Power Train Problems of Ford Escape - part 1

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was attempting to reverse into the garage, the vehicle failed to respond as intended while in reverse(r). The contact stated that upon test-driving the vehicle, the vehicle responded as needed. The contact stated that while driving at 50 mph, the vehicle felt like the transmission had shifted to neutral, and the vehicle started losing power. The contact stated that the failure occurred several times while driving to an independent mechanic. The contact pulled over as needed. The contact was able to drive to gateway automotive experts, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure, and the contact requested assistance in prorating the vehicle; however, the request was denied. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The contact stated that upon listing the vehicle for sale on facebook marketplace, the contact noticed that other Ford vehicles with the same transmission were listed with transmission failure. The contact stated that the mileage range of the Ford vehicles with defective transmissions was 75,000-125,000. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000.

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The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 mph, the vehicle unexpectedly started to decelerate even though the rpm was extremely elevated. There was a high-pitched whine coming from the vehicle, and the tires screeched before the vehicle came to an abrupt stop, ceasing all functions. The contact turned off the vehicle in the middle of the interstate because the vehicle could not be moved to the shoulder. A passerby assisted with pushing the vehicle to the side of the road using a push bar. The contact stated that the steering wheel had seized. The vehicle was restarted, and the message “transmission fault - service immediately” was displayed, followed by the check engine warning light becoming illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 132,000. The VIN was not available.

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Hi, vehicle is under a second recall for the high voltage battery potential fire hazard. The first recall lasted 7 months before a potential fix. The second recall was issued in November with no fix available yet. Received second recall identical to first recall indicating a fire risk with no apparent fix. I have requested Ford buyback the vehicle, but it fell outside the 18 month nys lemon law. They have refused. They have no fix and will not provide a loaner until it is fixed. The original vehicle electric range was between 38 and 40 with a window sticker range of 37. It is now down to around a range of 20 on full charge with an actual driveable of about 16. I have asked both Ford and delivering dealership to replace the high voltage battery pack as it has seriously deteriorated. Ford refuses to allow dealer to replace the battery pack. The vehicle is basically unusable for it's original intended purpose as a partial electric vehicle. I asked Ford, what am I supposed to do if I am transporting my two grandchildren in the vehicle and it starts on fire. How do I choose which child to get first? no response. These vehicles should be removed from use by Ford and loaner vehicles provided or a full buy back should take place. I only have 11,000 miles on this vehicle and it has been in the shop for more than 30 days for various warranty repairs and multiple recalls. These vehicles are not safe. See pictures attached for factual information from vehicle. I have plenty of detail if you need it. Please help. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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While driving at a constant speed on the highway, the transmission shifted down a gear and revved into very high rpms. I was dramatically slowing down despite pressing on the gas pedal. The car didn't provide any power and just revved while I had cars next to me going at highway speeds. Managed to get off the highway, a transmission fault indicator popped up on the dash. The car no longer was able to move. I had the car towed to the Ford dealership. This car has a bad transmission at ~97,000 miles. Prior to this, I felt like the car's transmission maybe wasn't shifting on time but didn't make much of it. This could have easily resulted in a crash. Turns out this is a very well known problem with the Ford Escape. My friend has a 2016 Ford Escape who recently paid 8000$ for a new transmission. This is clearly unsafe and the failure is definitely premature.

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I completed my 70,000 maintenance on my vehicle on Monday. Friday when I got in my car after shopping, the dash light for parking brake kept coming on. When I put it in drive, the engine light, park assist light, collision assist light, and multiple warning lights kept cycling on my car’s screen. I drove back to the dealership and they kept the car from Friday morning until Monday afternoon before a diagnosis was handed to me. The write up states that the vehicle is “is slipping in every gear” due to “internal mechanical failure. ” I am at 70,000 miles and I purchased that car on Jan 4, 2021. Therefore I am out of warranty. I have only had the dealer work on my car except for purchasing tires from an outside source. This is a catastrophic failure of a part that should not be failing. The tech is not even guaranteeing that this will fix the problem.

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Coolant intrusion into cylinders 2 and 3.

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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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The transmission in the vehicle needs replaced. There have been recalls on 2019 Ford Escapes for the same issue that this vehicle is having.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond while in reverse(r). In addition, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact received recall notification NHTSA campaign number: 25v467000 (fuel system, gasoline); however ,the parts to do the recall repair were not available. The contact stated that the recall fire risk was significantly scary and made the vehicle unsafe to drive. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,881.

