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2017 Ford Escape

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Escape years

Owner complaints for the 2017 Ford Escape are substantially higher than the model-year median of 996.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

1,155 reports with mileage · 1,522 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 1,564 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 507 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 390 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

39 crash reports15 fire reports38 injury reports

Engine complaints

1,564 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 30, 2024
Engine

There’s was white smoke coming from my Escape and it ran rough. The check engine light came on so I took it to MB Automotive. He stated several codes stored in DTC, PO300, PO301, PO304, PO316, PO217, and PO1299. Engine has coolant intrusion into cylinders of the engine. Removed spark plugs and confirmed catastrophic damage to en…

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There’s was white smoke coming from my Escape and it ran rough. The check engine light came on so I took it to MB Automotive. He stated several codes stored in DTC, PO300, PO301, PO304, PO316, PO217, and PO1299. Engine has coolant intrusion into cylinders of the engine. Removed spark plugs and confirmed catastrophic damage to engine. Cost of repairs exceeds value of vehicle. I had no choice but to get a different car. I owned a Ford Focus where there was transmission issue. A class action lawsuit was launched against Ford at that time that I did not get involved in that lawsuit. No other dealership would take my Focus so I was forced to get another Ford (my Escape) and now this happened. I will not buy another Ford.

NHTSA ODI #11611858

54,000 miles · Aug 30, 2024
Engine

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the pressure sensor needed to be replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was ta…

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the pressure sensor needed to be replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant had leaked into the engine block through the head gasket, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

NHTSA ODI #11611854

Mileage unknown · Aug 29, 2024
Engine

I was accelerating onto the freeway, heard a knocking sound and the was hesitancy in acceleration. I traveled a few moments, the check engine light came on for the first time and the vehicle began to shake and sputter. Thankfully, I was able to exit the freeway out of harm's way. This is the first time this malfunction occurred.…

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I was accelerating onto the freeway, heard a knocking sound and the was hesitancy in acceleration. I traveled a few moments, the check engine light came on for the first time and the vehicle began to shake and sputter. Thankfully, I was able to exit the freeway out of harm's way. This is the first time this malfunction occurred. Upon evaluation by a trusted mechanic, and after diligent testing and problem solving attempts by his technicians, I was informed that there had been complete engine failure due to coolant leaking into the cylinders. I have contacted Ford Customer Relations twice with no response as of this writing. The vehicle has less than 32K miles on it and it has been very well maintained. Through investigation I have found that this problem is wide spread. There is an obvious and dangerous design flaw in this particular engine. It must be addressed.

NHTSA ODI #11611708

62,000 miles · Aug 29, 2024
EnginePower Train

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware of an oil leak, and transmission and engine failure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnosis and repair. The contact was informed that the engine block and turbocharger needed to be replaced; additionally,…

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware of an oil leak, and transmission and engine failure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnosis and repair. The contact was informed that the engine block and turbocharger needed to be replaced; additionally, the transmission needed to be rebuilt. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 62,000.

NHTSA ODI #11611600

91,000 miles · Aug 29, 2024
EngineEngine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while inspecting under the hood of the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a crack in the engine. The engine fault message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant was entering the engine and because of the failure, the engi…

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while inspecting under the hood of the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a crack in the engine. The engine fault message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant was entering the engine and because of the failure, the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 91,000.

NHTSA ODI #11611585

Mileage unknown · Aug 29, 2024
Engine

Started vehicle to run errands and it immediately began rough idling and the check engine light began flashing. Read the manual, immediately returned home and parked it. Made appointment with dealer. Dealer reproduced the problem and verified the concern. Dealer ran diagnostic which returned codes P0304 and P0316. Dealer fo…

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Started vehicle to run errands and it immediately began rough idling and the check engine light began flashing. Read the manual, immediately returned home and parked it. Made appointment with dealer. Dealer reproduced the problem and verified the concern. Dealer ran diagnostic which returned codes P0304 and P0316. Dealer found cylinder 4 misfiring. Dealer swapped ignition coils from 3-4. Misfire stayed on cylinder 4. Dealer swapped spark plug on cylinder 4. Misfire on cylinder 4 cleared up. Dealer noted coolant was not low and confirmed we had not added any. We did have it at that same dealer on 6/7/24 for oil change service which included multipoint inspection and fluid top off. Our paperwork does not note whether coolant was topped off during that service. Dealer gave us an estimate to replace the spark plugs which we approved. Dealer held the vehicle overnight to repair the following day. After sitting overnight, dealer checked cylinders for coolant. Dealer found coolant leaking into cylinder 4. Dealer revised original repair estimate. Vehicle does not need spark plugs, vehicle needs long block assembly replaced. We declined repairs at this time. Repair cost estimate $8585.03.

