Home · 2017 Ford Escape Gas · Complaints

What 2,628 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Ford Escape Gas

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (2,628)Crash / fire / injury (69)Engine (1,530)Engine & cooling (501)Transmission & drivetrain (384)Electrical system (151)Fuel system (92)Wheels (76)Body & structure (62)Brakes (48)Steering (48)Lights (37)

501 of 2,628 complaints match · Engine & cooling · clear filters · page 2 of 21

Oct 6, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her son was driving approximately 65 MPH, the check engine warning illuminated. The contact’s son reported that the vehicle was shaking and vibrating abnormally, and he pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that there was coolant intrusion in the engine block, causing a crack in cylinder #2. The contact was informed by the mechanic that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to a defect in the 1.5L GTDI engines. The contact informed the manufacturer of the failure and was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 77,900.

NHTSA ODI 11691607

Oct 2, 2025Engine & coolingElectrical system

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering intermittently. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics, where it was diagnosed with alternator and pistons failure. The second mechanic replaced the alternator; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the second mechanic, where the contact was informed that there was oil and coolant dilution, and metal shavings were found inside the engine. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 134,003.

NHTSA ODI 11690989

Sep 26, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 25-30 MPH uphill to the residence, the vehicle shuddered violently and went into LIMP Mode. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired under the Powertrain Warranty. The contact stated that the failure had recurred while driving, causing the contact to drive through a red traffic light to pull over safely into a nearby parking lot. The vehicle was towed to [XXX] Ford [XXX] ); where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the repair would be performed at his expense. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000. The VIN was not available. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11689885

Sep 23, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle intermittently sputtered. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine, causing engine failure. 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 not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 144,000.

NHTSA ODI 11689116

Sep 15, 2025Engine & cooling

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 the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in cylinder #2 and the engine. The contact was informed that because of the coolant intrusion, the engine was misfiring. In addition, the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact referenced Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 and Technical Service Bulletin: 22-22-29; with a similar failure description. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 153,963.

NHTSA ODI 11687441

Sep 12, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the engine overheated. The message to "Immediately Pull Over" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where coolant was added. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to the Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The contact filed a complaint with the Ford chat division and was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

NHTSA ODI 11686914

Sep 5, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was violently shaking with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who detected a burning odor while the vehicle was parked. The vehicle was diagnosed with a cracked engine block and coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

NHTSA ODI 11685244

Sep 2, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH with her partner, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she and her partner became worried. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the lower engine block, and the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 82,038.

NHTSA ODI 11684456

Aug 29, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic with CarMax, who diagnosed that the engine was failing due to a coolant leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that there was coolant inside cylinder #3, and the long block needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

NHTSA ODI 11683978

Aug 28, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the head gasket was cracked and there was coolant leaking into the cylinders. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 124,000.

NHTSA ODI 11683743

Aug 22, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the engine was running rough and idling rough, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine was faulty due to coolant intrusion, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 102,173.

NHTSA ODI 11682428

Aug 21, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that coolant intrusion into cylinder #2 had resulted in damage to the engine. 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 Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 45,000.

NHTSA ODI 11682173

Aug 20, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Edge. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was displayed on the instrument panel. A code scanner was used and retrieved a code for a misfire in cylinder r#3. Upon additional inspection, the contact became aware of excessive coolant consumption. One day, while stopped at a stoplight, the engine temperature gauge indicated that the engine temperature was hot(H). The contact pulled over and discovered that the coolant reservoir was empty. The contact added coolant to the coolant reservoir; however, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel, with heavy white smoke coming from the tailpipe. The contact parked the vehicle and had the vehicle towed to a dealer the following day. The contact was later informed by a mechanic that coolant intrusion into the engine had caused engine failure. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.

NHTSA ODI 11681838

Aug 20, 2025Engine & cooling

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 the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.

NHTSA ODI 11681889

Aug 19, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 65 MPH, the message "Engine Overheating - Please Pull Over" was displayed, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine was faulty due to coolant intrusion, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 73,400.

NHTSA ODI 11681714

Aug 15, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle shuddered abnormally, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure due to coolant intrusion into cylinders #2 and #3. The contact was informed that the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,784.

NHTSA ODI 11680916

Aug 14, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was taken for routine maintenance, the independent mechanic discovered that the coolant reservoir level was low. The mechanic added coolant to the coolant reservoir however, two days later the coolant level was low again. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under an extended warranty coverage related to the failure. The failure mileage was 103,000.

NHTSA ODI 11680622

Aug 14, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where a diagnostic test was performed. The diagnostic test discovered coolant intrusion into cylinder#2, causing damages to the engine block. The contact was provided with an estimate for a new engine. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under recall or warranty. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

NHTSA ODI 11680624

Aug 12, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact’s friend owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his friend was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The engine idled roughly, and there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact, an independent mechanic, diagnosed the vehicle and discovered that cylinder #1 had a blown head gasket. The contact determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact's friend to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

NHTSA ODI 11680060

Aug 11, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a misfire coming from the engine intermittently while depressing the accelerator pedal. The failure persisted and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on two separate occasions. On the first occasion, the check engine warning light was reset but the failure returned. On the second occasion, the spark plugs were replaced; however, the check engine warning light returned a month later. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic who discovered coolant intrusion into cylinder #3, resulting in engine failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

NHTSA ODI 11679773

Aug 11, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was shaking erratically. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,742.

NHTSA ODI 11679776

Aug 7, 2025Engine & coolingEquipment

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while stopped at a red traffic light, the contact noticed an abnormal sound coming from the front end of the vehicle, and there was an abnormal odor inside the cabin. Additionally, the contact stated that the A/C system and heating system became inoperable. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,300.

NHTSA ODI 11679155

Aug 6, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to the Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

NHTSA ODI 11678727

Aug 6, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle occasionally failed to start after several attempts. In addition, the engine overheated with the "High Engine Temperature - Stop Safely" message displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was provided a fee for the vehicle to be diagnosed and inspected. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and mechanic determined there was coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11678770

Aug 5, 2025Engine & 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.

NHTSA ODI 11678482

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How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2017 Ford Escape Gas verdict →