The Lemon Index
The 2.0 L inline-4 turbo in the Ford Edge, Ford Escape, Ford Fusion, Ford Explorer, Lincoln MKZ and Ford Taurus, model years 2012–2025. Owners filed 9,735 complaints about cars with it (matched by VIN); 48% name the engine, #7 of the 39 everyday engines we track (1 = the most).
Known issues, checked against owner complaints
Problems owners of cars with this engine name much more often than owners of the other 38 everyday engines we track (at least 1.5× the median, and 10+ complaints):
- Coolant loss into the cylinders. 3,529 of 9,735 owner complaints (36%) mention coolant loss or overheating, against a median of 1.2% for the other 38 everyday engines we track.
On 9/8/2026 the engine lost power almost causing me to be rear ended. I had to pull over and drive home on side streets with my hazards on.This is from a coolant intrusion issue with the motor.
2018 owner · NHTSA complaint 11776833 - Misfires. 1,085 of 9,735 owner complaints (11%) mention a misfire, against a median of 0.6% for the other 38 everyday engines we track.
Frequent cylinder 2 misfires and loss of power with internal engine coolant leak. Coolant intrusion into cylinder 2.
2015 owner · NHTSA complaint 11776650
What YouTube owners say Tone 0-100, higher = more praise than trouble.
Average owner tone 44/100 across 6 model years, from 72 videos about this engine and its cars (#121 of 165 engines with a YouTube study).
Most-watched videos
- 2014 Ford Escape EcoBoost 4WD Colorado Off-Road Review 2.0 667,673 views
- 2016 Ford Escape Titanium 2.0L EcoBoost Review – Features & SYNC 3 Guide 269,810 views
- Desert Test: 2014 Ford Escape 2.0 EcoBoost 4WD 173,386 views
- Ford Escape CRANKCASE PRESSURE SENSOR P051B 2.0L EcoBoost 2017 160,151 views
- Dealer Tech Diag - 2017 Ford Edge 2.0L Ecoboost Coolant Loss and Running Rough - Long Block Replace 131,287 views
Counted from video titles and captions: praise words against trouble words, weighted by views. Videos only count when the title names this engine or a car that had only this engine in those years.
Cars with this engine Tap a year for that car's full report.
- Ford Edge2012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
- Ford Escape2013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
- Ford Explorer2012201320142015
- Ford Fusion2017201820192020
- Lincoln MKZ2015201720182019
- Ford Taurus201320142015
Model years from NHTSA VIN decoding of owner complaints. Only years we have a car page for.
Owner complaints by model year
Counts of complaints filed so far. Older cars have had longer to collect them, and popular cars draw more because more were sold: no one reports sales by engine, so there's no per-car rate. Compare the shares below instead.
By car
| Car | Model years matched | Complaints | Name the engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Edge | 2012–24 | 4,558 | 50% |
| Ford Escape | 2013–25 | 4,130 | 44% |
| Ford Fusion | 2017–20 | 594 | 64% |
| Ford Explorer | 2012–15 | 242 | 17% |
| Lincoln MKZ | 2015–19 | 173 | 58% |
| Ford Taurus | 2013–15 | 38 | 8% |
“Name the engine” = the share of that car's VIN-matched complaints that list the engine as a problem area.
What owners complain about
Share of this engine's complaints that name each area (one complaint can name several).
What owners write
| Complaints that | Count | Share | Median, other everyday engines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mention coolant loss or overheating | 3,529 | 36% | 1.2% |
| Say the engine stalled, shut off or lost power | 1,153 | 12% | 14% |
| Mention a misfire | 1,085 | 11% | 0.6% |
| Mention fire, flames or smoke | 1,008 | 10% | 3.2% |
| Say the engine knocked, seized or failed | 727 | 7.5% | 2.7% |
| Mention a spark plug | 525 | 5.4% | 0.5% |
| Mention a head gasket | 344 | 3.5% | 0.1% |
| Mention the turbo | 157 | 1.6% | under 0.1% |
| Mention an oil leak | 31 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Mention the water pump | 23 | 0.2% | 0.2% |
Counted from the owner's own words in each complaint (all of the car, not only the engine). A share, not a failure rate.
When problems show up
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 43,000 and 95,000 miles; the middle report was at 69,000 miles (4,472 complaints with a mileage).
Recalls that name this engine 0
No NHTSA recall on these cars and years names this engine.
NHTSA recalls on these cars and model years whose text names this engine (its size or name). The rest (brakes, air bags, wiring ...) are on each car year's page.
In owners' words
On 9/8/2026 the engine lost power almost causing me to be rear ended. I had to pull over and drive home on side streets with my hazards on.This is from a coolant intrusion issue with the motor.
2018 owner · NHTSA complaint 11776833
Frequent cylinder 2 misfires and loss of power with internal engine coolant leak. Coolant intrusion into cylinder 2.
2015 owner · NHTSA complaint 11776650
⢠I have a P0304 code from coolant intrusion. â¢Coolant intrusion can cause sudden loss of engine power while driving, severe engine overheating, or engine fires.
