2017 Ford Escape complaints

I began receiving a notification labeled "Engine fault, service now" a few weeks prior to the incident. I took my car to a mechanic and everything checked out fine, so the code was cleared and did not return. A few weeks later, I was changing my oil and noticed my engine coolant appeared extremely low. I also noticed a wet spot under my car under the coolant chamber side. I refilled the coolant, drove 5 minutes home, and then noticed it was once again empty. I then had my engine light come on. I took my car to Ford that night. The next day they called and informed me I had an internal coolant leak that had seized my spark plugs and destroyed my engine. This is a known issue, extremely common, and yet they refuse to do a recall on it and could provide me no help. I was quoted $16,000 for the repair (far more than the car is worth) and essentially just ended up having to buy a new car. The Ford will have to be scrapped for a few hundred dollars despite only being 8 years old with only 98,000 miles on it. I have records of my ownership and a written diagnostic report from Ford. From Ford: "Observed coolant intrusion into cylinder #2. Recommend replacement of the long block at this time. Coolant intrusion into long block at this time. Found the engine assembly has an internal coolant leak." Additionally, Ford has posted a service bulletin with recommended repair instructions for this known issue. The bulletin number is 9-2139 from 2019. There is also an active class action lawsui

Continues to roll when parked engine has been replaced twice grinding when putting in park

The engine failed due to coolant leaking into the cylinders. Sarasota Ford confirmed that coolant intrusion caused internal engine damage and the engine could not be repaired. The vehicle was purchased only 18 months ago and has been maintained per manufacturer guidelines. This appears to match a known Ford issue that has affected multiple Ford Escape model years involving coolant intrusion, rough running, stalling, and eventual engine failure. The repair required a full engine replacement at a cost of $9,850.20, which we have already paid. I am requesting NHTSA review this defect pattern as it creates safety risks and significant financial impact for owners.

An “engine fault check engine now” Came up. We quickly brought our 2017 Ford escape into our near by Ford dealership. Mechanic says a P2601 code came up, which is related to coolant to Aux pump performance. They found reservoir leaking a reservoir spiderd hose down to oil cooler. Found coolant reservoir leaking. I have this diagnostic in writing. ford wanted to charge $1088 to fix the issue and said once thats paid they would look further. We didn’t have close to that amount of money so we went to another near by mechanic, they looked into issue and found the coolant had been leaking into the engine and sent photos, and thats when we realized we needed an engine replacement. We have always taken care of our cars and we should not be having to pay for a brand new engine! The mechanic at the other smaller shop we took car to was actually a prior ford mechanic but left them and says he had seen this issue with this year and model many times! And it was due to a bad engine build that they since corrected for newer cars. So the people who bought a car with that year and model just got screwed. We are now having to take my 5 year old grand daughter to school on a bike and carriage situation, hoping it doesn’t get to cold or rainy. Not to mention our transmission had to be re built “just out of warranty” so ford was no help once again. We looked it up and the transmission going out just out of warranty was also a recurring issue for this year and model. So really we feel we spent 30

My check engine light came on. So I decided to get a code reading from auto zone. Once code scan I received error code p0303. I then decided to replace all coils and spark plugs, then the check engine light goes out for a couple of days. I decided to take to a local shop they tell me a hose was loose and if the check engine light comes back bring it back…. I thought to myself that's why I came the first time, I then decided to take to ford. They do the diagnostic and say I have to replace engine because of coolant intrusion. I would need a long block and would cost around 8000 to fix. The reason I am sending this is because I believe that Ford should be held accountable for this known flaw in the design of the ecoboost engine. Many people are or has been going through this problem. A recall is the best way for ford to handle and take accountability.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle sputtered with the messages “Engine Fault Service Now”, and “High Engine Temperature – Stop Safely” displayed. The vehicle was able to be restarted, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with head gasket failure, which caused coolant intrusion into the cylinders. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 86,000.

I was informed by the Ford Dealership that I needed new engine. I have spoke to 2 mechanics ( my local mechanic who has 2 Ford Escape with engine failures and the other mechanic from DCH Ford who had 3 engine failures) I see there is no recall but with 5 Ford Escape engine failures that I am aware of via only 2 mechanics I would have to say they are more out there.

Coolant intrusion into cylinders at 81,000 miles has damaged engine and transmission pump, requiring replacement of both. Appears this is a known issue with both 2.0L and 1.5L engines.

