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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 And Engine Cooling complaints

507 reports
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100,511 miles · Feb 18, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, she noticed the water meter gauge was lower than normal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into cylinder #3. The vehicle was not rep…

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, she noticed the water meter gauge was lower than normal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into cylinder #3. The vehicle was not repaired because the warranty had expired. Upon further inspection, the contact related the failure to TSB 19-2172; however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,511.

NHTSA ODI #11643399

120,000 miles · Feb 13, 2025
EngineEngine And Engine CoolingVisibility/wiper

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 35-40 MPH, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while it was raining the windshield wipers became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the catalytic converter, windshield wiper…

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 35-40 MPH, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while it was raining the windshield wipers became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the catalytic converter, windshield wiper motor, and emission coil needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ODI #11642568

97,000 miles · Feb 12, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine briefly shuddered before returning to normal functionality; however, the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determi…

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine briefly shuddered before returning to normal functionality; however, the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that coolant intrusion into several cylinders had caused damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnostic result. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 97,000.

NHTSA ODI #11642236

50,262 miles · Feb 11, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was running roughly. The engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant in the cylinder. Additionally, the engine block was cracked. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufactur…

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was running roughly. The engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant in the cylinder. Additionally, the engine block was cracked. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 50,262.

NHTSA ODI #11642021

57,000 miles · Feb 11, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle started to vibrate and shake while depressing the accelerator pedal. The shaking of the vehicle forced the contact to pull over. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated and was flashing. The contact …

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle started to vibrate and shake while depressing the accelerator pedal. The shaking of the vehicle forced the contact to pull over. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated and was flashing. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was coolant intrusion in cylinder #2, and that the engine block was cracked near cylinder #2. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

NHTSA ODI #11641977

100,000 miles · Feb 7, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle started to lose power. The contact was able to continue driving and the check engine warning light was later illuminated. The contact stated that upon inspection, the contact discovered that the coolant reservoir was empty. Despite the fail…

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle started to lose power. The contact was able to continue driving and the check engine warning light was later illuminated. The contact stated that upon inspection, the contact discovered that the coolant reservoir was empty. Despite the failure, the contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic, and it was discovered that the coolant had leaked into a cylinder, causing the cylinder head gasket to be blown. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure and the vehicle was later towed to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and acknowledged that the failure was a known issue; however, the vehicle was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the manufacturer and was provided the same information as the dealer. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #11641305

90,000 miles · Feb 4, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while driving at an undisclo…

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, by turning off the vehicle, allowing the engine to cool down, and then adding coolant to the coolant reservoir. The contact also inspected the vehicle with a scanner and retrieved DTC: P0302 - Cylinder #2 Misfire. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak into the cylinders, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

NHTSA ODI #11640741

143,000 miles · Feb 3, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption, which required the contact to add coolant to the vehicle daily. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. The check engine war…

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption, which required the contact to add coolant to the vehicle daily. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Trans Auto Repair, where it was diagnosed with a misfire in cylinder #3. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in cylinder #3. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to TSB Number: 19-2346. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.

NHTSA ODI #11640301

152,000 miles · Jan 23, 2025
Engine And Engine CoolingSuspension

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving approximately 40-50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that there was a misfire coming from the vehicle. The driver was able to pull over safely. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to…

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving approximately 40-50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that there was a misfire coming from the vehicle. The driver was able to pull over safely. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a parking lot. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the control arm had fractured in half. The contact was informed that the spark plug, head gasket, turbo, and engine needed to be replaced. Additionally, there was freon inside the engine and the turbo was leaking. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 152,000.

NHTSA ODI #11638005

108,258 miles · Jan 21, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that a Ford mobile mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and recommended that the spark plug and ignition coil be replaced. The parts were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the…

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that a Ford mobile mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and recommended that the spark plug and ignition coil be replaced. The parts were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion into the engine. The dealer related the failure to Ford TSB Number: 22-2229. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 108,258.

NHTSA ODI #11637475

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