RoadVitals

2017 Ford Escape

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
2,684
+19 complaints in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
4
Latest Jun 9, 2026
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
54
56 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 2,684 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2017 Ford Escape, most frequently naming the engine, powertrain (other) and electrical categories. 4 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 249 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

4 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

Jun 9, 2026
18,124 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Escape vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 16V617. The power-operated windows may exert excessive force when encountering an object, before they automatically reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
The risk: A closing window that does not reverse direction as expected can pinch a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy: Dealers will update the power window operating system software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 22, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C29. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6, 2026.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 26C29View on NHTSA.gov

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER

Jan 15, 2026
116,672 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
The risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 26S01View on NHTSA.gov

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL); POWER TRAIN:SHIFT LINKAGE/CABLE/ROD

Jun 10, 2022
2,925,968 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
The risk: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 22S43View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Engine
Filed Sep 23, 2026

The coolant has been leaking into the cylinders the symptoms were violent shaking, low coolant, white smoke, misfires, and engine light and warning on. My safety and others safety were put at risk because if the motor is not replaced it can become a fire hazard and it could break down on the road endangering mine and others lives. The problem was diagnosed by a ford dealership and cost me $201 to just diagnose where they quoted me $14,000 to replace. It was inspected by the manufacturer (dealership). About 3 weeks ago there was an “Engine Fault Service Now” code on the screen then a couple days later the engine light came on and it was either constant or blinking.

NHTSA ID
11766494
Incident
Aug 25, 2026
Engine
Filed Sep 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, a high alert warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road, turned off the vehicle, and waited for fifteen minutes before restarting the vehicle. However, the failure persisted. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic and was diagnosed with cylinder #2 failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was 70,293.

NHTSA ID
11766207
Incident
Sep 8, 2026
Mileage
70,293 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 21, 2026

My 2017 Ford Escape starting having issues about a year ago and was losing coolant and then car would read hot. It’s an Ecoboost motor and coolant is leaking into the motor and damaging it. The motor needs replacing and ford knew about this issue but refuses to repair it. I have repaired car 5 times or so trying to fix this but keeps getting worse and now destroyed the engine. It is a known flaw by ford repair and many people but I was not told anything when I bought the car.

NHTSA ID
11765935
Incident
Sep 7, 2026
Engine
Filed Sep 21, 2026

Vehicle Information: Year/Make/Model: 2017 Ford Escape Titanium Engine: 2.0L EcoBoost 4-Cylinder Drivetrain: All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Current Mileage: Approximately 118,000 miles Description of the Safety Problem: The vehicle experienced a sudden and severe loss of engine coolant with no external leaks visible on the ground. Diagnostic inspection revealed that engine coolant is intruding internally into the engine cylinders due to a known structural defect in the Ford 2.0L EcoBoost engine block/head gasket design.Prior to diagnosing the failure, the vehicle exhibited rough idling, misfires, and white smoke from the exhaust due to coolant burning in the combustion chambers. Unrelated components, including the ignition coils, were previously replaced in an attempt to correct the misfires before the internal coolant intrusion was identified as the root cause.This defect poses an immediate safety hazard. The internal coolant loss causes the engine to overheat rapidly and threatens to force the vehicle into an abrupt emergency "limp mode" or cause complete, sudden engine failure while driving at highway speeds. This creates a severe risk of a rear-end collision or stranding the vehicle in active traffic without warning. Ford has failed to issue a recall for this systemic powertrain defect, leaving consumers to operate unsafe vehicles or face catastrophic out-of-pocket engine replacement costs.

NHTSA ID
11765862
Incident
Sep 4, 2026
Engine
Filed Sep 21, 2026

It is common knowledge that my particular vehicle has a known engine defect - coolant intrusion - that in effect renders the engine inoperable eventually in models from 2013-19. Mine is a 2017. It was sold to me without anyone referencing the known engine issue. Over the last couple of years, my family was nearly stranded when the car suddenly began to experience shuddering, very rough driving, coolant disappearing and having to be replenished, and the engine coils misfiring and having to be replaced. Now, the engine has failed and is in need of more than $4,000 in repairs. While Ford did not issue a recall, it did alert its dealerships to the known manufacturing defect. As a consumer, I was NOT told of this problem during the sale.

