Ford Escape Complaints (2017)

2,704 consumer complaints on file.

#11678738August 6, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, white smoke was coming from the exhaust pipe, and the engine overheated while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the used car dealer, where the vehicle was purchased, and the spark plugs, ignition coils, and oxygen sensor were replaced, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 19-2346 (Coolant in Cylinders, White Exhaust Smoke And/or Illuminated MIL); however, the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678482August 5, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH in a parking area, the temperature gauge indicated that the vehicle was overheating, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The check engine and the low coolant warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that coolant intrusion into several cylinders had resulted in engine damage. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Ford Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 98,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678625August 5, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Engine light came on and then 3 days later, the car would not drive. Got the car inspected and found out the coolant is leaking into the engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678258August 4, 2025
ENGINE
Coolant leak into an engine cylinder.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678305August 4, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds on several occasions, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and was inspected. The contact continued driving, but the vehicle shuddered and lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the cylinder. The contact was informed that the spark plugs and ignition coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred 2-3 days later. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the message "High Engine Temperature - Stop Safely" was displayed. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that there was no coolant in the reservoir. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678321August 4, 2025
ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that an abnormal, rumbling sound was coming from the vehicle at start-up, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and a tune-up was performed on it. Despite the tune-up, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the contact was informed there was coolant intrusion into the engine and the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to two other independent mechanics, who advised the contact not to replace the head gasket because it was not a permanent repair. The contact was advised to replace the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 67,895.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678106August 3, 2025
ENGINE
1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The engine coolant system failed due to coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders, a known defect in the 1.5L EcoBoost engine. This caused white exhaust smoke, engine misfires, overheating, and eventual engine failure. The vehicle is currently undriveable and available for inspection upon request. A Ford dealership diagnosed the issue and provided a written estimate for full engine replacement. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The vehicle experienced loss of engine power, stalling, and overheating while driving, posing a significant safety risk on the road. There were instances where I felt unsafe continuing to drive the vehicle, and I was concerned about the possibility of engine failure while driving at highway speeds or in high-traffic conditions. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The issue has been diagnosed and confirmed by Colorado Engine, which provided an $11,000 estimate for a complete engine replacement due to coolant intrusion. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has been discussed with a certified Ford dealership. I have not involved police or insurance representatives at this time. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Yes. Symptoms included: Low coolant warnings (despite no visible leak) White smoke from the exhaust Rough idling, engine shaking, and occasional stalling Intermittent engine overheating warnings These symptoms began in late May 2025, roughly 3 years after I purchased the vehicle from CarMax. The issues progressively worsened until the vehicle became undriveable.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677939August 2, 2025
ENGINE
Engine failure. Engine was confirmed by a dealer to have engine failure from coolant intrusion into the cylinder body. Check engine light appeared before failure occurred.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677946August 2, 2025
ENGINE
Coolant leaking unknown source
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677835August 1, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My car began throwing codes for a Cylinder 2 misfire in October of 23. We did a tune up. Within a few months, same issue. By Oct of 24 my head gasket needed replaced. Now it is August of 25 and I am having the same issue and signs that the head gasket is bad again. I am told by dealers this is due to a faulty head gasket that Ford knowingly put in the vehicles. There is a limited recall for the 1.6L but not the 2.0 EcoBoost motors. I am now out thousands of dollars for the new head gasket less than a year ago and am being told the only fix is to replace the engine as a whole which will be thousands of more. This is due to Ford putting in faulty parts, and not taking responsibility. I am now out of a car, while working full time with an [XXX] and a baby on the way because Ford my & my childrens safety is not worth driving a car that could break down at any moment. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677859August 1, 2025
WHEELS
