My car had been having no issues and working as expected. I left to depart for my destination and my driver's door made a terrible grinding noise and didn't open smoothly. There was resistance. I am able to drive the vehicle without issue, but I cannot open the driver's door all the way. My local Ford Dealership won't repai…
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My car had been having no issues and working as expected. I left to depart for my destination and my driver's door made a terrible grinding noise and didn't open smoothly. There was resistance. I am able to drive the vehicle without issue, but I cannot open the driver's door all the way. My local Ford Dealership won't repair the door, citing that I need to wait for the recall from Ford. I'd like to have a fully functional door on the vehicle I purchased.
NHTSA ODI #11574418
Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2024
Structure
The driver side front door welds have broken on the door closer. The window now operates sporadacially and the door does not always properly latch. The door has opened to the first catch at times. The dealer tells me that the cost will be $4200 to fix. The whole door needs to be replaced.
NHTSA ODI #11574120
74,000 miles · Feb 26, 2024
Structure
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that while opening the front driver's side door, the door made an abnormal metallic sound. Additionally, the contact stated that the door failed to close as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the door check arm spot welds were f…
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The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that while opening the front driver's side door, the door made an abnormal metallic sound. Additionally, the contact stated that the door failed to close as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the door check arm spot welds were fractured. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
NHTSA ODI #11573957
Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 2024
Structure
On the driver door, the door check welds have failed. Heard a grinding clunking sound and had my mechanic look at the car; he identified what had occurred. I have researched online and found instances where once this is broken the door might open without warning. Because of this I am very gentle in using the door, opening it j…
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On the driver door, the door check welds have failed. Heard a grinding clunking sound and had my mechanic look at the car; he identified what had occurred. I have researched online and found instances where once this is broken the door might open without warning. Because of this I am very gentle in using the door, opening it just enough to get inside. I do not use the window. I had my dealer body shop look at the door and they advised this is a problem they have been seeing. Their repair estimate is about $750. That’s just to rivet the part in place. They advised that to replace the part is approximately $2500. The odd sound the door was making started gradually and became worse. I first noticed a couple of months ago. There were no warning lights or messages prior to failure.
NHTSA ODI #11572764
21,500 miles · Feb 12, 2024
Electrical SystemStructure
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. That contact stated that upon entering the vehicle, the driver's side door opened abnormally wide, after which the driver's side door became jammed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed failures with the high-low voltage converter and the door…
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The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. That contact stated that upon entering the vehicle, the driver's side door opened abnormally wide, after which the driver's side door became jammed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed failures with the high-low voltage converter and the door check arm attachment point. The voltage converter was repaired, but the door check arm attachment point was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE23013 (Structure). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 21,500.
NHTSA ODI #11571462
Mileage unknown · Feb 4, 2024
Structure
Driver door welds snapped and window controls no longer functions normally. Door does not open or close properly. Inspection available. safety is at risk because door does not close properly and could fly open when driving causing collision and injury to myself or others. Problem confirmed by dealer as a known problem with 2020…
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Driver door welds snapped and window controls no longer functions normally. Door does not open or close properly. Inspection available. safety is at risk because door does not close properly and could fly open when driving causing collision and injury to myself or others. Problem confirmed by dealer as a known problem with 2020 Escapes. Vehicle inspected by dealer. Told not repairable- new door needed. Failure occurred without warning in early January 2024.
NHTSA ODI #11569746
Mileage unknown · Jan 29, 2024
Structure
Initially driver side door began sluggishly opening proceeding to a grinding open which and finally incomplete opening. Power window has also become inoperable. Dealer charged $400 to look at what is obviously a known problem and said needed a brand new door and quoted $3,000+ (10% of a new car!) Refused service and a mechanic …
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Initially driver side door began sluggishly opening proceeding to a grinding open which and finally incomplete opening. Power window has also become inoperable. Dealer charged $400 to look at what is obviously a known problem and said needed a brand new door and quoted $3,000+ (10% of a new car!) Refused service and a mechanic explained the situation regarding the welding failure and said he "opted" to not attempt to re-install the door check, meaning the door now will fly wide open if not perfectly controlled (which will obviously result in damage to hinge system. We found our car with several hilarious flyers printed (attached below) showing the full awareness of the issue.Our escape is a fully loaded Titanium model and issue began developing at about 49,000 miles. Car has never been in a crash of any kind and has 50,000 miles the VAST majority being 300 mile round trips on the highway for work.
