2013-2019 Ford Escape Problems by Year

The third-generation Ford Escape ran from 2013 through 2019, but the problem list is not identical from one year to the next. Some recalls cover nearly the whole generation. Others stop after 2015, apply only to a 2014 engine, or begin with the refreshed 2017 model.

This page is meant to separate those groups. I am not going to copy every 2017 concern onto every other year. If Ford's documentation names a specific year range or engine, I will keep that range intact.

Quick year-by-year map

The table is not a complete recall list. It highlights the cross-year topics that connect most directly with the problem guides already on this site. A VIN lookup is still the right way to see whether an individual Escape has an open campaign.

2013 Ford Escape problems to research

The 2013 Escape was the first model year of the third generation. Two official recall groups are worth knowing about when researching one today.

Ford's later 22S43 shifter-cable-bushing recall covers 2013-2019 Escapes. Ford had also issued an earlier shifter-bushing recall covering certain 2013-2014 Escapes with the 6F35 transmission. The later 2022 campaign is the one I would check by VIN now.

Certain 2013-2015 Escapes are also covered by Ford recall 16S30 for side-door latches. Ford said a small spring tab inside a latch could break, which could make the door difficult to latch and could allow a door to open while driving.

2014 Ford Escape problems to research

The 2014 model shares the shifter-cable and side-door-latch checks above. It also has a year-and-engine-specific item that should not be spread across the whole generation.

Ford recall 17S09 includes certain 2014 Escape vehicles with the 1.6L GTDI engine. Ford said a lack of coolant circulation could lead to overheating and a crack in the cylinder head. That could cause a pressurized oil leak, and oil contacting a hot engine surface could increase the risk of an under-hood fire.

If a 2014 Escape has the 1.6L engine, I would check the VIN and service history for that campaign. I would not describe that recall as a general 2013-2019 Escape coolant problem.

2015 Ford Escape problems to research

For 2015, the later 22S43 shifter-cable campaign still applies to the model-year range, and certain vehicles are within the 2013-2015 side-door-latch recall. The 2017-2019 coolant-intrusion documents on this site do not include the 2015 Escape.

This is exactly where a generation-wide article can go wrong. A 2015 and 2017 Escape can look closely related, but Ford's engine and service-document coverage is not the same.

2016 Ford Escape problems to research

The 2016 is the last model before the 2017 refresh. It remains inside the later 22S43 shifter-cable recall range. It is outside the 2013-2015 Escape side-door-latch range listed in Ford's 16S30 bulletin, and it is also outside the 2017-2019 Escape ranges in the 1.5L and 2.0L coolant-intrusion documents discussed below.

For other 2016 concerns, I would work from the exact engine and VIN rather than borrow a 2017 problem list.

2017 Ford Escape problems to research

This is the model year I know personally because Alice is a 2017 SE with the 1.5L EcoBoost. The 2017 Escape problems page covers the full owner-focused list, including transmission symptoms, coolant loss, electrical faults, paint peeling, swollen lug nuts and HVAC issues.

For cross-year research, two coolant groups stand out:

• Ford customer program 21N12 covers certain 2017-2019 Escape and Fusion vehicles with the 1.5L GTDI engine after coolant intrusion.
• Ford TSB 19-2346 covers certain 2017-2019 Escapes with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine and symptoms that can include low coolant, white exhaust smoke and rough running.

Those documents do not prove that every 1.5L or 2.0L Escape will have coolant intrusion. They give a Ford-defined diagnostic path for qualifying vehicles with the described symptoms.

2018 Ford Escape problems to research

The 2018 is part of the refreshed 2017-2019 group. It remains inside the 22S43 shifter-cable recall range, and Ford's 1.5L and 2.0L coolant-intrusion documents also include qualifying 2018 Escapes.

If an owner has coolant loss plus repeated misfires, rough running or white exhaust smoke, I would look at the Ford coolant documents rather than assume it is ordinary coolant consumption. If the symptom is gear selection, compare it with the shifter-cable recall before assuming the transmission itself has failed.

2019 Ford Escape problems to research

The 2019 is the final model year of the third generation. It is also included in the 22S43 shifter-cable recall range and the qualifying 2017-2019 coolant-intrusion service information for the 1.5L and 2.0L engines.

Build-date cutoffs can matter inside the Ford documents. A 2019 model-year label by itself is not enough to decide whether a particular bulletin applies.

One issue that spans all seven years: the shifter-cable bushing

NHTSA campaign 22V-413 lists the Ford Escape model years as 2013-2019. Ford says the bushing attaching the shifter cable to the transmission can degrade or detach. The transmission might then be in a different gear than the shifter indicates, including a situation where the driver believes Park has been selected.

That is a safety issue, but it is not the same as a slipping transmission, torque-converter shudder or worn internal transmission components. See the shifter-cable-bushing recall page for the symptoms and recall remedy.

Door-latch recall: 2013-2015, not the whole generation

Ford recall 16S30 names certain 2013-2015 Escapes. The recall is for the side-door latch mechanism, not the power door-lock system. If a door will not stay latched or feels abnormal, I would check recall history instead of assuming it is a lock actuator or electrical fault.

Coolant concerns: separate the 2014 1.6L from 2017-2019 intrusion

These two stories are easy to mix together online. Ford's 17S09 recall on certain 2014 1.6L Escapes describes overheating that could crack a cylinder head and lead to an oil leak/fire risk. The later 2017-2019 1.5L and 2.0L documents deal with coolant entering cylinders under defined conditions.

Same generation, different engines, different years and different Ford documents. That is why the 2017 Escape coolant-intrusion page stays centered on the engines and years Ford actually names.

What I would check on any third-generation Escape before buying

• Run the VIN through Ford and the government recall database for your country.
• Identify the exact engine before researching engine problems.
• Check cold-start behavior and look for unexplained coolant loss.
• Test Reverse and Drive engagement and pay attention to slipping, shudder or harsh shifts.
• Make sure the shifter position matches the vehicle's actual gear.
• Open and close every side door and confirm it latches normally.
• Test the electrical features fitted to that trim.
• Look for service records rather than relying only on mileage.

Where to go from here

• 2013-2019 Escape third-generation guide
• 2013-2019 Escape shifter-cable-bushing recall
• 2017 Ford Escape common problems
• 2017-2019 EcoBoost coolant-intrusion information
• 2017 Ford Escape recall guide