Hey all, I’m considering buying a Ford Escape PHEV, but there’s a recall 24S79 affecting the battery pack. From what I’ve read, the issue seems to affect less than 1% of the vehicles under recall, and so far, a software update has been applied to the car I’m looking at. Would this be a deal breaker for you if you were getting a good price? I’m curious to hear from people who have owned one or dealt with this.
I have a 2022 Escape PHEV, and I’ve been happy with it. None of the recall issues have affected me so far. Ford has been pretty proactive with their recalls compared to some other manufacturers, which I appreciate.
This wouldn’t affect my decision. The recall report mentions only 3 out of 20,484 vehicles being impacted. The odds are low, but there’s still a risk of a fire. They’re using software to catch the issue before it becomes a fire, so if anything happens, worst case, you’ll get a free battery replacement.
@BrownEvans
Thanks for your input! It’s the potential for a battery replacement that worries me. I’m switching from a Ford Fusion Energi, which I’m having Ford buy back after 2 years of recall preventing me from charging it. I’d be worried they would drag the battery replacement process with the Escape if that ever happens. By the way, how do you like your car?
@Reagan
I got a used 2023 model about 4 months ago, and I’m really happy with it. My office is about 15 miles away, and they have free charging there, so I can make the round trip without needing to charge at home in the warmer months. In the winter, I need to top off at home to make it back on electric power. I love driving it, and I haven’t had any issues so far.
@Reagan
It sounds like the Fusion Energi had more serious issues with the battery design, which is causing the delays. With the Escape, it’s more of a case-by-case thing, so if the battery has a problem, they can swap it out for one off the shelf. That should make repairs quicker. I’ve had no issues with mine. Just regular maintenance and recall work. It’s a comfortable car with great mileage and drives well.
@BrownEvans
Thanks for clarifying! It helps to hear that the problem with the Fusion was different. My anxiety is probably just from that experience.
Every car has recalls, it’s normal.
Fallon said:
Every car has recalls, it’s normal.
I get that, but the recall on my Ford Fusion has been dragging on for years without a solution. I can’t even charge it because of it. I don’t want to go through that again with the Escape.
If you want to buy a car without recalls, you’re going to have a tough time. Every manufacturer has recalls, you just have to think about how often they happen and how severe they are. As a 2023 owner, I feel like I made a good choice.
@Oakley
I get what you’re saying, but the Energi recall is pretty bad. For years, they couldn’t even plug it in to charge, and now the solution keeps getting pushed back. Even when the new battery packs are installed, they’ll have less capacity and range. If I’d been through that, I’d be cautious about buying another Ford plug-in hybrid.
I read the report, and it looks like two specific battery part numbers from Samsung are involved. Neither of those parts match the one in my car, so I asked my dealership if they could confirm which part I have. They’ve said mine is from a different batch.
One way to approach this is to factor the recall issue into the price of the car. You could use it as a bargaining point when making your offer.
I have a '23 PHEV with about 13,500 miles on it, and 12,500 of those were on electric power. I love it. This recall doesn’t bother me much. If I didn’t have so much stuff in my garage, I’d charge it inside, but as it is, it’s outside.
Would you even consider buying any car? Every car manufacturer has had recalls in the past couple of decades. I had a 2010 KIA Soul that lasted me over 400,000 kilometers. It had a recall for a seat heater that could catch fire, but they fixed it and gave me a certificate. It was free, and I got to have a coffee while I waited.
@Foster
The recall on my Ford Fusion has been dragging on for years without a solution. I can’t even charge it anymore, and that’s why I’m trying to get Ford to buy it back. Not all recalls are the same, though.
@Reagan
I get it. So you could use that bad experience to never buy from Ford again. But remember, it was just one bad experience. If I were you, though, I’d be hesitant too after that.
Foster said:
@Reagan
I get it. So you could use that bad experience to never buy from Ford again. But remember, it was just one bad experience. If I were you, though, I’d be hesitant too after that.
Yeah, it’s hard to forget. But I’ll admit, Ford still makes my favorite PHEVs. I’m not a fan of Toyota’s design, and Kia/Hyundai feel cheaper. Ford generally offers good value, with Toyota-designed eCVT and Mazda-designed gas engines.
@Reagan
I have a 2024 PHEV Escape with about 20,000 miles on it. It’s been great so far (knock on wood). I was a bit nervous about Ontario’s cold weather and its impact on batteries, but I’m still getting 36-42 km per charge. I haven’t had any recall notifications yet (again, knock on wood).
@Foster
That’s awesome! I’m based in Québec, and it gets pretty cold here too. Good to know the Escape is doing well in those temperatures. I’ll keep that in mind if I decide to go for it.