2017 Ford Escape

Vehicles transmission, with no warning indicator lights, or any indication whatsoever, failed on me at a busy intersection and nearly caused me and others to be in a possibly fatal accident. It's my knowledge that Ford knowingly produced this 6F35 transmission with a flawed design and with poor engineering. There should be a recall to prevent a possible fatality.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and parked in a safe location. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in cylinders #2 and #4. The dealer stated that there was metal inside the cylinder head and pistons. The dealer determined that the long block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer opened a case for the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.

Morning of April 25, 2025 heard unusual engine sound on 2017 Ford Escape, Eco Boost Engine. Evening - check engine light came on. Next morning took to dealer. "Diagnostics: retrieved code P0303, cylinder 3 misfire, pressure test cooling system, cylinder #3 has coolant intrusion, recommend engine assembly." Had we not paid attention to the issue immediately, the engine could have simply stopped running at some point while on the road. 10-11K to replace engine on 8 yr old car with 97K miles on it. Just like that no second car in the family, worthless without an engine, great financial loss and stress. Should be driving it for another 90K miles! Vehicle at home and cannot drive it, sell it, trade it. The 2017 Ford Escape has manufacturing defects (to include the paint)!

I own a 2017 Ford Escape equipped with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine. I am experiencing a known issue related to engine coolant intrusion into the cylinders, which has been reported by many owners and acknowledged by Ford through Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12. This issue involves coolant leaking internally into the combustion chamber—usually due to a flawed cylinder head casting—which can cause engine misfires, white exhaust smoke, rough idling, overheating, or complete engine failure. In my case, a coolant pressure test was performed, and it confirmed that the cooling system is losing pressure, which is consistent with internal coolant leakage into the engine. Despite this, Ford has declined to cover the repair under the 21N12 program, stating that my vehicle is not eligible by VIN, even though it is the correct model year and engine. I believe this constitutes a safety issue, as the engine could fail at highway speeds without warning, and Ford has failed to provide adequate support for vehicles that clearly exhibit the documented failure pattern. I am requesting the NHTSA investigate this issue further, including why certain 2017 Escapes with the affected 2.0L EcoBoost engine are being excluded from coverage despite confirmed symptoms.

The contact's husband owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact was informed that upon starting the vehicle, a message indicating high engine temperature was displayed, stating to pull over as soon as possible. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked for a long time after the failure. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving the vehicle around the neighborhood, the failure recurred. The contact's husband drove back to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a crack in the engine block, which caused coolant intrusion into the engine. The dealer determined that the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

The 2.0 Motor in my 2017 Ford Escape had a Check Engine light displayed for Engine Misfire on the #2 Cylinder after the OEM Scanner was run for the reason the Check Engine light was on by the Auto Mechanic at my workplace. I ordered the replacement cylinder and sparkplug, and it was replaced. I am no Mechanic, but this issue is similar to the 2013 Ford Escape with the 2.0 Motor which Ford put out a recall on and this issue is no different.

I am writing to report a serious and potentially dangerous issue with the transmission in my 2017 Ford Escape (6F35 model). On April 13, 2025, at approximately 83,800 miles, my vehicle began exhibiting alarming symptoms, including slipping, jerking, hesitation, and delayed acceleration. A dashboard message instructed me to “Service Transmission.” On Monday morning I immediately took the vehicle to my trusted mechanic, who identified the problem as a likely failure of the 6F35 transmission. Hoping it was a computer glitch, he reset the system and advised me to monitor it. The issue returned within 20 miles. When I brought the car back, he confirmed the failure and informed me this is a common and well-documented problem with this transmission model and vehicle year. I contacted the original dealership where I purchased the car and was told there were no recalls. I then contacted Ford directly. Despite this being a widely reported issue, Ford told me I had to take it to a dealership for official diagnosis. I did so—at an additional cost of $200—and the dealership confirmed exactly what my mechanic had already determined. They then quoted a repair cost of over $7,000, which is nearly the value of the vehicle itself. Further research confirmed that this is a known and widespread issue with the 6F35 transmission in the 2017 Ford Escape and prior models, yet Ford has failed to issue a recall or offer assistance. This transmission failure poses a significant safety risk, especially in high-speed or high-traffic situations, where sudden loss of acceleration could lead to accidents. I am urging you to investigate this matter for potential safety defects and to consider a formal recall. Consumers should not be left to bear the financial and safety burden of a manufacturing defect that Ford has failed to address.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle was shaking abnormally. The check engine warning light was blinking. Upon restarting the vehicle, the vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact stated that the failure was related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 19B37. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that there was no recall on the VIN for the failure. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a claim and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 101,261.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, there was a misfire from the engine and the engine was overheating. The engine warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled off the highway and observed that the engine temperature gauge was returning to normal. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and replaced the spark plugs and coils. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred. The contact took the vehicle back to the same mechanic who diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinders and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had been advised by the mechanic that the coolant intrusion into the engine block was a known failure. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.