2017 Ford Escape complaints

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light had been illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 65,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the dealer was servicing the vehicle, the dealer noticed that coolant was leaking into the engine. The dealer diagnosed that the head gasket had failed, causing coolant to leak into the engine cylinder, and the spark plugs were damaged. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls associated with the VIN. The contact was referred to NHTSA Hotline to file a vehicle safety complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 101,800.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on several occasions when the vehicle was started, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was taken to a dealer several times for maintenance or service, and the contact inquired about the cause of the white smoke. The contact was informed on several occasion that the smoke as normal, but the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The contact was informed that there was a misfire coming from cylinder #4 due to coolant intrusion. The contact was informed that the long block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

After having head gasket replaced a year ago. Coolant leaked again into cylynder 3 causing white smoke to come out of exhaust. Ford Dealer looked at car and said the engine was designed wrong... engine needed to be replaced. the headgasket replacement cost 3,000 and now new engine is 7,000

Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 Ford Motor Company P. O. Box 1904 Dearborn, Michigan 48121 June 09, 2022 Certain 2017-2019 Model Year Fusion and Escape Vehicles Equipped with a 1.5L GTDI Engine – Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion REF: REF: Customer Satisfaction Program 19B37 - Supplement #4 Dated: June 09, 2022 Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 22-2134 Dated: December 19, 2019 Fire Hazard ! Demand a recall NOW !

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the 9-1-1 Assistance and seat belt warning alerts activated. The contact stated that the key fob sensor intermittently failed to recognize the key fob inside the vehicle with the message "No Key Detected" displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact stated that during cold starts, the vehicle hesitated, and the RPM became elevated. There was no warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was then illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Eby Ford (2714 Elkhart Rd, Goshen, IN 46526) where the vehicle was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into engine and cylinder #4. The contact stated that the engine relay was replaced after the vehicle failed to start. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 30 MPH, there was an abnormal vibrating sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that a dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 73,786.

White smoke coming out of the exhaust with unusual smell. Check engine light with a misfire reading. Consistent with known coolant intrusion issue with the 1.5 Ecoboost engine.

I am writing to formally file a complaint against the Ford Motor Company concerning a serious issue with our 2017 Ford Escape equipped with the EcoBoost engine. The engine suffered a catastrophic failure at approximately 120,000 miles with no previous warning. Upon inspection by a certified mechanic, it was determined that the failure stemmed from a known defect (coolant leaking into the cylinder) in the 1.5L/1.6L EcoBoost engine, which has been widely reported by other consumers experiencing similar issues. This failure resulted in an unexpected and significant financial burden, with repair/replacement costs estimated at approximately $14,000. I find it unacceptable that a relatively new vehicle with a supposedly reliable engine would experience such a severe issue that appears to be a systemic defect rather than a result of misuse or neglect. I contacted Ford Motor Company to report this issue and seek assistance or coverage for the repairs. Unfortunately, I received no resolution or offer of goodwill, despite this being a known and documented problem. There have been class-action lawsuits and technical service bulletins (TSBs) related to the EcoBoost engines, which further indicates that this is not an isolated case. I have attached a copy of the repair invoice from a local Ford dealership.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to Ikon Motorcars Group, where the water pump and the temperature gauge sensor were replaced, and coolant was added to the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, where the mechanic confirmed that there was no visual leaks coming from the cooling system. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure might be an internal coolant leak into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.

I was driving on the interstate when all of a sudden I lost all power, the car started shaking violently, it started leaking and burning oil. I brought it to my local shop and they confirmed that cylinder 3 had a catastrophic failure and it can no longer create any pressure. There were no warning signs. This just happened randomly driving down the interstate.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and shifting into drive(D), the vehicle failed to move as intended. The contact stated that the "Service Transmission Now" message was displayed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 129,000.

2017 Ford Escape with 2.0L EcoBoost engine. Experienced rough engine/shutter and check engine light (MIL) came on. Code scanner found P0302 for PCM. Took to dealership and they found coolant intrusion into cylinder requiring a full engine replacement. They quoted almost $10,000 to fix. This is a know design flaw/defect with this engine and Ford has reworked design at least twice to address. Unfortunately, they left existing owners with ticking time bombs in the form of a likely expense repair or early demise to the vehicle.

