2016 Ford Escape: engine overheating

Filed Nov 1, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · IL

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.

Filed Oct 28, 2026 · Engine · IA

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!

Filed Oct 7, 2026 · Engine · 173,000 miles · TN

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was hot(H). While inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered that the coolant level was low. The contact added coolant to the coolant reservoir; however, the failure returned within three days, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where visible leaks were found. The failure persisted, and the contact became aware of a coolant leak coming from the engine and called a mobile mechanic to the residence. The mechanic used an OBDII scanner and determined that the spark plugs, water pump, ignition coils, and thermostat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred 4 miles later while driving. The mechanic was notified of the failure and informed the contact about the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V011000 (Equipment). The contact visited the Ford website and spoke to a live agent and was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 173,000.

Filed Oct 3, 2026 · KS

Vehicle displayed warning that it was overheating and automatically slowed to lower speed. Pulled over on the highway and turned off vehicle. Check engine light was on and could drive to a safe location and pull over driving at about 20 mph or less. Turned on vehicle again and drove a mile and same thing happened. Dealer determined a turbocharger wastegate solenoid internal failure.

Filed Sep 9, 2026 · Engine · TX

Bought car in 2023, one year later engine failure due to overheating from head gasket issue widespread with this vehicle. Replaced engine, and two years later facing identical issue with another engine failure. Unidentifiable coolant leak led to low oil pressure and car shaking on the highway. Will require yet another engine replacement.

Filed Jun 13, 2026 · Engine · OH

My car overheated repeatedly and it was diagnosed by Liberty Ford Aurora Ohio to be caused by Coolant Intrusion. I was quoted a price of more than $11,000.00 to replace the engine

Filed Jun 12, 2026 · Engine · MI

My Ford escape recently has been experiencing what I believe to be a coolant issue. There was a stained spot on the driveway a couple of times in May 2026 and technicians had said my coolant fluid was on the low side so they topped it up while I was getting the car serviced for an oil change. The car was seemingly running fine though until we started the car on 6/4/26 and waiting for the AC to kick in before driving when we realized the air wasn't getting cold after a couple minutes, which was abnormal and something we hadn't experienced before. Shortly after inspecting our AC settings to make sure they were set correctly, the dashboard issued an overheating warning. We immediately turned the car off and let it cool down for a while before turning the ignition on again. After restarting the car and letting it idle in the parking lot, everything appeared to be working as normal again. Luckily we were able to safely drive the car back home and will have to get it looked at. In the mean time, I have read that many 2016 Ford Escape owners have experienced serious coolant intrusion failures, which align with our recent experience, and pose a dangerous driving hazard. We will have to get an inspection to know for sure, but I'm fearful that this is a larger issue among these Ford models and we will both have to rely on our other car until we know if the car is safe to drive or not. The Ford Escape only has a little over 87,000 miles on it currently and a serious coolant issue could require a very expensive engine repair and be a large financial burden to justify and comprise the value of our vehicle. The high number of reports and complaints of so many others experiencing similar mechanical failures is very concerning and I believe my car is in the early stages of showing the same problem. A widespread issue like this should have a recall issued or compensation returned to vehicle owners for repair costs and damages associated with any manufacturing faults of Ford.

Filed May 16, 2026 · Engine · PA

I am one of the unlucky ones with the coolant leak into my engine that caused white smoke from my exhaust and caused my engine to stop working with under 100,000 miles. I have documentation and a new engine ready to be installed and have spent a lot of money out of pocket so far.

Filed May 1, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · WI

I am the 2nd owner of my 2016 Ford Escape 1.6L ecoboost, my aunt and uncle were the original owners. Between us we have every maintenance record of every on time and professionally performed requirement the Escape has needed and it ran beautifully. Then, in February 2026 the idle started to get a bit rough and I was preparing to put in the OEM sparkplugs when 3/28/26 the engine overheated, I was stranded on the side of a 45 mph street waiting for it to cool so I could move to safety. Between that incident and 4/29/26 I went thru 9 gallons of coolant, replaced the sparkplugs, put the front end up and "burp' the system as there was constantly air bubbles being introduced from a source I could not find. I had the hoses and clamps inspected, replaced the coolant reservoir and the reservoir cap, the vehicle started to shutter upon starting even after it was warmed up and every day needed to be burped and topped off before and after driving in town but often had no coolant loss during freeway driving, finally 4/28/26 I noticed smoke from the exhaust when I started the car in the morning and that smoke was accompanied by a foul, burnt, electric smell. While burping the air and topping the coolant that morning, the engine sputtered and died 2 separate times. I decided that it was time for a cooling system diagnostics as I still could still see no evidence of an external leak. The Ford technician recorded this tech story. "The vehicle ran rough and smoked for a couple seconds after starting.the vehicle ran its self test and had p0316, b0303, p1299, and p0217. These dtcs relate to cylinder misfire on startup and cylinder misfire and cylinder 3 and over temp/protection being active. ... I suspected a possible coolant intrusion concern into cylinder 3, performed a pressure test on the cooling system and observed a drop in the pressure. I remove the spark plug and found coolant on the cylinder walls and the top of the piston in cylinder 3." Advise to replace long block assembly.

Filed Feb 20, 2026 · Engine · 110,000 miles · NJ

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel indicated that the engine was overheating. While driving at 35 MPH, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, where the vehicle experienced complete engine failure. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that coolant was leaking into the engine because of a fault in the engine block. The engine needed to be replaced. The mechanic informed the contact that it was a known failure with the vehicle and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The engine block failure was related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V011000 (Equipment); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed through an online complaint of the failure; however, the contact was not able to speak with a representative. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

Filed Jan 24, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · IL

I have replaced the transmission due to the toque converter acting up and then failing. I have replaced now 3 coolant parts as well due to leaking and constant overheating and have replaced the block once as well.

Filed Dec 5, 2025 · Engine · MN

Escape has developed water intrusion in cylinder #2 of the 2.0 ECOBOOST engine, with under 80,000 miles. continued driving of the car could cause overheating due to low coolant and potential motor seizing. check engine light has come on, with cylinder misfire but no low coolant warnings. Potential engine seizing will be a safety concern if the vehicle is in motion, causing loss of control and damage to passengers and other motorists. I have footage of the cylinder leak via inspection camera if needed.