2016–2024 Ford Escape Oil Capacity & Fluid Specs
Quick answer
Escape oil capacity depends on the engine — and there are two different 1.5Ls: the 2017–2019 1.5L EcoBoost four takes about 4.3 quarts of 5W-20, while the 2020–2024 1.5L EcoBoost THREE-cylinder takes 5.3 quarts of 5W-20. The 2.5L (2016–2019) takes 5.7 quarts of 5W-20; the 2.0L EcoBoost takes 5.7 quarts of 5W-30 through 2019 and 5.5 quarts from 2020; the 2.5L hybrid/plug-in takes 5.7 quarts of 0W-20.
The specs below come straight from Ford's own owner's manuals (2016, 2020 and 2022 editions) and cover two very different Escapes: the third-generation C520 (2016–2019: 2.5L, 1.6L/1.5L EcoBoost fours, 2.0L EcoBoost, all with the 6F35 six-speed) and the redesigned CX482 (2020–2024: a new 1.5L EcoBoost three-cylinder with a wet timing belt, the 2.0L EcoBoost, and a 2.5L Atkinson hybrid/plug-in, with 8-speed automatics or the HF45 eCVT). The 2020 redesign flipped almost every fluid: Mercon LV gave way to Mercon ULV, coolant went from Orange to Yellow, A/C refrigerant from R-134a to R-1234yf. One thing that did NOT change — lug torque is 100 lb-ft in both generations. Find your engine and year below, then confirm against your own manual's Capacities chapter.
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2.5L iVCT I4 (2016–2019)
| Specification | Capacity / type |
|---|---|
| Engine oil — with filter | 5.7 qt (5.4 L) |
| Oil viscosity | 5W-20 (Ford spec WSS-M2C945-A) |
| Oil filter | Motorcraft FL-910S |
| Automatic, 6-speed (6F35) — total dry fill | 9.0 qt (8.5 L) — Motorcraft Mercon LV (XT-10-QLVC) |
| Coolant (engine) | 9.2 qt (8.7 L) — Motorcraft Orange (WSS-M97B44-D2) |
1.6L EcoBoost I4 (2016)
| Specification | Capacity / type |
|---|---|
| Engine oil — with filter | 4.3 qt (4.1 L) |
| Oil viscosity | 5W-20 (WSS-M2C945-A) |
| Oil filter | Motorcraft FL-910S |
| Automatic, 6-speed (6F35) — total dry fill | 9.0 qt (8.5 L) — Motorcraft Mercon LV (XT-10-QLVC) |
| Coolant (engine) | 11.1 qt (10.5 L) — Motorcraft Orange (WSS-M97B44-D2) |
| Power Transfer Unit / PTU (4WD) | 17.9 fl oz (0.53 L) — SAE 75W-140 synthetic (WSL-M2C192-A, XY-75W140-QL) |
| Rear differential (4WD) | 2.4 pt = 1.2 qt (1.15 L) — SAE 80W-90 (WSP-M2C197-A) |
1.5L EcoBoost I4 (2017–2019)
| Specification | Capacity / type |
|---|---|
| Engine oil — with filter | 4.3 qt (4.1 L) — most printings; a few 2019 listings show other figures, so trust your dipstick |
| Oil viscosity | 5W-20 (WSS-M2C945-A) |
| Oil filter | Motorcraft FL-910S |
| Automatic, 6-speed (6F35) — total dry fill | 9.0 qt (8.5 L) — Motorcraft Mercon LV (XT-10-QLVC) |
| Coolant (engine) | Motorcraft Orange (WSS-M97B44-D2) — capacity not printed in our sourced manuals; confirm in yours |
| Power Transfer Unit / PTU (4WD) | 17.9 fl oz (0.53 L) — SAE 75W-140 synthetic (WSL-M2C192-A, XY-75W140-QL) |
| Rear differential (4WD) | 2.4 pt = 1.2 qt (1.15 L) — SAE 80W-90 (WSP-M2C197-A) |
2.0L EcoBoost I4 (2016–2019)
| Specification | Capacity / type |
|---|---|
| Engine oil — with filter | 5.7 qt (5.4 L) |
