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, May 24, 2022
The contact called on behalf of the owner of a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the driver was driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle overheated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was notified of an oil coolant failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.
Wheels, May 19, 2022
AT A RECENT OIL CHANGE/TIRE ROTATION THE TIRE LUG NUTS WERE FOUND TO BE BULGING - THESE ARE 2 PIECE LUG NUTS. THEIR TOOLS HAD A DIFFICULT TIME REMOVING THEM. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT ROTATE MY TIRES, IN THE FUTURE, UNLESS I HAD A NEW SET. CHECKING, ON-LINE, I ALSO FOUND THAT MY FORD SUPPLIED LUG WRENCH MAY NOT ALLOW ME TO FIX A FLAT. THIS IS A POTENTIAL FUTURE SAFETY ISSUE. BELIEF IS THAT THE DISSIMILAR METALS THAT MAKEUP THESE NUTS CAUSE CORROSION AND MAY FAIL, WITHOUT ANY WARNING, AND CAUSE SERIOUS DAMADE/INJURIES.
Power train, Engine, May 17, 2022
2017 Ford Escape Ecoboost beware consumers. Shame on Ford Motor Company for it's failed attempt.Issues with it's Ecoboost powertrain still leaves customers found on side of the road with a disable vehicle. No indication warning lights other than à flashing check engineer. No overheating or visible leaks under hood/vehicle. A rumble shift before lost of power. Check engineer light now stay on. Diagnosis report powertrain after 90 days of ownership. Major repair without extended warranty with Ford Motor Company. Unfortunately at 90980 miles it's in need of very expensive updates/repairs.The reality part is Ford Motor Company,doesn't believe this is an manufacturer default. Recalls or extended warranties? Beware consumer the auto market pandemic is real also.
Engine, May 12, 2022
The car jerks and engine misfires causing the check engine light to come on. I had the car checked by a Ford mechanic in July 2021. It was diagnosed as a spark plug issue. In May 2022, the car started doing the same thing. I had the car checked by a Ford mechanic. I was told coolant was leaking into the engine and I would need a new engine. Because of the mileage on my vehicle, it is no longer covered under warranty, so I have to pay the full amount or purchase a new car. The mechanic also stated Ford knew the 2017 Escapes had engine issues. When I asked why there was no recall issued, I was told it was because the issue was rare. Based on my research, it is not a rare issue. Based on the number of complaints, a recall should have been issued. Now, consumers are stuck with a huge expense and are put into precarious situations because Ford did not issue a recall. Also, my engine would shut off when the vehicle came to a stop. I would have to put it in park and restart the car, which was dangerous due to traffic behind me. Initially I was told there was no fix. About a month later, the Ford mechanic was able to repair it with the fix that was sent out.
Engine, May 11, 2022
Engine block is leaks coolant into cylinder. This problem appears to be extremely common in these engines and there has not been recall issued for it.
Power train, May 9, 2022
My CVT transmission broke down while I was driving the car at 56,000 miles, well before the 120,000 best practice mark.
Fuel system, Gasoline, May 6, 2022
I put 20 bucks worth of gas in the tank. Start to drive off then my engine would not start. In order to get it to run I had to hold the gas pedal down and put it in gear finally it started running the check engine light came on during this. I have a code reader at home which I have for an old Ford Taurus I used to check my code out. The first time and came back as P1450 or unable to bleed up fuel tank vacuum. I thought maybe I got bad gas so I cleared it but not permanently. I drove it for a few miles the check engine light did not come on. Then when I shut it off and turn it back on the check engine light came back on. I checked YouTube and Google where it seems that the purge valve is a common problem with these vehicles. In fact all the way back to at least 2013 from what my memory serves me today after watching a few videos last night. I have looked for parts for this particular component which will probably run around $85 and aftermarket at your local AutoZone. I prefer buying manufacturer parts from Ford the company itself. I am filing a complaint because I admissions valve should not be going bad this quick with 85,000 miles on the vehicle. I am afraid to drive the vehicle much until it is fixed. I drive a mile and back daily for my son for school and I only have one vehicle. My family has bought Fords predominantly throughout my lifetime. Other than one heater core and common maintenance is all I ever had to do these vehicles been good quality. Thank you for your time.
