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, Jan 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the check engine warning light was flashing. The contact pulled over, opened the hood, and noticed that there was oil all over the engine compartment. The contact stated that the engine oil was leaking from the vehicle. The contact stated that in 2014 prior to the failure, the vehicle had been taken to a collision center. The vehicle was previously taken to the local dealer for a routine oil change. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the coils, spark plugs, and valve cover gaskets were cracked, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, opened a case, and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 87,430.
Engine, Jan 22, 2025
Transmission went out at 65,000 miles. Son was inn the middle of traffic got a message the stop driving immediately and the car started running rough. two codes P2703 and P2704. these are for solenoids. Had trouble getting out of traffic and off the road and almost got hit by another car. He was able to lug across multiple lanes to pull over on the side of the road. This happened at night and the road is busy. Ford has told us that the transmission is an 'enclosed system' and the entire transmission has to be replaced. Due to the enclosed system there is no way to check the transmission fluid levels, etc. The transmission breaking came out of no where and is not related to the transmission bushing recall.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that a Ford mobile mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and recommended that the spark plug and ignition coil be replaced. The parts were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion into the engine. The dealer related the failure to Ford TSB Number: 22-2229. 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 approximately 108,258.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Engine, Jan 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle started to lose motive power. The contact stated that unknown warning lights illuminated, and an audible chime sounded. The contact merged to the side of the road and the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission module and fuel pump had failed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a second independent mechanic and was diagnosed with gas tank failure. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The vehicle was then taken to a third independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a blown head gasket. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired for the most recent failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
Engine, Jan 21, 2025
During the month of September 2024 my Ford Escape Ecoboost developed a rough idle. I took it into our Ford dealership for evaluation. The diagnosis was that coolant had leaked into the cylinder #3 due to a head gasket failure and that I would need to have the engine long block replaced at an estimated cost, at the time, of about $8000. My vehicle has less than 45,000 miles on it. We had the Ford dealership go ahead with the repair; however, I asked that the service advisor request Out of Warranty Assistance from Ford. He did and received a claim number of: CXH 02689613-N6N4L5. He also informed us that our request for financial assistance had been rejected due to the fact that it was outside the extended warranty of 7 years. Mind you, this was about 6 weeks after the end of the warranty that it began to fail and the car had less than 45,000 miles. This issue with the Ford Ecoboost is well known and has caused engine failure. We just didn't let it go to the point of failure, due to our reliance on this car and safety concerns.
Engine, Jan 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that during a State Inspection, the contact was informed that coolant was leaking into the engine. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated after the Inspection. The independent mechanic stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
Electrical system, Jan 21, 2025
Vehicle have an engine light went in for service It was leaking coolant in number 3 cylinder Due to a bad design on Engine needed to replace hole engine
Engine, Jan 21, 2025
Coolant leaking into the cylinders, white smoke out of the tail pipe, and now Ford is saying this is a known issue but no recall is taking place. The car is undriveable. This is the second engine in this vehicle.
Engine, Jan 20, 2025
Check engine light Cylinder 1 misfire Runs rough Coolant found in cylinder one Coolant leaking from cylinder head
Engine, Jan 20, 2025
To whom it may concern, We purchased a 2017 Ford Escape Titanium Ecoboost used approximately 3 years ago. Since, September of 2024 we have been having issues with the car. Some of the issues involved overheating due to internal coolant / antifreeze loss that allows coolant to enter into the cylinders of the engine causing engine failure. The check engine light comes on and saw blue or white smoke emitting from the car and misfires when coolant leaked into the cylinders. The most common PCM codes reported as associated with misfire related to the internal coolant leak are P0316 and P0302. Ford previously recalled certain 2013 and 2014 Ford vehicles equipped with the 1.6L engine for a very similar issues under recall campaigns 12V551 and 17V209. However, no such recall exists for the similar issues reported by consumers with the 1.5L and 2.0L Ford Ecoboost engines. We still owe $14,600 on this car and 4 mechanics and Ford have said it needs a new engine. We cannot afford $5000 to $10,000 for a new engine on a car we still owe on. Not sure if you are able to help us out with this issue. Thank you for your time.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting up the vehicle, there was an abnormal shaking coming from the engine. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated, and drove at a reduced speed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, restarted the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to exceed 35 MPH. The vehicle was driven to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 16, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the engine was overheating. The contact was unaware of a warning light being illuminated. The contact added coolant to the coolant reservoir; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to Worrall Carburation & Machine, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion into the cylinders. The mechanic replaced the engine with a new crate engine that was purchased from the dealer. Additionally, the mechanic replaced the turbo charger. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 16, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving out of town at 65-70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle jerked and vibrated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact continued driving 35 MPH to the destination. The check engine warning light illuminated and blinked. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, opened a case, and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
Engine, Jan 16, 2025
Engine failure due to coolant intrusion. Vehicle is currently at Parks Ford Dealership in Wesley Chapel Florida. Per service department the estimate to replace is $20,000.00. The vehicle had been in to Phil Long Ford October 2022 for the bushing replacement recall and I was not informed of the Technical Service Bulletin issued for this vehicle. I believe there have been at least 2 of them. I did ask at that time to have it checked out for any other concerns including early wear on the tires. I also reached out to Ford Customer Service National - in Nov/Dec 2024, no mention of any issues or TSB’s for my vehicle. I did record that phone call & received a claim number. No follow up at this point. Parks Ford did mention the TSB last month but failed to inform me of the REQUIREMENT per Ford that the dealer must submit the claim not the Customer via the Customer Call Center. The first check Engine light came on November of 2023. I brought the vehicle to Mieneke in Land O Lakes, FL, they replaced the spark plugs. I also could have used the extended warranty I purchased with the Vehicle from Phil Long Ford but they failed to inform me of any of the TSB issues for the car. The vehicle sits in the parking lot without any repair or replacement. I can have the engine replaced by Christian Brothers in Wesley Chapel, FL for approximately 1/2 the cost.