Ford dealership states the engine needs to be replaced at a cost of 10K due to coolant in the engine oil as a result of failure of the #4 cylinder. The service advisor stated “ It’s actually a pretty common thing on these engines”. This issue was discovered during a routine oil change by Roberson Ford in Albany Oregon.

Coolant leak causing overheating and rough driving issues. Check engine light stayed on, along with other warning lights. The engine ran terrible. I rely on a Ford vehicle to transport myself and my children safely. This issued cause me to pull over on busy highways and interstates to let the engine rest and add multiple gallons of coolant. Our local mechanic inspected the vehicle and said this was a known issue with these vehicles and recommended to replace the engine due to a crack in the block. I had to replace the whole engine.

Purchased In-10/31/24- 2017 Escape ES 2.5 LTR Echoboost: 11/13/24-Oil change,Wipers,headlights, recall buching,11/24 transmission mount, clicking noise, transmission chokes 11/23-check engine lights, 12/10- headlights, car auto shut off 1/23/25- new tires, studdars Accel, loosing power, cylinder 2 missfire,spark ignition coils all 4 replaced, 02/10- Missfire 3-cylinder, replaced, 3/24-Misfire 2&4-cylinder moister on coils & plugs, replaced-headlights,bright lights malfunction. 5/17- shaking, chokes acceleration, turned off on hghwy 65mls hr apx. Misfire 2-cylinder. 7/3-Tires won't hold air,7/27-tire melted from inside out,9/3-Over heat indicator, resivor empty take cap off fills with collant, no leaking found, hear the fluid bubbling through engine, wheels screeching acceleration, 9/28- over heat, back tires screeching, brakes grinding, shuts off while on hghwy. 9/29-engine light, drive train evape,change tires, escape valve canister, 10/15-misfire cylinder3, greyish white smoke tail pipe, ignition starts without key fully engaged, chokes after starting power lose, peddle clicking on acceleration, slow acceleration hestattion. 11/2-change rotors, breakpads, due to ignition malfunction removed starter fuse to enter maintenance mode. I'd be happy to email documents the website doesn't allow me to upload with complaint, these events took place over 12months period bad continue. Car now is overheating stopping the engine while I'ma driving low or high speeds. Causing clicking sou

I have a 2017 Ford Escape with an EcoBoost engine. My car was running a little bit rough and the check engine light turned on. I made an appointment with an independent service location that I trust to diagnose the issue. After reading the computer code, which noted a cylinder misfire, they noticed that the coolant level was low, did some investigating and found a Ford-issue technical service bulleting from 2022 detailing the likelihood of a coolant leak into the engine. They scoped the cylinder and confirmed the presence of coolant in the cylinder and noted the only repair was a replacement of the entire long block. I then sent my car to a Ford dealership and asked them separately to diagnose the issue, and they returned with the same diagnosis and suggested repair. The safety of me (a lone parent), my 8yo son, and our dog are put at risk every time I have to drive the car since we don't know when the engine might give out completely. I've now been restricted to only driving very small distances until I can find the required $9K to replace the engine. I do not feel comfortable driving my car (which has been great until now), but cannot afford an indefinite rental car, nor a new car, and have no alternative but to drive it. This is a KNOWN ISSUE (as evidenced by the Technical Service Bulletin) and a few older models have actually been recalled, but for some reason, the remaining have not. Ford will not cover any cost of the repair because of the age of the car, even though it

My 2017 Ford Escape Titanium with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine is experiencing unexplained coolant loss. After topping off the reservoir, coolant disappears within days, yet there are no visible external leaks. The oil appears milky and frothy, suggesting coolant intrusion into the oil system. This points to a possible internal leak such as a head gasket failure or block defect. This issue poses a safety risk due to potential engine overheating, misfires, and sudden engine failure while driving. Symptoms began in early November 2025 and have worsened over time. The problem has not yet been confirmed by a dealer or independent shop, but it matches known issues documented in Ford’s Technical Service Bulletin 19-2208. No warning lights appeared prior to the issue. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer or other parties. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue and urge Ford to issue a recall or extended coverage for affected vehicles.

