AutoUtility currently tracks 578 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2019 Ford Escape. Engine & Cooling issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 363 complaints (62.8% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 24 filings cite a crash, 3 cite a fire, 20 report one or more injuries.
Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records
363 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
122 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
37 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
24 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
170 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
29 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
20 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"I recently bought a 2019 Ford Escape from Superior Mazda in Bentonville, Arkansas for my daughter going off to college. Soon after purchasing the vehicle a giant puff of smoke started coming out the exhaust when starting. We took it to a Ford dealership and they said the coolant is leaking into the..."
"The transmission had to be replaced in 2024 and now the engine needs to be replaced in 2026. Ford customer service will not help with any of the repairs."
"The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact connected a portable diagnostic tester to the vehicle and retrieved DTC: P0301 displayed. In addition, the check engine warning light flashed..."
"My Ford Escape powertrain went out when I was driving in town, it went from driving fine to not getting out of 1st gear. No warning prior got it towed to my mechanic and he did a diagnostic and it is indeed the transmission. This was extremely dangerous since I was close to being rearended because..."
"Vehicle was losing coolant, running rough and check engine light was on. We took it to a Ford dealer who told us: Stored Codes P1299 and P0302 for the cylinder 2 misfire due to the coolant intrusion in the cylinder. The fix is to replace the entire engine at a cost of $15,735.95!! This is a 2019..."
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Ford Escape | 1075 | 29 | 9 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Ford Escape | 1097 | 36 | 4 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Ford Escape | 2662 | 39 | 4 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 2018 Ford Escape | 1771 | 25 | 4 | View 2018 Problems → |
| 2019 Ford Escape Current Page | 578 | 24 | 3 | Current |
| 2020 Ford Escape | 1799 | 21 | 24 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2021 Ford Escape | 355 | 10 | 20 | View 2021 Problems → |
| 2022 Ford Escape | 371 | 11 | 21 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Ford Escape | 128 | 4 | 13 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Ford Escape | 85 | 5 | 10 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Ford Escape | 25 | 0 | 10 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Ford Escape | 0 | 0 | 3 | View 2026 Problems → |
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 77 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Injury Entries | Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 215 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 77 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 19 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires NHTSA category: TIRES | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 7 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System NHTSA category: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ENGINE | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance NHTSA category: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,WHEELS,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,EQUIPMENT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN,FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,POWER TRAIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| SEAT BELTS,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,SEATS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WHEELS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year
Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.
Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.
EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2019 Ford Escape
In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2019 Ford Escape is Engine & Cooling, appearing in 363 records (62.8% of submitted filings).
Secondary reported categories include Powertrain & Transmission (122) and Electrical System (37).
AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 578 consumer defect complaints and 3 safety recall campaigns for the 2019 Ford Escape.
Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.
Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2019 Ford Escape, 24 filings cite a crash, 3 cite smoke or fire, and 20 report one or more injuries.
Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.