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: power train
391 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Feb 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and shifting into drive(D), the vehicle failed to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant had intruded into the engine block. Additionally, the contact was advised that coolant had also intruded into the transmission. The contact was informed that the engine and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin Number: 19-2139 Coolant Intrusion into the Cylinder (Engine and Engine Cooling; Power Train). The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Power train, Engine and engine cooling, Feb 12, 2024
Background: My 2017 Ford Escape Titanium with a 2.0L Ecoboost engine has 65k miles. Engine light started flashing recently due to Cylinder missfire code P0301 , immediately brought it into Ford and upon their assessment they shared that my engine has a coolant leak in cylinder 1 which is causing major engine issues. This is my primary car and I need it to transport myself to and from work. I have taken diligent car of this car and have only serviced it (routine and non-routine maintenance) at Ford Dealerships to ensure that all parts and the service is the best possible to keep the vehicle in top condition. Safety: If left untreated this coolant leakage into the engine will result in a variety of hazardous and life-threating issues for the driver as well as individuals on the streets such as engine overheating, engine corrosion and ultimately total engine failure. I am not comfortable driving this car at this time as it is a ticking time bomb unless I pay for the replacement of the engine. But as I understand this will not guarantee this issue will not resurface again as the engine replacement will be with the same engine type that has the same design defect of an "open block" which is prone to coolant leaking inside. Problem reproduced: Yes, reproduced by Ford Dealership. This problem appears to be routine enough for Ford Motor Company to issue a TSB regarding this issue [XXX] with the only fix being a total replacement of the engine, with an illogical cost of 10k. Vehicle inspected by manufacturer: Yes, I have brought the vehicle into the Ford dealership that I bought the vehicle at and they shared the issue along with the TSB that describes the issue I am having along with the expected resolution and cost. Warning lamps: Yes, the engine light turned on randomly and immediately began flashing. The next day I brought it into the Ford Dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Engine, Feb 9, 2024
I have had to have my engine and my transmission replaced within 2 months apart I keep writing and calling everyone I can I keep hearing the 1.0 l engines are blowing up too due to the wet belt and they're doing nothing with the 1.5 l engines due to the coolant issues I had no warning lights going off in my car and it blew the motor if it wouldn't have been for me going downhill I could have easily been killed. I need some reimbursement I have worked out over almost 20 grand between the transmission and engine for repairs and I owe people money I can't afford this anymore. Why can you not make Ford pay for these. All of these engines are bad and the 1.0's and the 1.5 leader engines. I have all the documentation from what I paid for both all I would like is for half back. It seems like nobody's doing anything about this you keep asking for the approximate date and I do not remember. I'm going to try to get as close as I can. It's not a mileage thing on these vehicles they're all having coolant problems or they're all having wet belt problems it does not matter. It's faulty on their part. I've done all my oil changes I've kept up to date with everything I should have. Ford dealership actually refused to put a new engine in my car because they know these cars these vehicles are all bad. They're literally turning people away because they don't want to work on them.
Power train, Feb 6, 2024
The transmission on my vehicle failed at 120K miles. The vehicle had been meticulously maintained and serviced by the dealer at each recommended service date. While travelling up hll, the car would not stay in gear and we were barely able to pull to the side of the road to avoid being hit by cars behind us.
Power train, Engine, Feb 6, 2024
The engine has had coolant leaking into it. Clouds of white smoke, stalling and regular low coolant level. Once the recall work was performed, I was still having these issues and told the ford service dept. They said there is nothing they could do. Now my transmission has completely gone out at less than 100k miles even though all ford suggested maintenance work has been completed at suggested intervals. It’s hard to justify replacing the transmission when I don’t know when the engine will quit working due to the coolant intrusion.
Power train, Jan 29, 2024
The transmission slipped out of gear at a stop light and the car would not go. I could move the gear shift from park to drive and the car would not go into gear. There were NO warning lights. I had it diagnosed and they stated “internal failure.” The vehicle has less than 130,000 miles on it.