Had a coolant leak at 67,000 miles, and the only indication I had was the heat in my car stopped working. I assumed it was a thermostat issue, dismissed it, and continued driving for months like that since it was the summer. Where I live, it's pretty mild in the summer so I wasn't driving with AC or heat on, just with the windows down. I happened to notice the coolant reservoir was completely empty while routinely refilling the windshield washer fluid. This was my first indication anything was seriously wrong with my car, and I only noticed accidentally. I took it into the repair shop, and they pressure tested the system. They discovered coolant was leaking into the cylinders and called to tell me Ford has had a technical service bulletin they issued years ago (22-2229) about the engine in my car. This is known defect with the engine, and that the only way to remedy it is to replace the engine long block. They quoted me over $17,000 for the repair (parts and labor), and told me that there was internal engine damage that could lead to the engine seizing while operating, which is an obvious safety issue. Had I not happened to refill the windshield wiper fluid, I would have had no idea. In hindsight, this wasn't just a thermostat issue...it was a massive coolant leak into the cylinders. I didn't even get a check engine light until I had already discovered the issue and was waiting for a repair appointment. The problem is known by Ford, and is widespread enough in the ecoboost en

I live in NYC my transmission went bad on the road

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while taking the vehicle in for a routine tire rotation, the dealer informed the contact that the lug nuts were swollen, and the tires could not be rotated. The contact's wife purchased a tool to remove the lug nuts and purchased replacement lug nuts. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, who was unable to use the tool to remove the lug nuts. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, AutoNation Ford Gulf Freeway (12227 Gulf Fwy, Houston, TX 77034), who was also unable to use the equipment to remove the lug nuts to replace them lug nuts with ones purchased by the contact. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 74,800. The VIN was not available.

Like so many other with the ford escape from 2017 I experience a coolant leak into engine head causing overheating. With only 115,000 miles and the clear amount of vehicles with the same issues its quite disappointing there is nothing ford motor company is doing, when its clearly a manufacturer defect. Any other company would be held responsible for such an obvious mistake made on their part. I would never buy a ford vehicle going forward as this experience is very disappointing.

Due to a known issue with the casting of the engine block, there is coolant inside of my engine. When my mechanic looked at it, he found a known issue with the block being cast incorrectly. The only work around is a new engine, but the engine that fits my car, will just have the same issue. Ford knows about the default and are not issuing any repair recalls because not enough people have complained about it. I just replaced the transmission last year because it suddenly failed. Now my engine is toast as well. Ford needs to do something about this. The only warning I had was when all of my coolant leaked into my engine and suddenly it overheated.

While driving the car- the front end started to shake and the check engine light came on. Took it to our local Ford dealership and the advised that it was a cylinder 2 misfire when they diagnosed. They advised that the engine block is porous and the coolant slowly leaks into the engine which is causing the misfire. Called Ford's customer assistance line and since the car is out of warranty- and there are no open recalls, that they will not cover the $9100.00 new engine repair. Our car is a 2017 Ford Escape Titanium- with approx 82k miles. We purchased the car as a certified pre-owned in 2021- and have had no prior issues. We did not purchase any extended warranty. We were advised that the car isn't safe to drive due to the engine misfire.

There is coolant intrusion on the engine.

Backup Camera display had lines then went blue and black. Backup camera no longer detected

Vehicle idled rough and then check engine light came on. Took to ford dealer in Stillwater, OK and they told me coolant was low, vehicle is leaking coolant into cylinder one and needs a new engine block for $9700. Asked about adding coolant and was told without the repair it would just go straight into the engine. Low coolant is at risk for overheating and engine shutdown

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle started to shake and vibrate and decelerate. The vehicle was taken to a nearby mechanic who diagnosed that the alternator and alternator belt had failed and needed to be replaced. The alternator and alternator belt were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission warning light illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated, and the steering wheel was difficult to control. After stopping the vehicle and shifting to park(P), the vehicle rolled backwards causing the driver to activate the parking brake. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The transmission was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not contacted regarding the failures. The failure mileage was 107,000.

The motor in my 2017 Ford escape has knocked since purchasing the vehicle. The coolant degas tank was completely empty upon inspection indicating it leaked somewhere. The engine is blown and the technician states it’s due to sludge in the engine. Given that I have kept up on vehicle maintenance and only owned the vehicle for 25k miles, my suspicion is that the engine head sucked in the coolant causing engine failure. At this time the dealer is refusing to help in the repairs and I have no vehicle. I am not the only consumer that’s experiencing this issue.

