Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Ford Escape - part 2

On 7/6/26 the car started to rough idle and engine light was coming on/off/on - so we took into the local shop and check for misfiring - mechanic opened up spark plug and scoped and immediately noticed coolant inside the cylinder #1/4. Proceed to call me and note this particular engine they have seen dozens of these issues and the engine block needs to be replaced. TSB was pulled up noting that the engines were defective from a certain period of time and Ford was replacing them. Took to dealer on 7/7/26 and they proceeded to tell me the same issue but this was out of any warranty that Ford would offer. I understand this TSB was issued in 2022 or maybe earlier as I am just gathering information at this time. I do not recall seeing a recall issued for this issue. Is this a known issue to the NHTSA ? why has a recall not been issued or is their a process to have this issued ? are there any class action lawsuits for this engine ? the obvious safety concern is an useable engine, extreme cost to replace and Ford knowing that this engine had some issues early on. The car only has 74,000 miles and I am told Ford will not warranty this. Please provide clarity on known issues and what has or has not been done about it.

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Coolant intrusion I now need a new engine known problem by Ford who refuses to fix it I now owe on a car that I cannot drive.

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In 2020, my vehicle experienced a coolant leak, which caused the engine to overheat and fail. I had the motor replaced at a Ford service center. Today, in July 2026, my vehicle is experiencing the same issue. The coolant intrusion caused the motor to fail. The vehicle had been inspected and serviced by the Ford service center in December of 2025 and has had annual service/inspections since I purchased the vehicle in 2016. Both times, my safety and the safety of other drivers were put at risk. This issue comes on suddenly, with no warning, and has occurred each time going 65mph on the interstate. There is a sudden loss of power/sputtering combined with high engine temperature. There was no warning until the issue became critical and the check engine light began to flash.

Check engine light came on xxx. Engine coolant level was extremely low, shuddering "start" several times the previous week. My 2017 Ford Escape 2. 0l ecoboost turbo engine, with only 38,245 original miles has the well known and documented issue with the 2. 0l ecoboost block with the p0302 misfire code. Numerous TSB's have been issued about this (some are tsp 19-2346 and TSB 22-2229). The engine coolant has intruded into cylinder 2 necessitating a long block engine replacement. This was the formal diagnosis by the Ford service department at my Ford dealership on xxx, after running a cooling system pressure test and a borescope inspection with photos proving coolant is in cylinder 2. I've seen numerous other complaints online and on this website ([xxx]) about this exact issue with the same yr/make/model/engine. Since this is a premature failure of a major powertrain component due to a known factory defect which can cause safety issues, please issue a recall for 2017 Ford Escape cars with the 2. 0l ecoboost turbo engines. This can cause a fire (and has from what I have read) and damage the catalytic converter if driven. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While driving my 2017 Ford Escape with the 1. 5l ecoboost engine after an oil change, I noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust. Shortly afterward, the check engine light began flashing. I immediately stopped driving the vehicle and had it inspected by an independent repair shop. The shop diagnosed the vehicle with a cracked engine related to coolant intrusion, requiring an engine rebuild estimated at approximately $4,000. The vehicle is currently inoperable and remains at the repair shop awaiting repairs. The vehicle has approximately 84,000 miles. I contacted Ford and opened a customer assistance case requesting goodwill assistance because I understand there have been widespread reports of coolant intrusion and engine failure involving the 1. 5l ecoboost engine. My request was denied. I am submitting this report because I believe a sudden engine failure accompanied by heavy white smoke and a flashing check engine light presents a potential safety concern and may be related to a defect affecting other vehicles with the same engine.

After 95000 miles engine service light came on, dealer service team says it is being caused by coolant intrusion into cylinder 1, the repair is to replace the engine block at a cost of approx. $10,000. The is a lot of information available the indicates the issue is related to a well documented design flaw in the open-deck block design used in the 2017 engine making it prone to stress fractures, erosion or cracking under the high pressure of turbocharging.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? coolant system coolant is leaking into cylinder #3, causing misfires; head gasket leaking into cylinder. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? unknown has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? confirmed via dealer diagnosis has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? no were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? unknown when the underlying problem first occurred.