Power train, Structure, Engine, Jan 27, 2024
1. Coolant is either leaking or evaporating which makes the coolant reservoir tank lose water that requires many refills after daily use. This led to the car to heat up without any notice in the middle of a busy highway with a narrow shoulder. This causes the car to release white smoke from the back with a chemical stench. A mechanic checked the car by raising it on a car lift for any leaks but there were no obvious leaks. 2. Car sometimes violently shakes upon turning on the ignition letting out a loud noise that can be heard from afar. The warning was a misfire on the #2 Cynlinder. We have replaced the old spark plugs and coils with new ones but the car still shakes at times and on the screen it says, 'Engine Fault Service Now". 3. There is also a warning on the system that reads, 'Powertrain Malfunction/Reduced Power'. Upon start of the warning the car abruptly slows to 35 mph max which is a great concern for safety when driving on the freeway/highway with many cars going 70-80 mph. A couple of mechanics have all mentioned something is wrong because the system slows down the car to avoid any more problems to arise and is a big concern for them as well. The computer used to analyze any issues does not directly call out a specific error even though there is an obvious issue with the powertrain. 4. There was an issue with the latch on the lift gate of the car but was fixed by Ford because it was covered under Extended Ford Warranty.
Power train, Engine, Jan 25, 2024
Engine coolant intrusion short block needed replaced was taken to mt orab dealership to have reprogramming done which I just found out they did not even do the reprogramming back in 2022 I had appointment scheduled for the reprogramming I had made one in November around 11th but not sure what happened so was rescheduled dec 6 th I am so disappointed in dealership lack of communication with customers about this program because they did not get me in until dec 6th the program ended this is completely unfair for me to pay out of pocket for dealership mistake with not disclosing they did not do reprogramming when vehicle was brought in and the program was over by the time they did
Power train, Engine, Jan 19, 2024
Without warning, while driving on the freeway, my car lost power due to an engine fault. The car went into limp mode and I made my way off the freeway and into a parking lot, where I contacted a tow company. My safety, and the safety of those around me, was compromised due to the sudden loss of power during rush hour traffic. Upon review by a local shop, it was determfined that the engine failed due to coolant intrusion, a problem known to, and acknowledged by, Ford Motor Company. This was documented in Ford publication Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12. There were absolutely no warnings or messages, nor were there any smells or sounds to indicate impending failure.
Power train, Jan 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his daughter was driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle began to lose forward momentum. The contact stated that his daughter depressed the accelerator pedal, and the engine revved but continued to lose forward momentum. The contact stated that his daughter had not noticed any warning lights being illuminated. The contact’s daughter was able to drive the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that silicone plugs for the transmission drains had failed, and a significant amount of transmission fluid had leaked. The contact stated that the plugs were replaced, and the transmission fluid was replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred again, and the transmission was slipping and the vehicle hesitated before shifting into gear. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 49,543.
Power train, Jan 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at 60-65 MPH that while veering right coming off an exit ramp and driving approximately 60-65 MPH, and then coming to a stop at a stop sign; the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was determined that the transmission had failed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.
Power train, Jan 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an unknown speed, the gears seized. The vehicle failed to reverse. The transmission became inoperable. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact called the local dealer but was unable to obtain a timely appointment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
Power train, Engine, Jan 6, 2024, fire
I have a problem with my coolant leaking in the engine of my 2017 Ford Escape SE. case, [XXX] is from ford I have contacted ford several times on this issue. My vehicle is currently in the shop now since 11/14/2023. Ford says they are not going to fix my vehicle and it's a known issue I have included the service bulletin from Ford's website below. Any help getting my vehicle fixed would be greatly appreciated. I am also having problems with my transmission. VIN NUMBER [XXX] Bulletin [XXX] · Number: TSB [XXX] · Date: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Engine, Dec 14, 2023
I started the vehicle and the engine was shaking, it had reduced acceleration and power while driving and the engine light started flashing with engine making popping noises and car bucking. I could not stay up with cars on freeway and after stopping would barely accelerate. I had to wait till traffic was not coming to turn across oncoming lanes to prevent being hit. I limped it back home and found low coolant and misfire codes for cylinders 2 and 3 . I am a 25 year ASE master certified auto technician , I pulled spark plugs and found coolant in cylinders 2 and 3. Engine was not overheating. this vehicle has 62120 miles. I found many complaints online for this issue.