| Oil viscosity | 5W-30 (WSS-M2C946-A) — the only 2016–2019 Escape engine on 5W-30 |
| Oil filter | Motorcraft FL-910S |
| Automatic, 6-speed (6F35) — total dry fill | 9.0 qt (8.5 L) — Motorcraft Mercon LV (XT-10-QLVC) |
| Coolant (engine) | 9.7 qt (9.2 L) — Motorcraft Orange (WSS-M97B44-D2) |
| Power Transfer Unit / PTU (4WD) | 17.9 fl oz (0.53 L) — SAE 75W-140 synthetic (WSL-M2C192-A, XY-75W140-QL) |
| Rear differential (4WD) | 2.4 pt = 1.2 qt (1.15 L) — SAE 80W-90 (WSP-M2C197-A) |
1.5L EcoBoost 3-cylinder (2020–2024)
| Specification | Capacity / type |
|---|---|
| Engine oil — with filter | 5.3 qt (5.05 L) — a full quart MORE than the old 1.5L four |
| Oil viscosity | 5W-20 (WSS-M2C945-B1 in 2020; WSS-M2C960-A1 by 2022) — the spec matters: this engine's timing belt runs IN the oil |
| Oil filter | Motorcraft FL-910S |
| Automatic, 8-speed (8F24, some FWD) — total dry fill | 8.5 qt (8 L) — Motorcraft Mercon ULV (XT-12-QULV) |
| Automatic, 8-speed (8F35) — total dry fill | 11.6 qt (11 L) — Motorcraft Mercon ULV (XT-12-QULV) |
| Coolant (engine) | 7.7 qt (7.3 L) in 2020 · 7.6 qt (7.2 L) by 2022 — Motorcraft Yellow (WSS-M97B57-A2) |
| Power Transfer Unit / PTU (AWD) | 0.35–0.45 qt (0.33–0.43 L) · 0.43–0.54 qt with cooler — SAE 75W-85 synthetic (WSS-M2C942-A, XY-75W85-QL) |
| Rear drive unit / RDU (AWD) | 25.4 fl oz (0.75 L) — Motorcraft Disconnect Rear Drive Unit Fluid (XY-75W-QL) |
2.0L EcoBoost I4 (2020–2024)
| Specification | Capacity / type |
|---|---|
| Engine oil — with filter | 5.5 qt (5.2 L) — NOT the old 5.7; the 2020 redesign trimmed it |
| Oil viscosity | 5W-30 (WSS-M2C946-B1 in 2020; WSS-M2C961-A1 by 2022) |
| Oil filter | Motorcraft FL-910S |
| Automatic, 8-speed (8F35) — total dry fill | 11.6 qt (11 L) — Motorcraft Mercon ULV (XT-12-QULV) |
| Coolant (engine) | 8.7 qt (8.2 L) — Motorcraft Yellow (WSS-M97B57-A2) |
| Power Transfer Unit / PTU (AWD) | 0.35–0.45 qt (0.33–0.43 L) · 0.43–0.54 qt with cooler — SAE 75W-85 synthetic (WSS-M2C942-A, XY-75W85-QL) |
| Rear drive unit / RDU (AWD) | 25.4 fl oz (0.75 L) — Motorcraft Disconnect Rear Drive Unit Fluid (XY-75W-QL) |
2.5L Atkinson Hybrid / Plug-in Hybrid (2020–2024)
| Specification | Capacity / type |
|---|---|
| Engine oil — with filter | 5.7 qt (5.4 L) |
| Oil viscosity | 0W-20 full synthetic (WSS-M2C947-B1 in 2020; WSS-M2C962-A1 by 2022) — NOT 5W-20 like the gas engines |
| Oil filter | Motorcraft FL-910S |
| Hybrid transaxle / eCVT (HF45) — total dry fill | 5.0 qt (4.7 L) — Motorcraft Mercon ULV (XT-12-QULV) |
| Coolant (engine) | Engine loop: 9.6 qt (HEV) · 10.1 qt (PHEV) + separate low-temp loop for battery/electronics: 5.0 qt (HEV) · 6.6 qt (PHEV) — Motorcraft Yellow, both circuits |
| Power Transfer Unit / PTU (hybrid AWD) | 0.35–0.45 qt (0.33–0.43 L) · 0.43–0.54 qt with cooler — SAE 75W-85 synthetic (WSS-M2C942-A, XY-75W85-QL) |
| Rear drive unit / RDU (hybrid AWD) | 25.4 fl oz (0.75 L) — Motorcraft Disconnect Rear Drive Unit Fluid (XY-75W-QL) |
Capacities compiled from the owner’s manual. Always confirm with your own manual before servicing.
