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.
Carry handle, Shell, Base, Other/i am not sure, Sep 5, 2023
The base of the carseat does not stay locked into position. it freely slides from 5-1 and back. i have video footage showing the carseat rocking forward and backwards when locked. this puts a child at risk for positional asphyxiation and at risk for severe injury or death in the event of an accident. evenflo is refunding the money for both of the carseats that i bought in the beginning of august and refused to replace with the same carseat. there are other reviews online that said this is a common occurence. these seats should be recalled. i drove around without knowing they were damaged for a month with my 2 yo and almost 1 yo.
Power train, Engine, Sep 4, 2023
Just purchased this vehicle on July 3rd and now have Coolant Intrusion and need a new long block engine. I've read online about the MULTITUDE of people having this same exact issue. 2017 Ford Escape SE (2.0 engine) Ford even issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) about it, but refuses to recall the vehicle, which doesn't make any sense. Ford TSB 22-2229
Engine, Sep 4, 2023
Engine brought up a check engine light. I had the light investigated at a ford dealership. Diagnostic test showed coolant intrusion into the cylinders. Code 304 and 316 present. Engine was consuming antifreeze to the tune of 1 tank of coolant a day blowing white smoke out of exhaust and overheating. This made me afraid of a fire because of coolant loss.
Engine, Sep 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and failed to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant leak into the cylinder and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had previously been serviced at the dealer under a recall repair for the engine. The contact also stated that after careful review of the service appointment receipt, he discovered that the recall repair was not completed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the uncompleted recall repair. The contact stated he was informed to contact the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 102,003.
Engine, Aug 31, 2023
I purchased a 2017 Ford Escape a little over a year ago. My vehicle has less than 95,000 miles on it and it has been undriveable since August 14, 2023. I had it towed to a mechanic who advised that there were several cylinders that are not getting any compression which means the engines needs to be replaced. I have reached out to the local Ford mechanics and they are advising that there are no open recalls for this issue, but this is a common problem for the type of engine that my vehicle has.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Aug 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2107 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle vibrated violently, and the engine seemed to misfire. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined there was coolant intrusion into the engine resulting in damage to the engine, requiring replacement of the head gasket. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12, but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but was unable to assist. The failure mileage was 82,000.
Wheels, Aug 30, 2023
Lug nut has a two piece design a nut with a chrome cover that swells making it impossible to remove the lugs with the tool provided by the manufacturer. The safety issue is it leaves people stranded without any tool to replace a tire in the event of a flat.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 30, 2023
I was driving to work at 7am on Saturday, August 26, 2023- and it was a mild morning... maybe 50 degrees. As I was driving I heard what sounded like a gunshot- and once I was able to gather myself, I realized that my panoramic sunroof had exploded. Outward. Nothing hit the glass- it merely exploded. There is no point of impact from an outside object. I was driving past a cattle ranch- no trees hanging over the road and there were no other vehicles in sight. I was only 2 miles from home and was able to close the sunroof cover and slowly drive home to park in garage. It is available- at our home, currently, if inspection is needed. Glass did fall on me, the driver. Luckily I did not have any passengers with me at the time. And my nerves were shot from the loud sound. We have tried, unsuccessfully, to have our calls returned by Ford. And we are hesitant to reach out to our insurance as we truly feel the manufacturer is at fault here. After doing some research, this seems to be a common problem with many Ford models with panoramic sunroofs. We appreciate you recording this incident- and if you have any advice on how to proceed, that would also be appreciated.
Steering, Aug 29, 2023
I was driving to NY from NC when my power steering went out in the mountains of PA there was no warning at all just all of a sudden could not barely turn the wheel. When I pulled over a warning then did come on when I turned the car back on stating steering assist failure needs service. I had to continue to drive because it was late in the evening. When I got to NY I took it to the cord dealer and they stated it is the steering rod that needs replacing and it is costing me $3166 plus tax!! The car only has 53,000 miles on it and of course is no longer under warranty!
Engine, Aug 28, 2023
Check engine light popped on while driving. No flashing or chimes. Initially told by Ford repair center that this means it is nothing major. Took car in for repair. Told need new $8000 engine. Coolant intrusion into cylinder. I paid car off 2 years. Check engine light came on less than a week later.... I have depleted all the savings I had for vehicle expenses so no money for down payment, taxes, license to purchase another. I took very good care of vehicle. Will never buy Ford again. Told everyone I know not to either. I'm very upset. This was not planned. Causing extreme financial difficulties for me. Have learned a new engine may also have same problem. Unbelievable that so many people have complained about this for at least 3 years and Ford won't acknowledge it. This is a huge problem. What do I do with the well taken care of and completely paid of vehicle in my garage now?? I'm physically sick with stress. What am I supposed to do now?? Please help us.
