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, Dec 1, 2024
2017 Ford Escape with 66,000 miles, garage kept, well maintained. My steering wheel started to shake when shifting from park to drive but after idling for 30 seconds in park it was perfectly fine. Check engine light comes on, take it to a Ford dealer and they tell me the engine has a small coolant leak and the shaking was because the coolant was soaking a spark plug and it was burning it off. They told me the only repair they could do was replacing the engine for $10,000 or I could trade it/sell it to them and get $2,500 for it. And it is not covered by warranty and not recalled, but a known issue in these models/years. In this day and age a car should last more than 7 years and I’m not sure I understand if it’s a known issue why it isn’t recalled. Now I’m expected to pay out for something that was an engine defect and nothing I did/created as the driver. We are taking the $2,500 and never buying a Ford again.
Engine, Nov 30, 2024
On start-up the check engine light came on and the vehicle will vibrate at lower speeds, such as within a neighborhood. When going faster, it seems like it would act more normal. Took it into the dealer on 11/18/24. Dealer points out that this engine has a common known problem. Same applies to the year/make/model/engine which is on recall for coolant intrusion cylinder 3. However, my vin does not show this recall. The fix would be TSB 22-2229.
Engine, Nov 29, 2024
Engine Failure on the 2.0 Ecoboost Engine. Vehicle only had 57,000 miles on it, but the warranty was not honored since it was past the 5 years, but it was less miles than the 60K warranty. I see that this is a recurring problem and I wanted to add my vehicle to the list of complaints. This vehicle should have been part of a recall.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 28, 2024
The oil pump failed due to the coolant intrusion into the engine, causing low pressure and sludge. My mechanical breakdown warranty inspected it and will not cover the replacement due to the sludge. The check engine light came on and off after I hit 70000 miles, and I was alerted to a recall when I got my last oil change in March of 2024, but the Ford dealership stated I had no warranty and no recall to address.
Engine, Nov 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an engine misfire and the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact noticed white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed due to coolant intrusion. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under Ford Campaign Number: 19B37. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer informed the contact of Ford Campaign Number: 21N12; however, the vehicle was not covered. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
Engine, Nov 26, 2024
Engine design is flawed and has a known coolant intrusion into the cylinders. Ford only issued a tsb for this and not recall. I’m the second owner so I have no way to remedy this now as the mileage is over what ford offers. Ford should be covering their bad design. At this point I’m stuck with it since it would cost me about the cost of what I paid for this vehicle.
Engine, Nov 26, 2024
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The engine has failed at 79k miles due to coolant intrusion into the cylinder. The catalytic converter has also failed and needs to be replaced as a direct correlation. Yes it is available for inspection upon request in the near term, as it is currently at the Ford service center. The scope of the problems either match directly or are very similar to Ford's Technical Service Bulletin 22-2229 and/or 22-2134. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The check engine light indicator was only illuminated for 2-3 days before service. The severity of potential engine failure as well as loss of coolant could cause an engine fire that puts my family at significant risk and danger. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes confirmed by both and independent service center as well as a dealer. 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? A check engine warning lamp appeared briefly in late July 2024, for ~1 day, before no longer showing. The check engine reappeared for 2-3 days in mid November 2024, and was then immediately scheduled for inspection at my nearest service center.
Engine, Nov 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle stalled, with the "Engine Error Fault" message displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were intermittently illuminated, and the infotainment screen was inoperable. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the engine and 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 142,000.
Engine, Nov 25, 2024
Known Technical Service Bulletin 22-2229 in place through Ford. Coolant intrusion in #3 cylinder. Long block needs to be replaced. Issue will continue to get worse and if coolant is not added engine will overheat and potentially result in an accident. There is no recall on this issue but Ford has known about it for several years.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated and there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was 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. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.
Engine, Nov 25, 2024
suffering from Ford's coolant intrusion issue and neither my local ford dealership or Ford Corp will help me resolve this issue without buying a new engine
Electrical system, Nov 25, 2024
Rear passenger brake light failure. Available for inspection upon request. Car system did not alert upon start that there was a malfunction. Safety of myself and others at risk. Was nearly rear ended and the other party shouted at me to get my taillight fixed as they did not see me brake due to passenger taillight outage. Inclement weather was occurring. No police involvement or report. Upon closer inspection rear passenger taillight was filled halfway with water. When taken to dealership they advised nothing was wrong but the taillight needed exchanged. Upon investigating online it seems THOUSANDS of customers are dealing with this issue and it is an inherent safety risk to many.
Engine, Nov 24, 2024
I have a coolant leak into one of the cylinders of the engine block. It causes a rough start in the morning when the car is sitting overnight. The check engne light has also been on.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 24, 2024
Coolant intrusion into combustion chamber requires new engine. Verified by Ford dealer. Not covered by warranty. Ford technician states engine block manufacturer issue.
Engine, Nov 24, 2024
My check engine light came on so I took it to a Ford dealership for an inspection. After my car was inspected, they deemed my car was unsafe to drive due to extreme coolant intrusion and my engine was close to seizing up. The coolant intrusion issue was a known recall problem that I took to get fixed roughly 2 years ago and was assured that the problem was fixed.
Engine, Nov 23, 2024
Coolant leaking into cylinder number 3
Engine, Nov 22, 2024
My 2017 Ford Escape has approx. 88k miles on it. The check engine light illuminated the week of 11/10/2024 and the engine began sputtering and experiencing significant disruptions in performance. I took it to the dealer and was told that there was a coolant intrusion on cylinder 1 and said the only fix was the replace the engine block, costing $8,700. I have decided against fixing it since that's basically the value of the car. I know that this is a known issue with Ford Escapes, and am disappointed that Ford has not decided to remedy the problem.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his son was driving 30 MPH, the message "Hot" was displayed. The driver pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to Gear Repair, where it was diagnosed that the head gasket was leaking coolant into the engine block and cylinders. The dealer was notified of the failure and related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered due to the manufactured date. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the engine started revving abnormally. The contact stated that the check engine light illuminated and remained illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to the local AutoZone to be diagnosed and DTC code: P0303 (Engine Misfire – Cylinder #3) was retrieved. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the failure was confirmed. The contact was informed 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 notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
Engine, Nov 22, 2024
The Ford Escapes are having issues with cylinder misfires. This is prevalent in model years from 2012 to 2019. This impacts engine power and possible engine failure. This has been reported to the local Ford Dealership. The service advisor even acknowledged that this is a common problem, and he then proceeded to check if this issue has an open recall. It does not. I had my mechanic replace: all coils, spark plugs, fuel injectors, camshaft sensor, and crankshaft sensor. This did not fix the problem. Yes, the check engine light comes on. I purchase vehicles from auction sites. On inspection reports for Ford Escapes, the majority of them have cylinder misfires as code P030_. This cannot be to lack of maintenance. This is an issue with Ford ENGINES.
Engine, Nov 22, 2024
The contact's mother owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon her mother starting the vehicle, the vehicle started to smoke. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was driven by the mechanic to the same local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there was no warranty coverage on the vehicle. There was no additional assistance provided. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000. The VIN was not available.
Engine, Nov 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle and driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shuddering, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that there was coolant intrusion into the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and attempting to start the vehicle, the check engine warning light Illuminated. The contact stated that there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was at the dealer for an engine replacement. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, opened a case, and offered to cover half of the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was 51,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was shuddering while starting and while driving at various speeds. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Honest-1 Auto Care, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in the engine. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the diagnostic result was confirmed. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering violently. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in cylinder #3. The dealer determined that the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to TSB Number: 22-2229. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 146,075.