NHTSA ODI #11611510

Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2024
Engine

Started the vehicle to run errands and upon exiting the driveway the vehicle was rough idling and the check engine light was blinking. Immediately turned around, brought it home and checked the manual. Scheduled service with dealer and left it parked until the service date. Dealer reproduced the problem, ran diagnostics and v…

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Started the vehicle to run errands and upon exiting the driveway the vehicle was rough idling and the check engine light was blinking. Immediately turned around, brought it home and checked the manual. Scheduled service with dealer and left it parked until the service date. Dealer reproduced the problem, ran diagnostics and verified concern. Diagnostic codes P0304 and P0316 returned. Dealer found cylinder 4 misfiring. Dealer swapped ignition coils from 3-4. Misfire stayed on cylinder 4. Dealer swapped spark plug on cylinder 4. Misfire cleared up. Dealer noted coolant was not low and had not been added by customer. The vehicle was in for regular oil change service at the same dealer on 6/7/24 and the service package included fluid top off, but the paperwork received did not note specifically whether coolant had been topped off. Dealer let vehicle sit overnight at dealership and checked cylinders for coolant the next day. Dealer found coolant leaking into cylinder 4. Dealer states long block assembly needs replaced due to coolant intrusion. Quoted price of repair $8585.03. Repair not covered by Ford even though it seems to be a known issue. We declined repairs at this time. Why our vehicle has not been included in the recall is a mystery. It meets the date and the final assembly plant location. It is a 2017 Ford Escape Titanium 2.0L EcoBoost engine, assembled in Louisville.

NHTSA ODI #11611456

Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2024
Engine

Engine Coolant is leaking into Cylinder #3 causing significant miss firing of said cylinder. The car is consuming gallons of coolant, which contaminates the gas and oil in the engine…which renders the car unsafe to operate. This is a long standing problem for the open head design and has caused fires. Check engine light, and …

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Engine Coolant is leaking into Cylinder #3 causing significant miss firing of said cylinder. The car is consuming gallons of coolant, which contaminates the gas and oil in the engine…which renders the car unsafe to operate. This is a long standing problem for the open head design and has caused fires. Check engine light, and low coolant warnings are evident.

NHTSA ODI #11611395

Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 2024
Engine

Dealership has confirmed coolant intrusion in motor due to a faulty design of the ecoboost 1.5 engine. I have found research saying this could cause engine fire or complete engine failure while driving. This is scary since I drive my 3 year old in this vehicle.

NHTSA ODI #11611275

Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 2024
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

My son was driving this car home from school and while going through a busy street, the car suddenly buckled and stalled and he was almost t-boned. Thankfully he was not hit. We later found out that this vehicle was assembled in a plant that has a known line issue with their engine blocks. This issue caused one of the cylinders …

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My son was driving this car home from school and while going through a busy street, the car suddenly buckled and stalled and he was almost t-boned. Thankfully he was not hit. We later found out that this vehicle was assembled in a plant that has a known line issue with their engine blocks. This issue caused one of the cylinders to crack and fluid to leak in causing the issue that almost caused the accident. We were made aware that this is a known issue by our service person. Ford is aware of it as they have issued CSPs and TSPs regarding the issue but have yet to issue a recall and will not cover repair costs or offer to fix vehicles before they have the issue. Ford should have a safety recall to prevent possible accidents as these vehicles age and the problem occurs more regularly.

NHTSA ODI #11611237

Official recalls

4

26V374000 · Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls

Jun 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."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A closing window that does not reverse direction as expected can pinch a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: 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.

26V011000 · Equipment:electrical:engine Block Heater

Jan 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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: 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.

22V413000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl); Power Train:shift Linkage/cable/rod

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:shift Linkage/cable/rod

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.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

16V617000 · Electrical System:software; Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls

Aug 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."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If a window closes on a body part, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: 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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:software

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."

Consequence: If a window closes on a body part, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: 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.

Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls

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."

Consequence: If a window closes on a body part, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Ford Escape problems