2019 Ford Escape: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Sep 24, 2026 · Engine · 53,967 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator, the vehicle hesitated and was idling rough. During initial start-up there was a backfire coming from the engine with white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The maintenance warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic and DTC: P0302 was retrieved. The cylinder was replaced. The contact stated that approximately 2 weeks later, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and DTC: P0302 (Cylinder #2 misfire); was retrieved. The manufacturer was informed of the issue, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 53,967.

Filed Sep 21, 2026 · Engine · 43,800 miles · PA

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that at cold starts, the vehicle vibrated significantly with heavy white smoke coming from the exhaust. The check engine light was intermittently illuminated, accompanied by a noticeable coolant odor. A diagnostic test by the dealer confirmed that there was coolant leaking between cylinders #1 and #2, leading to total engine failure. The vehicle remained with the dealer unrepaired. The dealer submitted a goodwill request to the manufacturer for the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 43,800.

Filed Jun 25, 2026 · Engine · 109,000 miles · WI

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, there was smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over on the right side of the road, exited the vehicle, raised the hood, and became aware that the coolant in the coolant reservoir was low. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic and was diagnosed it with head gasket failure. The contact was informed that the head gasket needed to be replaced due to coolant leaking into the fuel system and into one of the cylinders. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was a recall on the VIN associated with the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 109,000.

Filed Jun 24, 2026 · Engine · MI

Engine failure. Smoke coming from tailpipe. 90,000 miles on car

Filed Jun 15, 2026 · Engine · WI

Engine failure Smoking engine Engine almost caught fire

Filed Jan 15, 2026 · Engine · FL

I have a coolant intrusion in my 2019 Ford Escape. It idles roughly, there’s thick sweet smelling white smoke coming from the exhaust and when we refilled the coolant to max and started it once, the coolant level was immediately at the minimum. We have not turned it on or driven it since we found this out. There is a customer satisfaction program for 2019 Ford Escapes for Powertrain Control Module reprogramming (Campaign 19B37) that then makes the vehicle eligible for a one time repair under campaign 21N12. This campaign fixes exactly what is wrong with my vehicle. It applies to vehicles built in Louisville until April 2019. My vehicle was built in Louisville in May 2019. The dealership told me to call Ford Customer Relations/Recall Team to explain the situation and get a goodwill repair since my vehicle is having the exact same issues as the vehicles built at the same plant the month before. The recall team refused to provide me with a goodwill repair and also refused to give me information on when or if at all my case will be reviewed by the appropriate team. I asked to be able to contact the team handling my review by phone. They said I could only communicate with them by physical mail. This is unacceptable and I believe that Ford caused an unsafe situation for countless drivers for years by not including 2019 Ford Escapes built in Louisville in May 2019 in their customer satisfaction program and are still refusing to do so.

Filed Nov 28, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · MO

Ford has an issue where the coolant leaks into the cylinder blocks ruining the engine. Also, cause for low coolant which could catch the engine on fire.

Filed Jul 30, 2025 · Engine · WI

White smoke coming out of exhaust smelled of antifreeze. Took to Ford dealer in Eagle River, Wisconsin: Dealer found coolant in #1 cylinder and wrote on receipt - headgasket block failure, recommend replacing engine. Service writer said this is due to a defect in engine block being a slit machined in block between cylinders by Ford. Dealer quote for engine replacement was $9500.

Filed Jul 2, 2025 · Engine · 56,000 miles · KS

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 federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 56,000.

Filed Jun 20, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · TX

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.

Filed Jun 13, 2025 · Engine · 117,645 miles · KY

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.

Filed Jun 3, 2025 · Engine · 115,000 miles · NY

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle was shaking abnormally. The contact stated there was heavy white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe before the vehicle unexpectedly shut off. The contact stated that the vehicle struggled while being restarted. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the shoulder and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The contact stated that a diagnostic test was performed, and it was discovered that there was coolant entering into the engine, resulting in engine failure. The local dealer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by mail and the contact recently received a response that the manufacturer was not responsible for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 115,000. The VIN was not available.