2019 Ford Escape Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 71,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

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…Owner complaint, filed 2026

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…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 64,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

Transmission failed, Car would only move at high rpms, created a dangerous driving situation Known issue with Ford and the 6F35 transmissionOwner complaint, filed 2026

My 2019 Ford Escape has the Ford 6F35 transmission and I was just informed that mine is going out and needs to be replaced by a Ford dealership service department. Since 12/2025, I have had my car in the shop 3 times. I have researched and there are thousands of issues and complaints about this transmission that is going out and Ford has…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 3,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle idled rough when started; however, when the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle would drive smoothly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a coil pack failure. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 78,000 miles

While driving in traffic, the car suddenly lost power. Could not shift into neutral or park... Raised hood, put on hazard lights. Called AAA. About 20 minutes later, the car did start and was able to drive it to mechanic... The engine sputtered, the dashboard lights flashed on and off. Had it towed to Ford Dealership. Two weeks later…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 63,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to immediately start-up after refueling the vehicle. The accelerator pedal needed to be depressed to the floorboard before the vehicle would start-up. Additionally, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate after starting the vehicle. The check engine light…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 88,000 miles

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and the contact received an unknown notification through the Ford Mobile App. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 63,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 28,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

Was told the lugnuts were swollen when I tried to have tires rotated. The repair shop is mainly and oil repair shop. I took it to the dealership I purchased the car from and was told this is a major issue they deal with everyday and Ford has not issued a recall. I have to replace with my own money and labor costs. I have to have it done…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Tire size 235/45R-19 95H Vehicle began shaking and vibrating at highway speed. Upon inspection both front tires had the outer and inner edge tread separating from the tire. Ford dealership advised all tires be replaced.Owner complaint, filed 2026

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

Dashboard message "power steering assist failure - service required" appeared when vehicle was started. It worked fine the day before. We drove it to a local car repair place which advised they did not know what caused the problem and recommended we take it to Ford dealer. We drove it about 30 miles to the Ford dealer, with difficulty…Owner complaint, filed 2025

After the steering wheel became SIGNIGICANTLY stiff and a warning light come on when trying to pull out of a parking space, I called a tow truck. The driver was able to turn on the Escape and we had no problems with steering. After I had a mechanic examine the vehicle, he said the issue is the electronic rack with the steering system. I…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 8,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

To Whom It May Concern, I am submitting this complaint to report a design defect affecting serviceability and safety on my 2019 Ford Escape. On this vehicle, replacement of a standard headlight bulb requires removal of the fender assembly in order to access the headlight housing. This design transforms a routine, safety-critical…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Simply put, the headlights repeatedly blow out with no apparent reason found. Bulbs have been changed multiple times personally and by professionals -- both headlights went out nearly simultaneously in September of 2024 and I replaced the bulbs myself, assuming it was a fluke or the bulbs had simply aged out. At the beginning of March…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 36,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (9).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

Rear drivers side door latch suddenly will not latch. No damage noted. Simply closed the door after leaving the house, then tried to close it 8 minutes later and it wont latch.Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that over time the roof rack sealant failed causing water to enter the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined there was a leak due to the sealant failing to function caused by a manufacturer defect. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 70,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

I was in an accident that envolved a rock wall and not 1 airbag deployed. Damage was severe enough for at least 2 should have deployed.Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at 15 MPH through a yellow light on an off-ramp, another vehicle crossed the intersection at high speeds and crashed into the entire front of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy upon impact however the other vehicle’s air bags did deploy. It…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 59,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 11,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, she became aware that a part was dragging in the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the rear driver's side brake pads and rotors were significantly worn compared to the rear passenger's side brake…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 20,863 miles

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the contact heard a grinding sound. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed that the grinding came from metal-on-metal contact and that the brake pads needed to be replaced. The contact thought that the repair would be covered…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 10,800 miles

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

I was driving along in a Eagle Grove. Iowa when my Escape's collision assist was shut off, then the traction control light started to come on and off. i tried to shut it off with a button but it wouldn't listen. Also my engine acted like it was dying I could only go about 5 miles per hour. I found a parking lot, pulled in and shut the…Owner complaint, filed 2021

The contact owns a 2019 ford escape. While operating the vehicle, the pre-collision assist feature malfunctioned while the contact was driving close to other vehicles. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the contact's vehicle was two feet from the preceding vehicle; however, the system did not activate. Also, the feature erroneously…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 4,957 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 4,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

Car operated fine until it suddenly started running rough, then lost power/accelleration while driving down a busy state highway. Ford Dealership found what the service manager called "catastropic engine failure, caused by coolant instrusion." He showed us the whole process of coolant corruption of our Ford Escape's engine -- and the…Owner complaint, filed 2025

My 2019 Ford Escape Eco Boost Titanium vehicle is currently loosing antifreeze at an alarming rate. I had the error codes read and I have four. The first, P0303, states cylinder #3 is misfiring. The second, P0141, says the heater in 02 sensor is taking too long to warm up. The third, P0016, states the camshaft position A correlates to…Owner complaint, filed 2025

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

Rear right passenger seatbelt came apart at the webbing. When my granddaughter tried to buckle her seatbelt it came apart in her hands. This has been confirmed by the dealer, it appears to have been severed but there has been no accidents.Owner complaint, filed 2026

Right side rear passenger seat belt malfunction as it won't retract and when pulling it around your body there is no resistance as it just hangs loose.Owner complaint, filed 2026

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. While the contact’s daughter was driving 65 MPH, the driver's side rear control arm fractured and detached. The contact stated that the failure occurred when the vehicle drove over a mild bump on the road, causing the entire driver's side rear wheel to detach from the vehicle. In addition, the contact…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 54,000 miles

I have to replace the rear trailing arm bushings, it is pulling out of the arm. I have 49k in mileage and do not drive off road. I think this was a bad part when built or installed incorrectly for this to happen. I am [XXX] old never have I had never had to repair anything like this before on any of my vehicles. I took my car in for a…Owner complaint, filed 2024