Coolant is leaking into the cylinder bores of the engine, potentially causing overheating and engine failure. Its unfair to me that I would have to throw $6,000 into a vehicle that going to cost me literally half of what I would be paying off for the vehicle itself.... obviously got the car at a used dealership, no one had given me any extended warranties at all.

I was driving home from work going through a small town so I was only going 45 MPH when my engine started to rattle and smoke started to come out and I was able to immediately pull off the road safely. I noticed straight away that the engine was leaking and would not turn back on. When I had my vehicle towed to my Ford dealership, they had informed me that my engine block was cracked and the engine threw a rod that had impacted my starter. The engine has metal shaving in it so that has to be replaced, including the starter and turbo which was going to cost me $15,000. Also my Escape was just maintenance 2 weeks prior to the event so its unfortunate that the Ford mechanics "Missed" that big crack in my engine block.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that a mechanic inspected the vehicle and used a scanner to scan the vehicle. The mechanic informed the contact that there was coolant intrusion into the engine due to the head gasket coolant leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 54,500.

White smoke runs very rough, misfires constantly. Put over $600 new parts myself but cylinder 2 has the leak into it. It's only getting worse and worse.

The engine block has coolant leaking into cylinder 1. This is a known defect with the engine that ford acknowledges but refuses to fix. My car has less than 75,000 miles on it.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was shaking slightly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 85,000.

Low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or may run in a rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator light (MIL) with only diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM). This is due to coolant intrusion into a cylinder bore.

The windshield paint on both sides is chipping and may cause distraction or paint on windshield making it not possible to see. There was a recall for this---my VIN was not included on recall.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact used a diagnostic scanner to retrieve DTC: P0302 (cylinder #2 misfire). The contact replaced the spark plugs and the ignition coils; however, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. The contact stated that after further inspection, the contact became aware that the coolant reservoir was almost empty. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.

We own and have owned a 2017 Ford Escape Eco-drive for over 5 years. We have just learned from two different local mechanic shops that coolant is leaking into cylinder #2 and presenting a check engine light error code (P0302). This is caused by some sort of internal engine crack. We have been told that this will roughly cost us $6,000.00 for a new engine, and that's on the low end. I have also learned that there is a class action lawsuit related to this issue. So, there's obviously a preexisting problem and ongoing resolved issue with his vehicle which needs to be addressed. Please HELP forward and handle this complaint with high attention and resolve.

2022 - driving to Maine from NJ in June. Transmission failed with no warning in traffic on [XXX] in Connecticut, almost caused a large accident and killed my girlfriend and I (car suddenly stopped moving in the middle lane). - Repaired at Colonial Ford in Danbury Connecticut. Receive repaired car 7/8/2022. July/2022 - car lacks power, dangerously so when accelerating, merging, or accelerating from stop. Took the vehicle to various dealers who held the car for weeks at a time, while lying to me, while not being able to “find the issue” that was clear as day. (dealers were Woodbridge ford and Duane ford in Summit, NJ) [XXX] - transmission failed again on [XXX] coming home from work (also almost caused a major accident but traffic was slower). 8/4/2022 - take my car back to Woodbridge Ford in NJ, they refuse to touch it (car is under ford warranty). They hold the car for 7 weeks and lie to me about everything. Ford corporate also lying to me about vehicle. After fighting with ford for 3 additional months, I had to call the GM of colonial ford in Danbury to explain the situation. They agree to repair under their warranty. Ford charges me $750 to tow the car up to Connecticut, do not reimburse me, and do not give me a rental at any point. I went almost a full year of making payments on a vehicle I haven’t used, and spent about $2500 in rental vehicles, mechanic appointments, towing fee, and loss of work opportunity due to lack of reliable transportation. Car now runs sluggishly an

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated to start as intended; however, the vehicle then functioned as needed after being started. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Upon further investigation, the vehicle was scanned and diagnosed with a misfire in cylinder #4, due to coolant intrusion. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

While driving, the transmission shuddered and jerked. I took the car to my garage, where it was diagnosed as needing a new transmission. At the time it had 98,258 miles. The transmission was replaced on 9/1/2023. In September, 2024, the transmission fault message and the check engine light came on. I took the car to Duval Ford where the transmission was rebuilt under warranty. Mileage at that time was 118,754. It took the dealer 3 weeks to get the car back to me. Two weeks ago, again the transmission fault message and the check engine light came on. (Mileage 128,952) Currently I am waiting for a loaner car from Coggin Ford so they can repair the transmission. I have been only driving short distances because I am afraid the transmission will suddenly stop working and I will have an accident or be stranded. I might add that in my 60+ years of driving this is the first time I have ever had transmission problems.

