2017 Ford Escape complaints

The contact's friend owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the owner had to add additional coolant after it was low. The vehicle stalled while driving, and all the coolant was depleted. The owner used approximately 2 jugs of antifreeze. The driver was stranded. The low coolant light was illuminated. The vehicle was pulled to the owner's residence. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

Evap purge valve stuck open, coolant pooling in spark plugs, and oil combusting rapidly causing fire and explosion fears. Heavy smell of gasoline to where i didn't feel safe to start or drive

My Escape has a severe coolant intrusion of the second cylinder. I took my vehicle in because all of the sudden I had no coolant and no visible leaks, and my mechanic scoped my engine and informed me that I need a complete engine replacement. I am financing my vehicle through JD Byrider. I keep getting bad misfires with a code of P0302

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the check engine warning and a " engine fault service now message appeared and also idled roughly. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed as a coolant leak into the engine block that caused misfires in cylinder two and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that a coolant leak into the engine block that caused misfires in cylinder two and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

All 4 tail lights are filled with water, therefore they stopped working due to corrosion. I had to replace all 4 or I couldn't get my car to pass inspection. No warnings or anything telling me my brake lights have failed. This is a huge problem in the 2017 Ford Escape SE!

Vehicle is at 83,000 miles and the engine was diagnosed with a need to replace TSB 22-2322 (Intrusion of coolant into engine Cylinder) This issue could cause the vehicle to stop running or break down in transit. The only fix is to replace the entire engine which was designed with a flaw. Ford Service center quoted me $15,000 to replace engine. Miller vs. Ford motor company class action lawsuit claims this defect was known to ford and they sold faulty vehicles anyway. Ford denied repairing my vehicle. Freeway Ford Service Center in Denver Colorado.

I own a 2017 Ford Escape SE with approximately 96,665 miles. The vehicle developed coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders, resulting in coolant loss, misfires, rough running, and risk of engine failure. The dealership diagnosed the vehicle as requiring a full engine replacement. Ford has acknowledged similar coolant intrusion defects in certain 2017 Ford Escape vehicles through Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 and related technical service bulletins, but my VIN was excluded despite experiencing the same failure symptoms. This issue creates a serious safety concern because coolant intrusion can lead to sudden loss of power, stalling, overheating, or complete engine failure while driving. The defect occurred despite regular maintenance and without warning beyond coolant loss and drivability symptoms. In addition, the vehicle experienced transmission failure around the same timeframe, significantly affecting the safety and reliability of the vehicle for family transportation. I believe Ford should investigate and expand coverage for this known engine defect to include similarly affected vehicles outside the current VIN range.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine light had appeared on the instrument panel. After an oil change was performed on the vehicle, the check engine light remained as the vehicle began to shake upon start of the engine. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where a P0302 engine code appeared which indicated a cylinder #2 misfire. The contact then called a dealer for a second opinion who informed her over the phone that the failure sounded like a coolant intrusion failure into one of the vehicle engine cylinder. The vehicle was then taken to another an independent mechanic who confirmed the coolant intrusion failure. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 153,000.

Coolant and oil completely gone. Mechanic says the engine has froze up from timing chain jump. Suv is a 2017 ford escape with 54000 miles on it. Oil has been changed every 5000 miles.no leaks showed up on ground until Saturday and it was not noticed until today. The coolant was checked in February for antifreeze before the first freeze and there was no coolant at that time and mechanic filled it up. It makes no sense that a vehicle with such low mileage would need a new engine.

* The 2.0 Ecoboost engine has failed due to coolant puddling on top of the piston of cylinder 1 * The safety of any driver and others on the roads is at risk due to the potential of the vehicle overheating and engine seizing while driving * The symptoms (rough engine operation, check engine light) were reported and reproduced by a local Ford dealer, and inspected by the same dealer who cited Technical Service Bulletin 22-2229 which we were not made aware of at any time since purchasing the vehicle. * The symptoms included a rough operating engine and intermittent check ending light incited us to schedule the diagnostic service in April 2026. The vehicle was serviced 4.5 months earlier in December 2025 for a 100K mileage service, and the check engine light symptom occurred and was serviced prior in August 2022 and April 2025. At no point were we informed of the apparently known TSB 22-2229.