NHTSA ODI #11568397
28,000 miles · Jan 26, 2024
Structure
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the passenger’s side door check spot welds had failed, and the door would not properly open or close. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the door needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the fa…
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The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the passenger’s side door check spot welds had failed, and the door would not properly open or close. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the door needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 28,000.
NHTSA ODI #11568077
Mileage unknown · Jan 25, 2024
Structure
Ford Escape’s Door Hinges are Defective: Our 2020 Ford Escape driver door hinges had to be repaired by a non-Ford dealer body shop as the car was out of warranty. The Columbus, Georgia Ford dealer diagnosed the problem as being defective door hinges but they do not do body work. The door's rivets popped out and the hinges made…
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Ford Escape’s Door Hinges are Defective: Our 2020 Ford Escape driver door hinges had to be repaired by a non-Ford dealer body shop as the car was out of warranty. The Columbus, Georgia Ford dealer diagnosed the problem as being defective door hinges but they do not do body work. The door's rivets popped out and the hinges made grinding and popping sounds when opened or closed. There were no warning lamps or messages about the failure before it occurred. We would appreciate it if the NHTSA would issue a formal recall for this defect so we could be reimbursed for what we paid. Thank you very much.
NHTSA ODI #11567864
100,000 miles · Jan 24, 2024
Structure
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the front driver’s side door failed to open or close as needed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was discovered that the spot weld inside the door was defective, and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the fai…
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The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the front driver’s side door failed to open or close as needed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was discovered that the spot weld inside the door was defective, and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Maverick Hybrid and 2020 Escape Hybrid vehicles. The Hybrid Powertrain Control Module (HPCM) software may cause the vehicle to shift into neutral unexpectedly, causing a loss of drive power.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the HPCM software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 12, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S33. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning January 15, 2026. This is an expansion of Recalls 24V330 (24S33) and 25V133 (25S16).
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2
PE23013 · Failed Door Check Arm Attachment Point
Opened Jul 7, 2023 · Closed Jan 24, 2024
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure:body:door ; Structure:body:door:hinge And Attachments
On July 7, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-013 to investigate instances of check arm bracket failure in the front doors in model year (MY) 2020-2021 Ford Escape vehicles. At the time of opening, ODI received 118 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging this failure. To date, ODI has received 593 VOQs alleging this failure, with a variety of reported failure conditions. The most common reported failure condition was reduced door functionality (e.g. door was more difficult to open or close) and the least common was inadvertent door opening. Other reported failure conditions include inability to latch and inability to open. Three VOQs reported injuries, one of which requiring medical attention. ODI conducted a consumer survey which yielded an additional 44 injuries (although the VOQs did not indicate any injury), none of which requiring medical attention. All these injuries were bumps/bruises from the door closing on occupants’ arms and legs while entering and exiting the vehicle. The function of the check arm system is to provide hold-open assist at specific angles and to assist with door closing energy. It does not provide vertical support of the door and is independent of the latching mechanism. This failure is progressive and detectable by vehicle occupants. Consumers commonly report hearing a popping or snapping noise when opening and closing the door. This noise is caused by some of the welds between the bracket and door structure failing and detaching. There may also be visible damage present to the welds in the door structure. Continued use of the door may result in all welds separating and the bracket fully detaching from the door structure, which could lead to increased resistance in closing and opening the door, restrained window operation, and the door freely rotating when open. ODI inspected 3 consumer vehicles in the field, and 2 test vehicles at Ford’s testing facility. The test vehicles were retrofitted with the failed component. ODI observed an increased door closing resistance, however, was unable to reproduce an inadvertent open while parked or driving, or a failure to latch or open condition. Testing also verified this failure did not affect the door ajar warning system. This system provides an audible and visual warning in the event a door did not achieve primary latch position. Ford has provided details on a one-time-repair customer satisfaction program (23B56), stating that they will provide customers with a letter, currently targeted for March 2024, to bring their vehicle to a Ford dealership for a proactive repair. Dealers will inspect the door check arm welds for damage and will either provide a rivet plate to reinforce the existing door check arm or will provide a replacement door, depending on the level of damage present. Customers will be eligible for reimbursement if they previously paid to repair this issue. In view of the high detectability of failure, low potential hazard to drivers, and Ford’s customer satisfaction program to provide a proactive repair, this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Structure:body:door
