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, Jul 25, 2024
Known problem with coolant leaking into cylinders could cause engine to seize at any moment while driving. Can’t afford to replace engine, so I’ll just keep driving it until it causes an issue…
Power train, Jul 24, 2024
Barber Ford in Holland reported that the transmission has failed at 66,000 miles. Looking online this seems to be a common issue.
Engine, Jul 24, 2024
Engine was overheating, found out no coolant in overflow, no engine code shown, took to Ford dealership. They found system was clearing out the codes and found coolant leaking into engine. Was quoted 10, 661.29 to replace engine They said my engine wasn't covered under the current recalls on the engines that are leaking coolant into the engine. They know of this problem, but mine wasn't one of them I attached the receipt from Lasco Ford that has details on it. Please let me know if you weren't able to view the receipt. Thank you
Power train, Jul 23, 2024
We have only had our 2017 Ford escape for less than two years. We are the second owners of the vehicle and have maintained its prestigious service record with none stating that the transmission was or is faulty. Woke up one morning, driving to work and all of a sudden I go to press the gas and it felt like I hit a brick wall. It was the scariest thing! My head almost hit the steering wheel!!! I was NOT expecting that at all! Took it to our mechanic on a trailer and they stated that the transmission did NOT even come up on the diagnostic computer. They informed me that they tested the fluid and that was OK. They called me to come pick it up. I told them there’s no way it’s OK because of what happened. My dad went and picked it up he was only a minute or two down the road and it happened to him . He called our mechanic back, put it back on my dad‘s trailer with help from a friend. Got it back to their service department and again hooked it up to the computer and it did not say the transmission. But with the mechanics expertise, it was the transmission. They also stated that for this particular vehicle you cannot “rebuild the transmission” it is a “throwaway transmission” and you have to buy a whole new one. This is a huge safety concern. Like I mentioned, it felt like hitting a brick wall. It just completely stopped with no indication that there’s even a transmission issue or signal on my dashboard and now this is going to cost about $7000 to replace. We have to get it fixed. When we purchased the vehicle a year and a half ago it was over $20,000. This is a major issue for me and my family because we will not be able to afford this, but this needs to get fixed somehow. If someone in your department can escalate this and give me a call I would greatly appreciate it. We can provide any documentation needed from two different Mechanic shops. The place where we bought it where I get it regularly maintained, and the mechanic that informed us that it is the transmission.
Engine, Jul 23, 2024
At 66,000 miles my car starting hesitating when the gas pedal was pressed. Car would accelerate very slowly. Took it to the local Ford dealer. They said the turbocharger needed to be replaced. I had to pay $3000 to replace a major engine component that was only 6000 miles over the warranty. I contacted Ford to discuss. Their rep put in a ticket and I was told Ford would look into this. Naturally Ford will not discuss my concern and will not provide some monetary compensation. Now the car is starting to act up again and hesitates when the gas pedal is pressed. In an emergency situation the car must react quickly to driver input. Not happening with this car!
Engine, Jul 23, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed a failure with the engine while attempting to start the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed as a failure with 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 a case was opened. The contact was referred to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.
Engine, Jul 23, 2024
I am having coolant leaking into my engine. This is a known issue and with only 60k miles I am already have that issue and it was confirmed by my local Ford dealer.
Engine, Jul 22, 2024
Diagnosis-Coolant intrusion into number 2 cylinder. check engine code misfire #2 cylinder causing engine to overheat and vibration with loss of power. Pulled over and let vehicle cool down and took it in for service. I’m told a new engine is needed. I am also told by Ford my VIN is not included on their list of vehicles having same problem. I called Ford and apparently today is 17 days past campaign date to get immediate review. Ford customer care says Management will review but unable to say when. We really liked our Escape and hope Ford will come through with a good resolution timely.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated intermittently. The contact stated that the dealer had previously replaced the engine. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, where error code P0299 was retrieved. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, but the check engine warning light was no longer illuminated, and no error code was retrieved. The failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was determined that the turbo charger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
Engine, Jul 22, 2024
Approximately six months ago, for few months the vehicle would misfire when trying to accelerate quickly or above 2500 rpms. It randomly went away and I had the car diagnosed, but since it was not having the issue at the time, I was told I would have to wait until it started back up in order to find out what was wrong. 2 months later (7/12/24), when I started the vehicle in the morning, it felt as though it was idling very high and vibrating. There were no signs in the 2 weeks leading up to this happening. The check engine light was also on. We took it to the Ford dealership and found there was coolant leaking into cylinder 4 and I need a new motor. Ford wants to charge me $7000 for a new motor.