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Multiple failures occurred while driving with my kids in the car from what we can tell an electrical system failure of the parking brake motor as well as a transmission failure it is unknown at this time whether the parking brake motor failed causing stress on the transmission or the transmission fault led to the end electric motor failure of the parking brake.

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This vehicle is driven by my [xxx] 3 things happened the third can cause an accident leading to death or a multi car accident. #1 [xxx] driving on the freeway she heard a squeeling noise like a belt slipping then went away and has not retuned. I checked belts and idlers all ok. #2 [xxx] heard loud ticking under floorboard of car driving on the freeway car seemed to drive normally then ticking went away. #3 [xxx] driving on the freeway steering wheel pulled the car aggressively to left almost causing a multi car accident cars behind and to the left were swerving to avoid hitting other cars. She was able to control the car back straight again luckily the car to her left was not next to her but at her rear bumper or she would have hit that car pushing it into cars in all the lanes to the left. After an internet search I discovered that Ford has had problems with their transfer cases (ptu) and its rare but people have reported issues with the car pulling hard left for no reason. I mention the three steps that happened previous to the steering wheel incident because from my research these are the warring signs before the transfer case goes out. This vehicle is a 2018 Ford Escape awd 35,000 original miles p. S. Ford customer service was notified of this safety issue on December 6, 2025 my case# [xxx] response was not covered I will be repairing this vehicle and I will retain all the old parts for your convenience if you need them for further inspection or investigation. Ptu failures are a well know issue with these ptu's information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Had vehicle in shop for axle repair, as soon as I got home transmission went out when I was about to turn onto a main road with 2 kids in my car. My car felt like it was in neutral but it wasn’t. Barely got back to my parking spot. Seeing this is a common issue with my car and I think it should be covered under a recall.

Coolant leakage, intrusion into the engine block. This is a known issue by Ford. They have issued technical service bulletins to address it (attached), but those programs were only offered for a limited time and are expired, even though they know the issue exists. Also, owners were not notified of this because it wasn't an official recall.

Vehicle information: 2015 Ford Escape – approximately 165,000 miles incident description: during normal operation while backing out of a parking space, the vehicle unexpectedly slipped out of the drive gear immediately after I shifted from reverse to drive. There were no warning lights, messages, or prior symptoms indicating a potential issue. After restarting the vehicle, it briefly engaged drive but was only able to travel approximately ten feet before abruptly shifting through multiple gears without any driver input. During each occurrence, the engine surged to unusually high rpms despite no acceleration being applied. Safety concerns: the unintended gear changes were accompanied by loud whining noises, and the vehicle was unable to remain in any gear long enough to be operated safely. This failure left the vehicle immobilized on a main roadway, causing a traffic backup and creating a hazardous situation for myself, my children, and surrounding motorists. Current vehicle condition: after the vehicle was towed home, I attempted several restarts. At no time did any warning indicators or a check?engine light illuminate. Each attempt resulted in the transmission immediately disengaging from gear when shifted into either drive or reverse, accompanied by continued loud whining noises and repeated engine surging to high rpms without throttle input. The vehicle is currently inoperable. Additional details: I plan to take the vehicle to keith hawthorne Ford for diagnostic evaluation. I am concerned that this failure may be related to a previously repaired transmission recall, as the recall documentation states that the defect may recur and could require additional corrective action. The dealership is currently requiring a diagnostic fee of $199. 95 to inspect the vehicle.

Internal transmission failure.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact stated that while shifting the gear shifter, the current gear did not appear on the instrument panel. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The "transmission fault service now" and "low temperature will reduce power" messages were displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle was turned off and restarted and returned to normal operation. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the alternator needed to be replaced. The contact was concerned that it was an inaccurate diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

At about 95,000 miles, I began experiencing transmission issues. On several occasions, the transmission would not go into second gear and left the vehicle unable to move forward unless I let off the accelerator and it shifted back into first gear. At about 96,000 miles, when placing the vehicle into park, the park light would flash and a growling/grinding noise is present for about 5-10 seconds. In my experience, the park light flashing is an indication that the vehicle has not shifted into the park gear yet. On 11/25/2025, my local Ford dealer confirmed these issues, stating the vehicle had “harsh engage, shift flare 1-2 shift”. The fluid sample was dark and contained metal shavings. The Ford dealer has recommended a complete transmission replacement. The dealer stated they have seen numerous Ford Escapes/broncos/mavericks with my model years and mileage experience similar failures. Because the transmission lags between 1st and 2nd gear, the vehicle could be at low speeds during a lag, and may roll back during a lag, causing a collision. Additionally, it is possible that the vehicle may not be properly engaging its parking gear due to these issues, which may leave the vehicle in an unsafe condition.

