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
Other or unspecified, Engine, Dec 9, 2024
Check engine light came on while normal driving on highway and car immediately started running rough, power cutting out, engine sputtering. I immediately exited highway & pulled into a Ford dealership that was right off the highway. They hooked up a code reader & got a P0301 code error, misfire in cylinder 1. They said it could be a number of things wrong but couldn't get my car in shop for 2 weeks. Replaced spark plugs& coil, no difference, checked fuel injection & pressure seemed ok. Did some research found that there is a known issue with the 2017 escapes 1.5 liter eco boost turbo engines involving coolant leaking into cylinders causing the same exact problem I am experiencing with my vehicle. I have done regular oil changes & other maintenance on the vehicle since purchasing in 2020 and haven't had any problems really other than having to replace the water pump prematurely in my opinion at much higher costs than I have ever seen for such repair. I still owe a decent amount in the vehicle and this break engine issue is a great hardship to me personally as it is my only vehicle and is greatly hindering my ability to travel to & from work. I cannot afford a high repair bill and by my research I'm looking at a minimum of $750 and possible engine replacement at estimated $10,000 which is more than I owe & more than the car's estimated value. Ford has always been my family's preferred choice of vehicles so I'm counting on that confidence in Ford motor co to determine if my vehicle could indeed be included among the models affected by the published recalls on the 2017 escapes so that my vehicle can be repaired at no costs and I can get back on the road and otherwise avoid losing my job & having to voluntarily surrender the vehicle in lieu of repossession. I understand that repairs are sometimes required but the issue with my vehicle seems sudden with no prior warnings and with so many same model & year escapes having the exact same problem a recall seems very likely.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, there was an engine misfire. Additionally, the contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where the DTC code was cleared. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to another dealer and DTC code: P0301 (Cylinder #1 Misfire) was retrieved. The dealer determined that cylinder #1 had misfired due to coolant intrusion and informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.
Engine, Dec 9, 2024
Internal coolant leak into engine
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate, and the vehicle was driving rough. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that there was coolant inside the engine. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer who confirmed that the failure was caused by coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was advised that the engine long block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 62,000.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 8, 2024
-PURGE VALVE SOLENOID REPLACED TWICE FOR EVAP SYSTEN, CODE 1450 OCCURED 01/05/2021 & 05/14/2021 AND -LEAK IN RADIATOR, UNKNOWN IF BLOWN GASKET. RECEIVED MESSAGE “HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURE STOP SAFELY” WITH ZERO RADIATOR FLUED IN TANK OCCURED 11/2/202. THIS HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED BUT I HAVE BEEN AWARE OF CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT RELATED TO THIS ISSUE.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust. In addition, the contact stated that the coolant level was low. The contact stated that occasionally when the vehicle was started, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that in 2022, the vehicle was repaired under the Customer Satisfaction Program: 19B37. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact had researched Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12; however, the contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under the program. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
Engine, Dec 6, 2024
UNKOWN Was Driving my sons car to dealership, because there was an oil leak and transmission fluid leak. I checked the levels before i left and made sure everything was up to the required levels. After leaving it, I got a call a few days later and they told me they were surprised the car didn't catch on fire due to how bad the issue was. The dealership called in the warranty claim to car shield which I have a contract with and they told me it was denied because there was a technical service bulletin number 22-2229 released on June 9'th 2022 stating the following "Summary This article supersedes TSB 22-2133 to update the Parts List. Issue: Some 2015-2018 Edge and 2017-2019 Fusion/MKZ/Escape/MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit a low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or a runs rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL). Diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) may include P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to coolant intrusion into the cylinder. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure to replace the long block engine assembly." Carshield told me the reason there wasn't a recall about this was because there are no safety concerns with this type of issue, but as I was told by the dealership they were surprised my car didn't explode as I was driving it there, I thought I should make you aware of this before a serious accident really does happen to someone. I feel there should be a recall out on this vehicle to address the issue before someone does get hurt. I am not happy with Carshield obviously, because they denied my claim for something I feel should be covered, but I feel this is a serious safety concern for individuals trying this type of vehicle. Thank you
Engine, Dec 6, 2024
In October, 2023 and issue with car just shutting off (no warning) in middle of road. Garage said possibly a thropple. After that nothing. October 2024 car shutting off again in middle of road . Garage can not find the problem. Meter just goes wacky. Please check in to this. Awaiting your reply.
Engine, Dec 4, 2024
Vehicle had coolant intrusion in the engine causing irreversible engine damage as diagnosed by a Ford dealership's service department. Apparently this is a well known issue on these Escapes. Ford states that although there are some recalls on this vehicle for this issue, they are only covering certain VINs. I was advised by others to submit my information here in hope of Ford expanding coverage for this faulty engine. We are left with a paperweight as a result of faulty engineering and pitiful customer service.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 4, 2024
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 the dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant was leaking into the engine, causing head gasket failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and referred the contact to the manufacturer for additional assistance. 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 68,898. The VIN was not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe at start-up. The contact stated that the check engine and "Vehicle Overheating" messages were displayed. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion into cylinder #4. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but offered no assistance; the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.
