Which Ford Escape years have the most body problems?

The 2020 model year by far, with 655 of the 708 body and structure complaints. Most involve the driver's door check arm welds. The 2022 year has a smaller group of similar reports. Other years have only a few complaints, and the newest years have had little time to collect any.

Is it safe to drive an Escape with a broken door check arm?

Owners describe doors that are hard to close, may not latch, and in one case opened while driving. Others worry about getting out in an emergency. The data does not give a safety verdict, but a door that will not latch should be inspected before you drive.

Is there a recall for the Escape door welds?

Not in the recall records provided. The one listed recall, 25V829000, covers liftgate hinge covers that may not be secure on 2020, 2022, and 2025 models. Owner complaints say dealers often tell them no recall or warranty covers the door problem.

How much does it cost to fix the Escape door?

Owners report quotes from about $1,200 to $5,000, with many between $2,400 and $3,500. Dealers often say the whole door must be replaced. One owner paid $1,880, and another was offered $1,000 from Ford toward the work.

Why does the Escape liftgate come down on people?

The data does not give a cause. Owners report the power or foot-operated liftgate closing while they load cargo, causing head and shoulder injuries. One 2022 owner had it happen twice with under 3,000 miles on the car.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Ford Escape Body And Structure Problems

The 2020 Ford Escape's driver door check arm spot welds break, causing popping, a stuck window, and a door that is hard to close.

Owner complaints: 708
Share of all complaints: 16%
Crash / fire / injury reports: 2 / 1 / 12
Related recalls: 1

Escape body and structure complaints by model year

The 2020 model year dominates this area, with 655 of the 708 complaints and a rate far above any other year. The 2022 model year has a smaller cluster with the same door check arm and liftgate problems. The 2018 year has a handful, mostly water leaks and peeling paint. The 2019, 2023, and 2024 years have very few. The 2025 and 2026 years show none, but they have had little time on the road, so that says little about how they will hold up.

2018
15 · 0.6/10k sold
2019
8 · 0.3/10k sold
2020
655 · 36.7/10k sold
2022
25 · 1.8/10k sold
2023
3 · 0.2/10k sold
2024
2 · 0.1/10k sold
2025
0 · 0/10k sold
2026
0 · 0/10k sold

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA under structure. Newer model years have had less time to collect complaints.

What goes wrong

The most common complaint is a driver's door that starts to pop or creak, then gets hard to open and close. Owners say the spot welds holding the door check arm bracket have broken loose inside the door. The window often sticks partway or stops working, and the door may not latch. A second pattern is the power liftgate coming down on people while they load cargo.

The door failure is mostly an expensive repair, but owners worry about a door that will not close properly or open in an emergency. One owner reported a door opening while driving, with no injury. The liftgate reports are the bigger safety concern, with head and shoulder injuries, and one 2022 hatch opened while driving. Crash and fire reports are rare and not tied to the door problem. Several owners were told the whole door had to be replaced.

Symptoms owners report

Popping driver's door

A loud pop, crack, or creak when the driver's door opens or closes. Owners trace it to the door check arm bracket, where spot welds have ripped out. The door then swings freely or opens only partway.

Window stuck or dead

Once the door welds fail, the driver's window often will not go down, stops partway, or twists in its track. Some owners also report a door that does not lock or a warning that the door is not secure in Drive.

Door will not latch

The door becomes hard to close, may need slamming, or seems not fully shut. A few owners saw the same failure on the front passenger door, and one said the car's frame felt loose where the bad door pulled on it.

Liftgate closes on people

The power or foot-operated liftgate comes back down while someone loads cargo. Owners report a knot on the head and a hit to the shoulder. In 2019, a power liftgate also closed without latching, and a dealer fix lasted under a week.

Water leaks and paint

On the 2018 model year, water gets into the cabin and spare tire well through roof seam sealer, a rear quarter panel, or near the rearview mirror. White paint around the windshield and pillars bubbles, cracks, and peels.

Hood and trim coming loose

A few reports on newer cars describe a hood flying open over a railroad track in a rental, a liftgate hinge cover flying off in a car wash, and a driver's door limiting bar detaching at 9,062 miles.

When the problems start

On the 2020 door problem, many reports fall between about 17,000 and 37,000 miles, often just outside warranty. Others come later: one owner's check arm bracket welds failed at 75,000 miles, and the passenger door followed at 85,000. A 2019 rear door panel problem appeared at 50,000 miles, and a 2018 dashboard lifted at 17,279 miles.

Repairs and recalls

Owners say dealers confirm the broken welds but often call the car out of warranty, and Ford customer service declined to help in many reports. Quotes run from about $1,200 at a body shop to $5,000, with several near $2,400 to $3,500. One owner paid $1,880 for a door, and another was offered $1,000 toward the repair. Federal recall 25V829000 covers detached liftgate hinge covers on 2020, 2022, and 2025 models, with free inspection, reinstallation, or replacement. The data shows no recall for the door welds.

Model years	Campaign	Problem
2020, 2022, 2025	25V829000	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2025 Escape vehicles. The liftgate hinge covers may not be properly secured and detach from the vehicle.

Checking a used Escape for body and structure problems

Open and close the driver's door several times, listening for popping, creaking, or clunking. Repeat on the passenger door.
Run the driver's window fully up and down. A window that sticks or stops partway points to a door problem.
Check that the door stops at its detents and does not swing freely. Confirm it latches without slamming.
Ask for repair records showing any door replacement, and ask whether Ford, the owner, or a warranty paid for the work.
Run the power liftgate a few times. Make sure it latches, and check that the hinge covers are secure.
Look for water stains in the cargo area, spare tire well, and headliner, and for peeling paint around the windshield pillars.

1 body and structure recall cover the Ford Escape. A VIN check shows whether the car you're looking at had its recall work done, plus accident and title history.

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