To whom this concerns: my name is [xxx] and I’m writing this on the behalf of my wife [xxx] , but her last name was [xxx] years ago. My wife purchases a 2018 Ford Escape. Car was working completely fine and there were no problems. As time went on, we had to take our vehicle to jordan Ford where the car was purchased. The issue with the car was something called engine intrusion. We took it to jordan Ford, and they told is this needed to be fixed. The cost was around 5,000 which was a lot for this. Then we found out that this vehicle had a recall on it for the exact same issue that we were having. Looking at the recall, it said that we had to give them this by a certain date. We were too late on that date so the recall could not be honored. We called Ford and told them about the problem with the vehicle and they were willing to knock the price down. I told them that is not fair that we must pay for a problem that is a recall. We did not get the car fixed and they knew about it. Now, it looks like our Ford Escape has the exact same issue, but now they are saying that we must pay over 8,000 to replace the short block because it’s over-heating. Well, we found out that this car was purchased after the recall was in motion and we were not told about it. It is not fair that this vehicle has had this many problems and Ford knew about it. [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

We had to replace the engine about 4 years ago and we’re still getting gas smell into the cabin. About 3 years ago, we broke down on the road because the transmission quit. All our repairs have been done through Ford service department. We are now broke down again because of the transmission. Something has to be done with the Ford Escape!.

Will not shift into park. Code is p068a on reader. When it started not going into park, it started shifting really hard between 1st and 2nd gear. When came to a stop, tried to put the vehicle in park and it automatically put the parking brake on. When the shop looked up recalls, they told me Ford had issued a recall that may be related but put a 70,000 mile or 7 year limit on it. My vehicle meets the year limit but is over the mileage so Ford said they would not cover it.

Coolant intrusion in my 2017 Ford Escape titanium presents a serious safety hazard that warrants an immediate recall. When coolant leaks into the engine’s cylinders, it can lead to sudden engine misfires, stalling, loss of power, or complete engine failure while the vehicle is in motion. This creates extremely dangerous driving conditions—especially at highway speeds, during turns, or in intersections—because it removes the driver’s ability to accelerate, maintain speed, or safely maneuver the vehicle. In many cases, coolant intrusion causes the engine to overheat rapidly, which can result in thermal damage, smoke, or even fire risk. Drivers often receive little to no warning before these failures occur. The problem is both unpredictable and progressive, meaning a vehicle that appears to be operating normally can suddenly stall or seize without sufficient time for the driver to react. Ford has been aware of widespread coolant intrusion issues across multiple ecoboost engines, yet many affected owners—including myself—have not received adequate support, coverage, or recall actions. This defect is not merely a mechanical inconvenience; it is a direct threat to driver, passenger, and public safety. The only appropriate response is a mandatory recall to inspect, repair, or replace affected engines before more drivers experience dangerous failures on the road. Paying for this on a teachers salary before the holidays is a struggle.

Ford has an issue where the coolant leaks into the cylinder blocks ruining the engine. Also, cause for low coolant which could catch the engine on fire.

Continues to roll when parked engine has been replaced twice grinding when putting in park.

Complete loss of power and the transmission just going out, there was no warning or indication that something was wrong with the transmission prior to it going out on the highway. Car has 120k miles on it. It was diagnosed as needing a new transmission, and cooler. The pump may have needed to be replaced as well. But the transmission was pushing fluid out into the engine. If the car was fixed, I would likely need a new engine as well. This was a platinum edition 2016 Ford Escape.

Purchased the vehicle approximately 45 days ago. Has driven fine with no problems. Randomly had a hard down shift and when I went to leave my destination put the vehicle in reverse and it would not go. The vehicle would not move in drive and when put in neutral it was still not even able to be pushed. Had it towed to the nearest Ford dealership, they diagnosed that there were metal shavings in the transmission, stated the vehicle was no longer drive able and recommend a transmission replacement or rebuild. Vehicle only has 80,000 miles.

