general problems of the 2019 Ford Escape - part 1

We received an "engine failure- service now" error message on our vehicle and our mechanic told us it is a known issue with this year, make,model, engine and to take it to the dealership for repair. The dealer, and Ford motor company said though the recall is for 2017-2019 Ford Escape ecoboost engines and for the exact same issue, our VIN is not on the current VIN list so it's not covered. Even though this issue is due to a faulty design, thus the recall, they will not cover it. They want $10,000 to fix an issue caused by their design which they have a recall out for. Ford needs to step up and cover this issue under the recall that does apply. Help please.

The coolant system leaked into engine cylinder two. This caused engine block destruction and I was quoted $13,000 to repair the engine. I called Ford and they stated that because the vehicle was at 120,000 miles there was nothing they could do.

I am reporting a dangerous manufacturing defect regarding internal engine coolant intrusion on my 2019 Ford Escape sel at less than 70,000 miles. Upon starting the vehicle after it sat parked overnight, a massive cloud of heavy white smoke erupted from the exhaust system and both sides of the vehicle, clearing after 1–2 minutes. The vehicle also exhibits a severe structural shudder and a mechanical groaning noise when shifting gears due to engine misfires caused by this leak. A physical inspection confirmed that the engine cooling system is losing fluid (which was just topped off again last night), which is leaking directly into the combustion cylinders overnight. This is a well-documented factory design flaw involving the engine block casting on Ford ecoboost engines (referenced in Ford customer satisfaction program 21n12 and multiple technical service bulletins). Ford corporate and local dealerships have refused to assist with repairs because my specific VIN was excluded from their limited voluntary campaign parameters. This defect presents an immediate, severe safety risk to myself and others, as internal coolant leaks cause sudden cylinder misfires, severe engine shuddering, engine stalling without warning in traffic, and the sudden eruption of heavy white exhaust smoke blinds drivers driving behind my car. . . Not to mention catastrophic engine failure. Ford should be forced to issue a mandatory safety recall for all affected model years regardless of VIN exclusion lists.

My 2019 Ford Escape se was smoking during start up. Dealer says it needs a whole new engine due to coolant intrusion. I have been seeing there are many issues with this.

The check engine light has repeatedly came on and been brought to the mechanics numerous times throughout the year. It was determined that the cause of issue is due to engine coolant leaking into the engine.

We purchased a 2019 Ford Escape 1. 5l new from the dealer. We've put only 25,000 miles on it, but are now facing a well known issue (coolant intrusion) that they failed to inform us about. This is despite our vehicle meeting literally every requirement to be included in their customer service program, they told us it is not tied to our VIN and are out of luck. Our car is now worthless. If we had been notified we would have taken the necessary precautions. Again, this is a known issue, with a current class action lawsuit in place, that Ford failed to notify us of. We are now out tens of thousands of dollars in replacing a car we have barely driven.

Vehicle has coolant intrusion into cylinders verified by Ford dealer.

At only 43,379 miles — well within the useful life expected of this vehicle — my 2019 Ford Escape developed two significant mechanical failures. (1) fuel injector: the vehicle emits visible black smoke from the exhaust when accelerating at highway speeds; the dealership diagnosed this as a failed fuel injector requiring replacement (est. $1,200). Visible exhaust smoke during highway acceleration is a visibility hazard to following traffic. (2) coolant intrusion into the engine: the dealership's service department diagnosed coolant intrusion requiring replacement of major short block components (est. $8,300), and told me this failure is in its early stages and the engine is likely to fail completely within 6 to 12 months if not repaired. The lead service technician stated this is a common, known issue with this engine, which is being discontinued. Complete engine failure could occur without warning, including while driving on a highway, creating a risk of a stalling-related crash. Rather than repairing the vehicle, the dealership's own service advisor recommended I sell or trade the vehicle to a third party such as carmax while it still retains value and purchase a different vehicle — effectively passing a vehicle with a known, unresolved engine defect on to the next owner. Coolant intrusion and short block failures in this engine family have been widely reported by other Ford Escape owners. I am requesting NHTSA review this complaint alongside others for the same engine/model-year combination to determine whether a pattern exists warranting an investigation or recall.

Slow coolant leak that is a known issue with engine. This caused the water pump to go bad and engine to risk overheating. Has been looked at by 3 independent mechanics all confirmed this is a known issue causing major concerns. No warning! just suddenly lost all coolant! no engine needs replaced!.

