The 2019 Ford Escape is a small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicle covered by 6 EPA fuel-economy configurations. In NHTSA's records it has accumulated 596 owner complaints and 3 recall campaign(s). Of those complaints, 24 report a crash and 3 report a fire; 20 complaints report injuries totalling 28 injured people, and 0 deaths are recorded across all complaints for this model-year. The single most-reported component is Engine, named in 316 complaints (53.0% of the total). The sections below reproduce the underlying records in full: crash-test ratings, every recall campaign with its NHTSA campaign number, complaint counts by component, and EPA fuel-economy figures for each configuration.
NHTSA Safety Ratings
NHTSA tested the 2019 Ford Escape SUV FWD under its 5-Star Safety Ratings program. Ratings run from 1 to 5 stars; "Not rated" means NHTSA did not publish a score for that test for this variant.
| Test | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash — overall | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash — driver | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash — passenger | ★★★★☆ |
| Side crash — overall | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash — driver | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash — passenger | ★★★★★ |
| Side pole crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover resistance | ★★★★☆ |
NHTSA also rated other 2019 Ford Escape variants: 2019 Ford Escape SUV AWD — 5★ overall. The table above shows the most completely rated variant.
Electronic stability control was fitted as standard equipment on the tested variant, and NHTSA records no safety recall investigation rating adjustments for it.
Recall Campaigns (3)
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) that include the 2019 Ford Escape. Each campaign below shows the official NHTSA campaign number, the affected component, and the manufacturer's own summary, consequence and remedy statements as published by NHTSA. To check whether a specific vehicle is covered, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.
Campaign 21V155000 — Tires 10/03/2021
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150, 2018-2020 F-250, F-350, and 2019 Escape vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.
Consequence: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation which could lead to tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S10.
Campaign 22V413000 — Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl) 10/06/2022
Summary: 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.
Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
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.
Campaign 26V011000 — Equipment:electrical:engine Block Heater 15/01/2026
Summary: 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.
Consequence: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
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.
Owner Complaints (596)
Owners have filed 596 complaints about the 2019 Ford Escape with NHTSA. Complaint counts are not sales-adjusted — higher-selling vehicles naturally attract more complaints — but the breakdown by component shows where owners report problems most often.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 316 | 53.0% |
| Power Train | 128 | 21.5% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 94 | 15.8% |
| Unknown Or Other | 42 | 7.0% |
| Electrical System | 37 | 6.2% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 17 | 2.9% |
| Steering | 16 | 2.7% |
| Exterior Lighting | 13 | 2.2% |
| Structure | 12 | 2.0% |
| Air Bags | 11 | 1.8% |
| Tires | 11 | 1.8% |
| Wheels | 10 | 1.7% |
Complaints by Component — Visual
Bar length is proportional to the most-reported component for this model-year (Engine, 316 complaints).
By filing year, complaints peaked in 2025 with 180 filings. Owners filed 596 complaints in total across 8 calendar years in the database extract. Complaints involving a crash number 24 and those involving a fire number 3; 20 complaints report at least one injury.
EPA Fuel Economy
The EPA classifies the 2019 Ford Escape as a small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicle and published ratings for 6 configurations (engine, transmission, drive and fuel combinations). Combined fuel economy spans 23–26 MPG; the median configuration returns 21.5 city / 29 highway / 24 combined MPG. Fuel types covered: Regular Gasoline.
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | Fuel | Combined MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 25 |
| 1.5L 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 26 |
| 1.5L 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 23 |
Showing the 5 most common configuration groups of 6 EPA configurations.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls and safety ratings databases and EPA FuelEconomy.gov dataset, accessed October 2026. See our methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2019 Ford Escape have?
NHTSA's complaints database held 596 complaints for the 2019 Ford Escape when accessed in October 2026. The most-reported component was Engine with 316 complaints.
How many recalls affect the 2019 Ford Escape?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) covering the 2019 Ford Escape in the data accessed in October 2026, including campaign 21V155000 for Tires.
What is the 2019 Ford Escape's safety rating?
NHTSA gave the tested 2019 Ford Escape SUV FWD an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with 5 stars for frontal crash, 5 for side crash and 4 for rollover resistance.
What MPG does the 2019 Ford Escape get?
The EPA rated 6 configurations of the 2019 Ford Escape. Combined fuel economy ranges from 23 to 26 MPG, with a median of 24 MPG (median city 21.5, median highway 29).