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Ford Escape misfire problems

1,204 of the 27,594 owner complaints about the Ford Escape describe misfire or rough idle, most of them for the 2017 model year.

owner complaints
1,204
worst model year
2017
typical repair cost reported
$8,000
typical mileage
82,194
Is there a fix? There are 9 recalls for this area of the car. See below

By model year

Often reported together

Check engine light 716Overheating 416Engine failure 379Stalling 133Loss of power 105Fire or smoke 78Hesitation 60Shudder 40

Trouble codes mentioned

P0302 58P0303 47P0316 46P0301 37P0304 36P0300 24P1299 13P0217 11P1285 7P2111 6

What owners say

Filed Nov 4, 2026 · Engine · AZ

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

Filed Nov 3, 2026 · Engine · FL

Id been getting misfires on cylinder 3 and eventually 2 even after replacing coilpacks, spark plugs, and fuel injectors into my 2018 ford escape sel 1.5L ecoboost engine. We believe it to be a coolant intrusion and have not been able to operate my vehicle. White smoke appears and it stutters a lot on start up.

Filed Nov 2, 2026 · Engine · 93,692 miles · MT

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle was shaking with the messages, " Cylinder #1 Misfire" and "Coolant Level Low" displayed. The coolant level was low. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a misfire in cylinder #1, replaced the spark plugs, and added coolant; however, the coolant level was low within the week and coolant was added. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone and informed the contact that the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was 93,692.

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 30, 2026 · Engine · FL

vehicle experienced a sudden misfire, loss of power, and internal coolant intrusion at Cylinder 2. Vehicle is now inoperable due to manufacturing defect.

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 28, 2026 · Engine · NC

I suffered catastrophic engine misfires with a sudden loss of power and white smoke coming from the exhaust. This was due to a design flaw in the Ford ecoboost 1.5l engine which allowed coolant into the #3 cylinder.

Filed Oct 28, 2026 · Driver assistance, Electrical · AR

My vehicle was traveling okay back in the beginning of June 2026. While driving down the road with my children in the car the vehicle started throwing several codes out of no where. The codes were pre-collision assist not available, Service Advance Trac, Park Break fault service now. I took it to O'reileys after calling the Ford Dealership that (at the time) was local and that was their recommendation. I had the car scanned and it recorded a first cylinder misfire. We had to disconnect the battery and jump the car to get it to start. I brought the car to the Ford Dealership I baught the car from on June 12th where they kept the car for a week returning it on the 18th and stated they reprogrammed the gateway module. A week and a day later I had the same issue arise but with MORE codes, not starting without jumping, stalling while driving. the dealership had my car from 07/06/2026 - 07/27/2026 and replaced and reporgrammed the new gateway module. I made it 45 minutes from the dealership when the car started throwing even more codes including powertrain codes, parking brake codes. Endangering the lives of me and my children. The dealership came and got the car 7/29 via private tow and checked it in 7/30. They kept my car until 10/22 due to numerous codes, safety concerns. Stated they replaced the wiring harness, all modules, tested the wires one by one, applied a pigtail from the wiring harness to the PCM. Yesterday 10/27, five day after ford had my car for 85 days and we are throwing all the codes YET AGAIN for a 4th time but now umongst the stalling and the codes and the braking concerns we are also now having power steering concerns. This has now endagered the lives of me my husband and my children under numerous occasions. Ford has had my car a total of 112 days in the last 5 months 85 of them concecutively. We have even contacted Ford Motor Company and BBB Auto Line and were told there is nothing anyone can do due to it being out of premesis or over mileage.

Filed Oct 27, 2026 · Engine · NY

1. The EcoBoost engine block suffered a severe structural failure caused by a factory manufacturing defect known as internal cylinder block coolant intrusion (as documented in Ford TSB 19-2208). Antifreeze leaks directly past the cylinder wall block grooves into the combustion chambers. This vehicle is currently parked and is fully available for physical inspection upon request at the location provided. 2. The engine suffered a sudden, severe mechanical malfunction while driving, causing an immediate drop in cylinder compression, engine misfires, and a dangerous loss of control and motive power. Driving a vehicle prone to sudden stall or failure creates an extreme hazard on public roads, dramatically increasing the risk of a high-speed rear-end collision or stranding the driver in live traffic without propulsion. 3. Yes. The vehicle’s loss of coolant, engine misfire codes, and cylinder block leak characteristics were physically inspected and confirmed by a private, independent auto mechanic. 4. The vehicle has not been inspected by the police or insurance as no crash has occurred yet. Ford Motor Company's customer service and Tier 2 Automotive Consumer Operations (ACO) divisions have been formally notified of the defect, and corporate Case File #CXH-0934-5907 was opened. However, a physical dealership inspection has not been completed due to the manufacturer's refusal to waive upfront diagnostic fees for an out-of-warranty vehicle. 5. Prior to total engine failure, the vehicle displayed an aggressive engine overheat warning indicator on the dashboard. The reservoir was found entirely stripped of coolant, with no visible external fluid leaks underneath the vehicle. These active symptoms and high engine temperature alerts first appeared suddenly on the dashboard on the day of the breakdown.

