WAS STARTING VEHICLE, IT SHUDDERED AND STOPPED WHEN PUT IN REVERSE, RESTARTED VEHICLE AND THEN PUT IN DRIVE, TRIED TO PRESS GAS PEDAL AND CAR WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 25 MPH BEFORE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, TOWED TO DELAERSHIP WAS INFORMED IT HAD COOLANT LEAKING AND NEEDED ENGINE REPLACED 28,200 MILES
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Escape years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
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.
What owners actually said
585 reportsCHANGING REVERSE OR FORWARD, THERE IS A LOUD THUMP AS IF SOMEONE OR SOMETHING HAS HIT THE CAR
AT 7000 MILES THE CAR STARTED MISSFIRENING AND WOULDN'T RUN THE DEALER SAID IT WAS A SPARK PLUG NOW WE ARE AT 29000 MILES LESS THEN A YEAR LATER AND IT'S MISSFIRENING AGAIN THIS TIME IT HAPPENED WHILE ENTERING A BUSY STREET AND ALMOST CAUSED US TO GET REAR-ENDED DUE TO THE CAR NOT ACCELERATING AS EXPECTED. ALSO THE PASS FRONT SE…
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AT 7000 MILES THE CAR STARTED MISSFIRENING AND WOULDN'T RUN THE DEALER SAID IT WAS A SPARK PLUG NOW WE ARE AT 29000 MILES LESS THEN A YEAR LATER AND IT'S MISSFIRENING AGAIN THIS TIME IT HAPPENED WHILE ENTERING A BUSY STREET AND ALMOST CAUSED US TO GET REAR-ENDED DUE TO THE CAR NOT ACCELERATING AS EXPECTED. ALSO THE PASS FRONT SEAT BELT DOES NOT KEEP PROPER TENSION IF YOU LEAN FORWARD THEM SIT BACK THE SEAT BELT WILL HAVE SLACK IN IT UNTIL YOU MESS WITH IT TO GET IT TO GO BACK IN.
2019 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION LEVER HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND STATED THAT LEVER COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. *JS
STARTING APPROXIMATELY OF APRIL OF THIS YEAR, NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS SURGING AND "MISSING" ON START. THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE BEEN A SPARK PLUG OR SUCH GOING BAD AND IT WASN'T HAPPENING WITH EVERY START. THEN MIDDLE OF MAY, IT WAS DAILY ON EVERY START AND WAS SURGING HARDER AND SPUTTERING. THE TACHOMETER WOULD EVEN RISE AND FALL…
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STARTING APPROXIMATELY OF APRIL OF THIS YEAR, NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS SURGING AND "MISSING" ON START. THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE BEEN A SPARK PLUG OR SUCH GOING BAD AND IT WASN'T HAPPENING WITH EVERY START. THEN MIDDLE OF MAY, IT WAS DAILY ON EVERY START AND WAS SURGING HARDER AND SPUTTERING. THE TACHOMETER WOULD EVEN RISE AND FALL IN QUICK SUCCESSION. ON MAY 20TH, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND TOOK IT TO MY DEALERSHIP. BEFORE EVEN LOOKING AT MY VEHICLE, AFTER DESCRIBING TO THEM WHAT WAS HAPPENING, THEY ALREADY KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG AND WHAT THE REMEDY WOULD BE. THEY STILL PUT MY CAR ON THE COMPUTER AND LOOKED IT OVER, BUT CAME OUT WITH THE CONCLUSION THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED REBUILT. FAST FORWARD 2 MONTHS LATER, FINALLY GOT ALL THE PARTS IN TO REBUILD THE ENGINE, HOWEVER MY DEALERSHIP IS SMALL AND DO NOT HAVE A LOANER VEHICLE FOR ME AT THIS TIME. I AM UNDERSTANDING OF THAT. BUT THE CAR IS NOW DOING THIS ON EVERY START REGARDLESS IF I JUST STOPPED AT THE POST OFFICE FOR 5 MINUTES. THIS MORNING, IT SPUTTERED HARD AND THEN SHUT OFF FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT IS ALSO AFFECTING HOW IT SHIFTS FROM P TO D AND CAN TELL A DIFFERENCE WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP. CALLED FORD TO SEE IF THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THIS ISSUE, THEY KEPT CIRCLING BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE IMPENDING REPAIR. I FINALLY STATED THAT I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF FORD WAS ACKNOWLEDGING THIS ISSUE AND WAS REFERRED TO A REGIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER NAMED JESSICA. SHE CALLS AND WAS LESS THAN FRIENDLY AND KEPT THROWING THE WORD "RECALL" AROUND, BUT THERE IS NO ACTIVE RECALL. SHE KEPT SAYING THAT MY VEHICLE WAS GETTING REPAIRED FOR A RECALL, AND I TOLD HER NO, IT IS GETTING REPAIRED BECAUSE I REPORTED ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE. I'M OVER IT. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN MY VEHICLE AND HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD TO HAVE MULTIPLE REBUILDS OF THEIR ENGINE AND THE PROBLEM NEVER SOLVED.