Catastrophic engine failure; unless it could happen very quickly, the vehicle likely will not be available for inspection. As background, our family purchased this vehicle used from a MI dealer in July 2023. It was a trade-in by the previous owner, and the dealer did not disclose any known issues. This vehicle belongs to our daughter, who is a graduate student in upstate NY. After driving only ~6,000 miles, her safety was put at risk when she lost acceleration as gray smoke poured out of her tailpipe (had she been on a highway, both she and other drivers would have been at grave risk). She had the vehicle towed to a local service station and was told the engine needed to be replaced. After searching Google for problems with this vehicle's engine, a 1.5L Ecoboost, we discovered that not only is this a known issue (coolant intrusion) for which Ford did not issue a recall (instead, "Program #21N12 one-time repair for vehicles included in 19B37"), but there also is a class action lawsuit being litigated by Capstone Law APC. Given this, we towed the vehicle to the local Ford dealer, who also advised we need to replace the engine, we will receive no financial relief from Ford, and it will cost $12,000 for the replacement (we paid $16,000 for this vehicle less than two years ago). We have spoken to various individuals at the national Ford customer satisfaction organization, and they will not help us. So we now have an inoperable vehicle that my daughter can't afford to repair, and s

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - The engine's coolant is leaking into the second cylinder, causing unsteady performance and leading to engine failure. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? - In the short term, unpredictable engine performance creates inconsistencies in the how the vehicle is expected to perform; as coolant contaminates the transmission fluid, erratic shifting will make routine maneuvers like accelerating to merge or pass another vehicle unsafe to the driver and those around. This will also lead to an eventual breakdown moment, likely catching the driver and those near to adapt to a sudden dangerous and unexpected action. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - When the vehicle first displayed signs a problem (a rumbling of the engine on start, followed by the check engine light coming on,) the vehicle was taken to the local make dealership. Their service team diagnosed the issue as coolant leakage present in the second cylinder and prescribed an engine replacement to resolve the issue. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? - At this time the vehicle has only been inspected by the service team of the manufacturer dealership. We are no longer driving the vehicle for fears of safety concerns and further damage that could be done. Were there any warning lamp

The contact's wife owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine was idling rough. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the engine needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion into cylinder #2. The dealer related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 22-2229 (Coolant in Cylinders, White Exhaust Smoke And/ Or Illuminated MIL); however, the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 44,800.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that there was scoring in cylinders 1-4 due to coolant intrusion. The contact was informed that the head gasket was blown due to not being properly manufactured. The contact stated that there was a misfire in the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact was informed with NHTSA ID Number: 10169884 (Engine and Engine Cooling); which related to the vehicle failure; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.

Our engine has quit working due to the much publicized coolant intrusion issue by Ford and the Escape model vehicle. I called Ford customer service and they would do nothing to help with the expensive engine repair left but what is being called on the internet as a faulty design. It appears to be quite well known and quite common and they addressed it somewhat with the 1.5 liter Escapes but ours is a 2.0 engine and it is happening a lot with that engine too.

Engine lost near complete power on highway witrhout warning, nearly causing multiple accidents.

I have a 2017 Ford Escape. Have owned the car for 4 months and it's already experiencing transmission issues i.e. hesitation, slipping etc. Took it the repair shop and found other issues (turbocharger, thermostat, water pump). They claimed they didn't see anything wrong with the transmission. Car ran well for a couple of weeks and then I got transmission fault warning. It wouldn't engage and I couldn't get it in gear. Undrivable. I sat on the side of the road for four hours waiting for a tow. Mechanic says it's either a full transmission problem or the brushing cable.

2017 ford escape titanium needed a rebuilt transmission due to it slipping gears while driving. slipping would occur between 1000-2000 RPM at speeds between 40-60 MPH. this problem caused my car to have to get towed to a dealership to have fixed because my car would not accelerate.

