2015 Ford Escape · symptom sheet
Battery dies or the car will not start
- 27owner reports
- 62,000median miles
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Sep 9, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
136 of the 1,105 complaints on this car are about the electrical system. 27 of those describe dead battery.
Tick what matches of 27 reports
Dead battery on other Escape years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.
What this problem usually is
These owners walk out to a car that's dead. Some find it drained after sitting only a day or two, some need a jump start every week, and some have had the battery replaced more than once without the problem going away. A good number describe the dealer testing the battery, calling it fine, and sending them home.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the battery (24 reports) and the alternator (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
3 recalls on the electrical system cover the 2015 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
In the affected vehicles, the engine may continue to run after the key or the START/STOP engine button is turned to off.
Due to a software incompatibility issue, the instrument panel cluster be inoperative including a blank multiple functional display (MFD), and non-functional warning chimes, messages and warning lights.
All 9 recalls on the 2015 Ford Escape, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 38,000 and 96,744 miles, from the 16 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 5 service bulletins or notices for the 2015 Ford Escape that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Some 2013-2023 Ford or Lincoln vehicles with modems activated through FordPass or LincolnWay may experience 12 volt battery drain symptoms when the customer uses non-Ford/Lincoln phone applications as an alternate channel to access vehicle commands such as ...
For Ford and Lincoln vehicles that require positive or negative battery terminal replacement, it is not necessary to replace the complete battery cable harness (14300 and 14301) for this concern.
Some vehicles may exhibit a no start condition with an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and a DTC P161A after PCM replacement. This may be due to the parameter reset procedure not being properly completed.
2015-2015 FORD ESCAPE: DUE TO CLUSTER RESET VEHICLE MAY EXHIBIT INTERMITTENT BATTERY DRAW WHICH CAN RESULT IN A DEAD BATTERY OR NO START *CN
1 more on the 2015 Ford Escape page.
What owners wrote
“The battery keeps dying even though it's been tested and is good. Lights keep shorting out I've had to replace the brake light and wires twice. The coolant is disappearing causing the vehicle to overheat even after driving ahort diatances but no puddle is left to show a cracked tank or something similar.”
Filed Jul 17, 2026
“I was driving when the car turned off and the display said Transmission is not in park. The car would not turn on until the engine cooled down, I took it to mechanics and they could not figure out why it was turning off. The battery, alternator and started all tested fine. I do not know what happened.”
Filed Jul 5, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 27 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 226 reports
- Engine overheats or leaks coolant 145 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 136 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 120 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 74 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 68 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 52 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 46 reports
- "Service Transmission" message or wrench light comes on 39 reports
- Doors, latches or locks fail 36 reports
- Wheel bearing, tires or wheels 30 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 26 reports