Quick reference
| Lug nut torque | 100 lb-ft (135 N·m), M12×1.5 — SAME across both generations; recheck within 100 mi of any wheel removal |
| Battery (Motorcraft) | 2016: BXT-96R-590 · 2020: BHEF-48H6 (gas), BXT-99RT4-A (hybrid 12V) · 2022+: BAGM-48H6-760 AGM (gas) |
| Spark plugs (Motorcraft) | SP-530 (2.5L NA and 2.5L hybrid) · SP-532 (1.6L) · SP-537 (2.0L '16–19) · SP-550 (1.5L 3-cyl) · SP-578 (2.0L '20+) — gaps differ by engine |
| Engine air filter | 2016–19: FA-1908 (EcoBoost) / FA-1910 (2.5L) · 2020+: FA-1939 (1.5L, 2.0L) / FA-1948 (hybrid) |
| Cabin air filter | Motorcraft FP-70 (2016–2019) · FP-89 (2020–2024) |
| Wiper blades (Motorcraft, driver / passenger / rear) | 2016–19: WW-2750 / WW-2705 / WW-1106 · 2020+: WW-2502 / WW-2051 / WW-1112 |
| Fuel tank | 15.5 gal (2016–19, all) · 2020+: 14.8 gal (1.5L FWD) / 15.7 gal (AWD and 2.0L) / 14.3 gal (hybrid) / 11.1 gal (PHEV) |
| A/C refrigerant | R-134a (2016–2019) · R-1234yf (2020–2024) — different systems, not interchangeable |
Maintenance schedule highlights
| Item | Interval |
|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | Per Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor, max 10,000 mi / 1 yr (hybrids may stretch the miles, never the year) |
| Tire rotation | At every oil change |
| Cabin air filter | Every 20,000 mi |
| Engine air filter | Every 30,000 mi |
| Spark plugs | Every 100,000 mi (60,000 mi with towing/heavy use) |
| Timing belt — 1.5L 3-cyl ONLY (wet belt, runs in oil) | Every 150,000 mi per Ford's 2020+ schedule — and clean oil of the right spec is what keeps it alive that long |
| Transmission fluid (2020+ schedule) | Every 150,000 mi normal · every 30,000 mi with towing or heavy commercial use |
| Coolant (2020+ schedule) | First at 200,000 mi / 10 yr, then every 100,000 mi / 5 yr |
| Brake fluid (2020+ schedule) | Every 3 years |
Exact products for this vehicle
- Motorcraft 5W-20 synthetic blend, 5-qt + 1 (most engines) / 5W-30 for the 2.0L EcoBoost / 0W-20 full synthetic for the hybrid ↗
- Oil filter: Motorcraft FL-910S — remarkably, one filter fits every Escape engine from 2016 to 2024 ↗
- Coolant: Motorcraft Orange VC-3DIL-B (2016–2019) or Motorcraft Yellow VC-13DL-G (2020–2024) — match the era, never mix ↗
- Torque wrench for the lug recheck — 100 lb-ft front and rear, both generations ↗
- 6-qt drain pan + funnel — the biggest fill here is 5.7 quarts ↗
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DIY oil change — quick steps
-
1 Set up
Park level, engine warm (not hot). Hybrids: make sure the vehicle is fully OFF, not in ready-to-drive EV silence — the engine can start on its own. Pull the dipstick now so the crankcase vents while draining.
