2019 Ford Escape Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
The contact owned a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled, and an abnormal sound was coming from the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate and unexpectedly lunged forward while shifting gears. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The mechanic determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.
The transmission in the vehicle needs replaced. There have been recalls on 2019 ford escapes for the same issue that this vehicle is having.
My first incident with my 2019 Ford Escape happened when I had my [XXX] in the vehicle with me at a stop sign In November of 2024. As I proceeded to enter the intersection, the vehicle would not accelerate. I was able to reverse enough to get out of the intersection, but was still on the roadway, which is a safety hazard. While I waited for help, I was having to direct traffic around my vehicle, another safety hazard. The vehicle would not drive at all. The milage at the time of failure was approx. 112,000 miles. I was later informed the vehicle's transmission needed to be replaced and that they had found metal shavings in the transmission fluid. The Ford dealership stated my vehicle was financed used and there was no warranty on it. The dealership also informed me there was no recalls on my vehicle. I spent approx. $4,600 to have this repaired by a local mechanic shop. Now, a year later, I had pulled over to let a funeral procession pass and once I began to accelerate, my vehicle began to stall. I was able to drive it to a gas station that was nearby where I was unable to drive it any further. My 3 children were in the vehicle with me. I took it to the same mechanic shop that had initially repaired it to inquire about a warranty on the transmission. I was informed the warranty was through a third party and they would not fix it, claiming I had gone 500 miles past what warranty covered ( 1 year or 12,000 miles). They diagnosed it and confirmed the transmission had to be replaced. I have been told it would cost me approximately $3,500 (plus labor) to repair again with another year/12,000 mile warranty. I took the Escape to the Ford dealership to have them diagnose it and was informed the the transmission needed to be replaced, and they would do it for $8,500. I have read about plenty of 2019 Ford Escape Recalls on the transmission and this is definitely a safety issue. I'm over being stranded on the roadway with my kids... thankfully I wasn't on the interstate. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine failure due to coolant leaking into engine block. Known issue from design flaw.
Was driving out of town when the car started to slow down on its own, and when stepping on the gas kept slowing down and jerking and we had to pull over and shut it off. Did that a few times and then would go gaining speed a little at a time, except when going up a hill. Then would start to slow down and almost stall on the busy highway. Traffic was backing up behind us unable to pass and we continually had to keep pulling over on the highway as the car would start to stall. Then the check engine light came on, and a couple times it flashed. We pulled into our hometown garage (Heisler Auto, Mohall ND) and they checked it out and said it was a cylinder 1 misfire. We purchased spark plugs and did that ourselves. The problem continued immediately after we put them in and the check engine light came on again. We took back to Heisler Auto and 2 weeks later they changed out the coil packs to see if that was the issue. The issue continued when they took it out for a drive and upon further inspection found it to be the timing chain. It will be another 2 weeks before they get the part and do the work. So it’s been a whole month with no vehicle to drive. There was no warning signs of this. Car has driven great and has had great gas mileage until Bam, that day it just quit running. I will upload the $2200 repair bill after they get it done. I wanted to send this off now so I don’t forget. I called Ford and I have a case number for this: CXH-04637344 and they told me to file the complaint with you.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle independently started reversing. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was turned off and parked, the vehicle started rolling across the parking lot. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that several employees in the parking lot noticed the vehicle rolling away and were able to enter the vehicle and stopped the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed there were no recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his girlfriend was driving 55 MPH, the vehicle began to hesitate and shudder, prompting her to discontinue driving the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the torque converter and transmission. The contact was informed that the torque converter and transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 65,000.
Transmission failed. Since the transmission failed, I was stuck at an intersection and could not move forward for several moments. The transmission was inspected and repaired by Aamco transmission services. There were no warnings. The car had been driven only 38,633 miles. Ford will not reimburse for the repairs, but is aware the repairs were completed.
