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, Oct 7, 2023
2017 Ford Escape with Eco Boost engine- Engine began to misfire when the car reached 67,000 mileage. Check engine light on - took to dealer who informed me not to drive car as it was at risk of catastrophic engine failure due to coolant intrusion in Cylinder #4. Cost of repair -$11,000. Online research shows that this issue is common in the Eco Boost engines between 2017 - 2019 - and that Ford had to redesign the engine block to cure this issue for the 2020 release. Ford repair centers are aware of this common problem, and online are posted memos from Ford company Repair dept- telling dealerships that engine replacement is the only solution for this issue. Several class action lawyers are reaching out - so much so it will take 6 months to get an appointment - in the meantime How many complaints need to come in before the Ford company is forced to recall this engine and replace for customers like me?
Engine, Oct 6, 2023
Engine. Cylinder 2 misfire. At risk for engine failure. Been looked at by independent service center. Check engine light was on. Have done repairs such as spark plugs and ignition coils to fix misfire.
Power train, Engine, Oct 6, 2023
Transmission. Was replaced at 101,000 miles. Made driving situation unsafe, at risk for transmission failure. Replaced at independent service. Has been brought to a ford dealership and looked at. Check engine light appeared. 6 months before replacement.
Engine, Oct 6, 2023
My check engine light came on and the dealer ship says coolent leaked into the cylinders and car needs a new engine for $11,000. Car is at 100,000 miles. After doing research it seems a lot of Fords are having this problem because of a defective engine design and should be a recall
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Oct 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would enter LIMP Mode, with the high engine temperature and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was discovered that coolant had entered the engine cylinder. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the Warranty Extension for the vehicle had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Engine, Oct 5, 2023
Last week my 2017 Ford escape started shaking. Soon after my check engine light came on, an overheating warning, and power train warning came on. I had my car towed to Ford to be serviced. They called and told me I need a new engine. Apparently my coolant has been leaking into the engine. After researching, I’ve found this seems to be happening regularly. It’s beyond frustrating that Ford has not resolved this dangerous issue and is refusing to help people with these enormous engine replacement costs.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, a message indicating that the engine was overheating was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the coolant level was low. The mechanic flushed the coolant. However, the vehicle failed to start two days later. The vehicle was towed to another independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that coolant was leaking into the engine, leading to low engine compression. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where the same assessment was made, and the engine was replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
Engine, Oct 5, 2023
The car has coolant intrusion problem that is known to Ford. The check engine light came on. Fortunately, I was not far from home. Upon arriving at home, we discovered that the coolant level was suddenly well below the minimum level. If we hadn't been diligent in checking the coolant, the car could have caught on fire. October 4, 2023 this was confirmed by our local Ford dealership. We have received the cost of repair and contact Ford. They will offer no financial assistance in addressing this known problem.
Engine, Oct 5, 2023
Ford Ecoboost engine coolant leakage into the pistons, causing complete engine failure and subsequent replacement. Check engine light came on and temp guage rised to maximum temp giving warning. I was driving on the interstate at the time and pulled off as soon as possible. Reports show that this problem could cause engine fires. This has been confirmed by a dealer and vehicle is scheduled to be replaced. Warning lights were check engine and temp high warning. They appeared within days of the car being taken to dealership. Had to wait for an appointment. Ford has been aware of this issue since 2013, yet no recall has been issued. Vehicle has been well maintained with maintainence records available for proof.
Engine, Oct 4, 2023
I took my vehicle to the Ford dealership I purchased it from as I started to have white smoke coming from my exhaust on startup. Ford ran the diagnostics to identify that the engine short block is failing, causing coolant intrusion into the cylinder bores. This issue will not notify on the dash of the vehicle and it will eventually cause the car to catch on fire. The dealership informed me this is a known issue identified by Ford with the motor. Instead of an official recall, Ford issued a customer service program for 5 months in 2022 to fix the issue if your car was exhibiting this issue but will not fix the issue now as that program has ended. I never received notice of this program and the dealership I purchased my car from did not reach out to me. At the time of the program my car was not experiencing the issue. Now my car is experiencing the issue and Ford will not fix this under my warranty or provide financial assistance for a new engine for an issue that is a manufacturers defect.
Engine, Oct 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with coolant leak into the engine cylinders. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to retain documents regarding the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 83,290.
Engine, Oct 4, 2023
Engine has a coolant intrusion defect resulting in the need of a complete engine swap. The vehicle is at the shop, but potentially available for inspection. The issue is widely known to be a common defect of the 1.5L ford ecoboost engine. It has already been inspected by the mechanics and an extended warranty inspector from Veritas Global. A flashing check engine light came on only at the time of failure, not before. When the failure occurred, engine power was lost in the middle of traffic and the car was vibrating vigorously. The vehicle was pulled off the road and towed to a Ford dealer.
