Maisy (@korn.maize), a Phoenix-area TikToker, says the 2017 Ford Escape she inherited from her stepmother has cycled through repairs all summer: An A/C compressor, a road-trip battery replacement, a headlight, and now a parasitic electrical draw her Firestone couldn’t isolate before sending her to the dealership.
What happened with this Ford?
The Ford Escape came to her by default. Her stepmom, already a Ford owner, wanted a new hybrid Escape and passed the 2017 down.
“I know I want a Toyota or a Honda,” Maisy says. “But it was time.”
For two years the car asked little of her—a battery, tires, oil changes. In June, the A/C gave out. “I live in f—- the Phoenix, Arizona area,” she says. “We don’t f—- mess around with A/C.”
A Firestone found her an aftermarket compressor and knocked roughly $500 off the bill.
Weeks later, they did a pre-trip inspection and decided it was OK for an August drive to Washington. The Saturday of departure, it wouldn’t start. She and her boyfriend jumped it across state lines, replaced the battery at a Firestone in Santa Cruz, changed a headlight, and made it home.
The problem continues
A week later, it wouldn’t start again—this time before a 10-hour shift working with children with autism. Her boyfriend narrowed the cause to either a bad replacement battery or a parasitic draw—”kind of a common Ford Escape problem,” she says. Firestone kept the car for three days, tested fuses, and Wednesday afternoon told her they couldn’t find it. Take it to the dealership.
The car is paid off. It drives fine—”it’s just starting it.”
“One of our mechanic friends was saying, like, yeah, Fords, they will have a whole episode of needing so many things to repair,” she says. “I just would like another year for it to work. That’s it. Don’t get a Ford.”
People had opinions about Ford Escapes
“2013 to 2019 (3rd Gen) Ford Escape r known to be the worst,” one person commented. “Not all Fords r bad but u did get one of the worst generations of Ford Escapes ever.”
They continued, “Ford escape 2012 and under r tanks and easy on money and maintenance. Pre 2020 F150s r cery solid aswell. Ford Explorer r also very solid especially 2011 to 2013 easily get to 300k miles with little to no issues. Crown Vic ppl easily got up to 500k Miles with the only Downside being a gashog. I personally had 3 Fords at High Mileage, one at 191k, 173k and 218k Miles all Fords. Just depends on what Ford u get.”
This commenter is correct. While the third-gen Escapes came with a modern design, good handling, and fuel-efficient EcoBoost engines, those qualities were quickly overridden by catastrophic mechanical failures and dozens of safety recalls.
@korn.maize correction: 2 times have i had to get it majorly repaired at a shop since early 2023, not once. Mind u its only a 2017 😭 and I had a 1998 Toyota Camry from a family friend in 2019 that I got rid of bc i was going up to college, but that thing ran great. #carproblems #ford #fordescape #brokencar ♬ original sound – maisy
It’s Not Just Her
In Consumer Reports’ most recent Annual Auto Reliability Survey, Ford placed 11th of 26 brands with a score of 48. Toyota (66) and Honda (59)—the two Maisy named as her preferences—both landed in the top four.
Michael Brooks, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, said Ford has issued more recalls than any other automaker across 2024, 2025, and 2026, tied to a 2024 NHTSA consent order that “cited Safety Act violations.” Ford also had to accept new independent oversight of its recall program.
Subplot reached out to Maisy (@korn.maize) via TikTok message and comment, and to Ford via email for more information.
