2016 Ford Escape Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,324 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Ford Escape, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 35/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 88,847 miles.
Below average
Where 2016 sits among all Escape years
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle was jerking while steering the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The contact was able to get home safety. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the transmission was…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Escape
“Coolant was found in cylinders causing engine failure and needing to be replaced.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Escape
“The contact owns a 2016 FORD Escape The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000(BACK OVER PREVENTION) However, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Escape
“When I put my Escape in Reverse, sometimes the rear view camera works and sometimes it doesnt”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Escape
“The transmission went out while driving on a city street. Mileage at the time of failure was slightly over 86, 000 miles. That should not be a thing. We have also had constant issues with the radio/display including total failure and rear camera not showing.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Escape
“Car started with loss of steering fault, then power steering completely failed and car was not driveable.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Escape
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 686 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 75,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 44,466 and 101,700 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is…
Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a…
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Fix: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Ford Escape vehicles. The driver's knee airbag modules installed in these vehicles were produced without the inflator gas generant material, and, as a result, the air bags may not inflate properly in the…
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace driver's knee air bag, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's…
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2016 Ford Escape reliable?
The 2016 Ford Escape drew 1,324 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 35/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2016 Ford Escape problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Ford Escape are transmission & drivetrain (324 complaints), engine (251), and driver assistance (185).
At what mileage do 2016 Ford Escape problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Ford Escape problems around 75,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 44,466 and 101,700 miles.
Does the 2016 Ford Escape have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 Ford Escape. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.