2016 Ford Escape Safety Report
2016 Ford Escape Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2016 Ford Escape
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2016 Ford Escape. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | High (4) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | High (947) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 40 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Power Train | Compare power train issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2021 | Compare against the 2021 Ford Escape with 272 complaints and 19 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2017 | Check the 2017 Ford Escape before buying across this generation. |
Ford Escape Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Ford Escape years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Ford Escape | 2495 | 3 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2015 Ford Escape | 969 | 9 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2018 Ford Escape | 1586 | 4 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2019 Ford Escape | 503 | 3 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2020 Ford Escape | 1386 | 23 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2021 Ford Escape | 272 | 19 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
2016 Ford Escape Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2016 Ford Escape, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Power Train
256 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train issues Ford onlyEngine
100 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine issues Ford onlyUnknown Or Other
87 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Ford onlyBack Over Prevention
70 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Back Over Prevention issues Ford onlySteering
57 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Steering issues Ford onlyEngine And Engine Cooling
44 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine And Engine Cooling issues Ford onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2016 Ford Escape
Reliability Score
The 2016 Ford Escape receives a reliability score of 85 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates above-average reliability relative to comparable vehicles.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2016 Ford Escape
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2016 Ford Escape
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2016 Ford Escape:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back Over Prevention System Recalled due to potential camera malfunctions, affecting the 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, and 2015-2016 Lincoln MKT. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Automatic Transmission Recalled for gear position indication issues, affecting the 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, and 2013-2016 Fusion. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Rear Camera Reported issues include distorted, upside-down, or non-functional rear-view camera, affecting the 2016 Ford Escape. |
Low | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Transmission Failure Transmission failure at 101k miles, requiring rebuild and costing a significant amount. |
High | Common | 30k-60k miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2016 Ford Escape:
Issues with the rear camera, including distorted, upside-down, or non-functional views.
Gear position indication issues leading to potential transmission failure.
Problems with the rear camera, including distorted, upside-down, or non-functional views.
Transmission failure at 101k miles, requiring rebuild and costing a significant amount.
Recall Details for the 2016 Ford Escape
The following 4 recalls have been issued for the 2016 Ford Escape by NHTSA:
Summary: 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.
Consequence: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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 element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent...
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Consequence: A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.
Summary: 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.
Consequence: 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 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: 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, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-73...
Summary: 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, as a result, the air bags may not inflate properly in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: 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 number for this recall is 17C11.
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2016 Ford Escape
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2016 Ford Escape with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The contact stated that while in reverse(R) on several occasions, the rear-view camera was black or displayed an upside-down image. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exc...
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 rear-view camera displayed a distorted image while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the vision of the driver, preventing the driver...
The end of February was driving and I noticed white smoke blowing from my exaust, then my car lost power.
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. 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 issue. The rear-view cam...
rear camera doesn't work--also theres a problem with the rack and pinion
Transmission went out at 101k miles - transmission needed to be rebuilt which I had done at a large cost. There was no warning, the trans went out while driving. Purge valve for gas (EVAP) also went out without any warning and when I would put gas in the car, the car would not start.
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 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 ...
My car moves when pushed or pulled and the vehicle is off and in park. Additionally, my car does not accelerate over 5 miles per hour and makes a whining noise when trying to drive
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 not 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 issue. The contact h...
I received Ford's Safety Recall notice dated October 2025 regarding SRN 25SA9 / NHTSA Recall 25V695. It has been 6 months since this recall issue and Ford hasn't made any progress in resolving the issue??? I find that extremely hard to believe!!! Apparently Ford does not consider "saftey" a priority for their customers!!! Has Ford received any kind of penalty for not expediting the resolution for ...
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 rear-view camera displayed a black screen while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the driver's visibility, which prevented the drive...
Rear main seal leak and transaxle leak. I see there was a recall in the 2000s but my 2016 is having the same issues. Would this issue still fall under the newer vehicle recall since it i the same problem?
Rear back up camera shows up distorted, upside down and sometimes not at all.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the rear-view camera became inoperable, and there was no image on the screen. 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 dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repa...
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 shifted in reverse(R), the rearview camera image displayed was not clear on the screen. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded ...
I bought the 2016 Ford Escape and 2 weeks after the purchase the check engine light came on. I took it to Auto Zone and they said it was a spark plug. I had a full tune up done 2 days after the purchase so I called the garage and they replaced the spark plug. The light came back on a few hours later so I then took it to the Ford dealership and paid over 500.00 to have it fixed, along with the came...