Power train, Dec 6, 2023
Transmission code fault I did not have power
Power train, Engine, Dec 3, 2023, fire
Hi my name is [XXX] and I have a problem with my coolant leaking in the engine of my 2017 Ford Escape 2.0 turbo all wheel drive SE. case, [XXX] is from ford I have contacted ford several times on this issue. My vehicle is currently in the shop now since 11/14/2023. Ford says they are not going to fix my vehicle and it's a known issue I have included the service bulletin from Ford's website below. Any help getting my vehicle fixed would be greatly appreciated. My transmission is also slipping. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Nov 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle occasionally stalled, hesitated, or jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
Power train, Engine, Nov 19, 2023, fire
TRANSMISSION cable broke. Transmission failed and we had to replace it for $5,500. Car was at 101,000 miles. Ford wouldn't help. Now getting a cylinder 4 misfire - P0304 code, U3000-04. Also, coolant leaks constantly and there is no leak. per the recall of the 2017 Ford Fusion, this coolant leak into the cylinders is happening to us as well.
Power train, Engine, Nov 6, 2023
Check engine light came on and a diagnostic check showed that there was coolant intrusion in the cylinders. This apparently is known by Ford that there was a manufacturing defect.
Power train, Engine, Oct 25, 2023
The engine began to misfire on cylinder 1.The check engine light came on and verified the problem. The sparkplugs were replaced and coil 1 was swapped with #2 to ensure the coil wasn't malfunctioning. the problem resolved for a couple of days and once again misfires and the check engine light indicated a misfire problem in cylinder one. This time I looked at the coolant level and it had dropped significantly. I believe I have a coolant intrusion problem that the 2.0 Ecoboost engines are known for. In speaking with the Ford dealership they estimated a new engine to be 12000-13000 dollars in repair costs. If I continue to use the vehicle I am certain the engine will overheat possibly blow and catch fire as the coolant will run out or thin the oil. Ford should be held accountable for this problem
Power train, Oct 24, 2023
The vehicle began experiencing a slight vibration when accelerating. When the vehicle reaches 28 mph through 54 mph, the vibration is noticeable. Very noticeable when going uphill. It feels like the rumble strips you drive over at a road construction area. When the vehicle reaches close to 60 mph the vibration is not felt. It began around May/June 2023 and got worse as the months went on. I took the vehicle to the dealer and they said it was a known issue with some Ford vehicles where a transmission torque converter would fail. Their recommendation was to pay them $6K for a new transmission that would come with a 3-year warranty. I already paid them $8K for a new engine for another known problem. I am not giving them another penny.
Power train, Engine, Oct 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the Auto START/STOP feature failed to operate as needed and the engine failed to restart after depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact also stated that the vehicle failed to immediately start after refueling. The contact stated that the “Auto START/STOP - Shift to Park(P) and Restart Engine” message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
Power train, Oct 11, 2023
Rough startup and idle, white smoke out of tailpipe. Local shop ran Ford's TSB 22-2229 to find that coolant had leaked into cylinder #1 and that the long block needs to be replaced per Ford. I was quoted $9,600 for the repair. Upon further research, this is an engine design defect in the Ford 2.0L ecoboost 2017-2019 where the open deck block design creates thinner gasket areas prone to fail and leak coolant into the engine. Ford is making customers pay to replace engines with a faulty manufacturing design, out of pocket. It is completely unacceptable and needs to be a recall. The same issue is present on their 1.5L and 1.6L ecoboost engines.
Power train, Engine, Oct 11, 2023
Short Block replacement needed because of coolant inside engine. Current status at dealership for repair advisement. During routine drive to work, car reduced power, indicated 'over temp' light and check engine indicator while in the middle of morning commuter traffic. Inspected by Serra Ford, who indicated coolant leaked onto bearings and into engine requiring replacement of engine. Only warning issue was coolant level slightly low at last oil change ~3,000 miles ago.
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Oct 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH the check engine light illuminated and a chime went off and "service engine now" appeared on the instrument cluster. The contact stated that he pulled over and turned the engine off due to seeing the "over heat" warning illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who advised the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer due to a known manufacturer problem with the motor. The contact then had the vehicle towed to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine and transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.