I am the original owner of this vehicle. I bought it brand new in 2016 and had all service done by Ford Dealership. I was told to have transmission flushed and serviced at 80,000 miles which I did. I was never advised to have anything done to the transmission before 80,000 miles. On 12/06/2023 with absolutely zero lights on the dash I went to put the car in reverse and it didn’t move. I had the…
2016 Ford Escape powertrain problems
moderate 310 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
310
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
5crashes
1fire
8injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 310 powertrain complaints filed for the 2016 Ford Escape, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Powertrain accounts for 31% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 12 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 310 powertrain complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
What owners are reporting 7 most recent
Transmition stopped working while driving. Metal parts found and fluid burnt.
Complete loss of power and the transmission just going out, there was no warning or indication that something was wrong with the transmission prior to it going out on the highway. Car has 120K miles on it. It was diagnosed as needing a new transmission, and cooler. The pump may have needed to be replaced as well. But the transmission was pushing fluid out into the engine. If the car was fixed, I…
When driving the car at interstate speeds the transmission overheats after just a few minutes. When this happens it triggers the car’s information system to send a message stating “Transmission Fault Service Engine Now.” Just a moment or two later it sends another message stating “Speeds Reduced To Lower Engine Temperature.” Once that message is received you no longer have any throttle control…
On December 20, 2022, I was driving down a highway exit ramp when my car just stopped accelerating. I managed to exit but the car abruptly and without warning slowed to a crawl. I stepped on the accelerator but the car slowed and then suddenly lurched forward. At the time, traffic was extremely heavy and I could not pull over. It continued to violently lurch forward. Then for the first time the…
2016 Ford escape. Consumer writes in regard to transmission shifter safety recall.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and then lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The mechanic replaced the transmission. The manufacturer…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2016 Ford Escape?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2016 Ford Escape?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 310 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Across the 186 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 69,397 and 105,000 miles, with the median around 88,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 69,397; a quarter make it past 105,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2016/Ford/Escape.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.