On top of that, we’ll look at how you can fix these issues, and what Ford’s done so far to remedy them. This entails looking that the Ford Escape’s gearbox issues and analyzing what’s wrong. In addition, we’ll look at these problems in greater detail. Moreover, we’ll then discuss the best model years that you could consider if you’re buying used. Here, we’ll take a closer look at which years to avoid if you are looking at buying a Ford Escape. They plague quite a few years of the 2 decades this car has been on a production line. The Ford Escape transmission problems are a nightmare to deal with. But, some couldn’t wait to see the back of it. The Ford Escape is a comfortable, roomy, and well-balanced SUV crossover. The Ford Escape, a staple in the crossover segment ever since it hit the ground running in 2001.