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
2,686 reports, newest first.
Engine, Aug 26, 2025
MY 2017 Ford Escape with the 2.0L EcoBurst engine is experiencing a check engine light...I took it to my mechanic and Ford on separate occasions and but found that there is coolant leaking into the cylinders covered by Technical Service Bulletin 19-2436...Ford issued a Customer Satisfaction (21N12)...but my vehicle was over the years by 5 months... It is a design issue with the engine that has been corrected in Ford 2.0L EcoBurst engines built after 2019. I think that since it is a design flaw with the engine that Ford should be replacing the engine no matter how long past the Customer Satisfaction lists...In fact Ford has multiple extended warranty programs in place for 10 years or 100,000 miles for other NEWER vehciles with engine issues...
Power train, Aug 25, 2025
While driving the shifting became sluggish and the vehicle would surge/catch when shifting then while driving home the Escape just quickly slowed and stopped on a busy road. We could not get it to go forward, so we shifted to reverse in traffic to get the car off to the side of the road. The car was towed to a local shop who let us know the transmission had failed. The fluid was burnt/black even though it was replaced prior to the 150K mile service interval. The vehicle is currently in the shop and available for inspection. We were potentially in danger while driving when the car simple stopped moving forward on a busy road. The mechanic confirmed the transmission will work partially at normal temp, but slips/stops when warm. There were no warning lights or codes from the ODB port.
Engine, Aug 24, 2025
I'm Sept 2024 there has been coolant intrusion in the engine. A known flaw that Ford is aware of and has a technical service bulletin out for this issue but, after contacting Ford, they will not help with engine replacement. We were still in our payment period and have had to change jobs to accommodate only having one car to drive as we cannot afford three car payments and thus has to take lower pay. Also submitted a claim with the legal suit in CA.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 24, 2025
My car is having a coolant intrusion/ head gasket failure. There is a recall already for my car which was code CSP 21N12 for this issue. Yet when I put in my VIN for CSP coverage it shows no recalls for my vehicle. I have a 2017 ford escape eco boost 1.5L. It matches the make , year, and engine for the problem. My car is misfiring, white smoke from exhaust from cold start , and having coolant loss with no dripping on the ground.
Tires, Aug 23, 2025
Pelc Tire of Fairhope Alabama identified a crack that has formed between the tread and the sidewall that traverses the circumference of the entire tire on all four tires. They said this is a safety hazard to me and that these tires are very new to have formed this crack. They recommended replacement. The tire dealer I purchased the tire at is in San Diego CA. There has not been an accident or a tire failure yet.
Power train, Aug 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to shift properly and lurched forward while attempting to change gear. There was no warning light initially illuminated. Additionally, while the contact’s son attempted to drive the vehicle, the vehicle failed to move forward and rolled backwards with the powertrain warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 68,693.
Service brakes, Aug 22, 2025
Component: BRAKE BOOSTER While driving on the interstate (at 80mph), check engine light came on and vehicle struggled to maintain power to stay at speed, would downshift for power to get back but as soon as it up shifted speed would drop again. My fuel mileage also dropped drastically as well as forced me to exit interstate on order to get gas. In attempt to stop at the stop sign, I discovered I had little to no brakes. Brake pedal was extreme hard and could not be pushed down. Luckily no cars where in front of me or coming when I reached the stop sign, had to be put into N to stop/stay stopped at the sign until it was safe to completely exit the off ramp and get to the nearby gas station to safely park the car. SAFETY: Highly compromised for myself as well as others as it was impossible to stop/slow quickly nearly at all. Independent garage: all issued (including engine power) were direct result of Brake Booster FAILURE. Component has been replaced and remedied with a new replacement brake booster. I obtained pictures as well as kept the original part as it has clear damage to one side due to manufacturer/mechanical defect. - Ford has recalled this exact part, cause & reason for thousands of OTHER newer models. However clearly 2017 escapes are also effected. At first glimpse, it disnt appear that the brakes were the entire cause of rhe issues, especially since the brake light failed to come on.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the engine was running rough and idling rough, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine was faulty due to coolant intrusion, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 102,173.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that coolant intrusion into cylinder #2 had resulted in damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 45,000.
Engine, Aug 21, 2025
My check engine light came on and the code received was cylinder 2 misfire. The mechanical shop I took my car to ran a diagnostic and said my spark plugs were cracked and needed replacing. They were replaced and some says later my coolant reservoir was empty. They topped it off and told me to come back if it still wasn’t right. The next week my check engine light came back on and they said there is a coolant intrusion and that I need a new engine. I did some research and this is a common issue within my car’s year, make, and model but there has been no recall for it.
Wheels, Aug 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while receiving regular maintenance, the mechanic informed the contact that the lug nuts were swollen and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that after researching the issue, the contact became aware that the lug nut chrome caps would swell after a while, making the lug nuts difficult to remove with the standard equipment. The vehicle was taken to another mechanic, who was unable to remove the lug nuts due to the swelling. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Edge. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was displayed on the instrument panel. A code scanner was used and retrieved a code for a misfire in cylinder r#3. Upon additional inspection, the contact became aware of excessive coolant consumption. One day, while stopped at a stoplight, the engine temperature gauge indicated that the engine temperature was hot(H). The contact pulled over and discovered that the coolant reservoir was empty. The contact added coolant to the coolant reservoir; however, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel, with heavy white smoke coming from the tailpipe. The contact parked the vehicle and had the vehicle towed to a dealer the following day. The contact was later informed by a mechanic that coolant intrusion into the engine had caused engine failure. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 65 MPH, the message "Engine Overheating - Please Pull Over" was displayed, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine was faulty due to coolant intrusion, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 73,400.
