Problem Lookup › Ford › Escape › 2017
Car problem report
2017 Ford Escape problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2017 Ford Escape has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 4safety recalls
- 2,698owner complaints
- 39crash reports
- 15fire reports
- 16%fail the UK MOT
2,698 complaints, against an average of 930 for the other 14 Ford Escape model years.
Every Ford Escape model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2017 Ford Escape?
The components named most often in the 2,698 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2017 Ford Escape owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 2,698 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2017 Ford Escape?881 owners · 32.7%
- Why does my 2017 Ford Escape overheat?617 owners · 22.9% · Recall 26V011000
- Why does my 2017 Ford Escape idle rough, misfire or hesitate?557 owners · 20.6%
- Has the 2017 Ford Escape had engine failures?546 owners · 20.2%
- Why does my 2017 Ford Escape stall, lose power or shut off while driving?278 owners · 10.3%
- Why does my 2017 Ford Escape smell of burning or smoke?146 owners · 5.4%
- Has the 2017 Ford Escape had transmission failures?92 owners · 3.4% · Recall 22V413000
- Why does my 2017 Ford Escape transmission jerk, shudder or shift hard?81 owners · 3%
Has the 2017 Ford Escape been recalled?
4 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Visibility: Power Window Devices And Controls 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."
Risk: A closing window that does not reverse direction as expected can pinch a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Equipment: Electrical: Engine Block Heater 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.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
Power Train: Automatic Transmission: Gear Position Indication (PRNDL) 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.
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.
Fix: 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.
Visibility: Power Window Devices And Controls Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2017 Ford Escape Titanium and SE vehicles manufactured October 5, 2015, to May 12, 2016. The settings for the closing-force of the power-operated windows may allow the windows to close on an object such as a body part and injure it before the windows auto-reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
Risk: If a window closes on a body part, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will update the power window operating system software, free of charge. The recall began on September 6, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C12.
Is the 2017 Ford Escape recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSAX-Car Powertain Control Module (PCM) Software Update
Risk: Affected vehicles may develop a crack in the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF).
Fix: Update software to prevent a cracked DPF. Test and replace DPFs that are already cracked.
UK DVSAVehicle could suffer clutch pressure plate fracture
Risk: A number of vehicles fitted with a 1.0 1.5 or 1.6 Ecoboost engine and 6-speed manual transmission could suffer clutch pressure plate fracture. This results in clutch smell reduced vehicle speed and performance. In the unlikely event of clutch pressure plate fracture a noise (thud / bang) could be heard from the vicinity of the transmission in extreme cases resulting in clutch / transmission fragments being released and striking under hood components creating a risk of smoke and fire from the under hood area.
Fix: To prevent the repeated heating /cooling events a new calibration has been developed for vehicles fitted with Engine Stop Start feature. The software with the additional feature sets the Instrument panel Wrench light and de-rates the engine performance if prolonged clutch slip is detected. The software feature includes a drive cycle strategy for latching the wrench light and engine performance de-rate if the customer should experience repeated clutch slip events. For vehicles that do not have Engine Stop Start feature an alternative clutch kit has been released.
UK DVSASide and/or knee airbag may fail to deploy in a collision
Risk: The airbag initiator may be defective and may prevent the side airbag(s) and/or knee airbag deploying in the event of an accident. In a collision the airbags not deploying could put the occupants at further risk.
Fix: Recall the 1943 vehicles that are likely to be affected to check and where necessary replace the side and knee protection airbags complete with initiators.
EU Safety GateThe diesel particulate filter (DPF) may be cracked on 2.0 l EcoBlue Diesel and 1.5 l EcoBlue vehicles.This could cause the vehicles to fail the legally required roadworthiness test, as exhaust emissions of soot may be above the authorised limit.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe clutch pressure plate may break.This may result in reduced vehicle performance.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 07/12/2018
EU Safety GateThe clutch pressure plate may break.If this happens while the vehicle is in motion, propulsion may be lost.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe airbag inflator may be defective which may prevent the side airbag(s) and/or knee airbag deploying in the event of an accident.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
How often does the 2017 Ford Escape fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2017, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2017 Ford Escape owners report?
12 of the 2,698 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
When driving home my usual 5 miles from work, the car gave me a signal that it overheated and I should pull over immediately. This happened one other time during the week. The check engine light came on a few days later. When I brought it into The Ford dealership, they reported that the head gasket had blown, the engine had cracked, and it was leaking coolant into other areas of the car. It also affected several coils. They said it was unsafe to drive and quoted me $10,000 for a new engine and replacement. The car has only 90,000 miles on it, and I bought it used from a reputable dealer only…
The "check engine light" came on. We brought it to the Ford Dealership for checking. They told us there was coolant intrusion in the engine, and that the car was unsafe to drive and required a new engine. We had only put approximately 6,000 miles on the car after buying it used 2 years prior. We surrendered the car to the dealership and took a payout of only $1,500, for a car that only had 46,000 miles on it. We were told that the engine could go on fire and it was dangerous to drive. We were also told that "coolant intrusion" is a common thing that happens to these engines.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle experienced a total loss of motive power without warning lights illuminating. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence, where an independent mechanic inspected the vehicle and informed the contact that the engine failed due to coolant intrusion. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 94,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while exiting the vehicle, the vehicle started rolling backwards while shifted to park(P). The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train); however, the recall repair was previously performed in 2024. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission shifter cable bushing was missing. The shifter cable and bushing were replaced with similar parts and the vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was…
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.
