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, Feb 7, 2023
Garage kept and WELL maintained escape threw one code on February 4th,2023. Code said High engine temp. Come to a safe stop! We only rode less than 300 feet and immediately called for a tow truck. Had it hauled to dealer (Haag Ford in Lawrenceburg, IN). Engine was pronounced dead by salesperson and maintenance staff. Said car was in limp mode and antifreeze was in the engine. Car only had 87,000 miles on it. No other warning for this COMPLETE engine failure
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light would illuminate, the vehicle would drive rough and would not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the coolant had intruded into the engine. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under the Manufacturer’s Special Coverage for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 28,795.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the engine was misfiring, and the vehicle was shuddering. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the cylinders were misfiring. The independent mechanic cleared the diagnostic tests codes. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated two weeks later. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the diagnostic test codes were cleared for a second time. Additionally, the independent mechanic informed the contact that the coolant level was low, and the coolant reservoir was refilled; however, the failure persisted. The independent mechanic informed the contact that coolant was leaking into the engine. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that it was a known failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
Engine, Jan 30, 2023
I have a 2017 Ford Escape EcoBoost 2.0L vehicle. We had engine issue with coolant disappearing and engine misses at idle and Excelleration. We took it a local Ford dealer and they diagnosed coolant in cylinders 2 & 3. They informed us the engine could not be repaired and said we needed a new engine and turbo, so we had the replacement done. I later found out this issue has plagued Ford since 2013 and they still sold it to me. The repair cost me $7800.00. See attached recall information I found on the 1.5L EcoBoost engine they are doing but nothing so far on my 2.0L. This is nitpicking. It was very hard coming up with that money when it should have been recalled. This was the only car we have. Please help!!! I have also notified the Bureau of Automotive Repair of California of the issue and they said to also file a complaint with your department. Thanks for any help you can provide.
Engine, Jan 24, 2023
The vehicle with 85,000 miles began burning coolant at a rate of nearly 1 gallon every 3 weeks with an associated Cylinder 3 misfire code from an OBD 2 reader. Attempted to get the car looked at Nov of 22 and was unable to get appointment until Jan 23. Ford diagnosed a cylinder block crack causing coolant to enter cylinder and burn coolant. Ford says it requires an entire engine replacement at a cost of 10000 dollars to us and is not covered in any way by the manufacturer. This is a documented issue in Ford TSBs which are linked to premature failure of engines due to a manufacturing design flaw of the engine block. This is a safety issue as an engine burning coolant is likely to overheat and fail leading to traffic and passenger safety concerns in addition to potential engine component fires. This has not been inspected by police or insurance.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Jan 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and stalled. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact restarted the vehicle after several attempts. The contact continued driving however, the failure recurred. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle restarted after several attempts. The contact stated that upon arriving at her son's residence, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that coolant was leaking into the engine and there was coolant intrusion in the engine oil. The independent mechanic diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced and the failure was related to an unknown Ford Technical Service Bulletin. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 141,620
Engine, Jan 23, 2023
Purchased in March 2022 at approximately 47,000 miles on it. Drove until November 2022 with 59,802. The following occurred prior to stopping operation of the vehicle. Started running sluggish. Noted temperature starting to increase. Noted coolant empty, refilled and continued to drive vehicle. Then shortly after noticed the check engine light was on and white smoke upon start up. Engine light on reports misfire cylinder 3. Had compression test done as it was losing coolant again. Pressure test showed leaking of coolant into cylinder 2 and 3. Stopped driving vehicle. Spoke to Ford to see if they could help, was advised to take to a Ford dealership. Ford dealership reports the same findings leaking coolant in the cylinder 2 and 3, engine needs replaced costing over $8,000. Spoke to Ford again reports that repairs will be paid for as it is still under powertrain warranty. This was also reported to the Ford dealership, so they ordered the engine. When engine arrives was told in fact it was not covered under warranty and the Ford representative "miscalculated" and they were "sorry" but there is nothing they can do. Dealership also filed a complaint/goodwill request on my behalf which was declined because "I'm not a loyal Ford customer" as it's my first, now last Ford vehicle. Ford is aware of this engine issue as they have a TSB out about released in June 2022 but have failed to do anything about. As I should not be replacing an engine under 60,000 miles let alone if I continued to drive and have my motor seize up. They are so much aware of the issue they changed the design of the engine. It's not fair to consumers to have Ford not taking responsibility for their mistakes/misinformation. Also was informed the have my correspondence with the representative stating it was covered and they'd pay for it but they will not provide me with copies.
