Home › Cars › Ford › Escape › 2016
2016 Ford Escape problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
52% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2016 Ford Escape are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 68% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Does the 2016 Ford Escape have transmission problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 571 of 1,133 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Escape concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (52%), and the largest group is filed under power train (320). For comparison, the 2015 scores 51% and the 2017 scores 85%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2016 compares with other Ford Escape years
Of the 14 Ford Escape years with enough complaints to score, the 2016 is the 7th-worst on engine and transmission share (52%). The worst is the 2018 (90%), the best the 2020 (26%). By volume, the 2016 drew 1,133 complaints (571 drivetrain), against 1,105 for the 2015 and 2,687 for the 2017.
Ford Escape years to avoid and best years →
2010 Escape problems · 2011 Escape problems · 2012 Escape problems · 2013 Escape problems · 2014 Escape problems · 2015 Escape problems · 2016 · 2017 Escape problems · 2018 Escape problems · 2019 Escape problems · 2020 Escape problems · 2021 Escape problems · 2022 Escape problems · 2023 Escape problems
The rest of the picture on the 2016 Ford Escape
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2016 Ford Escape said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical transmission repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 571 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2016 Ford Escape engine and transmission recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2016 Ford Escape involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 4 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
Ford 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.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater…
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.
Risk: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the…
Fix: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1,…
2 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2016 Ford Escape? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.Questions people ask about the 2016 Ford Escape
Does the 2016 Ford Escape have transmission problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 571 of 1,133 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Escape concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (52%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Ford Escape?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2016 Ford Escape is power train: 320 of 1,133 complaints (28%) name it, followed by back over prevention (225) and engine (199). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2016 Ford Escape reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 52% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (high signal). That is worse than 68% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Ford Escape years we score, it ranks 7th-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2016 Ford Escape?
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2016 Ford Escape involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 4 in total: 26V011000 (equipment: electrical: engine block heater), 22V413000 (power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (prndl)). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Ford Escape years are better?
Among the Ford Escape years we track, the 2020 (26%), the 2021 (29%) and the 2022 (36%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2016 (52%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/ford-escape
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.