general problems of the 2019 Ford Escape - part 1

I received a check engine light, code p0303, misfire cylinder 3. There is evidence my engine was overheating as the spark plug associated with cylinder 3 was melted and unable to be removed. I took my vehicle to Ford to diagnose the issue and was advised there was coolant intrusion into my engine. Upon researching the issue there is a trove of information relating to my vehicle and other Ford vehicles with 1. 5l ecoboost engine. My vehicle is a 2019 Ford Escape VIN [xxx]. My vehicle fits all the specifications of Ford customer satisfaction program 21n12, which acknowledges coolant leaking into the engine and what symptoms a vehicle exbits when coolant leaked is present. From my understanding there is a risk of engine fire related to this issue. I can no longer safely drive the vehicle. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Driving on highway when we approached a traffic jam. Car started mis-firing (jerking) especially at low speed. Got off roadway as soon as it was safe to do so. Went to o'reilly auto parts to get a diagnosis. Stated issue with coil in 2 so replaced and still having issue. Replaced 2 spark plug but did not fix the problem. Following day replaced all coils and spark plugs and still did not fix the problem. Brought it to the nearest Ford dealer and was told there was coolant intrusion to the engine and it would have to be replaced. Two days later after engine arrived discovered transmission fluid leak into the main engine harness, another $1,600. Total cost is going to be $12,755. 00. Car only has 50,000 miles on it and always did maintenance on time.

Engine overheat, white smoke from exhaust, and coolant leaking. Empty coolant reservoir.

This updates a prior complaint (NHTSA tracking xxx). The 2019 Escape 1. 5l ecoboost has the known coolant-intrusion engine defect (white exhaust smoke, overheating, misfires; codes p0300/p0301-p0304). Ford replaced the engine short block under program 21n12 on 3/6/2024 at 62,201 miles. The defect has recurred and the engine has now completely failed a second time. The dealer (tuttle-click Ford) confirmed excessive exhaust smoke and a loud rod knock; the vehicle is undrivable and likely needs another engine. While driving on the highway the engine began shutting down. The vehicle was shaking and making loud knocking noises, and we had to exit immediately at the next off-ramp; my children (ages [xxx] and [xxx]) were in the car. The vehicle is unsafe. Ford denied repurchase twice (cases xxx and xxx). I am reporting this safety defect for the record. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

2019 Ford Escape with a documented history of powertrain failures. White smoke on cold start and engine stalling began around 48,000 miles; the dealer noted this engine is known for coolant intrusion. At about 62,000 miles the engine short block was replaced under Ford field service action 21n12 / TSB 22-2322. Smoke, shaking, and stalling continued, and the engine intermittently cuts out when shifting into reverse and must be restarted. At about 87,000 miles the transmission failed and the full transmission assembly was replaced (work order Jan 2026, vehicle returned end of March 2026). The owner repeatedly told the Ford dealer the vehicle felt unsafe. On [xxx] the owner reported renewed exhaust smoke, an illuminated engine light, and a clicking sound at startup and asked to bring it in; instead of inspecting it, the dealer advised taking the vehicle straight to carmax. About 9 days later, on [xxx], while driving in los angeles about 60 miles from home with young children aboard, the transmission would not stay in gear and the engine warning lights began blinking. The owner called the Ford dealership for guidance but no one could advise and the service desk would not answer. After consulting a mechanic, the family agreed it was unsafe to keep driving given the noises and pulled over in anaheim, about 30 miles from home, at a mechanic shop to read the codes. A paid tow (~$600) was required. Loss of gear engagement and stalling in traffic with children aboard is a serious crash and stranding hazard. The scan returned codes p0012 and p0014 (camshaft timing, stored as permanent), p0300 (random/multiple misfire), and p0301, p0302, p0304 (cylinder misfires); the dash showed "auto start/stop not ready - stall alert - restart engine. " the defect has been reproduced and confirmed repeatedly by the Ford dealer, which performed the engine and transmission replacements. A repurchase request was denied. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My car currently has 66300 miles. And already requiring engine block repair that costs almost $8800 by Ford tasca. July last year, tasca Ford repaired spark plug issues and it didn’t even last a year. For that mileage, a car should not need dealing with an engine issue like this. There’s obviously a problem with the car to begin with. Its causing strain in my life financially and in general, knowing car is a necessity. I called Ford customer service and told me they couldn’t give me assistance with this.

