Ford Escape owners have reported 5,770 problems related to engine and engine cooling (under the engine and engine cooling category). The most recently reported issues are listed below. Also please check out the statistics and reliability analysis of Ford Escape based on all problems reported for the Escape.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 10 mph and attempting a right turn, the “high temperature - fire risk” message was displayed, and the vehicle independently shut off while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact started to merge the vehicle into a shopping center. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The thermostat was replaced, and the remaining coolant was drained and refilled, and the coolant temperature sensor was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall or warranty on the vehicle for the repair. The contact was informed that if the vehicle was repaired out of pocket and then there became a recall for the failure, there was a possibility of being reimbursed. The approximate failure mileage was 88,344.
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all problems of the 2017 Ford Escape
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Got a dash warning that car was over temperature or something to that effect and had to pull over on a two-lane highway(uphill). This was unsafe because I had to get over to the shoulder as soon as possible and avoid traffic. Vehicle is scheduled to be serviced at my Ford dealer but have no outcome yet. I did later on check car with my obd2 reader and saw a p1285 code which meant the cylinder head was over temperature. Upon further research it appears issue is known by Ford and needs to be addressed by ssm 52219 which says head may have metal shavings in it and may need to be replaced.
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all problems of the 2024 Ford Escape
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I am the single owner of this 2017 Ford Escape with an eco-boost 2. 0l engine. This vehicle has only been serviced by Ford dealerships. At approximately 60k miles I noticed a lag in acceleration between 1200-2200 rpm. At 88k this lag became more violent, and I took the car to a Ford dealership for diagnosis. No warning lights had illuminated. The Ford dealership advised me that there was coolant intrusion in the cylinders, and an entire new long block engine was required. After researching I learned that the 2017 had a design flaw that allows coolant to leak into the combustion chambers. In 2020 Ford redesigned the engine from an open deck to a closed deck. Due to Fords design flaw, I required a completely new long block engine and was able to confirm it was the new closed deck design at a cost of $14k. This problem boils down to the engine's open deck cooling design, which causes premature gasket failure and sometimes cracks between the cylinders. These problems don't affect the earlier versions of these engines due to their closed deck system, which was used prior to the introduction of the 2017 Escape. Ford has acknowledged this problem, but the fix isn't a simple one - it requires a long block replacement, which is obviously a labor intensive and expensive job. How to we get Ford to be responsible for the costs associated with changing the engine out from their flawed design? this could have been an on highway incident since there were no warning lights or other visible issues.
Vehicle with 84000 miles has coolant intrusion into cylinders, dealer is saying new engine is needed at $11,000. Vehicle was bought new by owner. This is a known issue from Ford who knew of this issue.
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all problems of the 2018 Ford Escape
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Coolant leaking into engine. Known problem they say they won’t fix.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, and after several attempts, the vehicle restarted but continued to stall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
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all problems of the 2015 Ford Escape
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Coolant leaking into engine cylinder 2 possible head gasket issue associated with known problem for this vehicle. Will cause overheating due to coolant levels needing to be refilled on a regular basis.
I have had problems with coolant leaks, coolant sensor, valve gaskets and coolant intrusion in my engine. The coolant reservoir was replaced at 36,580 miles on 07/13/17. The coolant sensor recall was completed at 37,315 miles on 07/31/17. The coolant overflow line was was replaced at 66,910 miles on 01/14/22. The coolant light came on and coolant was added at 69,882 miles on 02/16/23. There was a coolant leak and the valve cover gaskets replaced at 76,910 miles on 01/23/25. The engine started surging and the coolant light came one. The ignition coil was replaced and the sensor light was adjusted at 78,709 miles on 09/05/25. The sensor light came back on the next day. I went into the dealership 3 different times to tell them there had to be a leak. Since they assured me that it was just the sensor and I had no leak, they did not give me another appointment to check it out. On 12/04/25 a message came on that said it was overheating and to park the car immediately. It then went into limp mode. I was given an appointment on 12/10/25 and I had the car towed in. At 80,158 miles the dealership informed me that there was coolant intrusion in the engine and the cylinders and the car would need a new engine.
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all problems of the 2014 Ford Escape
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Stalled at traffic lights when stopped and finally told engine coolant leak at 89k miles.
While driving and idling, strong exhaust fumes enter the cabin, especially when the vehicle is in park or stopped at a traffic light. Air recirculation shuts off by itself and the airflow is very weak even on high settings. Remote start caused the cabin to fill with fumes before entering the vehicle, leading to headache and difficulty breathing within minutes. Symptoms are consistent with carbon monoxide exposure. Cabin and engine air filter is brand new. Just replaced 12/13/2025. Fumes are significantly worse at idle, suggesting an exhaust manifold crack or turbo exhaust leak. This is a serious safety hazard, and I am concerned about carbon monoxide poisoning and risk of losing consciousness while driving. It was so bad I had to have all windows open and the heat off in 30 or below temperature just to breathe. I have a very small child with heart problems and I'm concerned my vehicle is no longer safe to drive.