Coolant intrusion on 1.5 eco boost engine. Common problem with Ford escapes but Ford does nothing to make it right.

Coolant intrusion into one or more engine cylinders causing rough startup and coollant loss not accountable externally. A known issue and understood by Ford to be a design flaw. 2017 Ford Escape with 2.0L Ecoboost engine, 81,000 miles.

During normal driving, the vehicle unexpectedly powered off and all functions locked up. A warning message appeared stating that the transmission was not in park. After restarting the vehicle, I was able to continue, but the vehicle has been lagging and exhibiting signs that it may stall again

NHTSA Complaint SummaryVehicle: 2017 Ford Escape SEEngine: 1.5L EcoBoostVIN: [XXX] Defect: Engine Block Design Flaw / Coolant IntrusionTechnical Description of the Issue:My vehicle is experiencing a well-documented manufacturing defect specific to the 1.5L EcoBoost engine. The engine block was designed with a "v-groove" between the cylinders that is prone to structural failure. This allows engine coolant to leak into the combustion chambers (coolant intrusion) and allows engine oil to contaminate the cooling system. My vehicle currently exhibits "milky," tan-brown sludge in the coolant reservoir, confirming that oil and coolant are cross-contaminating due to internal engine failure.Extreme Safety Hazards and Dangers:This defect creates several critical safety risks for the driver, passengers, and other motorists:Sudden Loss of Power at High Speeds: The mixing of oil and coolant destroys the engine’s ability to lubricate internal bearings. This can lead to a catastrophic engine seizure while the vehicle is in motion, causing an immediate loss of power and power steering, which creates a high risk of collisions on highways.Engine Fire Risk: When coolant enters the combustion chamber, it can cause severe engine misfires and overheating. Overheated oil or pressurized coolant spraying onto a hot exhaust manifold during a mechanical failure presents a significant fire hazard.Hydro-locking: If coolant floods the cylinder while the vehicle is in operation, the engine can hydro-lock,

Coolant intrusion defect. Had to replace engine. Power train fail also.

I am reporting a potential safety-related engine defect on my 2017 Ford Escape 1.5L EcoBoost. The vehicle has a history of repeated coolant loss and white smoke, followed by engine failure/no-start. The trouble codes later provided by the dealer included P1285 and P1299, which are related to engine over-temperature protection/thermal event concerns. The local Ford dealer diagnosed the vehicle as “out of time” and recommended a major timing/engine repair path. However, after repeated written questions, the dealer confirmed that my prior history of repeated coolant loss and white smoke was not taken into account as part of the current diagnosis. I am concerned that the vehicle should have been evaluated under a coolant-intrusion / thermal-event failure pathway associated with this engine family, rather than being limited to a timing-only diagnosis. My concern is that this may represent a safety-related engine failure pattern involving coolant loss, overheating protection, and possible coolant intrusion, which could cause sudden vehicle disablement or engine failure. I have also opened a case with Ford requesting an independent review: Case CXH-07588177-W3Z8K7.

Tail light has water intrusion and water shorted out the LED brake light on the driver's side rear of vehicles and has to be replaced as the ED'S are not serviceable.

The engine cooling system and engine block failed due to coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders. This is a known issue in certain 2017 Ford Escape vehicles with the 1.5L or 2.0L EcoBoost engine. The vehicle experienced a loss of power and an engine malfunction while my daughter was driving it, which created a dangerous driving situation for her. The issue has been diagnosed by a mechanic. Prior to the failure, there were symptoms including the check engine light on, the car overheating, and the car running rough.

