2013-2019 Ford Escape Shifter Cable Bushing Recall 22S43
Ford recall 22S43, listed by NHTSA as campaign 22V-413, covers Ford Escape model years 2013 through 2019. The problem is a small bushing that connects the transmission shifter cable to the transmission.
If that bushing degrades or comes off, moving the shifter may not move the transmission into the gear you selected. The dash or shifter can appear to show Park while the transmission is not actually in Park. That can create a rollaway risk.
What can happen when the bushing fails?
The shifter in the cabin is connected to the transmission by a cable. At the transmission end, a bushing helps connect that cable to the manual lever. Ford says the bushing can become damaged or go missing.
When the connection is no longer working correctly, the shifter and transmission can disagree. An owner might move the shifter to Park while the transmission remains in another gear. The same basic problem can affect other gear selections too.
Signs that fit the recall problem
- The shifter moves, but the vehicle does not behave like it is in the selected gear.
- The vehicle can roll even though the shifter appears to be in Park.
- Reverse or Drive does not match the shifter position.
- The shifter suddenly feels disconnected from what the transmission is doing.
Those symptoms deserve immediate attention. If the shifter position and actual gear do not agree, I would set the parking brake, keep the vehicle secured and arrange for the recall status and linkage to be checked rather than continue driving it normally.
This is not the same as a failed transmission
The recall is easy to confuse with a major 6F35 transmission problem because both can make an Escape refuse to move as expected. The difference is where the fault is.
| Symptom | Could point toward |
|---|---|
| Shifter says Park but vehicle can roll | Shifter cable/bushing or gear-selection problem; check 22S43 status |
| Shifter position does not match Reverse/Drive behavior | Shifter cable/bushing or linkage problem |
| Repeatable shudder while moving | Different diagnosis; see transmission shudder guide |
| Slipping under acceleration | Different diagnosis; may involve internal transmission operation |
| Delayed Drive/Reverse engagement with shifter position correct | Needs transmission diagnosis; not automatically the cable bushing |
A completed shifter-bushing recall does not mean a transmission shudder or slipping problem has been repaired. In the same way, an Escape with transmission trouble can still need the recall completed if its VIN is included.
What Ford's recall remedy does
Ford's dealer procedure for 22S43 calls for replacement of the under-hood shifter-cable bushing and installation of a protective cap. The recall remedy is performed by the dealer for eligible vehicles.
I would not decide recall eligibility from model year alone. The NHTSA campaign lists the broad 2013-2019 Escape range, while Ford's VIN system identifies the individual vehicles that need the repair or still show it as open.
There was an earlier Escape shifter-bushing recall too
Ford had an earlier campaign, 18S20 / NHTSA 18V-471, covering certain 2013-2014 Escape vehicles equipped with the 6F35 transmission. That campaign also involved the shifter-cable bushing.
The later 22S43 campaign expanded the Escape model-year range to 2013-2019. If you own one of these Escapes today, I would use the VIN to see what Ford currently shows rather than try to work out recall status from an older campaign list.
How to check a 2013-2019 Escape
- Find the 17-character VIN on the lower windshield or vehicle paperwork.
- Enter it in Ford's recall lookup.
- Check NHTSA in the U.S. or Transport Canada in Canada.
- If 22S43 is open, contact a Ford dealer about the recall repair.
- If the shifter and actual gear do not match, do not rely on the shifter position alone to secure the vehicle.
What if the recall already shows as completed?
If Ford's VIN record shows the campaign completed but the shifter still does not match the actual gear, I would have the vehicle inspected. A completed recall record does not rule out every possible cable, linkage or transmission problem.
For a used Escape, an invoice showing the recall repair is nice to have, but the VIN lookup is still worth doing. Recall records can be updated, and later campaigns can be added years after a vehicle was sold.
What if the Escape shudders but the shifter works normally?
That is a different path. A shudder felt while driving can come from the transmission, torque converter, engine misfire, tires, wheels or driveline components. The shifter-cable recall does not explain every vibration.
For a 2017, use the transmission-shudder guide. If the vehicle slips, loses movement or has delayed engagement, use the transmission-failure signs page.
Where this recall fits in the third generation
This is one of the cleanest examples of a problem that truly spans the whole third-generation Escape run. NHTSA's model-year listing is 2013-2019. Other Escape concerns on this site have narrower ranges, so I would not assume a problem applies to all seven years unless Ford or NHTSA says it does.
See the 2013-2019 Escape problems-by-year page for the year ranges on the door-latch, 1.6L cooling and later coolant-intrusion information.