2016 Ford Escape problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Power Train (277) · Back Over Prevention (209) · Engine (124)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Ford Escape model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
648 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (4)
Equipment:electrical:engine Block Heater 2026-01-15 · campaign 26V011000 · 116,672 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. For
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera 2025-10-13 · campaign 25V695000 · 1,448,655 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Risk: A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford'
Power Train:shift Linkage/Cable/Rod 2022-06-10 · campaign 22V413000 · 2,925,968 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Risk: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
Air Bags:knee Bolster 2017-06-26 · campaign 17V398000 · 3 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Ford Escape vehicles. The driver's knee airbag modules installed in these vehicles were produced without the inflator gas generant material, and, as a result, the air bags may not inflate properly in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the driver's knee air bag does not inflate as intended, the driver has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace driver's knee air bag, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C11.
Service bulletins (176)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-02-24 · SSM 54601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
ford and lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the
Electrical System 2025-11-26 · TSB 25-2570 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this article supersedes tsb 24-2165 to update the tsb service procedure. some vehicles listed in the model statement above may exhibit various sync performance related concerns including but not limited to: display operation concerns navigation inoperative voice recognition concerns phone co
Power Train 2025-11-12 · SSM 54366 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2015-2021 ford and lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated mil with diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0011, p0012, p0014, p0015, p0016, p0017, p0018, p0019, p0021, p0022, p0024 and/or p0025. pinpoint test hk in the powertrain control and emissions diagnosis (pc/ed) or in section 303-14 of th
Unknown Or Other 2024-11-27 · SSM 53176 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2013-2016 escape vehicles may exhibit an abs warning indicator with diagnostic trouble code (dtc) u2300 after the abs module is replaced.
Unknown Or Other 2024-10-10 · SSM 53040 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
while performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 ford and lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.
Unknown Or Other 2024-05-27 · TSB 24-2165 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this article supersedes tsb 21-2175 to update the tsb service procedure. some 2016 mks, 2016-2017 navigator, 2016-2018 f-150/focus/c-max/edge/fiesta/mkx/transit connect/mustang, 2017-2018 continental/fusion/mkz, 2017-2019 explorer, 2016-2019 escape/mkc/flex/mkt/taurus/transit/expedition/f-super duty
Showing the 6 most recent of 176 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-29 · Unknown Or Other“the back up camera failed three years ago and no longer works. this is a safety hazard when backing up, or parallels parking. a recall was issued more than a year ago. and the remedy is still unavailable. …”
2026-10-28 · Engine“was sold a 2016 ford escape that apparently has a known coolant leak issue that is caused by a bad engine block. when i bought the car in 2021 i had to wait two weeks to get the car so they could fix a cylinder misfire issue. had several issues with it overheating and was told that it just needed coolant added. in 2026 was told that the head gaske…”
2026-10-28 · Back Over Prevention · 80,000 mi“the contact owns a 2016 ford escape. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 25v695000 (back over prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. while reversing, the rear-view camera intermitten…”
2026-10-28 · Back Over Prevention · 119,000 mi“the contact owns a 2016 ford escape. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 25v695000 (back over prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. the local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amo…”
2026-10-27 · Back Over Prevention“the contact owns a 2016 ford escape. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 25v695000 (back over prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. …”
2026-10-26 · Back Over Prevention · 109,540 mi“the contact owns a 2016 ford escape. the contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the back over prevention camera was blank and failed to operate as needed. the message that the camera was unavailable was displayed. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 25v695000 (back over prevention); however, the part to do the reca…”
2026-10-26 · Back Over Prevention · 55,000 mi“the contact owns a 2016 ford escape. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 25v695000 (back over prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. the contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera was intermittently inoperable. the contact stated that the failure posed a significant safet…”
2026-10-23 · Back Over Prevention · 50,000 mi“the contact owns a 2016 ford escape. the contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera flickered. in addition, the contact stated that occasionally the rear-view camera displayed an upside-down image. the dealer was contacted and made aware of the failure. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with the rear-view cam…”
2026-10-23 · Back Over Prevention“the contact owns a 2016 ford escape. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 25v695000 (back over prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue.…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.