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.
A coolant intrusion caused the head gasket to fail
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the service center for an instrument panel failure, a diagnostic test was performed on the engine. The contact was informed that in addition to the instrument panel failure, there was coolant inside the cylinders, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was 105,000.
Vehicle just hit 70k miles, started abruptly shaking between 30 and 50 mph. Torque converter is needing replaced. PCV hose has cracked and needs replaced. COOLANT DISAPPEARING DUE TO INTRUSION LEAK. Extremely costly repairs for a vehicle that isn't even close to 100k miles. Engine overheating on highway which is an extreme fire risk.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake warning light was persistently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the brake booster and brake master cylinder assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 14,643.
Coolant leak and dealership advises that the car will need a engine replacement to fix the problem. The car is constantly running rough and misfiring. Driving this vehicle this way put myself and small children at risk that there could be a potential complete engine failure while driving the vehicle. This problem has been confirmed by the dealership and I was told that Ford Motor Co. is aware of the issue however they are choosing to do nothing about it or offer a recall. The vehicle has been inspected by a police officer who has driven the car and states that the car is very unsafe to drive…
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…
2017 Ford Escape: questions owners ask
Is the 2017 Ford Escape reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 2,698 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Ford Escape; the most common categories were engine (1581, 58.6%), engine and engine cooling (509, 18.9%), power train (391, 14.5%). There are 4 safety recalls. 39 complaints mention a crash, 15 mention a fire, 56 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Ford Escape?
Across 2,698 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are engine (58.6% of complaints), engine and engine cooling (18.9% of complaints), power train (14.5% of complaints), electrical system (5.7% of complaints), wheels (2.8% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2017 Ford Escape have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2017 Ford Escape; the most recent (campaign 26V374000, 2026-06-09) concerns Visibility: Power Window Devices And Controls. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2017 Ford Escape?
881 of the 2,698 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 Ford Escape (32.7%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "The "check engine light" came on. We brought it to the Ford Dealership for checking. They told us there was coolant intrusion in the engine, and that the car was unsafe to drive and required a new engine." (NHTSA complaint 11771788, October 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2017 Ford Escape overheat?
617 of the 2,698 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 Ford Escape (22.9%) describe the engine overheating or coolant loss. A related recall exists: campaign 26V011000 (equipment: electrical: engine block heater). The fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. One owner wrote: "ecoboost engine defect coolant leaks into engine cylinders causing engine failure . I have a ford escape 2017 with the above defect and i had to replace the eco booster twice and last time I had to replace the engine because the block cracked." (NHTSA complaint 11770726, October 2026). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2017 Ford Escape idle rough, misfire or hesitate?
557 of the 2,698 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 Ford Escape (20.6%) describe rough idling, misfires or hesitation when accelerating. One owner wrote: "The engine light on my 2017 Ford Escape EcoBoost 2.0L has come on a couple times in the last few months. My trusted mechanic has diagnosed the following codes: P0301 and P0316 - which indicates cylinder misfire and misfire detected on start up." (NHTSA complaint 11767130, September 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Has the 2017 Ford Escape had engine failures?
546 of the 2,698 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 Ford Escape (20.2%) describe complete engine failure or a replaced engine. One owner wrote: "The "check engine light" came on. We brought it to the Ford Dealership for checking. They told us there was coolant intrusion in the engine, and that the car was unsafe to drive and required a new engine." (NHTSA complaint 11771788, October 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2017 Ford Escape stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
278 of the 2,698 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 Ford Escape (10.3%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "The 'Engine fault, service now' warning came on. Car started sputtering and in reverse engine shuts off. Car shakes while driving and loss of power. Upon further inspection looks like a coolant intrusion." (NHTSA complaint 11758594, August 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2017 Ford Escape smell of burning or smoke?
146 of the 2,698 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 Ford Escape (5.4%) describe a burning smell or smoke. One owner wrote: "Intermittent Misfire of cylinder 1, service engine light is on, coolant level goes low very fast and needs to be added often. white smoke from exhaust." (NHTSA complaint 11751251, July 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Has the 2017 Ford Escape had transmission failures?
92 of the 2,698 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 Ford Escape (3.4%) describe transmission failure, slipping or a replaced transmission. A related recall exists: campaign 22V413000 (power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (prndl)). The fix: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. One owner wrote: "Transmission failed/malfunctioned. Available for inspection. Safety at risk due to driving on busy road when transmission failed and car wouldn't move. Transmission recall for VIN [XXX] Vehicle component has not been inspected." (NHTSA complaint 11756473, August 2026). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2017 Ford Escape transmission jerk, shudder or shift hard?
81 of the 2,698 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2017 Ford Escape (3%) describe harsh, jerky or delayed transmission shifting or shuddering. One owner wrote: "Within 2 days of initially experiencing an engine shudder during acceleration on 2017 Ford Escape 2.0L Ecoboost with 44,000 miles, the car was diagnosed with coolant leaking into the engine cylinder." (NHTSA complaint 11683683, August 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own Escape
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2017 only.