2017 Ford Escape
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 2,686 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 2nd highest complaint count among 26 Escape model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 39 involved a crash and 15 involved a fire. 56 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Visibility, power window devices and controlsJun 9, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Escape vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 16V617. The power-operated windows may exert excessive force when encountering an object, before they automatically reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
A closing window that does not reverse direction as expected can pinch a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will update the power window operating system software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 22, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C29. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6, 2026.
Campaign 26V374000 on NHTSA.gov
Equipment, electrical, engine block heaterJan 15, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.
Campaign 26V011000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, gear position indication (prndl)Jun 10, 2022
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
Campaign 22V413000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, power window devices and controlsAug 24, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2017 Ford Escape Titanium and SE vehicles manufactured October 5, 2015, to May 12, 2016. The settings for the closing-force of the power-operated windows may allow the windows to close on an object such as a body part and injure it before the windows auto-reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
If a window closes on a body part, it can increase the risk of injury.
Ford has notified owners, and dealers will update the power window operating system software, free of charge. The recall began on September 6, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C12.
Campaign 16V617000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
1,983 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine, Jan 10, 2025
Mechanics told us there is coolant leaking into the engine because of a crack in the engine because of a flawed engine design.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 10, 2025
The contact's partner owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon the start of the engine, the vehicle would shake when idle and while driving as the check engine light appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where they discovered a misfire in cylinder #1. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic where a pressure test was performed; the test showed that cylinder #1 was measuring below standard operation. The contact called a dealer and an appointment was made to have the vehicle inspected. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated when starting the vehicle, she noticed that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel was vibrating. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed and determined that coolant had intruded into the engine block and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed as coolant intrusion leaked into the cylinder which caused the engine to fail. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 119,000.
Engine, Jan 8, 2025
My 2017 Ford Escape experienced the same engine issue noted by many with Ford Escapes from 2012-2019. There is an issue where the engine block cracks and coolant leaks into the engine, ultimately requiring the engine and many other components be replaced. Our vehicle was serviced by Ford in July 2024 and we paid out of pocket for an engine diagnostic. This diagnostic resulted in a clean bill of health being reported for the engine, despite Ford knowing about the defects affecting this engine years earlier. By December 2024, the check engine light came on and when evaluated at both a Ford Service Center and independent auto mechanic, the resulting diagnosis was that the engine and many other components had to be replaced. The cost of this repair was to exceed $11,000 - none of which would be paid by Ford. This amount exceeded the value of the car at the time, resulting in a need to purchase a new vehicle without salvaging any value from the 2017 Ford Escape that only had 72,000 miles on it.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 35 MPH, the engine stalled, and all of the warning lights were illuminated. The contact proceeded to pull over onto the side of the road where she attempted to restart her vehicle however the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine had experienced coolant intrusion and would need to be replaced. The failure occurred on two separate occasions. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 176,510.
Engine, Jan 8, 2025
January 8, 2025 To the NHTSA: My wife, [XXX] and I, [XXX] , have a 2017 Ford Escape. We have been informed that our vehicle has a defective lower-engine block that is resulting in coolant seeping into the engine cylinders, which causes the engine to overheat. This damage can also result in the engine becoming completely destroyed. A fire can also result. Upon further investigation by ourselves, this defect can cause a fire and it poses a great risk to our health and safety. We read a litigation about affected consumer with this same issue and we also called a Ford Service Center in Minnesota. The service rep told us the issue is related to a faulty design in the bottom half of the engine block. Apparently there are grooves, that in some cases, allow coolant to seep in. The rep said Ford has given them a service bulletin which talks about the issues and the rep said Ford has "re-designed" their lower engine block as a replacement part for such vehicle in light of the issue. Our cost of replacing the lower engine block would be about $12,000, since our car has about 78,000 miles and is out of factory warranty. Ford should bear responsibility for this and should have caught this problem through its quality controls. While our car isn't burning coolant yet, we fear it's only a matter of time before we experience an issue that so many others have. We are extremely disappointed in Ford for this. We would like the NHTSA to force Ford Motor Company to do a recall for this. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the spark plug failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant intrusion leaked into the cylinder which caused the engine to fail. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 59,000.
Engine, Jan 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was jerking. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact's son replaced the ignition coils and spark plugs, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine oil intrusion into the cylinders. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 77,700.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 65 MPH, the engine hesitated prior to stalling and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact proceeded to pull over onto the side of the road, where the contact attempted to restart the vehicle but failed. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine was blown, due to coolant intrusion, and that the engine would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving on the highway at 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that her daughter was able to pull over onto the side of the road and restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle was driving at a reduced speed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence and then was towed to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was a coolant intrusion into the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,800.