Engine, May 3, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken the local Pep Boys where it was diagnosed that the crankcase pressure sensor had failed. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that she would be responsible for the cost of the repair as the VIN was not included in an unknown Technical Service Bulletin. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 30, 2022
The check engine light came on. I was told by my regular repair shop that there was a bulletin from Ford and I had to have it fixed by a dealer’s service department. I was then made aware by the Ford dealer’s service department that coolant had leaked into the engine and destroyed it leading to the engine needing to be replaced. My car is 5 years old with 79,000 miles. This is unacceptable. Initially the dealer told me I would have to pay $8600 to have my car fixed. I still owe $7500 on the car. Ultimately, Ford agreed to part of the cost but I am still out of $3300 for the repair and this should not have happened.
Other or unspecified, Apr 29, 2022
Rear window cracked into a spiderweb. Broken glass could have caused drivers behind to have issues with flat tires. The vehicle was not hit.
Engine, Apr 26, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that there was coolant leaking into the engine, causing a cylinder misfire. The dealer informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 26, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to start with no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle eventually started with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with a spark plug failure and the check engine light was turned off. The dealer informed her to drive the vehicle and if the warning light illuminated again to bring the vehicle back to the dealer. The check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The contact stated that she was driving and the coolant light illuminated. The contact stopped and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that coolant was added to the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was diagnosed with coolant leaking into the piston. The contact stated that the manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA for assistance. A case was not opened with the manufacturer. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
Engine, Apr 26, 2022
We discovered that our 2017 Ford Escape was leaking coolant onto our garage floor. The vehicle was taken to a Ford dealership for repair. It turned out that our water pump assembly was defective and required replacement at only 30,251 miles. Our trusted local Mechanic revealed to us that this is a common problem. Our Ecoboost engine could have overheated, and no warning lamps were present. A water pump failing at just over 30,200 miles is unreasonable, and I just feel that the Federal Government should force Ford to issue a Recall on their faulty water pumps.
Engine, Apr 25, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after purchasing the vehicle and while driving 50 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken back to the used car dealer several times however, the used car dealer informed the contact that they could not duplicate the failure. The vehicle was then taken to an authorized dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be repaired due to coolant leaking into the cylinder. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced TSB Number: 22-2134. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Apr 21, 2022
While driving a noise and vehicle slowed down. Light and info came on stating drive train problem take to nearest dealer. We drove it 2 miles to Bill Utter Ford. We were told it might be a week to get it back because of parts delay. Unknown cause of transmission failure. About 40,000 miles on vehicle. Consumer received a call from dealer about my vehicle. Dealer stated it was not the transmission, but a failed throttle body. They said it was not covered in the TSB-16-0139.
Other or unspecified, Apr 19, 2022
Auto stop/start feature is defective. Engine will turn off when stopping at a traffic light etc.., then engine will not restart. A dashboard message come up saying to shift into park and manually restart the engine. While this is an intermittent occurance it is dangerous in busy intersections. Full transmisision failure at 74,000 miles. The vehicle would not accelerate correctly and gear shifting was very loud and rough. On the way to taking the car into the dealer for service dashboard message"transmission fault service now" came up.
Power train, Apr 14, 2022
Torque converter failed at about 70,000. Ford denies a known issue and will only pay for 2/3 of the repair bill. Uploading two phots with the first photo of the torque converter with a blue high heat burn mark in the top left and the second photo is the grinding teeth or gears on the torque convertor pump.
