Is the 2016 Ford ESCAPE reliable?

The 2016 Ford ESCAPE has 1248 complaints filed with NHTSA (1.0x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: average. Most common issue: TRANSMISSION problems.

What are common problems with the 2016 Ford ESCAPE?

Top problems: TRANSMISSION (321 complaints, avg repair $500); ENGINE (246 complaints, avg repair $500); DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS (141 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2016 Ford ESCAPE?

Yes, there are 4 recall(s): AIR BAGS:KNEE BOLSTER, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL), BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER. Contact any Ford dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2016 Ford ESCAPE?

The 2016 Ford ESCAPE gets 24 MPG combined. At current US average gas prices, driving 12,000 miles per year costs roughly $2000. See the interactive fuel cost calculator on this page for state-specific pricing.

How much does it cost to insure a 2016 Ford ESCAPE?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2016 Ford ESCAPE is approximately $1,585/year (suv-midsize class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

2016 Ford ESCAPE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2016 Ford ESCAPE has 1248 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.0x the segment average of 1283. The most common issue is transmission problems (26% of all complaints), specifically: vehicle will chatter and vibrate when going from reverse to drive mode to go forward, even when totally stopped to go forward. bangs in when applying gas light or hard trying to get out of way of on approaching traffic in street and parking spots. bought it brand new in july 2015 started from day . There are 4 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 13 fire reports filed.

13 fire reports 25 crash reports 12 injuries

1248

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

4/5

Safety Stars

1.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

TRANSMISSION

321 complaints

26%

• VEHICLE WILL CHATTER AND VIBRATE WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE MODE TO GO FORWARD, EVEN WHEN TOTALLY STOPPED TO GO FORWARD. BANGS IN WHEN APPLYING GAS LIGHT OR HARD TRYING TO GET OUT OF WAY OF ON APPROACHING TRAFFIC IN STREET AND PARKING SPOTS. BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW IN JULY 2015 STARTED FROM DAY
• VEHICLE WILL CHATTER AND VIBRATE WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE MODE TO GO FORWARD, EVEN WHEN TOTALLY STOPPED TO GO FORWARD. BANGS IN WHEN APPLYING GAS LIGHT OR HARD TRYING TO GET OUT OF WAY OF ON APPROACHING TRAFFIC IN STREET AND PARKING SPOTS. BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW IN JANUARY 2016 STARTED FROM DA
• WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE CAR SHUTTERED AND FLASHED WARNING LIGHTS, THE POWER WAS DECREASED, THEN SHUTTERED AGAIN AFTER I PULLED OVER AND TURNED IT OFF

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 6 crashes

“VEHICLE WILL CHATTER AND VIBRATE WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE MODE TO GO FORWARD, EVEN WHEN TOTALLY STOPPED TO GO FORWARD. BANGS IN WHEN APPLYING GAS LIGHT OR HARD TRYING TO GET OUT OF WAY OF ON APPROACHING TRAFFIC IN STREET AND PARKING SPOTS. BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW IN JULY 2015 STARTED FROM DAY ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2016 Ford ESCAPE

Based on 678 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 73K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 60-100K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

131

30-60K

116

60-100K

248

100-150K

150

150-200K

200K+

STEERING

Earlier than typicalmedian 39K mi · 46 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ELECTRICAL

Earlier than typicalmedian 38K mi · 30 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

SPEED CONTROL

Earlier than typicalmedian 22K mi · 24 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BODY/STRUCTURE

Earlier than typicalmedian 30K mi · 15 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

AIR BAGS

Earlier than typicalmedian 47K mi · 14 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

VISIBILITY

Earlier than typicalmedian 24K mi · 9 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (4)

AIR BAGS:KNEE BOLSTER26/06/2017

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."

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.

Fix: 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.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2016 Ford ESCAPE

Live EIA prices

Annual miles driven: 12,000

Your state (affects local gasoline price)

Per year

$2,001

Per month

$167

Per mile

16.7¢

MPG

City driving (worst-case MPG)

$2,286/yr

Highway driving (best-case MPG)

$1,656/yr

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

5-Year Gas Price History

EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → today

Show:

Current

$4.00

5-year low

$2.78

5-year high

$5.01

Since 2021

+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2016 Ford ESCAPE

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$1,585

Full coverage / month

$132

Liability only / year

$626

vs US avg

-5%

How this estimate is calculated

US base full-coverage premium$1674

× state (US)1.00x

× vehicle class (suv-midsize)1.05x

× theft risk1.00x

× safety rating0.98x

× vehicle age0.92x

= Full coverage estimate$1585

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Ford ESCAPE Service Intervals

Oil change

8K mi / 12 mo

Tire rotation

8K mi

Brake fluid

36 months

Transmission fluid

30K mi

Engine coolant

100K mi

Spark plugs

100K mi

Cabin air filter

20K mi

Engine air filter

30K mi

Differential (AWD/4WD)

30K mi

IOLM (Intelligent Oil Life Monitor) may signal earlier. Older 5.4L Triton engines have specific service needs — check the manual.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Ford New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)

3 yr / 36K mi

Powertrain

5 yr / 60K mi

Hybrid/EV battery

8 yr / 100K mi

Corrosion (rust perforation)

5 yr / unlimited mi

Roadside assistance

5 yr / 60K mi

These are the terms for a new Ford. If you're buying a used 2016 ESCAPE, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Ford dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1248 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: VEHICLE WILL CHATTER AND VIBRATE WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE MODE TO GO FORWARD, EVEN WHEN TOTALLY STOPPED TO GO FORWARD. BANGS IN WHEN APPLYING GAS LIGHT OR HARD TRYING TO GET OUT OF WAY OF ON APPROACHING TRAFFIC IN STREET AND PARKING SPOTS. BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW IN JULY 2015 STARTED FROM DAY
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: LSUDDEN COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER UNEXPECTEDLY DRIVING AT LOW OR HIGH SPEED. RUFF RUNNING WITHOUT ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. WARING MESSAGE OF "HILL ASSIT" NOT ACTIVATED. VERY DANGEROUS SENARIO WHILE ON INTERSTATE. OCCURRED 3 (THREE) TIMES IN 2 DAYS. CAR WAS A HERTZ RENTAL CAR AND I WAS TOLD, AFTER COMPA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: REAR VIEW CAMERA WORK WHEN THE CAR IS COLD AS SOON I START MOVING AND THE CAR ( THE MOTOR) GET HOT IS NOT WORKING ANYMORE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: BROUGHT 2016 IN NOVEMBER 2015 AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND OFF ON STREETS OR HIGHWAY AND STAYED ON ALWAYS. TRUCK BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE 3/22/16 TIL 4/13/16 THAN 4/19/16 TIL DATE. REASONS REPLACED COMPUTER PCM, REPAIRED WIRE TWICE, REPLACE CHIPS, REPLACE WIRE AGAIN. MCCARTHY FORD AND REGIONAL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 4 recalls have been completed — free at any Ford dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)