2019 Ford Escape: owner complaints and recalls

Analysis of 564 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 3 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.

564
Complaints
3
Recalls
24
Crash reports
3
Fire reports
28
Injuries
59.9
Severity index

Severity index 59.9 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.

Among the 123 2019 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2019 Ford Escape ranks 50 of 123 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 59% of its model-year peers. See the full 2019 ranking.

What actually fails

ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
ENGINE29552.3%
POWER TRAIN12021.3%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING8815.6%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER386.7%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM376.6%
STEERING162.8%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM152.7%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING132.3%

The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 295 of 564 complaints (52.3%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.

Complaints filed per year

2019: 192020: 292021: 232022: 432023: 542024: 1352025: 1802026: 811920212223242526
YearComplaints
201919
202029
202123
202243
202354
2024135
2025180
2026 (year to date)81
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 3.9x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
21V15500010/03/2021TIRESFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150, 2018-2020 F-250, F-350, and 2019 Escape vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.
22V41300010/06/2022POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
26V01100015/01/2026EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATERFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.