My 2020 Ford EcoSport was delivered to a certified Ford franchise dealership for a mandatory safety recall. The dealership held my vehicle in their service department for 18 consecutive months (1.5 years) claiming an extended parts and repair delay. Because the manufacturer and dealership held my car for a year and a half, it was physically impossible for me to complete a Texas state emissions inspection, causing my state vehicle registration and tags to completely expire while under their care. The dealership is now forcing me to take delivery of an unregistered, illegal vehicle, hanging up the phone on me when I request safe transit or legal temporary tags, and demanding their service loaner vehicle back. I am filing this complaint due to severe recall repair delays and resulting state vehicle compliance failures.
2020 Ford Ecosport engine problems
349 complaints (87% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 71,000.
- owner complaints
- 349
- of this car's complaints
- 87%
- typical mileage
- 71,000
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
- Exhaust system2
- Exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe1
- Engine: oil/lubrication: pump1
- Engine: oil/lubrication: pressure/temperature sensor1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Ford Ecosport engine problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2020 Ford Ecosport engine
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Engine failure 82Check engine light 74Loss of power 35Stalling 33Knocking 20Overheating 9Won't start 7Oil consumption 5
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: engine: oil/lubrication: pump
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure.
- Risk
- A loss of oil pressure can result in an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the oil pump tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt, free of charge. If engine failure occurs due to a damaged oil pump belt and/or oil pump belt tensioner, Ford has authorized dealers to replace the engine assembly as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S64.
Recall number 23V905000 · Recall details
Related investigations
Oil Pump Failure
On September 20, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-015 to investigate instances of engine failure due to loss of oil pressure in model year (MY) 2018-2021 Ford EcoSport vehicles. Some consumers reported a low engine oil pressure warning lamp immediately preceding a complete loss or reduction of motive power while the vehicle was in motion. The investigation revealed that the engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm may fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure. A loss of engine oil pressure can result in engine seizure, which can result in a loss of motive power and a loss of mechanical vacuum pump required to provide power braking assist, increase the risk of a crash. On December 22, 2023, Ford filed recall 23V‑905 for certain MY 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The recall remedy provides the replacement of the oil pump drive belt tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt with redesigned parts to improve robustness. In view of the recall action being taken by Ford, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to
PE23015
What 2020 Ford Ecosport owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
"Our 2020 Ford EcoSport has suffered multiple catastrophic engine failures directly caused by the defective oil pump drive belt covered under the federal safety agency Recall 23V905000 / Ford Recall 23S64. The authorized recall remedy completely failed to permanently resolve the safety hazard on this vehicle, leading to repeated, highly dangerous highway emergencies. On 5/22/24 We towed the car to the dealer after sudden loss of oil pressure on highway during rush-hour traffic creating a stressful and dangerous stalling hazard. (93,601 Miles) On 7/31/24 An Interim engine (#2) was installed without the fix due to a lack of parts. On 8/28 - 9/24/25 We left our car for a month to complete the recall remedy. (131,635) On 8/21/26 We brought our car to the dealer after severe overheating occurred on the highway creating a dangerous situation. (164,934 Miles) On 8/25/25 the dealer misdiagnosed this recall symptom as a simple sensor issue and replaced the cylinder head temp sensor. We paid $2,659.57. On 10/1/26 (168,664) Just 3,730 miles after the misdiagnosis, the engine catastrophically blew during rush-hour traffic with the total loss of vehicle power creating a very dangerous situation.This final failure occurred exactly 1 year and 7 days after the recall fix date—just one week past the warranty window confirmed by Ford Corporate. The interim engine failed at exactly 75,063 miles since its 2024 install, matching the known premature failure window for these interim blocks. On 10/10/26 The local dealership denied us warranty coverage forcing us to pay $7,538.04 out-of-pocket for the engine alone. On top of the $2,659.57 for the sensor, plus $260.00 for a car rental, we paid $10,457.61 in forced costs for a recurring federal safety defect. Please investigate the premature failure of Ford's 23S64 replacement engines and remedy parts, as they present an ongoing highway stalling risk.