Filed Oct 20, 2026 · Engine · CA

Apparently my 2018 Ford Escape 1.5 liter Ecoboost engine has a known flaw of coolant intrusion into the cylinders. It can be inspected right now as it's at the Ford service center. This problem could have left me on the side of the freeway at night. Ford service has verified the problem and that it needs a new engine. I dont believe the parts have been inspected by anyone other than Ford service and my independent mechanic. There was a check engine light that came on back in April of this year. I brought it into Ford for basic minor service on April 29 and was told to check diagnostics I had to pay $298. I took it elsewhere and they told me it was a code that came up for the smog system. I didn't have any other issues at that time. In July a different light came on that was flashing so I took it to an independent mechanic and he found the misfire code of P0304 in cylinder #4. He proceeded to replace spark plugs and injector #4. Not until September did the sputtering start but no engine light came on. I took it back to my mechanic and he spent 2 weeks trying different things to figure out what was going on. He was unable to so I had to take it to the Ford service center and they verified the coolant intrusion problem. My car is only 8 years old and there was never a recall or service notice to advise me of this problem.

Related recalls

Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: gas recirculation valve (EGR valve)Reported March 3, 2026 · 47,804 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Ranger, Lincoln Nautilus, Mustang, Maverick, Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Corsair, Bronco Sport, and Bronco vehicles. The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve may fail, resulting in an unexpected loss of drive power.
Risk
An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the EGR valves, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 31, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on March 4, 2026.

Recall number 26V122000 · Recall details

EngineReported June 3, 2025 · 404 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Escape, and 2025 Bronco Sport vehicles. The cylinder head may have been improperly manufactured, which can cause the ball plugs to fail, resulting in an oil leak.
Risk
An oil leak can result in loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the cylinder head assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S61.

Recall number 25V372000 · Recall details

EngineReported May 23, 2025 · 1,809 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape, 2021-2023 Corsair, and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines that were repaired incorrectly under recall 23V380. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
Risk
An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as quickly as possible if they hear unexpected engine noises, notice a reduction in vehicle power, or see smoke. Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S54.

Recall number 25V345000 · Recall details

EngineReported May 26, 2023 · 125,322 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Escape, 2022-2023 Maverick, and 2021-2023 Corsair vehicles equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines. In the event of an engine failure, engine oil and fuel vapor may be released into the engine compartment and accumulate near ignition sources such as hot engine or exhaust components, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
Risk
An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as quickly as possible if they hear unexpected engine noises, notice a reduction in vehicle power, or see smoke. Dealers will replace the engine long-block in 2023 Escape and Corsair vehicles. For the other vehicles, dealers will update the powertrain control module software. If a connecting rod bearing failure is detected, dealers will replace the engine long-block. All inspections and repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 14, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S27. This recall expands and replaces recall number 22V‑484. Vehicles previously repaired under 22V‑484 will need to have the new remedy completed.

Recall number 23V380000 · Recall details

Engine and engine cooling: engine: oil/lubricationReported March 25, 2022 · 345,451 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2022 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. The engine oil separator housing may crack and develop an oil leak.
Risk
An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the oil separator for damage or oil leaks, and replace the oil separator and seals, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 18, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S21.

Recall number 22V191000 · Recall details

Engine and engine cooling: engineReported March 27, 2017 · 208,584 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Escape, 2014-2015 Fiesta ST, 2013-2014 Fusion and 2013-2015 Transit Connect vehicles equipped with 1.6L GTDI engines. If the vehicle is started and driven with an insufficient level of coolant within the engine cooling system, the engine cylinder head may overheat, crack and leak oil.
Risk
If the cylinder head cracks and leaks oil, the oil may contact a hot engine or exhaust component, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a coolant level sensor and the supporting hardware and software, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed April 21, 2017. The recall began on January 5, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S09.

Recall number 17V209000 · Recall details

EngineReported November 25, 2013 · 139,917 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, through June 2, 2013 and equipped with 1.6L engines. The affected vehicles may experience localized overheating of the engine cylinder head which may cause cracks that could allow oil to leak.
Risk
Leaking engine oil may come into contact with a hot engine surface potentially resulting in an engine compartment fire.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will modify the engine shielding, cooling and control systems, free of charge. An interim notice will be mailed to owners during January 2014. The recall began on April 9, 2014. Owners may contact Ford at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's recall number is 13S12.

Recall number 13V583000 · Recall details

Engine and engine coolingReported December 3, 2012 · 80,057 vehicles affected
What is wrong
This is an update to a recently announced recall. Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through November 26, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines, as well as certain model year 2013 Fusion vehicles manufactured from February 3, 2012, through November 29, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines. Coolant system leaks may cause the engines to overheat and leak flammable engine fluids.
Risk
If flammable engine fluids come in contact with the vehicle’s hot exhaust system, a vehicle fire could occur.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine for coolant system leaks and reprogram the vehicle’s powertrain control module and instrument cluster with an updated calibration and overheat strategy software. There will be no charge to owners for this service. Owners were recently notified to contact dealers to arrange for alternative transportation as Ford developed a remedy. Owners will be shortly receiving notifications to contact Ford dealers to schedule the free remedy repair. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1‑866‑436‑7332.

Recall number 12V551000 · Recall details

Engine and engine coolingReported September 4, 2012 · 6,146 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through August 31, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines. The cylinder head cup plug (freeze plug) may become dislodged resulting in significant loss of engine coolant.
Risk
As leaking engine coolant evaporates on the hot engine, the glycol may ignite causing an engine compartment fire.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will seal the existing plug and add a secondary plug cover, free of charge. The safety recall began on September 11, 2012. Owners may contact Ford at 1‑866‑436‑7332.

Recall number 12V431000 · Recall details

Questions about the Ford Escape misfire

Which Ford Escape years have misfire or rough idle problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2017 (474 complaints), 2018 (378 complaints) and 2019 (88 complaints).

How much does it cost to fix misfire or rough idle on the Ford Escape?

Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $8,000 (median of 182 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.

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