2021 Ford Escape: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Oct 30, 2026 · Visibility · 30,000 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V117000 (Visibility); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the windshield wipers intermittently hesitated while moving from the left to the right. The dealer was contacted several times and confirmed that parts were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

Filed Sep 1, 2026 · Fuel system · GA

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that there was a misfire coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for another recall repair. The contact stated that the check engine light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle hesitated. Additionally, after refueling, the vehicle almost shut off unexpectedly. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The dealer confirmed that the failure was associated with the recall. The vehicle was not repaired.

Filed Jun 11, 2026 · Fuel system · 70,000 miles · OH

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V467000(FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced difficulty starting and hesitation upon acceleration. Additionally, the check engine warning light was persistently illuminated. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.

Filed May 26, 2026 · Transmission · TN

My daughter owns a 2021 Ford Escape FWD equipped with the 1.5L turbocharged EcoBoost inline-3 engine, VIN [XXX] , with approximately 95,000 miles. The vehicle has been serviced almost exclusively by Ford dealerships and maintained in accordance with manufacturer recommendations. The vehicle recently began exhibiting significant drivability and transmission-related problems, including shuddering while driving, hard shifting, RPM surging/revving, hesitation during acceleration, and erratic transmission behavior. The vehicle has hesitated in traffic, creating a significant safety concern. No warning lights or diagnostic alerts were displayed prior to diagnosis. On May 26, 2026, the vehicle was taken to [XXX] Ford, [XXX] , for a routine oil change and completion of open recall repairs. At that time, the transmission-related symptoms were reported to the Ford service department. The dealership performed a road test with a data logger and diagnosed the issue as: “Torque converter slipping causing shudder / bump while driving.” The dealership recommended the following repairs: Replacement of the torque converter Transmission line flush Replacement of transmission fluid Retesting after repair The quoted repair estimate was approximately $4,500. The Ford service advisor stated that the repair did not necessarily have to be completed immediately, but also warned that the condition could worsen and leave the driver stranded. This presents a serious safety concern. A vehicle experiencing transmission shuddering, torque converter slippage, hesitation, hard shifting, and erratic RPM behavior can experience loss of propulsion, delayed or inadequate acceleration, unpredictable drivetrain response in traffic, inability to safely merge or clear intersections, and stranding in unsafe conditions. Given that the vehicle has been routinely maintained, no warning lights were provided to alert the driver, and similar complaints INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed May 21, 2026 · Transmission · NY

This ford 2021 escape has a serious transmission shudder. It reliably will do it at approx 13-15 MPH. Approx 27-30 MPH. About 33-35 MPH. The rattle, shuddering acts as if the transmission is going to do something dangerous. Without any hesitation, the transmission will shake, shudder, vibrate. If you keep speed steady, for instance 17 MPH, it is scary, and will keep shaking as long as car is at a particular speed. The ford dealer where it was purchased says no recalls, although they admit vibration issues in these models.

Filed Mar 30, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · 98,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of an undisclosed recall. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was an active recall and the powertrain control module needed a software update. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred approximately 5 months later. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

Filed Nov 4, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · IL

2021 Ford Escape. In January 2025 the turbo system failed and was replaced by a Ford dealer for about $5,903.85. Around five months later the transmission required repairs for a valve body issue, totaling roughly $3,000 in August. Two months after that repair, Firestone advised that the entire transmission now needs replacement. Each time the problem appeared, the vehicle showed violent slippage while upshifting and downshifting. When coming to a stop, the car would shake violently, slip forward several inches while my foot was still on the brake, and sometimes hesitate or lose power. Recently the vehicle will stop responding to acceleration, then suddenly surge forward without warning. These repeated transmission failures have created serious safety risks and appear consistent with ongoing problems involving the Ford 8F35 transmission used in the 2021 Escape.

Filed Oct 7, 2025 · Engine, Fuel system · VA

I’ve visited both Ourisman Ford of Manassas, VA and Ted Britt Ford of Chantilly, VA regarding this issue and asked when a fix is expected. At both dealerships, I was informed that this is not classified as a recall but rather part of Ford’s Customer Satisfaction Program. However, when I provided the service representative with the official letter from Ford, they were unable to locate either the Manufacturer Recall Number 25S76 or the federal safety agency Recall Number 25V467 in their system. I’ve also explained that my vehicle—a 2021 model with fewer than 25,000 miles—is experiencing poor fuel economy, ranging between 23–29 MPG. Additionally, I’ve noticed a troubling performance issue: when accelerating from a complete stop, the car sometimes hesitates, then suddenly lurches forward, occasionally causing the tires to squeal.

Filed Sep 12, 2025 · Fuel system · 70,000 miles · TN

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the parts were unavailable to perform the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the fault code PS04 was retrieved. The contact was unsure of the diagnostic result; however, the vehicle was repaired. The check engine warning light was reset, but the failure reoccurred. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer several times due to the failure. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated off and on every month. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Filed Apr 11, 2025 · Transmission · 73,925 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at 50 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond as needed. No warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer transferred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to file a safety complaint. The approximate failure mileage was 73,925.

Filed Nov 12, 2024 · Transmission · 87,000 miles · SD

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle had stalled with several undisclosed messages displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but was offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

Filed Sep 26, 2022 · Transmission · 10,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard squeaking and grinding sound coming from the brake pedal. The contact also stated that she smelled a burning odor throughout the vehicle and the vehicle hesitated and was pulling to the right. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer where she received a manufacturer recall regarding the transmission fluid overflow. The vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was informed the transmission was two and a half quarts over the specifications. The contact stated that the dealer drained the two and a half quarts of oil however, the contact stated that she was advised not to drive the vehicle. The contact was concerned that due to the burning odor, the vehicle could possibly explode. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number and a loaner vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.