The engine to my car completely caught on fire and destroyed the engine and inside of my car. All my items in my car were melted and put myself and other people in danger. There were no lights on until that morning where the engine light started flashing and in the span of 10-15 minutes the car was slowing down. Parked and turned off the car and the engine started smoking and caught on fire. Police department and fire department were called.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the engine seized. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the wet belt and the oil pump had failed and needed to be replaced. An attorney advised the contact to call the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
The authorized Ford dealer failed to properly execute the safety recall repair. They twice filled my 1.0L EcoBoost wet-belt engine with standard domestic XO5W20BSP oil instead of the manufacturer-mandated, recall-specified WSS-M2C948-B oil. once under interm recall they replaced long block, second part of recall they repaired recalI but put wrong spec oil in again. car has been driven 6,000 miles on the wrong oil, creating a renewed risk of timing belt delamination, oil pump starvation, and sudden engine failure on the highway.
after my oil pump recall was done, the check engine light came on and is reading code P04DB.
Kept like revving the engine like it was whining tight never show no check engine light nothing ever showed up was driving down the road and the car completely shut off no warning signs no nothing all was coming out of it like a oil pump or something had went out in the car.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, smoke was observed coming from the rear of the vehicle, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle needed a tune-up. The contact later received a notification through the mobile application indicating that the engine had multiple misfires. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure occurred after a recall-related engine replacement had previously been completed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and denied the contact's request for a buyback. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
"I am reporting a severe, high-risk safety and under-hood fire hazard involving a 2020 Ford EcoSport tied directly to federal Safety Recall 23S64 [23S64]. The vehicle suffered a catastrophic loss of internal oil pressure, leading to an official diagnostic scan by Kerry Ford confirming a hard-stored P0015 Camshaft Timing defect [23S64]. The dealership is actively evading the federal recall remedy by falsely claiming the failure is just a bad sensor [23S64]. The vehicle is now experiencing critical failure symptoms: it is consuming extreme amounts of gasoline rapidly and filling both the interior cabin and exterior air with a heavy, toxic odor of raw fuel while running, making it entirely unsafe to operate in public traffic [23S64]. Furthermore, our auto lender has verbally stated on a recorded line that they are refusing repossession because the car holds zero value, forcing a hazardous, un-remedied federal safety defect to remain stranded on a residential property [23S64]."
Statement of Problem & Safety Risk: I am filing a complaint regarding a persistent, critical safety defect on my 2020 Ford EcoSport. This vehicle previously suffered an engine failure linked to Ford Recall 23S64 / the federal safety agency Campaign 23V‑905 (oil pump drive belt/tensioner failure causing loss of oil pressure). An engine assembly replacement was performed under the recall around 58,000 miles. Despite having the recall service performed, the replacement engine has now experienced a secondary failure. The vehicle’s wrench light illuminated, and the car went into severe "Limp Mode" while being driven, resulting in an immediate loss of accelerator power and engine torque. This creates an extreme safety hazard, causing a sudden loss of drive power in traffic and exposing the engine to potential oil starvation, complete engine seizure, and loss of power braking assist. Manufacturer & Dealership Non-Compliance: Both Ford Motor Company customer service and local Ford dealership management have stonewalled our requests to diagnose and address this recurring safety hazard under the active federal recall. They have refused to assist or provide appropriate loaner transportation while the vehicle remains unsafe to operate. I request that the federal safety agency document this failed recall repair, investigate repeat oil pump belt/engine failures on vehicles serviced under Campaign 23V‑905, and compel Ford Motor Company to honor its safety recall obligations. This is an ongoing problem these cars are junk and the consumer is stuck paying for it. I am not sure what date to put underneath here because the issue is ongoing
Questions about the 2020 Ford Ecosport engine
Does the 2020 Ford Ecosport have engine problems?
Owners have filed 349 complaints about the engine of the 2020 Ford Ecosport, 87% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.
At what mileage do 2020 Ford Ecosport engine problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 71,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Ford Ecosport engine?
Yes, 1 recall: 23V905000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Ford Ecosport have bad engine?
The Ford Ecosport model years with the most engine complaints are 2018 (643 complaints), 2019 (405 complaints) and 2020 (349 complaints).
Other 2020 Ford Ecosport problems
Transmission 53Fuel system 25Electrical 14Brakes 13Acceleration 12Airbags 9Suspension 4Body 3Seat belts 3Steering 3Driver assistance 2Lights 1Locks 1Seats 1Tires 1Visibility 1Wheels 1
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