P0302 on a Ford Escape
P0302 means cylinder 2 Misfire Detected. On the Escape, a few causes come up far more than others.
What P0302 usually means on a Escape
P0302 points the misfire at cylinder 2. As with any single-cylinder Escape misfire, the odds favor that cylinder's coil or plug, with injectors and, on the 1.6L EcoBoost, coolant intrusion as secondary considerations. The classic test is to move the coil to another cylinder and watch whether the misfire migrates. Keeping the diagnosis focused on cylinder 2 usually makes for a straightforward, low-cost fix.
Most common causes on the Escape
- Ignition coil failure on cylinder 2
The leading cause of an isolated misfire on the Escape. Swap-testing the coil confirms it fast.
- Worn spark plug on cylinder 2
A degraded plug misfires under load; replacement is inexpensive on all Escape engines.
- Injector problem on cylinder 2
A dirty or leaking injector on the EcoBoost engines skews fueling to that cylinder and sets the code.
- Compression loss on cylinder 2
A leaking valve or, on a 1.6L EcoBoost with coolant intrusion, a damaged cylinder causes a misfire that ignition parts will not fix; verify with a compression test.
What P0302 costs to fix on a Escape
A coil and plug for cylinder 2 is a modest repair on any Escape. The cost only escalates if the cause is compression-related or, on the 1.6L EcoBoost, tied to coolant intrusion and head damage. Rule out the cheap ignition items first before considering anything internal.
Fixing it
Move the cylinder-2 coil to another position and retest. If the misfire follows the coil, replace it; if it stays, check the plug and injector, and on a 1.6L confirm the cooling system is healthy.
For the full step-by-step diagnosis order (any vehicle), see the main P0302 guide.
Year, engine and mileage change the answer. Start a case and Redline weighs these causes against what your car shows, then names the check that would settle it.
Other codes on the Ford Escape
Related symptoms
Ford Escape problems & recalls by year
Based on widely reported patterns for this model; individual causes vary by year, engine and history. Generic P0302 behavior is covered on the main P0302 page. Confirm with a scan tool before buying parts.
P0302 on your Escape?
Every problem becomes a Case. Tell Redline what your Escape is doing: it shows what the evidence supports, what’s still missing, and what to check next, before you approve a repair.
“Inner pad ~1 mm. Outer pad 3 mm.”
Next: check the slide pins move freely before buying parts.