YearToAvoid

2009 Ford Escape Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 301 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2009 Ford Escape, 18% of all 1,693 complaints for this model year. That is #7 highest transmission complaint count among 21 Escape model years. These complaints report 1 crash and 1 fire. Median mileage at failure: 65,000 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
301
18% of 1,693
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
65,000 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2009 Ford Escape transmission complaints were filed

First complaint May 22, 2009, latest Mar 20, 2024.

2009 Ford Escape transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter772009 Q22011 Q12012 Q42014 Q22015 Q42018 Q12020 Q4
301 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q2 to 2024 Q1; peak 2013 Q3 (77).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2009 Ford Escape

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Escape model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2005117 (8%)
  2. 200680 (17%)
  3. 200744 (17%)
  4. 2008329 (17%)
  5. 2009301 (18%)
  6. 2010508 (25%)
  7. 2011268 (20%)
  8. 201266 (11%)
  9. 2013401 (15%)
  10. 2014481 (23%)
  11. 2015286 (26%)
  12. 2016320 (28%)
  13. 2017390 (15%)
  14. 2018271 (15%)
  15. 2019125 (21%)
  16. 2020239 (15%)
  17. 202143 (12%)
  18. 202231 (13%)
  19. 202321 (21%)
  20. 20242 (3%)
  21. 20253 (13%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Ford Escape have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 301 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2009 Ford Escape, 18% of all complaints for this model year, including 1 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 65,000 miles.
Which Ford Escape year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2010 Ford Escape has the most transmission complaints (508), compared with 301 for the 2009.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2009 Ford Escape?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2009 Ford Escape is classified under transmission & powertrain. Complaints alone do not trigger a recall; check the full recall list and your VIN.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.