Diagnostic trouble code · Ford
P1285 on Ford vehicles
P1285 is named on 19 Ford model years (2016–2026): 158 manufacturer filings and 33 owner reports in NHTSA’s files, across Fusion, Escape, Edge, F-150, Bronco Sport and 1 more.
Powertrain 19 model years 158 manufacturer filings 33 owner reports
Which Ford model years name P1285
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints| Model year | Filed under | Bulletins | Owner reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Ford Fusion | Engine | 22 | 2 |
| 2019 Ford Fusion | Engine | 22 | 1 |
| 2017 Ford Fusion | Engine | 22 | 1 |
| 2017 Ford Escape | Engine | 12 | 8 |
| 2019 Ford Escape | Engine | 13 | 3 |
| 2018 Ford Escape | Engine | 12 | 4 |
| 2016 Ford Fusion | Engine | 13 | 2 |
| 2017 Ford Edge | Engine | 5 | 6 |
| 2018 Ford Edge | Engine | 5 | 4 |
| 2024 Ford Escape | Engine | 5 | 1 |
| 2023 Ford Escape | Engine | 6 | — |
| 2019 Ford Edge | Engine | 5 | — |
| 2016 Ford Edge | Engine | 5 | — |
| 2025 Ford Escape | Power Train | 4 | — |
| 2025 Ford F-150 | Power Train | 2 | — |
| 2024 Ford F-150 | Power Train | 2 | — |
| 2020 Ford Edge | Engine | 2 | — |
| 2026 Ford E-Transit | Engine | 1 | — |
| 2022 Ford Bronco Sport | Engine | — | 1 |
A model year is listed because the code is named in its own record — a bulletin filed against it, or an owner’s complaint about it — not because every one of these vehicles sets it. Counts are documents in NHTSA’s files, not failure rates.
Engine 149 Power Train 24 Equipment 18
Advertisement
What Ford owners said
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners’ own words, scrubbed of anything identifying. Unverified reports filed with NHTSA — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) may include P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM)
Dealer diagnosis confirmed codes P1285 (Cylinder Head Overtemperature) and P05A1 (Active Grille Shutter failure)
Diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) may include P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM)
The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed and the mechanic retrieved DTC: P1285 (Cylinder head over-temperature)
Ford filings that name P1285
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communicationsBulletins and campaigns Ford filed with NHTSA whose summary names P1285. Quote the document number at the service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
- TSB 19-2172 Service bulletin2019-06-13 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- Some 2015-2018 Edge and 2015-2019 Fusion/MKZ/Escape/MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit a low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or a runs rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL). Diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) may include P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM). This may b
- TSB 19-2208 Service bulletin2019-06-27 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- Some 2015-2018 Edge and 2017-2019 Fusion/MKZ/Escape/MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit a low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or a runs rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL). Diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) may include P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM). This may b
- TSB 19-2139 Service bulletin2019-11-21 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- Some 2014-2019 Fusion vehicles built on or before 21-Feb-2019 and 2017-2019 Escape vehicles built on or before 06-Apr-2019 equipped with a 1.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or runs rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator light (MIL) with only diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 s
- TSB 21-2269 Service bulletin2021-09-09 · Power Train — Automatic Transmission — Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm)
- Some 2014-2019 Fusion vehicles built on or before 10-Jun-2019 and 2017-2019 Escape vehicles built on or before 08-Apr-2019 equipped with a 1.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or runs rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator light (MIL) with only diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 s
- TSB 22-2134 Service bulletin2022-04-15 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- Some 2014-2019 Fusion vehicles built on or before 10-Jun-2019 and 2017-2019 Escape vehicles built on or before 08-Apr-2019 equipped with a 1.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or runs rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator light (MIL) with only diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 s
- TSB 22-2322 Service bulletin2022-08-15 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- Some 2014-2019 Fusion vehicles built on or before 10-Jun-2019 and 2017-2019 Escape vehicles built on or before 08-Apr-2019 equipped with a 1.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or runs rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator light (MIL) with only diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 s
- TSB 19-2346 Service bulletin2019-12-20 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- Some 2015-2018 Edge and 2017-2019 Fusion/MKZ/Escape/MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit a low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or a runs rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL). Diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) may include P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM). This may b
- SSM 52219 Service bulletin2024-01-30 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- Some 2023-2024 Escape vehicles built on or before 11-Jan-2024 equipped with 1.5L engines may exhibit an Engine Coolant Over-Temperature Warning message displayed in the IPC and an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P1285 and/or P1299 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM) during hard acceleration or under high load conditions. This may be due t
- SSM 54068 Service bulletin2025-07-24 · Engine
- Some 2023-2025 Escape vehicles built on or before 16-Sep-2024 equipped with 1.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an "Engine Coolant Over-Temperature" warning message displayed in the IPC and an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P1285 and/or P1299 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM) during hard acceleration or under high load conditions. This ma
- SSM 54114 Service bulletin2025-08-04 · Power Train
- Some 2023-2025 Escape vehicles built on or before 16-Sep-2024 equipped with 1.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an "Engine Coolant Over-Temperature" warning message displayed in the IPC and an illuminated MIL with DTCs P1285 and/or P1299 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM) during hard acceleration or under high load conditions. This may be due to machining chips trapped in the cylinder head
- SSM 52162 Service bulletin2024-01-08 · Equipment — Electrical — Infotainment — Software
- Some 2023 Escape vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines may exhibit an Engine Coolant Over-Temperature Warning message displayed in the instrumental panel cluster (IPC) and an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P1285 and/or P1299 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM) during hard acceleration or under high load conditions. Ford is aware of the con
- TSB 19-2046 Service bulletin2019-02-21 · Power Train
- Some 2019 Edge/Nautilus vehicles equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine, built on or before 23-Jan-2019 may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0128, P0217, P02EE, P02EF, P02F0, P02F1, P044C, P1285, P1299, and/or P2196 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to various settings in the PCM software. To resolve the condit
What P1285 means
Source: SAE J2012 / OBD-IIP1285 is a manufacturer-specific code: the second character is a 1, which under the OBD-II standard hands the definition to whoever built the vehicle. The same code can mean one thing on a Ford and something unrelated on a Hyundai. Any site that prints a single definition for it is guessing.
A stored code names the test that failed, never the part that caused it. The record above is what Ford and its owners have filed about it; the code’s page across every make has the whole file.
From here
Common questions
Source: NHTSA files and the OBD-II standardIs P1285 a known problem on Ford vehicles?
It is a documented one: NHTSA's files hold 158 manufacturer filings and 33 owner reports naming P1285 on 19 Ford model years (2016–2026). Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count — but a bulletin that names the code on your model year is the place to start.
Which Ford models does P1285 appear on most?
2018 Fusion (24 documents), 2019 Fusion (23 documents), 2017 Fusion (23 documents).
Does P1285 on a Ford mean it is recalled?
No. Recalls are filed by campaign and matched by VIN; no recall is triggered by a scan tool. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or open the model year's page here for the campaigns filed against it.