Engine, Apr 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact then took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic test discovered that the spark plugs and coils needed to be replaced. The mechanic linked the failure to a service bulletin discovered on the Ford website and repaired the vehicle according to the service bulletin. Despite the repair, the contact stated that the failure returned a few days later. The vehicle was returned to the mechanic where a second diagnostic test discovered that the coolant reservoir was empty and leaking into cylinder #2. The contact was then informed that the engine block was damaged. The contact was provided an estimate for a new engine. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The manufacturer then referred her to NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
Other or unspecified, Apr 12, 2022
transmission failure on 2017 ford escape with less than 100k miles. transmission filed doing highway speed of 55mph. This particular year and model are a problem and has been reported by other vehicles owners. I've only owned this vehicle for 6montths and my vehicles only has 68k miles. there was absolutely no warning lamps or messages prior to or at the time of failure of the transmission.
Power train, Apr 11, 2022
On 31-October-2021, I was driving my 2017 Ford Escape SE 1.5l turbo (87,094 miles) on the highway, just prior to my exit ramp, I noticed a slight shudder in the power train. After exiting and arriving to the stop light, all seemed normal... until I took my foot off the brake and pressed on the accelerator.... Nothing. Like I was in neutral... I put my hazard lights on and turned the car off. After 4 or 5 minutes, I started the car, put it into Drive and slowly accelerated. I was able to drive about .5 miles where it slipped out of gear again. I safely coasted into a parking lot and turned off the car. After 5-10 minutes, I started the car, put it in Drive, and was able to reach my intended destination less than .5 miles away. From there, I had the vehicle towed to the dealership where I purchased it. The dealership where I had every manufacturer recommended service complete. I was told the transmission was bad. The options I was given was a rebuilt trans $5700 or a used transmission $5300. I opted to have it rebuilt by a 3rd party for $3100. On 28-March-2022, (90,991 miles) I was driving, approximately 45 MPH, when the car became abruptly sluggish. Then I noticed in my rearview mirror that a massive plume of white smoke was coming from my exhaust. At that point, the cabin began to fill with smoke and the engine light, oil light, and alert screen became alive. I immediately pulled over and exited the vehicle. I had the car towed to the closest shop. There they found a hole in the block about the size of a silver dollar. Diagnosis - Major Internal Engine Failure. Cost for a used to rebuilt motor, $5000 - $9000.... These things SHOULD NOT happen at 87K and 90K miles! While there is currently no recall for this engine or power train, I find it most interesting that a Class Action Lawsuit is currently underway for major internal engine failure (between 60K and 100K miles) for the this exact motor and manufactured year
Engine, Apr 6, 2022
Engine ran rough on a number of occasions. Repaired once. Sometime later failed completely. When running rough in traffic it created uncomfortable issues with rough acceleration. Independent service center stated there was a Ford bulletin saying only fix was replacing engine. Confirmed by Ford dealer. Check engine light did come on.
Power train, Apr 4, 2022
While driving at about 45 mph my car started decelerating while still having the gas pedal depressed and the RPMs shot up. I could no longer accelerate and had to coast off the main road, thankfully not getting hit. Had it towed to a Ford dealership and the transmission is a complete loss. Only have 69, 330 miles on it.
Back over prevention, Apr 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing, the rearview camera image was blurry with a warning message indicating that the rearview camera was not functioning properly. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no open recall associated to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
Engine, Mar 31, 2022
The throttle body stopped working with no previous warning or indication. The vehicle has been inspected. The light appeared and issued a failure/problem at the onset of the part not working. The car was not able to accelerate beyond 10mph.
Power train, Mar 24, 2022
Tork Converter Failure, 3/13/2022.No Warning. Car stopped moving. No check engine light.No noise or symptoms before hand. Tork Converter failed. Boiled transmission fluid and ruined transmission.Daughter was driving and the car just stopped and would not move. If this had happened on a busy highway she could have been killed. If this had happened with someone behind her she would have been killed. Car was inspected by Sunbelt Ford in Americus, Ga. Confirming Tork Converter failure and $6190.00 repair charge with 6-8 week timeframe. Ford knows of this issue and no recalls. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED!