This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The vehicle's engine shutdown while driving on the highway, forcing me to pull to shoulder in traffic. We had it towed to Ford and were advised that the engine was blown due to coolant intrusion into the cylinders. We're told the engine is totaled and they quoted us almost $15,000 USD for the repairs. There is a know recall notice for this exact issue, however we were told it only covers up 85,000 miles and our vehicle has 94,000 miles. We had brought it to a Ford dealership for an oil change 6 months prior and they didn't say anything about it. The dealership/manufacturer refuses any accountability, and offered us $1,500 loyalty discount if we purchased a new Ford vehicle from them. The SUV was in like new condition prior the engine failure (ie. no damage).
the night prior to my car breaking down I Did notice the car began to lose horsepower to move just a little bit not to much to worry about than the check engine light did appear on dash that night. Code popped up for misfire in cylinder 1. SO changed the spark plugs and light went off, next day light was on and smoke began coming out of the tailpipe.
Car has been experiencing the misfire in cylinder four. This is a known cause in the 1.5 L escapes. This is a 2.0 but it has the same issues not fair that they fixed 1.5 L and not the 2.0 causes a misfire due to coolant leaking into the cylinder burning coolant and then causing the motor to overheat. When that happens, you can be going on the highway and have an abrupt warning that causes the vehicle to drop to 20 mph without notice causing extreme safety concerns for just not the driver but anyone around especially on highways.
My Ford Escape was driving as usual, but as I was traveling on a down ramp in a left turning lane, the engine overheated abruptly and serious audible and visual alerts appeared on the screen. I was in heavy traffic and was forced to pull over quickly into the right turning lane. This could have easily caused an accident because all of a sudden, the Escape started stalling and would hardly move. It was terrifying, and I was barely able to maneuver it into a nearby parking lot. That night, it was towed to a Ford dealership that inspected it and now says that I need a new engine because the engine block is cracked.
- Mandeville, LA, USA
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After turning the car on, the car started to shake for a couple minutes, the engine light came on after a few minutes of the car doing that. Took it to get it scanned and the code given was P0302 and P0304. Took the car to a ford dealership and after almost a week it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the cylinders and needed it a new engine. Since the coolant was leaking it also damaged the power steering system due to rust and an electronic power steering gear was also needed since it was giving intermittent failure and was very hard to turn the car. Ford is not owning anything and it is clearly an engine poor design by ford. It is happening to thousands of owner that have that engine.
The car had a rough idle (only for the first few minutes) for one day before the engine light came on. The car was taken to the dealership on the third day (less than 20mi of driving between the light coming on and the car being inspected). According to their scans, my 2.0L engine is experiencing water (coolant) intrusion into the clyinders (after only 5 years of service). The Ford technician said it is TSB 22-2229 (a known issue since 2019 TSB 19-2172). There are currently no NHTSA Customer Satisfaction Programs or recalls for this TSB, which is astonishing, as there is one for the 1.5L engine made in the same plant AND Ford completely redesigned the engine because they know it is so bad. The fix is to completely replace the engine ($10,000-$15,000). The danger is that the manufacturer knew there was risk of water intrusion, which can crack the block-??this could leave the vehicle in a dangerous situation if driving at highway speeds or in heavy traffic.
Consumers claim the engines in their Ford vehicles overheat due to an internal coolant / antifreeze leak that allows coolant to enter into the cylinders of the engine. In many cases, the defect is alleged to have caused total engine failure and to require replacement of the engine block.
My engine had a coolant leak a few years ago (2021) and needed a complete engine replacement since the car would no longer run. Since it was under warranty then it was replaced. However, the engine once again has had a major issue with the engine bearing and needs another full replacement and will no longer run. Many people are struggling with needing to get full engine replacements on Ford Escapes. There are Ford retailers keeping stocks of Ford Escape engines in preparation for these engine replacements, but Ford has refused to offer any assistance for this known issue. Requiring a 2nd full engine replacement at the value of the car itself is absurd. I received a warning message on my car, but when I took it in to have the issue assessed - it was notified as a minor gas cap issue.
The coolant kept getting low. I brought it to the Ford dealership I bought it less than a year ago. They ran some tests and said the coolant is leaking and the engine needs to be replaced. I'm waiting for them to hear back from Ford to see if it's under the extended warranty.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and occupied, while attempting to start the vehicle, the contact noticed a cloud of white smoke coming from the exhaust. The check engine warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that there was coolant leaking into the cylinders, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12: (GTDI Engine -?" Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion); however, the VIN was not included in program. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the program and opened a case. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 56,000.
