2015 Ford Escape engine problems

ENGINE

Engine cylinder head. Coolant is leaking into the engine cylinder(s) (coolant intrusion). Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I was driving to DCA and while on [XXX] on the highway my engine totally overheated requiring I drift into an isolated parking area near east potomac park. I checked and the coolant had totally run dry. Upon ubering to get more coolant and waiting for the engine to cool down, I topped it off and took it to the mechanic. They informed me on a KNOWN Ford 2015 Escape SE Ecoboost issue where the Ecoboost allows coolant intrusion. This is similar to: Safety Recall 17S09 on the 2014 model but instead of oil leakage, it is coolant related. I received a single warning of engine overheating and within 5 seconds the temperature gauge shot up to max and multiple alerts began. I had under 30 seconds to cross multiple lanes and get to a parking spot before catastrophic failure. Since then, I have been able to continue driving by keeping coolant levels extremely high, but it is a significant cost to repair (full engine replacement required) due to the design of the Ecoboost. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11758449 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I am hoping you can help me. I have a 2015 Ford Escape. It has 107,000 miles on it. I do the regular maintenance items as needed. Last Friday I was driving my car and my temperature gauge went to Hot and my Check Engine Light came on. It said to pull over and stop engine. I pulled over and let it cool down. I drove it home. My neighbor looked at it and said, that it needed coolant. There was not any coolant in the reservoir. He added 1 gallon of coolant to my reservoir. The next morning he added another gallon of coolant to my reservoir. I took my car to a garage to have it looked at. I was told, the coolant is leaking into my engine. And not to drive my car. Because it could stop at any minute and the engine would be done. Online I found a Ford Recall for 2013 to 2019 Ford Escape, Recall # 26S01. Coolant that leaks into the cylinder causing engine failure. And potential fire risk. The engine block heater may crack and develop coolant leak. Dealers will replace block heater free of charge. I called my dealership where I purchased the car. They are not a Ford dealership and advised I call a Ford dealership. I called a Ford dealership and gave them my VIN number. Was told my VIN number was not included in the recall. I was advised to call Ford. I called [XXX]. I was told my car VIN was not included in the recall. The VIN number determines which factory it was built and came from. I advised my year and diagnosis is what the recall is for. There was not anyone else to talk to. I asked this information to be sent to someone else. She advised, she will send it to Safety Office to review the recall. I was advised, I will probably not hear from anyone because there are so many recalls right now. I called Ford Customer Service [XXX] and was told the exact same thing, like a script was being told to me. I am Very Disappointed on how Ford is not handling my situation. I can't drive my car and forced to purchase a new car. This is my only vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5

NHTSA complaint #11756661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The battery keeps dying even though it's been tested and is good. Lights keep shorting out I've had to replace the brake light and wires twice. The coolant is disappearing causing the vehicle to overheat even after driving ahort diatances but no puddle is left to show a cracked tank or something similar.

NHTSA complaint #11750997 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING RUFF, AND STALLING AND WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM EXAUST LIKE IT EITHER A BLOWN HEAD GASKET OR A CRACK IN THE BLOCK. I CHECKED FOR OTHER CARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS TO BE THE SAME ISSUE. THIS SEEMS LIKE THIS WOULD BE A SAFTEY ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE STOPPING ON THE ROAD,

NHTSA complaint #11750758 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I have coolant intrusion into cylinder 3, pressure in the coolant tank, white smoke from the exhaust. I had code that indicated misfire in cylinder 3. I have taken it to Ford dealer and they did a diagnostic and stated the engine needs replaced. in my research I have found this is a very known issue with thousands of complaints, multiple class action lawsuits for the exact issue i have experienced. The dealer and Ford has stated that there are no active recalls for my vehicle even though it is such a wide spread issue. around 5k miles ago I had to replace the transmission in this same vehicle. I am being told there is no help with repair cost. What are my options. Now with the cost of the new engine on such a know issue and the transmission I feel that Ford has a responsibility in the repairs Yes the Vehicle is Currently at the Ford Dealer in Grand Junction Colorado I feel that with the new transmission and a Very well know engine issue, Ford should replace the engine

NHTSA complaint #11749149 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Engine coolant intrusion issue known by ford and documemented in prior recall and STB.

