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, Jun 1, 2024
2017 Ford Escape 1.5L Ecoboost engine. Two mechanics verify coolant leak in the engine block. This failure is addressed by Ford CSP 21N12 which covers engine replacement for vehicle less than 7 years and 84k miles. The CSP was issued June 2022 but "expired" November 2022 so Ford will not honor the cost of repairs even though my vehicle meets the criteria.
Engine, May 31, 2024
Coolant intrusion - confirmed by a Ford dealer. After researching, I discovered this is a KNOWN ISSUE with these vehicles, but not yet covered by a recall. I may have to pay $8000 for a new engine. Please add me to the list of Escape owners with this problem. And TRY to get Ford to issue a recall!! Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, May 31, 2024
Engine failed. Coolent detected in Cylinder. Code # PO302 Mis fire detected.Coolent resovoir Low. Infra-red Tested HC 985PP, CO 0.91%. Vehicle chugs during acceleration and is hard to start at times.Vehicle is covered underTSB 22-2229 Issued on June 9 2022.
Engine and engine cooling, May 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the message that the engine was overheating was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.
Engine, May 29, 2024
New engine is needed because of a known manufacturing default. There is a class action law suit filed in March of 2024 for this exact problem. The coolant leaks directly into the gasket due to a design flaw.
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, May 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated with an error message of "Vehicle Overheating – Turn Off Vehicle" prior to the engine overheating. The vehicle was able to be moved to the shoulder before the vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine, May 26, 2024
Engine failure. Yes - available for inspection. Also have inspection report and video of problem. Vehicle has 49,801 miles on it - check engine light came on. Took it in for service - code was for misfire. Spark Plugs were changed - misfire continued at shop - boroscope was done and it shows coolant intrusion in cylinder 3. Coolant intrusion significantly increases risk of engine failure, engine over heating and risk of fire. Therefore we were told that the vehicle cannot be driven. Per Fords June 2022 bulletin - to correct condition long block engine assembly needs to be replaced. According to Ford - this 2017 vehicle (engine manufacture date of [XXX]) does not qualify for recall repair. This is link to what was seen upon inspection - including video of coolant intrusion. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Engine, May 25, 2024
bought a used 2017 Ford escape Titanium in 2022 with 38k miles. Didn't know anything about the issues with the car. Fast forward 8 months ago I started smelling coolant out of my exhaust. Had a friend to check it and coolant levels were low and coolant found it's way into my engine oil. This was around 58k miles on the odometer. Fast forward again end of March 2024 my check engine light came on took it to dealership for a diagnostics. They kept my car all day just to tell me I need a new engine and turbo which would total 14k dollars.
Electrical system, Engine, May 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the instrument cluster was inoperable. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 15 MPH in a parking lot, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drove to the residence; however, the vehicle failed to exceed 10 MPH while driving. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that coolant intrusion had caused the engine block to overheat and to fracture. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist because the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.
Engine, May 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the was an abnormal clanking sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that while driving and attempting to slow at a traffic signal, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle was slow in responding. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle while the vehicle was still moving and applied the parking brake. The contact stated that when he attempted to restart the vehicle the vehicle failed to start. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The contact stated that the vehicle was not diagnosed, and the mechanic was not returning his calls. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
Engine, May 24, 2024
Coolant leak into engine. Was informed at Ford dealership that this is a known issue, but is not under recall
Vehicle speed control, Engine, May 23, 2024
2017 Ford Escape SE 4WD with a 4 CLYINDER D 1.5 DI TURBO engine. We purchased this vehicle used, in 2019 with 42,384 miles. We have kept up with all scheduled maintenance through the dealership. Until April of this year, we have had ZERO issues with this vehicle! First, the check engine light came on Upon starting, another warning "Engine Fault Service Now" would appear. Aside from the lights, the only initial indication something may be off was the "sloshing" noise that came from the engine after shutting it off. Initially, we took the car to our independent mechanic who informed us that the car was experiencing coolant intrusion into the engine and the only remedy would be to replace the engine. He shared with us that this type of engine is NOTORIOUS for this malfunction. Being as Darling's could not give us an appointment promptly, , we just kept checking the coolant levels and cautiously drove the vehicle. On May 3, I was driving when the dash lit up with "High Engine Temperature-stop safely" warnings and the gauge went from normal to all the way to H. We added coolant and this did not happen again. However, between May 3 and the date of our appointment at the dealership, May 17th, a host of new problems seemed to happen overnight. The car would not start several times both after being driven and sitting overnight. While backing down my driveway, the car stalled and wouldn't start again, luckily I wasn't in traffic. Right before our appointment and the final straw was when I was leaving for work. The car wouldn't start, so I left it for a few minutes and I was able to restart it. I drove down the street maybe a block away when all this white smoke filled the inside of the car along with pouring out the back exhaust. Darling's stated it "coded P0304, for a misfire on 4, coolant was entering cylinder 4, needs a motor". Cost to fix is more than what the car is worth and we still owe $4000 on it. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL?
