2004 Ford Escape: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 715 complaints
715
Total Complaints
111,070mi
Median Mileage
SUSPENSION
Top Issue
49
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

74,000 25th Percentile
111,070 Median Mileage
143,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

SUSPENSION
148
STRUCTURE:BODY
111
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
76
AIR BAGS
41
WHEELS
33
ENGINE
31
STEERING
26
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
26
SERVICE BRAKES
18
POWER TRAIN
15

Severity Assessment

49
Crashes
21
Fires
27
Injuries
1
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A FLAPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER PARKED ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, DISCOVERED THAT REAR RIGHT TIRE COLLAPSED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO CLAIMED THAT THE TIRE WAS PUNCTURED WHICH CAUSED IT T..."
"WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO ACCELERATE FROM 60 MPH TO 70 MPH. WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND REMAINED THERE UNTIL I REACHED A MAXIMUM SPEED OF 110 MPH. I ATTEMPTED TO PUMP THE PEDAL TO UNSTICK IT AND DEPRESSED THE BRAKE. THE ONL..."
"I PURCHASED A 2004 FORD ESCAPE XLT ON 12/8/03. ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP, THE VEHICLE PULLED STRONGLY TO THE LEFT, AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED. ON 12/17/03, THE LEFT REAR POWER WINDOW HAD AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AND WOULD NOT CLOSE. IT WENT INTO SERVICE AND THE ..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28