2017 Ford Escape complaints

Coolant intrusion into the cylinders

Known issue with 2.0L Ecoboost Ford Escape 2017 motors. Coolant is leaking into cylinder causing misfire, white smoke and rough driving. Also, engine light is on and sometimes flashing when driving is particularly rough. All of this has been checked and diagnosed at a repair shop.

Vehicle misfires. I have taken this vehicle to my mechanic for the same issue 3 times. Each time it has be diagnosed as cylinder 3 problem. My mechanic did an investigation and found that this particular engine has been identified as a problem motor with coolant leaks into the motor, causing failure in the cylinders. Ford has not issued a recall but is aware this is a major issue. I have to check the coolant constantly and there are not leaks in the coolant system. Mechanic has stated the only way to fix the issue is to replace the engine.

Engine block suffered coolant intrusion into #2 cylinder. Engine died suddenly. Car was losing coolant at alarming rate for weeks/ months ahead of time.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine made an abnormal rattling sound, and the vehicle lost motive power. There was thick white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The check engine warning light flashed but had not remained illuminated. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that there was no engine oil in the engine. The contact added engine oil, but the failure persisted, and no leaks were found. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 20-2100 (Low Coolant, White Exhaust Smoke And/Or Illuminated MIL). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive to the intended destination despite the failure. The vehicle was then driven to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed. The diagnostic test indicated that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, resulting in engine failure. The vehicle remained unrepaired with the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.

Need a new motor at 60,000 miles. Iv never missed an oil change

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start intermittently. The contact stated that several attempts were needed to start the vehicle. The failure had gotten progressively worse over time. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that there were no recalls on the VIN for the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

This is an issue in general. I caught issue early on, but am now out a car. Engine has a known defect by Ford Motor Company that they refuse to recall. They have acknowledged this defect, but only slightly extended the warranty to fix issue. Any cars with this engine design will eventually fail. It is "When" not "If". This defect lead to coolant intrusion into engine's cylinders. If not corrected, car continues to burn more and more antifreeze, which will lead to catastrophic engine failure while driving, potentially in a high speed situation where others cannot react in time to avoid collision, or potentially during a turn where driver would be left in an intersection. Once intrusion begins, the car is basically not drive-able by the owner, but many people, having invested thousands into their new vehicle, cannot afford another $10k repair to fix the issue, nor can they afford a new car. Therefore they will continue to drive it until enough damage is done that the engine fails. Additionally, if this issue is unnoticed by driver or owner, engine could also overheat, leading to catastrophic engine failure or potentially fire within the engine bay.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at slow speeds, the vehicle stalled with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the residence, and then to a dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated that the engine had overheated weeks before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the water pump was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the "Engine Overheating Shut Down" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle remained at the residence. A dealer was contacted, and the dealer made the contact aware of an undisclosed recall; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,741.

My check engine light came on (again) on my Escape (less than 80,000 miles). The cause appears to be coolant intrusion which I found can lead to engine failure, engine damage, misfires, corrosion and even potential fires. I understand this is a design flaw that well-known by Ford.

Design defect that allows coolant to leak into the cylinders and cause engine failure.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle hesitated and lost motive power. In addition, while attempting to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The check engine warning light and TPMS warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the oil, causing the engine to fail. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was towed to the residence and had not been driven since the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.

Vehicle was quoted a 7400 dollar engine repair for a coolant intrusion issues from a defect in the engine block. The dealership stated that the engine could fail if the engine wasn’t replaced in ample time

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 50 MPH, the engine fault warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to Technical Service Bulletin: 19-2375 or 20-2100. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was a coolant leak in the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

A previous NHTSA complaint was filed on [XXX] regarding a critical steering issue in the vehicle, indicated by the error message "Steering Fault Assist." Following this complaint, the vehicle was inspected by Ford, which determined that the power steering column, including the rack and pinion, required replacement. However, the cost of the repair was placed on the customer, who paid $2,002 out of pocket to have the vehicle repaired at Mayfield Auto in the Dallas Metro Area—the location where the vehicle had initially stalled—despite the fact that the customer resides in Lafayette, LA. Despite the completed repair and the vehicle being driven for more than 1,000 miles, the same "Steering Fault Assist" error message has reappeared as of [XXX]. This issue led to a dangerous situation, as the vehicle became difficult to steer and eventually stalled in the middle of a highway, putting the driver and other motorists at serious risk. The driver, a [XXX], struggled to control the vehicle due to the sudden loss of steering ability and was nearly involved in a collision with another vehicle. This marks the second steering failure within a 60-day period, raising serious concerns about the safety and reliability of the vehicle, as well as the effectiveness of the previous repair. The recurrence of this issue not only poses a severe risk to the driver and passengers but also endangers others on the road. Given the history of this problem and the life-threatening nature of the failure, imm

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound emanating from the engine compartment, prompting the to discontinue driving the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the head gasket, resulting in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 39,000.