2019 Ford Escape 1. 5l ecoboost, VIN [xxx] , built July 2019, 59,300 miles. Experiencing coolant intrusion into cylinder bores — identical defect addressed by Ford customer satisfaction program 21n12 and tsbs 22-2134 and 22-2322. Symptoms: white exhaust smoke at startup, low coolant level with no external leak, no check engine light. Two independent mechanics (tune craft auto center and thomas bros auto care, san diego CA) independently diagnosed coolant intrusion into cylinders and recommend long block replacement per csp 21n12 procedure. Vehicle build date of July 2019 falls three months after Ford's csp 21n12 cutoff of April 8, 2019. Ford redesigned this engine block in late 2019 due to the same defect, confirming the defective architecture was still in production through at least July 2019. Ford has denied goodwill coverage citing the build date cutoff. This is the same known manufacturing defect Ford has accepted responsibility for in thousands of other vehicles. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The engine needs to be replaced due to engine leaking coolant into the cylinder. This falls under Fords TSB 22-2229. This is a known issue and manufacturing defect. While driving the check engine light started flashing and the car started overheating.

My 1. 5l ecoboost engine in my 2019 Ford Escape exhibits a low coolant levels, white exhaust smoke, and runs rough condition with an illuminated malfunction indicator light with only diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0302 and p0316. Ford admits to having this issue as described in a customer satisfaction program 21n12 but is not agreeing to service my vehicle as they state it does not have this issue despite exhibiting all of this symptoms listed in the satisfaction program.

Misfire in 4th cylinder. Replaced spark plugs and emission coils. Recurrent misfire. Diagnostics demonstrated coolant intrusion. Only option for repair is to replace entire engine block and this did not make sense for 7 year old Ford Escape with 65k miles.

The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle hesitated and the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer diagnosed the issue with a coolant leak and engine failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 86,708.

My vehicle I’ve had for 3 months and now it won’t start and it’s from a coolant leak flooding my engine. As they called it a coolant intrusion into my engine and will cost 12k to get this fixed as I need a whole new engine.

I am reporting the failure of Ford motor company to perform a mandatory safety recall (recall 22s43 / NHTSA id 22v413) on my 2019 Ford Escape. This failure is compounded by evidence of falsified internal service records (oasis reports) that misrepresent the vehicle's recall status as 'completed. ' ?furthermore, the failure to perform this specific recall directly prevented a necessary diagnostic inspection of the transmission linkage and adjacent engine compartment. Had this recall been performed, the technician would have identified the progressive corrosion and mechanical stress that subsequently destroyed the high-pressure fuel pump and the transmission control module (tcm). ?the manufacturer meticulously recorded routine maintenance while ignoring a critical federal safety mandate. Their negligence directly caused a cascading mechanical failure, rendering my vehicle an unsafe, non-operational hazard. I am seeking a formal investigation into these falsified service records and the manufacturer's failure to remedy this safety hazard. I attempted to resolve this manner at the lowest levels, before taking this route. Unfortunately, to their detriment; Ford basically told me I was on my own. I have already alerted the attorney general for the state of tennessee, as well. The subsequent loss of the vehicle as a result of the abhorrent behavior of Ford motor company has resulted in time lost with my kids and my mental health appointments with the veterans administration. I can not make it to my therapist or get my medication. I have the carfax and oasis reports as further evidence to back these claims.

I am reporting a serious engine safety issue involving coolant intrusion into the engine, resulting in misfires, loss of power, and potential engine failure while driving. My vehicle began experiencing rough starts after sitting overnight, including shaking and hesitation. In a few dayna, the issue worsened and is now accompanied by the following: * coolant loss requiring refill approximately every other day * sweet smell of coolant coming from the exhaust * occasional white smoke from the exhaust on startup * gurgling sound behind the dashboard during startup * loss of engine power and hesitation when accelerating * engine warning message: “engine fault – service now” diagnostic trouble codes retrieved: * p0300 – random/multiple cylinder misfire * p0302 – cylinder 2 misfire * p0316 – misfire detected on startup * p0339 – crankshaft position sensor intermittent * p059f – active grille shutter malfunction * p06e9 – engine starter performance issue I brought the vehicle to a repair shop where I was informed that coolant is entering the engine and mixing with the oil. I was also told there is evidence of oil leakage from the turbocharger area. The shop indicated that the engine likely requires replacement due to internal failure, with an estimated repair cost between $10,000 and $15,000. No prior warning of coolant intrusion was given during a recent service visit approximately one week earlier. This issue creates a serious safety risk because the engine may fail unexpectedly while driving. The problem appears to worsen after the vehicle sits, increasing the risk of failure during normal daily use such as commuting or transporting my child. Based on my research, similar issues involving coolant intrusion have been reported in Ford vehicles equipped with the 1. 5l ecoboost engine. This appears to be a known defect that can lead to engine failure without adequate warning. I am requesting that this issue be investigated as a potential safety defect.

P0217 engine coolant over temp condition, p0316 misfire detected on startup, p2601 coolant pump a control circuit performance stuck off. Investigated coolant and found no coolant in reservoir. Inspected for leaks and found no leaks. Preformed block test on engine and engine failed block test this indicates a failed head gasket. This happened at random, with a full tank of coolant, while driving. There was a heat warning on the dash, I pulled over immediately, and took it into the mechanic the same week. There is a crack in the engine block that is leaking coolant into the cylinders.