Engine, Oct 3, 2023
On Friday, September 15th, 2023 I was driving an on- ramp to enter a highway. I was driving approximately 40mph, as I was merging onto the hi-way I accelerated and the car lost acceleration. There was a loud bust and the car began to sputter. I was not able to drive over 40mph. I exited the hi-way and as I was came to a stop at a red light, the car began to take on gas fumes. The fumes were so strong I thought the car was going to catch on fire. I pulled into the nearest parking lot and called for roadside assistance. The car was towed to the Ford Dealer and I was told the engine blew and would require a new one. The car only had approximately 56,000 miles. The car is still at the dealer having the new engine installed. This was the second such incident with this car. In January 2023, the car was doing the same thing, but as I was driving the car on the street. I took the car to the Ford Dealer and they replaced valves. At that time the car had under 50,000 miles.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Oct 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the engine started to vibrate and misfire. The contact stated that DTC codes: P0302 (Cylinder #2 Misfire) and P0012 (Intake A cam shaft position timing) were retrieved. The contact drove the vehicle to a local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and advised that coolant had intruded into the engine block and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact was advised by the dealer that there was a TSB: 19-2346 Coolant Intrusion into The Cylinders (Engine and Engine Cooling) related to the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.
Engine, Oct 1, 2023
The coolant is leaking into the engine block. This is a no problem with these engines. I may have to replace the engine.
Engine, Sep 30, 2023
No warning lights went off nothing just broke down on the highway. Took it to a shop they said it was a coolant intrusion of the cylinders and that I needed a new engine. Ford knows there's a default on these engines they are doing nothing people are forking out a lot of money to get them fixed. It was built faulty and they know it.
Engine, Sep 29, 2023
A check engine light code popped up which was for cylinder 1 misfire and caused a safety issue because it was burning coolant and caused the engine to overheat and lock up. Ford service center tore down the engine and confirmed that there was coolant in cylinder 1 and in the oil.
Engine, Sep 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on numerous occasions while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start-up. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the starter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to a different independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the cylinder block was cracked, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer nor manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Engine, Sep 28, 2023
I started to experience a check engine light in my 2017 Ford escape with the 2.0 ecoboost engine with approximately 63000 miles on it in late August. The code for the light was P0303 for a misfire in cylinder 3. I also noticed low coolant that I would have to fill sometimes. The misfire progressively got worse quickly and the spark plug could not be removed. As outlined in Ford service bulletin 22-2229 this is issue is know to Ford with the fix being a replacement engine due to coolant leaking into the cylinder bores. The vehicle was brought to a Ford dealership where they confirmed that there was a coolant intrusion issue and the fix was to replace the engine for approximately $9,000. The mileage of the vehicle was about 63975 when brought into the dealership in mid September. The 1.5 and 1.6 ecoboost engines have similar issues. Ford has Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 which replaces the 1.5l ecoboost engine free of cost for the customer if the car is less than 7 years old and has less than 84,000 miles on it. All three engines have similar designs and issues with the coolant intrusion. I was fortunate enough to keep the coolant filled so the engine did not overheat for me but it could have been unsafe if the engine overheated or otherwise failed on the highway.
Engine, Sep 26, 2023
Coolant is leaking into engine. Check Engine light then engine shutting down on highway.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Sep 26, 2023
Auto Start/Stop feature stopped working. Shows unavailable no matter setting. Have had battery checked multiple times and dealership supposedly fixed prior but it is not working again
Other or unspecified, Sep 26, 2023
The automatic idle stop jerks very bad I have had to disengage it for safety It should be a recall issue in my opinion ASAP. Thankyou
Engine, Sep 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at highway speeds, the vehicle began to shake abnormally with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle home; however, upon restarting the vehicle, the engine began to shake abnormally while idling. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was discovered there was coolant intrusion into the engine cylinder. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure and the contact was informed that the short block needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 37,200.
Engine, Sep 23, 2023
In March of 2021, I was traveling to the Tyrone, PA for a bridal shower, when my check engine light began flashing, and my car was running very rough (bumpy, not accelerating, etc). A Firestone Complete Auto Care in Altoona, PA was able to take my car and diagnose the issue. They determined that coolant leaked into cylinders 2 and 3, and that a Ford dealership would need to conduct the repairs. Stuckey Ford in Hollidaysburg, PA took my car and found the same problems. They recommended the engine be completely replaced, totaling $7,262.42. At this time, Ford stated that the issue wasn't covered, so it was paid out of pocket. 6 months later in November 2021, the transmission died. Ford recommended a replacement. I'm unsure if the transmission dying is at all related to the initial coolant leak issue. This was also not covered by Ford, and paid for out of pocket. I have recently learned about the Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12. After talking to local dealerships, I was forwarded to Ford Customer Care, where they informed me that the bulletin expired in November 2022, meaning I would not be reimbursed for the engine replacement. I have moved a handful of times in the past several years, so any notice of this may have been lost in the mail or delivered to the incorrect address.
Engine, Sep 22, 2023
At 95,000 miles the vehicle would jump shifting gears. We took it the mechanic and they noticed one of the cylinders is missing firing. They noticed it is due to a coolant leak. Also, there is smoke coming out of the exhaust and there is a smell. The ford mechanic has said this is due to a coolant leak issue and needs a full engine block replacement that costs over $8,000.