2016 Ford Escape recalls

NHTSA lists 4 safety recall campaigns for the 2016 Ford Escape. Between them they involve equipment, rear-view camera, power train and air bags. The most recent was received on January 15, 2026.

January 15, 2026Equipment

Engine Block Heater May Short Circuit and Cause Fire

NHTSA campaign 26V-011 · 116,672 vehicles potentially affected · Equipment

The defect: 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.

The risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

The 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…
October 13, 2025Rear-view camera

Rearview Camera Image May Not Display

NHTSA campaign 25V-695 · 1,448,655 vehicles potentially affected · Back over prevention

The defect: 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.

The risk: A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

The 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…
June 10, 2022Power train

Unintentional Rollaway Due to Detached Shift Cable

NHTSA campaign 22V-413 · 2,925,968 vehicles potentially affected · Power train

The defect: 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.

The risk: 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.

The 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.
June 26, 2017Air bags

Driver's Knee Air Bag may not Inflate/FMVSS 208

NHTSA campaign 17V-398 · 3 vehicles potentially affected · Air bags

The defect: 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."

The risk: In the event of a crash, if the driver's knee air bag does not inflate as intended, the driver has an increased risk of injury.

The 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.

Check by VIN

A campaign rarely covers every Escape built in 2016. Enter your 17-character VIN to find the recall campaigns filed for your make, model and model year. The VIN is on the driver’s side of the dashboard (visible through the windshield), on the door-jamb label, and on your registration and insurance documents.

Is a recall still open on your vehicle? Only NHTSA’s official VIN check can say whether a campaign applies to your exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been done.

Your VIN is decoded with NHTSA’s public vPIC service to identify the make, model and year. It is not stored and is not added to any page address.

What 2016 Ford Escape owners should do

Check your VIN on NHTSA’s lookup to see which of these campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether any are still open.
Call a Ford dealer and book the repair, quoting the campaign numbers (26V-011, 25V-695, 22V-413, 17V-398).
If you have bought the vehicle used, the recall still applies: the repair is free whoever owns the vehicle now.
Make sure your current address is on file with the manufacturer so the owner letters reach you.

Other Ford Escape model years

Common questions

Does the 2016 Ford Escape have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 4 campaigns for the 2016 Ford Escape: 26V-011 (Engine Block Heater May Short Circuit and Cause Fire); 25V-695 (Rearview Camera Image May Not Display); 22V-413 (Unintentional Rollaway Due to Detached Shift Cable); 17V-398 (Driver's Knee Air Bag may not Inflate/FMVSS 208).

How do I know if my 2016 Ford Escape has an open recall?

Enter your VIN in NHTSA’s recall lookup. Most campaigns cover only part of a model year’s production, and the lookup also shows whether the repair has already been done on your vehicle.

Will the dealer charge to fix the 2016 Ford Escape?

No. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge by Ford dealers. Quote the NHTSA campaign number when you book.