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2016 Ford Escape

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2016 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

612 reports with mileage · 503 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 320 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Back Over Prevention. Review the 206 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 199 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

36 crash reports10 fire reports16 injury reports

What owners actually said

1,115 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 16, 2025
Unknown Or Other

While operating my 2016 Ford Escape, I received a "Transmission Fault Service Now" warning on the dashboard display. It stayed on my dashboard for few minutes then disapeared. The vehicle suddenly jerked and became immobile, leaving me stranded in the middle of the street for approximately 5 hours, creating a significant safety …

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While operating my 2016 Ford Escape, I received a "Transmission Fault Service Now" warning on the dashboard display. It stayed on my dashboard for few minutes then disapeared. The vehicle suddenly jerked and became immobile, leaving me stranded in the middle of the street for approximately 5 hours, creating a significant safety hazard for both myself and other drivers. The vehicle's RPMs would increase but the car would not move forward properly. The transmission would only allow minimal movement immediately after starting the vehicle. A certified repair shop has diagnosed internal transmission damage. Similar transmission issues have been the subject of recalls for other Ford Escape vehicles, but my 2016 model year was not included after providing my vin despite exhibiting the same dangerous failure pattern. The transmission is available for inspection in Virginia Beach, VA. If needed, I can provide address details. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer.

NHTSA ODI #11636363

63,000 miles · Jan 16, 2025
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel became inoperable. The traction control, the ABS, the brakes, and the knee air bag warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the Police Department mechanic VIPD Motor Pool, where it was diagnosed an…

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The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel became inoperable. The traction control, the ABS, the brakes, and the knee air bag warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the Police Department mechanic VIPD Motor Pool, where it was diagnosed and determined that the ABS module had failed, causing other electrical failures. The mechanic determined that the ABS module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

NHTSA ODI #11636339

97,000 miles · Jan 14, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated and several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road to allow the engine to cool down. The contact opened the hood and checked the fluids. The contact stated that the …

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The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated and several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road to allow the engine to cool down. The contact opened the hood and checked the fluids. The contact stated that the coolant reservoir was low. The contact refilled the coolant reservoir. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with catastrophic coolant intrusion in cylinder #4. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

NHTSA ODI #11635960

118,000 miles · Jan 14, 2025
Engine

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled while depressing the brake pedal. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while the vehicle was stopped, the vehicle was idling rough, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The ve…

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The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled while depressing the brake pedal. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while the vehicle was stopped, the vehicle was idling rough, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact stated that the vehicle received undisclosed repairs; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

NHTSA ODI #11635906

100,000 miles · Jan 14, 2025
Power Train

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the message "Service Transmission" was intermittently displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The man…

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The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the message "Service Transmission" was intermittently displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #11635830

98,000 miles · Jan 13, 2025
Power Train

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle downshifted as the transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Th…

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The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle downshifted as the transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.

NHTSA ODI #11635681

Mileage unknown · Jan 7, 2025
Electrical System

Since October 2022, we have had to replace the front signal wiring harnesses on the car four (4) times due to the wiring being coated with a substance that rodents are being attracted to. It seems that is has happened again. We have not yet taken it to our repair shop for confirmation this time, but we had an incident with our…

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Since October 2022, we have had to replace the front signal wiring harnesses on the car four (4) times due to the wiring being coated with a substance that rodents are being attracted to. It seems that is has happened again. We have not yet taken it to our repair shop for confirmation this time, but we had an incident with our Kia (Vin [XXX] ) in November 2024. In this case the clutch assembly wiring had been chewed and the assembly had to be replaced. We had the Kia towed to the dealer for repair, so all incidents are documented by repair shops. Not having proper signaling can cause accidents, but I think chewing of other wiring such as the clutch assembly can be an even greater cause for concern. What part will be chewed next. With the clutch assembly we were shown a check engine light and with the signals, the signals sounded different. I know from being on the Next Door website that other people in the area have had the same problems. I think this problem of the coating on wiring should be checked before it causes a serious accident. I put the date of the Kia incident on the bottom because I considered this the most serious. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11634570

113,000 miles · Jan 6, 2025
Power Train

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stopped the vehicle, and the vehicle failed to respond while in drive(D) and reverse(R). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with tran…

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The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stopped the vehicle, and the vehicle failed to respond while in drive(D) and reverse(R). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated that in 2022, prior to the vehicle being purchased, the dealer had replaced the transmission bushing cable. The contact stated that the repair was performed under an undisclosed recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under any unknown recall or special program. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.

NHTSA ODI #11634301

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 2025
Unknown Or Other

Back up camera screen is blank.

NHTSA ODI #11634192

Mileage unknown · Jan 3, 2025
Engine

Antifreeze leaks in cylinder, Ford says need to replace engine only 75k on the engine.

NHTSA ODI #11633885

Official recalls

4

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.

25V695000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

Oct 13, 2025

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.

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.

17V398000 · Air Bags:knee Bolster

Jun 26, 2017

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Ford Escape vehicles. The driver's knee airbag modules installed in these vehicles were produced without the inflator gas generant material, and, as a result, the air bags may not inflate properly in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash, if the driver's knee air bag does not inflate as intended, the driver has an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace driver's knee air bag, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C11.

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