IllustrationCoolant intruded into the cylinders due to an engine defect
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
What owners actually said
2,677 reportsThe contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle was running rough. The contact stated that shortly afterwards the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a misfire in cylinders #4 and #6. The vehicle was not repair…
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle was running rough. The contact stated that shortly afterwards the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a misfire in cylinders #4 and #6. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to TSB: 22-229. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 78,000.
I purchased car new and had all recommended service performed by the same dealership. At 56k miles (and six years) the check engine light came on. A Ford dealership diagnosed coolant in the engine block. The repair cost $7,700 for a new engine. Ford agreed to assist but only covered 2,700 leaving me an almost 5 thousand bill
Cooling system-related engine failure. Coolant intrusion leading to misfires, engine lag, overheating, and ultimately engine failure. The vehicle was purchased in July 2020 with approximately 30,000 miles and driven without issue until late July 2022 when the engine issue began to occur. By early August at approximately 68,000 m…
Read full complaint
Cooling system-related engine failure. Coolant intrusion leading to misfires, engine lag, overheating, and ultimately engine failure. The vehicle was purchased in July 2020 with approximately 30,000 miles and driven without issue until late July 2022 when the engine issue began to occur. By early August at approximately 68,000 miles the cooling system-related engine failure began to occur and made the vehicle inoperable. Inspection can be available upon request. The safety of myself, family, and all others nearby was put at risk due to this engine failure issue as it occurred and shutdown the vehicle while being operated on a local roadway. This engine problem has been identified by Ford Motor Company in one of their own Technical Service Bulletins and many other owners of this same vehicle have had the issue occur. The vehicle has been inspected by a local Ford Dealership Service staff and confirmed to have the defective engine issue described. There was an Engine Maintenance indicator code that coincided with the described issue that started to occur approximately 1 week before the engine issue occurred.
Coolant leaked into my Ford 2.0 Ecoboost engine and needs a full repair. It has been inspected by a Ford dealership. Ford is aware of this problem, it is a well known issue, and they are refusing to cooperate with me. The block on the 2.0L Ecoboost engine had a slot running between the cylinders for coolant. In some cases the co…
Read full complaint
Coolant leaked into my Ford 2.0 Ecoboost engine and needs a full repair. It has been inspected by a Ford dealership. Ford is aware of this problem, it is a well known issue, and they are refusing to cooperate with me. The block on the 2.0L Ecoboost engine had a slot running between the cylinders for coolant. In some cases the coolant was going into the adjacent cylinders (coolant intrusion). The safety of me and my family were definitely at risk. My engine could fail in traffic, causing an accident. Fires have also been reported. This is a dangerous situation. The problem has been confirmed by the service department at a dealership. The vehicle was inspected by the dealership, not a direct manufacturer to my knowledge. A check engine light was on, the code was misfire. Then a red warning came on a few times advising me to pull over immediately and turn the engine off, and that it was too hot.
Coolant entering engine
lug nuts are striped and wont spin off.
My headlights (low beam) constantly blow out. could become a major problem if both blow out while driving at night.
I was told that my head gasket failed and that there was coolant leaking into my engine which caused a total engine failure. I had the engine replaced, and am now having the same issue with a different engine that is being replaced now as I type this. I have read online that I’m not the only person having this issue with their F…
Read full complaint
I was told that my head gasket failed and that there was coolant leaking into my engine which caused a total engine failure. I had the engine replaced, and am now having the same issue with a different engine that is being replaced now as I type this. I have read online that I’m not the only person having this issue with their Ford and I feel that there needs to be a recall on the engine. My car was first diagnosed at a small shop then diagnosed the second time at the ford dealership. Before the engine failed the first time I had the check engine light appear and the code was reading as a cylinder misfire. It appeared about a month or two before the engine failed.
Coolant intrusion risk of fire. Complete engine shut down. Ford dealership said I now need a new engine due to the coolant intrusion. Ford knows this is a bad design. They had a Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 June 2022 for a short 2 months to repair. Ford needs to recall and repair. Dealer now wants 8k for new engin…
Read full complaint
Coolant intrusion risk of fire. Complete engine shut down. Ford dealership said I now need a new engine due to the coolant intrusion. Ford knows this is a bad design. They had a Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 June 2022 for a short 2 months to repair. Ford needs to recall and repair. Dealer now wants 8k for new engine, now im out a car.
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.