2017 Ford Escape. 58K miles. Engine light turned on, took vehicle to Ford was informed there was an issue with a coil. $5000+ for repair. Warranty had already lapsed, took to an auto repair shop, coil replaced. Problem solved. 1 month later car overheats, zero coolant in vehicle. Coolant replaced and within 3-5 days level of coolant is less than half. Research and find a recall for coolant problems causing misfires. No letter received, VIN not listed in recall however the problem looks pretty prevalent via blogs and consumer feedback.

April 2025 our Ford Escape, a 2017 model, had an issue with the car overheating, we brought to a dealer and the diagnosis was coolant leaking into the cylinders of the engine . Repair costs range $8-10,000.00 , new engine $11,000 plus. Through research on chat rooms we have discovered that this is a known issue with Ford's design, several consumer complaints and open class action lawsuit exists. Our dealer offered no assistance financially, we were told auto is out of warranty and no restitution is available to us. We've taken excellent care for this car and are seniors on fixed income. Like many other consumers facing the same engine issues, we are left with no choice but to absorb costs to repair the auto. Any trade in or resale value is diminished. Thank you for accepting our submission on this critical consumer issue. We are the original owners of this vehicle. Ford is showing no customer loyalty and, no concern for consumer safety as this "coolant intrusion" issue can cause the car to fail, shut down or catch fire.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 50-60 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated and jerked. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was determined that the failure was related to an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the recall because the VIN was not included. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired and was towed to the residence. The failure mileage was unknown.

DAILY COOLANT LOSS WITH NO LEAK. LARGE VOLUME OF WHITE SWEET-SMELLING SMOKE IN MORNING AT START UP AS WELL AS ENGINE STUMBLING AT STARTUP. UNKNOWN COOLANT LOSS CAUSED OVERHEATING

Coolant intrusion into the Engine issue with my 2017 Ford Escape was confirmed by University of Ford with a $12,000 price tag. I was told my car wasn't part of the recalls and it had 106,000 miles on it so it wouldn't be a part of it anyway. They offered me $500 to buy my car.

My low beam headlights for the past year burn out every 4 to 6 weeks. In the past 3 months, they began to burn out every 2 to 3 weeks. Recently I went to have my headlight changed once again and they told me that the headlight assembly kits were actually burnt/melted and would need replaced on both sides. The cost of those was quoted to be over $2000 each. I was also told that certain Ford Escapes had a previous recall for this very problem but I cannot locate that recall for my vehicle. Could you please help me in this matter? I truly cannot offered to pay to have that repaired and I don't feel that this is an issue that is from routine use. If it was just a burnt out light I would understand and take care of it myself. The mechanic feels that I should reach out and see what Ford can do. Thank you so much.

There is a known issue with coolant intrusion into the engine with this vehicle. The vehicle has less than 40,000 miles. The engine stalled three times over a two mile trip and completely shut off during a left hand turn with oncoming traffic putting my family and other drivers in danger.

I had noticed the "sluggish" during my travels either to/from work, I had thought that it may be local gasoline. After fueling once again, my car started with an emblem on the dash, which I later looked up in the book provided and it stated that I needed to have the "coolant" looked at, I believe it was a engine emblem.?. My last oil change was October 2025. I stopped 03/10/26 by AutoZone to see if they could do a diagnostic. Which stated several options that could be evaluated. The AutoZone information suggested: spark plugs, coil packs and two other options that it might be. Then the next signal my car gave me was during driving from my evening job on 04/02/26, which was so quick I did not get to see it, however, the alarms were loud enough that I was scared. I pulled over for safety d/t the "emblem that I remember seeing said something about "Fire and Safety". I allowed about 20 minutes to pass and nothing had taking place, so I call to husband re: the warning lights. **Wrench Sign: with the signage of Engine Fault Service Now. I was traveling to work after the car sat in my garage over the weekend. The alarms started going off and suddenly I was without control over the vehicle, the car stopped and there was no power.