Engine, Jan 6, 2025
Coolant intrusion. Ford “knows” of the issue but refuses to help. Engine needs replaced.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering and then lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with a cracked engine due to a leak in the eco-boost system. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer as the manufacturer had requested to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 52,488.
Engine, Jan 5, 2025
Coolant intrusion leak in 2017 ford escape. Common issue. Message display high engine temperature and fan is turning high.
Engine, Jan 5, 2025
The coolant was leaking into the injectors. Now my engine is totaled.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 3, 2025
My 2017 Ford Escape has a 1.5L EcoBoost engine that has been leaking fuel into my cylinders. My mechanic says I'm lucky it didn't cause a fire while I was driving it. Due to the damage, I now have to replace my long block engine, quoted at $11.2K. A week after I bought the car in late May 2024, the car began to smell of gasoline whenever I used my A/C, which I rarely do. A constant problem I've experienced since purchasing this car is misfiring, specifically cylinder two misfires. Ford needs to recall these engines, as I believe their design is faulty and these problems could have been prevented. The longer they refuse to acknowledge the problem they've caused, the more time unsuspecting people such as myself can drive around their new Fords and potentially have their cars burst into flames.
Engine, Jan 3, 2025
The engine blew up while driving down the road full of traffic. Smoke bellowed out of the back. I managed to move over 2 lanes to get out of the traffic into a parking light where it died. It could have been much worse as no one was hurt no colisions. we had it towed to by son's house who confirmed that a hole had been blown thru the block. It would not start. Pieces of metal and oil on the inside. It would of course not start. Other technicians have confirmed that there is a design fault in those engines that causes the engine to fail in this manner. There was mo previous warning , no oil or coolant leaks no warning signals.it is presently available for inspection but I have not taken it to a dealer because they have not offered any help other than oh well...my Vin has no recalls and they want $200 to look at it and $8500 to replace the motor. What are my options. I want to file a complaint at the least. If I get rod of the car I assume I will have no option but it's not worth that cost to repair it.
Engine, Jan 2, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH on the highway, the vehicle stopped unintendedly. The engine fault warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Jan 2, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled, with an engine misfire. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 1, 2025
My ford escape was diagnosed 12/31/2024 with a slight coolant intrusion. The dealership said my escape would require a new short block engine at the tune of $7555.28. I still owe $5800. I bought my car 12/2020 from a ford dealership with 3rd party extended warranty with 45k and now vehicle has 72k. Ive been having vehicle serviced at different ford dealership located closer to my house.
Engine, Jan 1, 2025
98 thousand miles Vin [XXX] I am the owner The car is being worked on at the Red engine company in Olney Maryland. The engine is in the state of repair For 2 weeks. I bought the car at white Marsh Ford dealership 4 yrs ago. Had extended Warranty, which has expired. I called ford 3 weeks ago about a engine procedure, not recall on this vehicle and they said the replacement was only for engines specifically made at a specific plant. My Vin number was not covered. I had to do something, so I contacted an engine specialist company to suggest a solution. I am retired, [XXX] and can not afford to purchase another car. I paid 17 thousand for this car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Dec 31, 2024
At 29,314 miles, we experienced total engine failure where cylinder #2 failed and the whole engine failed and needed replaced. This car had impeccable maintenance and engine failure was not due to lack of maintenance. This was an issue with the engine itself and should not have happened.
Engine, Dec 30, 2024
After 97,000 trouble free miles, the engine quit working. I took the car into the nearest Ford dealer service department. They concluded there was coolant intrusion to the cylinders, and I need to replace the motor with a long block. After looking into my issue I find this is a common and well documented issue with the Ford EcoBoost 3.0 engine. Ford customer service in Dearborn told me Ford knows about this issue but is offering no recalls at this time. I believe Ford should share some of the repair cost as this is an engine with a known faulty design, Thanks, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Dec 30, 2024
mode code P0316 (random misfire), coolant leaks into #1 and #3 cylinders, requires long block engine replacement.
Engine, Dec 30, 2024
Coolant is leaking internally into motor. All gaskets, seals, hoses and radiator are operational with no issues. This is a hazzard and could/will result in damage and potentially serious harm. Dealer has indicated everything checks out and leak is internal intrusion. This is a known issue with Ford and they are unwilling to correct