Steering, Power train, Engine, Jan 23, 2023
I am reporting coolant leaking into my engine causing my engine to lock up at around 75k to 80k miles. Torque converter needing to be replaced at around 80k miles. Torque converter clutch solenoid needing replacement at 80k miles. Rear CV joint axel needing replacement at 85k miles. Control arm replacement at 100k miles. The only recall is the transmission bushing, in which I haven’t fixed because I can’t move my vehicle out of my driveway. I have spend almost the same amount on this vehicle repairing it that I owe. The vehicle in a whole needs to be recalled. They are not safe and very costly in the long run. I am not happy with only 2 recalls being reported on this vehicle because I’ve read over 600 reviews with the same known problems and nothing has been done about it! If ford isn’t going to fix the known issues then the NHTSA needs to help the consumers and report these issues!
Engine, Jan 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the short block and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
Engine, Jan 20, 2023
My car,s engine went with low miles and only 6 years old due to a defect with engine the coolant goes into the engine . Ford knows about this went and did research and I see other people have Same problem. Customer service make promises they cannot keep. After two weeks waiting for someone to sign off to pay half I decided to let someone else fix it. I just want to warn people about the problem with the car.
Engine, Jan 19, 2023
car was overheating, added coolant, brought vehicle to service center, diagnosed with a blown head gasket requiring total engine replacement
Engine, Jan 19, 2023
The contact's father owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his father was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was white smoke coming from the engine compartment with the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle experienced rough driving. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion and engine failure. The dealer replaced the engine. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN for the failure. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 19-2346 (Coolant in Cylinders, White Exhaust Smoke) however, the vehicle was not covered by the TSB. The failure mileage was 70,986.
Electrical system, Engine, Jan 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while pulling out of a parking lot, the vehicle shuddered and lunged forward. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the failure recurred, and the vehicle stalled while exiting the highway. The contact veered to the side of the road and restarted the vehicle. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the Auto START/STOP feature engaged independently whenever the failure occurred. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000. The contact was instructed by the dealer to drive the vehicle for 100 miles to reset the components. However, the vehicle only made it about two blocks from the dealership before losing engine power again. The vehicle still remains at the dealership as it is still undiagnosed and unsafe to drive.
Power train, Wheels, Engine, Jan 12, 2023
The engine light comes on it doesn’t act like it wants to run the gears won’t shift and it loses power and doesn’t want to go just about got hit because it went from 35mph to 5mph in seconds without me giving warning by hitting my brakes and it makes a loud sound when running and a loud knock sound on right front side where wheel is they say it’s safe to drive but no it’s really not
Engine, Jan 11, 2023
Service engine soon lamp came on. Didn't notice any issues with the car and drove it home. Next morning the car seemed to start a little hard. Took into the dealership and was told that it was a misfire in cylinder #2 caused by leakage of engine coolant into the cylinder and requires a total replacement of the long block of the engine for roughly $7500. Did some internet research and this appears to be a known issue with the engine with no assistance or recourse from Ford. No apparent fix for the problem without replacement of the engine. This could cause seizing of the engine and could be a safety issue if the engine would seize during driving.