I started having trouble with my car idleing hard and driving jerky. Around November of 2025, I took it to the local Ford dealership and they couldn’t find anything wrong with it. The check engine light was on at this point So I took it to an independent local shop. They looked at it and saw that the valve in cylinder one was broken and not firing. At this point I took it back to Ford along with pictures of the busted valve. I went back to Ford because I have a lifetime power train warranty they are my authorized repair shop. So with the pictures of the busted valve they filled a claim. The warranty people said that if the head gasket was the only thing messed up they would cover the repairs. If the block was warped they would not cover anything because Ford knows about the problem and there is a Technical Service Bulletin TSB 22-2229 about the problem. I just want to know what to do. How do I proceed ?

Low beam headlight bulbs fail consistently every 90-120 days. I've replaced them approximately 20 times in 9 years. This is a common failure across this vehicle line, as noted in many online forums. This is a safety hazard.

Coolant intrusion

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing coolant, and the coolant pipes were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was inspected, and the contact was informed that coolant was leaking into the engine cylinders. Due to the failure, the contact was informed that the engine needed to repaired or replaced. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 77,000.

Engine fault light came on took to mechanic nothing popped up on the codes. Then check engine light came on took to another mechanic it showed it was misfiring along with other codes. Then check engine light went away. Then moved car out of driveway and engine overheating light came on.

We received notification about the PCM needing reprogrammed and we had that done in 2020 at 41K miles. In Oct 2025 we had the water pump and timing belt changed at 106,236 miles then 5 months later it started shaking and the check engine light came on. The light had never come on before this. It has 109,630 miles. I put a scanner on it and it showed P0302 misfire so I replaced the plug and coil in the #2 cylinder and no change. I had already replaced all spark plugs around July/August in 2025. We had it towed to a local mechanic shop and they did a compression check and said the #2 cylinder had 15% left and that the mechanics didnt see any evidence of a coolant intrusion and we needed a new engine.

Coolant intrusion

Coolant intrusion in the engine. Causes failure if engine and oil leak on engine. Had it diagnosed with a mechanic.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle with coolant intrusion in two cylinders and determined that the engine long block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

1. The failed component is the engine. The dealer confirmed that coolant intrusion caused internal engine damage and that the engine requires full replacement. This is especially serious because Customer Satisfaction Program 19B37 had already been performed on the vehicle and was supposed to correct this exact coolant intrusion issue. The dealer even acknowledged that this repair should have prevented the failure, yet the same problem still occurred less than 30,000 miles later. The vehicle has low mileage, has been properly maintained, and should be available for inspection upon request, depending on whether the dealer or repair facility retains the parts. 2. This created a major safety risk. My teenager was driving the vehicle when the engine died, which put them in immediate danger. A sudden engine failure can cause loss of power, rough running, misfiring, or stalling in traffic, at intersections, or at highway speeds, leaving the driver unable to accelerate or move out of the way of other vehicles. This was not just an inconvenience; it created a very serious risk of a crash and potential injury to my child, passengers, and others on the road. 3. Yes. The problem was confirmed by the dealership service department. They diagnosed the failure as the 19B37 coolant intrusion issue and stated that the engine needs to be replaced. They also acknowledged that the prior CSP repair should have fixed this problem. 4. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership/service center.

Mechanic looked at vehicle couldn’t find a coolant leak from anywhere, could be a cracked head.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated and was turning on and off. The thermostat gauge increased to hot. The contact became aware that there was no coolant in the coolant reservoir. Additionally, the oil light was illuminated even though an oil change had been performed two months prior. The vehicle became undrivable. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that there was an internal coolant leak. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 121,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly stopped on several occasions and lost automotive power. The Automatic START/STOP message was displayed. The contact manually turned off the feature, but the Automatic START/STOP feature was activated independently. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 193,000.