Engine, Dec 4, 2024
Our 2017 ford escape is experiencing an engine coolant intrusion and causing issues with vehicles handling a performance. Our vehicle is well maintained and only 72000 miles on it. This is a known issues with the eco boost engine and is currently a class action lawsuit against ford for other vehicles with a different VIN than the one we own. Our vehicle is meeting all the requirements but is not covered.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 3, 2024
The contact owns 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption, and there was white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe while starting the vehicle and while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that the engine was running rough, and the vehicle almost stalled while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the coolant hoses, the radiator cap, the spark plugs, the ignition coils, and other unknown parts were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the engine was running rough and the vehicle almost stalled. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal simultaneously, the contact was able to continue driving; however, the failure recurred and the vehicle almost stalled while decelerating. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under Ford Campaign Number: 21N12. The failure mileage was approximately 185,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine, and several other unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and turned off. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had seized due to coolant intrusion and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Engine, Dec 2, 2024
There was a coolant leak in to the engine that caused a head gasket issue. When we got the headgasket replaced, a month and a half later the same issue came back but this time it caused a crack in the engine block and we're now being told we need a new engine. The car only has 83000 miles on it.
Engine, Dec 2, 2024
Engine service lights on and overheated. Replaced fan clutch, but same issue a week later. Repair shop stated coolant leaked into cylinder, needs engine replaced. I see online that others have had the same issue with 2017 Ford Escapes. I checked with Ford, they said to reach out to you for financial assistance as a safety issue since it is a known issue. Also seen a Ford technical bulletin 19-2139 dated November 21, 2019 for the issue.
Engine, Dec 2, 2024
An internal coolant leak has caused the engine to fail and the dealer is quoting nearly $7,000 for a new front block. A quick Google search indicates this is a known and common problem with this model/year Escape. This vehicle has less than 40,000 miles on it but Ford is not willing to assume any responsibility. Based on our experience and the well-documented issues online, we believe the manufacturer should be required to implement a recall and cover repair costs for this issue.
Engine, Dec 1, 2024
2017 Ford Escape with 66,000 miles, garage kept, well maintained. My steering wheel started to shake when shifting from park to drive but after idling for 30 seconds in park it was perfectly fine. Check engine light comes on, take it to a Ford dealer and they tell me the engine has a small coolant leak and the shaking was because the coolant was soaking a spark plug and it was burning it off. They told me the only repair they could do was replacing the engine for $10,000 or I could trade it/sell it to them and get $2,500 for it. And it is not covered by warranty and not recalled, but a known issue in these models/years. In this day and age a car should last more than 7 years and I’m not sure I understand if it’s a known issue why it isn’t recalled. Now I’m expected to pay out for something that was an engine defect and nothing I did/created as the driver. We are taking the $2,500 and never buying a Ford again.
Engine, Nov 30, 2024
On start-up the check engine light came on and the vehicle will vibrate at lower speeds, such as within a neighborhood. When going faster, it seems like it would act more normal. Took it into the dealer on 11/18/24. Dealer points out that this engine has a common known problem. Same applies to the year/make/model/engine which is on recall for coolant intrusion cylinder 3. However, my vin does not show this recall. The fix would be TSB 22-2229.
Engine, Nov 29, 2024
Engine Failure on the 2.0 Ecoboost Engine. Vehicle only had 57,000 miles on it, but the warranty was not honored since it was past the 5 years, but it was less miles than the 60K warranty. I see that this is a recurring problem and I wanted to add my vehicle to the list of complaints. This vehicle should have been part of a recall.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 28, 2024
The oil pump failed due to the coolant intrusion into the engine, causing low pressure and sludge. My mechanical breakdown warranty inspected it and will not cover the replacement due to the sludge. The check engine light came on and off after I hit 70000 miles, and I was alerted to a recall when I got my last oil change in March of 2024, but the Ford dealership stated I had no warranty and no recall to address.
Engine, Nov 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an engine misfire and the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact noticed white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed due to coolant intrusion. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under Ford Campaign Number: 19B37. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer informed the contact of Ford Campaign Number: 21N12; however, the vehicle was not covered. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
Engine, Nov 26, 2024
Engine design is flawed and has a known coolant intrusion into the cylinders. Ford only issued a tsb for this and not recall. I’m the second owner so I have no way to remedy this now as the mileage is over what ford offers. Ford should be covering their bad design. At this point I’m stuck with it since it would cost me about the cost of what I paid for this vehicle.
Engine, Nov 26, 2024
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The engine has failed at 79k miles due to coolant intrusion into the cylinder. The catalytic converter has also failed and needs to be replaced as a direct correlation. Yes it is available for inspection upon request in the near term, as it is currently at the Ford service center. The scope of the problems either match directly or are very similar to Ford's Technical Service Bulletin 22-2229 and/or 22-2134. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The check engine light indicator was only illuminated for 2-3 days before service. The severity of potential engine failure as well as loss of coolant could cause an engine fire that puts my family at significant risk and danger. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes confirmed by both and independent service center as well as a dealer. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? A check engine warning lamp appeared briefly in late July 2024, for ~1 day, before no longer showing. The check engine reappeared for 2-3 days in mid November 2024, and was then immediately scheduled for inspection at my nearest service center.
Engine, Nov 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle stalled, with the "Engine Error Fault" message displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were intermittently illuminated, and the infotainment screen was inoperable. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 142,000.