2019 owner · NHTSA complaint 11776621
Against the other everyday engines
| Engine | Years | Complaints | Name the engine | Stalled or lost power | Burning oil | Recalls naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 EcoBoost | 2014–25 | 5,622 | 66% | 15% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 6.2 V8 (Gen V) | 2014–25 | 7,219 | 65% | 24% | 2.2% | 2 |
| 2.4 Theta II | 2010–22 | 21,551 | 51% | 20% | 8.1% | 8 |
| 2.4 Ecotec | 2010–17 | 6,096 | 51% | 21% | 18% | 0 |
| 3.0 EcoDiesel | 2014–23 | 2,871 | 50% | 24% | 0.2% | 7 |
| 3.3 Lambda II | 2013–21 | 3,254 | 50% | 17% | 5.9% | 2 |
| 2.0 EcoBoost | 2012–25 | 9,735 | 48% | 12% | 0.1% | 0 |
| 2.0T Theta II | 2011–22 | 3,325 | 44% | 18% | 4.8% | 2 |
| 1.4 Turbo | 2011–22 | 3,926 | 39% | 17% | 0.9% | 2 |
| 2.4 Tigershark | 2014–22 | 9,631 | 35% | 34% | 4.5% | 5 |
| 1.5 Turbo | 2016–25 | 4,471 | 33% | 27% | 0.3% | 1 |
| EA888 2.0T | 2009–25 | 7,443 | 29% | 16% | 3.7% | 5 |
| A25A | 2018–25 | 2,979 | 26% | 12% | under 0.1% | 1 |
| 1.5 Turbo | 2017–22 | 6,390 | 26% | 14% | 0.2% | 0 |
| J35 V6 | 2003–25 | 24,038 | 24% | 14% | 0.9% | 4 |
| Skyactiv-G 2.5 | 2014–25 | 2,631 | 22% | 11% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 2.7 Turbo | 2019–25 | 1,090 | 22% | 12% | 0.5% | 0 |
| 2AZ-FE | 2001–09 | 7,176 | 22% | 3.7% | 8.6% | 0 |
| 5.4 Triton | 2005–14 | 3,952 | 21% | 15% | 0.1% | 3 |
| 5.7 HEMI | 2003–24 | 23,895 | 19% | 23% | 0.1% | 6 |
| QR25DE | 2002–20 | 16,161 | 19% | 14% | 1.5% | 4 |
| 5.3 V8 (Gen V) | 2014–25 | 13,191 | 18% | 13% | 0.5% | 3 |
| 3.6 Pentastar | 2011–25 | 34,634 | 18% | 16% | 0.4% | 9 |
| 2.3 EcoBoost | 2015–25 | 3,975 | 16% | 9.9% | 0.1% | 12 |
| 3.8 Lambda II | 2020–25 | 4,423 | 16% | 8.0% | 5.6% | 0 |
| FB20 | 2012–25 | 2,336 | 15% | 8.2% | 1.7% | 0 |
| 3.6 V6 | 2009–23 | 14,214 | 14% | 14% | 0.1% | 1 |
| K24 | 2002–19 | 15,062 | 14% | 5.1% | 1.6% | 0 |
| 2GR-FKS | 2016–24 | 3,758 | 12% | 11% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 3.5 Cyclone V6 | 2007–19 | 21,313 | 12% | 11% | 0.1% | 0 |
| VQ35 V6 | 2002–25 | 12,613 | 12% | 11% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 3UR-FE | 2007–21 | 1,377 | 12% | 8.8% | 0.4% | 0 |
| FB25 | 2011–25 | 9,853 | 11% | 6.2% | 1.5% | 0 |
| 2AR-FE | 2009–18 | 4,673 | 11% | 6.6% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 2GR-FE | 2005–18 | 8,680 | 10% | 3.5% | 0.3% | 0 |
| 3.8 V6 | 2007–11 | 7,877 | 9% | 17% | 0.5% | 0 |
| 5.3 V8 (Gen IV) | 2007–14 | 9,241 | 8% | 4.5% | 1.3% | 0 |
| 1GR-FE | 2003–24 | 5,757 | 7% | 4.0% | under 0.1% | 0 |
| 4.8 V8 | 2007–13 | 726 | 6% | 4.8% | 0.1% | 0 |
Shares of each engine's own complaints, matched by VIN. They show what owners complain about, not how often engines break.
Quick answers
Is the Ford 2.0 EcoBoost reliable?
No one reports sales by engine, so there's no per-car score. Of the 9,735 complaints owners filed about cars with it, 48% name the engine, #7 of the 39 everyday engines we track (1 = the most). 3,529 (36%) mention coolant loss or overheating, against 1.2% for the other engines. 1,085 (11%) mention a misfire, against 0.6% for the other engines.
What cars have the Ford 2.0 EcoBoost?
In our data: the Ford Edge, Ford Escape, Ford Fusion, Ford Explorer, Lincoln MKZ and Ford Taurus, model years 2012–2025, matched by the VIN in each owner complaint.
What are the most common 2.0 EcoBoost problems?
In owner complaints to the government: engine, transmission & drivetrain, electrical.
How many recalls name the 2.0 EcoBoost?
0 NHTSA recalls on these cars name it.
Complaints: NHTSA owner complaints filed under each car's own NHTSA names (the same ones its car pages count), all years filed, one per complaint number. Engine: decoded from the complaint's VIN with NHTSA's vPIC decoder (displacement, cylinders, engine model, turbo, hybrid) and the engine maker's model years; a VIN that doesn't decode to exactly one engine is left out. Older cars have had more years to collect complaints, and popular cars draw more because more were sold. Source: NHTSA owner complaints (FLAT_CMPL + COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED_2025-2026), received through 20261111; engines: NHTSA vPIC VIN decoder (batch); NHTSA recalls API. Engine names and model years: Ford.