-
2 Drain
Remove the drain plug and let it drain 5+ minutes. Fit a new washer if your plug uses one and snug it without leaning on it — these are aluminum pans.
-
3 Filter and refill
Every Escape engine in this span uses the same Motorcraft FL-910S filter — one part number from a 2016 2.5L to a 2024 hybrid. Oil the gasket, hand-tighten 3/4 turn past contact. Then refill with YOUR engine's capacity and viscosity — this lineup spans 4.3 to 5.7 quarts and three different grades, so the engine cover sticker and dipstick are your tiebreakers.
-
4 Verify and reset
Run a minute (hybrids: select a climate setting that forces the engine on, or use the maintenance mode), check for leaks, recheck the level after settling. Reset the Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor through the cluster menu and change again within a year even if the miles are low — especially on the 1.5L three-cylinder, whose timing belt lives in that oil.
Common problems on this vehicle
Cracked fuel injectors on the 1.5L 3-cyl — recalls 22S73, 24S16, 25S76 (2020–2024)
Ford recalled about 522,000 vehicles (2020–2023 Escape and 2021–2023 Bronco Sport with the 1.5L three-cylinder) under recall 22S73 / NHTSA 22V-859 because a fuel injector can crack and leak gasoline onto hot engine surfaces — Ford counted dozens of under-hood fires. The first remedy was a drain tube plus leak-detection software, not new injectors; follow-up campaigns (24S16 for 2022–2024 builds, then 25S76 in 2025 covering roughly 700,000 vehicles) kept widening and revising the fix. If you own or are shopping any 1.5L Escape, run the VIN at NHTSA.gov and make sure every open campaign is closed — and take any fuel smell seriously.
Related code: P0300
Coolant intrusion on the 2017–2019 1.5L four (and its EcoBoost siblings)
The 2017–2019 Escape's 1.5L EcoBoost four (not the 2020+ three-cylinder) is part of the well-documented EcoBoost coolant-intrusion problem: coolant seeps into the cylinders past the head gasket area of the open-deck block, causing unexplained coolant loss, white exhaust smoke, misfires and in bad cases a hydrolocked or overheated engine. Ford ran Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 (a one-time free 1.5L short-block repair, 7 years/84,000 miles), and a class-action settlement later extended coverage further. If your 2017–2019 1.5L drinks coolant with no visible leak, document it and talk to a Ford dealer before the engine fails — and check the reservoir at every fill-up.
Related code: P0171
The wet timing belt in the 2020+ 1.5L three-cylinder — oil discipline is not optional
The 2020+ 1.5L EcoBoost three-cylinder uses a belt-in-oil ('wet belt') timing drive: the belt runs inside the engine, bathed in engine oil. Ford's own 2020+ maintenance schedule lists timing belt replacement at 150,000 miles — a real line item, not lifetime. The catch with wet belts industry-wide is that old, degraded or off-spec oil attacks the belt; shed rubber can then clog the oil pickup. The defense is boring: the correct spec (WSS-M2C945-B1 / WSS-M2C960-A1 5W-20), changed on time, every time, with the one-year cap respected. On a wet-belt engine, a skipped oil change is a timing-component decision.
6F35 torque converter shudder (2016–2019)
The 6F35 six-speed behind every 2016–2019 Escape engine has a long public record of torque-converter trouble: shudder around 30–50 mph that feels like driving over rumble strips, vibration in Drive or Reverse at idle, and in worse cases slipping with transmission codes. Ford addressed it in service bulletins (TSB 19-2100 among them) — the usual outcomes are a fluid service, reprogramming, or torque converter replacement; there has been no recall. Two habits help: never put anything but Mercon LV in it, and consider a drain-and-fill every 35,000–60,000 miles instead of waiting for Ford's 150,000-mile schedule.
