2019 Ford Escape: Problems & Reliability

YEAR TO AVOID

The 2019 Ford Escape has 600 NHTSA owner complaints, 128 manufacturer service bulletins, and 3 recall campaigns on federal record, led by engine and power train issues. Among the 12 Ford Escape model years with federal records, it ranks 3rd by combined complaint and bulletin volume — one of the years to avoid.

Sources: NHTSA complaints (ODI), manufacturer service bulletins, recall campaigns, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Updated 2026-11-05 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology

600

NHTSA complaints

128

Service bulletins

3

Recall campaigns

—

Avg. buyer-paid

Most-reported problem areas on the 2019 Ford Escape

Engine — 320 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this model year.

Power Train — 128 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this model year.

Engine And Engine Cooling — 94 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this model year.

How the 2019 compares to adjacent years

Model yearComplaintsBulletinsRecallsAvg. buyer-paid
201801734—
2019 (this page)6001283—
2020026823—

Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume. Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year). Full year-by-year table: Ford Escape years to avoid.

Pricing Intelligence

Know what to pay for the right 2019 Ford Escape — then negotiate it

Years-to-avoid tells you which year. Search live listings to see the target price and what verified buyers actually paid for it.

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FAQ

Is the 2019 Ford Escape reliable?

The 2019 Ford Escape has 600 NHTSA owner complaints, 128 manufacturer service bulletins, and 3 recall campaigns on federal record, led by engine and power train issues. Among the 12 Ford Escape model years with federal records, it ranks 3rd by combined complaint and bulletin volume — one of the years to avoid. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.

What are the most common problems with the 2019 Ford Escape?

The most-reported problem areas for the 2019 Ford Escape in NHTSA owner complaints are engine, power train, engine and engine cooling. Service bulletins (128 on file) show what the manufacturer issued repair guidance for.

Does the 2019 Ford Escape have recalls?

Yes — 3 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2019 Ford Escape. Recall completion is VIN-specific: run the exact VIN to see whether the work was actually done on the car you're considering.

Is the 2019 Ford Escape a good year to buy?

The 2019 is one of the Ford Escape years to avoid by complaint and bulletin volume — the 2018 and 2025 model years show cleaner records. If the price reflects the risk and the specific car checks out by VIN, informed buyers still do fine; just don't pay clean-year money for it.

How do I check a specific 2019 Ford Escape before buying?

Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for the exact VIN — recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for this model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.

All Ford Escape model years