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 and engine cooling
508 reports, newest first. Show all
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 and engine cooling, Engine, Nov 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she attempted to turn on the heat; however, the heat failed to operate. The contact then stated that the temperature gauge started to increase and noticed that the engine had started to overheat. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the combustion system and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed to take the vehicle in to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.
Steering, Engine and engine cooling, Nov 16, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and overheated. Additionally, the steering wheel seized. The message that the engine was overheating and to pull over was displayed. The contact was able to pull over. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered and referred her to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 89,100.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 3, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his father was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle hesitated to respond. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local Pep Boys where it was diagnosed that cylinder #1 was misfiring. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where cylinder #1 coil pack was replaced; however, the failure recurred while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that his father noticed that the coolant temperature appeared higher than normal. Upon inspecting the coolant reservoir, the contact's father noticed that the coolant level was low. The contact's father refilled the coolant reservoir; however, the coolant level was low upon inspecting the coolant reservoir for the second time. The contact stated that his father then started the vehicle and noticed white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. The contact became aware of Ford Customer Satisfaction Campaign Numbers: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion) and 19B37 - Supplement #4 that he associated with the failure; however, the VIN was not included. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled for the vehicle to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed before consideration to provide assistance for the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to lose coolant. The contact checked and added additional coolant to the reservoir. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The parts were backordered, and the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who referred the contact to the dealer. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that assistance would be provided for the repair. The approximate failure mileage was 50,300.
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 27, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the engine misfired while driving at various speeds with the check engine warning light flashing on the instrument panel. The contact also noticed that the coolant was being consumed at an excessive rate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who discovered that coolant was leaking into cylinder #3. The contact was informed that the engine short block needed to be replaced. The dealer and the manufacturer were informed of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Sep 26, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was idling, the engine was running rough. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and then to an independent mechanic. The contact stated that there was no coolant in the vehicle. The contact stated that the coolant fluid bubbled over out of the hose. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the coolant leaked into the engine and the engine misfired and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case number was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 26, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon a cold start, the vehicle would hesitate or jerk upon depression of the accelerator pedal with an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was discovered that coolant had leaked into the engine cylinders; with the engine short block malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) warning light needing to be replaced. The contact was then informed that there was a warranty on the vehicle for the failure; however, the engine size was not included in the warranty. The manufacturer was notified of failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the engine was misfiring. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact, who is an independent mechanic, diagnosed that cylinder #2 was misfiring. Upon further investigation, the contact diagnosed that coolant was leaking from the radiator into cylinder #2. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact there was no recall associated with the failure. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring increasingly while driving. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 15, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the engine stalled. The vehicle was jerking and lunging forward. There was coolant flowing into the engine. There were unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that spark plugs and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 108,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Aug 5, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that there was a coolant leak; however, the mechanic was unable to repair the vehicle. The mechanic referred the contact to a dealer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Aug 2, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that cylinder #2 needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred with the vehicle experiencing rough starts. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the cylinder and 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. The failure mileage was approximately 83,750.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that there was an engine misfire while starting the vehicle. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that a family member inspected the vehicle and noticed that the coolant level was low and that coolant was leaking into the engine. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact called the dealer and explained the failure; however, the contact was informed that there was no need for a diagnostic test, due to the failure being a known issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 109,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 25, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle hesitated and the contact heard a sputtering sound from the engine. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact noticed that she had to refill the coolant reservoir repeatedly. The contact had driven the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed a misfire in one of the cylinders. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed; however, the dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the engine might need to be replaced. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 176,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal as the check engine light appeared on the instrument panel. Upon inspection of the vehicle, the contact's husband noticed that the antifreeze smelled like fuel. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent mechanic who discovered that antifreeze had leaked into the engine cylinder. The mechanic also found pieces of the piston inside the oil pan. The mechanic then had the vehicle towed to a dealer where the contact was given an estimate for the cost of a new engine. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 22, 2022
Engine developed a coolant leak that irreparably damaged the engine with 72,000 miles. The coolant leak is a known issue and Ford failed to inform consumers or offer a repair. The vehicle is inoperable and still has payments due on the loan.
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Jul 11, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the check engine warning light and the "Engine Fault Service Now" message was displayed. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the throttle body and crankshaft case pressure sensor were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 29,100.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 30, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was hot. Additionally, a warning chime sounded in the vehicle. The next day, the contact stated that the same failure occurred while driving 40 MPH. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and it was discovered that coolant had leaked into the engine cylinders. The contact then drove the vehicle to a dealer where they confirmed the failure and gave him an estimate for a new engine block. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 90,767.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 21, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact's wife was driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle started shaking and vibrating and was difficult to steer. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the vehicle had coolant leak into the cylinders. The dealer determined that the engine had to be replaced and related the failure to TSB 19-2208: 2.0 L Eco Boost - Coolant in Cylinders, White Exhaust Smoke. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 27, 2022
Ford ECO-Boost 2.0 engine has a cracked block, cylinder head, or blown head gasket at 76,200 miles. Car cut off while driving on the highway and I was almost hit in the rear end when trying to pull over. Engine light confirmed misfire in cylinder 1 and 2. Purcis Ford in Fredericksburg VA has confirmed the engine has water / antifreeze in the cylinders and needs replacement. They explained it's a common problem with this engine.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 30, 2022
The check engine light came on. I was told by my regular repair shop that there was a bulletin from Ford and I had to have it fixed by a dealer’s service department. I was then made aware by the Ford dealer’s service department that coolant had leaked into the engine and destroyed it leading to the engine needing to be replaced. My car is 5 years old with 79,000 miles. This is unacceptable. Initially the dealer told me I would have to pay $8600 to have my car fixed. I still owe $7500 on the car. Ultimately, Ford agreed to part of the cost but I am still out of $3300 for the repair and this should not have happened.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 26, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to start with no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle eventually started with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with a spark plug failure and the check engine light was turned off. The dealer informed her to drive the vehicle and if the warning light illuminated again to bring the vehicle back to the dealer. The check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The contact stated that she was driving and the coolant light illuminated. The contact stopped and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that coolant was added to the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was diagnosed with coolant leaking into the piston. The contact stated that the manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA for assistance. A case was not opened with the manufacturer. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 21, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle started to overheat. The check engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and diagnosed with an engine coolant failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and provided contact with a long block service replacement kit. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 25, 2022
The main issue with the engine is the check engine light comes on prematurely, the coolant leaks into the cylinders, and the engine lacks power. My vehicle is having a cylinder 2 and 4 misfire. Coolant leaks are a big problem! Not only does the leak have to be repaired, but the cylinders also have to be replaced or repaired. my vehicle is a newer ford with vary low mile and has been well managed and taken care of with oil changes and yearly checks and tuneups when necessary. I would have never imagined to run across this issue purchasing a newer vehicle, At a certified ford dealership with less than 29,000 miles on the vehicle. This has affected me in my life so greatly. I need a dependable safe vehicle to drive and when I purchased this vehicle I thought I was getting just that. I had nothing but problems after buying this new vehicle and been having to pay out of pocket to fix it. It’s been a safety concern driving. I have to drive this vehicle knowing it can stall and the engine smoke up and be damaged at any time. Please look into my concerns for this vehicle. Thank you for taking the time to read this statement. Sincerely, [XXX], Army Veteran, Nurse. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).