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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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63,700 miles · Oct 2, 2024
EngineFuel System, Gasoline

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for a diagnostic test. The contact was informed that the purge valve needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact was inf…

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for a diagnostic test. The contact was informed that the purge valve needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 63,700.

NHTSA ODI #11617697

Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2024
Engine

Engine had a hesitation while running for approx a week, then one morning it flashed on dash that push button start not operable must be manually started.. It would not run after that and was towed to Brandon Ford Dealership near Tampa Florida. This was around the [XXX], today on [XXX], Brandon Ford sends message stating that th…

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Engine had a hesitation while running for approx a week, then one morning it flashed on dash that push button start not operable must be manually started.. It would not run after that and was towed to Brandon Ford Dealership near Tampa Florida. This was around the [XXX], today on [XXX], Brandon Ford sends message stating that the engine has "COOLANT INTRUSION" and that it will cost $14,228.00 for a whole new engine!! They even have a name for the issue, not like "blown head gasket", "warped head", etc. Upon further research on internet, this is a MASS PROBLEM with these engines from 2013 to 2019 and is still happening even though Ford claims to have conducted a "redesign" of the coolant ports on the engine block.. IF THIS IS NOT A CLASS ACTION OR A RECALL SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM!!!!!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11617672

Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 2024
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

I was driving down the road and my vehicle stalled out and had little to no acceleration Was stuck in the middle of an intersection until I could move it to a parking lot putting my safety at risk. Dealer (Brondes Ford Toledo) ran codes, yet would not tell me the codes after they tried to charge $11,000. No Warning lights yet, …

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I was driving down the road and my vehicle stalled out and had little to no acceleration Was stuck in the middle of an intersection until I could move it to a parking lot putting my safety at risk. Dealer (Brondes Ford Toledo) ran codes, yet would not tell me the codes after they tried to charge $11,000. No Warning lights yet, had engine lights on until the dealer replaced Fuel vapor assembly and crankcase pressure sensor a little less than 30 days beforehand. After service Ford said it was good to go and stated this could not have been related to the bushing already recalled.

NHTSA ODI #11617618

Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 2024
Engine

UPDATE FOR TRACKING 11613924: Ford tech ran their diagnostics and have determined that it is still showing a Cylinder #2 misfire. They have advised me that I need a new Long Block and have quoted me at $7,800. Ford Corp states that there are no recalls, TSBs, or Customer Satisfaction posts that will cover my repairs, and I am …

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UPDATE FOR TRACKING 11613924: Ford tech ran their diagnostics and have determined that it is still showing a Cylinder #2 misfire. They have advised me that I need a new Long Block and have quoted me at $7,800. Ford Corp states that there are no recalls, TSBs, or Customer Satisfaction posts that will cover my repairs, and I am out of any type of warranty for financial assistance from them for this known issue on the 2017 Escape 2.0L. I’ve had this car for 2 years, put a little over 5k miles on it. Total mileage right now is less than 98K.

NHTSA ODI #11617597

Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 2024
Engine

Found the dreaded coolant intrusion, with a misfire on cylinder four. The ford dealer found the design flaw of the slits cut in between the cylinders. The dealer is stating that the car needs a new lower block. No engine check lights on, motor lags as you take off from a stop. This i believe is dangerous to anyone driving this c…

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Found the dreaded coolant intrusion, with a misfire on cylinder four. The ford dealer found the design flaw of the slits cut in between the cylinders. The dealer is stating that the car needs a new lower block. No engine check lights on, motor lags as you take off from a stop. This i believe is dangerous to anyone driving this car with this known problem. After exploring the internet many other people are experiencing this same problem.

