general problems of the 2016 Ford Escape - part 1

On July 7, 2026, at approximately 113,080 miles, my 2016 Ford Escape displayed a “transmission fault – service now” warning. The exact failed component is currently unknown, but the issue appears to involve the transmission/powertrain and possibly an electrical fault. While driving, I experienced abnormal symptoms including a rotational/squeaking noise from the front-right area and an air-leak/pressure-type noise from the right side. The pressure-type noise could also be heard while revving the vehicle at idle. The check engine light also illuminated. I took the vehicle to an independent repair facility on July 7, 2026. The mechanic documented the symptoms and diagnostic trouble codes and advised that additional electrical diagnosis was necessary to determine the exact cause. The transmission itself has not been conclusively diagnosed as failed, and I am not claiming a specific failed internal component without further inspection. I consider this a serious safety concern because an unresolved transmission or powertrain malfunction could potentially cause improper shifting, hesitation, reduced propulsion, loss of acceleration, or other unexpected vehicle behavior while driving in traffic. I contacted Ford regarding the problem and followed up again on July 17, 2026. After receiving no resolution, I contacted Ford again on September 9, 2026. Ford advised me that there was no exact timeframe for when the aso would contact me and that the aso may or may not contact me at all. I requested that Ford make a final escalation of the safety concern. Ford confirmed that my escalation and my intention to submit the unresolved safety issue to NHTSA were documented under Ford case cxh-08511841-t8x5l4. To my knowledge, Ford has not inspected the vehicle or provided a substantive resolution to the transmission/powertrain concern. I am also concerned that this may not be an isolated maintenance issue. I am aware of other owners reporting transmission and powertrain problems.

The end of February was driving and I noticed white smoke blowing from my exaust, then my car lost power.

Unknown.

Recall issue: the vehicle failed and became disabled due to the shift cable bushing while in a parking lot on private property, with driver in the vehicle. The gear would not shift or go into park and continued to roll forward until either I hit the curb or applied the brake. Ford will not pay for the tow or diagnostic fee to have the problem diagnosed at another body shop (before I knew of the recall) Ford will not replace shift cable, only install protective cap. Recall issue: rearview camera displays distorted images, and does not always show rear view when backing up. It shows blank sometimes, and forward when reversing. Visibility unclear when backing. Ford will not replace as they say they do not have the parts to replace. This leaves the vehicle at high risk for safety issues.

The rear view camera does not work at times and when it does the image is distorted and discolored and it is also upside down.

My 2016 Ford Escape is subject to safety recall 25sa9 / NHTSA 25v695 involving the rearview camera. Ford's recall states that the rearview camera may display a blank or distorted image in reverse, or may display a message that camera is unavailable. The rearview camera is now completely nonfunctional. It previously worked intermittently but progressively worsened and is gone now. When I place the vehicle in reverse, the center display either remains blank or continues displaying the navigation/map screen shown while driving. It does not display the rearview camera image. The vehicle and camera are available for inspection upon request. This creates a significant safety risk because I have lost the rearward view provided by the camera when backing up. This is particularly concerning because this is the exact safety defect addressed by the recall: an unavailable rearview camera (for a [xxx]!!) can reduce driver's view behind the vehicle and increase the risk of a crash. I have contacted Ford dealerships regarding this recall both in texas, where I previously lived, and in utah, where I now live. I have been told that the replacement remedy part is still unavailable, so the recall repair cannot be performed. Ford's original NHTSA recall filing stated that final remedy owner notifications were planned for June 29–July 3, 2026. It is now August 23, 2026, and remedy remains unavailable. The problem has not been repaired or resolved by a dealer because the recall replacement part is unavailable. I have not had the vehicle inspected by police or an insurance representative. The camera initially worked intermittently and then stopped altogether. The current symptom is that, when in reverse, the display either remains blank or continues showing the navigation/map screen instead of displaying the rearview camera image. I am requesting that NHTSA review Ford's handling of recall 25v695/25sa9, particularly the continued lack of an available remedy. This is unsafe! information redacted pursuant to the freedom of informati.