I bought this car on 05/30/25 and there is now a Coolant infusion into the engine which has made the car undrivable. The repair at my local Ford delaership is $7500.00. Ford has refused to assist in the repair or help in any way. I am now out of a vehicle due to this known issue Ford has

Engine stopped working

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the tailgate unexpectedly opened while driving. The contact stated that the tailgate could be opened manually or with the key fob. The contact stated that depressing the button near the tailgate failed to open the tailgate. The tailgate ajar message was displayed. The contact attempted to resolve the issue by changing the key fob battery, but the issue persisted. The local dealer was contacted and suggested a diagnostic test be performed. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there was no recall coverage on the VIN and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

The seat stopped working. The ford almost gave out on me multiple times today. On the highway and twice on the road. Apparently this vehicle has been recalled plenty of times. It has something to do with bush wiring. The seat will not adjust or move forward and the windshield wipers don’t work. It basically gave out and will not reverse.

Coolant Infusion Into Engine , Powertrain Light Issue Turns On But & It Stated To Replace Spark Plugs/ Coil Overs But Coolant Still Dissapates From Coolant Resevior

My 2017 Ford Escape with has 37000 miles and I was told I need a new engine

After having brought the car for service multiple times due to “cylinder misfires” & having been told to replace spark plugs, power packs & get a “tune up” the latest mechanic report states there is coolant leaking into the engine, and the engine needs to be replaced. There is a known Technical Service Bulletin (19-2139) regarding this issue with Ford Escape 1.5L models.

Engine started to over heat and leak/burn coolant

Engine light came on while in traffic. Took Ford Escape to Tire Discounters, they replaced spark plugs and wires. Drove 200 miles, engine light back on. Not knowing problem and taking it to Grimer Tire, found out engine was cracked. Called several mechanics and found 2017 Ford Escape have coolant seal failure, which caused engine to overheat and crack from coolant leak. Then called Ford and received complaint number. Took to Kerry Ford and was told that Ford Motor Company is not responsible for failure, since my VIN not on recall. Even though the recall was the exact problem on my Escape. I have been dealing with a vehicle that overheats in traffic and not able to drive since and calls to Ford Motor has not been helpful or resolving this issue. Since July have cost me over $2,000. and my car not road safe.

I purchased a used 2017 Ford Escape SE with EcoBoost engine (2.0L) at 58,000 miles in April of 2024. In September 2024, the check engine light came on, followed shortly thereafter by overheating of the engine. This overheating would cause the engine to go into limp mode on the highway, which happened multiple times. When inspecting the coolant tank, it was discovered that coolant was leaking out, and the tank did not retain new coolant poured in. The issue was determined by both the Ford dealership and a third-party mechanic to be coolant intrusion, requiring replacement of the engine long block. Upon researching the issue, discovered that Ford's customer service program 21N12 covers replacement for engines of this year and model, but was informed by Ford that recall/replacement was not covered as the engine on my vehicle was not 1.5L. Clearly, whether the engine is 1.5L, 1.6L, or 2.0L, the issue exists. The $8,300 fix has created a serious financial burden, as I had to pay out-of-pocket to fix Ford's known mistake. There is currently a class-action lawsuit against Ford for this issue: [XXX] , et al. v. Ford Motor Co ([XXX]). In the class-action, it is reported that buyers' engines have burst into flames due to this issue. In my case, the vehicle went into limp mode on the freeway, and could easily have caused a serious wreck - I am thankful that I was able to get the vehicle off of the road and into the shop before there was a wreck. These vehicles are active liabilities on

The infamous coolant intrusion into a cylinder I no longer have a working car, im a nursing student this sucks!

My 2017 Ford Escape with 55K miles (never missed a scheduled oil change since bought) was diagnosed with "coolant intrusion" . When the car broke down there were no prior indications that something was wrong, totally out of the blue. The dealership told me I would have to pay for a new engine because the warranty expired and gave me an estimate of $13,500.00. This is an engine defect and is happening to Ford owners throughout the US and they are being told the same things. How does coolant intrusion happen and why? A design defect which should be recalled and repaired by the company and not the consumer who has done nothing wrong.

