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, Jun 7, 2025
The vehicle began shaking when the engine was turned on and the acceleration was not reliable. It was then accessed by a dealership and found that the engine needs replaced due to coolant leaking into the engine. The dealership told me the vehicle is not safe to drive. The vehicle has been maintenanced regularly and only has 76,000 miles on it. The engine needing replaced is due to a defect in the build of this model.
Other or unspecified, Jun 7, 2025
Rear power liftgate fails to lift, close or lock properly.
Engine, Jun 7, 2025
COOLENT INTRUSION INTO THE CYLINDER WHICH CUSE THE CAR STALL AND STOP DURING DRIVING IN TRAFIC ON THE HIWAY. FORD COMPANY IS AWARE OF THE ISUE AND REFUSE TO ISSUE A RECALL.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown TSB related to coolant intrusion into the engine; however, the vehicle was not included in the TSB. 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 112,513.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the earliest available date to diagnose the was 10-14 days. The vehicle was taken to the Dicky's Doghouse, where it was diagnosed that the cylinder #4 head was cracked. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was awaiting an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to a dealer for an oil change, the contact was informed that the coolant level was low and that there was a coolant leak somewhere in the engine. The contact was advised to monitor the coolant level because the contact was frequently adding coolant to the coolant reservoir. The contact stated that the failure persisted, and the check engine warning light became illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer who discovered coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine long block needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 188,415.
Engine, Jun 6, 2025
Apparently coolant leaked into the engine causing engine failure. No warning! No fix except to replace the engine for $9,500.
Engine, Jun 6, 2025, crash
The contact called on behalf of her husband, who owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that her husband was approaching a stop sign at 5 MPH, and upon depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle continued to accelerate. The contact immediately depressed the brake pedal with both feet in order to bring the vehicle to a complete stop; no warning lights were illuminated. The failure occurred on several occasions where the brake pedal failed to stop the vehicle. On a most recent occasion, the contact parked in an empty lot when the vehicle accelerated, causing her to crash into a wall in front at an unknown speed. The building's wall was damaged, and the vehicle came to a stop upon impact. The vehicle was towed to a local repair center. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not destroyed. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was then taken to a local dealer, where the failure could not able to be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
Engine, Jun 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine 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 49,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to move. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, causing engine failure. The dealer recommended that the engine be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.
Air bags, Jun 4, 2025, crash
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the passenger's side front end of the vehicle hit a cow and was significantly damaged. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated after the crash. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained neck and back pain, and bruises on the chest from the seat belt. The contact received medical assistance. The vehicle was towed to an autobody repair shop. A police report was filed but the contact did not have the police report information available. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the front end of the vehicle started shaking and vibrating, and the vehicle started to decelerate. The vehicle was later driven to the local dealer and was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant intrusion inside the cylinders. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 71,000. The VIN was not available.
Engine, Jun 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on two occasions while driving under 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact coasted to the side of the road each time and the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred five months later. The vehicle was towed to another independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 116,000.
Electrical system, Jun 3, 2025
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 66,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 199,000.
Engine, Jun 3, 2025
I am writing to formally express my deep dissatisfaction and concern regarding a serious mechanical failure in my 2017 Ford Escape, which has associated with safety issues. The issue began with a check engine light accompanied by a diagnostic trouble code indicating a misfire in cylinder 2. Upon further inspection, it was determined that coolant was leaking into the engine — a problem that ultimately led to catastrophic engine failure. Searched online and found it is common issue for this type of car but we did get notice and no warranty coverage offered to address it. The fact that this is a widely reported problem suggests a potential manufacturing or design defect that Ford has failed to proactively acknowledge or address. This issue also caused a big safety issue to the customer.
Engine, Jun 3, 2025
The engine suddenly failed mid-driving, began sputtering and became very weak. It would stutter at intersections or when trying to accelerate and became quite scary to drive. I was on a major freeway heading home when this happened. Upon taking it to a dealership for analysis, they reported a well known TSB-22-2229 had been out for this issue for a few years, but that since none of the "warning signs" were reported at earlier service appointments, they were instructed by Ford to not report it to us consumers unless we first mentioned those issues occurring. When speaking to the technician at the dealership, he acknowledged that due to a design flaw in the original engines, they have been replacing these specific engines in both Ford Escapes and Fusions with wholly new redesigned engines quite frequently. Its should be noted that Ford has extended the TSB at least once since releasing to accommodate more vehicles for coverage, further acknowledging the error on their part. As for warnings - the only warning I had to this catastrophic engine failure was an engine light code P0303 the day before for cylinder 3 misfire, and 1 "warning" the day after it occurred when I started the car and some white smoke came out of the tailpipe. The P0303 code could have been confused with a simple spark plug change, not total engine failure. According to the TSB, these were things that supposedly happened long in advance of failure. The problem has been confirmed by both the dealership I took it to, as well as many people across internet forums and other body shops. The vehicle has been inspected by a dealership and the diagnosis provided below.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 2, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle experienced rough idling. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine was damaged due to coolant intrusion and need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.
Engine, Jun 2, 2025
Coolant is leaking into the cylinder. Overheating. It's the known ecoboost coolant intrusion
Engine, Jun 2, 2025
COOLANT IS LEAKING/RUNNING ONTO ENGINE CAUSING DAMAGE. VEHICLE INSPECTED BY SUTTON FORD, MATTESON, IL AND ADVISED A LONG BLOCK ENGINE REPLACEMENT.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Engine, May 29, 2025
Coolant is leaking into the cylinders, causing misfire. Per this document that you guys posted: "Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12", this is a known manufacturing defect in the engines that are in the model of car that I am driving currently. This is a safety issue and an environmental issue. Coolant gets into the cylinders and burns, emitting into the atmosphere. But the coolant also runs low, and the engine could overheat or catch on fire. The mechanic is estimating currently that the repairs to either change the head gasket or take the engine apart and rebuild it will cost around 7-9k, money we don't have. Ford should fix this manufacturing defect at not cost to us, as their CSP 21n12 document states. The only caveat is that the car has 98k miles on it while the cutoff for these repairs ends at 84k miles.
Engine, May 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Engine, May 29, 2025
Coolant is disappearing. It isnt in the oil and nit leaking under vehicle. It is going into cylinder and burning off causing vehicle to miss and shudder while driving. There is 117,000 miles on my vehicle. I keep oil changed every 5,000 miles. I can smell coolant intermittently and have to keep pulling over to check levels to prevent it overheating. I have read several people are having this issue and there is technical bulletin from Ford. So they are aware and have not issued a recall yet. I shouldn't have to pay over $5 grand for a new motor installation with this low of mileage.
Engine and engine cooling, May 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle sputtered for thirty seconds. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine, and that the cylinder head was cracked. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the engine misfired with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that coolant was leaking into the cylinders, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was also referred to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 34,755.
Power train, May 27, 2025
I took my 2017 Ford Escape to the dealer for a check engine light (code P1450) that was due to an evaporative emissions problem. While checking for this issue, they found that there was coolant incursion into the combustion chamber of one of the cylinders. It is interesting that they checked for this problem while diagnosing an evaporative emissions issue. They told me the only repair is to replace the long block for $10,500. The head gasket failed due to a poor engine casting design. This is a problem that has affected thousands of Ford 2.0L turbo engines in multiple Ford products. Given the widespread nature of this issue, this seems like it should be a recall. The car is in my garage since it cannot be driven and is available for any third party inspections.