The number 2 cylinder is cracked allowing coolant to leak into the combustion side of the engine. my dealer is asking for $15,000 to replace the engine.
On or about June 1, 2025, the vehicle began losing coolant without a visible leak. Took the vehicle to dealer for a diagnosis. Dealer claimed than a coolant hose was bad and required an $1100 repair. I reported to the dealer the low coolant, water in the oil and white smoke at start up but they dismissed the complaint. Stated they would need the $1100 repair done before any other diagnosis could completed. July 1, 2025, after consulting Ford corporate directly, they are "looking" into my concern. No offer of repairs, at all.
The failed component is the coolant leaking into cyl 4 TSB 22-2229 which has been a problem with this model in the 1.5 L turbo before. This model is the 2.0L turbo but having the same problem. According to the dealership, "This is the entire process need to either rebuild or replace the vehicle's engine. This is a process needed when the vehicle's engine is in need of serious repair." Reasoning according to the dealer: "Without replacing or rebuilding a damaged engine, the car will not be able to function and will be left useless." This car has only 46,391 miles on it for 2019 and has been meticulously taken care of since it's purchase in Aug 2021 as a used vehicle from the dealership. After an oil change was completed on the vehicle at 46,300 miles, the check engine light came on and the vehicle was taken into the dealership for it to be assessed. That's when it was found to be cyl 4 that was the problem.
Last year my vehicle has a recall for the Ecoboost. Ford in Boonville, IN. replaced engine. I am again having a foggy windshield, sweet smell, dizziness, and I can taste the coolant. I sent email to Ford motor company but haven't received a response yet. I left a message for the service department at dealership as well. I'm waiting for someone to get back to me. It's my understanding that if the same problem returns or is related to the recall it will have to be fixed.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the contact heard a rumbling sound coming from the engine, causing the vehicle to shake abnormally. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that an independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with engine failure, and that the cam shaft was damaged. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 130,000.
Presence of coolant in the engine cylinders, Ford has it as a known issue but won't issue a full recall. Causing cylinder misfires. Needs new engine. Ford design flaw!
The engine on my 2019 Ford Escape failed due to coolant intrusion -?" the same issue previously addressed by Ford recall #19S22. The recall repair was completed by a certified Ford dealership in 2022. Within days of making the final payment on the vehicle, the engine failed completely and became inoperable. It had to be towed to a Ford dealership for inspection. Before the failure, the same symptom I experienced prior to the original recall occurred again: white smoke coming from the exhaust, indicating coolant was leaking into the engine. There were no warning lights or dashboard messages. When my car did not turn on, I thought it was possibly the battery so I bought a new one and changed it. When that did not work I went ahead and had it towed to get a full diagnostic. The diagnosing Ford dealership confirmed the engine suffered catastrophic failure due to coolant intrusion -?" the exact defect previously addressed under the recall. Ford acknowledged the diagnosis but declined to fully cover the cost of repair, stating the recall work was -??out of warranty.-?? They initially offered $3,976.18, and when I didn-??t accept, this was increased to $5,301.58 -?" still leaving me with nearly $8,000 in out-of-pocket costs before tax for a full engine replacement. The affected component (engine) was inspected and confirmed by the Ford dealership and is still available for inspection. This failure occurred in the first week of April, and I have been without a working vehicle since. The recurrence of this issue -?" even after the recall repair was completed -?" raises serious concerns about long-term safety, durability, and accountability associated with this vehicle.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered abnormally, and there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. In addition, the contact became aware of an abnormal coolant consumption. The check engine warning light was occasionally illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with OP code: 62. The contact was informed that the short block needed to be replaced. The local dealer informed the contact that the failure was related to TSB: 19-2208; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,645.
Coolant is leaking into #4 cylinder causing misfire. This will lead to a blown engine. It is a known issue with Ford but there isn-??t a recall as of today. TSB 22-2229 has been released. I spent a lot of money with the plan this car would be safe and reliable for 10+ yrs and well over 100k miles. I am afraid to drive it but have no choice as I work to support my three children and myself. I have owned five Ford vehicles in 40 yrs and have felt loyal to the co. The co needs to be loyal to its customers and fix the issue in my Escape and all others that this disaster is effecting. Thank you. Feel free to contact me.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Campbell, CA, USA