NHTSA ODI #11617579

105,000 miles · Oct 1, 2024
Engine

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the engine warning light was illuminated. The message to “Turn Off the Vehicle Immediately” was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repai…

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the engine warning light was illuminated. The message to “Turn Off the Vehicle Immediately” was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, opened a case, and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

NHTSA ODI #11617404

Mileage unknown · Sep 29, 2024
Engine

Engine misfired while driving down highway causing car to shake, and emitting smoke from the tailpipe. Vehicle has 93,000 miles and has always been well maintained. Driven carefully and never driven rough. Due to the abrupt failure of the engine driver nearly lost control of the vehicle and had to pull to the side of the road …

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Engine misfired while driving down highway causing car to shake, and emitting smoke from the tailpipe. Vehicle has 93,000 miles and has always been well maintained. Driven carefully and never driven rough. Due to the abrupt failure of the engine driver nearly lost control of the vehicle and had to pull to the side of the road immediately. The problem was confirmed by the dealer who admitted that they know there is a problem with this years engine failing prematurely but wanted $11404.47 to replace it. The vehicle was inspected by a certified Ford Technician at Koch 33 ford in Bethlehem PA. This failure was unprovoked, there were no warning lights, messages, or any symptoms. FORD KNOWS about this issue and refuse to issue a recall or address the problem once it fails. There is ZERO reason a car that is 7 years old is now completely worthless. When asked about this the dealer said that they would be happy to roll the outstanding cost of the vehicle into a new loan on a new car but they would not address the vehicle that failed.

NHTSA ODI #11617110

Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 2024
Engine

Coolant is continually, but slowly, leaking. The car has alerted me twice now that the engine is too hot and to safely stop the vehicle. There is also an oil leak. The vehicle needed oil replaced, not just changed, within the window of scheduled oil change. This car has been routinely taken into Ford for oil changes and nothing …

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Coolant is continually, but slowly, leaking. The car has alerted me twice now that the engine is too hot and to safely stop the vehicle. There is also an oil leak. The vehicle needed oil replaced, not just changed, within the window of scheduled oil change. This car has been routinely taken into Ford for oil changes and nothing has been said about this issue.

NHTSA ODI #11617005

Mileage unknown · Sep 27, 2024
Engine

#1 cylinder misfire. Many complaints on Coolant intrusion into engine cylinders

NHTSA ODI #11616804

Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2024
Engine

The head gasket of the engine failed, allowing the intrusion of coolant in to the combustion chamber as well as exhaust gas entering the cooling system. After starting up the engine there is white smoke exiting the exhaust pipe. If you open the coolant reservoir you will also see bubbles coming up (exhaust gas). The issue was di…

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The head gasket of the engine failed, allowing the intrusion of coolant in to the combustion chamber as well as exhaust gas entering the cooling system. After starting up the engine there is white smoke exiting the exhaust pipe. If you open the coolant reservoir you will also see bubbles coming up (exhaust gas). The issue was diagnosed by a machine shop with pressure testing. The report is attached. The issue was noticed because the car showed a low coolant check light. The car was immediately pulled over without the engine overheating. The ODB2 scanner also showed an engine misfiring for the first 1000 revolutions. This is a known Ford issue and design flaw in the 1.5L engine built between 2017 and 2019. Being a small, high powered turbo engine the engineers needed a better cooling capacity and added a channel between the cylinders to allow for more surface cooling. This channel significantly lowers the ability of the head gasket to perform for the expected life span of the engine. The surface area between the combustion chambers is way too small. Ford addressed the coolant intrusion issue and mitigated it by a change in the coolant passages. It was introduced in early 2019. The issue is confirmed by Ford as well as the dealership where we purchased this car. The issue can only get permanently fixed by replacing the engine block. Only changing the head gasket means the issue can reappear any time, making the car unsafe to drive. Living in Arizona, we feel that it is unsafe to drive a car like this. The desert heats up to 120 degrees over the summer. If your car breaks down in an area without cell phone coverage you have a huge problem. Your car should only break down because parts get old and worn out rather than a design flaw by the manufacturer. If you are selling a baby crib that possibly fails because of a design flaw there would be an immediate recall. I feel that Ford should address this issue again and offer its customers a reasonable to feel safe.

NHTSA ODI #11616688

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