What 1,035 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Ford Escape Gas

Overheated due to an internal coolant / antifreeze leak that allows coolant to enter into the cylinders of the engine. This is a known manufacturer's defect that has caused total engine failure and required replacement of the engine block. Mechanic quoted $13,000, more than the value of the car.

NHTSA ODI 11657635

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, while driving or while reversing from a complete stop, the vehicle made an abnormally loud whining sound. Additionally, the contact stated while accelerating from a complete stop, the vehicle temporarily responded as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle then jerked, lost motive power, and failed to exceed 2-3 MPH. The malfunction warning light and the check engine warning light were illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the message "Passenger Air Bag Off" was displayed while the front passenger's seat was occupied. The contact stated that the failure recurred while her son was test-driving the vehicle. The contact's son was able to check the transmission fluid level and confirmed that no issue was found. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

NHTSA ODI 11648367

The problems on my 2015 Ford Escape are related to the last recall, NHTSA Recall 22V413/Safety Recall Notice 22S43. On 02/21/2025, I had stopped by a Traffic Stop Light Signal. When I tried to proceed after the lights turned green, my car would not move forward and would behave like it was in Neutral mode making a lot of noise. I called Ford Motor Company and asked for remedy, and I was told the previous recall has already expired and that there is nothing that they can do now. I got my car towed to a Ford Dealership and they have sent me a cost estimate of over $8,000.00 to get the issue fixed. I am wondering if NHTSA can make Ford Motor Company do the necessary repairs on my Ford Escape, since this problem is related to the last recall. Thank you.

NHTSA ODI 11647624

Good morning Ford motor corporation headquarters as well as my advisor They are located at AutoNation Ford Torrance California this is with the 2015 escape eco-boost that should be on your lot. Anyway I took your advice and followed your directions and made contact with Ford motor corporation they do have some sort of a file on my situation which is the same as all of the other recalled cars with dangerous and faulty motors and should be part of this recall for Engine replacement or another source of compensation or transportation that I am entitled to for this issue with my representative that I spoke to at Ford Motor Co. Recall acknowledges the situation and Well move ahead with my case But my issue with my defective dangerous faulty engine is no different then the other engines. they are all defective and dangerous and unsafe to the driver and family’s and other motorist on the road as well as the general public and the representative I was speaking with that was handling Or try to start a claim she agreed as well as started to advance my claim or case to a higher source of authority this is a follow up for you from me and Ford motor Corp. At this point I cannot get any more information because I do not have the resources that AutoNation Ford has. in regards to And for numbers and emails and contact information at Ford motor corporation it is supposed to be handled from what I understand between Ford motor corporation and AutoNation Ford dealership where my car is located and has been sitting for 9 months now. I ask you kindly can you please use your sources and communicate with them as well as my self you have better access than I do and please ask ford motor Corporation what is going on as well as any other person that is involved in my case it would be gratefully appreciated thank you in advance you may reach me at my email thank you for your cooperation and your support. Thank you kindly for your assistance. Sincerely Customer.

NHTSA ODI 11645596

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AFTER FUELING I NOTICED WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE MY CAR STALLS. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ARE ON AND CAR IS SERVICED REGULARLY. BUT,ONE DAY AFTER FUELING 15 MINUTES LATER ,WHILE DRIVING MY CAR STALLS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON. I DROVE STRAIGHT TO AUTO ZONE AMD OREILY’S TO GET THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE READ. THEY BOTH COME BACK AS FAULTY EVAP PURGE SOLENOID. I SAW THAT THE FORD FOCUS IN THE SAME YEAR HAS HAD THERE EVAP SOLENOIDS RECALLED. COULD IT BE POSSIBLE THE FORD ESCAPES EVAP SOLENOIDS NEED TO BE RECALLED AS WELL??

NHTSA ODI 11641358

The engine in my 2015 Ford Escape failed due to coolant intrusion leading to the long block and coolant system needing to be replaced. The problem was diagnosed by the Ford service technician and Ford service advisor when it was taken in for service after the heating system stopped working, the car started lurching when driven, and then the engine light turned on. If I had not taken my Escape in immediately, it was at risk of catching fire. The coolant had completely emptied into the engine and had corroded a spark plug to the point that it was stuck in the engine.

NHTSA ODI 11640911

Leaking coolant overheat the engine. It was unexpected and left us stranded since the car could not be driven once it overheated. Got coolant and fill it in, so was able to drive back home. But the leak is so severe I had to park my car in my garage and stop using it.

NHTSA ODI 11639263

Coolant intrusion on the engine block which is causing misfires. Issue was confirmed by an independent service center.

NHTSA ODI 11638360

We were driving down the highway when the ford escape shut down and the the check engine light came on for the Evap system several parts have been replaced but I get the same code and the car is dying at idle and losing power a different times while driving

NHTSA ODI 11633099

The engine failed at 96,000 miles and we had it replaced with a new engine. Then at 131,000 miles the dealer stated that the engine has failed again and needs to be replaced because there is some delaminating happening in the engine. The 1.6L ecoboost engine is known for early failure. The new engine is only 3 months out of warranty and Ford will do nothing to assist in the engine replacement.