The failure appears to involve the vehicle’s auto start/stop system and related electrical control systems, including the battery management system and/or body control module. The vehicle shuts off unexpectedly while driving and fails to automatically restart, displaying “Auto Start/Stop – Manual Restart Required” and “Shift to Park.” The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle has shut off unexpectedly in active traffic, causing a sudden loss of power. This creates a dangerous situation where I am unable to accelerate or move with traffic flow, increasing the risk of being rear-ended or involved in a collision. This has occurred on public roads with other vehicles present, putting both myself and others at risk. The issue is intermittent and has not consistently been reproduced on demand. However, it has occurred multiple times during normal driving conditions. I am in the process of having the vehicle inspected and documented by a dealership. The issue has been reported to the manufacturer, and a case has been opened with Ford Motor Company. At this time, the vehicle has not yet been inspected by police or insurance representatives. There were no consistent warning lamps prior to the failure. At the time of the incident, the vehicle displayed messages including “Auto Start/Stop – Manual Restart Required” and “Shift to Park.” These messages appeared simultaneously with the loss of power. The issue has occurred intermittently without advance warning.

I am reporting a serious engine defect with my 2017 Ford Escape EcoBoost. Coolant has leaked into cylinder number 4, causing engine damage and failure. The dealership confirmed this diagnosis and stated that a full engine replacement is required, with an estimated cost of $9,000–$10,000. I purchased this vehicle new in 2016 and have been the sole owner. This issue is consistent with known defects affecting EcoBoost engines, including internal coolant leaks and engine block failures. I am submitting this report to ensure it is documented and to request investigation of this safety and reliability concern.

My transmission blew had to be towed home

2017 Ford Escape 65,000 miles,1.5l coolant intrusion.#2 cylinder misfire code. First thing upon raising the hood noticed and acknowledged there was no coolant in resevoir. Attempting to replace spark plugs. Removed/replaced #4 plug. Attempting to replace #3 spark plug, plug broke off. Researching and collaborating with reputable mechanic concluded that short block coolant intrusion has occurred. Upon disassembly have encountered turbo boost and catalytic converter full of oil, also needing replaced. Head has been sent to machine shop for inspection and repair. Presently awaiting for repairs to be completed and costs established. Present estimate over $5000. I paid cash for this vehicle in 2019. Vehicle had been leased for 2 years previous. Vehicle had 20,000 miles on it. Ford was well aware of the coolant intrusion (bad engineering) is before they sold me the vehicle in November 2019. They never mentioned or offered any warranty specific to this issue. They sold me a a vehicle knowing that if enough things went wrong while driving this vehicle, catastrophic situation was possible. They should have corrected this issue before they sold it to the next customer.

The vehicle suddenly began running roughly, and produced a loud clicking/knocking noise and engine shut off while driving. We were advised by the Ford mechanic we had it towed to that it was due to the EcoBoost engine failure, and that this is a known issue.Ford has issued technical service bulletins related to this defect, but no recall has been initiated. Given the safety implications of an engine shutting off while driving, the widespread nature of this problem, and the refusal of Ford to own up to this dangerous defect I felt I had to report it.

Coolant leaking into cylinders. Repair shops said it was a known Ford issue with the 1.5 ecoboost engine. Causes the coolant to leak out and the engine to overheat and the overflow tank to leak.

Engines has a severe issue with coolant leaking into the engine cylinders due to a design defect in the engine block. This "coolant intrusion" lead to misfires, engine overheating, and complete engine failure, and is requiring a full engine replacement.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered, causing the RPM to fluctuate. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V011000 (EQUIPMENT); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 157,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine temperature warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion into the engine. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired because the VIN was not under recall. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V011000 (Equipment); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,459.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone, and the contact was informed that there was a misfire in cylinder #2. The contact replaced the ignition coils and spark plugs; however, the following day, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the contact took the vehicle to another Auto Zone, the vehicle was diagnosed with cylinder #2 misfire. The contact then took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, and there was white smoke coming from the coolant intrusion into the engine. The independent mechanic used a borescope and determined there was coolant intrusion in cylinder #2. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

Coolant intrusion into engine from poor design. A known issue which causes overheating which may cause fires or engine failure while driving. With thousands of Ford escape owners affected. It has a recall on certain models but models that aren't on the recall are also affected.