Showing the 2006 Escape Hybrid 4WD: as EPA lists it. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
27 mpgcombined; city 28, highway 26; the Hybrid 4WD
Five years of fuel
$12,030U.S. average; Ohio $10,750 at local prices; the Hybrid 4WD; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists no trims for the 2006 Escape, so these are the versions EPA tested, by its names. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 720 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Escape. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Vehicle speed control
119
2
3
5
Service brakes
105
5
0
4
Power train
100
2
0
1
Engine
92
2
3
1
Electrical system
79
1
2
2
Suspension
75
2
0
2
Structure
72
1
0
1
Service brakes, hydraulic
58
1
0
0
Steering
48
1
0
1
Engine and engine cooling
35
0
2
0
Fuel/propulsion system
28
0
1
0
Visibility
22
0
0
3
20 more parts
Air bags
20
12
0
20
Unknown or other
20
0
0
0
Wheels
20
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
18
0
0
0
Hybrid propulsion system
12
0
0
0
Service brakes, electric
9
1
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
5
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
5
0
0
0
Tires
5
1
0
0
Visibility/wiper
5
0
0
0
Parking brake
4
1
0
0
Seat belts
4
1
0
2
Seats
4
0
0
0
Equipment
3
0
0
0
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Electronic stability control
1
1
0
0
Equipment adaptive/mobility
1
0
0
0
Interior lighting
1
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Traction control system
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2006 Escape over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Power train: automatic transmission; Power train: automatic transmission
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2001-2008 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured March 31, 2001, to September 1, 2009. The affected vehicles are equipped with either a 2.3L or 3.0L engine and have had their CD4E transmission replaced with remanufactured one that was rebuilt between June 11, 2015 through July 15, 2015. These service repair part transmissions have a shift lever bolt that may not be properly tightened. As a result, the shift control lever could disengage from the transmission without warning.
Risk: If the shift lever disengages from the transmission, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the gear selection indicator may show that the transmission is in the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not actually be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmissions and either tighten the manual shift lever bolt or replace the manual shift lever assembly. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S28.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 Ford Escape hybrid electric vehicles manufactured October 13, 2003, to June 20, 2008, and 2006-2008 Mercury Mariner hybrid electric vehicles manufactured June 10, 2005, to June 20, 2008. The coolant pump for the hybrid system may fail resulting in the hybrid electronics overheating.
Risk: If the hybrid electronics system overheats, it may shut down the powertrain, resulting in a stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the original Motor Electronics Coolant (MEC) Pump with an improved brushless pump, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on October 27, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S19.
ON CERTAIN FRONT WHEEL DRIVE HYBRID VEHICLES, THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND MAY FRACTURE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN.
Risk: IF A FRACTURE OCCURS, THE POWERTRAIN WILL LOSE THE ABILITY TO TRANSMIT TORQUE TO THE DRIVE WHEELS AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE STATIONARY WHEN PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DRIVETRAIN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 23, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, PASSENGER CARS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITHOUT GREASE BEING APPLIED TO THE OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR.
Risk: AFTER A PERIOD OF CONTINUOUS USE ON THE HIGH SPEED SETTING, LACK OF GREASE ON THE OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR MAY CAUSE THE GEAR TO DISTORT OR FRACTURE DURING OPERATION RESULTING IN A LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION. INOPERATIVE WIPERS UNDER INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS COULD CAUSE A CRASH DUE TO IMPAIRED VISIBILITY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WIPER MOTOR FOR THE PRESENCE OF GREASE AND GREASE THE WIPER MOTOR GEARS IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 22, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673 OR LINCOLN/MERCURY AT 1-800-521-4140.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 38 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2006 Escape, the latest on Apr 4, 2023. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: engine and engine cooling (10), electrical system (6), fuel system (6), service brakes (6), gasoline (5).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Defect petition DP22005 Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2006 Escape.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: sport utility vehicle. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Escape Front-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl
Manual 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
21 / 27 / 23
Escape Front-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 4-spd
Regular Gasoline
20 / 23 / 21
Escape 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl
Manual 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
19 / 24 / 21
Escape Front-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 4-spd
Regular Gasoline
18 / 23 / 20
Escape 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 4-spd
Regular Gasoline
18 / 22 / 20
Escape 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 4-spd
Regular Gasoline
17 / 21 / 19
Escape Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
30 / 28 / 29
Escape Hybrid 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
28 / 26 / 27
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data