NHTSA ODI 11632827

The engine suffered a catastrophic failure on 11/26/2024 with coolant leaking into the engine producing a white noxious smoke from the exhaust, engine overheating, and engine misfires. The engine light did not appear. It was the smoke from the exhaust that alerted me to the issue. At the time of the engine overheat I was driving interstate 10 in Desert Center CA. It was apparent the coolant was leaking. There were no mechanic shops nearby. A good samaritan driver had coolant to add to my engine. I had the engine inspected by three separate mechanics, all identified the issue as a known defect in the 2.0l ford ecoboost engine. The engine failure occurred at approximately 73,500 miles, which I believe is premature given the vehicle's maintenance history and mileage.

NHTSA ODI 11629962

EVAC Canister in rear of vehicle fails. While driving, a noise can be heard from the rear section of the vehicle followed by a foul odor. Then, the vehicle dash board will light up ALL warning lights followed by a complete shut down while driving! The issue seems to take place after filling the gas tank. This dangerous situation has happened on numerous occasions and almost caused several accidents as a direct result. Many many other owners of this vehicle are reporting the same issue.

NHTSA ODI 11625390

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at 35 MPH, when the accelerator pedal was depressed there was an abnormal sound and the vehicle independently shut down. The check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle stalled. The failures occurred on several different occasions. The "Electrical Malfunction" message was displayed on the instrument panel and the Check Engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that after waiting for an hour, the vehicle restarted. The failure occurred on several different occasions; the infotainment screen had to be reset whenever the failure occurred. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound whenever the vehicle was in reverse. The Check Engine warning light was illuminated. The failure occurred on several different occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to get a diagnosis however, the contact stated that the failure was not diagnosed or repaired; The contact stated that the independent mechanic gave a diagnosis stating that the water pump needed to be replaced and repaired the vehicle however, the contact was concerned that the failures that had occurred was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

NHTSA ODI 11625632

Vehicle was inspected by third party shop and a Ford Dealership. Both indicated that this is a manufacturer error and should be considered a recall. Lots of different Ford models have experienced this manufacturing error and this issue was considered a recall. This includes: 2015-2018 Ford Edge 2017-2019 Fusion/MKZ 2017-2019 Escape 2017-2019 MKC My 2015 Ford Escape is built incredibly similar or the exact same as these other models and since it is experiencing the same issue as these other models, the recall should extend to mine and be covered under Ford as a recall. Error: Presence of coolant in the engine cylinders, white exhaust smoke and/or runs rough condition (with or without an illuminated MIL) 2.0L EcoBoost engine Error Code: P0217 TBS: 22-2229

NHTSA ODI 11622807

Head gasket is bad according to the mechanic.

NHTSA ODI 11621588

The vehicle has coolant leaking into the cylinders. The dealership shows that it was due to overheating but the vehicle has not overheated. The dealership states that the engine needs replacement but is unable to verify any damage in the cylinders. The vehicle was taken in due to misfiring and the vehicle dying upon starting after a short period of time being turned off.

NHTSA ODI 11619668

We bought this car used from the Ford dealership in Ellensburg WA in 2021. It had 79k at the time. We performed a lot of maintenance on the vehicle; new tires, alignment, coolant flush, transmission flush, spark plugs, and updated the Synce software. Then the turbo failed about 5 months later. And we replaced the turbo with a brand new one at the same dealership for 5k. Then we replaced the coolant system. We performed all the recalls as they came in, regarding the transmission shifter and something to do with a solenoid, and we never missed an oil change. In September 2024 the transmission failed and it needs a whole new one. There's a class action lawsuit in CA for the type of transmission in this year of Ford Escape, but it's only for CA residents. Too bad. It's been less than 3 years since we bought it, we've paid twice the price it's worth in repairs and on maintenance, and now it's junk. DON'T BUY AN ESCAPE!

NHTSA ODI 11616695

At 120k the transmission went bad. Dealership charged $7k to replace. We chose to replace because it was cheaper than buying a new vehicle. A few months after the transmission was repaired, we started losing a lot of coolant. The dreaded coolant leak through the head gasket into cylinder 2 is the diagnosis. Dealer, told us $12k for a new motor. This is not okay!!!

NHTSA ODI 11615586

Coolant has leaked into the engine and the whole engine needs to be replaced

NHTSA ODI 11611879

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with spark plug failure. The contact was informed that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the cylinder and engine failure. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was coolant intrusion in cylinder #2 and engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under an unstated recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.

NHTSA ODI 11610051

THE CAR KEPT OVERHEATING AFTER i PURCHASED IT EARLIER THIS YEAR. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR. I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET AND THE INSURANCE i ADDED ON COVERED MOST OF IT FOR A USED MOTOR TO BE INSTALLED. THE DEALER NEVER FIXED THE RECALL ON THE LOCKS WHICH THE DOORS OPENED WHEN I CAME TO A STOP. IF MY GRANDKID OR DOGS WERE IN THERE THEY COULD HAVE FELL OUT AND GOT HURT.

NHTSA ODI 11608688

Coolant intrusion My car has the 2014 engine in it and has coolant leaking into the cylinder combustion chamber

NHTSA ODI 11608305

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine was idling roughly with the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

NHTSA ODI 11604111

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to call the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

NHTSA ODI 11600896

My Ford Escape ecoboost engine had a coolant leak. It gave no warning and suddenly stopped running in the middle of the road while I was driving. I opened the engine and there was a small piece of metal that looked like it was about to catch fire. I have visited the ford dealership multi times asking for them to repair car and fix any known issues and they ignored this well known problem with the 1.6 engines and racked up unrelated charges on unnecessary fixes (I believe) to get the most money out of me before catastrophic engine failure. If I had driven 100 yards or more I'm sure my engine would have completely caught fire.

NHTSA ODI 11600640