Related code: P0741
Escape PHEV high-voltage battery recalls (2020–2024)
The plug-in hybrid has been through a series of high-voltage battery recalls: 24S79 / NHTSA 24V-954 (2020–2024 Escape PHEV) addressed battery cells that can short internally and vent heat — risking a fire — initially with monitoring software, and later campaigns in 2025–2026 (NHTSA 25V-789 and 26V-091, with Lincoln Corsair PHEVs) returned to the same defect, at times telling owners to limit charging while a hardware fix was developed. The regular (non-plug-in) hybrid is not part of these battery campaigns. If you own an Escape PHEV, check your VIN at NHTSA.gov and follow Ford's current charging guidance to the letter.
Codes this vehicle is known for
Recall results below are shown for 2024 models — check your exact year with the free VIN tool.
Open recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…
Service bulletins (TSBs)
Manufacturer communications and technical service bulletins for this vehicle are available on NHTSA’s site:
View TSBs on NHTSA.gov ↗Frequently asked questions
- How much oil does the Escape 1.5L EcoBoost take?
- Careful — there are two completely different 1.5L Escapes. The 2017–2019 1.5L is a four-cylinder and takes about 4.3 quarts of 5W-20. The 2020–2024 1.5L is a three-cylinder and takes 5.3 quarts of 5W-20. A full quart separates them, so the year matters more than the displacement here.
- Is the 2020+ Escape 1.5L timing belt or chain?
- Belt — and a special one: a wet belt that runs inside the engine, lubricated by the engine oil. Ford's 2020+ maintenance schedule prints its replacement at 150,000 miles. Wet belts live and die by oil quality, so the right 5W-20 spec and on-time changes matter more on this engine than on almost anything else Ford sells.
- Which transmission fluid does my Escape use?
- By generation: every 2016–2019 Escape uses the 6F35 six-speed with Mercon LV; the 2020–2024 gas models use 8-speed automatics (8F24 or 8F35) and the hybrid uses the HF45 eCVT — all on Mercon ULV (XT-12-QULV). LV and ULV are NOT interchangeable; ULV is much thinner and the wrong fluid can damage either transmission.
- What color coolant does the Escape use?
- Motorcraft Orange (WSS-M97B44-D2) in 2016–2019; Motorcraft Yellow (WSS-M97B57-A2) from the 2020 redesign on. They're different chemistries — never mix them, and let the reservoir cap and your manual settle any doubt. The hybrid additionally has a separate low-temperature loop for the battery and electronics, also Yellow.
- What's the Escape lug nut torque?
- 100 lb-ft (135 N·m) on M12×1.5 studs — and unusually, that's true for BOTH generations, 2016 through 2024. Ford asks you to retorque within 100 miles of any wheel removal.
- Does the 2017–2019 Escape 1.5L have a coolant loss problem?
- It's one of the engines named in the EcoBoost coolant-intrusion saga: coolant can seep into the cylinders, showing up as an always-low reservoir, white smoke and misfires. Ford's CSP 21N12 offered a free one-time short-block repair for 7 years/84,000 miles, and a class settlement later extended coverage. If yours loses coolant with no visible leak, get it documented at a dealer before it becomes an engine.
- Was the Escape 1.5L recalled for fires?
- Yes — the 2020–2023 Escape (and 2021–2023 Bronco Sport) with the 1.5L three-cylinder was recalled under 22S73 / NHTSA 22V-859 for fuel injectors that can crack and leak fuel onto hot surfaces, with follow-up campaigns 24S16 and 25S76 expanding the fix through 2025. Run your VIN at NHTSA.gov; the repair is free.