Power train, Engine, Jan 6, 2023
The contact's son-in-law owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while he was driving at various speeds, an abnormal cranking noise was coming from the vehicle. The contact also noticed there was an unknown fluid leak underneath the engine compartment. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was discovered that the flex plate had fractured, causing the torque converter and transmission to fail. The contact was then informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred her to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Engine, Jan 3, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact received an unknown recall notice however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Engine, Dec 21, 2022
I was stopped at a red light, in Drive, when the car suddenly died. All the screens went black and the engine cut. I was also unable to use my electric locks or hazard lights. The car was eventually jumped, driven to a mechanic for the alternator and battery checked, with battery changed. Since receiving my car back with new battery, the media console does not work. Buttons illuminate but don't do anything, screen only shows time/date/temperature and backup camera. No SYNC, radio, bluetooth, CDs. Ford support attempted multiple resets with no change.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Dec 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the vehicle nearly stalled and was idling rough for approximately 15 minutes; after which, the vehicle operated normally. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had driven the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant had leaked into cylinder #4. The coolant caused cylinder #4 misfire. Additionally, the spark plug was corroded. The mechanic determined that the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The independent mechanic related the failure to manufacturer Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement). The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.
Engine, Dec 19, 2022
2017 Ford Escape 2.0 liter with approx 23K miles has coolant leaking into the engine cylinder. Ford is repairing the 1.5 liter engine for same problem when outside of original warranty under customer satisfaction program 21N12 but will not honor making same repairs for 2.0 cylinder engine. Engine is at risk of overheating and failing. Customer has to pay for full cost of long block replacement engine to resolve the issue. Ford corporate blankly states they will not cover the cost of engine replacement as they do with the 1.5 liter even though they have issued Dealer TSB 22-2220 advising dealers to replace the 2.0 when covered under original factory warranty.
Engine, Dec 17, 2022
The engine failed causing driving to be erratic due to engine surges and loss of power. This created safety issues for myself and others. Called to get serviced June 15 and the next available appointment was July 7. The car went out of warranty between June 15 and July 7. Dealer confirmed that the engine needed to be replaced because the radiator fluid was leaking into it. The check engine light came on, went to AutoZone and they referred me to dealer resulting in the June 15 call.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 15, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the engine started to misfire and started losing motive power. The contact stated that the check engine and Service Engine Now warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to a local dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine malfunction was caused by coolant leaking into cylinder #2. The mechanic determined that the engine short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 89,600.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that cylinder #4 was misfiring, and that coolant was leaking into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 81,005.
Engine, Dec 11, 2022
Firstly, this story will not surprise the NHTSA since the issue that plagued me has plagued many. It's clear that complaints started in 2010 & lead to Reed et al. v. Ford Motor Company. On the evening of September 18, 2022 my check engine light illuminated. I parked it/left it in front of my house that night, all day on September 19, 2022 & then was barely able to get to Perry Ford (Santa Barbara, CA) on September 20, 2022. There were no lead ups, no other warning lights, no increase in temperature, no messages - overall no other symptoms. One mile out from the dealership, the steering starting locking up & it started aggressively chugging. Luckily, I was on surface streets because it was dark out, there were cars honking at me & trying to go around me. I dropped my key & some details in the Early Bird drop box. A rep told me over the phone that I needed a new engine. He talked in circles & used the phrase - “coolant intrusion.” He gave me a $10K figure, so I had more questions. At the dealership & before I had read hundreds of accounts of the same EXACT issue from other Ford owners, I asked a different service rep about the absurdly inadequate warning system & the likelihood of this happening to an engine with 36K miles on it. He said, “This happens to this car a lot. We have a lot of these on the lot right now for this. I even had a girl in here a few weeks ago with the same thing that only had 10K miles on here car.” He also used the phrase “coolant intrusion.” I asked for a diagnostic report - I never got one. I asked for a lead time, I got 3 different answers. They ordered a new long block engine & 63 days later, my car was ready. The final invoice is attached you may also find it “funny” that the service notes say "low on coolant" - of course the level was low because it had intruded my engine prior to their inspection. By submitting this report, I would not only like to recuperate my money, but I would like to see Ford be held responsible.
Engine, Dec 8, 2022
There is coolant seeping into the number 2 Cylinder. It is a known issue on other models in the same model Year.