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2019 Ford Escape

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2019 Ford Escape do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 996.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

227 reports with mileage · 358 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 307 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 125 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 92 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

24 crash reports3 fire reports20 injury reports

What owners actually said

585 reports
Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2024
Engine

Problem was first detected when engine service light came on while engine was idle. Coolant reservoir was empty and filled several times prior to inspection by the same dealership where the car was purchased. Inspection happened 11 days later, car was driven about 100 miles between first noticing the empty coolant tank and the d…

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Problem was first detected when engine service light came on while engine was idle. Coolant reservoir was empty and filled several times prior to inspection by the same dealership where the car was purchased. Inspection happened 11 days later, car was driven about 100 miles between first noticing the empty coolant tank and the date of service. During inspection and diagnostic, coolant was found leaking into cylinder along with a broken head gasket and a cracked engine block. Since getting service at the dealer, car has been observed to be lurching when accelerating at either highway speeds or high RPM (unsure of precise onset of symptom), creating worries that diagnosing the problem has accelerated the engine deterioration.

NHTSA ODI #11604597

Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 2024
Engine

I have a coolant intrusion. CEL came on a couple weeks ago. The code it gave was a cylinder 3 misfire. I took it to Perry County Tire in Hazard KY and they said it needed a new ignition coil and 4 new spark plugs. They replaced the coil and all spark plugs. The CEL came back on a few days later, giving the same cylinder 3 misfir…

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I have a coolant intrusion. CEL came on a couple weeks ago. The code it gave was a cylinder 3 misfire. I took it to Perry County Tire in Hazard KY and they said it needed a new ignition coil and 4 new spark plugs. They replaced the coil and all spark plugs. The CEL came back on a few days later, giving the same cylinder 3 misfire code. I then took it back and they replace the ignition coil again. The CEL came back on about 4 days later and I took it back, now seeing a puff of white smoke when I start the car and put it into reverse. They said my coolant was low and I have an intrusion and then referred me to another service center because they did not do engine or gasket repairs.

NHTSA ODI #11604313

58,000 miles · Jul 23, 2024
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was excessive white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was advised by an independent mechanic that the failure might be related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block…

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The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was excessive white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was advised by an independent mechanic that the failure might be related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion); however, the vehicle was not included. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

NHTSA ODI #11604134

Mileage unknown · Jul 23, 2024
Engine

On [XXX] while attempting to make a left hand turn in a super busy intersection my dash light stating Engine Coolant over-temperature came on and car went into limp mode, was stuck in a busy intersection making a left hand turn. Car had to be towed to local ford dealership (Friendly Ford in Monroe, MI). Car was at dealership for…

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On [XXX] while attempting to make a left hand turn in a super busy intersection my dash light stating Engine Coolant over-temperature came on and car went into limp mode, was stuck in a busy intersection making a left hand turn. Car had to be towed to local ford dealership (Friendly Ford in Monroe, MI). Car was at dealership for 7 days and they were unable to duplicate the code and at that time the mileage on the car was 50853. On [XXX] while backing out of my driveway the car did same thing, dash light with Engine Coolant over-temperature came on and went into limp mode. Had car towed (at my expense) to Friendly Ford dealership again at this time the mileage is 60242. On 7/23/24 I was advised that coolant intrigant into the engine which means a need new engine. Was advised by dealership that this would be covered under powertrain warranty but because the mileage NOW is 60242 that the warranty is not valid and will cost ruffly around $8,000 and could take 2 months to repair and they have no loaners at this time. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11604083

Mileage unknown · Jul 21, 2024
EngineUnknown Or Other

Warning light comes on the dash and Ford App that car is overheating and to service. Car will not move but stays running and the cooling fan comes on. This happened when car was started first thing in morning so it hadn't been running for at least 12 hours. Had the same issue back in Nov of 2023 took into Friendly Ford in Monroe…

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Warning light comes on the dash and Ford App that car is overheating and to service. Car will not move but stays running and the cooling fan comes on. This happened when car was started first thing in morning so it hadn't been running for at least 12 hours. Had the same issue back in Nov of 2023 took into Friendly Ford in Monroe, MI and they had it for a couple of weeks and couldn't duplicate the code, they were able to remove the code off and said if it happened again to bring it back in but basically they couldn't find anything wrong. It happened again on [XXX] and after having it towed again to the dealership which now my mileage is 60,242 its putting me over my powertrain warranty, however, when it was in the first time I was only at 50,853 miles. I am currently waiting for the dealership to look at my car and let me know what they find out. They also told me that there mechanic is 3 months behind and they have no loaner car to give me. They also told me that I couldn't take it to another dealership because they are independently owned and since they never fixed anything on it if I took it some place else it would be on my dime. Obviously there is something wrong with the car if I have gotten this warning 2 times within 8months.The first time (Nov 2023) I was lucky enough to coast into a gas station to get out of traffic and this time I only got to the end of my driveway, but unfortunately I had to have the car towed both times and this time was on my dime because of the miles on the car. My car is a 2019 Ford Escape with only 50,242 miles on it, doesn't seem like I should have this problem with it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11603640

70,000 miles · Jul 19, 2024
Exterior Lighting

The contact's brother owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH at night, the headlights became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the headlight module failed to operate as needed and the contact was forced to drive to the residence without headlights. The contact h…

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The contact's brother owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH at night, the headlights became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the headlight module failed to operate as needed and the contact was forced to drive to the residence without headlights. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer on three separate occasions to be repaired. On the first visit, the dealer replaced the battery and the headlight bulbs. The second visit, the dealer replaced the BCM (Body Control Module) and two other light bulbs that were not initially replaced. On the third visit, the headlight switch was replaced. Despite each repair, the headlight failure persisted. The contact was recently informed by the dealer that the wiring harness needed to be replaced; however, the dealer could not guarantee that the repair would fix the headlight failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI #11603337

163,080 miles · Jul 17, 2024
EngineEngine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked with several unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that white smoke was coming from the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with coolan…

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The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked with several unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that white smoke was coming from the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 163,080.

NHTSA ODI #11602916

71,000 miles · Jul 16, 2024
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that when the vehicle was parked, the contact raised the hood to inspect the vehicle and became aware that the coolant reservoir wa…

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The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that when the vehicle was parked, the contact raised the hood to inspect the vehicle and became aware that the coolant reservoir was extremely low. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that the vehicle was scheduled to be towed to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.

NHTSA ODI #11602752

Mileage unknown · Jul 12, 2024
Engine

Fluid leaking from engine into coil resulting in engine being ruined and needed to be replaced.

NHTSA ODI #11601531

Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 2024
Engine

I recently purchased a 2019 Escape with 65,000 miles. Within a few days, the CEL activated and OBS code was P0301 and the engine started missing and showing white smoke from exhaust. My personal scanner shows the code had displayed twice before. At this point it is at the Ford dealer and Ford financial assistance is trying to…

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I recently purchased a 2019 Escape with 65,000 miles. Within a few days, the CEL activated and OBS code was P0301 and the engine started missing and showing white smoke from exhaust. My personal scanner shows the code had displayed twice before. At this point it is at the Ford dealer and Ford financial assistance is trying to evaluate what they may cover.

NHTSA ODI #11601004

Official recalls

3

26V011000 · Equipment:electrical:engine Block Heater

Jan 15, 2026

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.

22V413000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl); Power Train:shift Linkage/cable/rod

Jun 10, 2022

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:shift Linkage/cable/rod

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

21V155000 · Tires

Mar 10, 2021

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150, 2018-2020 F-250, F-350, and 2019 Escape vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation which could lead to tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S10.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Ford Escape problems