On July 7, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-013 to investigate instances of check arm bracket failure in the front doors in model year (MY) 2020-2021 Ford Escape vehicles. At the time of opening, ODI received 118 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging this failure. To date, ODI has received 593 VOQs alleging this failure, with a variety of reported failure conditions. The most common reported failure condition was reduced door functionality (e.g. door was more difficult to open or close) and the least common was inadvertent door opening. Other reported failure conditions include inability to latch and inability to open. Three VOQs reported injuries, one of which requiring medical attention. ODI conducted a consumer survey which yielded an additional 44 injuries (although the VOQs did not indicate any injury), none of which requiring medical attention. All these injuries were bumps/bruises from the door closing on occupants’ arms and legs while entering and exiting the vehicle. The function of the check arm system is to provide hold-open assist at specific angles and to assist with door closing energy. It does not provide vertical support of the door and is independent of the latching mechanism. This failure is progressive and detectable by vehicle occupants. Consumers commonly report hearing a popping or snapping noise when opening and closing the door. This noise is caused by some of the welds between the bracket and door structure failing and detaching. There may also be visible damage present to the welds in the door structure. Continued use of the door may result in all welds separating and the bracket fully detaching from the door structure, which could lead to increased resistance in closing and opening the door, restrained window operation, and the door freely rotating when open. ODI inspected 3 consumer vehicles in the field, and 2 test vehicles at Ford’s testing facility. The test vehicles were retrofitted with the failed component. ODI observed an increased door closing resistance, however, was unable to reproduce an inadvertent open while parked or driving, or a failure to latch or open condition. Testing also verified this failure did not affect the door ajar warning system. This system provides an audible and visual warning in the event a door did not achieve primary latch position. Ford has provided details on a one-time-repair customer satisfaction program (23B56), stating that they will provide customers with a letter, currently targeted for March 2024, to bring their vehicle to a Ford dealership for a proactive repair. Dealers will inspect the door check arm welds for damage and will either provide a rivet plate to reinforce the existing door check arm or will provide a replacement door, depending on the level of damage present. Customers will be eligible for reimbursement if they previously paid to repair this issue. In view of the high detectability of failure, low potential hazard to drivers, and Ford’s customer satisfaction program to provide a proactive repair, this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Structure:body:door:hinge And Attachments
On July 7, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-013 to investigate instances of check arm bracket failure in the front doors in model year (MY) 2020-2021 Ford Escape vehicles. At the time of opening, ODI received 118 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging this failure. To date, ODI has received 593 VOQs alleging this failure, with a variety of reported failure conditions. The most common reported failure condition was reduced door functionality (e.g. door was more difficult to open or close) and the least common was inadvertent door opening. Other reported failure conditions include inability to latch and inability to open. Three VOQs reported injuries, one of which requiring medical attention. ODI conducted a consumer survey which yielded an additional 44 injuries (although the VOQs did not indicate any injury), none of which requiring medical attention. All these injuries were bumps/bruises from the door closing on occupants’ arms and legs while entering and exiting the vehicle. The function of the check arm system is to provide hold-open assist at specific angles and to assist with door closing energy. It does not provide vertical support of the door and is independent of the latching mechanism. This failure is progressive and detectable by vehicle occupants. Consumers commonly report hearing a popping or snapping noise when opening and closing the door. This noise is caused by some of the welds between the bracket and door structure failing and detaching. There may also be visible damage present to the welds in the door structure. Continued use of the door may result in all welds separating and the bracket fully detaching from the door structure, which could lead to increased resistance in closing and opening the door, restrained window operation, and the door freely rotating when open. ODI inspected 3 consumer vehicles in the field, and 2 test vehicles at Ford’s testing facility. The test vehicles were retrofitted with the failed component. ODI observed an increased door closing resistance, however, was unable to reproduce an inadvertent open while parked or driving, or a failure to latch or open condition. Testing also verified this failure did not affect the door ajar warning system. This system provides an audible and visual warning in the event a door did not achieve primary latch position. Ford has provided details on a one-time-repair customer satisfaction program (23B56), stating that they will provide customers with a letter, currently targeted for March 2024, to bring their vehicle to a Ford dealership for a proactive repair. Dealers will inspect the door check arm welds for damage and will either provide a rivet plate to reinforce the existing door check arm or will provide a replacement door, depending on the level of damage present. Customers will be eligible for reimbursement if they previously paid to repair this issue. In view of the high detectability of failure, low potential hazard to drivers, and Ford’s customer satisfaction program to provide a proactive repair, this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.
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