2015 Ford Escape: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Jan 7, 2026 · OH

The transmission just failed. No warning lights or anything. I was just driving along and it started to flutter then it hesitated and went into limp mode. Took it to the shop and it they said it needs a whole new transmission.

Filed Aug 25, 2025 · Acceleration, Engine · NC

While driving, the car hesitates changing gears. Sometimes the car will not go in gear or go into Park. Had a recall in 2022 for some bushings and cable shifter. The car is too dangerous to drive and mechanics have stated a new transmission is needed.

Filed Aug 12, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · CO

My 2015 Ford Escape, VIN [XXX], equipped with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine, has experienced a repeat engine failure due to what appears to be the known “coolant intrusion” defect currently under active litigation (Miller v. Ford). The original engine failed due to loss of coolant into the cylinders, causing rough idle, misfires, abnormal engine noise, and loss of performance. Ford replaced the entire engine under warranty approximately 24.5 months ago. The replacement engine is now exhibiting the same symptoms, including: Rough/unstable idle, especially on startup Abnormally loud engine noise Suspected internal coolant loss with no visible external leaks Reduced performance and hesitation This is the second major engine failure in a short time, creating a serious safety concern due to potential sudden loss of power while driving. The EcoBoost coolant intrusion defect is widely reported in Ford Escapes from this model year and is the subject of a class action lawsuit. Ford has not issued a recall for all affected vehicles, leaving owners at risk of repeated engine failures. I am submitting this complaint to document the repeat failure, as it poses a risk to safe operation and may affect other vehicles on the road. I can provide repair records, photos, and video evidence upon request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jul 21, 2025 · Transmission · 106,000 miles · CA

The contact’s daughter owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact's daughter stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated while attempting to shift gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 106,000.

Filed Jul 9, 2025 · Brakes · 70,000 miles · PA

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the ABS and the traction control warning lights illuminated. The messages "4-Wheel Drive Temporarily Disabled" and "Hill Start Assist Not Available" were displayed. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving after starting the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated while responding, and there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to Westlake Auto, where it was diagnosed and determined that the ABS module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Filed May 3, 2025 · Transmission · MI

Vehicle Information Make: Ford Model: Escape Model Year: 2015 Component: Power Train (Transmission) Date of Incident (approximate): 2021 (first signs) — Ongoing I purchased my 2015 Ford Escape new in 2015. Around 2021, I began experiencing intermittent stalling issues. If I ran errands and made multiple short trips, the vehicle would sometimes stall after restarting, especially on the second or third trip. If I allowed the car to rest between trips, the problem would occasionally not occur. I reported the issue to Briarwood Ford multiple times. Each time, they told me they couldn't replicate the problem and, since the check engine light wasn’t on, there was "no issue." Eventually, the check engine light did activate. Briarwood Ford then replaced an airflow valve, kept the car for a few days, but again said they couldn’t replicate the stalling. Shortly after that, following a standard oil change, the transmission failed completely. I contacted several dealerships before having the vehicle towed to Hillsdale Ford. They took approximately four weeks to replace the transmission, which cost me $7,000 out of pocket. Even after the transmission replacement, the car continued to drive poorly. It began accelerating inconsistently, sometimes surging or hesitating, and I noticed a burning smell. I informed the dealer, and they said there was a recall involving a brushless component, which they replaced. However, they said they couldn't detect any burning odor. Now, three years later, the vehicle still doesn’t accelerate smoothly. It’s overly sensitive to throttle input and sometimes seems to hesitate or get stuck when trying to accelerate. I am concerned that this ongoing issue is part of a larger safety problem related to the transmission or powertrain that Ford has not addressed properly

Filed Jul 22, 2024 · Transmission · 125,000 miles · IN

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds up an incline, the vehicle shuddered and hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

Filed Apr 30, 2024 · Transmission · 143,000 miles · MI

The contact's wife owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle would jerk and hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal as an abnormal, grinding sound would emit from the vehicle. A yellow transmission warning light was illuminated. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The manufacturer referred to contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for further assistance. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.

Filed Dec 19, 2023 · Transmission · 87,265 miles · MA

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, he noticed a burning odor. Additionally, the contact stated that while making a right turn from a complete stop, he depressed the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated while driving several days later, the vehicle made an abnormal winding and knocking sound. An independent mechanic inspected the vehicle at the residence and determined that the abnormal sound was due to the torque converter not receiving enough fluid from the transmission pump. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving. The contact stated that while accelerating from a Four-Way Stop, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact was able to push the vehicle to the side of the road with the assistance of bystanders. The contact stated that he turned off and restarted the vehicle, and he was able to drive to the nearby independent mechanic. The mechanic referred the contact to a Ford dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with internal transmission failure, which caused the low transmission fluid pressure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 87,265.

Filed Jul 27, 2023 · Engine · 129,000 miles · PA

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after fueling the vehicle, the vehicle was started but hesitated, made an abnormal sound, and then stalled. Additionally, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shook abnormally and lost motive power and stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the shoulder and restarted the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was a leak in the canister purge valve. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 129,000.

Filed Jul 15, 2023 · Transmission · IN

Transmission Converter Torque. I have had the car 7 months and had nothing but issues with this used car. However, since the first day of having, there was a hesitation and sputtering which I was told was due to the fuel line. The dealer fixed that but than washed there hands of us. After, It kept shuddering so I took it back to a mechanic and was told the above. After reading the reviews, this should be recalled immediately and is dangerous to drive on and can cause a serious accident or injury for anyone in the car.

Filed Apr 22, 2023 · FL

When stepping on the gas the SUV is hesitating to move forward, it is shifting very high and having a hard time shifting into gear. Transmission issues