FREE VEHICLE RESEARCH
2016 Ford Escape AWD
The 2016 Ford Escape AWD has 4 NHTSA safety recalls on file, 1,022 owner complaints, and gets about 25 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.
SPECS
2016 Ford Escape AWD at a glance
- Engine
- 4-cyl 1.6L
- Cylinders
- 4
- Displacement
- 1.6 L
- Drivetrain
- All-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Automatic (S6)
- Body
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
- Fuel
- Regular
Source: EPA / NHTSA vPIC, as of July 12, 2026.
SAFETY RECALLS · NHTSA
4 openAir Bags
26/06/2017
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."
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.
Power Train
10/06/2022
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.
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 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
Back Over Prevention
13/10/2025
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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang 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.
Equipment
15/01/2026
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.
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 once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.
NHTSA has opened one or more investigations covering this model. Recalls can follow an investigation, so check NHTSA for the latest before you buy.
Open safety recalls are free to fix at any franchised dealer. What recalls mean → Source: NHTSA recalls, as of July 12, 2026. Recalls can be issued any time, confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
OWNER COMPLAINTS · NHTSA
1,022 filed- 312
POWER TRAIN
While driving my car home, my transmission completely gave out. I was trying to get up a hill, and out of nowhere, my car was just revving and was not going anywhere. I tried to turn the car off and back on, but it did nothing. We towed my
- 120
BACK OVER PREVENTION
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 i
- 117
ENGINE
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.
- 108
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Back up camera has failed.
- 74
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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 diagno
- 68
STEERING
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 it was confirmed
Problems owners reported to the government, useful for spotting patterns, not proof any one car has them. What complaints mean → Source: NHTSA complaints, as of July 12, 2026. Owner-submitted reports, not verified diagnoses.
CRASH-TEST RATINGS · NHTSA NCAP
- Overall
- ★★★★☆
- Frontal
- ★★★★☆
- Side
- ★★★★★
- Rollover
- ★★★★☆
Government crash tests of this model; not every trim or year is tested. Source: NHTSA NCAP, as of July 12, 2026.
FUEL & RUNNING COST · U.S. EPA
- Combined
- 25 mpg
- City / Hwy
- 22 / 29
- Est. fuel / yr
- $2,500
- CO₂ / mi
- 359 g
EPA lab estimates; real mpg varies by how you drive. Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov, as of July 12, 2026. Annual cost assumes 15,000 mi/yr at EPA's reference price.
All figures above come from free U.S. government sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, investigations, crash tests) and the EPA (fuel economy and specs). We don't show market price, insurance cost, or proprietary reliability scores, because there's no free, reliable public source for them. For a verdict on a specific listing, with a fair-offer number and what to ask the seller, that's the VINly app.
BEFORE YOU BUY
What to check on this car
Confirm the recalls were fixed
This model has 4 open NHTSA recalls (including the air bags). Recall repairs are free at the dealer, so ask the seller for proof the remedy was performed, or verify by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
Have a mechanic check the power train
Owners report problems with the power train more than anything else on this model. Call it out specifically during a pre-purchase inspection.
Watch for a pending investigation
NHTSA has an open investigation covering this model. A recall can follow an investigation, so check nhtsa.gov for the latest before you commit.
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Test-drive the basics
Cold start, full-lock steering both ways, firm brakes with no pulsing, smooth shifts, and every electronic feature. Warning lights should come on at key-on, then go out.
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Check the title and the VIN
Confirm the title status in hand matches the listing, and that the VIN matches across the dash, door jamb, and title. VINly does not show ownership or accident history, for that, run a paid report like Carfax.
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Ask the seller the right questions
Why they are selling, any service records, accident or panel-repaint history, how many owners, and whether any open recalls were completed.
See the full used-car inspection checklist. None of this replaces a hands-on inspection by a mechanic.
Quick answers
What is recalled on the 2016 Ford Escape AWD? +
NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls for the 2016 Ford Escape AWD, including the air bags. See the full list above, and confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov.
What gas mileage does the 2016 Ford Escape AWD get? +
The EPA rates the 2016 Ford Escape AWD at 25 mpg combined (22 city / 29 highway), about $2,500 a year in fuel.
How safe is the 2016 Ford Escape AWD? +
NHTSA's NCAP program gives the 2016 Ford Escape AWD 4 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 stars for rollover resistance.
What do owners complain about on the 2016 Ford Escape AWD? +
Owners have filed 1,022 complaints with NHTSA for the 2016 Ford Escape AWD, including 32 involving a crash. The most-reported area is power train.
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