What 1,037 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Escape Gas

We were driving on the expressway in our 2016 Ford Escape in the far left lane (4 lanes) and when my husband pushed on the gas, it revved up. Then it seemed like we started to lose power. A red exclamation point error came up on the dashboard, but I couldn't tell what it said. My husband was somehow able to get us across the highway (in busy traffic) to the right lane, where we wer able to get off the exit and pull into a parking lot. If the car has lost full power on the interstate, there's no telling what would have happened. Our car was towed to the shop and they're saying the transmission needs replacing ($7200). There is a known recall for 2013-2019 Ford Escapes concerning the power train / transmission. Our VIN is not listed, but I find it highly suspect because we had no warning messages or symptoms before hand.

NHTSA ODI 11683079

The contact called on behalf of her father who owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon her father starting the vehicle, the transmission failed to shift into drive, with the “Service Vehicle Soon” warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission assembly was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11673339

The vehicle experienced multiple critical system failures within one week of purchase: Transmission failure (slipping, delayed shifting, and stalling during acceleration) Braking system malfunction (brakes jump or pulse when pressed, inconsistent stopping) Fluid leakage inside the cabin near the gas and brake pedals (believed to be either brake fluid or transmission fluid) The vehicle is currently undrivable and can be made available for inspection upon request. The vehicle became a severe safety hazard while I was operating it with my infant child in the car. The brakes were unresponsive and unpredictable, creating near-miss situations when trying to stop. The transmission failure caused stalling at intersections and hesitation when accelerating, putting me at risk of being rear-ended. The fluid leak near the pedals presents a possible fire hazard or the risk of further brake failure. I feared for my life and my child’s safety. The problem has not been confirmed by a mechanic yet because the dealership, Platinum Auto Sales in Arlington, VA, refused to take the vehicle back or inspect it after I reported the issues. I was dismissed when I returned to report the failures. I am currently seeking an independent inspection, but I want this formally documented as an urgent safety matter. I am in the process of filing reports with the Federal Trade Commission, state consumer protection, and local police regarding fraud and sale of a dangerous vehicle. I can make the vehicle available for inspection by NHTSA or a certified safety inspector. There were no warning lights or error messages at the time of purchase. The problems appeared within 24–48 hours of driving the vehicle: Difficulty shifting and hesitation when accelerating began almost immediately Brake issues and pedal fluid leakage appeared by Day 3 By Day 5, the vehicle became unsafe to drive altogether

NHTSA ODI 11670807

The contact's husband owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while her husband was accelerating from a complete stop, the vehicle jolted and felt as if it was rear-ended. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended and rolled forward. The driver was able to pull over to the side of the road. The driver turned off and restarted the vehicle, and resumed driving; however, the failure recurred after driving 100 ft. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the failure was related to the transmission, and the driver was informed that it was a common failure. The mechanic informed the contact that the vehicle could not be serviced because the transmission was electric. The contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence; however, the failure recurred increasingly while driving. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

NHTSA ODI 11669792

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the transmission was slipping while shifting gear and the vehicle jerked abnormally. In addition, the contact noticed a grinding sound and a burning odor coming from the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure began shortly after the vehicle was purchased. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the vehicle was purchased. The contact was provided an option to trade the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that while reversing, the back over camera system displayed a black screen and became disabled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic regarding the back over camera system failure and the vehicle was diagnosed with an electrical systems failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,500.

NHTSA ODI 11663999

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 67,839.

NHTSA ODI 11662721

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal rumbling sound coming from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11659948

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle jerked and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 92,000.

NHTSA ODI 11659156

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary, the vehicle became hard to shift into gear. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact's daughter took the vehicle to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the canister purge valve, valve cover, oil pan gasket, engine, and turbo needed to be replaced. The contact had received an unknown recall notification for the transmission. The contact authorized the canister purge valve to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 119,500.

NHTSA ODI 11656418

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated after reversing at 5 MPH and shifting to drive(D), the vehicle failed to respond as intended and continued to reverse. The contact stated that the failure recurred on several occasions. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing; however, the dealer attempted to convince the contact to trade-in the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11652828

Transmission failure. Had to have the transmission repaired at 132,000 miles. Had idle issues and inconsistent speed while driving on the road, constant jerking causing me to lose speed while driving. Check engine light illumination was on but this is not always a tell-tell sign of the transmission failure in these vehicles.