Contaminated coolant system.

The vehicle is experiencing severe engine malfunction due to a documented manufacturing defect: coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders (per Ford technical service bulletin TSB 22-2134). An authorized Ford dealership service department at shehy Ford, midlothian, va, has officially inspected the vehicle and confirmed this specific failure. This defect presents a severe and immediate safety hazard. While driving, the vehicle runs exceptionally rough, hesitates, and suffers from engine misfires. This causes a sudden loss of acceleration and vehicle power in active traffic, creating an imminent risk of a rear-end collision on high-speed roadways. Furthermore, the constant loss of engine coolant creates a severe risk of sudden engine overheating, cylinder head cracking, and catastrophic engine fire while the vehicle is in motion. The manufacturer is aware of this design defect via the certified class-action lawsuit miller v. Ford motor CO. , but the dealership refused to offer goodwill assistance, quoting an exorbitant $17,000 for repair, forcing the vehicle to remain on the road in an unsafe, hazardous condition.

I am writing to report a severe and dangerous manufacturing defect regarding engine coolant intrusion on my 2018 Ford Escape. Engine coolant has leaked into the engine cylinders, causing immediate engine misfires, white smoke from the exhaust, a rapid loss of coolant, and severe engine overheating. This is a well-documented manufacturing flaw in Ford's ecoboost engine blocks (specifically involving the cylinder block design). This defect creates a critical safety hazard: the engine can stall suddenly, lose power while driving at highway speeds, or suffer complete catastrophic failure, greatly increasing the risk of an accident or an engine fire. Ford previously issued technical service bulletin (TSB) 19-2346 and customer satisfaction program 21n12 for this exact issue, acknowledging the design flaw. However, my vehicle is now experiencing this catastrophic failure, and the dealer is demanding thousands of dollars for a complete engine block replacement. I am requesting that the NHTSA fully investigate this persistent safety defect to force a safety recall so affected consumers are not left driving hazardous vehicles or forced to pay for Ford's engineering failure.

The contact’s parents owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer because the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that shortly after starting the vehicle there was white smoke coming from the vehicle for approximately 5 seconds. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there coolant was leaking intrusion into cylinder #2, and an issue with the engine block. The dealer recommended that the engine be replaced; however, the contact was informed that the replacement engine was on back order. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

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1. The engine developed a coolant intrusion failure. A Ford repair shop diagnosed coolant leaking into the engine, consistent with the known 1. 5l ecoboost coolant intrusion issue. The vehicle and failed engine are available for inspection upon request. 2. The engine misfired and requires replacement due to internal coolant intrusion. An engine failure while driving could result in sudden loss of power or stalling, increasing the risk of a crash, particularly in traffic or at highway speeds. 3. Yes. The problem was confirmed by a Ford dealer repair shop, which diagnosed coolant intrusion into the engine. 4. The vehicle has been inspected by a Ford dealership. It has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. 5. The check engine light illuminated with the cylinder 1 misfire code before the diagnosis. I initially took it to an independent repair shop and got the spark plugs replaced. Then a week and a half later the cel turned on again with the same code. In response, the vehicle was taken to a Ford dealership, where the engine was diagnosed with coolant intrusion.

The engine failed due to coolant system leak. Ford is well aware of this issue but refuses to do a recall.

My 2017 Ford Escape just alarmed me with a po302 code and it happens to be coolant intrusion. It’s draining coolant levels.

