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.
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 13, 2023
I was on the highway doing 70+ and my car overheated and shut off. When i turned it back on the engine light was on and it was shaking like crazy. I took it to the dealership and they told me that it is a known prob and it has a coolant leak into the engine. I can see online that this is happening to thousands of people and ford is refusing to fix it. I could be dead right now. They’ve known about this problem for years but will not replace my engine.
Power train, Jul 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while stopped a traffic light, the signal turned green and the contact depressed the accelerator pedal however, the vehicle failed to respond. The engine revved and the contact stated that the check transmission warning light was illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, shifted to drive (D) and was able to move the vehicle to the side of the roadway. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was recently repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) by a dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.
Engine, Jul 11, 2023
I own a 2017 Ford Escape with a 2.0L ecoboost engine. The engine began running rough and the check engine light came on on July 10, 2023. I took it to the Ford dealer where it was purchased new. I was informed that there was a failure in the engine block which caused coolant to enter cylinder 3. The technician did not go any further into the cause but informed me that the engine needed to be replaced and I was responsible for the cost. I learned that the Ford 1.5L engine had the same problem and was subject to a voluntary recall by Ford in the past. Ford is aware of this problem with both engines. I contacted customer service at the Ford Corporate Office and was told there was nothing they would do to address this issue. I am reporting this in the hope that the government will require Ford to extend warranty protection on this engine and force a recall. Ford is aware of the defect and has shifted responsibility to the consumer. This is a safety issue because this condition can result in engine fires, stalls on the highway, loss of engine power in hilly areas, all of which can put drivers and passengers in danger of serious injury or death.
Engine, Jul 11, 2023
In 2020, Ford issued a recall on my 2017 due to defects in the short block of the engine. The repairs (parts and labor) were covered under the recall notice and a new short block was installed. Early this month - July 2023, I began to notice white smoke coming from my exhaust. I took the car to Wayne County Ford in Honesdale, PA where I was told that the short block had failed and was leaking coolant into the engine. I was told that there was no warranty on the previous short block replacement as was quoted $6,000.00 in parts and labor to, once again, replace the short block. For a short block to fail in 3 years (about 20K miles) is simply absurd and points to a continued defect in the Ford short block.
Engine, Jul 11, 2023
3rd and 4th cylinder coolant leakage causing misfires and engine damage.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 10, 2023
My vehicle was scheduled to have Customer Satisfaction Program 19B37 completed which would have found that Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 needed done and Corwin Ford of Reno pushed my service out by months causing those programs to expire. Due to that my now 5 yr old SUV with 66,634 miles needs a new engine per the diagnostic quote I received from the auto shop that Corwin Ford sent me to because they also couldn’t fit me in for a service.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Jul 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the engine overheated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 116,766.
Engine, Jul 8, 2023
Engine too hot when the vehicle is not running hot. Something with the eco boost within engine is causing the vehicle to keep this code coming up when a tune up and coolant has been done.
Engine, Jul 7, 2023
coolant intrusion
Engine, Jul 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered with the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while driving. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone Auto Parts, where it was diagnosed with a misfire in cylinder #2. The vehicle then failed to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinder and that the engine needed to be replaced. The mechanic replaced the spark plugs; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion) had expired. The contact stated that she had not received notification of the Customer Satisfaction Program. The failure mileage was approximately 131,000.
Engine, Jul 7, 2023
The coolant began leaking into the engine. I was 2 hours into a 4 hour trip and got the sudden message about overheating. The coolant reservoir was empty. I added coolant and made out the rest of the way, but on arrival the coolant reservoir was empty again. The vehicle is at the mechanic’s and I am waiting on a more detailed report.