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all problems of the 2020 Ford Escape
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Coolant intrusion on 2. 0l ecoboost engine car started running rough, oil light came on. Palmetto Ford charleston SC indicated engine needed replacement due to coolant intrusion. This same dealer replaced the turbo wastegate 10/17/2025. 12/17/2025 the car ran rough. Service bulletin 19-2346 seems to be the problem. Called Ford customer service who offered no assistance. Car has 75,000 miles, 1 owner, well maintained.
Engine began overheating. Noticed that the coolant was empty. Filled filled it with coolant to the max mark. In about two days and began to overheat again. This is when I found out that they had an engine designed flaw for the 2 l eco-boost. The block would crack, and Ford knew about it, but was still selling the engine with the design flaw. I never received any TSB on the problem. This is most definitely a safety hazard. Since the engine could’ve seized or caught fire as a result of this design flaw. At the very least Ford could’ve notified us that the problem was probable.
My 1. 5l engine in my 2018 Ford Escape has a coolant leak which is a known problem in these cars according to the internet. There was a csp from Ford (19b37) which I did January 3, 2020 which is supposed to stop this from happening my CA does not qualify for csp 21n12 according to Ford because it is for 84k miles or 7 years. My car has 95k miles but is still in the 7 years but they refuse to help. They have told me to pay for repairs and then submit receipts “if” there is a recall issued I have just been getting the run around from everyone at Ford from customer relations to service departments.
A car started jerking erratically. I put it in, drive or reverse. And the light on the transmission selector would just blink on and off and it would not go in gear when it did finally go in gear. It would not shift out of fourth gear. We'll erratic transmission would not shift cars behind me had to hit their brakes. Because my vehicle would not move very dangerous. I took the vehicle in the Ford. They said it needs a transmission. I've got 65000 miles on this vehicle. It's 5000 miles past a warranty. Warning light did come on. My vehicle is now at an independent transmission shop and they say, I need a new transmission. I don't have the money to fix this. And Ford is wrong if we're not correcting it I will have the documents today. We're Ford, it would only give me a small $7000 trade in allowance. Because it needed a transmission. I will be receiving the paperwork from Ford and the paperwork from the transmission shop that has my vehicle. Thank you.
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all problems of the 2022 Ford Escape
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He freeway I notified future Ford of concord and I was told I would receive a call back but as I recall I didn’t receive a call back. The car started acting as if nothing was wrong about a week or so later then two days ago December 13,2025 first my head lights went out and a message saying there’s a bulb outage or electrical issue appeared and also the hill assist unavailable warning light appeared , following the 911 calling assistance is unavailable as well, and I also noticed my radio is no longer producing sound so I believe the engine ( block , head gasket etc) component also electrical system, sync 3 system has also failed or malfunctioned. During the second occurrence I was driving as I was before which led to the safety of my children, my husband and myself put at risk being it was night time and I could no longer see the road the car acted as if it was turning off and slowing down. . Yes there was warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem during the failures, and they first appeared at the exact time of the failures . Also below are photos captured from the Ford vehicle app alerting me about issues for the car.
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all problems of the 2019 Ford Escape
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This is related to the class action lawsuit 2:20-cv-01796-dad-ckd miller v. Ford motor CO. Concerning alleged engine defects in Ford vehicles, specifically focusing on issues like excessive oil consumption and premature failure in certain ecoboost engines. My engine has developed symptoms regarding the known coolant leak into the engine. The engine looses power when accellerating, and produces white exhaust after starting cold. Replacing spark plugs and coils did not resolve the issue. I checked the coolant level and it was below the minimum, and I had to add more coolant. The ecu has logged misfires at cylinder 2 and 4. The mil turns on intermittently.
While driving down the interstate the engine light started to flash and the engine started to stutter. It would rev up and down. This incident occurred while traveling at approximately 70mph with no prior warning. We exited the highway as soon as possible and towed the vehicle to a Ford dealership. They performed a diagnostic and found that a spark plug had broken and that there was coolant intrusion in 3 of the 4 cylinders. There were no prior engine warning lights. The only potential prior warning to this was the coolant was low during a oil change performed 2 weeks before. The dealership informed me that total engine failure was imminent and inevitable. The engine would need to be replaced for $13,000. The vehicle broke down approximately 100 miles from home. It is not available for inspection as bringing it home was cost prohibitive. I've already sold the car to a wrecking company, peddle, llc. The car broke down on 12-12-25. The mileage at the time of the breakdown was 74315. This was recorded at the Ford dealership. Car maintenance was up to date and routinely performed.
The engine failed after only 73,000 miles while I was driving the car. The car lost power suddenly and almost caused me to have an accident. I took the vehicle to the dealer and it requires the entire engine be replaced because of a known engineering defect noted in TSB 19 2346.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving or starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light would unexpectedly illuminate. The contact also stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption, which required the coolant reservoir to be refilled several times after noticing that the coolant level was consistently low. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the second cylinder, causing the short block to fail. The contact was informed that the short block needed to be replaced, or the entire engine might need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 157,236.