I am reporting a serious transmission failure in my 2019 Ford Escape SEL with only 86,000 miles. The vehicle began exhibiting signs of transmission malfunction, including whining noises and delayed acceleration. Upon inspection, the mechanic found metal shavings in the transmission fluid and reported that the front pump had completely failed. This issue aligns with the widespread problems detailed in the [XXX] et al. v. Ford Motor Company class action lawsuit concerning premature transmission failures in Ford vehicles. The estimated cost to repair my vehicle is nearly $8,700, which is unreasonable for a vehicle with such relatively low mileage. I am concerned about the safety implications of this failure, especially if the vehicle had lost power while driving. I believe this issue is part of a broader, known defect and should be investigated further. I have documentation to support my case and am happy to provide repair estimates or service records upon request. I reside in Virginia and would like this complaint to be recorded as part of your investigation into transmission-related issues on 2019 Ford Escapes. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Similar to most Escape drivers, I experienced a sudden transmission issue while I was driving. The car would not accelerate even when firmly pressing on the gas, then would jump in a delayed reaction causing a movement in my car I could not control. No check engine light, no indication of trouble in a well maintained vehicle with less than 85,000 miles. Did have a recall for previous powertrain issue, likely will be told by Ford that it’s unrelated. Ford service advisor also acted like this was the first time he’d heard of any kind of issue. Yeah right, look at the number of people complaining of the same issue.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The contact stated that the transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and it was determined that the vehicle had experienced transmission failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact referenced an unknown recall however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated and then accelerated. The contact stated that the engine was hesitating and chugging to maintain power. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the torque converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired due to parts being on backorder. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was a rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission flex plate was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the Extended Warranty coverage for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.
I purchased my 2019 escape October 2019 brand new from the dealership we paid for the extended warranty of 100,000 miles I’m at 103,541 and now have transmission issues. I called ford and they said the can’t do anything. It cases me to not be able to accelerate, and then the transmission figure light came on luckily I was in town and not on the interstate when this problem happens. Doing some research this is a common problem with the 2019 ford escape transmission’s this could be a major safety problem if it was to happen on a interstate or major highway
The transmission has a rattle and the dealer states that the transmission likely has a damaged flex plate. but the car is not covered as there is no recall or customer campaign. The car barely has over 22,000 miles on it. Ford should be responsible instead of telling me it's a $4-6000 repair. Tranny problems at 22,000 miles is a design issue.
Powertrain failure for 2019 Ford Escape. Car was not accelerating correctly in main highway traffic. The car was diagnosed by Holman Ford in Sicklerville, NJ. Torque converter clutch broke down and transferred the metallic material into the transmission causing damage leading to failure. No warning signs/messages/ or symptoms. This has been confirmed to be a re-occurring issue for Ford Escape owners.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from being stopped at a stop sign, the engine revved; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the repair was not covered under recall or warranty. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 107,972.
The transmission is damaged beyond repair at 90 thousand miles. This vehicle is always serviced at Ford truck city in Buda Texas. We are very very disappointed with the quality and service from FORD. This vehicle is at the same dealership been serviced in Buda Texas at the cost of $ $8,400 dollars. We have no choice but to get a loan to paid for. I am helping my granddaughter paid for, si she can go to college and work. This is very very difficult for us. HELP !!
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to shift gear as needed. The vehicle was taken for maintenance to the dealer and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that on another occasion, the vehicle failed to shift gear. The check engine warning light illuminated with a knocking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer and diagnosed with gearbox failure. The vehicle was repaired for the most recent failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 96,167.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the accelerator pedal failed to respond. The vehicle was stalling and jerking. There were no warning lights illuminated. An independent mechanic arrived at the residence to diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle was diagnosed with CVT transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired because the vehicle was not under recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that if a warning light became illuminated, assistance would be provided with the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
Transmission has been replaced 4 times
Clunking/wobble from Rear differential unit, also roaring like a bad wheel bearing loss of acceleration intermittently/power intermittently
Driveshaft carrier bearing trashed
I was driving on my way home then all of a sudden my car wasn’t moving when I was pressing on the gas pedal. At first I thought maybe the energy brake was on but after checking that wasn’t the problem. My car just wasn’t moving when I hit the gas. I was stranded in traffic for a bit until I decided to turn off the engine and turn it back on. I was able to park it somewhere but the problem hasn’t been resolved and it doesn’t make sense for my car which I bought new in 2019 to be having transmission problems.
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Quick Summary
The 2019 Ford Escape has 71 Power Train complaints on file. 5 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.