My warning light went off for misfire in plug 3, then proceeded to set off warning light that temperature was too hot to stop immediately. Took to mechanics, something with the coolant system and it blew my motor. Second motor put in, it was not compressing correctly now waiting on 3rd motor. Also there is no sound coming from my speakers and my radio module will not allow me to change from am to fm. Bluetooth will connect but with no sounds

My check engine light came on and the mechanic said it was spark plugs. I had it fixed and then it came on a week later and they said they didn’t know what it was. A week later all my panel was flashing telling me to pull over immediately. I almost got in an accident while trying to pull over in the emergency of the warning. The dealer said it’s a coolant leak in the engine and a fault of Ford’s eco boost engine and nothing at all that is my fault. Now they want $7,100 to fix it and Ford knows they caused the issue in their cars. I don’t know why I should pay for the engine replacement when Ford knows it’s their fault.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered and stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

My engine was replaced 80,000 miles ago for a coolant intrusion. In April, I had a check engine light. Ended up being for a misfire. Using a borescope, we were able to confirm that there was coolant in cylinder 3, confirming another coolant intrusion.

Check engine light on, running rough on startup. Diagnosed as Coolant Intrusion in Cylinder No. 2 as result of engine warpage.

Automatic transmission failure burnt smell started coming from the engine compartment but didn't see anything because the engine air filter was on the way but after removing it there was a leak coming from the top of the transmission vehicle only has 129,598 miles and I was in the highway when I notice vehicle deaccelarating and had to pull over almost cause a. Accident because I was in the middle lane Problem has not been addressed by dealer or independent service center No inspection done to the vehicle yet No warning lights until too late which is burnt transmission fluid and transmission in top of transmission

Check engine light activated and taken to mechanic. Diagnosed as multiple spark plug misfires in engine cylinder caused by engine coolant leaking into cylinder. White smoke from exhaust seen when starting car. Coolant levels dropping quickly; approx 1 gallon per month. With multiple misfires, stability and reliability of car acceleration is decreased, thus increasing the possibility of accidents. With coolant levels dropping, risk of engine overheating is increased. Dependability of vehicle for long trips is compromised. Ford Motor Company is aware of this design flaw in their ECO Boost engines as indicated by their Ford Technical Service Bulletin 19-2208 where the only fix is to replace the engine, however they refuse to take responsibility to repair. A nationwide recall of all Ford vehicles with ECO Boost engines needs to be enacted for inspection of this problem and engines replaced by Ford if coolant leak into engine cylinders is confirmed. The Ford models Escape and Edge have been discontinued, but remaining vehicles on the road need to be made safe.

Bad engine design flaw causes the cylinder sleeve to become unattached and it rises up , damages the head gasket and ruins the engine. There have been multiple repairs of this year engine in escapes in our area. A very well known defect.

The Check Engine light was going on and off. I took it into a repair shop and they told me there was a coolant leak in the engine and a full engine repair needs to be done. After looking this up, I came to realize this is a very common issue with the make and model and ford refuses to pay for it.

Escape 2.0 Liter check engine light turned on. Code was cylinder misfire. Diagnosis was no issues with spark plugs. However coolant was low after having been checked and topped off during an oil change 2 weeks prior. Technician performed leak test and identified coolant intrusion in number one cylinder (attached photo is diagnosis). Ford Technical Services Bulletin recommends replacing with new long block engine.

My Ford Escape has had coolant leak into engine block, causing damage to cylinders and cylinder misfires, detailed in this service bulletin: [XXX] . The car has been checked by my mechanic, who confirms the problem. Dealership acknowledges that this problem is real and has had many customers who have had to replace motors because of it but says there has been no recall or extended warranty in respect to this design flaw and declines to resolve the problem at Ford's cost. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon driving into the driveway, the vehicle abruptly shut off without warning. The contact called an independent mechanic and was to bring the vehicle for an inspection. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal chugging sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. Upon inspection, the contact was informed that the engine long block was defective, leading to engine failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was informed that there was no warranty on the vehicle and that the vehicle was not covered under Technical Service Bulletin: 22-2229. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a safety complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

The transmission went out and completely immobilized the car while driving. My wife was driving the car on a 45mph public road, approached a roundabout that had a single entry lane where she attempted to enter. After trying to safely enter the roundabout, then engine revved but the car did not move. If she let it sit, the transmission would eventually engage but surge into gear, and she was able to eventually operate the vehicle to get it to a safe spot until it could be towed. I requested a transmission drain and fill from the dealership at about 55,000 miles, but the service writer declined to have the service done because the service interval from ford is listed at 150,000 miles. The service writer told me the transmission fluid was in a sealed system and would not need to be replaced yet based on my usage for the car, which is largely city/suburban driving with longer trips mixed in where i was not towing.

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.

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)!

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.