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Ford Escape key fob problems

68 of the 27,615 owner complaints about the Ford Escape describe key fob or push-button start problems, most of them for the 2020 model year.

owner complaints
68
worst model year
2020
typical mileage
58,000
Is there a fix? There are 13 recalls for this area of the car. See below

By model year

What owners say

Filed Aug 22, 2026 · Driver assistance, Electrical · KS

At least once per day the back up camera goes black. While I am in the act of backing up or starting to back up. This has been happening for over 3 years. No one believed me at the dealership for years. Now there is a recall finally recognizing the issue and Ford can not fix it. I am left dealing with this. Also electrical issues with the car doors not opening with code or key fob, back windshield washer blades going off unexpectedly and they would not stop until I shut the entire car down.

Filed Aug 18, 2026 · Electrical · SC

theres an electrical problem concern the tcu my doors are locking and unlocking and the car is indicating ive had several accidents and i havent the radio is coming on automaticlly and the lights flicker and the horn turning signals and lights flicker and wont turn off unlesss i hit the key fob button im trying nto to get my groceries stolen or my vehicle tampered with and its hard if the components arnt working i dont care about the cause i just need a safe vehicle i dont have money to waiste i am trying to find a job and i cant afford the labor for a malware attack

Filed Aug 7, 2026 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 71,000 miles · MA

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact received notifications of the federal safety agency Campaign Numbers: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and 26V123000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. While the contact’s son was driving approximately 45 MPH, the screen on the radio went black. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road, and the radio independently reset and displayed the correct information. The failure had occurred approximately 3 - 4 times. The radio screen often displayed erroneous information with distorted images. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in a recall for the door, and after the recall repair was performed, the key fob failed to lock and unlock the doors. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the manufacturer had not provided the parts for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.

Filed Jun 18, 2026 · WA

I park the car, it is park. Remove key fob, get out of the car, shut the door, push the lock on the fob, it will auto start, open door punch on the brake , it then turns off and I can lock the car. If I push the break several times before getting out this does not happen. This vehicle was purchased about 2 years ago, used.

Filed May 13, 2026 · Electrical · MT

Vehicle Door Locks: -driver door lock failed to unlock. All other doors locks remained functional - 2 days later or 450+ miles later all doors locked, then when attempting to unlock all doors whether key fob or door lock/unlock buttons on both driver and passenger doors, door locks failed to respond to any button attempt. -manual lock/unlocking is needed to lock/unlock any doors. If i needed to escape from an aggressive attacker or a child was in a backseat while it was 80+ degrees Fahrenheit outside lives would be in danger

Filed Feb 17, 2026 · Body, Electrical · IL

Component: Driver-side door latch and lock assembly. The driver-side door latch appears to have failed, preventing the door from opening from both the inside and outside and creating an occupant entrapment risk. The failure is fully reproducible and ongoing. The condition first occurred without any prior warning signs, messages, or symptoms and has persisted for more than a day without resolving. Although the vehicle responds to unlock commands from the key fob, keypad, and interior door controls with normal audible confirmation, the driver door frequently remains unable to open. Failure behavior includes: •The driver door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle, preventing occupant exit. •The door also cannot be opened from the outside during these events. •An occupant became trapped inside and had to crawl across the vehicle and exit through the passenger side. •The vertical lock indicator moves between locked and unlocked positions, but the latch does not release. •The electronic systems appear functional, yet the mechanical latch does not respond. •Using the physical key can sometimes force the lock cylinder past a mechanical click point, temporarily allowing the door to open; however, this places the mechanism into abnormal states where the door may remain permanently unlocked or, when turned in the opposite direction, cannot be opened at all regardless of unlock attempts. •All other vehicle doors operate normally. Video evidence documenting the failure is available. This condition presents a serious safety concern because occupants could become trapped inside the vehicle during an emergency or after a crash, delaying rescue. The latch mechanism is a critical safety component that consumers cannot reasonably inspect, predict, or maintain. Given the life-safety implications of a door that cannot be opened from either side, this issue warrants investigation for potential defect trends.

Filed Oct 22, 2025 · Electrical, Locks · 65,000 miles · OH

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the tailgate unexpectedly opened while driving. The contact stated that the tailgate could be opened manually or with the key fob. The contact stated that depressing the button near the tailgate failed to open the tailgate. The tailgate ajar message was displayed. The contact attempted to resolve the issue by changing the key fob battery, but the issue persisted. The local dealer was contacted and suggested a diagnostic test be performed. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there was no recall coverage on the VIN and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Filed Aug 7, 2025 · Electrical · TN

My key fob stopped working due to BCM not being able to communicate.

