What breaks most · 2005 to 2007 model years
Ford Escape HEV problems by year
Owners have filed 64 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Ford Escape HEV across model years 2005 to 2007. Three years stand out: 2006 for brakes (hydraulic) complaints, 2007 for brakes (hydraulic) complaints and 2005 for brakes complaints.
- Years to check closely: 2006, 2007, 2005
- Complaints on file
- 642005 to 2007, all trims
- Worst year
- 200637 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 10 fires · 0 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 71kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 1Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 0 | 0 | Brakes (5) | |
| 37 | 1 | 1 | Brakes (hydraulic) (11) | |
| 15 | 0 | 0 | Brakes (hydraulic) (4) |
What fails on the 2006 Ford Escape HEV
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 30% |
11 | 0 | Shop all brakes (hydraulic) parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 24% |
9 | 0 | Shop all electrical system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 19% |
7 | 0 | Shop all brakes parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 11% |
4 | 0 | Shop all steering parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 8% |
3 | 0 | Shop all suspension parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 5% |
2 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 5% |
2 | 0 | Shop all engine and cooling parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 5% |
2 | 0 | Shop all engine parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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"ABS" warning light illuminated and "service brake system" appeared on display. Applied brake pedal and anti-lock engaged causing a "chattering" sound from brakes and severe vibration. Extra pressure on brake pedal needed to bring vehicle to a safe stop.
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My 2007 FORD escape is in mint condition. I found out today i should not drive it. My mechanic told me it's very unsafe. The frame is rusting out in back of the rear wheel and rust has broken the area where the shock absorber attaches to the frame. Perfect tuning car that i can't use. Unbelievable.
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The brakes have completely stopped working (except for the emergency brake) 3 times in one month, 4 times in two years.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Ford Escape HEV years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2006, 2007, 2005 carry the most filings on the Ford Escape HEV. The 2006 alone has 37 complaints, led by brakes (hydraulic).
What is the most common Ford Escape HEV problem?
On the 2006 model year, the most-reported component is brakes (hydraulic) with 11 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Ford Escape HEV problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Ford Escape HEV complaints that include mileage is about 71,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.