2019 Ford Escape
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 588 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 18th highest complaint count among 26 Escape model years with reports.
Of the 2019 reports, 24 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 28 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
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
TiresMar 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.
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.
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.
Campaign 21V155000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
384 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine, Jun 27, 2024
Torque converter this is the 2 nd time 14 months apart that I need to replace the converter. It causes the car to not accelerate or stop driving with a warning.
Engine, Jun 21, 2024
Service center diagnosed my check engine light ON resulting to coolant leaking into cylinder. Determined to be TSB 22-2229 and need to apply engine long block replacement for coolant intrusion. Reporting this issue to NHTSA before having it fixed because based from this public forum, multiple Ford owners encounter the same issue and might be considered for recall. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Jun 21, 2024
2019 Ford Escape w/ 30,000 miles. Regularly maintained, no accidents, no previous owners. Engine coolant leak which resulted in the dealership stating we need a new engine for $13,500. Cylinders were filled with oil and car was not drivable. This is relevant to the ongoing class action lawsuit for EcoBoost engines. We are 3 weeks past our 5-year warranty and were told we are out of luck. Ford is not accepting any responsibility and won’t even provide a loaner vehicle considering we are 3 weeks past warranty. Should have gotten a Toyota.
Engine, Jun 19, 2024
Ford Escape coolant intrusion TSB. Car has been running rough, check engine light came on. Called dealership and didn't get a return call. Took it in next day and the light wasn't on. They told me the mechanic saw the coolant leak and know about this problem, but since my light wasn't on they can't do anything about it. They said I'll need a new engine. This should be a recall since I now see class actin lawsuits starting for this issue.
Engine, Jun 17, 2024
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The cylinder warped. With this cylinder failure, I would have to replace the engine. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? If I continue to drive this car without replacing the engine which could affect my ability to brake safely in an emergency. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The Ford Forum and the Ford Dealership states this is a regular problem with this 2019 Ford Escape with the 1.5 liter engine. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The 2019 Ford Escape has been regularly serviced and inspected almost entirely by a Ford Dealership. My car has 113,000 miles. I bought the car brand new. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? The engine light came on on June 12th. I put my car in the shop on June 14th.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly went into LIMP Mode. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to her grandson's repair shop, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact’s grandson related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 19-2375 (Low Coolant, White Exhaust Smoke And/or Illuminated MIL); however, the vehicle was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000.
Engine, Jun 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed of TSB: 22-2322. The contact was advised to report the failure to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not eligible for repair under TSB: 22-2322; or covered under warranty. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline and report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
Engine, Jun 11, 2024
At less than 50k miles and 5 years old, the car started not turning on, driving shaky and having warnings of faulty engine services and engine lights coming on the dash. Turns out coolant is leaking into engine and was told the whole engine needed replacing.
Engine, Jun 11, 2024
2019 Escape with 1.5L EcoBoost engine showing a low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and runs rough condition with illuminated malfunction indicator light (MIL) with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM), caused by coolant intrusion into a cylinder bore.
Engine, Jun 7, 2024
Driving car on a highway it started to shake and buck. Barely managed to pull over on the side of the road.... had car flatbedded to the dealer. Dealer now saying engine coolant in cylinders... known issue with these engines... vehicle has issues with the same thing 6 months after buying it.
Engine, Jun 6, 2024
Vehicle had check engine light come on. Took it to the Ford dealer and was told it needed a tuneup. They put in new spark plugs and it did not solve the problem. I took it to an independent mechanic, he scanned it and determined the head gasket was leaking. Looked on the internet to find this is a fairly common problem with the 2.0 Ecoboost engine. The vehicle has not been fixed. Checking to see if there is any recall on this particular vehicle.05
Engine, Jun 5, 2024
On cold start, white smoke bellows from exhaust. Engine block has coolant intrusion. See [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, and attempting to start the vehicle, there were large clouds of white smoke coming from the front of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with a cracked engine block and coolant leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure with the Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Engine Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion); however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed the vehicle was not included in the Customer Satisfaction Program. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, May 31, 2024
Vehicle started to idle oddly on startup. Then a few days later it started to vibrate or cavitate. Check engine light came on. Scheduled for service. Service as of today 05/31/2024, coolant has leaked into engine, engine needs replaced according to service provider. Brought this issue up in 2022 to service after seeing the NHTSA customer service bulletin. My mfr date was out of the listed date range so nothing was done or checked.
Engine and engine cooling, May 30, 2024
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 taken to a local dealer 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 contact stated that her Service Advisor notified her that the vehicle was included in a Customer Satisfaction Program: 19B37; however, the contact never received the notification. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not serviced under Customer Satisfaction Program: 19B37 in the required timeframe. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.
Engine, May 30, 2024
Low coolant, there is an active ongoing problem with my year make and model. Ford dealership and ford customer satisfaction says my vehicle is not included in this issue when it in fact is.
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, May 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The contact opened the hood and noticed that the coolant level was extremely low. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was determined that coolant intrusion had damaged the long block, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred at 92,000 miles. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 27,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 16, 2024
The contact called on behalf of her mother-in-law who owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the "Vehicle Hot, Reduce Speed" message was displayed. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to the Technical Service Bulletin: 19-2375. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated when the vehicle was started, the engine was idling roughly. The contact stated that the vehicle was also overheating. The contact stated that no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the coil needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred, and the check engine light was illuminated continuously after starting the vehicle. The contact returned the vehicle to the mechanic who determined that coolant was leaking into the engine. The mechanic referred the contact to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant had intruded into the engine block and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin Number: 19-2346 Coolant in Cylinders (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Engine, May 1, 2024
My vehicle is starting to shift hard and shake while trying to shift.
Engine, Apr 28, 2024
check engine light came on and off several times with p0304 code and loss of engine coolant spent $750 with hopes of solving issue at pep boys but did not fix issue now at ford dealer for remedy
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the engine overheated message was displayed. The contact observed that the coolant reservoir was empty. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact discovered Technical Service Bulletin: 22-2229; however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.
Engine, Apr 23, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to shake abnormally with the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle was almost rear-ended. The vehicle was taken to Jiffy Lube and the spark plugs were replaced; however, the contact was informed that the failure was not resolved. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that even with the failure codes retrieved, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The failure codes were P0012 and P04BD. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be taken apart to determine what caused the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 7,891.
Engine, Apr 23, 2024
The engine fault service soon message came on so we took it to Griffifth Ford in San Marcos, Texas where they diagnosed the problem and said it was cooler intrusion in to cylinder #2..they said it needs a new longblock. Car has 100384 miles and we had the same issue back in August of 2020 where Ford replaced the motor at 20k miles. Ford wouldn't help this time and said I have to pay around $10k to fix it.