I received a notice in XXX that the rear camera was subject to a safety recall 255A9, and that parts were not available yet to fix it. Over 1 year later, I am experiencing more frequent intermittent issues with the rear camera not operating. I called the local Ford dealer today and was told that they still do not have the parts. This is unacceptable. Why can't the government lean on Ford and make them take care of this safety hazard? [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The worst 2016 Ford Escape problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Transmission323
- Driver assistance273
- Engine249
- Electrical95
- Steering73
- Fuel system72
- Acceleration32
- Wheels32
- Airbags25
- Body21
- Brakes21
- Visibility20
- Suspension7
- Lights6
- Seat belts5
- Seats2
- Tires2
Specific symptoms reported on the 2016 Ford Escape
Backup camera 181Check engine light 125Transmission failure 114Overheating 76Stalling 72Engine failure 55Jerking 45Screen failure 40Loss of power 40Power steering loss 36Hesitation 34Misfire 30Slipping 29Shudder 25Won't shift 23Fire or smoke 22Grinding brakes 14Harsh shifting 14No deployment 13Won't start 12Fuel smell 8Sudden acceleration 8ABS 7Airbag light 7Wipers 7Brake failure 6Steering lock-up 6Sunroof shattered 6Water leak 6Knocking 5Fuel pump 5
Trouble codes owners of the 2016 Ford Escape mention
P1450 6P2111 4P0219 3P0217 2P0236 2P1299 2P2112 2
Recalls 4
Equipment: electrical: engine block heater
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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 on January 16, 2026.
Recall number 26V011000 · Recall details
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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 on October 14, 2025.
Recall number 25V695000 · Recall details
Power train: shift linkage/cable/rod
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 22V413000 · Recall details
Air bags: knee bolster
- What is wrong
- 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."
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 17V398000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2016 Ford Escape 176
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless...
- This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure
- Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes...
- Some 2013-2016 Escape vehicles may exhibit an ABS warning indicator with diagnostic trouble code (DTC)...
- While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal...
- This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure
- All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code
- For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an...
- For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely...
- Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied
2016 Ford Escape fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4‑cyl | FWD | 23 | 31 | 26 |
| 2.5L 4‑cyl | FWD | 22 | 30 | 25 |
| 1.6L 4‑cyl | AWD | 22 | 29 | 25 |
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 21 | 29 | 24 |
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | AWD | 21 | 28 | 23 |
What 2016 Ford Escape owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The vehicle was diagnosed as being stuck in 3rd gear, with 2 transmission related codes. The vehicle seems to struggle to get up to speed between 15-30mph, and sometimes when accelerating from a stop such as at a stop light. It revs high, catches up and rpms drop to normal. I have reached out to Ford dealerships and was told they couldn't help me.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in reverse(R), the rear-view camera displayed a blank screen. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency 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 owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera failed to function as intended. The dealer was contacted and made aware of the failure. The contact was offered the option to pay out of pocket for the repair and be reimbursed by the manufacturer when the parts became available. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The manufacturer was contacted and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rear-view camera failed to display a clear image. The local dealer was contacted on several occasions. The failure mileage was approximately 108,806.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera flashed off and on. The failure was a persistent failure. The dealer was contacted and made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that parts were scheduled to be available by October 2026. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
We've been having check engine light on "Cylinder 2 misfire". We had the spark plugs replaced and the ignition coil replaced, which fixed it for about a month, but it returned. We had further diagnostics done with video into cylinder 2 and found that we have engine coolant leaking into the cylinder. Apparently, this is a known, unrecalled issue from Ford on this engine with the coolant intrusion. Only fix is to replace the motor. Car has about 120,000 miles on it, but well taken care of. Works great otherwise, but with this issue, the engine could lock up or catch on fire on the road.
The back up camera failed three years ago and no longer works. This is a safety hazard when backing up, or parallels parking. A recall was issued more than a year ago. And the remedy is still unavailable.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V69500 (Back Over Prevention). The manufacturer was contacted and the contact was informed that a letter would be sent when parts were available for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted but provided no additional assistance.
Was sold a 2016 ford escape that apparently has a known coolant leak issue that is caused by a bad engine block. When I bought the car in 2021 I had to wait two weeks to get the car so they could fix a cylinder misfire issue. Had several issues with it overheating and was told that it just needed coolant added. In 2026 was told that the head gaskets was blown and to repair would cost $9000 at the same ford dealership where I bought it. I had another Authorized NAPA Garage replace the head gaskets for $5000 and with in a week had misfire on cylinder #4 again while on the freeway doing 55 MPH which caused the car to stall on the freeway in traffic! Started investigating the issues to find out that it is a well documented issue with 2016 fords having a bad engine and the only fix is replacement of the engine!
Compare the 2016 Ford Escape
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Other model years
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Questions about the 2016 Ford Escape
Is the 2016 Ford Escape reliable?
Owners have filed 1,188 complaints about the 2016 Ford Escape, close to a typical Escape model year.
What is the 2016 Ford Escape year score?
The 2016 Ford Escape scores 72 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Ford Escape: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Ford Escape?
Transmission and drivetrain, with 323 complaints, typically around 88,693 miles. Next is driver assistance (273).
How many recalls does the 2016 Ford Escape have?
4 recalls, covering equipment, back over prevention and power train.
What gas mileage does the 2016 Ford Escape get?
Official estimates for the 2016 Ford Escape range from 23 to 26 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.6L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 23 city and 31 highway.
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