Among the various common issues pertaining to Ford EcoBoost engines that have surfaced over the years, Ford Escape crossovers are known to have problems with coolant intrusion. Unfortunately, the only real fix is to replace the entire long block with an updated design, or face endless coolant consumption issues, and the issue tends to happen even with fewer miles on the odometer as well. This problem boils down to the engine’s open deck cooling design, which causes premature gasket failure and sometimes cracks between the cylinders. Unfortunately for a family that owns multiple Ford Escape crossovers, they’ve now experienced that problem more than once.
According to WCVB News, Massachusetts resident Lindsay Hirschfeld purchased her 2017 Ford Escape back in 2020 with around 20k miles on the clock, and was so pleased with the vehicle that her mother also bought one as well. Problem is, a couple of months ago, Hirschfeld began experiencing issues with her crossover, after which her mechanic informed her that coolant intrusion in the cylinders would require a full engine replacement – a job that costs $9,400 to complete. Making matters worse, her mother’s Escape experienced the exact same problem with just 44k miles on the clock.
“It shouldn’t happen,” Hirschfeld said. “You expect to replace tires. You expect to have oil changes. You don’t expect a total engine replacement at 80,000 miles.” Regardless, her mechanic urged her to check with Ford and see if the vehicles were still under warranty, which her mother’s was. However, that wasn’t the case with her own crossover, which is no longer covered by the five-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty. “It’s a known issue, and so they should be taking responsibility for it, completely,” she said. “And they just, they’re just not.”
“Unfortunately, this customer is outside of the 5-year/60,000-mile standard powertrain warranty and the vehicle was repaired at a non-Ford dealership,” a Ford spokesperson said in a statement. “We’re committed to high-quality customer service, including offering extended service plans for customers who want additional protection once the warranty has expired. Customers with concerns about their vehicle should visit their local Ford dealership.”
Comments
I had the same issue. 54k on a 1.5 liter. Dealership took care of it. May be my last new Ford though as this is a design flaw they need to own. I feel for the young folks who have this happen and still have a payment and the car isn’t worth the 9400 ish to fix.
never could really tell if my daughter’s 2014 Escape was doing this, it would need occasional coolant refills but no operational issues. It made it to 200,000 miles before we traded it in for a new car.
I had that happen on a 2018 Edge with only 36 miles left until
Power train warranty expired. Ford replaced long block
That happened to my in 2018 Ford Edge with 35 miles left on power train warranty.
2018 Ford Edge with 35 miles left on powertrsin warranty. In retrospect, it had been doing it for a while. Glad I took it in when I did.
2018 Ford Edge with 35 miles left on powertrain warranty. In retrospect, it had been triggering check engine light for a while. Glad I took it in when I did.
Ecoboom strikes again
I had two Escape 1.6 2013 and 2.0 2016. Both with 7 year extended warranty. I replace them both before the warranty expired.
So the Ford spokesman says that we should buy an extended warranty because they make a crummy product. No wonder this company has quality issues.
All the old jokes from the 1970’s are true again.
F@ck On Raw Deal,
Found On Road Dead,
Fix Or Repair Daily,
Profits over customer is going to kill them.
Would you want to TRUST a Ford being charged in your garage where your family sleeps?!?
“Customers with concerns about their vehicle should visit their local Ford dealership.” To get boned by the dealership!
Ecobust more like it. It’s not like Ford doesn’t know better. I had a Granada with 200k Mike’s and a Tempo with 184k with no issues. Maybe time to look back…
The engine warranty was extended by Ford to 7 years/84K but it may have had an expiration date. It was not extended. The whole thing has caused me to extend my extended warranty at a price and it’s RIDICULOUS. Ford continues to stall and/or fight many lawsuits over this in court. If that family buys another Ford, send them to the head of the brain transplant line.
I wonder if anybody at ford in high authority reads these comments…probably not..
I just had to replace the transmission on my Escape with 79,000 miles. Terrible, never buy Ford again. Car is probably barely worth the cost of the transmission replacement.
Ford should be embarrassed to allow the customer experiences to be published . They should take care of all the bad engines.