Engine, Aug 26, 2023
We purchased a 2017 Ford Escape near the end of May 2023. By 7/3/23, the engine failed with coolant leaking into the cylinder due to a crack in the engine block P0303 code. The car was at 101,801 miles and required a replacement of the long block engine costing us $8045 performed at a Ford dealership. We would totally expect Ford to reimburse for this cost as this is a known defect.
Engine, Aug 25, 2023
My check engine light came on a few weeks ago. I had it checked at an Auto Zone to see what the issues were. It showed cylinder 3 misfire detected. A week later while driving a warning appeared on my dashboard that the engine was hot. The gauge was at the top. I pulled it over and had it towed the next day. Two days later I was told by the Ford Dealership that I needed a new engine because coolant had leaked into the engine. They have let me know that Ford will not cover it. My safety and others were at risk as a fire could have started or the vehicle could have died in traffic.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Aug 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed an excessive loss of coolant. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the engine was damaged due to coolant intrusion. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12, but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 92,300.
Engine, Aug 25, 2023
Coolant intrusion into cylinders 2 and 3 requiring short block replacement according to the Ford Dealer. This problem is described in Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12, but the VIN for my car isn’t included even though it meets all the requirements. Please expand to include my VIN IN 22N12. I’ve contacted Ford and the case number is CAS-44699591
Engine, Aug 24, 2023
My vehicle has been confirmed via a certified FORD service department to have a coolant intrusion issue that FORD is aware of via TSB 20-2100. However, I was never notified by FORD that my vehicle may have an issue & to take it to a service location to have it checked. Here I am 13,000 miles over my extended warranty & am being asked to pay $7,773 + tax to have my engine repaired but FORD was aware of this issue since 2019 and never once let me know.
Electrical system, Aug 22, 2023
I went to pick my child up from school, the escape was doing great went across the highway and the car shut down saying couldn’t find the key fob! I tried to crank the car back up to get out of the middle of the road so we wouldn’t get hit and the escape wouldn’t detect the Key Fob. We had a mechanic look at it. He thinks it is the body control module. This is a safety issue that my car quit without any warning at all and me and my child could have been hurt badly. This needs to be brought to someone’s attention cause this could happen to someone else. NO WARNING at all that my escape was going to come to a STOP and not crank!!! Very dangerous!!
Engine, Aug 20, 2023
Coolant smell coming from car
Power train, Engine, Aug 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the vehicle jerked and failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that while shifted to drive(D), the vehicle was unintentionally reversed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was shifted into park. The contact’s husband also experienced the failure and had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 72,400.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Aug 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle started to lose motive power with white smoke coming from the exhaust before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that coolant had intruded into the engine cylinders causing the engine to fail. The contact was informed that the engine short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 31,000.
Wheels, Aug 18, 2023
During scheduled oil change service on 8/8/2023, informed that wheel lug nuts were swollen and tire rotation was not completed. Replacement lugnuts were not in stock. Returned on 8/17/2023 and had all wheel lugnuts replaced.
Other or unspecified, Aug 16, 2023
When I had my Ford Escape serviced today, they told me the lug nuts were swollen and distorted so they needed to be replaced or they could end up being a safety hazard.
Wheels, Aug 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while having a routine brake check, the mechanic was not able to remove the lug nuts on all four wheels. The dealer stated was aware of the failure but stated there was no recall for the failure. The dealer recommended the replacement of the lug nuts. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 26,000.
Other or unspecified, Aug 15, 2023
We have a 2017 ford escape with a 1.5 4 cylinder ecoboost. The car started using large amounts of coolant and misfiring. Took it to the dealership and they found every code needed to diagnos the issue as coolant intrusion. There was a recall on this issue but apparently ford is no longer doing the repair. The engine block has a design flaw that allows coolant to leak and cause issues. The vehicle only has 56000 miles on it and is no longer safe to drive. Was told some can even catch on fire from overheating. Ford has denied to cover any fix evwn know it had a recall and is 100 percent a manufacturer defect.
Wheels, Aug 15, 2023
Wheel lug nuts stretching and become stripped. Lug nuts installed by a Ford Qualified service technician only.
Engine, Aug 14, 2023
Engine coolant being consumed by number 3 cylinder due to crack. Recognized when low coolant light came on and car began to overheat