Engine, May 22, 2024
I bought this vehicle at 150,000 miles from a reputable dealership only to drive it for 2 days and the engine light comes on. First it was spark plugs, then an intercooler leak, next the turbo, and now it’s on for a a multitude of codes. This is ridiculous! Ford needs to take responsibility for this mistake and recall the vehicles. I have been quoted for 10s of 1000s of thousands to fix these issues and I bought it for 17k.
Engine, May 22, 2024
Cylinder 2 misfire. Coolant and oil are leaking down cylinder number 2 causing it to misfire. This was diagnosed and confirmed by an independent service center. The engine was slipping which prompted the service appointment. Contacted Ford Motor Company and was advised to file this claim.
Engine, May 21, 2024
Vehicle started shaking a little upon cold start. This did not happen every day and would only do it when first started of a morning. Took for service and was told vehicle needs a new engine. No check engine lights ever came on and vehicle has had no other problems. We are shocked at this news! Researched and saw numerous reports of recalls, etc. on this particular model and engine. Never received any information about recall on our engine.
Power train, Engine, May 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle was revving as if the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact slowed down and depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle was jolting like shifting gear. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stopped the vehicle and had the vehicle towed to the residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
Engine, May 21, 2024
The contact's daughter owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on several occasions while his daughter was driving at various speeds, the engine ran rough, and the vehicle started shaking violently. On one occasion, the check engine warning light flashed. The vehicle stalled but was restarted after one attempt. The contact stated that violent shaking persisted. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where DTC code: 6006 was displayed. The contact was informed that cylinder #2 was misfiring and the contact was informed that the long block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,500.
Engine, May 21, 2024
Blown head gasket. Block corrosion
Engine and engine cooling, May 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the engine ran rough, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle shut off and failed to restart until after approximately five hours. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was observed that fluid was leaking from the engine block and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine, May 21, 2024
The check engine light continuously came on and would go off. I also noticed that the coolant was needing refilled extremely often. I took the car up to the check engine, light reader, and it informed me that cylinder was misfiring. I cleaned out them out using product from Autozone. There have been two incidents where my car overheated while driving when coolant was just refilled (within a month). After researching online, many others have this exact situation.
Engine, May 20, 2024
Check engine light came on, and then car started misfiring. Took it to dealership who stated coolant was leaking into the engine and was a result of TSB 22-2322. Technician said if the engine is not replaced it could result in engine malfunction such as overheating and leading up to a fire. Received an estimate of repair from the FORD dealership which confirms issues.
Engine, May 20, 2024
Driving to work and message pops up on the dash that says “High Engine Temperature Stop Safely”. I had the car towed and the engine likely has a coolant leak.
Engine, May 20, 2024
While I was driving on the highway at 70mph all of a sudden the car started to shake and slowed down, could not go over 35mph. At 91k miles, the car developed a misfire in coil 2. It was recommended to replace the spark plugs, which we did (all 4). The code received is P0302. Still having having issues, upon further testing, it was found that there is no compression in coil 2. After researching - there are tens of thousands of complaints of this same issue. Talking with a dealer, then to Ford's customer service, I was told there is nothing they can do. I need a new short block which will cost upwards of $8,000. This is a known issue with Ford and thousands of complaints, yet no recall has been done. Ford said the warranty is 7 years or 84,000. While I am within warranty for the years, I am just over the mileage. However, a car that is just at 90,000 miles and only one owner (myself), driven about 3-4 days a week for work should not be having this problem. There were NO notifications or messages that there was a problem. There still is NOT a check engine light or other notification. We had to have a scan put on it to learn of the P0302 misfire in coil 2. There is a class action lawsuit starting up and we will join.
Engine, May 20, 2024
Check engine light came on and vehicle idled roughly at start up. Diagnosed as bad ignition coil and spark plugs at the Ford dealership; those parts replaced. Within 2 months the same thing happened again and I noted the coolant level was low. Monitored over the next 2 months and noted a 1/2 inch drop in coolant level per month. Returned to Ford dealership with my concern that coolant maybe leaking into engine (only 38,435 miles on vehicle), Dealership confirmed diagnosis of coolant leaking into engine requiring engine to be replaced.
Engine, May 18, 2024
The exhaust for the engine is leaking into the coolant, the engine's head gasket is failing. There is a risk of engine fire. It is a known design flaw in regard to the 2.0L engine. The recall has not been expanded to Ford. The solution is engine replacement with a Long Block design. Which is saddling consumers with an $8,000 repair bill for Ford not owning up to its design flaw. Consumers should not be saddled with repair bills that are a direct result of poor design on the part of the manufacturer. Much less be worried that an engine may catch fire as a result of said poor design.