2019 Ford Escape: What to check before buying

Coolant leaks into the cylinders and eventually destroys the engine, and that is the theme of these 190 reports. It usually starts with a check engine light and a misfire, often in cylinder 3. White smoke at cold start, rough idle, shaking, low coolant, or an overheating warning follow. New spark plugs and coils rarely fix it. Shops usually call for a new engine or short block, with quotes from $5,000 to almost $15,000. Most failures fall between about 51,000 and 94,000 miles. Some engines shut down on the highway.

Almost every report here describes coolant getting into the cylinders and the engine needing replacement. Warning signs include a check engine light, misfires, rough idle at startup, white exhaust smoke, low coolant, and "Engine Overheating" or "Engine Fault - Coolant" messages. Some cars get new spark plugs or ignition coils first, and the light comes back within days. Failures are reported anywhere from 27,000 to 133,000 miles. At least one replacement engine failed the same way. One separate report describes a failed turbo with a rattle on cold starts at 101,000 miles.

The car moves when it should not. It rolls away after being put in Park, goes into Reverse when Drive is selected, or surges into walls and garages. In several cases a rolling car ran over its own driver, and this category includes 6 crashes and 4 injuries. Some owners say the problem continued after a dealer repair. The transmission can also fail outright. It slips, whines, shifts late, or will not accelerate at intersections. Metal shavings turned up in the fluid at 86,000 and 112,000 miles.

The most serious problem is a sudden loss of all power. Cars go completely dead or stall in traffic. Causes found include a loose battery terminal, a wiring harness clipped by the serpentine belt, and a harness short after an alternator replacement. Some engines shut off when pulling away from a stop. Smaller faults include headlights failing because of the body control module, a black backup camera, wrong gauge readings, a liftgate that will not open or close, and an alternator replaced at 11,376 miles. One crash followed hill assist braking on its own.

Power steering assist cuts out and the wheel becomes very hard to turn. A "power steering assist failure" warning often appears at startup or while driving. Some cars recover after a restart, then fail again. Dealers usually blame the electric steering rack and quote about $2,000 to $3,000 for it. Failures appear as early as 27,000 and 35,000 miles and as late as 83,000. A few owners say coolant intrusion damaged the steering gear or module along with the engine. One report also describes heavy wheel vibration at 35 to 45 mph.

Most of these complaints are about the rear doors and liftgate. Interior panel clips fail, so a rear door panel catches on the frame and the door opens only a few inches. One case appeared at 50,000 miles. The power liftgate closes but does not latch, and one dealer fix lasted less than a week. A failed roof rack seal let water into the cabin at about 70,000 miles. Two reports stand alone: a fire that started under the hood while parked overnight, and a parked car that rolled into a pole.

All 7 reports involve crashes, with 11 injuries. They describe two opposite failures. In several front and side impacts, the airbags do not deploy, and occupants suffer head, face, chest, neck, and back injuries. In other crashes the airbags deploy but tear, burn holes, or set a sleeve on fire, leaving burns on the arm and side. One report says a curtain airbag came loose right after impact. Another describes a seat back bending in a rear-end collision.

The evaporative emissions system causes stalls and fuel smells. Cars fail to accelerate or stall at highway speed, and one stalled at 75 mph. Some also show a restart message, and in one case the steering wheel locked afterward. Another owner reports a strong fuel smell in the cabin. Mechanics point to a failed purge valve or evap valve. One car needed a high-pressure fuel pump twice and then fuel injectors. In one report, smoke and fire near the rear driver's side damaged a home, and the cause was not determined.

Rear brakes wear out early. Owners report worn rear pads and rotors at 10,800, about 11,000, 14,500, and 20,863 miles. Symptoms include grinding, metal-on-metal contact, a dragging feel, and uneven wear from one side to the other. Dealers called it normal wear and refused warranty coverage. In a separate report, the car surged forward when the brake was applied while parking and hit a building, injuring the driver.