There is an active safety recall on the vehicle and Ford wants to charge to diagnose the recall. When I first inquired about the recall they said they didn’t have the part to fix that recall but wanted me to bring it into the shop to diagnose it and that would cost money. They said that even if I did bring it into to diagnose they could not do anything but let me know if they get the part but that the company no longer makes the part so it won’t get fixed anyways.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon opening the liftgate, the liftgate started closing unintendedly and struck the contact on the head. There was no injury sustained. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

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 rearview camera displayed a distorted image while the vehicle was in reverse(r). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the driver's visibility, which prevented the driver from safely operating the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the alarm activated independently. The alarm was unintentionally activated during the day or night. Most recently, while the front driver’s side door was opened or closed, the alarm activated until the key was inserted into the ignition. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.

Safety recall issued last year for faulty rear camera and still no remedy available.

The electrical radio backup camera does not work it's all malfunctioned.

Camera keeps cutting out even in the middle of backing up.

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 in reverse(r) on several occasions, the rear-view camera went black and failed to operate as intended. The contact stated that the radio turned on and off independently, and the screen failed to operate as intended. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

I was driving the car and I was having issues with it shutting off when I was driving the car it shut off in the middle of me driving and it just wouldn't move after that until a tow truck driver came and gave me a jumpstart that happened a number of times, but in the middle of traffic was the worst and very dangerous when my kids are in the car.

Around Aug. 3, I noticed that when I drove, the interior lights would not turn off. When the car was off, they went out as they should. But every time I started the car they came on and would not turn off. It made it very difficult to drive went it was getting dark. The dealership confirmed that it wasn't the knobs inside the car that were causing this problem. Later, I took it in for them to find out what was wrong. I scheduled an appointment and dropped off the car. That was Aug, 7. Today is September 1, and I have no idea when I might get my car back. Apparently, it needed a 'body control module'. They got a new Ford part, put it in and it solved the problem with the interior lights, but nothing else was working. They tried a second new, Ford part with the same results. So, I've been without a car, I have had a rental for a week, but will be turning it in, too expensive for me. I need a car I work mornings. What are my options now? it only has 52,000 miles. And while I am the 2nd owner, it belonged to a friend that I lived with and took care of and was the primary driver. How long before they should say we can't fix it?.

Rear view camera not displaying when put in reverse frequently or camera displaying but goes blank in the middle of backing up. This has been occurring for at least 3-4 months. It is very frightening as it takes my mind a second or two to comprehend the rearview camera has gone blank in the middle of backin up. The camera does not always have a problem but is too frequent. I have been I’ll so have not driven too much last 2 months but I am better now. Please add my vehicle to the rearview recall.

A couple of years ago my car started having problems when accelerating, it would not accelerate or almost get to stall without warning, a couple times I got the message " engine fault - service now" . I took my car to the dealership and they could not find the root cause because the message would disappear when turning the car off and on again, therefore they could not reproduce the issue but my car had this same episode 3 times over the past 8 years without resolution from the dealership. Finally a few days ago the issue came back but this time the message is not going away after turning off the car, I used a code reader and the error code reads: p0236. I am trying to get an appointment at the dealership to have my car looked at and finally have the repair done. But I believe my Ford Escape should be part of recall no. 14v495000 for Ford Escape my 2013-2014 along with other Ford Escapes model year 2016.

I am filing this complaint regarding a serious safety issue with the rearview camera on my Ford vehicle. My rearview/backup camera does not function properly when I place the vehicle in reverse. The display either shows a blank screen or a severely distorted image, preventing me from reliably seeing the area behind my vehicle. Ford issued a safety recall concerning rearview-camera problems in October 2025. I have contacted Ford/dealership personnel regarding the recall and the defective camera. I have been advised that the replacement part needed to repair my vehicle is not currently available. This is extremely concerning because the rearview camera is an important safety feature that is specifically intended to provide visibility behind the vehicle while backing. At present, I cannot depend on the camera to show me what is behind my vehicle. This creates an increased risk of striking a person, another vehicle, property, or another obstruction that I may not be able to see. The problem is not merely an inconvenience or cosmetic issue. I am experiencing an actual loss of rear visibility while the vehicle is in reverse. Ford has acknowledged the safety concern through its recall, yet I am still unable to obtain the required repair because I am being told that the necessary part is unavailable. I am requesting that NHTSA review this matter and determine whether Ford is adequately addressing the recall and providing affected owners with a timely and effective remedy. I would also like this complaint to document that I have reported the safety defect to Ford/dealer and that the vehicle remains unrepaired because the necessary replacement part is reportedly unavailable. I am concerned about continuing to operate the vehicle without a functioning rearview camera and believe this unresolved condition presents an unreasonable safety risk.