My 2019 Ford Escape overheated, had the vehicle towed. The repair shop said it was coolant intrusion into cylinder 3, first was to replace the head gasket, upon disassembly the mechanic notice gouges in cylinder head. Endurance would not cover the replacement of head gasket or cylinder head. Car displayed overheated pull over safely. Not sure if this will be a reoccurring problem. The mechanic said I have the updated design of the engine block . Took a month to get the repairs done.

Coolant intrusion into sccylinder one. Long block assembly required.

Coolant intrusion on the cylinders due to a manufacturing issue with the Ford ecoboost 1. 5l engine manufactured between 2017-2019. This issue warrants a total engine replacement and the vehicle is currently at a Ford dealership. This can cause total engine failure while driving or even vehicle fires. This issue was acknowledged by Ford in TSB 19-2139 which was published in November of 2019. The symptoms we experienced were hard shuddering, white smoke from exhaust, check engine light, a "service engine now" message on the dashboard.

2019 Ford Escape titanium 2. 0l ecoboost, VIN [xxx] , ~51,000 miles, built March 2019. Sioux falls Ford performed full TSB 19-2346 / 22-2229 diagnostic on April 23, 2026 and confirmed coolant intrusion into cylinder #3 with visible damage on borescope. Check engine light has occurred four times. Ford customer care (case ##cxh-xxx-xxx) denied goodwill. Known design flaw. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Cylinder 4 misfire code caused a check engine light. Brought to mechanic who replaced all spark plugs and the cylinder 4 coil pack. The code came back later that day. I started noticing a low coolant level and one instance of white smoke on startup. I brought the vehicle to the dealer for diagnostic and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in the engine block. This is a well reported and well known issue for this and other similar vehicles and Ford has not addressed this with a recall. It is a design flaw associated with multiple model years. The cost to repair the issue is more than the cost of the vehicle itself. If the problem persists, it could result in a crack in the engine, which could become a major safety hazard depending on the circumstances. Ford should provide coverage for these repairs affecting hundreds of thousands of vehicles.

My vehicle has stop working because the engine has a crack and coolant is leaking into cylinder block. My vehicle is currently at a Ford dealership and I was directed by my warranty plan. The dealership inspected vehicle and found the issue. . . Ford warranty does not want to pay for the repair or recall. I would like to open and investigation thanks.

Car overheats and stalls or shuts down due to engine issues. No prior warning codes.

Engine failure due to overheating and leaking antifreeze but not a viable leak misfire cylinder 1 and 3 repeatedly white smoke.

The vehicle experienced coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders related to the 1. 5l ecoboost engine. The issue has been diagnosed as an internal engine failure requiring engine replacement. Symptoms included coolant loss, engine misfires, rough operation, white exhaust smoke, check engine warnings, and intermittent no-start conditions. The vehicle is currently at a Ford dealership and is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle experienced rough engine operation, loss of power, shaking, intermittent starting issues, and engine fault warnings while being driven on public roads. The engine misfires and loss of performance created concern about the vehicle potentially stalling unexpectedly in traffic or during highway driving, which could have increased the risk of an accident. The coolant intrusion also created concerns about sudden engine failure while the vehicle was in operation. Yes. The problem was initially diagnosed by a trusted independent mechanic and later confirmed by a Ford dealership. Both identified coolant intrusion consistent with the known issues associated with the 1. 5l ecoboost engine and Ford customer satisfaction program 21n12. Yes. The vehicle has been inspected by both an independent mechanic and a Ford dealership service department. Ford corporate customer service has also been contacted regarding the issue and an active case has been denied coverage. Yes. Prior to the confirmed failure, the vehicle experienced rough idle, shaking when placed into drive, engine misfires, coolant loss, and intermittent starting issues. The check engine light and “engine fault – service now” warning message also appeared. Symptoms first became noticeable shortly before diagnosis and progressively worsened over time.

Coolant intrusion issue causing excessive smoke and coolant leakage. Ford is aware of the issue and provided a service notice but no recall and an extension of coverage but. Y. Vehicle falls beyond that scope due to mileage. The repair solution is a brand new engine on a known engineering flaw costs more than. The worth of the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph on a local roadway, the vehicle went into limp mode and failed to accelerate. The engine and oil warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and the mechanic retrieved dtc: p1299, p0300, p0303; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, and dtc: p0303 was confirmed; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 72,000.