Engine, Aug 19, 2025
Car displayed CEL and was losing coolant with no visible leaks. Read about coolant intrusion issue and took car to dealer with around 104,000 miles. Dealer said no problem found with car. Finally decided to try a new head gasket. Metal between cylinders on block and head show no problems, but sealing material on gasket completely eroded between cylinders. We have no idea if this will fix the problem or for how long. Ford prescribed fix is $8k+ long block. Would be insane to put that kind of money in an 8 year old car. Shame too, because the car is perfect otherwise. Paid $19,000 for it at a reputable dealer in 2022 - Blue Oval certified.
Engine, Aug 19, 2025
Drove around normally last week, and on Saturday with no issue. Monday morning, I started my car and could feel a rough idle. The check engine light was flashing. The idle returned to normal and the check engine light turned off. I drove to work, and the car sat for 9 hours. Afterward, there was a rough idle again, and the check engine light stayed on (solid). The idle got better, but did not go away. I drove straight to the dealership. Dealership said it was coolant intrusion into at least one of the cylinders because of a cracked block. Vehicle has 70K miles on it, mostly highway. Looking online, I see a class action suit is coming Ford's way. It's a known defect in the Ecoboost engines, but for some reason they determine that mine doesn't qualify.
Engine, Aug 19, 2025
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - engine cyl 4 misfire, coolant intrusion How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? engine instability and potential for failure Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - yes 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? - CEL, 2 weeks ago
Engine, Aug 19, 2025
I own a 2017 Ford Escape with the 2.0 L Ecoboost engine. My car has around 85,000 miles on it and has been well maintained. Recently, the check engine light came on and I immediately went to the local garage to determine what was going on. The garage reported that the error code indicated a misfire in one of the engine cylinders and they suspected a faulty spark plug. I decided to take the car to the Ford dealer for any needed repairs versus working with the box store auto repair company. Ford then informs me that the car needs a new engine as a result of a design flaw in this model year engine. In this year and a couple other years, the engine block was designed to allow coolant to get deeper in the engine block to prevent overheating. The channels that were cut into the engine block for coolant were not thick enough and this allowed coolant to leak into the engine block. A service bulletin clearly describes this issue and is clearly a design flaw. Later models were redesigned to prevent this from happening, but my low mileage, well maintained car now needs a new $8000 engine. There is a class action lawsuit currently working its way through the courts attempting to get this well documented issue with this engine resolved by the manufacturer. How can Ford get away with this. This engine should be recalled and replaced free of charge by Ford Motor Company.
Engine, Aug 18, 2025
Engine lost compression in one cylinder. I was able to get it off the road and have it towed home. The problem was confirmed by an ASE certified technician at an independant service center, There were no warning lights or messages regarding this problem. Independent service shop Did the inspection on 10/17/2024. they found cylinder number 2 had 10 psi.
Engine, Aug 18, 2025
The vehicle's check engine light came on and my local independent mechanic confirmed that the cause was coolant leaking into the vehicle's cylinders. The mechanic advised that this is an extremely widespread and well-documented problem with Fords from this era, and advised me to reach out to Ford for assistance given the expense of this repair ($10k or more), given that Ford has repaired some vehicles in the past. However, Ford (both its corporate office and the dealer from which I purchased the car) was unwilling to help me with repair costs despite the fact that the car has only 43k miles and is in pristine condition. This manufacturing defect is extremely dangerous (I've seen reports online that cars can suddenly overheat, catch fire, etc) and it is very disturbing that Ford isn't making things right on their own, or being held accountable by the NHTSA given the extremely widespread nature of this issue. Furthermore, it is very disturbing that Ford hasn't had to notify owners like me about this problem, as I drive around with my family and it seems like the car could have overheated or caught fire at any time.
Engine, Aug 17, 2025
Purchased car 4 months ago. 80k miles on it. About 88k miles, engine fault code kicked in along with check engine light. Code was for a misfire on cylinder 4. Started loosing coolant, roughly putting in a gallon every week and a half. Thought it was a faulty cap, so replaced the cap. Vehicle began registering that the key was not in the car, so I replaced the battery the same day. Rough idle was still there. Went to buy coil packs to fix the misfire the next day, however the car would not start. After 2 weeks of running tests, coolant intrusion was noted. Car has only 92k miles on it. Car was also sold as is, no problems noted at purchase, and is still under loan.
Power train, Aug 16, 2025
Transmission failed rapidly like many other vehicles with 6f35 transmissions. Sometimes the car goes forward in reverse, sometimes the car goes backward in drive. Car loses the transfer of engine power to the transmission randomly, and also comes back randomly. The car behaves erratically and incredibly dangerously, making it impossible to drive. This is an incredibly common issue with the transmission and ford will not repair it for a reasonable price. The market rate for used cars with this transmission reflects the public's knowledge of this dangerous issue.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle shuddered abnormally, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure due to coolant intrusion into cylinders #2 and #3. The contact was informed that the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,784.
Engine, Aug 14, 2025
The check engine light came on in my 2017 Ford Escape, and a diagnostic scan revealed a C4 misfire code. My local mechanic replaced all the spark plugs, which turned off the check engine light. However, the diagnostic test still indicated a misfire. The car ran fine for three days, but on the fourth day, when I started it, white smoke came from both exhaust pipes for about two to three minutes, and the engine idled roughly. I didn’t drive the vehicle, but a few days later, upon starting it again, I immediately received a high engine temperature warning. I had the vehicle towed to the mechanic, who diagnosed a blown head gasket and possibly cracked cylinder heads. The vehicle has 108,000 miles.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where a diagnostic test was performed. The diagnostic test discovered coolant intrusion into cylinder#2, causing damages to the engine block. The contact was provided with an estimate for a new engine. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under recall or warranty. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.