Engine, Jul 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started and shifted into reverse, the vehicle started jerking. The vehicle was shifted to drive, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle started to lose motive power. Additionally, the contact observed that the engine was revving unintendedly. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced due to a coolant leakage. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 107,000
Equipment, Electrical system, Jul 6, 2023
2017 FORD ESCAPE- Consumer states: " I would like to lodge a safety hazard complaint with N.H.T.S.A. Prompt resolution is requested. I purchased this vehicle from Peoria Ford in December 2018. Unfortunately, this vehicle has had an ongoing electrical safety issue and Peoria Ford has failed to properly address the concern. The issue is, while driving down the road intermittently the door open and not park indication comes on, then all the electronics start flashing randomly, the radio and A/C start working intermittently then stop altogether, and all electronics go out, everything out, no lights, no dash indications, nothing. Essentially, it just became a Model A. The mechanical functions keep working, but no headlights no turn signals, (at night), no wipers, no dash indications everything dead, no speedometer, no interior lights, nothing just a dumb vehicle barreling down the road. Again, this is intermittent, it might happen, then it might not. This vehicle is a danger to drive, however Peoria Ford has shown nothing but indifference to fix this issue. Now I have brought this vehicle multiple times, yet their disregard for finding the issue has come to the point of frustration. Therefore, this has left me with no other option but to lodge an official complaint with The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Now, I am not asking for anything free, if the appropriate warranties apply, then good, if not I will pay. I took the vehicle once to Peoria Ford, the agent called a mechanic over to look at the video, his first reaction was, "I am not digging through that thing to find a short." I am a customer standing right in front of him! What kind of business do you run there? They then said bring it in when it is doing it. Really!? What part of intermittent do they not understand, that is why I took a video. Look, I know this is a known issue as one of the employees told me of a lady with the same concern on her Escape, and that even though after they changed the ECM her issue still persisted. They changed the ECM in my vehicle and the issue is still not resolved. So, this tells me this is a known issue. Unfortunately, when one's business. model is unbridled greed, this is the situation we all end up with, talking about you Peoria Ford. It's just been a bad experience all around, from the purchase to maintenance. Horrible. Therefore, this vehicle is at Michaels Auto Repair, with mv mechanic scratching his head as Ford has failed to necessarily resolve this issue. Please understand Peoria Ford, I will not go quietly into the night. Until this issue is resolved, I will be on every social media I can find, I will write and call everyone I can. As a matter of fact, Peoria Ford handed me a car fax report saying the vehicle was not in an accident, well google the VIN#. Consequently, if not resolved, I will file a complaint with my congressional representative as well as any and all governmental regulation agencies, including ADOT, and local. I will be writing the local press as well. Prompt resolution of this issue is expected."
Engine, Jul 4, 2023
Initial vehicle issue was the engine light with a problem code for cylinder 1 misfire. All spark plugs and coil packs replaced at independent service center. After same engine code, spark plugs failed and replaced three more times and was informed coolant was 1/2qt low. Vehicle taken to Ford dealership and determined through a pressure test the head gasket seal failed. After inspection, was advised by Ford dealership vehicle would need a new engine and it was dangerous to drive the vehicle. Engine warning light came one within 10 start cycles of each spark plug replacement. Found that Ford has a class action lawsuit involving this problem with its Ecoboost engines.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 4, 2023
Coolant leaking
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 4, 2023
No wrecks at the moment
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 2, 2023
I just bought this car less than a week again. 2017 Ford Escapes are known to have cylinder misfires and similar issues. My car just had to issue occur. It raises a lot of safety issues and can render the car unusable.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 30, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message that the engine was overheating was displayed. The vehicle stalled and would not immediately restart. The vehicle was taken to the local service center who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was coolant inside the cylinder head. The contact was informed that the engine 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 80,000.
Engine, Jun 29, 2023
Loss of coolant, over heating, mis firing, rough starts. Have had the sparks plugs and one coil pack change. Have to add coolant every 2-3 months about a half gallon. After a service and notice the coolant loss dealer said there was no issues that they knew of and no recalls of the issue. Safety of the vehicle over heating and stalling out while driving. Service has been inspected by Ford dealer. Service engine soon light would come on.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jun 29, 2023
Vehicle is at 130000 miles and Transmission pump is failing. Car stalls out at low RPM. Taken to Ford dealership for diagnosis and told about transmission pump and coolant getting into engine. This seems unreasonable for a 5 year old vehicle driven new with routine maintenance.
Wheels, Jun 28, 2023
Lug nuts swelled and we could not loosen them to remove the tire.
Engine, Jun 28, 2023
There were engine maintenance warnings, running hot
Engine, Jun 27, 2023
The engine developed a crack in the block. Antifreeze is pouring into the cylinder causing the vehicle to not accelerate properly. It’s a very dangerous situation when you try and pull out into traffic. Ford knows it’s a problem with 2017 to 2019 2.0 liter eco boost engine. Why haven’t they been made to fix this situation???
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his daughter was driving approximately 60 MPH, the check engine light illuminated, and the vehicle started losing motive power and was running rough and vibrating. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the failure was due to coolant intrusion into the cylinders and advised the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact had been advised by the manufacturer that the failure was related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 - Coolant Intrusion Into Engine Block (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Engine, Jun 22, 2023
At about 61,000 miles the engine began to use more antifreeze by 63,000 miles the engine was leaking antifreeze into the engine. we now need to replace the engine.