NHTSA ID
11765853
Incident
Sep 4, 2026
Engine
Filed Sep 19, 2026

well known problem with ford 2,0 Eco boost engines. mine is 2017 escape 2.0 Eco boost. radiator loosing fluid, pep boys checked it and said it was a cracked head gasket and would cost about 5,000.00 to fix.looked up info about this engine and found it is a well known problem and Ford will not fix it.said to call NHTSA and report it and hope you have Ford do a recall to replace engine.

NHTSA ID
11765473
Incident
Sep 11, 2024
Electrical
Filed Sep 16, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Service Engine Soon" warning light illuminated on the instrument cluster. On a separate occasion, the vehicle shut off unexpectedly while driving but was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer for a diagnostic test associated with the warning light; however, the technicians only replaced external sensors. The warning light remained illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance.

NHTSA ID
11764765
Incident
Sep 16, 2026
Filed Sep 15, 2026

My vehicle has been giving me warning messages at complete stop at red light, stop sign or even park. Engine turns off and the message pop ups as auto startstop manual restart required put on p shift position restart engine manually. Im scared this will happen while driving. Vehicle completes shuts off in the middle.of intersection.

NHTSA ID
11764557
Incident
Sep 15, 2026

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

25H05 S1

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Harvest Program 25H05 – Supplement #1 Certain 2011-2021 Model Year Vehicles Software Verification Harvest Program

SSM 54601

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; STRUCTURE:BODY

Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). The Factory Keyless Entry Code application within the diagnostic scan tool will not provide an applicable master code for the accessory wireless keypad. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is not available, the "Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide" can be referenced and provides direction on how to retrieve the master code. This guide is located under the Workshop Manual tab > Accessories > Installation > Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide > PPT C > Step C2.<br /><br /> Note: The only available keypad for some vehicles from the assembly plant is the accessory wireless keyless entry keypad. The integrated wired keypad cannot be installed on vehicles not equipped from the factory with a wired keyless entry k

TSB 25-2570

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to:  Display operation concerns  Navigation inoperative  Voice recognition concerns  Phone connection issues  Dropped phone connections  Applink related performance  Travel Link not present or showing incorrect traffic  Slow system response NOTE: Ford has found some of the APIMs replaced and returned for inspection contained an outdated software level and the APIM did not require replacement. The customer concern may have been resolved by updating the APIM with latest level of software. The SYNC 3 universal thumb drive will be able to update the APIM software without the use of a scan tool and does not require the process to be monitored. Ford will be monitoring APIM replacements to confirm TSB directed software updates have been performed.

SSM 54366

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; POWER TRAIN

Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in the Powertrain Control and Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) or in Section 303-14 of the Workshop Manual (WSM) has been updated to address this concern.

SSM 53040

While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.

TSB 24-2165

This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-2019 Escape/MKC/Flex/MKT/Taurus/Transit/Expedition/F-Super Duty, and 2018-2019 EcoSport vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience various SYNC performance related concerns. related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Navigation inoperative Voice recognition concerns Phone connection issues Dropped phone connections Applink related performance Travel Link not present or showing incorrect traffic Slow system response This may be due to the SYNC software. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure to update the accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software. NOTE: Ford has found some of the APIMs replaced and returned for inspection contained an outdated software level and the APIM did not require replacement. The customer concern may have been resolved by updating the APIM with latest level of software.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Ford Escape by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026320—
2025249053.3
2024768062.6
20239811060.4
202223119268.1
202134619267.7
20201,60023263.1
20195873059.3
20181,7974059.8
2017Viewing2,6844058.1
20161,1234061.4
20151,1009268.1
20142,08416264.6
20132,74918361.4
20125992254.7
20111,3163456.2
20102,0695456.0
20091,6933355.2
20081,9745358.2
20072544254.8
20064645153.9
20051,3945255.3
20044998661.8
20035589865.2
20021,027101067.3
2001996151166.3
2000500—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.