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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.

About this comparison →

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

What owners actually said

2,677 reports
Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 2024
Seats

Turned the heated seat on (driver side seat). After a little while the seat felt too hot so I thought maybe my jacket was positioned strange on my back. I readjusted my jacket and turned the seat down to the medium setting. It still felt too hot so I turned it off. After exiting the vehicle I noticed a burn mark through the back…

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Turned the heated seat on (driver side seat). After a little while the seat felt too hot so I thought maybe my jacket was positioned strange on my back. I readjusted my jacket and turned the seat down to the medium setting. It still felt too hot so I turned it off. After exiting the vehicle I noticed a burn mark through the back of the seat. I checked my jacket and there were burn marks on it as well. Had I not been wearing a winter jacket i likely would have been burned. This also poses a safety concern of the seat starting on fire. The vehicle has not been evaluated yet. There were no warning messages or alarms prior to the malfunction. It can be inspected upon request.

NHTSA ODI #11573208

Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 2024
Engine

The coolant has leaked into the engine causing engine defect

NHTSA ODI #11573202

112,000 miles · Feb 21, 2024
Fuel System, Gasoline

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle was difficult to start while still at the pump. The contact stated while driving at various times, there was fumes coming from the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a local …

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle was difficult to start while still at the pump. The contact stated while driving at various times, there was fumes coming from the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic and was informed that the failure was due to the vehicle not having a gas cap. The vehicle was not repaired. At the suggestion of the mechanic, the contact attempted to use different grades of gasoline however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 112,000.

NHTSA ODI #11573097

61,000 miles · Feb 20, 2024
Engine

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact noticed the loss of engine power. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed…

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact noticed the loss of engine power. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact was informed about TSB: 21N212. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

NHTSA ODI #11572910

Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 2024
Engine

Leaking coolant into cylinder causing misfiring and bad 1.5 liter engine. $8000 to replace ford knows of the issue with these motors but won’t do anything about it they need to be responsible for this.

NHTSA ODI #11572806

Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 2024
Unknown Or Other

Brought car to a Ford dealer for standard service. Dealer found that lug nuts were swollen and could not be removed via standard procedure. 20 lug nuts had to be replaced at my expense.

NHTSA ODI #11572786

Mileage unknown · Feb 18, 2024
Engine

There is a major design flaw where the coolant leak causes the engine housing to crack usually around 70,000 MI which is why I feel like I was sold a lemon because they sold this car to me without telling me anything about this at 64,000 miles throwing in a powertrain warranty I guess to cover up the rip off they probably won't …

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There is a major design flaw where the coolant leak causes the engine housing to crack usually around 70,000 MI which is why I feel like I was sold a lemon because they sold this car to me without telling me anything about this at 64,000 miles throwing in a powertrain warranty I guess to cover up the rip off they probably won't even pay for the $7,000 repair. So now I pay $12,000 on this car and owe $10,000 more and only got to drive it for about a month and a half before a problem started happening and now my dealer has had my car for over a month and simply tells me every time I call that they don't know what's wrong with it even though they're being sued in 12 States for this issue and there are thousands of escape owners complaining about this very thing online. So it's obvious that Ford just doesn't want to add one more car to their phone book of course they've had to recall not to mention this is my second lemon in a row owning a contour before now where they got caught lying about the transmission that was in that vehicle were they held my car for over 6 months before fixing it. But my symptoms are my fluid is empty as soon as I put them in my engine runs hot as soon as I turn it on and shuts itself off which means I could have died if I was on the highway when this happened and now I have a car that I spent $24,000 on in the long run that I got to drive for about 2 months with it being in the shop the rest of the time. If you would like in detail information feel free just to Google The escape issue online and you will see thousands of reports from Ford owners complaining about the exact same thing happening the exact same way almost like one person wrote it and copied it a thousand times.

NHTSA ODI #11572653

Mileage unknown · Feb 17, 2024
Engine

Coolant leaking into cylinders 3&4 miss fire on plugs 3&4 as well. Check engine light come on and goes off by itself quite a bit. There have been no incidents or accidents causing such a problem. The contact wants to know if his vehicle has been reviewed by anyone to determine if it fits in the criteria of getting repaired by …

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Coolant leaking into cylinders 3&4 miss fire on plugs 3&4 as well. Check engine light come on and goes off by itself quite a bit. There have been no incidents or accidents causing such a problem. The contact wants to know if his vehicle has been reviewed by anyone to determine if it fits in the criteria of getting repaired by ford.

NHTSA ODI #11572485

Mileage unknown · Feb 16, 2024
Engine

TSB 22-2229. Coolant intrusion is cylinder one due to engine design flaw. Long block needs to be replaced. Please issue recall.

NHTSA ODI #11572449

42,000 miles · Feb 15, 2024
Power Train

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. In addition, the contact stated while shifting into another gear, the contact noticed that the transmission was slipping. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with …

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The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. In addition, the contact stated while shifting into another gear, the contact noticed that the transmission was slipping. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

NHTSA ODI #11572086

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