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, ALL OF A SUDDEN WARNING COMES ON STATING, "CAR IS OVERHEATING STOP ENGINE NOW." CAR STARTED TO SHAKE AND STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO SHAKE. PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS RED. POLICE OFFICER PULLED ASIDE TO ASSIST. OPENS HOOD OF THE CAR. OFFICER VISIBLY SEES COOLANT IS BELOW THE MI…
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DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, ALL OF A SUDDEN WARNING COMES ON STATING, "CAR IS OVERHEATING STOP ENGINE NOW." CAR STARTED TO SHAKE AND STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO SHAKE. PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS RED. POLICE OFFICER PULLED ASIDE TO ASSIST. OPENS HOOD OF THE CAR. OFFICER VISIBLY SEES COOLANT IS BELOW THE MINIMUM LINE. THE OFFICER GOES TO HIS CAR TO RETRIEVE COOLANT. WHEN THE OFFICER UNSCREWED THE COVER OF THE COOLANT FLUID HOLDER, THE FLUID RAISED BY ITSELF TO MAXIMUM LINE. OFFICER DID NOT ADD MORE COOLANT. STARTED THE CAR AND ENGINE LIGHT GOES FROM RED TO YELLOW. I WAS ABLE TO COAST THE CAR HOME BUT VERY SLOWLY. *TR
JERKING AND THROWING PASSENGERS FORWARD. *TR
WHEN YOU HIT THE BUTTON TO CLOSE THE LIFTGATE IT DOESN'T USUALLY LATCH. MANY TIMES I HAVE TO MANUALLY CLOSE IT BECAUSE WHEN I PUSH THE BUTTON THE LIFTGATE WILL CLOSE DOWN BUT IT WON'T LATCH. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALER 2X. THE FIRST TIME THEY CONFIRMED THE ISSUE AND REPLACED A MECHANISM THAT CONTROLS THE LIFTGATE. …
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WHEN YOU HIT THE BUTTON TO CLOSE THE LIFTGATE IT DOESN'T USUALLY LATCH. MANY TIMES I HAVE TO MANUALLY CLOSE IT BECAUSE WHEN I PUSH THE BUTTON THE LIFTGATE WILL CLOSE DOWN BUT IT WON'T LATCH. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALER 2X. THE FIRST TIME THEY CONFIRMED THE ISSUE AND REPLACED A MECHANISM THAT CONTROLS THE LIFTGATE. THE PROBLEM CAME BACK LESS THAN 1 WEEK LATER. WHEN I TOOK IT BACK THEY CLAIMED IT ALWAYS LATCHED WHEN THEY TESTED, AND DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO IT. MEANWHILE, I TOOK IT HOME AND IT STILL WON'T LATCH WHEN I TRY TO CLOSE IT WITH THE BUTTON. VEHICLE IS ALWAYS OFF, PARKED, WHEN I TRY TO CLOSE THE LIFTGATE. THE ONLY ODD THING I NOTICED IS IF I KEEP THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR OPEN WHEN I PUT THE BUTTON TO CLOSE THE LIFTGATE THEN FOR SOME REASON THE LIFTGATE LATCHES, PROBABLY 8/10 TIMES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2019 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, WHEN THE HILL ASSIST MODE INDEPENDENTLY ACTIVATED WITHOUT BEING ON A HILL. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STARTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES INDEPENDENTLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HESITATE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED, CAUSING HER TO …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2019 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, WHEN THE HILL ASSIST MODE INDEPENDENTLY ACTIVATED WITHOUT BEING ON A HILL. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STARTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES INDEPENDENTLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HESITATE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED, CAUSING HER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER FAILED TO ENGAGE, CAUSING HER TO IMPACT THE DASHBOARD/RADIO WITH HER HEAD. THE CONTACT STATED MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED DUE TO THE FACT THAT SHE LOST CONSCIENCES AND SUFFERED A CONCUSSION. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT SHE HAS A TINGLING SENSATION IN BOTH LEGS AND HAS LOST SENSATION IN BOTH ARMS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO SHOP. THE CONTACT STATED THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE TOTALED. THE CONTACT CALLED LOCAL DEALER RAMP MOTORS (4869 NESCONSET HWY, PORT JEFFERSON STATION, NY 11776, (631) 473-1550) AND HAS LEFT A VOICEMAIL OF THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,623.
ONLY HAD THIS CAR LESS THAN 30 DAYS MILEAGE WAS 29,476 ON 4/13/20. MILEAGE WHEN IN SHOP IS 29,944 SO DROVE 468 MILES. BEEN HEARING LOUD THUDS OR CLUNKING NOISE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE FOR A FEW DAYS. TOOK IT BACK TO WHERE I BOUGHT IT THEY LOOKED AT AND DUPLICATED THE NOISE SEVERAL TIMES IN THEIR SHOP, SAID IT WAS MOST LIKELY SOMET…
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ONLY HAD THIS CAR LESS THAN 30 DAYS MILEAGE WAS 29,476 ON 4/13/20. MILEAGE WHEN IN SHOP IS 29,944 SO DROVE 468 MILES. BEEN HEARING LOUD THUDS OR CLUNKING NOISE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE FOR A FEW DAYS. TOOK IT BACK TO WHERE I BOUGHT IT THEY LOOKED AT AND DUPLICATED THE NOISE SEVERAL TIMES IN THEIR SHOP, SAID IT WAS MOST LIKELY SOMETHING IN THE TRANSMISSION. TOOK THE CAR TO FORD AND AT FIRST THE SERVICE WRITER WAS IN DENIAL BUT THE TECHS MADE HIM A BELIEVER....THE TRANSMISSION HAS PROBLEM WITH THE VALVE BODY THEY THINK. THEY TOOK THE TRANSMISSION OUT TODAY HOPEFULLY KNOW SOMETHING MONDAY. THE NOISE OCCURRED WHEN BACKING UP WITH THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED AND GIVING THE CAR A LITTLE GAS. A VERY LOUD CLUNK WAS HEARD . THE NOISE CONTINUED AND STARTED DOING IT EVERY TIME I BACKED UP. ALSO HEARD NOISE/FELT IT WHEN SHIFTING FROM R TO N TO D. THIS PROBLEM STARTED JUST BEFORE I TOOK IT IN THE SHOP (MORNING OF ) JUST SITTING STILL SHIFT FROM PARK TO REVERSE TO NEUTRAL TO DRIVE OR BACK TO NEUTRAL. *TR
Official recalls
326V011000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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