I am reporting a potential safety defect involving the 1. 5l ecoboost engine in my 2019 Ford Escape, which has approximately 39,000 miles. Beginning in August 2026, the vehicle developed repeated check-engine lights, misfires, and severe shaking while driving. Ignition coils and a spark plug were replaced, but the problems continued. The vehicle then began displaying overheating warnings and repeatedly losing coolant. On one occasion, the coolant reservoir was found completely empty. Coolant was added, but the overheating continued. On September 3, 2026, the thermostat assembly and temperature sensor were replaced. On September 5, after about 15 minutes of driving, the vehicle began smoking and overheating. After it cooled, the coolant reservoir was again empty. Coolant was added, but the vehicle continued to overheat. I scheduled a Ford dealer diagnostic appointment for September 23 because I believed something was seriously wrong, but the vehicle was not diagnosed because the check-engine light was not illuminated at that time. The engine later suffered a major failure. An independent repair shop performed compression testing and reported extremely low readings of approximately 20-40 psi on the cylinders tested, indicating severe internal engine damage. Ford has previously documented coolant intrusion on certain 2017-2019 Escape 1. 5l ecoboost engines, with symptoms including coolant loss, smoke, rough running/misfires, and possible engine damage. Ford confirmed that customer satisfaction program 19b37 was completed on my vehicle in 2020, but says my VIN was not included in 21n12. Coolant intrusion has not yet been conclusively diagnosed, but the failure pattern is concerning and occurred at only about 39,000 miles. I am asking NHTSA to review this complaint for a possible safety-related defect trend.

I recently bought a 2019 Ford Escape from superior Mazda in bentonville, arkansas for my daughter going off to college. Soon after purchasing the vehicle a giant puff of smoke started coming out the exhaust when starting. We took it to a Ford dealership and they said the coolant is leaking into the engine block and apparently this is a known issue with 2017-2019 Ford Escapes. Superior Mazda said it's not their problem. The cost to fix is $12,700. We've only had this car for 38 days. Ford has issued 2 statements about this defect in these cars: Ford issued TSB 19-2375 for 2017–2019 Escapes with the 1. 5l ecoboost. It specifically says coolant can intrude into the cylinders and calls for short-block and head-gasket replacement when the condition is confirmed. There is also Ford customer satisfaction program 21n12, titled “short block replacement after coolant intrusion. ” why is this not a recall? I have since read/heard that this is an issue all over. I spoke to a mechanic in my town and they stated they currently have a 2017 Escape that they are working on with this exact problem. An investigation needs to made into Ford regarding 2017-2019 Ford Escapes. Since this is a known defect and Ford is well aware of this engine flaw in this model car they need to do the right thing and issue a recall. My daughter could have been stranded on the highway heading to college.

The transmission had to be replaced in 2024 and now the engine needs to be replaced in 2026. Ford customer service will not help with any of the repairs.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator, the vehicle hesitated and was idling rough. During initial start-up there was a backfire coming from the engine with white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The maintenance warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic and dtc: p0302 was retrieved. The cylinder was replaced. The contact stated that approximately 2 weeks later, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and dtc: p0302 (cylinder #2 misfire); was retrieved. The manufacturer was informed of the issue, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 53,967.

Vehicle began losing engine coolant. No external leaks visible. Took to Ford dealership for inspection and diagnostics. They found coolant intrusion in cylinders 1 and 2. They say that TSB 22-2322 applies to this issue. Vehicle has 86,896 miles and warranty started on February 16, 2019.

Vehicle was losing coolant, running rough and check engine light was on. We took it to a Ford dealer who told stored codes p1299 and p0302 for the cylinder 2 misfire due to the coolant intrusion in the cylinder. The fix is to replace the entire engine at a cost of $15,735. 95!! this is a 2019 Ford Escape. We've owned it for six years. We had planned on keeping it another six years, at least. A car should not need an engine replacement within six years. We're retired, living on social security and a very small pension. We can't afford a $15,000 repair. On top of a diagnostic fee of $435 and close to $500 to rent a car (so far. ) we contacted Ford and they said there was nothing they could do for us.

My vehicle has to have a new motor. It only has 127,154 miles on it. I have sent Ford a letter to respond with in 30 days and they have not done that. Please advise the next steps.

We bought the 2019 Ford Escape sel in 2023 with 29918. We had the oil changed at 33000 and then we took it to Ford because it was slow starting. Their was coolant in the cylinders requiring us to pay 12000 dollars for a new engine when this only had 36000 miles on it. Ford refused goodwill case and now we acquired an attorney. This is a known engine problem with this Ford. Class action lawsuit miller vs Ford motor company. Never heard of an engine failure with only 36000 miles.

Ford coolant leak & engine overheating engine overheating caused by an internal engine coolant leak in Ford ecoboost engines coolant leak that allows coolant to enter into the cylinders of the engine. This caused total engine failure and to require replacement of the engine block.