The transmission had an internal failure that caused metal fragments to end up in the transmission fluid and caused failure. The vehicle will not drive and required the transmission to be rebuilt.

Engine failure due to coolant leaking into engine block. Known issue from design flaw.

I purchased this vehicle $9000 cash from Toyota morgan city in morgan city louisiana the end of September 2025 on a Saturday, not even a week later the car shifts real hard and it’s an automatic. You can see the rpm going up but the car steaks and then shifts hard to where it jerks. I called the car dealership where I purchased, they “looked” at the car and told me that it was not a problem they could fix because it was the transmission that Ford put in the cars. And proceeded to tell me that they were sorry that I need a new transmission but that’s not there problem and for me to take it to a Ford dealership even though I purchased from them. Why is this not a recall if you’re putting faulty transmissions in?.

The fuel injector and the one of the cylinders has gone bad and has been available for inspection. My safety has been put to rest due to engine overheating. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer police or any insurance representative. The check engine light did appear on November 1, 2025. The car started overheating on November 4, 2025. According to other owners that I have spoken to, this is a constant problem with this make and model. I believe it is a manufacturer defect since so many other owners are experiencing the same issue.

Coolant intrusion into cylinders at 81,000 miles has damaged engine and transmission pump, requiring replacement of both. Appears this is a known issue with both 2. 0l and 1. 5l engines.

Engine light came on. It came up as misfire cylinder 3 needing spark plugs/ignition coil so I made an appointment to get that fixed. On my way to my appointment today, the “engine overheating stop vehicle” warning came on. Turns out this is the known coolant intrusion into the engine block problem that has caused the engine to crack and now needs replaced. Called Ford customer service and just like what they are telling everyone else, there is nothing they can do to help. Yes it’s a known problem by Ford but they will not fix it because my car does not meet mileage criteria. It has 130,000 miles.

My vehicle stooped running. I scheduled maintenance at metro Ford. According to the diagnostic test completed at metro Ford, there were powertrain issues. This diagnosis also appears on my Ford motor pass app. According to the service department at metro Ford, coolant was leaking into the engine and that a new water pump and battery needs to be installed to get the car back running. We complied with the cost ($2,400 this included new water pump and battery) and 30 days later the car stopped running again. The car was towed back to metro Ford and we were told that the engine is dead and that a new diagnostic check will need to be done with an additional $410 on top of the $2,400 which was paid to get the water pump and other items fixed previously. We were never informed that the engine will need to be replaced after the first diagnostic check. That information should have been told first since you are running the same check that now tells you the engine is dead.

My 2013 Ford Escape had safety recall 22s43 (NHTSA 22v413000) completed by a Ford dealer in January 2023. That recall was supposed to fix a defect in which the shift cable bushing can detach from the transmission, potentially allowing the transmission to remain in gear even when the shifter shows “park. ” after the recall repair, the same issue has occurred again — the bushing has disconnected from the transmission lever, creating the same roll-away risk that the recall was intended to correct. When this happens, the gear selector shows “park,” but the vehicle can still move. Ford motor company customer service told me that because more than 12 months or 12,000 miles have passed since the recall repair, they will not cover it again. However, this is the same safety defect reoccurring after the recall remedy. It appears that the recall repair did not permanently correct the problem, and the part may still be defective or the cable end may have worn prematurely. I am submitting this report because the defect has returned after the recall was supposedly completed, and I believe other owners may also experience repeat failures that pose a roll-away safety risk.

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2021 Ford Escape. In January 2025 the turbo system failed and was replaced by a Ford dealer for about $5,903. 85. Around five months later the transmission required repairs for a valve body issue, totaling roughly $3,000 in August. Two months after that repair, firestone advised that the entire transmission now needs replacement. Each time the problem appeared, the vehicle showed violent slippage while upshifting and downshifting. When coming to a stop, the car would shake violently, slip forward several inches while my foot was still on the brake, and sometimes hesitate or lose power. Recently the vehicle will stop responding to acceleration, then suddenly surge forward without warning. These repeated transmission failures have created serious safety risks and appear consistent with ongoing problems involving the Ford 8f35 transmission used in the 2021 Escape.

After 104,000 miles experienced transmission issues. Been told this happens to several Ford Escapes' after 100k miles.