2016 Ford Escape
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 1,124 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 11th highest complaint count among 26 Escape model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 36 involved a crash and 10 involved a fire. 19 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Equipment, electrical, engine block heaterJan 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.
An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
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.
Campaign 26V011000 on NHTSA.gov
Back over prevention, sensing system, cameraOct 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.
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.
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.
Campaign 25V695000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, gear position indication (prndl)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.
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.
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.
Campaign 22V413000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, knee bolsterJun 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."
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.
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.
Campaign 17V398000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
1,124 reports, newest first.
Back over prevention, Jul 22, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while vehicle was in reverse(R), the rear-view camera displayed a blank screen with the message "Camera Unavailable". The contact received notification of NTHSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); and associated the failure with the recall. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Back over prevention, Jul 22, 2026
See attached document for complaint.
Back over prevention, Jul 22, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while shifted in reverse(R), the rear-view camera failed to display a clear view image. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
Power train, Jul 22, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle sputtered and intermittently lost motive power. The message "Transmission Fault" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact was able to drive to her sister's residence. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with burnt transmission fluid, and the transmission was replaced with a rebuilt transmission. The contact stated that while driving after the repair, the RPMs fluctuated intermittently and the message "Transmission Fault - Service Now" was displayed. The independent mechanic was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the warranty company of the rebuilt transmission. The vehicle was in the process of being repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 173,000.
Other or unspecified, Jul 21, 2026
The recall on my car has been active for over 6 months, however there is still not a remedy. My rear view camera failed on me today almost causing me to hit a child that I was unable to see.
Power train, Jul 21, 2026
I was driving home on se stark to go to 60 uh then turn into burnside I was going 30 Mph per speed limit then all the sudden it jerked and slowed down very unsafe when the transmission just went slow and I had no warning or light never came on to say need transmission service. This was mind boggling then I had it towed to the shop and apparently I need a whole replacement for transmission and I’m at 165 k I do maintance and everything .. I know there was a recall abt the power train in 2022 however but I don’t know if it still active bec I am the second owner of this car
Steering, Jul 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "Power Steering Assist" was displayed. The vehicle was restarted, and the message was no longer displayed, and the vehicle operated normally. Later, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering message returned, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. Additionally, the traction control warning light was illuminated. The cause of the failures was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 236,000.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Jul 20, 2026
The rear camera first started failing intermittently, and now occurs constantly. The camera goes black on the screen. I nearly backed into a child in a grocery store parking lot.
Other or unspecified, Jul 18, 2026
My 2016 Ford Escape is under a recall for the rear view camera. My rear view camera does not work. Ford issued the recall in October 2025 but has not made an effort to repair my vehicle. I have a bad neck and back, it is hard for me to turn and look behind me. I could really use the rear view camera working again.
Structure, Engine, Jul 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine, with the engine revving. The contact stated that while turning off the vehicle, the engine was knocking very roughly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer for failures with the bearings and the rotors. The contact stated that there were abnormal sounds coming from the bearings. The contact stated that the rotors were rusted, and there was a grinding sound coming from the rotors. The contact believed that the vehicle was a flood-damaged vehicle due to the rust on the rotors, bearings, and underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 113,000.
Back over prevention, Jul 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera intermittently failed to display an image. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
Back over prevention, Jul 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the rear-view camera was occasionally inoperable. While reversing, the camera turned off without warning. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
Electrical system, Lane departure, Jul 16, 2026
unknown
Back over prevention, Jul 15, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The contact stated that while in reverse(R) on approximately five separate occasions, the screen was inverted, and the proximity alert notification chime failed to alert the driver, and the vehicle nearly struck persons behind the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but was not repaired because parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 99,800.
Back over prevention, Jul 15, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the rearview camera was intermittently inoperative. When functioning, the camera image was displayed upside down. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed that parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
Other or unspecified, Back over prevention, Jul 14, 2026
My rear camera and therefore cross traffic and parking indications fail almost every time I turn my car on. Ford acknowledges that this is a problem and that there is a recalled part, but they do not have replacement parts and so I must continue to drive with faulty parts.
Other or unspecified, Jul 14, 2026
There has been a recall, 25SA9, for over a year for the backup camera on this car. There is no date as to when it will be fixed and the camera is non functional now. This is my daughters car and It needs to be addressed quicker than a year.
Back over prevention, Jul 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the back over prevention camera displayed a blank screen, and there was no image on display. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. A second dealer, Brad Deery Ford (1178 200th Ave, Maquoketa, IA 52060); was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure was approximately 111,000.
Steering, Jul 10, 2026
While driving the car, the electronic power assist steering stopped working, making it extremely difficult to steer and drove straight into a curb. Was able to slowly back the car up then very carefully drove to the local shop. Thankfully, no pedestrians were walking on the sidewalk. Power assist unit failed which caused a very unsafe driving condition. It required two strong arms to muscle the steering carefully to drive the car to the shop.
Steering, Jul 9, 2026
Car started with loss of steering fault, then power steering completely failed and car was not driveable.
Back over prevention, Jul 9, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera intermittently failed to display an image. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Other or unspecified, Jul 9, 2026
I am extremely disappointed with the way Ford has handled the recall on the rearview camera for my 2016 Ford Escape. I received the recall notice about a year ago. Six months ago, I contacted Chapman Ford and was told the replacement parts were not yet available and that I would be notified when they came in. Now, a full year later, my backup camera still does not work. This is a safety issue--not a convenience feature. When I called Chapman Ford again today, I was told the part was still unavailable for the Escape and was only being supplied for Mustangs. They gave me Ford Corporate's customer service number. Ford Corporate assured me that they would resolve the issue. They contacted Chapman Ford, spoke with Valerie, and told me everything had been arranged. I was told my appointment was set, the repair would be completed at no charge, and the problem would be taken care of. About an hour later, Chapman Ford called me back and said they actually did not have the part after all, could not perform the repair, and there was nothing they could do. After waiting an entire year for a safety recall, this is simply unacceptable. Ford sent out a recall notice acknowledging there was a safety problem, yet they still cannot provide the parts needed to fix it. Owners are left driving vehicles with defective backup cameras and no clear timeline for when the repair will actually happen. Ford should be ashamed of the way this recall has been handled. If you're going to issue a safety recall, you should also have a plan to provide the parts necessary to fix the vehicles within a reasonable amount of time. Customers deserve better communication, better follow-through, and most importantly, a prompt resolution to safety-related defects.
Back over prevention, Jul 8, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to complete the recall repair was unavailable. Additionally, while reversing, the rearview camera displayed a blue image, and the message "Camera Unavailable" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the parts were unavailable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jul 7, 2026
The electrical radio backup camera does not work it's all malfunctioned.
Back over prevention, Jul 7, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the rearview camera became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.