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.
Power train, Apr 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH and while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated while responding. The powertrain malfunction warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the right of the road and left the vehicle unoccupied for several days. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer transferred the contact to NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
Engine, Apr 10, 2025
The contact called on behalf of the owner of the 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his mother-in-law was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated and the engine overheated. Additionally, the contact stated that the message to “Pull over and turn off the vehicle” was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHSTA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,826.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard an abnormal sound emanating from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the water pump bearing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 35,000.
Engine, Apr 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a misfire coming from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The mechanic contacted a dealer for further assistance. The dealer confirmed that there was a known issue with the engine failure in similar vehicles. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Engine, Apr 8, 2025
I purchased this vehicle very recently, and it has only 46,620 miles on it. However, the engine completely failed. I had it inspected by a licensed mechanic, and the diagnosis showed serious internal engine failure, including no compression and a blown head gasket. The repair estimate is over $6,000. I contacted Ford Customer Service, but they said they cannot provide any help at this time. The dealership I bought it from also refused to take responsibility. This has caused me significant financial and emotional stress. I would like to formally report this issue, and ask NHTSA to investigate whether this is a common defect in 2017 Ford Escapes with EcoBoost engines.
Engine, Apr 8, 2025
Engine coolant leaks into the engine and it shuts down. Happened 3 times. We repaired not knowing it was same issues and now it broke down again on the highway. Now the mechanic says "you need a new engine". Perfect service records.
Power train, Apr 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon attempting to accelerate from a stoplight, the transmission failed to shift into gear, and the contact was forced to pull over onto the side of the road. There were no warning lights illuminated; however, the message "Transmission Fault - Please see Service Center" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the engine overheated while driving at various speeds and was consuming an excessive amount of coolant. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Weed Family Automotive, where it was diagnosed and determined that a head gasket failure had caused coolant to leak into the engine, causing a misfire while driving. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the cost of the repair would be a significant amount. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,274.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Apr 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the brakes engaged unintendedly, and the vehicle came to an immediate stop. There was no warning light illuminated. The engine did not turn off, and the contact stated that there was no traffic nearby during the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 123,601.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Apr 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that there was coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Electrical system, Engine, Apr 5, 2025
Engine block problems , fluid leakage.
Engine, Apr 5, 2025
Check engine light came on and code said cylinders 1 and 2 were misfiring. Took it to dealership and were told coolant leaked/intrusion that has ruined the engine. Dealership stated that Ford is aware of the problem that is due to a design flaw but has yet to rectify the problem for customers. This is absolutely putting the safety of vehicle operators in danger as well as others on the road.
Service brakes, Engine, Apr 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact's daughter stated that while driving 40 MPH around a bend, the brakes failed to function as intended. The contact's daughter depressed the brake pedal, but the brake pedal seized. The contact's daughter had to depress the brake pedal with force. The vehicle came to a stop when the contact's daughter shifted the vehicle into park(P). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle with vacuum brake booster pump failure. The vehicle was repaired. The contact's daughter stated that when the mechanic took the vehicle for a test drive, the timing belt fractured. The vehicle was then diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 126,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Apr 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting and driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle hesitated with a misfire in cylinder #2. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The dealer informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. The contact stated that after a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact became aware that the engine oil level was extremely low. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N03. 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 78,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 4, 2025
The contact's wife owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine long block resulting in engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.
Engine, Apr 3, 2025
Our engine light came on in our 2017 Ford Escape Titanium with 51,917 miles on it on February 3, 2025, so we immediately visited our Ford dealer. The codes were P0302 and P0316 for misfire. Repairs completed included spark plugs, induction kit, air intake cleaner, sealant belts and gaskets, brake cleaner, antifreeze, and oil conditioner. We paid $3,979.21 for this repair. We picked up the vehicle and shortly later at 52,144 miles, it exhibited the exact same symptoms. We went back to the dealer and we were told that we then needed a new engine due to a coolant leak that had damaged ours. They did credit us back a small amount from the previous repair, but we paid this time $7,371.85 to have our car repaired. All of this has happened before 53,000 miles. We were told there was a coolant leak and that is what damaged the engine. Ford is very aware of this problem. We did speak with our service advisor as well as the service director.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 2, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the coolant inside of the coolant reservoir was extremely low, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the message "Transmission Error" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the engine had experienced 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 96,044.
Engine, Apr 2, 2025
Block has crack in it and is losing coolant and running rough. I found out that is a problem with lots of 2017 Ford Escapes.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 2, 2025
Transmission failed turbo failed electrical systems failed.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 1, 2025
The contact 's daughter owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while performing an oil change on the vehicle, the contact noticed that the coolant level was abnormally low. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinder. The dealer determined that the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact stated that the dealer had mis-diagnosed the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated the following day. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the intercooler and the cylinder head had failed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and assisted in covering the cost of the repair. The approximate failure mileage was 74,035.
Engine, Mar 31, 2025
Coolant intrusion, a defect where coolant leaks into the engine's cylinders, causing misfires and engine damage.
Engine, Mar 31, 2025
My 2017 Ford Escape 2.0 liter has a crack in the engine block and coolant leaking into the #1 cylinder. My car was diagnosed at Columbia Ford in CT. My car has < 80,000 miles and needs a new engine! No recalls found at this time. I did contact Ford and am waiting to hear back. This is a known problem by Ford and I believe there is a recall on the 1.5 liter engine with the same problem.
Power train, Mar 29, 2025
A design problem with the 2017 Ford Escape Ecoboost 2.0 turbo engine causing a coolant intrusion. As a result, my car check engine light is on. The car cannot pass smog. I have to refill the coolant daily. This coolant intrusion problem is a known design defect as such their needs to be a recall issued to replace the long block. I was not informed of the problem when I purchased the vehicle. The dealership will not honor their lifetime powertrain warranty as they state it is a head gasket problem, when it is actually a known design defect.
Engine, Mar 28, 2025
Engine failure. Known Ford engine problem due to antifreeze intrusion into the engine.