2006 Ford Escape Hev problems & reliability
37 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Ford Escape Hev, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 11 | 30% |
| Electrical System | 9 | 24% |
| Service Brakes | 7 | 19% |
| Steering | 4 | 11% |
| Suspension | 3 | 8% |
| Engine | 2 | 5% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 5% |
| Power Train | 2 | 5% |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 3% |
| Structure | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 69,292 miles (middle 50% between 34,900 and 88,660 miles), based on 35 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My son and I were leaving a parking lot when suddenly and without warning the power steering went out. I got a warning chime and the wrench light came on with the message "service pwr steering" on the dash. Luckily (I thought) I was near a auto parts place so I slowly drove there. I pulled in, took out the manual and…”
Steering · filed May 29, 2019
“Driving on city street when "service brake system" message was displayed as well as abs and brake lights on dash. Vehicle had no brakes and emergency brake had to be used to stop vehicle.”
Service Brakes · filed Aug 28, 2016
“***door ajar/car alarm/dome light/ issues*** 5/18/15 2006 ford escape xlt 4wd 3.0l 6 cylinder has intermittent false door ajar/car alarm/dome light issues all three symptoms caused by faulty door latch sensors. The suspect part has a temperature coefficient. That is to say when you park your car, and go inside your…”
Electrical System · filed May 18, 2015
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds
Defect Petition DP22005 · opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000
- Electronic Throttle Body Malfunction
Defect Petition DP12006 · opened Oct 2, 2012 · closed Feb 21, 2013
Technical service bulletins
6 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2006 Ford Escape Hev.
Slow fuel fill due to clogged vent. *kb
19536 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 2006
Abs light on and dtc c1475 - hybrid vehicles built from 8/2/2004 - 3/30/2006. *tt
0687 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2006
Neutral tow capability - service kit requirements. *tt
0645 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2006
Low tire indicator on - tpms system sensor wake up. *tt
0637 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2006
Regenerative energy system dtc c1475 - service tip. *tt
19063 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions ·
SLOW FUEL FILL. *TT
19095 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions ·
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2006 Ford Escape Hev has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2006 Ford Escape Hev?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 69,292 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.