Diagsheet

2022 Ford Escape · symptom sheet

Brakes grind, pulse or wear early

  • 34owner reports
  • 20,000median miles
  • 2involved a crash

Newest report Aug 15, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

34 of the 229 complaints on this car describe brake wear, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2022 Escape.

Tick what matches of 34 reports

19
3
2
9
14
1

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the pads and rotors (9 reports).

Recalls and investigations

One recall on the brakes covers the 2022 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.

21V-922Nov 23, 2021
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Bronco Sport and Escape vehicles. The rear brake linings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can affect braking performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Risk and remedy
Risk: During certain situations, the driver may have to apply more brake pedal force, and the distance required to stop the vehicle may be extended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front brake pads, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C31.

NHTSA investigations into the brakes on the Escape

EA10-002opened Jan 14, 2010
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · model years 2001 to 2004

Engine compartment fire. Closed feb 29, 2012, led to recall 12V-005.

NHTSA summary
Ford and Mazda recalled model year (MY) 2001 through 2004 Ford Escape (07V-156) and Mazda Tribute (07V-157) vehicles due to non-crash fires or non-fire thermal events originating in the engine compartment at or near the ABS control module.Approximately 545,700 vehicles were subject to the initial safety recalls and approximately 424,700 vehicles were serviced under those campaigns. The campaigns addressed potentially damaged, missing or misplaced seals in the ABS control module wiring harness electrical connector that could allow brake fluid to enter the connector, possibly resulting in corrosion, short-circuit, melting, smoke and/or fire.Since the recall, the agency is aware of 260 subject vehicles that have reportedly experienced non-crash fires or non-fire thermal events originating at or near the ABS control module in vehicles some time after being serviced under the campaign. The post-recall repair incident rates for MY 2001 and 2002 subject vehicles are 90.9 and 126.7 (normalized per 100,000 vehicles serviced under the recall campaigns), respectively.These rates are much higher than the post-recall repair incident rate for MY 2003 and 2004 subject vehicles, which are 5.0 and 3.7 per 100K, respectively.Similarly, the post-recall repair key-off fire incident rates in the MY 2001 and 2002 subject vehicles is 54.3 per 100K, compared to 0.5 per 100K for the MY 2003 and 2004 subject vehicles.The agency is aware of 12 key-off fire incidents, all involving MY 2001 and 2002 subj
RQ09-002opened Apr 15, 2009
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · model years 2001 to 2004

Engine compartment fire. Closed jan 15, 2010.

NHTSA summary
IN LETTERS DATED MARCH 30, 2007, FORD MOTOR COMPANY (FORD) AND MAZDA NORTH AMERICAN OPERATIONS (MAZDA) NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT THEY WILL CONDUCT RECALLS 07V-156 AND 07V-157, RESPECTIVELY, TO REMEDY A SAFETY DEFECT THAT MAY RESULT IN FIRE IN A WIRING CONNECTOR USED IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001-2004 FORD ESCAPE AND MAZDA TRIBUTE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ABS.THE RECALL CAMPAIGN PRESCRIBES AN INSPECTION OF THE SUBJECT COMPONENTS, WHICH SHALL BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED ONLY IF NECESSARY.IF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE PASSES THE VISUAL INSPECTION THEN THE RECALL INSTRUCTS THE TECHNICIAN TO APPLY ELECTRICAL GREASE (FORD PART NUMBER XG-12) TO THE ABS MODULE CONNECTOR AND VERIFY SYSTEM OPERATION.TO DATE, APPROXIMATELY 388,500 SUBJECT VEHICLES (71.7% OF THE TOTAL RECALL POPULATION) HAVE BEEN SERVICED UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN, THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHICH (373,985) PASSED THE VISUAL INSPECTION AND RECEIVED ONLY THE ELECTRICAL GREASE APPLIED TO THE ABS MODULE CONNECTOR. THE AGENCY IS AWARE OF AT LEAST 86 UNIQUE SUBJECT VEHICLES THAT HAVE REPORTEDLY EXPERIENCED NON-CRASH FIRE INCIDENTS ORIGINATING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT OR NEAR THE ABS CONTROL MODULE SOME TIME AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER THE SUBJECT RECALL.THE MANUFACTURER HAS PROVIDED SOME INFORMATION THAT INDICATES CERTAIN VEHICLES WERE IMPROPERLY SERVICED UNDER THE SUBJECT RECALL AS EVIDENCED BY THE FACTORY WIRE TIE-WRAP NOT BEING REMOVED FROM THE WIRING HARNESS (WHICH INDICATES A PROPER INSPECTION COULD NOT HAVE BEEN PERFORMED) A
DP09-003opened Apr 14, 2009
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · model years 2001 to 2004

Engine compartment fire. Closed apr 15, 2009.