Filed Aug 5, 2025 · Electrical · TN

A module is causing communication issues in the car between its and the key fob causing the car not to be able to start at all. It has been at the Ford dealer [XXX] for over a month now and they are unable to remedy the situation. They claim they can’t update the software or can’t find out what’s wrong with the car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed May 27, 2025 · Engine · 53,600 miles · OH

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact was informed by his wife that while driving at various speeds and while the vehicle was idling, the vehicle was shaking abnormally. The contact was informed that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while the check engine warning light was illuminated, the vehicle failed to unlock using the key fob, and the driver had to unlock the vehicle manually by entering the code on the driver’s side door. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that coolant was leaking into cylinders #2 and #3. The dealer confirmed that the failure was related to Technical Service Bulletin: 22/2229; the federal safety agency ID Number: 10214126 (Engine and Engine Cooling) with a defective short block to be replaced by a long block. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was included in the federal safety agency ID Number: 10214126 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 53,600.

Related recalls

Electrical system: instrument cluster/panelReported January 31, 2025 · 298 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Bronco Sport, Escape, and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) may not illuminate at startup or while driving. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays" and 102, "Transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect" as well as FMVSS numbers 126, 108, 135, 138, 208, and 305.
Risk
An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the instrument panel cluster, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 17, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C02.

Recall number 25V049000 · Recall details

Electrical system: propulsion system: traction battery: management system/energy control module (bms/becm)Reported December 20, 2024 · 20,484 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Ford Escape, and 2021-2024 Lincoln Corsair vehicles. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.
Risk
Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Owners are advised not to charge battery till the remedy has been completed. Dealers will perform a battery energy control module (BECM) software update, and replace the high voltage battery pack, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 30, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S79.

Recall number 24V954000 · Recall details

Electrical system: instrument cluster/panelReported November 8, 2024 · 15 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Escape vehicles. The passenger side instrument panel cover may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk
During air bag deployment, the air bag cover may break and project fragments into the vehicle, or the air bag may deploy improperly, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the passenger side instrument panel cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 18, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C38.

Recall number 24V850000 · Recall details

Electrical system: instrument cluster/panelReported July 21, 2023 · 38,695 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Escape, Super Duty F-250, Super Duty F-350, Super Duty F-450, and Super Duty F-550 vehicles equipped with a digital instrument panel cluster. The module may have been improperly soldered, preventing the instrument panel from illuminating. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."
Risk
An inoperable instrument panel cannot show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the module or instrument panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 4, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C25.

Recall number 23V506000 · Recall details

Electrical system: propulsion system: traction batteryReported May 13, 2022 · 27 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Escape and 2021 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with 2.5L hybrid powertrains. Insufficient welds inside the high voltage battery may fail, resulting in a loss of drive power.
Risk
A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the high voltage battery, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on July 12, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S33.

Recall number 22V331000 · Recall details

Electrical system: propulsion system: traction batteryReported March 11, 2022 · 3 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022 Corsair and 2021-2022 Escape vehicles equipped with a 2.5L Hybrid powertrain. The high voltage battery may fail, resulting in a sudden loss of drive power.
Risk
A sudden loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the high voltage battery, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S48.

Recall number 22V149000 · Recall details

Electrical system: propulsion system: traction batteryReported November 10, 2021 · 1 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling one 2021 Escape vehicle equipped with a 2.5L hybrid powertrain. The high voltage battery may fail, resulting in a sudden loss of drive power.
Risk
A sudden loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
A dealer will replace the high voltage battery, free of charge. The owner notification letters were mailed December 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S48.

Recall number 21V869000 · Recall details

Electrical system: body control module/bcmReported October 15, 2020 · 689 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with a key-start ignition system. The Body Control Module (BCM) intermittently may not pick up the signal from the rear Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensors or the Remote Key Fob. In the event of a low tire pressure condition, the TPMS system may not provide an adequate warning.
Risk
Low tire pressure may lead to poor vehicle handling and a possible loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the BCM, free of charge. Owners are advised that two key fobs are required for the repair to be completed. The recall began December 1, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S59.

Recall number 20V635000 · Recall details

Electrical system: softwareReported August 24, 2016 · 17,985 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2017 Ford Escape Titanium and SE vehicles manufactured October 5, 2015, to May 12, 2016. The settings for the closing-force of the power-operated windows may allow the windows to close on an object such as a body part and injure it before the windows auto-reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
Risk
If a window closes on a body part, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Ford has notified owners, and dealers will update the power window operating system software, free of charge. The recall began on September 6, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C12.

Recall number 16V617000 · Recall details

Electrical system: wiringReported December 2, 2015 · 9,017 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured January 11, 2012, to April 1, 2013, and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles manufactured May 03, 2012, to October 14, 2013. Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor may provide incorrect signals to the powertrain control module (PCM).
Risk
The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began on January 7, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S17-S1.

Recall number 15V813000 · Recall details

Questions about the Ford Escape key fob

Which Ford Escape years have key fob or push-button start problems problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2020 (13 complaints), 2017 (11 complaints) and 2015 (9 complaints).

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