Numerous warning lights and chimes activated at once while driving including hill start assist, traction control, etc. This has happened randomly while driving under various conditions and reports of such on forums may be related to an ecm or a 4wd module not grounded properly. Some owners have had to have software and hardware updates to solve issue or replacement of modules.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the back over prevention camera was turning on and off continuously while driving. The contact stated that the failure was causing a distraction while driving. The contact stated that the back over prevention camera was inoperable while reversing. Additionally, the infotainment system was inoperable. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under recall, and a case was filed. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

Rear view camera is not working properly. Will either flicker on & off while reversing, display upside down, or just show a black screen. This has been going on for a while. There seems to be a recall for this malfunction for several Ford models, however not one for my model.

I have a 2016 Ford Escape se with the ecoboost engine. I have been experiencing the same issue with misfires in port 4 which also shows an open circuit every time as well for over the past year. The dealership has replaced everything underneath including but not limited to my spark plugs, wires, coils, and even my entire wiring harness. The issue is still happening and they do not know what is causing it. I think my vehicle may fall under the complaint failure Ford currently has on their 1. 5, 2. 0, and 2. 5 ecoboost engines. It has been to the dealership for the same repairs over 8 different times. When is enough actually enough. I have lost power several times in traffic and it's like slamming on my brakes. This is how bad the misfire is. My check engine light has been flashing due to this issue as well as being on solid. Please help or advise.

Since October 2022, we have had to replace the front signal wiring harnesses on the car four (4) times due to the wiring being coated with a substance that rodents are being attracted to. It seems that is has happened again. We have not yet taken it to our repair shop for confirmation this time, but we had an incident with our kia (VIN [xxx] ) in November 2024. In this case the clutch assembly wiring had been chewed and the assembly had to be replaced. We had the kia towed to the dealer for repair, so all incidents are documented by repair shops. Not having proper signaling can cause accidents, but I think chewing of other wiring such as the clutch assembly can be an even greater cause for concern. What part will be chewed next. With the clutch assembly we were shown a check engine light and with the signals, the signals sounded different. I know from being on the next door website that other people in the area have had the same problems. I think this problem of the coating on wiring should be checked before it causes a serious accident. I put the date of the kia incident on the bottom because I considered this the most serious. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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 rearview camera displayed a distorted image while the vehicle was in reverse(r). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the driver's visibility, which prevented the driver from safely operating the vehicle. In addition, there was an abnormal sound coming from the camera. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, after the vehicle was purchased, the liftgate failed to function as intended. The liftgate occasionally opened and closed independently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the message "transmission fault - service now" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact had the transmission fluid changed. However, the message was displayed again. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.

My car overheated when I pulled over I noticed my engine coolant low. I had a mechanic add more fluids then a day later car shuts off why I was going 65 on a highway . I was pushing down on the gas peddle but my car would not go. It was barely moving no matter how far I pushed gas peddle. I finally found a somewhat area to pull over . I almost died or was seriously injuried in a few close call accidents this day. Had someone look at it from a garage in town he said it was a fuse and a cylinder misfire. No engine light no issues then my car over heated again no warning just shut down but the car still on emmy lights didn’t work my turn signals didn’t work . Then my car stopped dead in a busy roadway over heated smoking . Now I’m time I need an engine replacement let me add my car only has 60000 miles on it and is in great maintained condition I am a single mother of 3 young kids and take care of my mom. Not employed due to a bad relationship and trying to get back on my feet and now this . Coolest leaks into cylinder causing over heating and catastrophic engine damage , so upset over this and Ford won’t even diagnose my car with out a 200 dollar charge to start with . It’s pathetic.

Abs module is obsolete and unavailable from Ford.