On March 26, 2026 my engine light turned on and I’m getting in misfire on my car, and all of a sudden I can’t run more 40 mph or my car start shaking. I went to autozone to get it checked and the the result is, they are needing to replace the cylinder 3 coil pack or spark plugs. I went to Ford on March 31, 2026 trying to have my spark plug replaced and was told that my engine has coolant intrusion and that the long block needs to be replaced and the head gasket is blown they recommended me to have the engine replaced, and it will cost me more than 8 grand. That they was so unexpected for me because I’m not planning to get a new vehicle and my car is only more than six years old with 78,000 miles on it. I called Ford and asked them if I could get help with the situation and I was told that the certain VIN number of my car was not affected by the recalls that they have for the same model and the same year. If anyone is reading this don’t buy Ford at all cost.

I have a 2019 Escape with only 33k miles. The check engine light came on for p0304cyl 4 misfire and on/off again rough idle. Ford service had technician pulled plug on cylinder four and used a borescope and found coolant leaking into engine. Ford has a known TSB for coolant intrusion on this particular model and VIN and manufacturing date. Ford refuses to help me with cost to replace the long block of the engine at a cost of $14000. The blue book is 10k. This appears to be a very common issue and needs a recall immediately. This is completely wrong of Ford to do this to customer fully knowing there is a problem but won't pay to fix it.

Coolant leaking into go engine. Causing erosion. Only 40,000 miles and been without car for 3 months now. Upon research this is a known issue. Confused why it wasn’t recalled with the number of people who appear to have been impacted.

Coolant leak via head gasket failure on cylinder number 3. Trouble light (check engine) reported on the dashboard.

Ford at jim ellis dealership in [xxx] [xxx] look at my car last Thursday and gave me only one code p0304 which means tune up but texted me that my car need $8000 of labor and $6k of a new engine, without an explanation. Prior too the VIN they pulled up showed cust satisfaction 21n12 said yes a recall when the rep saw it. However, even expired 2022 another paragraph states if exceed mileage 84000 and 7 yrs . . That this is no cost. Yet Ford still stating not related to cust sat. . . Engine fire, exhaust low coolant smoke rides rough which is what my car did last Saturday 3/14/26. To text me 15k pay or not with a conversation as to why but invoiced only one code about a tune up yet told the tow guy my coolant going into the engine but didn't advise me of that same information is highly unprofessional this is a risk and unsafe I have seen 3 other complaints 2025 2022 same issues and on kbb. The rep said that depends on manuf well it showed [xxx] same manuf as cust satisfaction. This should be listed as a new recall many more complaints on kbb. . . . . I will notify ftc as I am also a govt worker its unruly unsafe and for Ford to act unworthy with no integrity is an outrage. I called there corp and complained as well. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

We just bought this vehicle 3 weeks ago, paid sales tax and first car payment. The check engine light came on for p0304cyl 4 misfire, notice white smoke blowing from exhaust and low coolant level. Had technician pull plug four and used a boriscope and found coolant leaking into engine. Ford has a known TSB for coolant intrusion on this particular model and VIN and manufacturing date. Ford refuses to help me with cost to replace the long block of the engine at a cost of $7000, out of my pocket. I have not even put a thousand miles on this car. This is completely wrong of Ford to do this to customer fully knowing there is a problem but won't pay to fix it.

Coolant intrusion into cylinder.

Ford dealership in ferndale,mi told me I needed a new engine February 2025 which was covered under warranty. They told me they had to replace my engine. I serviced car at same dealership for numerous oils changes engine light was in but they told me that it was codes for something else that they reported on my papers. My vehicle started running hard in January 2026 asked them about why it was running hard when driving was not able to get any answers according to them they were unsure of the reason then February 2026 my engine went out while driving again and they told me I needed another new engine recent search says there is a class action suit with capstone law apc, along with CO-counsel, is litigating a consolidated class action lawsuit the lawsuit alleges, among other things, that Ford motor company: failed to disclose that these vehicles have a defect that causes coolant to leak into the engine’s cylinders, which can cause corrosion, oil dilution and contamination, and engine failure; and failed to disclose these defects create a safety risk, because the lack of coolant created by the leaks causes overheating and can result in the cylinder head cracking, total engine failure, and/or engine fires. My engine is completely out and now they are telling me that I have to pay out of pocket for a new engine when this was a safety issue while driving on the road with a engine that was said to have been replaced.

I own a 2019 Ford Escape with a 1. 5l ecoboost engine. The vehicle began experiencing engine misfires and a powertrain malfunction warning. Diagnostic code p0302 appeared for cylinder 2 misfire. The coolant reservoir level began dropping without any visible external leaks. A mechanic performed a pressure test and confirmed there were no external coolant leaks, indicating coolant intrusion into the engine cylinder. This is a known defect affecting 2017 - 2019 Ford Escape 1. 5l ecoboost engines. The issue can cause engine misfires, reduced power, and potential engine failure while driving. This problem poses a safety concern because engine power can be reduced unexpectedly while driving.