NHTSA ODI 11652073

On march 13th I was coming home and my transmission stopped working I had to have it towed and now it’s being replaced

NHTSA ODI 11652178

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to respond. The oil warning light was illuminated with an abnormally loud whirring sound. The contact then turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle started working properly. On another occasion while driving into school parking lot, the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard and the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact struck the curve and the vehicle drove onto the grass and came to a stop. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with internal gear failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 148,611.

NHTSA ODI 11650465

There is already an existing recall for the model vehicle I have (Recall/CSP Number:
Ford's number for this program is 22N12). My vehicle is sitting at the local Ford dealer with a cracked flex plate/broken flywheel, just as described in the recall. However my VIN does not show as part of this recall…I need to get it added.

NHTSA ODI 11650207

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the transmission was slipping. The contact stated that the RPM increased, and the vehicle decelerated. The vehicle was shifted into neutral and pushed out of the roadway. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the third gear had an incorrect ratio. The fluid condition was filled with material, and an overhaul of the transmission was recommended. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11645481

The vehicle's transmission failed without warning while my wife was driving the vehicle. It died in the middle of a busy road.

NHTSA ODI 11642409

The contact owned a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH with her husband seated in the front passenger’s seat, the steering wheel became difficult to turn, and the contact lost control of the vehicle. The brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond. The contact proceeded to exit the highway on an off-ramp and was successful in bringing the vehicle to a stop when the vehicle regained normal function. The contact also stated that the failure recurred while driving onto the highway with the traction control warning light illuminated. The contact proceeded to the coast at a slow speed to the residence. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (POWER TRAIN) as the probable cause for the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 93,000.

NHTSA ODI 11642050

I was driving down the road with my wife and friends when my vehicle started to lose forward power. It then started to jerk. i was able to make it off the road where I then turned the vehicle off and restarted it then began to drive again it did not make it much further before completely being unable to drive. There was no transmission light on. I was on the interstate just minutes before and if had happened while i was driving there I would have been stranded and in an unsafe situation. I had it towed to a shop and they told me a part of the transmission must have broke inside and ot would need to be replaced. I then took it to a transmission shop and they said the same thing. My car is available for inspection. I did not get it inspected by the manufacturer or anyone else besides those two shops. The problem has been reproduced. Once the engine raches a certain temperature the transmission stops working while the transmission does work it only drive 18mph before giving out. Last time I drove it home it abruptly stopped and jerked. The transmission light only comes on once the car stops moving.

NHTSA ODI 11640217

2016 escape. Was driving vehicle without incident. Stopped at traffic light. Upon light turning green, gas pedal depressed, engine operational RPM needle working but vehicle would not move. Would not engage. No fault lights illuminated. No check engine light came on. Was able to limp off main road. Had vehicle towed to Ford dealer. Upon diagnostic they said nothing at all was wrong. Until they checked transmission fluid and found metal in it. They stated the transmission fault sensor should have engaged long before this happened. It never did. Vehicle has 123k on it. Pristine condition otherwise. Quoted 8k by Ford to put it rebuilt transmission. Can't afford that as a single, public educator, mom. Had recalled bushing replaced in Dec 2022 after similar thing occurred and had to have it towed.

NHTSA ODI 11638402

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the message "Service Transmission" was intermittently displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11635830

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle downshifted as the transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.

NHTSA ODI 11635681

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stopped the vehicle, and the vehicle failed to respond while in drive(D) and reverse(R). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated that in 2022, prior to the vehicle being purchased, the dealer had replaced the transmission bushing cable. The contact stated that the repair was performed under an undisclosed recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under any unknown recall or special program. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.

NHTSA ODI 11634301

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted and the vehicle jerked abnormally with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer also referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 108,000.

NHTSA ODI 11633673

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that when the brake pedal was depressed the vehicle failed to stop as intended. In addition, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle did not restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to tow the vehicle to an independent mechanic who specialized in transmission replacement. The vehicle was towed to a second independent mechanic that specialized in transmission replacement. The vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission 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 97,000.

NHTSA ODI 11631496

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle started to roll backwards, with the transmission fault message displayed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, but the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact stated that the failure occurred immediately after the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 198,465.

NHTSA ODI 11630412