2016 Ford Escape Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

193Engine complaints

18.6%Of all 1,036 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN304 · 29.3%

ENGINE193 · 18.6%

Unspecified / other140 · 13.5%

BACK OVER PREVENTION123 · 11.9%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM82 · 7.9%

Share of the 1,036 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2016 Ford Escape overview page.

What owners report

“ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY - THE CAR STALLED OUT ON THE FREEWAY. PRIOR TO STALLING, THE CAR WAS SHAKING AND THEN STALLED.”NHTSA complaint 11115177 — filed 08/01/2018

“DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY CAR JUST SHUTS DOWN WITH ENGINE FAULT CAR STOPPED RESPONDING MAKING IT A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. I SEE THIS HAS A…”NHTSA complaint 11104288 — filed 06/27/2018

“WHILE DRIVING OR ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE CAR WILL STALL AND/OR THE ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN ON GOING SINCE MARCH…”NHTSA complaint 11099395 — filed 06/03/2018

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2016 Ford Escape have engine problems?

Engine is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2016 Ford Escape: 193 of 1,036 complaints on file (18.6%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2016 Ford Escape have in total?

1,036 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 32 involved a crash, 10 involved a fire, 19 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.