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Car · Ford problems

2016 Ford Escape problems

1,175 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Ford Escape. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (27% of them). NHTSA also lists 145 service bulletins and 4 recall campaigns.

1,175owner complaints
39say a crash was involved
10say a fire was involved
21injuries and deaths reported

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 21. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 1,175 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

15 smaller areas not shown (156 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 145 repair bulletins from Ford for the 2016 Ford Escape. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

  1. TSB 25-2570Received December 1, 2025

    Electrical system

    Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Navigation inoperative Voice...

  2. SSM 54366Received November 19, 2025

    Electrical system

    Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025.

  3. SSM 53176Received December 3, 2024

    Some 2013-2016 Escape vehicles may exhibit an ABS warning indicator with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) U2300 after the ABS module is replaced.

  4. SSM 53040Received October 16, 2024

    While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.

  5. TSB 24-2165Received June 6, 2024

    Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-2019...

  6. SSM 52335Received March 20, 2024

    Engine and engine cooling

    For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an engine oil leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 for oil leak inspection and...

  7. SSM 51536Received May 4, 2023

    Body and structure

    For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended.

  8. SSM 51261Received January 6, 2023

    Service brakes

    Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2016 Ford Escape. Recall repairs are free at a Ford dealer. The 3 to look at first:

  1. 22V413000June 10, 2022

    Power train

    The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

  2. 25V695000October 14, 2025

    Back over prevention

    The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.

  3. 26V011000January 16, 2026

    Equipment

    The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

See all 4 recalls for the 2016 Ford Escape, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Escape will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

Power train (transmission and drive) 321 complaints · 27%

Backup camera and sensors 255 complaints · 22%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Engine and engine cooling 247 complaints · 21%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 95 complaints · 8%

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Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

0 of 17 characters

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2016 Ford Escape: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2016 Ford Escape?

Of the 1,175 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Ford Escape, 321 (27%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 255 (22%) name backup camera and sensors. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2016 Ford Escape reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 39 of the 1,175 complaints as involving a crash and 10 as involving a fire. They also reported 21 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2016 Ford Escape have?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2016 Ford Escape. Recall repairs are free at a Ford dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 145 repair bulletins for the 2016 Ford Escape.

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Sources

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.