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The contact stated that the rearview camera was intermittently inoperable or displayed a distorted image while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, while reversing after picking up t...
There is already a recall on the Ford Fusion for this very same issue, they have identical engines, fuel systems etc, but code is P1450 and at times, randomly the sound of a struggling fuel pump happens, and the solution is to have the Fuel Canister Purge valve replaced, this is a known and recalled issue on the Ford Fusion but apparently not on the 2016 Ford Escape SE that the majority of those v...
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 rearview camera displayed a black screen intermittently while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The failure obstructed the driver's visibility, which prevented the driver from saf...
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while in a drive-through and attempting to shift into drive to move forward, the transmission remained in neutral, causing the vehicle to jerk. The contact was able to roll into a nearby parking space, and the vehicle came to a stop. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle ...
Showing 20 of 947 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2016 Ford Escape
Has the 2016 FORD ESCAPE been recalled?
Yes, the 2016 FORD ESCAPE has 4 recalls on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2016 FORD ESCAPE have?
The 2016 FORD ESCAPE has 947 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 30 involved crashes. 19 injuries and 0 deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2016 FORD ESCAPE?
The 2016 FORD ESCAPE received an overall NHTSA safety rating of good (4/5). Frontal crash: 4/5. Side crash: 5/5. Rollover: 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 FORD ESCAPE?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2016 FORD ESCAPE involve power train (256 complaints), engine (100 complaints), unknown or other (87 complaints). Other affected components include back over prevention, steering, engine and engine cooling.
How many crash reports does the 2016 FORD ESCAPE have?
There are 30 crash reports associated with the 2016 FORD ESCAPE out of 947 total complaints (3.2% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2016 FORD ESCAPE have?
There are 10 fire reports for the 2016 FORD ESCAPE out of 947 total complaints. Fire reports are among the most serious safety concerns tracked by NHTSA.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2016 FORD ESCAPE?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2016 FORD ESCAPE.
How many injuries are reported for the 2016 FORD ESCAPE?
19 injuries have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2016 FORD ESCAPE. These are self-reported by vehicle owners as part of their safety complaints.
Should I buy a 2016 FORD ESCAPE?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2016 FORD ESCAPE is proceed with caution. It has 947 complaints, 4 recalls, and a good (4/5) safety rating. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2016 FORD ESCAPE?
The components with the most failures on the 2016 FORD ESCAPE are: 1. POWER TRAIN (256 complaints), 2. ENGINE (100 complaints), 3. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (87 complaints), 4. BACK OVER PREVENTION (70 complaints), 5. STEERING (57 complaints). POWER TRAIN is the single most-reported problem area with 256 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2016 FORD ESCAPE?
Be aware of potential issues with the Back Over Prevention system and automatic transmission. Ensure the rear camera functions properly and consider the reliability of the transmission at higher mileage. The 2016 FORD ESCAPE has 947 NHTSA complaints and 4 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it good (4/5).
How reliable is the 2016 FORD ESCAPE?
The 2016 FORD ESCAPE receives a reliability score of 85/100, indicating above-average reliability. This is based on 947 owner complaints, 4 recalls, and 40 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Back Over Prevention System and Automatic Transmission.
What are the known issues with the 2016 FORD ESCAPE?
Known issues with the 2016 FORD ESCAPE include: Back Over Prevention System, Automatic Transmission, Rear Camera, Transmission Failure. These are based on patterns found across 947 NHTSA complaints. 4 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
What are the most common issues with the 2016 Ford Escape?
Common issues include problems with the Back Over Prevention system, automatic transmission, rear camera, and transmission failure at higher mileage.
Is the Back Over Prevention system reliable?
The Back Over Prevention system has been recalled due to potential camera malfunctions, affecting the 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, and 2015-2016 Lincoln MKT.
What should I do if I notice issues with the rear camera?
If you notice issues with the rear camera, such as distorted, upside-down, or non-functional views, contact Ford for further assistance.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be aware of potential issues with the Back Over Prevention system and automatic transmission. Ensure the rear camera functions properly and consider the reliability of the transmission at higher mileage.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2016 Ford Escape
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2016 Ford Escape. The data includes 947 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 4 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 30 reported crashes, 10 fire incidents, 19 reported injuries, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2016 Ford Escape an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars, with a frontal crash rating of 4 stars, a side crash rating of 5 stars, and a rollover rating of 4 stars. These ratings are determined through controlled crash testing conducted by the NHTSA.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-15