My 1. 6l ecoboost was leaking coolant and smoking on the side of the reservoir and burning coolant smells went thought the heater and ac vents when on especially at a stop light and it even leaks oil a little bit but I have got the “coolant leak” fixed but I have an internal leak somewhere clearly and all the symptoms add up to sound like the Ford recalls 17s09 and also similar to 12s39 but that’s for 2013 Escapes but there’s clearly an unsafe issue hear that cause cause fire underneath my hood I called Ford and they said to try to make a claim because there should be no reason I’m not covered under warranty when it’s the same cars same engines and same issues.
I am submitting this complaint to formally document a known engine defect affecting my 2019 Ford Escape prior to initiating direct contact with Ford motor company. My vehicle has recently been diagnosed with a cracked engine block, a defect that is well documented for this model and engine type. I understand that Ford has acknowledged this issue and established a repair or replacement program; however, I have been informed that eligibility is limited to vehicles manufactured on or before April 2019. My vehicle’s manufacture date reportedly falls just one day after this cutoff. Given the nature of this defect, specifically that it is a manufacturing flaw in the engine block material itself. The one-day exclusion appears arbitrary and unrelated to the actual failure mechanism. The failure occurred under normal use, and there was no warning or misuse that would account for the damage. This strongly suggests the issue is consistent with the known defect affecting other vehicles within the same production period. I am requesting that this complaint be officially logged to document the defect, the timing discrepancy, and the resulting financial and safety concerns. My intent is to ensure there is a formal record of this issue before I proceed with further action or correspondence with Ford motor company. Please confirm receipt of this complaint and advise if any additional documentation is required.
My 2018 Ford Escape titanium has a engine malfunction that is known to Ford but has not been recalled. Their is a leak in the engine which causes coolant to leak. The long block engine needs to be replaced at a cost to me of $10,000. This cost was determined by the Ford dealership and I have included the invoice. This can cause complete engine failure without any warning.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the check engine warning illuminated. The contact stated that an unknown warning light was illuminated on the instrument cluster with a message that the vehicle needed to be stopped due to high engine temperature. The contact pulled into a gas station and observed that the coolant reservoir was empty. The contact checked for leaks but found none. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined there was a misfire in cylinder #4. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and found that the 1. 5-liter engine in the vehicle was known for a failure with coolant intrusion into the engine block. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered abnormally while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the failure could cause engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
The engine light came on. I plugged a diagnostic scanner in under the dash and it read “misfire on cylinder 1”. I installed a new spark plug and cleared the code. I also noticed the coolant level was low so I added some. I checked it the next day and the coolant was low again but it was not puddled on the driveway. The check engine light was back on again. I took the car to the local Ford dealer and after they run a couple of test, I was informed the car had coolant intrusion on cylinder #1. They said the engine had cracked and needed to be replaced . I did not drive the car until I was able to have it repaired. The cost was $9451. 51.
Coolant leaking into the engine and blowing white smoke.
Ford on 12/4/25, diagnosed there is a coolant leak into the engine from the spark plugs, coolant was low when towed in and had rough idle. I know there is a class action suit against Ford right now for this very problem with the 1. 5, 1. 6, and 2. 0 engines. The vehicle started overheating and check engine light came on. Started showing about a week ago.
Coolant loss with no visible leaks; idling roughly and misfiring mechanic stated that coolant loss and appears to have intruded into the cylinders.
Engine coolant intrusion, confirmed by local mechanic and with Ford dealer technician over the phone.
Coolant intrusion issues leading to engine failure messages and head gaskets issues.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and there was a misfire coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was covered under the manufacturer’s extended warranty which was related to the failure. The failure mileage was 126,000. The VIN was not available.
I’ve always had electrical problems and now when I try to drive it, it smells like it’s going to catch on fire. And I’ve had to fix something within the fuel system 3 times.
It had a recall for leak coolant, they installed a new expansion tank and new hoses, however for some reason it is still leaking, the inside of the car smells like burnt, when I’m stopped, Ford said the leak might be repaired when they changed the hoses it wasn’t the case it’s still leaking, they were supposed to install a sensor to let me know when the coolant level is low, however last time the compartment was almost empty and the car didn’t show any warning, looks like it’s not working as it should be, it could catch fire it could be even worst.
Temperature gauge warning light came on and temperature shot up to red line. Waited on side of road for 20 minutes to cool down then retsarted and drove 10 minutes back to my work and temp gauge remained in normal temp area. Explained to my mechanic at work. . He checked it out and said it was coolant intrusion problem and engine was probably shot.
Blown head gasket, it is available for inspection. The engine overheating could’ve left me and my family stranded. The problem has not been confirmed by anyone. It also has not been inspected yet either. There were no other indicators lit on the dashboard other than the check engine light.