2020 Ford EcoSport Reliability Report

Engine fires and smoke while driving appear in three reports, in one case without any prior warning light. Most other filings tie back to the oil pump problem: stalling at lights after a repair, crank-no-start, or frustration over a recall notice with no remedy or parts update. A separate cluster involves the backup camera, which shows a blank blue screen, distorts, or stays on while driving forward. One report describes a rear differential replacement at 25k miles after the clutch coupling locked and ground.

Backup camera and screen glitches are the most common complaint. The camera switches on while driving, the screen goes blue or black, and radio and GPS stop working. Some owners say the screen shuts off to save battery and takes the dash and climate controls with it. Others report the car losing power or shutting off in park around 35k miles, instrument cluster lamp warnings, and one case of surging to 5,000 rpm in park. Water under the passenger seat from a clogged sunroof drain also appears.

Squeaking, groaning, or other abnormal noise when braking in reverse is the main brake-specific pattern. It shows up at 8,600 and 19,736 miles and returns after rear brake work. Several other filings tie brake trouble to engine failure: when the engine seizes or loses power, the pedal turns very hard and the car is slow to stop. One filing lists only a pending recall with parts unavailable and no failure.

Airbags that fail to deploy in a crash are the main concern, across four crash reports and two injuries. Drivers describe front impacts into trees and a rear-end collision with no deployment, plus a side impact where the curtain bags fired but the front bags did not. One report describes both front airbags deploying on their own at about 45 MPH, near 79,000 miles. Another owner saw an airbag warning light at about 90,000 miles that was never diagnosed.

Sudden loss of power when pulling away or passing is the main pattern. The check engine and wrench lights come on, and speed drops to a crawl in traffic. Some owners also see low oil pressure warnings or have trouble starting, and dealers often cannot find the cause. One report describes the opposite problem happening twice: the car surges forward while nearly stopped on a slight incline, with no warning lights, and the driver has to stomp the brake.

Belts that fail to retract or hold firmly are the common thread. Owners describe a stretched driver's belt that feels loose, and passenger belts that click abnormally and will not retract, which leaves the passenger unsecured. In one case at 84,000 miles, the dealer said the belt needed replacement. None of these reports mention warning lights.

Few of these filings concern the suspension itself. Two describe the engine oil pump belt tensioner breaking. The result is lost speed control on the interstate, a no-start, and engine damage, followed by waits of months for repair. The third describes a crash in which a box truck hit the stopped car at about 45 MPH and the seat bent, leaving the occupant with a concussion and other injuries.