1.5 junk built overseas or 2 0 possibly built in Cleveland? Need context here
Everyone needs to contact Coleman law in California who has a class action suit against Ford opening up
I have a 2016 2.0 Ecoboost Edge with the same issue. Happened at 68k miles, just about 5k miles after my extended 3rd party warranty ran out. I bought used from a third party dealer in 2020. Still a year left on warranty but just out of miles. Ford won’t do anything to help. I will never purchase another Ford again. I’m ready to paint a big lemon on it and go park it in front of the dealership on a very main highway in our city and start making noise with the media to see if I can at least get them to give me a fair price on a trade in. I would take another Ford from them that way and then I’d turn around and sell it for a Toyota or a Honda. I’ve a couple of both of those before and never had to do anything other than regular maintenance. It’s unconscionable what Ford has done to their customers with this Ecoboost engine failure issue that they won’t take responsibility for.
Ford should do the right thing, what about customer loyalty.
I was a loyal Ford customer until this happened to me just last year; 2018 Ford Escape coolant intrusion. Had it towed to the Ford Dealership and received the horrible news. I was still making payments on it. Thought I
was covered because I purchased the extended warranty which of course didn’t cover the cost of the long engine block replacement of almost $10,000. Several calls and emails to Ford, NHTSA, reported it to the States Attorney, my finance company and nothing. This is horrible that a giant like Ford was aware of this serious issue and still did nothing about it and putting consumers on the hook. I finally had to f
do a voluntary repo because I couldn’t afford the repair and continue making payments on a car I couldn’t drive. Now I have this serious ding on my credit when I tried all avenues to get help prior. Everyone told me never to get a Ford, now I hever will again.
Ford Engineering is terrible. They have done some really bad designs. I think this has something to do with trying to design a product that you can predict the failure points so it’s easier to know what needs to be stocked for parts. And to be able to predict service profits. Because no engineer can be so stupid.
My wife’s 2016 Escape with a 2.0 liter Ecoboost engine is sitting in our garage as we speak and won’t start. Cylinders 2 and 4 have coolant in them. It started using more coolant than normal back in the spring 2024, just one month after our Ford extended warranty expired. In the final days, I was adding a pint of coolant for every 25 miles driven. It only had 65,000 miles on it when this started. I wrote Ford a letter explaining that I was a long-time Ford owner, along with my parents, grandparents, and in-laws. They refused to do anything even knowing these engines have problems. This car looks brand new and has been extremely well maintained. It has rarely ever had anyone in the rear seats. I refuse to put an engine in a vehicle that will cost as much or more than the vehicle is worth. I guess we will donate it to a non-profit for what they can get out of it, since the car is absolutely worthless now. I am so disappointed with Ford, I don’t ever plan to own another one as I’ve had issues with the last several Fords that I have owned.
I got a 2018 Escape Titanium trim level and had to replace the engine because of the same problem, a coolant intrusion on cylinder #1.. It cost me a total of $10,000 and change to replace with a new long block engine.. Ford should man up and fix this problem and do a recall !!
I have a 213 escape I add a/f about every month I have just turned 300.00i have oilchang three times a year
My last Ford was a Escape with the Eco Boost coolant intrusion issue. I have owned Fords all my life. My grandfather owned Fords all his life. Now, I drive a Honda.
Now you are a gay man.
Have a 2016, and 2018 with the 2.0l and both are coming up 200,000km with no issues. Daily drivers to work in stop and go traffic and used on long road trips. I shyed away from the 1.5l I will admit but my 2.0l are rock solid.
Be careful. This is a design flaw of the engine in 1.5, 1.6, 2.0 and mustang 2.7 petrol Ecoboost.
Affects approx 2013 – 2019 production, with some small variables.
Glad yours have been trouble free so far. 😊
Began checking my coolant reservoir every few days when this issue became apparent (2017 Lincoln MKC, which I really like). If I ever notice a significant drop, I will immediately top off the resivoir and trade in the car. Will not have it diagnosed as that will become a service record and the Trade in value will change to zero.