Power train, Jul 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the transmission slipped out of gear. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the engine revved; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the "Service" with an exclamation point warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but became a recurring failure while driving at various speeds. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local mechanic who flushed and refilled the transmission fluid. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the transmission failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 154,000.
Power train, Jul 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, there was a loud thumping sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission 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 93,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the engine overheated while driving. The contact pulled over to check the coolant level and discovered that the coolant reservoir was empty. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer was made aware of the failure. 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 58,000.
Engine, Jul 19, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 2,000 RPM intermittently. While driving approximately 40 MPH or exceeding 40 MPH, the vehicle was shaking and hesitating. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic to be diagnosed and it was determined that the vehicle had experienced spark plug and cylinder failure. The spark plugs and the ignition coils were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to another certified mechanic, and it was determined that the engine block was fractured, allowing coolant to leak into several cylinders, causing the engine to misfire. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer was contacted and confirmed the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacture referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 41,455.
Engine, Jul 18, 2024
antifreeze intrusion from head gasket into cylinder 3. broke down on roadway. was diagnosed by ford, Lincoln, mercury dealer kept having to fill antifreeze every other month for years when it became severe the check engine light came on with code to cylinder 3 Ford diagnosed failed head gasket do to bad engineering design and recommended replacement of engine... $10,200 called ford and was told no help available submit complaint on NHSTA, was my only option
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. The contact stated that an unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was 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 79,900.
Engine, Jul 17, 2024
Dealership says there is coolant leaking into engine. I had the car in the dealership 6 weeks ago for it’s 65k miles checkup and no issue was noted then, have driven less than 1,000 miles on it with no noticeable issues other than the check engine light coming on which is why I brought it back in.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving the vehicle. The contact stated while cold starting the vehicle, the vehicle was idling roughly but started operating normally after warming up. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but became a recurring failure. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that coolant had intruded into the engine block. The contact stated that the mechanic informed the contact that the engine was damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised by the mechanic that the manufacturer had issued a Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 - Coolant Intrusion into the Engine Block (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and advised the contact that the vehicle was no longer covered under warranty for the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the coil pack in cylinder #3 and spark plug. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who determined that coolant was intruding into cylinder #3, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 129,300.
Wheels, Jul 17, 2024
The lug nuts were swollen
Engine, Jul 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 51,773.
Engine, Jul 17, 2024
Coolant leaking into the cylinder compartment (cylinder 3) and Ford refuses to fix it even though it is a known issue. The service technician at the Ford dealership acknowledges that this is a widespread issue for the EcoBoost engines. There is a service bulletin that was put out but Ford acknowledging the issue https://static.oemdtc.com/TSB/MC-10214126-0001.pdf
Wheels, Jul 16, 2024
Rear differential failing causing the back tires to go at different speed than the front. Causes steering issues. Part is limited in availability per dealership as so many ford cars are having the issue.
Engine, Jul 15, 2024
There is coolant intrusion in cylinder 3. My engine needs to be replaced and it has 95,000 miles on it. Ford only covers it to 84,000 miles.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the coolant fluid was significantly low. The contact was able to drive a short distance to the residence. The vehicle was inspected by a relative who replaced the spark plugs; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing an excessive amount of coolant fluid and needed to be refilled every three days. The contact stated that on one occasion, the warning light indicating that the engine was overheating had illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer who confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.