My car has yet to hit 90k miles. 2017 ford escape. Recently my check engine light came on. Cylinder 3 misfire. Replaced the spark plugs and it went off. Came back on a week later. Same code. Replaced the ignition coils and went off. Came back on almost a week later again. Same code. Took it to ford to see what’s going on. Apparently there is a KNOWN issue where the coolant leaks into the engine, causing misfires and more problems. It’s not a recall apparently for my vehicle. The only thing to do to fix it is to, guess what, get a new engine.. I’ve done some research now and many, many people are having this same issue. Ridiculous by ford to keep allowing this to happen.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was operating the vehicle, the vehicle lost automotive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

Check engine light came on at 104,000 miles (after a recent 100K mile tune up) Independent mechanic diagnosed 2 issues: a P0301 Cylinder 1 misfire detected. Also a P0316 Cylinder 1 misfire detected on start-up. Mechanic pressurized cooling system, let sit, and then pressure dropped to 10 PSI. We were told it was a coolant intrusian with coolant was leaking into cylinder and if we drove it much longer the engine would fail. We were told we would need a new engine, approximatley $8000 quote. We were also told Ford knows of this issue and has since build a new engine for this car--yet has NOT recalled or helped all these people who have this engine failure due to this defect. This is a major defect that we (and others) should get help or compensation for. We are not going to spend 8K to fix. Today's diagnosis cost us $325 plus the $700 tune up a month ago. We put 1K into this car in 2 months --quotes and documentation attached

Coolant leaked out, and ran hot. Refilled coolant and it didn't leak out but still runs hot. Mechanic said the car runs hot as soon as it’s turned on; coolant is leaking into the cylinders or warped cylinders causing engine block cracks. Another problem is when I get fuel and start the car back up “auto manual restart” comes up on the dash and car shuts off. Car also sputters then shuts off every time I turn it back on after that until I press the gas pedal a few times. Has been smoking since April of 2024 but coolant problem occurred sometime in January of 2025. Fuel issue had been happening since September of 2024.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his wife was driving 35 MPH, the vehicle hesitated. In addition, while attempting to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The “Engine Fault - Service Now” warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that an independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the shifter cable had failed, and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (POWER TRAIN). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance, and informed the contact that the recall was closed. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 16,821.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that a technician noticed coolant leaking into the engine. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to O'Reilly's and the contact was notified of a misfire in cylinder #2. The vehicle was then taking to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined 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 109,000.

Oil is leaking into my cylinder 3 and 4. I’ve been reading all over that a lot of people are having issues with same thing on there ford escape.

Cylinder 3 is leaking coolant please reference claim 11643983

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the engine made an abnormal beeping sound and then unexpectedly shut off. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and the "Engine Fault Service Now" message was displayed. The vehicle was restarted, but the engine overheated. The contact added coolant to the reservoir; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was a crack in cylinder #3 and coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that a mobile mechanic inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the vehicle with a misfire in cylinder #3. The contact was informed that the spark plugs and ignition coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak in cylinder #3 and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,854.