Engine, Jan 15, 2025
Our 2017 Ford Escape had the check engine light on. We took it to a Ford dealer. They said there is an issue where the coolant is leaking into the engine and we need the engine replaced. They quoted us $12000 to fix the issue. Looking online this is a known issue with Ford Escapes. Ford should be held accountable.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, "The High Engine Temperature" message was displayed. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and waited for AAA to tow the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was determined that coolant was leaking into the engine and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 54,143.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Jan 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the messages "Engine Hot - Stop Safely" and the "Engine Fault" were displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the head gasket needed to be replaced, and the engine needed to be disassembled and reassembled and coolant needed to be added. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 14, 2025
The contact called for an elderly friend who owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his friend was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined there was coolant intrusion in cylinder #4, causing an engine misfire and damages to the engine. The owner of the vehicle was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet 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 44,000.
Power train, Jan 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was restarted; however, the vehicle unexpectedly reversed after shifting to drive(D). The vehicle was towed to a church parking lot. The contact stated that there was a fluid leak on the pavement. The check engine warning light was illuminated. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.
Power train, Jan 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train); however, the repair failed to prevent the failure. The contact stated that one year after the recall repair, while attempting to drive uphill, her grandson noticed that while attempting to accelerate the transmission failed to properly upshift while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact was able to replicate the failure. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission and rear trailing arm bushing failure. The contact was informed that the rear trailing needed to be replaced, and the transmission needed to be replaced because metal shavings were found inside the parts. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.
Engine, Jan 14, 2025
The temp warning light came on our 2017 escape - temp gauge always remained on normal - had it towed to the Ford dealer in Texas. Service writer said it is the head gasket since there is no external leak but, coolant was low. Engine will have to be replaced at the expense of $12,000. I mention the recall and he said he would take another look to see if he can verified the damage in detail. this car has 58,241 - car was title to Texas on 06/15/2024 and had a emissions test and passed. This warning light just came on this day and never before. The car is still at the Ford dealer and not sure what the dealership will do next. I need help.
Engine, Jan 13, 2025
Coolant leaking into the cylinders, available for inspection Engine could fail suddenly, overheat Problem confirmed by a dealer service center Known problem with the 2017 Escape and other model years No check engine light, no codes when tech checking problem, car shaking when coming to a stop light
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Jan 13, 2025
Brakes have failed twice and been repaired. Several sensors have failed and been repaired. The engine failed and had to be totally rebuilt. The vehicle has only 45000 miles. Minor, but paint has peeled down to bare metal. The engine has just been repaired by dealership - it was a bear to get that accomplished. Ford Corporation would not assist but the dealership itself was very proactive. When the incident happened several warnings came on but did not stay on - stopped right in the middle of a street which in my view created a huge safety hazard . We were able to restart and get off the road but had to have it towed. It would not go faster than 5-10 mph. I have done much research on the vehicle to find out that this failure was due to a design and numerous manufacturing flaws - coolant leaked into the engine block and cracked the heads. Ford Corporation has known this for a long time and was not forthcoming when the other repairs were done. The paint and the brakes are also well known problems. The vehicle is now repaired but the question is - for how long? It was inspected through Sam Galloway Ford in Fort Myers FL. I don’t feel like I can even sell/trade the vehicle and pass these issues on to someone else. Ford is certainly not being fair to other drivers who are having the same EcoBoost engine problems.
Exterior lighting, Jan 12, 2025
Failure of defective and dangerous head and tail lights - total of six. Luckily, I identified the problem before a serious accident. This was previously reported without details or supporting documentation under NHTSA Complaint 11600823 by a family member. The uploaded documents show the actions of the dealership (Art Hill Ford) and Ford Motor Company.
Power train, Jan 12, 2025
Transmission just stopped in the middle of me turning at a red light to get off the road. No lights. No warnings. Apparently that’s normal according to a Ford repair person. I was almost killed. Car wasn’t parked when in park. Car jumped and engine revved when on the brake. Car wouldn’t reverse. Ford says it’s not a recall, but it sure wasn’t anything I did. The car has 70k miles and has been babied. This needs to be fixed because they’re not doing a thing.