2019 Ford Escape engine problems

Filed Nov 5, 2026 · Engine · WA

Was told by an automotive repair shop that my car's check engine light codes are P0302/P0316. Current intrusion into the cylinder directly through the head gasket. The technician looked into this issue and found that 2019 Ford Escapes assembled in [XXX] in 2019 have these issues. I was not aware of this manufacturing error, and no recall/repair notices were issued. I'm putting XXX as my date of incident, even though the manufacturing error was done upon creation. I'm also selecting WA where the incident occurred, but my vehicle was assembled in [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Nov 4, 2026 · Engine · AZ

Misfire in cylinder 2. Diagnosed as coolant intrusion. Block and header replaced.

Filed Nov 2, 2026 · Engine · CA

The vehicle suffered a major manufacturing defect known as internal cylinder coolant intrusion, which is common to Ford's 1.5L EcoBoost engines. The vehicle began experiencing rough cold starts and white exhaust smoke before being officially diagnosed by a certified dealership, Folsom Lake Ford, who confirmed internal coolant leaking into the 2nd engine cylinder. The dealership issued a repair quote of $13,000 for a complete engine replacement. Ford Motor Company Corporate headquarters was notified via certified mail but issued a formal courtesy denial letter refusing any financial or mechanical assistance because the vehicle is outside its standard warranty period. This defect creates a critical roadway safety hazard, as internal coolant leaks can lead to sudden engine overheating, catastrophic block failure, stall-outs in active traffic, or potential engine fires. The vehicle is currently un-driven and parked at my residence due to this safety risk. This newly purchased used car from a dealership was at the end of May 2026. Happened while driving home on the freeway from work, I noticed the engine was overheating. I had to quickly and very nervously move through traffic to get to the shoulder of the freeway in traffic hour. I was traveling up a steep grade and traffic was bunched and slowing, which compounded the problem. I was in the second lane from the left and had to get over, I think 3 lanes to get to the shoulder quickly. It was very scary with all the traffic. Everyone on the road near me was at risk including me. This is a known manufacture defect in this type of engine (1.5L). Happening in July 2026. Why has a recall not been done for this very dangerous known fault of Fords and for anyone to be on the road around these types of engine propelled cars is putting many at risk on the roads. How can this be overlooked???

Filed Oct 26, 2026 · Engine · MI

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.

Filed Oct 26, 2026 · Engine · TX

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.

Filed Oct 25, 2026 · Engine · WA

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.

Filed Oct 11, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · FL

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 the federal safety agency review this complaint alongside others for the same engine/model-year combination to determine whether a pattern exists warranting an investigation or recall.

Filed Oct 7, 2026 · Engine · 60,000 miles · VA

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.

Filed Oct 7, 2026 · Engine · SC

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.

Filed Oct 5, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · WI

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.