Regarding 2017 Ford Escape: Coolant is intruding into the firing cylinder. In my case it was cylinder #3 and was confirmed by KeyScales in Leesburg, Florida. Upon speaking with a Ford Motor Company representative, they told me it was a known problem but no recalls have been issued by NHSTA even though a similar recall has been issued for 2013 Ford Escapes. I was told the engine will fail quickly and should be replaced immediately at a cost of $10,400.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was advised that coolant intrusion had been found in the short block of the engine, and that the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 111,390.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, she noticed the water meter gauge was lower than normal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into cylinder #3. The vehicle was not repaired because the warranty had expired. Upon further inspection, the contact related the failure to TSB 19-2172; however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,511.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while her daughter was driving out of the school parking lot at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine block was fractured, and there was coolant intrusion in cylinders #3 and #4. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to an undisclosed TSB. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

Coolant intrusion into the engine block. Dealer says engine needs to be replaced

2017 ford escape we were taking a 4 hour drive car made some strange noise check engine light came on well half way to our destination car began spitting and sputtering we pulled into a car part dealer and began changing things spark plugs air filter car continued to read mis fire we drove home car would not go over 50 black smoke pouring from it making horrible noises got it home went straight to a garage the engine had leaked coolant into had to replace engine total cost 5000 dollars

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while parked and attempting to start the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while attempting to depress the accelerator pedal and failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that a dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 91,271.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 35-40 MPH, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while it was raining the windshield wipers became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the catalytic converter, windshield wiper motor, and emission coil needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

Coolant is leaking from the system into the cylinder causing a check engine light and cylinder misfire.

My 2017 Ford Escape had the check engine light come on, on Dec 15 2024, and then it went away. It came back on on Jan 7, 2025 and I took the car in to Ford and they told me after doing a pressure test on the coolant, that I need a new engine. The cost is $9800. There was a cylinder 3 misfire and coolant was low. I have the coolant intrusion issue that is a known defect. Ford Corporate is not willing to help I was told. I had a 96 month extended warranty but it ended on 11-29-2024. The car has 93K miles and all service and repairs have been done at the Ford dealership.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine briefly shuddered before returning to normal functionality; however, the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that coolant intrusion into several cylinders had caused damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnostic result. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 97,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was difficult to start after refueling. The contact stated that after the vehicle was started, the vehicle shut off while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to be restarted and responded as needed after several attempts. The contact stated that the failure had become a consistent failure. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the canister purge valve had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle started to vibrate and shake while depressing the accelerator pedal. The shaking of the vehicle forced the contact to pull over. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated and was flashing. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was coolant intrusion in cylinder #2, and that the engine block was cracked near cylinder #2. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was running roughly. The engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant in the cylinder. Additionally, the engine block was cracked. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 50,262.

Oil in coolant reservoir via engine. Engine replacement.

At 69,500 miles, my check engine light came up on and the engine began running rough. I also saw that the coolant reservoir was low. I refilled the coolant and it was immediately low again. This is the same coolant intrusion that is a known issue with the ford ecoboost engine in the Escape.

The contact's husband owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and lost motive power while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The transmission was replaced under warranty by the dealer. The contact stated that recently the failure recurred with an abnormal cranking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact was unaware of any warning lights being illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with a defective flywheel and transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 62,798.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle started to lose power. The contact was able to continue driving and the check engine warning light was later illuminated. The contact stated that upon inspection, the contact discovered that the coolant reservoir was empty. Despite the failure, the contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic, and it was discovered that the coolant had leaked into a cylinder, causing the cylinder head gasket to be blown. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure and the vehicle was later towed to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and acknowledged that the failure was a known issue; however, the vehicle was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the manufacturer and was provided the same information as the dealer. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Check engine light started flashing and engine started stuttering. It is available for inspection. Safety was compromised because vehicle would not go above 35-40 mph. Engine has been inspected by the dealership and needs to be replaced. There was no prior warning.

Transmission failed at 96,000 miles requiring replacement Cracked/bad cylinder block at 110,000 requiring replacement Ford knows of engine problem (Technical Service Bulletin 22-2322) will not assist with repair Repair invoices available upon request

My daughter told me our 2017 Ford Escape Titanium’s engine light came on. She said the engine was sputtering and losing power. I scheduled an appointment with Ford the next day, and paid for them to do a diagnostic on the vehicle. The vehicle has 105k miles on it. They said the engine had coolant intrusion in cylinder number one. The engine needs to be replaced, it’s out of warranty, and would cost $8,000 to replace, I was expecting the vehicle to last until 200k miles with proper servicing , and the repair is more than the value of the vehicle. Now the vehicle is sitting in my driveway, since I don’t want anyone driving it on the highway with an engine that loses power and could go at any time.

Check engine light flashing, took to a local mechanic and need the whole engine replaced due to an internal coolant leak. Coolant level was low so the car overheated. Couple days later it was empty again