is body. Typical failure occurs around 44,045 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is body, with 80 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 44,045 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,500 at an independent shop.
The body is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,500 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 44,045 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 326 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,500, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.