YearToAvoid

2015 Ford Escape Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 286 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2015 Ford Escape, 26% of all complaints for the year, with a median failure mileage of 94,500 miles. Two recalls (22V413000 and 22V254000) address a degrading shifter cable bushing tied to this problem area.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
286
26% of 1,100
Crashes reported
4
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
94,500 mi
Related recalls
2

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Owners report the vehicle rolling or lurching forward or backward while in park, sometimes crashing into objects or structures.
  • Some describe the shifter cable bushing fracturing or detaching, causing the shift lever to disengage from the transmission.
  • Others report the transmission shifting hard or hesitating on gear changes, particularly around 40 mph.
  • Several describe the transmission becoming stuck in gear or failing to switch gears, accompanied by loud clanking or metal-on-metal noises.
  • A few owners report stalling or dying without warning at highway speeds, leaving the vehicle stranded in traffic.

When 2015 Ford Escape transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 7, 2015, latest Sep 12, 2026.

2015 Ford Escape transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter382015 Q12017 Q42019 Q32021 Q12022 Q32024 Q12025 Q3
286 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2015 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2022 Q3 (38).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2015 Ford Escape

  1. NHTSA 22V413000Jun 10, 2022Transmission & Powertrain2,925,968 vehicles

    Power train:shift linkage/cable/rod

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

    Risk: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

  2. NHTSA 22V254000Apr 14, 2022Transmission & Powertrain96,015 vehicles

    Power train:shift linkage/cable/rod

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015 Escape vehicles equipped with 2.0L engines. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

    Risk: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shifter bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S25.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Escape model year

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

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

Frequently asked questions

How many transmission complaints does NHTSA have for the 2015 Ford Escape?
NHTSA lists 286 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2015 Ford Escape, which is 26% of all 1,100 complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2015 Ford Escape transmission?
Yes. Recall 22V254000 covers 2015 Escape vehicles with 2.0L engines where the shifter cable bushing may degrade or detach, and recall 22V413000 covers the same shift bushing issue across several Ford models including the 2013-2019 Escape.
At what mileage do transmission problems typically appear on the 2015 Escape?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 94,500 miles for Transmission & Powertrain complaints on this model year.
Have transmission problems on the 2015 Escape led to crashes?
NHTSA records 4 crashes and 1 injury linked to Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2015 Ford Escape, with no fires reported.

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.