Component: engine / cooling system description of the problem: my 2017 Ford Escape (1. 5l gtdi ecoboost engine, 83,891 miles) has been diagnosed by a Ford-authorized dealer (apple Ford white bear lake, ro# 157692) with coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders. The dealer reports white/blue exhaust smoke on cold starts that dissipates after 10-20 seconds, and has recommended full short block replacement at an estimated cost of approximately $10,000. This is the exact condition addressed by Ford's own customer satisfaction program 21n12 (certain 2017-2019 model year fusion and Escape vehicles equipped with a 1. 5l gtdi engine, short block replacement after coolant intrusion), issued June 9, 2022. That program acknowledges the 1. 5l ecoboost engine in this vehicle range may exhibit coolant intrusion into cylinder bores, low coolant levels, white exhaust smoke, and rough running, potentially leading to engine damage. When I contacted Ford's customer relationship center, I was told my vehicle is outside the program's 7-year time window and was denied assistance, despite being under the program's 84,000-mile threshold. Coolant intrusion of this kind creates a risk of sudden engine roughness, misfire, and potential stalling, which is a safety concern, not just a mechanical inconvenience, particularly if it occurs at highway speed. I am filing this complaint because this is a known, documented defect that Ford has acknowledged in writing but is declining to remedy on my vehicle due to a time-based technicality, despite mileage well within the program's own stated safe range. Vehicle: 2017 Ford Escape engine: 1. 5l gtdi (ecoboost) mileage at failure: 83,891 dealer: apple Ford white bear lake, white bear lake, mn related Ford documentation: customer satisfaction program 21n12 / TSB 22-2134.

Vehicle has a coolant intrusion issue which is a well known issue for this model and year. Reference campaign 21n12.

I am reporting a severe, dangerous engine design defect in my 2018 Ford Escape titanium (2. 0l ecoboost engine). The vehicle has suffered an internal cylinder head failure, allowing engine coolant to flood directly into the cylinders (coolant intrusion). This defect has rendered the vehicle completely disabled and undrivable. Prior to complete failure, the vehicle experienced severe hesitation, white smoke from the exhaust, and sudden drops in engine power while driving, creating an immediate traffic hazard and risk of a high-speed highway stall. Ford has issued technical service bulletins (tsbs) for this exact issue, acknowledging that the block design allows coolant to pool and bypass the head gasket. Furthermore, a federal court certified a class action lawsuit regarding this exact 2. 0l safety hazard on June 22, 2026 (miller v. Ford motor CO. ). Because this defect causes sudden, unpredictable engine failure and stalls during active operation, it poses an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety. I request that the NHTSA escalate its investigation into Ford's 2. 0l ecoboost engines to force a mandatory safety recall.

Known issue with Ford 1. 5l ecoboost engines, coolant intrusion into cylinders due to faulty short block design. Should be recalled or under a lifetime warranty.

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.

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I bought the vehicle used with 98,000 miles. After a few months of driving and reaching 103,000 miles is when the problem occurred. As active duty military I was in the field for 2 days. When I had gotten out of the field I started the car and was sitting there for about 2 minutes and seen the temperature gauge starting to rise. So I turned the heat on full blast and started to drive, then the temperature gauge went all the way to the hot position and went into limp mode. I turned the car off popped the hood and seen it drank all of the coolant. So I refilled the coolant and let it sit for about 24 hours. The next day I turned the key over to supply battery and seen it was still completely hot. I’ve done some research and believe I’m experiencing the beloved coolant intrusion.

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.

My pregnant wife and 2 year old daughter we driving to daycare the morning of June 22nd 2026 and the car flashed an engine overheating message while they were on the highway. They were luckily able to pull off safely and get the car home. Then on June 23rd I went to take the car into the shop to get it looked at and the car completely broke down in traffic on my way to get the car serviced. The engine is completely seized up due to the coolant leak known issue with these engines.

Vehicle went into low power or limp mode unexpectedly on interstate highway. Vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly slowed and was unable to maintain highway speed.

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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 car is having coolant intrusion in the engine block, it’s misfiring and popping codes po301-po303. It’s shooting white smoke out the back.

The check engine light came on. It would not go above 60 mph. The vehicle was blowing hot air and shaking.

The vehicle was misfiring, smoke emitting from the exhaust, overheating, and constantly running out of coolant. The service engine light first appeared roughly a year ago. A code scan revealed a cylinder misfire. I replaced the spark plug and timing coil and noticed the coolant was extremely low and refilled it. The service engine light recently reappeared and the misfires, smoke, vehicle shaking and revving started getting worse. I had the vehicle taken to the local Ford dealership who confirmed that the engine suffers from a widely known defect of coolant intrusion into the cracked engine. They provided photos of the cracks in the cylinder and coolant leaking into it. Online I found an alarming amount of Ford owners experiencing the same issue, some even reporting engine fires that burnt the entire car.

