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2016 Ford Escape

The Verdict

5 Total Klunk

The 2016 Ford Escape has 1,013 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (355 complaints) and transmission (283 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 5/100, it earns a "Total Klunk" rating. If you're shopping for a Ford Escape, consider the 2024 model year which has 92% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2024 has 92% fewer complaints

View the 2024 Ford Escape dashboard →

5

Klunk Score: Total Klunk

Among the most complained-about vehicle years on record. Strongly consider alternatives.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

Recalls 1

Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.

17V398000 AIR BAGS:KNEE BOLSTER

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Ford Escape vehicles. The driver's knee airbag modules installed in these vehicles were produced without the inflator gas generant material, and...

Risk

In the event of a crash, if the driver's knee air bag does not inflate as intended, the driver has an increased risk of injury.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace driver's knee air bag, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's nu...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
2001286132147358115
200229316915136497
200330257918959
200432727636120
200593813211330695
20062511626116481
200711996409444
20081372283153293313
20099009994426171
201077648111899292
20115592177489166
2012263204722047
2013667471941560269
201452627152956396
201535719115300235
20163551686273283
2017288321131949232
201813616481372143
20196283337083
202089531105243186
202113843209129
20225631189416
2023173273314
202424229172

By Category

Body
355
Transmission
283
Engine
273
Electrical
86
Brakes
16

By Severity

1
478
2
490
3
3
4
42

Worst Problems

Compare Against

See how the 2016 Ford Escape stacks up against rivals.

Complaints

Body 2

I am extremely disappointed with the way Ford has handled the recall on the rearview camera for my 2016 Ford Escape. I received the recall notice about a year ago. Six months ago, I contacted Chapman Ford and was told the replacement parts were not yet available and that I would be notified when they came in. Now, a full year later, my backup camera still does not work. This is a safety issue--not a convenience feature. When I called Chapman Ford again today, I was told the part was still unavailable for the Escape and was only being supplied for Mustangs. They gave me Ford Corporate's customer service number. Ford Corporate assured me that they would resolve the issue. They contacted Chapman Ford, spoke with Valerie, and told me everything had been arranged. I was told my appointment was set, the repair would be completed at no charge, and the problem would be taken care of. About an hour later, Chapman Ford called me back and said they actually did not have the part after all, could not perform the repair, and there was nothing they could do. After waiting an entire year for a safety recall, this is simply unacceptable. Ford sent out a recall notice acknowledging there was a safety problem, yet they still cannot provide the parts needed to fix it. Owners are left driving vehicles with defective backup cameras and no clear timeline for when the repair will actually happen. Ford should be ashamed of the way this recall has been handled. If you're going to issue a safety recall, you should also have a plan to provide the parts necessary to fix the vehicles within a reasonable amount of time. Customers deserve better communication, better follow-through, and most importantly, a prompt resolution to safety-related defects.

9d ago
Body 2

Car started with loss of steering fault, then power steering completely failed and car was not driveable.

9d ago
Body 1

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to complete the recall repair was unavailable. Additionally, while reversing, the rearview camera displayed a blue image, and the message "Camera Unavailable" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the parts were unavailable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

10d ago
Body 1

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the rearview camera became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

11d ago
Body 2

I am the owner of a 2016 Ford Escape. In October 2025, I received a safety recall notice regarding the rearview camera. The notice explained that the camera could fail, display a blank or distorted image, and increase the risk of a crash. Since receiving the recall notice, I have repeatedly contacted Ford dealerships to schedule the repair. However, I have been told that the replacement part is not available or that there is still no remedy available. As of today, many months have passed, and my vehicle has not been repaired. The rearview camera is an important safety feature, especially when backing up in parking lots or areas where pedestrians or children may be present. Driving without a properly functioning rearview camera exposes me and others to an unnecessary safety risk. I believe Ford has failed to provide a timely remedy for this safety recall. I respectfully request that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigate this delay and require Ford to make the necessary repair available as soon as possible. This delay has been unreasonable. More than eight months have passed since I received the recall notice, yet Ford has been unable to provide the required repair. A safety recall should be resolved within a reasonable time, and I am asking NHTSA to take appropriate action to ensure that Ford complies with its obligations and protects vehicle owners. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

11d ago
Electrical 1

The electrical radio backup camera does not work it's all malfunctioned.

11d ago
Body 1

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera persistently flickered and displayed a black screen. The dealer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the parts were unavailable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. No further information was available. The failure mileage was unknown.

12d ago
Body 2

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The rearview camera was turning on and off, but the vehicle became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that parts were only available for Ford Mustang vehicles. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called the manufacturer but was unable to navigate the prompts to speak with a representative. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.

16d ago
Engine 1

The contact’s parents owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer because the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that shortly after starting the vehicle there was white smoke coming from the vehicle for approximately 5 seconds. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there coolant was leaking intrusion into cylinder #2, and an issue with the engine block. The dealer recommended that the engine be replaced; however, the contact was informed that the replacement engine was on back order. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

16d ago
Body 1

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a black screen. Additionally, the contact stated that occasionally the rear-view camera displayed an upside-down image. The failure was intermittent. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or a dealer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

16d ago
Body 1

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. While the contact's wife was reversing out of a driveway at approximately 1-3 MPH, the rearview camera displayed a white image and failed to operate as needed. The contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle almost struck a child riding a bicycle behind the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The vehicle was taken to a Ford dealer where the contact was informed that the rearview camera needed to be replaced; however, the parts was not available. The contact declined to pay out of pocket for a replacement rearview camera and was waiting for the part to become available. The manufacturer had not been notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.

16d ago
Body 1

Back up camera has failed.

19d ago
Electrical 1

There is an active safety recall on the vehicle and FORD wants to charge to diagnose the recall. When I first inquired about the recall they said they didn’t have the part to fix that recall but wanted me to bring it into the shop to diagnose it and that would cost money. They said that even if I did bring it into to diagnose they could not do anything but let me know if they get the part but that the company no longer makes the part so it won’t get fixed anyways.

21d ago
Body 2

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera image displayed a blank image. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

22d ago
Body 2

The infotainment system does not relay any sound now both for radio listening or alerts such as backup interference. The camera glitches on and off and sometimes is blank. I have had this issue for about a month now. There is still no remedy and it has gotten worse.

22d ago
Body 2

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while in reverse, the camera image failed to display. The failure mileage was 32,000.

23d ago
Engine 1

Coolant has leaked into the engine cylinder which apparently is a well known issue that Ford is refusing to rectify. Ford dealership confirmed this diagnosis and says I have to pay $12k for a new engine.

24d ago
Body 1

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a distorted image. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

24d ago
Body 2

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NTHSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact stated that failure was experienced while reversing, the rearview camera was flashing or there was no image displayed. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

24d ago
Body 1

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing, the back over prevention camera failed to operate. The image displayed previously was inverted. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not available for the recall repair. The dealer informed the contact that the recall repair was being performed on Ford Mustang vehicles. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

25d ago

1013 total

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