I have a 2017 Ford Escape and just had it in the Ford dealer for inspection and was informed that all of my lug nuts are swollen a;nd stripped and need replacement. I checked online and found that this is a recurrent issue with Ford vehicles where the lug nuts can swell due to a two-piece design with a steel core and decorative outer shell, often made of aluminum or chrome. The outer shell can corrode, swell, and delaminate making it difficult or impossible to remove the lug nut with a standard lug wrench. This is a common issue among Ford models and can lead to drivers being stranded with flat tires. There was a Class Action suit started in 2017 that was subsequently dismissed. I feel that this is negligent on Ford's behalf as it is a known design fault and safety issue and they should be issuing a recall to replace these lug nuts at no cost. I agreed to have Ford replace the lug nuts as I was concerned for my safety, should I need to get the lug nuts off. The cost was $267.95 plus 6% tax = $284.03. I was also informed that the replacement lug nuts are the same design and are only guaranteed for 2 years. I fail to understand why this safety issue doesn't warrant a recall to be issued and I should be reimbursed for my replacement.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677875August 1, 2025
ENGINE, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the transmission downshifted and upshifted intermittently, and the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to slow down and exiting the highway, the brake pedal was depressed however, the brake pedal was extremely stiff. The vehicle was shifted to neutral(N) for the vehicle to slow down. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where a handheld diagnostic machine retrieved information that the cam shaft sensor was not working properly, and the engine needed to be replaced. Additionally, the brake booster was defective and failed to build up pressure as needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000. The VIN was not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677443July 31, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated while attempting to drive from a complete stop on several occasions, the vehicle sputtered and stalled. The message "Engine Fault - Service Now" was displayed. The contact related the failure to Ford Customer Satisfaction Program Number: 21N12. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in the cylinders through the engine block. The dealer determined that the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided due to the mileage of the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 80,065.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677491July 31, 2025
ENGINE
Check engine light came on for a fouled spark plug. When taken to repair shop, technician discovered that coolant was leaking into an engine cylinder. This is a known manufacturers defect that Ford Motor Company refuses to accept responsibility (see Ford Technical Service Bulletin 19-2208 - attached). Coolant is leaking at approx one gal per month. If not replaced, engine can overheat leading to further engine damage. Coolant in engine cylinder decreases driving performance with multiple misfires possibly leading to inability to avoid or causing an accident. White smoke from exhaust can hamper visualisation of following vehicles. Recall on all Ford models with Eco Boost engines is indicated with company paid repairs if coolant is leaking into engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677523July 31, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
I discovered, after my Ford Ecoboost engine light came on, that my engine needs a total replacement with only 67,000 miles on the engine. I have learned that it was a KNOWN design flaw by Ford Motor Company since 2020, the year I purchased my vehicle slightly used with 20k miles. The engine can overheat, catch fire, or seize up while driving, due to coolant leaking into the piston chambers. I was NEVER sent a recall notice, or warning of any kind from Ford Motor Company, even though this could cause an accident. I am expected to pay over $10,000 for a new engine that SHOULD have been recalled, due to their own design flaws. I see that there are multiple class actions law suits pending over this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677551July 31, 2025
ENGINE
I bought a used 2017 Ford Escape Titanium in September of 2024. Around a month and a half later, the check engine light came on and had the code P0302. The check engine light has been intermittent since then. My car only has 56,558 miles on it and it is a 2017 so this has been extremely frustrating.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677569July 31, 2025
ENGINE
I am loosing coolant into the engine, most likely into cylinder#2, spark plug is seized in the block, I have to add coolant every 3-4 days to prevent overheating.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677571July 31, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while at a complete stop at a red traffic light, a driver walked up to the contact and informed the contact that there was smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. Additionally, the contact noticed an abnormal sweet odor coming from the exterior of the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that the engine was consuming coolant excessively. The contact was informed that the engine block assembly needed to be replaced. The contact was informed of Ford Technical Service Bulletin Number: 22-2229, which the contact related to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677580July 31, 2025
ENGINE
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? 1.5L short block, due to coolant intrusion to the cylinder bores How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The engine could stop running. I drive with two small children so their safety would be at risk. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?Confirmed by a dealer. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Check engine light. This is a known issue that Ford is aware of. I did not receive any communication that this should be fixed and am now facing a repair that exceeds that value of the vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677597July 31, 2025
ENGINE
coolant leaking into engine causing overheating
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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