NHTSA complaint #11740757 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape SE. The contact stated that while idle at a stop light with the left-turn signal on, the vehicle started to jerk, and loud noises were coming from the front end of the vehicle. The Check Engine light illuminated, and the vehicle failed to move. The Fire Department arrived and assisted the contact with pushing the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic at Precision Auto Shop, who diagnosed that the coolant was leaking. After further inspection, the dealer also diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and a claim was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 111,400.

NHTSA complaint #11738985 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Vehicle loses coolant over time and requires periodic refilling. There is a medium white smoke puff from exhaust on startup after the vehicle has been sitting for a few hours. Smoke disappears after initial startup. No constant smoke while driving. Mechanic suspects possible coolant intrusion issue.

NHTSA complaint #11735077 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Vehicle has 126,000 miles on it and has a coolant intrusion into the engine. This has also caused my heater to go out with a weird smell and making the engine shake when driving.

NHTSA complaint #11732857 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

MIL activated, reported misfire in cylinder 2. Attempted to replace spark plugs but they had seized. Took to dealership: was told coolant leaked into cylinder and entire engine needed to be replaced. Technician said this was common with Ecoboost engines for this model year, but not enough to merit a recall. Cost to replace engine more than the vehicle is worth

NHTSA complaint #11727617 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact was concerned about driving the vehicle due to a potential fire risk. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention) and 26V011000 (Equipment). An appointment was scheduled with the local dealer who confirmed that the parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Additionally, the vehicle was scheduled to be towed to the local dealer. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

NHTSA complaint #11727161 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

- The car loses coolant while the engine is running. This coolant loss is nearly imperceptible, except that the car's heat stopped working reliably. If the car is left idling with the heat on, it does not become warm. It only begins to become warm at higher speeds, then loses heat after slowing down.There are no easily visible coolant leaks. - If I had not caught it in time, the car could have overheated, causing a breakdown and emergency stop. - I have reproduced the problem, but it has not been brought to a dealer. - It has not yet been inspected. -There were no warning lights, I only noticed the coolant loss because I observed the radiator not working and checked under the hood. - The car is still available to be inspected, and is safe to drive short distances if the coolant is topped off.

NHTSA complaint #11723303 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Service engine warning light came on. When checked, coolant was found to be leaking into cylinder 3 due to the engine block being porous. Service center said they see this a lot in this particular engine.

NHTSA complaint #11716419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that occasionally, while shifted in reverse, the rearview camera failed to display as intended and was possibly impacted by severe weather conditions. No warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that during colder weather, the heater failed to operate as intended while activated. After further inspection, the coolant reservoir was abnormally low. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was determined that the coolant level was extremely low. The coolant reservoir was refilled; however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA complaint #11715347 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Cabin lost heat November 2025. Brought it in to the local Ford dealership right away and they said replacing replacing the oil cooler hose will probably fix it. Car worked fine for a couple of weeks but the cabin heat tapered off again. Made another appointment with the Ford dealership, but the first available appointment wasn’t until 2/23/26. I tried to drive anywhere as little as possible after this because I live in Fairbanks, AK and it’s commonly -30 this time of the year. Tried to leave work on [XXX] and a warning came up as I started driving away that the engine was overheating and power was reduced to minimize damage. I put my car back in my work parking spot and plugged it in until I could get an appointment at a local mechanic shop. Had the car towed to a local shop 1/6/26 and they inspected it 1/7/26. The report came back saying there was an internal coolant leak and found hydrocarbons in the cooling system. The recommended fix was to replace the entire engine with a quote for $12,000. That is more than I paid for the vehicle and way over the Kelly Blue Book worth. I did some research and found that there is a common coolant leak issue damaging engines of a certain range of Ford vehicles that has not become an official recall yet. I looked at other Ford Escape owner complaints and it looks like my 2015 Escape 1.6L has the same engine defect. I’m afraid if I pay for the engine replacement, this will just happen again. If I don’t pay, I still owe for my lease and will only get pennies to sell it as is for parts. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11709642 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, and after several attempts, the vehicle restarted but continued to stall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA complaint #11709443 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Vehicle Information: 2015 Ford Escape – approximately 165,000 miles Incident Description: During normal operation while backing out of a parking space, the vehicle unexpectedly slipped out of the drive gear immediately after I shifted from reverse to drive. There were no warning lights, messages, or prior symptoms indicating a potential issue. After restarting the vehicle, it briefly engaged drive but was only able to travel approximately ten feet before abruptly shifting through multiple gears without any driver input. During each occurrence, the engine surged to unusually high RPMs despite no acceleration being applied. Safety Concerns: The unintended gear changes were accompanied by loud whining noises, and the vehicle was unable to remain in any gear long enough to be operated safely. This failure left the vehicle immobilized on a main roadway, causing a traffic backup and creating a hazardous situation for myself, my children, and surrounding motorists. Current Vehicle Condition: After the vehicle was towed home, I attempted several restarts. At no time did any warning indicators or a check‑engine light illuminate. Each attempt resulted in the transmission immediately disengaging from gear when shifted into either drive or reverse, accompanied by continued loud whining noises and repeated engine surging to high RPMs without throttle input. The vehicle is currently inoperable. Additional Details: I plan to take the vehicle to Keith Hawthorne Ford for diagnostic evaluation. I am concerned that this failure may be related to a previously repaired transmission recall, as the recall documentation states that the defect may recur and could require additional corrective action. The dealership is currently requiring a diagnostic fee of $199.95 to inspect the vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11708742 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Unknown coolant leak. Coolant is being lost somewhere in the engine no visible leaks. Added coolant several times.