Backup camera intermittently stops working. Some days, it works fine. Other days, whenever shift to reverse, the screen is either black or blue with the message that the camera is not available. It will sometimes go to the black/blue screen while I am reversing into/ out of my driveway, parking spot, etc. Shifting to park or neutral and then to reverse doesn't correct the problem. It started out as an occasional problem, but now happens multiple times a day. This is an extremely unsafe situation. If someone/something is behind me when I am reversing, it is likely that I would not have enough time to react to prevent an injury or worse. So many other Ford vehicles have a recall for backup camera issues, why is the Escape not included?.

While diving the vehicle hesitates. I have had it checked and it seems that the turbo is bad. After speaking to others this seems to be an issue with this vehicle. With the electrical issues, my back up camera, radio, speakers, navigation all do not work. Also while driving my flashers will randomly flash and my speedometer as well as my rpm gage will go crazy. While driving down the road my speakers blared white noise so loud that it almost caused me to wreck because it scared me so badly. I had to have the fuse taken it in order to get it to stop.

The rear backup camera intermittently cuts in and out. The touch screen also intermittently turns black and is unresponsive. After it died, I replaced the infotainment touchscreen computer. The rear backup camera is still intermittent and unreliable. Other owners have complained online about poor seals in the rear wiper assembly, which leads to leaks that corrode the camera's wiring harness and cause an intermittent video signal. I feel this is a known problem that Ford is choosing to ignore and is dangerous when the backup camera cuts out while backing up.

The rear back up camera works intermittently and the car will not start intermittently cannot find the issue it has left stuck at places because it would not start. Changed the battery and all electrical checked out ok.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 mph, he noticed the instrument panel displayed a blank image. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the instrumental panel cluster failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and provide the contact with the recall number. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 15v406000( electrical system); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 73,000.

Rear backup camera works intermittently. One time display screen was solid white, the next time it was solid green, abd the third time it was solid purple. Yet the reverse guidelines still showed all three times. Fuses are good and recently had battery replaced at dealership.

When I put the car in reverse the back up camera glitches. It freezes, flips upside down, turns black, sometimes all of those things. The beeping sound does not warn when objects are near when this is happening. It happens about 95% of the time. The camera is only functional about 5% of the time. Due to this issue I have been in several near accidents.

In Aug. 2021 my 2016 Ford Escape’s sync/nav stopped connecting to my iphone. I went to fullerton Ford in somerville, NJ and a service advisor (sa) determined that sync would not connect with his iphone or mine. Another sa connected with his android phone and it worked perfectly. Everything else related to the sync/nav was working. I did research online on connecting sync with iphone, and was finally able to reconnect to bluetooth, but never able to connect with the sync/nav system. After weeks of trying get the sync/nav to work I had it diagnosed by fullerton Ford. On sept. 29, 2021 I paid a $100 diagnostic fee to assess the problem. I spent 7 hours waiting while it was worked on. They talked with the technical “hotline” but were unable to determine why the sync/nav worked with the android but not the iphone. They suggested the problem “could be” the apim which would cost $866. 16 to replace, but told me that they could not guarantee that replacing the apim would solve the problem. Without a guarantee that spending $966. 16 would solve the problem I declined. It was noted on the invoice that the apim had given a faulty reading but the service advisor never told me that or what else could happen if the apim failed. I suffered with the iphone issue until Nov. 6, 2023 when I brought the car to ciocca Ford in flemington, NJ for service. I’d learned there was an update to the sync system so I asked them to do that upgrade. When the car was “finished” the sa advised me that the whole sync/nav system had been disabled because the 3 attempts to do the sync upgrade completely blew out the apim module, and that it would cost $1,100 to replace it! now I have no sync/nav system at all; no radio, clock, nav, reverse parking support, or bluetooth. In addition, the phone charging ports and upper vents of the heating system don’t work and I don’t know what else isn’t working. Other Ford owners have made complaints about apim module failures to the NHTSA, so Ford should do a recall.

Outside key pad is making sounds of door locks locking and unlocking with flashers coming on driving down the rd second time after replacing outside keypad in 2021 at a Ford dealership in northern michigan the problem has returned 11-1-2023. I tapped on the outsided of the door keypad surface, the problem hasnt came back in the last few days, I believe it will reapeer at some point though.