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, Feb 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle hesitated and lost motive power. In addition, while attempting to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The check engine warning light and TPMS warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the oil, causing the engine to fail. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was towed to the residence and had not been driven since the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Feb 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound emanating from the engine compartment, prompting the to discontinue driving the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the head gasket, resulting in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. 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 39,000.
Steering, Feb 27, 2025
A previous NHTSA complaint was filed on [XXX] regarding a critical steering issue in the vehicle, indicated by the error message "Steering Fault Assist." Following this complaint, the vehicle was inspected by Ford, which determined that the power steering column, including the rack and pinion, required replacement. However, the cost of the repair was placed on the customer, who paid $2,002 out of pocket to have the vehicle repaired at Mayfield Auto in the Dallas Metro Area—the location where the vehicle had initially stalled—despite the fact that the customer resides in Lafayette, LA. Despite the completed repair and the vehicle being driven for more than 1,000 miles, the same "Steering Fault Assist" error message has reappeared as of [XXX]. This issue led to a dangerous situation, as the vehicle became difficult to steer and eventually stalled in the middle of a highway, putting the driver and other motorists at serious risk. The driver, a [XXX], struggled to control the vehicle due to the sudden loss of steering ability and was nearly involved in a collision with another vehicle. This marks the second steering failure within a 60-day period, raising serious concerns about the safety and reliability of the vehicle, as well as the effectiveness of the previous repair. The recurrence of this issue not only poses a severe risk to the driver and passengers but also endangers others on the road. Given the history of this problem and the life-threatening nature of the failure, immediate action is necessary to investigate and address this persistent and hazardous defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Feb 26, 2025
Check engine light came on at 104,000 miles (after a recent 100K mile tune up) Independent mechanic diagnosed 2 issues: a P0301 Cylinder 1 misfire detected. Also a P0316 Cylinder 1 misfire detected on start-up. Mechanic pressurized cooling system, let sit, and then pressure dropped to 10 PSI. We were told it was a coolant intrusian with coolant was leaking into cylinder and if we drove it much longer the engine would fail. We were told we would need a new engine, approximatley $8000 quote. We were also told Ford knows of this issue and has since build a new engine for this car--yet has NOT recalled or helped all these people who have this engine failure due to this defect. This is a major defect that we (and others) should get help or compensation for. We are not going to spend 8K to fix. Today's diagnosis cost us $325 plus the $700 tune up a month ago. We put 1K into this car in 2 months --quotes and documentation attached
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 26, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was operating the vehicle, the vehicle lost automotive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.
Engine, Feb 26, 2025
My car has yet to hit 90k miles. 2017 ford escape. Recently my check engine light came on. Cylinder 3 misfire. Replaced the spark plugs and it went off. Came back on a week later. Same code. Replaced the ignition coils and went off. Came back on almost a week later again. Same code. Took it to ford to see what’s going on. Apparently there is a KNOWN issue where the coolant leaks into the engine, causing misfires and more problems. It’s not a recall apparently for my vehicle. The only thing to do to fix it is to, guess what, get a new engine.. I’ve done some research now and many, many people are having this same issue. Ridiculous by ford to keep allowing this to happen.
Engine, Feb 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that a technician noticed coolant leaking into the engine. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to O'Reilly's and the contact was notified of a misfire in cylinder #2. The vehicle was then taking to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 109,000.
Power train, Engine, Feb 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his wife was driving 35 MPH, the vehicle hesitated. In addition, while attempting to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The “Engine Fault - Service Now” warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that an independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the shifter cable had failed, and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (POWER TRAIN). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance, and informed the contact that the recall was closed. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 16,821.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 24, 2025
Coolant leaked out, and ran hot. Refilled coolant and it didn't leak out but still runs hot. Mechanic said the car runs hot as soon as it’s turned on; coolant is leaking into the cylinders or warped cylinders causing engine block cracks. Another problem is when I get fuel and start the car back up “auto manual restart” comes up on the dash and car shuts off. Car also sputters then shuts off every time I turn it back on after that until I press the gas pedal a few times. Has been smoking since April of 2024 but coolant problem occurred sometime in January of 2025. Fuel issue had been happening since September of 2024.
Engine, Feb 22, 2025
Cylinder 3 is leaking coolant please reference claim 11643983
Engine, Feb 22, 2025
Oil is leaking into my cylinder 3 and 4. I’ve been reading all over that a lot of people are having issues with same thing on there ford escape.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the engine made an abnormal beeping sound and then unexpectedly shut off. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and the "Engine Fault Service Now" message was displayed. The vehicle was restarted, but the engine overheated. The contact added coolant to the reservoir; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was a crack in cylinder #3 and 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 a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was advised that coolant intrusion had been found in the short block of the engine, and that the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 111,390.
Engine, Feb 19, 2025
Regarding 2017 Ford Escape: Coolant is intruding into the firing cylinder. In my case it was cylinder #3 and was confirmed by KeyScales in Leesburg, Florida. Upon speaking with a Ford Motor Company representative, they told me it was a known problem but no recalls have been issued by NHSTA even though a similar recall has been issued for 2013 Ford Escapes. I was told the engine will fail quickly and should be replaced immediately at a cost of $10,400.
Engine, Feb 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that a mobile mechanic inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the vehicle with a misfire in cylinder #3. The contact was informed that the spark plugs and ignition coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak in cylinder #3 and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,854.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Feb 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while her daughter was driving out of the school parking lot at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine block was fractured, and there was coolant intrusion in cylinders #3 and #4. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to an undisclosed TSB. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, she noticed the water meter gauge was lower than normal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into cylinder #3. The vehicle was not repaired because the warranty had expired. Upon further inspection, the contact related the failure to TSB 19-2172; however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,511.
Engine, Feb 17, 2025
Coolant intrusion into the engine block. Dealer says engine needs to be replaced
Engine, Feb 15, 2025
2017 ford escape we were taking a 4 hour drive car made some strange noise check engine light came on well half way to our destination car began spitting and sputtering we pulled into a car part dealer and began changing things spark plugs air filter car continued to read mis fire we drove home car would not go over 50 black smoke pouring from it making horrible noises got it home went straight to a garage the engine had leaked coolant into had to replace engine total cost 5000 dollars
Engine, Feb 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while parked and attempting to start the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while attempting to depress the accelerator pedal and failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that a dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the 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 but offered no assistance The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 91,271.
Engine, Feb 13, 2025
My 2017 Ford Escape had the check engine light come on, on Dec 15 2024, and then it went away. It came back on on Jan 7, 2025 and I took the car in to Ford and they told me after doing a pressure test on the coolant, that I need a new engine. The cost is $9800. There was a cylinder 3 misfire and coolant was low. I have the coolant intrusion issue that is a known defect. Ford Corporate is not willing to help I was told. I had a 96 month extended warranty but it ended on 11-29-2024. The car has 93K miles and all service and repairs have been done at the Ford dealership.
Engine, Feb 13, 2025
Coolant is leaking from the system into the cylinder causing a check engine light and cylinder misfire.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Visibility/wiper, Feb 13, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 35-40 MPH, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while it was raining the windshield wipers became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the catalytic converter, windshield wiper motor, and emission coil needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine briefly shuddered before returning to normal functionality; however, the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that coolant intrusion into several cylinders had caused damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnostic result. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. 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 97,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was running roughly. The engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant in the cylinder. Additionally, the engine block was cracked. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 50,262.