When I originally attempted to start the car, white smoke was pouring from the exhaust pipe. We came to the conclusion that my head gasket on the car blew. We came to this conclusion because it was misfiring and when you try to open the coolant lid there’s suction.

Was driving and a loud pop happened when pulling onto the hwy and lost power. Immediately pulled into parking lot and tried to restart but would not start. My son came over that evening and towed back to my house and the discovered the oil pan was cracked along with block and piston shattered. There are parts inside the oil pan. This has not been inspected by a dealer or service center. No warning or check engine lights came on indicating a problem. My build date is June of 2019 and the TSB is for may of 2019, indicating that this engine still had a coolant problem as there was no coolant left and had all came out in the pan with the oil. I am asking for assistance in getting this covered . Please let me know what steps can be taken. Thanks.

Our 2019 Ford Escape began shaking upon starting the vehicle. We took it in for diagnostics to the Ford dealership. This car has less than 40k miles on it after 7 years of ownership. We were told we would need to completely replace the engine due to a coolant leak. Upon further research, a recall for our exact make and model was identified that described the exact same issue that was identified by Ford. For some reason, our VIN was not eligible for the oasis program that was offered to other Ford owners with the exact same problem. The dealership has not been helpful at all in putting me in contact with a Ford representative that can tell me why my particular vehicle did not qualify for the assistance program. After contacting Ford corporate (or tried several times to get someone on the phone instead of a automatic prompt system) I was told that they would send my complaint to the auto safety office but they could not guarantee I would receive a call back. Now, the Ford dealership is saying that we have been denied assistance and that our case is with the auto safety office and they will not be able to provide an update about our complaint. During this time, the dealership provided us with a loaner vehicle while trying to address the issue. They are now demanding that we return the loaner vehicle. This is also the dealership that services the 2019 Ford Escape in question. It was recalled previously for improper bushings which we complied with the recall and had it repaired accordingly. For an american made vehicle with less than 40k miles this is incredibly disappointing that Ford is unwilling to assist in the complete and total engine replacement that is being offered to others with the exact same issues that Ford identified. I have purchased 3 Ford vehicles from 2017-2019 and this will be the last. Customer service has been piss poor even when I was able to get someone on the phone. I do not feel safe driving the car after the issue was identified.

Defect in engine block causing coolant intrusion.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the vehicle was shaking and vibrating abnormally. The check engine warning light remained illuminated with the message "engine overheating - pull over immediately" displayed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure due to coolant intrusion. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 85,818.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v011000 (equipment); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated while driving. Upon inspection, the contact's husband became aware that the coolant level was abnormally low. Additionally, a diagnostic scan retrieved diagnostic trouble code: p0302; indicating a misfire in cylinder #2. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

Flywheel cracked. There is a service bulletin on how to fix when there is an issue which to me indicates a known issue.

Bad engine reports on 2019 Escape. Engine light problems beginning at 56k. I understand Ford has had many complaints about this engine. New water pump at 56k, new purge valve at 58k.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the message “stop vehicle” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 25 mph, there was smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over on the right side of the road, exited the vehicle, raised the hood, and became aware that the coolant in the coolant reservoir was low. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic and was diagnosed it with head gasket failure. The contact was informed that the head gasket needed to be replaced due to coolant leaking into the fuel system and into one of the cylinders. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was a recall on the VIN associated with the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 109,000.

My check engine came on my vehicle and had it checked out and I was informed that coolant is getting into the third cylinder and I was informed this is an ongoing issue with these Escapes and Ford is aware of the flaw but never did a recall for it. This is a very costly expense and so crazy Ford has never done anything to repair or help customers with the costly expense but they will give their employees bonus checks is so crazy while us people are out here trying to figure out a $6-8 thousand dollar expense.

Car suddenly overheated leaving myself and two children stranded on the interstate. It's a confirmed cylinder 3 coolant intrusion that is a well known documented issue. Diagnosed and confirmed by the dealership. I was unaware of this issue, I thought buying a certified pre owned car meant it was in perfect shape, not a ticking time bomb.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that at cold starts, the vehicle vibrated significantly with heavy white smoke coming from the exhaust. The check engine light was intermittently illuminated, accompanied by a noticeable coolant odor. A diagnostic test by the dealer confirmed that there was coolant leaking between cylinders #1 and #2, leading to total engine failure. The vehicle remained with the dealer unrepaired. The dealer submitted a goodwill request to the manufacturer for the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 43,800.

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 failure. Smoke coming from tailpipe. 90,000 miles on car.

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