NHTSA summary
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) RECEIVED A DEFECT PETITION DATED MARCH 5, 2009 ALLEGING THAT THE PETITIONER NEVER RECEIVED THE RECALL REMEDY FOR 07V-156 AND THAT, AS A RESULT, THE PETITIONER'S MY2003 FORD ESCAPE CAUGHT FIRE AT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE.IN RESPONSE TO ODI FOLLOW-UP, THE MANUFACTURER VERIFIED THAT THE PETITIONER'S VEHICLE HAD IN FACT RECEIVED SERVICE RELATED TO SAFETY RECALL 07V156 - A FACT LATER CORROBORATED BY THE PETITIONER.CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE FIRE EXPERIENCED IN THE PETITIONER'S REMEDIED VEHICLE INDICATE THAT THE REMEDY WAS INEFFECTIVE.ADDITIONAL REVIEW BY ODI IDENTIFIED AN ADDITIONAL 6 SIMILAR (ALLEGED TO HAVE ORIGINATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT OR NEAR THE ABS CONTROL MODULE ) NON-CRASH FIRE INCIDENTS IN SUBJECT VEHICLES KNOWN TO HAVE RECEIVED THE RECALL REMEDY.ACCORDINGLY, A RECALL QUERY (RQ09-002) HAS BEEN OPENED TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE RECALL REMEDY.
PE06-048opened Oct 30, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · model years 2001 to 2003

Engine compartment fire. Closed apr 17, 2007, led to recall 07V-156.

NHTSA summary
IN LETTERS DATED MARCH 30, 2007, FORD AND MAZDA NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT THEY WILL CONDUCT SAFETY RECALLS TO REMEDY A SAFETY DEFECT THAT MAY RESULT IN FIRE IN A WIRING CONNECTOR USED IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001-2004 FORD ESCAPE AND MAZDA TRIBUTE SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ABS.RECALL 07V-156 INVOLVES APPROXIMATELY 446,450 MY 2001-2004 ESCAPE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 22, 1999 THROUGH JANUARY 23, 2004.RECALL 07V-157 INVOLVES APPROXIMATELY 95,300 MY 2001-2004 TRIBUTE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 17, 2000 THROUGH DECEMBER 19, 2003. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURERS, THE ELECTRICAL WIRING CONNECTORS TO THE ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WERE MANUFACTURED WITH WIRE SEALS MISSING OR IMPROPERLY INSTALLED IN SOME WIRING HARNESSES USED IN THE RECALL POPULATIONS.THIS MAY ALLOW ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS SUCH AS WATER OR BRAKE FLUID TO ENTER THE ABS ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR INTERFACE AND CAUSE CORROSION OF THE ELECTRICAL TERMINALS.SUCH CORROSION MAY RESULT IN AN ILLUMINATED ABS TELLTALE, AN OPEN CIRCUIT, AND/OR AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE ORIGINATING AT THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR.TO REMEDY THE DEFECT, THE MANUFACTURERS WILL INSPECT THE CONNECTORS FOR SEAL INTEGRITY.IF A SEAL INTEGRITY ISSUE IS IDENTIFIED THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED AS NECESSARY.ALL VEHICLES WILL HAVE DIELECTRIC GREASE APPLIED TO THE CONNECTORS TO FURTHER REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF CONTAMINANTS ENTERING THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS. TO DATE, ODI IS AWARE OF 120 NON-CRASH RELATED FIRE INCIDENTS ALLEGED TO HAVE ORIG

None of these investigations covers the 2022 model year.

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 4,800 and 28,000 miles, from the 13 reports that gave a mileage.

422
723
1524
625
226

What owners wrote

“Warning message appeared on dash as I was braking. Reduced braking power. I had pushed on brake pedal almost to the floor & missed turning at a corner. My car also makes noise upon backing up each day.”

Filed Apr 8, 2026

“Brakes are moaning when backing up. and there is a grabbing sensation when trying to stop, I have to pump the brakes!”

Filed Oct 21, 2024

“My incident report is a non accident report, I am trying to be proactive and report problems I’ve experienced with this vehicle since I purchased this vehicle 2 years ago. The vehicle has been problematic since I purchased brand new in 2022. I’ve been reporting this issue for two years and the mechanic has not been able to resolve the issues.”

Filed Oct 21, 2024

“I have a 2022 Ford Escape and the rear brakes started making a noise in reverse. I know Ford has a recall on this problem for Broncos and 2021 Ford Escapes and a few 2022 Ford Excapes but my is not included. I feel this should be covered either under the recall 21C31 or under my car warranty. I have talked to Ford and they know there is a problem with the brakes but wont cover my car.”

Filed Oct 15, 2024

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 2 of 34 reports involved a crash and 2 people were hurt. 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.