IllustrationVehicles equipped with the base 6 speed select-shift transmission may sometimes fail to accelerate when merging or going up-hill. This issue created a hazardous situation for my family when a car came into our lane and the escape wouldn't accelerate to avoid collision. Luckily the driver of the oncoming car just missed us.
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Escape years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
1510–25K
17625–50K
30450–75K
25375–100K
237100–150K
34150K+
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
Power Train complaints
390 reportsMY 2017 FORD ESCAPE MOVED FORWARD AFTER BEING PUT IN THE PARK POSITION, THUS CAUSING ME TO FALL TO THE GROUND UPON EXITING AND DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE RAN OVER MY LEFT KNEE, CAUSING A CRUSHED KNEE. I AM STILL UNABLE TO WALK PROPERLY WITHOUT PAIN. I HAVE NOT HAD CAR INPECTED AND HAVE JUST SEEN THE RECALL, WHICH STATES "RECALL INCO…
Read full complaint
MY 2017 FORD ESCAPE MOVED FORWARD AFTER BEING PUT IN THE PARK POSITION, THUS CAUSING ME TO FALL TO THE GROUND UPON EXITING AND DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE RAN OVER MY LEFT KNEE, CAUSING A CRUSHED KNEE. I AM STILL UNABLE TO WALK PROPERLY WITHOUT PAIN. I HAVE NOT HAD CAR INPECTED AND HAVE JUST SEEN THE RECALL, WHICH STATES "RECALL INCOMPLETE, REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE".
On June 4th I parked my car at my house and left it running. As I went to walk into my house my car started moving. I was able to get into the car and put it back in park but not before it ran into my house.
On 06/07/2022 I started my car in the morning and as I put the car in reverse I was greeted with a message "engine is hot pull over safely" the heat gauge was all the way to the top. After 1/2 block I turned around and pulled back in the driveway. The engine was running roughly and kept turning off. We opened the hood to check t…
Read full complaint
On 06/07/2022 I started my car in the morning and as I put the car in reverse I was greeted with a message "engine is hot pull over safely" the heat gauge was all the way to the top. After 1/2 block I turned around and pulled back in the driveway. The engine was running roughly and kept turning off. We opened the hood to check the coolant and it was empty. We put water in the radiator so I could go to a nearby store for antifreeze/coolant, but the car was running so roughly and wouldn't accelerate, so after a couple of blocks I turned around and went back to my driveway. Trouble shooting research uncovered many many 2017 Ford Escape eco boost models have had this exact experience, yet there are no recalls... Please advise my next steps regarding proceeding from here. My car only has 42,000 miles on it and I still have 4 yrs of payments to make...
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 rum…
Read full complaint
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.
My CVT transmission broke down while I was driving the car at 56,000 miles, well before the 120,000 best practice mark.
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 ca…
Read full complaint
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.
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.
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 w…
Read full complaint
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
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.
Official recalls
426V374000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.