2016 Ford Escape electrical problems
92 of the 1,131 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Escape name the electrical system (NHTSA’s “Electrical System” heading — wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading). Filed under the same heading: 67 manufacturer bulletins. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the electrical system
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 92 reports a crash · 3 a fire · 1 injury. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 9 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 7 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2022: 6 · 2023: 16 · 2024: 7 · 2025: 22 · 2026: 13
Half of the 31 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the electrical problem between 10,000 and 73,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
1,131 complaints in all about the 2016 Ford Escape, 13 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Electrical System” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Ford Escape electrical problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the electrical system. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
While parked, the radio randomly shuts off when the car is started. Radio station buttons have to be pressed numerous time to change the station, whether parked or in motion
Rear end knocking sound after and during backing up, also during low speed. The electronic radio, sync3, audio screen will not turn on in mildly cold temperatures (20f degrees)
Ignition switch failure. The engine does not turn on when ignition switch pressed. Took the car to Ford dealer to fix and they acknowledged the problem and stated there is no fix at this time. To go home and wait to receive a letter once they have a fix to the problem. In the meantime, you are on your own!
I was traveling 60 MPH when the engine started shaking violently, I lost the ability to accelerate and the check engine light came on with an error message of "engine fault". Once I made it to the side of the road, the engine idled down to 400 and shut off.
Was driving and vehicle began shuddering violently and service engine now came on and vehicle engine died. Thank goodness I was not on the highway yet and four people helped to push me out of the way
What is on file about the electrical system
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications67 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- SSM 54601 Service bulletinFeb 24, 2026
- Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). Th
- TSB 25-2570 Service bulletinNov 26, 2025
- This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Navigation inoperative Voice recognition concerns Phone connection issues Dropped phone connections Applink related performance Travel Link not present
The 2 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P0011 P0012 P0014 P0015 P0016 P0017 P0018 P0019
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Ford Escape names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 Ford Escape
Source: the same files- transmission and drivetrain problems 325 complaints
- engine problems 255 complaints
- backup camera and parking sensor problems 228 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre electrical problems common on the 2016 Ford Escape?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 92 owner complaints naming the electrical system on this model year (8% of everything owners filed about it), and 67 manufacturer bulletins are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the electrical system on the 2016 Ford Escape?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 4 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do electrical problems show up on the 2016 Ford Escape?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 43,734 miles; half of them between 10,000 and 73,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Electrical System" heading cover?
Wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.