Check engine light came on and car was idling rough. Took to auto repair shop and was quoted almost $12,000 to fix problem. Code P0316, P2601 and P0302. Misfire in cylinder 2 due to coolant leakage. My entire engine needs to be replaced. I will now need to purchase a new car. I just found out this has been a known issue for 2017 Ford Escapes. I was never notified. Would not have bought this car in 2018 if this informatiom had been available. Just found out there is a class action lawsuit.

I just purchased a 2017 Ford Escape with under 44,000 miles in August 2025 only to find out cylinder 3 has a coolant intrusion allowing coolant to enter on top of the piston. This can cause a fire!!!! I was told I need a new engine!!! Ford needs to pay for this because it's a known defect with these cars!!!

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on several occasions when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine, 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, and determined that the engine needed to be replaced due to a coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was repaired, but the small bolt package had not arrived after five days, due to the bolt kit not being available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 47,500.

2017 Ford Escape Eco Boost 2.0 Bought used, immediately experienced what everyone else has according to the well documented design flaw in these engines, coolant leaked into cylinder 3. eventually destroyed turbo, ( major safety concern ) potential fire could have occurred, ultimately this caused me to replaced engine at 126k miles which was my best option. Now I need to replace Torque converter/ Transmission. Common issue with Torque converter occurred at 130k miles, locked up, could only drive by going from neutral to Drive while applying gas. Just failed on me and now I'm discovering that the coolant is leaking into the engine I just replaced which was from a 2018 Ford Escape Eco boost. I still owe 8k, exhausted finances, total loss on what to do faced with replacing both the transmission and engine. Haggerty Ford in West Chicago knowingly sold this piece of junk to me.

My 2017 ford escape has a manufacturer defect. The casting was bad on this particular motor causing coolant intrusion which has been confirmed by an authorized ford mechanic. This is making my vehicle non drivable.

I just purchased a car with under 45,000 miles and was told by the dealership that it needs a new engine because it is leaking coolant into the engine. This is a known problem with these cars.

Coolant intrusion causing misfire on cylinder 2 and misfire on startup.

Known issue from Ford with coolant intrusion into cylinder 2 and maybe cylinder. Addressed through TSB 22-2232. Purchased car in February 2024 with 77k on it. Dealer won't repair the issue. Needs a new redesigned engine. Dealer only covers the issue if it's under the original warranty with less than 60k miles. My car now has 131k miles on it.

Code for camshaft timing and cylinder 2 misfire. Scoped coils and performed relative compression test. Dead cylinder on number 2. Recommend manual compression test and cylinder leak down test to identify cause of low compression Performed manual compression test and confirmed cylinder has 0 compression. Performed cylinder leak down test. Air coming from crankcase. This indicates an issue with rings, cylinder wall, or piston. Engine will need to be replaced. The coolant leaked into the cylinders, which lead to engine failure.

The contact’s daughter owns a 2017 Ford Escape. While the contact’s daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated to 17 MPH. The driver was able to pull over to the side of the road where a family member was able to tow the vehicle back to the residence. The vehicle had been parked in the driveway at the residence and was no longer drivable. A certified mechanic inspected the vehicle at the residence. The mechanic determined that there was coolant leaking into the engine due to faulty cylinder walls, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the repair was not covered under warranty or recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact back to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was 134,975.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that coolant was leaking from the vehicle. The engine warning light was turning on and off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the failure was due to the power booster. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The contact stated there was a design flaw. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 52,930. The VIN was not available.

Engine coolant leaked into oil, car needs new engine. Research shows that this is a design flaw on Ford and needs to be remedied asap.

My check engine light came on. Ford dealer diagnostics reveal coolant has leaked into the cylinder and ruined the engine. Now the engine needs to be replaced altogether. There is no crack in the engine block that the dealer sees and there have been no previous issues with the head gasket or cylinder heads. My understanding is that this is a problem for which Ford has created some "programs" (23N03, 22-2174, 20-2271 are the ones I found). Ford does not appear to have widened this program to include my car YET. The car has 71,100 miles, which is the same timeframe the recalled vehicles averaged their issue.I believe my car has a defect in the engine as well and this problem is a direct result of this defect.

When starting the engine ran very rough. Took it do a repair place to get checked out and they scoped the cylinder and found that the engine block cracked leaking coolant into #3 cylinder. Unrepairable. Requires a new engine.