2019 Ford Escape

Car operated fine until it suddenly started running rough, then lost power/accelleration while driving down a busy state highway. Ford Dealership found what the service manager called "catastropic engine failure, caused by coolant instrusion." He showed us the whole process of coolant corruption of our Ford Escape's engine -- and the engineering flaw that caused the intrusion. Service manager explained that our 2019 Ford Escape model was "the Problem Child of Ford Motor Company." The loss put our daughter, alone, stranded on the side of a 55 mph 2-lane highway in a car with only 57,000 miles. It put other highway drivers at risk as well. We had no warning that something was wrong with the car. The check engine light came on AT the time of the incident. That is, when the car started feeling rough and wouldn't accellerate, the check engine light came on Car and mechanics who repaired it are all available upon request. Also please see attached repair invoice from Richardson Ford.

My 2019 Ford Escape Eco Boost Titanium vehicle is currently loosing antifreeze at an alarming rate. I had the error codes read and I have four. The first, P0303, states cylinder #3 is misfiring. The second, P0141, says the heater in 02 sensor is taking too long to warm up. The third, P0016, states the camshaft position A correlates to bank 1 and finally, P04DB, says the crankcase ventilation system in the vehicle is disconnected. From what I have read online the system that is failing is that there is an engine coolant leak. I am fine providing the car for inspection upon request. The safety of myself and my family is at risk because should I not keep the coolant filled and full Ford states that the vehicle engine may overheat, catch fire, damage the pistons, and possible misfires while driving. I reported the issue to Ford via their social media link X (twitter) on March 16, 2025 but I will also be calling the Ford contact phone number tomorrow, March 17. I hope to have the vehicle or component inspected by the manufacturer soon but based on the complaints online I am one of many having this failure on my vehicle. My engine warning light came on about 2 months ago but when I had it read for error codes at that time it only stated the code, P0141, the heater in 02 sensor is taking too long to warm up. At that time I called Ford service to see how I could get it repaired and was told that even though I had previously had the error codes read they would start by charging me $250 to read the error codes.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle then failed to accelerate above 10 MPH. The accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to respond. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the intake manifold needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the transmission was previously replaced by the same local dealer. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that there was smoke coming from the tailpipe. While driving, the vehicle was slow to respond. Additionally, the contact’s son, who is a mechanic, informed her that there was water entering the engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that the vehicle was built with the wrong engine. The mechanic informed the contact that the engine was a long-block engine and should be a short-block engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000. The VIN was not available.

On 9/14/23 after starting car parked on level surface, I placed car in Drive, but it went in Reverse. The vehicle was supposedly repaired for Safety Recall Notice 22S43 by dealer. I placed car back in park, then shifted back to Drive and it moved forward as expected. Later in day while my wife was driving, she experienced difficulty in disengaging cruise control and when she tapped brakes, vehicle began spinning 360 degrees, slid sideways off interstate, and auto was totaled. Upon impact the right, rear passenger door was unlocked and somehow opened on its own ejecting passenger. Vehicle is currently in salvage yard at IAA Odgen, 1800 S 1100 West, Ogden, UT 84401. I don't know if the faulty transmission had anything to do with accident, but it seems like today we drive computers and not a mechanical motor vehicle.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD TO THE RIGHT AND CRASHED INTO A UTILITY POLE. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER FRIENDLY FORD (2800 N. TELEGRAPH RD, MONROE MI.) THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE WAS MOST NOTICEABLE WHILE DRIVING DOWN AN INCLINE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THIS ISSUE HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. *JS

I SUBMITTED THIS COMPLAINT ON 3/08/2020. THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED WHEN THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD MY CAR TOWED INSPECTED THE CAR. THEY FOUND THAT I HAD INSTALLED A WEATHERTECH FLOOR MAT IN THE DRIVERS SIDE AND HAD OVERLAPPED THE LEADING EDGE OF THE MAT OVER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I HAD SNAPPED THE MAT FIRMLY IN PLACE SO THAT IT WAS PRESSING DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED WHEN THE FLOOR MAT WAS REMOVED AND INSTALLED PROPERLY.

CAR ACCELERATED FROM 25 TO 75 MPH WITHOUT MY FOOT BEING ON ACCELERATOR. CRUISE CONTROL WAS OFF. SUBSEQUENTLY, STOPPED AND TURNED OFF VEHICLE. RESTARTED AND VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE FROM ANY SPEED WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR. I HAD TO CONTROL MY SPEED ON A WINDING, NARROW, ROAD WITH NO SHOULDERS. I COULD ONLY CONTROL THE SPEED OF THE CAR BY RIDING THE BRAKES. THE BRAKES OVERHEATED. WHEN I CAME TO A STOP THE CAR ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN AT 5,000 RPM. I CAME TO A STOP, THEN SHIFTED INTO PARK AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN AT 4,500 RPMS. PUSHED THE IGNITION TO SHUT OFF ENGINE AND HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE LEXINGTON, VA FORD DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR.