2019 Ford Escape Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: October 22, 2026 · Filed: October 26, 2026

We received an "engine failure- service now" error message on our vehicle and our mechanic told us it is a known issue with this year, make,model, engine and to take it to the dealership for repair. The dealer, and Ford Motor Company said though the recall is for 2017-2019 Ford Escape EcoBoost engines and for the EXACT same issue, our VIN is not on the current VIN list so it's not covered. Even though this issue is due to a faulty design, thus the recall, they will not cover it. They want $10,000 to fix an issue caused by their design which they have a recall out for. Ford needs to step up and cover this issue under the recall that does apply. Help please.

Incident: October 1, 2024 · Filed: October 26, 2026

I have a 2019 Ford Escape. With the EcoBoost 1.5-liter engine. The engine has a well-documented engineering defect that causes coolant intrusion into the cylinders. And ultimately engine failure. Ford created a customer assistance program to deal with this. Its limits are seven years and 84,000 miles. My vehicle is 7 1/2 years old and 96,000 miles so I'm outside their numbers. The problem first presented itself in my vehicle nearly two years ago, but none of the mechanics I work with had any idea about this defect, And I only became aware of it about two months ago. 1. The entire engine is in the process of failing 2. When it does fin ally fail I may well be driving it (it's my only transportation), which could jeopardize the safety of myself and others on the road. 3. The issue was confirmed by Ford service technicians 4. It has been inspected by the Ford Service Department 5. I started getting random engine warning messages intermittently 2 years ago, but they all pointerd to other issues, even though they were porbably caused by this design flaw. 4.

Incident: October 14, 2026 · Filed: October 25, 2026

The coolant system leaked into engine cylinder two. This caused engine block destruction and I was quoted $13,000 to repair the engine. I called Ford and they stated that because the vehicle was at 120,000 miles there was nothing they could do.

Incident: October 11, 2026 · Filed: October 15, 2026

Transmission failed, Car would only move at high rpms, created a dangerous driving situation Known issue with Ford and the 6F35 transmission

Incident: September 4, 2026 · Filed: October 11, 2026

At only 43,379 miles — well within the useful life expected of this vehicle — my 2019 Ford Escape developed two significant mechanical failures. (1) Fuel injector: the vehicle emits visible black smoke from the exhaust when accelerating at highway speeds; the dealership diagnosed this as a failed fuel injector requiring replacement (est. $1,200). Visible exhaust smoke during highway acceleration is a visibility hazard to following traffic. (2) Coolant intrusion into the engine: the dealership's service department diagnosed coolant intrusion requiring replacement of major short block components (est. $8,300), and told me this failure is in its early stages and the engine is likely to fail completely within 6 to 12 months if not repaired. The lead service technician stated this is a common, known issue with this engine, which is being discontinued. Complete engine failure could occur without warning, including while driving on a highway, creating a risk of a stalling-related crash. Rather than repairing the vehicle, the dealership's own service advisor recommended I sell or trade the vehicle to a third party such as CarMax while it still retains value and purchase a different vehicle — effectively passing a vehicle with a known, unresolved engine defect on to the next owner. Coolant intrusion and short block failures in this engine family have been widely reported by other Ford Escape owners. I am requesting NHTSA review this complaint alongside others for the same engine/model-year combination to determine whether a pattern exists warranting an investigation or recall.

Incident: June 30, 2026 · Filed: October 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the message “Stop Vehicle” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

Incident: August 13, 2026 · Filed: October 7, 2026

My vehicle has to have a new motor. It only has 127,154 miles on it. I have sent Ford a letter to respond with in 30 days and they have not done that. Please advise the next steps.

Incident: September 28, 2026 · Filed: October 5, 2026

My 2019 Ford Escape Se was smoking during start up. Dealer says it needs a whole new engine due to coolant intrusion. I have been seeing there are many issues with this.

Incident: August 29, 2026 · Filed: October 5, 2026

I am reporting a potential safety defect involving the 1.5L EcoBoost engine in my 2019 Ford Escape, which has approximately 39,000 miles. Beginning in August 2026, the vehicle developed repeated check-engine lights, misfires, and severe shaking while driving. Ignition coils and a spark plug were replaced, but the problems continued. The vehicle then began displaying overheating warnings and repeatedly losing coolant. On one occasion, the coolant reservoir was found completely empty. Coolant was added, but the overheating continued. On September 3, 2026, the thermostat assembly and temperature sensor were replaced. On September 5, after about 15 minutes of driving, the vehicle began smoking and overheating. After it cooled, the coolant reservoir was again empty. Coolant was added, but the vehicle continued to overheat. I scheduled a Ford dealer diagnostic appointment for September 23 because I believed something was seriously wrong, but the vehicle was not diagnosed because the check-engine light was not illuminated at that time. The engine later suffered a major failure. An independent repair shop performed compression testing and reported extremely low readings of approximately 20-40 PSI on the cylinders tested, indicating severe internal engine damage. Ford has previously documented coolant intrusion on certain 2017-2019 Escape 1.5L EcoBoost engines, with symptoms including coolant loss, smoke, rough running/misfires, and possible engine damage. Ford confirmed that Customer Satisfaction Program 19B37 was completed on my vehicle in 2020, but says my VIN was not included in 21N12. Coolant intrusion has not yet been conclusively diagnosed, but the failure pattern is concerning and occurred at only about 39,000 miles. I am asking NHTSA to review this complaint for a possible safety-related defect trend.

Incident: September 25, 2026 · Filed: October 3, 2026

The check engine light has repeatedly came on and been brought to the mechanics numerous times throughout the year. It was determined that the cause of issue is due to engine coolant leaking into the engine.