NHTSA complaint #11708563 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Engine began giving white smoke from exhaust at start up. 2 Mechanics have checked it and said it’s a well Known coolant intrusion issue with these ford eco boost engines. High risk of overheating and engine failure (while driving, which is a major safety risk for my family).

NHTSA complaint #11707373 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Coolant leak has been checked by mechanic to not be due to problems with any hoses or connections within the coolant system. Inspection is available upon request. The issue has caused the coolant level to drop below the minimum coolant level 4 times within 3 months with no warning or visible leaking occurring. This has been a regular occurrence with this vehicle for several months now.

NHTSA complaint #11707008 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45-50 MPH, the engine was overheating. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the coolant level was significantly low. The contact added coolant to the coolant reservoir. Additionally, the contact noticed that coolant was leaking onto the ground. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where a coolant line was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure had caused collateral damage to the vehicle. The contact stated that the transmission, the serpentine belt, and the pulley were replaced. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA complaint #11706112 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

We had to replace the engine about 4 years ago and we’re still getting gas smell into the cabin. About 3 years ago, we broke down on the road because the transmission quit. All our repairs have been done through Ford service department. We are now broke down again because of the transmission. Something has to be done with the Ford Escape!

NHTSA complaint #11703875 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Vehicle is leaking coolant.

NHTSA complaint #11701136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The 6F35 transmission in my vehicle is shuddering and it seems like it’s going to possibly mess up my engine or anything else soon. It also jerks a bit forward from 0-25 along with gears slipping. This has almost caused an accident for me.

NHTSA complaint #11700794 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

all equipped with 1.6-liter gasoline turbocharged direct-injected engines — could be subject to a lack of coolant circulation resulting in the engine overheating

NHTSA complaint #11700680 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Purchased my 2015 escape in Aug. of 2023 used knowing that the head gaskets needed to be replaced. Took it to a certified mechanic and had everything fixed on it. Fast forward to October of 2024 - Transmission went out had to purchase a brand new transmission had it installed at the certified mechanic. Then in July of 2025 all of the sudden it overheated. Took it back to the same mechanic and once again the head gaskets are blown. They stated that coolant had leaked into the motor and now it all needs replaced. How is this not a recall yet with everything that I have been reading. A recall has been issued for a back up camera but not this. We have been driving without back up cameras forever but we cannot drive a vehicle when every few months we need to dump thousands of dollars in it.

NHTSA complaint #11697554 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

There appears to be coolant leaking into/into the engine that compromised the seals and created oil leak/burn issues with the engine.

NHTSA complaint #11692068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I am having a issue that is not new to ford, my ford escape is having the coolant leak issue, I already have spend more than 2k on it, still engine is over heating, Ford Escape reps and almost all the mechanic know the issue is very known, I hope this issue is addressed.

NHTSA complaint #11690354 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

DRIVER'S SEAT STOP WORKING AND THE ENGINE LEAKS AND THE SUSPENSION WENT BAD AND TRANSMISSION STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC ON FOULK ROAD IN WILMINGTON DELAWARE APRIL 18, 2025 AND WAS VERY SCARED AND NERVOUS..

NHTSA complaint #11687784 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.