The engine block cracked and leaked coolant, causing sputtering and misfiring. It has been reported to the NHTSA that Ford is refusing to fix our car.

Check-engine light related to code p0301 (misfire, cylinder 1). This is a known issue on many Ford engines, including the 2. 0l ecoboost in our Escape (with titanium trim). Reference: https://static. Nhtsa. Gov/odi/tsbs/2019/mc-10169807-0001. Pdf.

Head cracked and allowed coolant to intrude into the cylinders causing misfiring and white smoke to come out of the exhaust. Barely made it off the highway to a safe location as I was quickly loosing acceleration. Issue confirmed by sames Ford dealership in harlingen, TX (codes p0302 and p0303). They informed me that this is a known issue with this 1. 5l ecoboost motor in this vehicle. Vehicle is a total loss and I still owe a significant amount on the lease.

I am reporting a severe safety hazard regarding a complete powertrain failure on my 2018 Ford Escape titanium awd equipped with the 2. 0l ecoboost engine. This vehicle experienced a catastrophic internal failure due to a known factory design defect where engine coolant intrudes directly into the cylinder bores. This defect is thoroughly documented by the manufacturer in Ford technical service bulletin TSB 19-2346. The sudden loss of engine compression and immediate coolant burning causes severe engine misfires, a sudden drop in vehicle power, and blinding white exhaust smoke. This creates an immediate traffic hazard, blinding drivers behind the vehicle and risking a high-speed rear-end collision on the highway. Furthermore, the rapid loss of engine coolant puts the vehicle at risk of sudden stalling in live traffic without warning, disabling power steering and power brakes, and introducing a severe risk of under-hood engine fires due to extreme overheating. Ford has re-engineered this engine block casting for production models built after mid-2019 to resolve this exact structural defect, proving that the original factory engine block installed in my vehicle was fundamentally defective from the factory. Because this design defect creates an immediate, dangerous operational failure on public roads, I am requesting that the NHTSA escalate this investigation and force Ford motor company to issue a safety recall and provide retroactive financial reimbursement to affected vehicle owners, regardless of current vehicle mileage.

Coolant intrusion in cylinder 3. Vehicle suddenly loses power causing concern for collision at operating speeds. This was diagnosed by a dealership. This is a known issue.

The coolant is leaking in the cylinder and white smoke coming from exaust.

The vehicle experienced engine failure due to coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders, requiring complete engine replacement. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Prior to diagnosis, the vehicle exhibited engine misfires, rough operation, and noticeable “jumping” or jerking when starting the engine and when shifting into reverse. Warning indicator lights were also present. These symptoms indicated unstable engine operation and raised concern for potential sudden loss of power or engine failure while operating the vehicle, which could create a safety risk in traffic. The condition was first diagnosed by an independent repair facility and later confirmed by an authorized Ford dealership. The dealership confirmed coolant intrusion into the engine and determined that complete engine replacement was required. The manufacturer, through its authorized dealership, inspected the vehicle and confirmed the diagnosis. The vehicle is currently not safely operable due to the confirmed engine failure. Based on my understanding, Ford has previously acknowledged coolant intrusion concerns affecting certain 1. 5l ecoboost engines through customer satisfaction programs. Although this specific vehicle was not included in that program, the dealership confirmed the same coolant intrusion failure.

I have coolant intrusion into cylinder 3, pressure in the coolant tank, white smoke from the exhaust. I had code that indicated misfire in cylinder 3. I have taken it to Ford dealer and they did a diagnostic and stated the engine needs replaced. In my research I have found this is a very known issue with thousands of complaints, multiple class action lawsuits for the exact issue I have experienced. The dealer and Ford has stated that there are no active recalls for my vehicle even though it is such a wide spread issue. Around 5k miles ago I had to replace the transmission in this same vehicle. I am being told there is no help with repair cost. What are my options. Now with the cost of the new engine on such a know issue and the transmission I feel that Ford has a responsibility in the repairs yes the vehicle is currently at the Ford dealer in grand junction colorado I feel that with the new transmission and a very well know engine issue, Ford should replace the engine.

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