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

Engine replacement required due to coolant intrusion. Codes P0303 and P0300.

NHTSA ODI 11741386

Manufacturing defect causing coolant intrusion and misfire/rough idle. This is also after rebuilding transmission less than a year prior due to failure.

NHTSA ODI 11741137

This 2017 ford escape titanium with ecoboost engine suffers from coolant intrusion into the engine. The known design flaw allows coolant into the hot engine which causes cracked heads and eventually a cracked engine case. It also blows oil into the turbo and intake system that leads to engine fires. Our current recommendation from mechanics is to replace the engine, the turbocharger assembly and the valve cover with decontamination of the intake system. This is a known engine design flaw and ford does not recall or fix so we are out the entire value of the car. Our car currently has ~60k miles on it. So is rendered inoperative at very low mileage and has a high risk of engine fire.

NHTSA ODI 11741065

The engine in my 2017 Ford Escape EcoBoost experienced a known “coolant intrusion” defect in which engine coolant leaks into the engine cylinders. This defect is widely associated with the 1.5L and 2.0L EcoBoost engines and can cause engine misfires, coolant loss, overheating, corrosion, and catastrophic engine failure requiring engine or short-block replacement. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle is driven by a college student traveling away from home. The coolant intrusion defect creates a serious safety concern because the engine can suddenly misfire, lose power, overheat, or fail unexpectedly while driving. A sudden engine failure could place the driver and others at risk, especially during highway driving or in remote areas. The issue developed shortly after the vehicle was purchased from a dealership in June 2025. The symptoms are consistent with the widely documented Ford EcoBoost coolant intrusion defect acknowledged by Ford through Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12. The vehicle has exhibited symptoms including coolant loss and engine performance concerns consistent with this known defect. The dealership has been notified of the issue. The dealership has been contacted regarding the issue. Ford has previously acknowledged this defect through Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 relating to coolant intrusion in affected EcoBoost engines. The vehicle experienced symptoms consistent with coolant intrusion, including coolant loss and engine performance concerns/misfires. These symptoms are widely reported with the affect EcoBoost engines and has progressed to severe engine failure.

NHTSA ODI 11740957

My vehicle is suffering from a severe coolant intrusion to cylinders 2 and 3 and I’m constantly getting bad misfire codes while driving.

NHTSA ODI 11739819

I am the only owner of this vehicle and it has 114,000 miles At 90,000 miles i had to replace the transmission and now, its at the dealer due to turbo leaking oil internally and externally AND coolant intrusion. These issues are commonly known and the coolant intrusion is from a design flaw. Why is this engine not included with the recall for the very same issue on other ford ecoboost engines

NHTSA ODI 11739250

Complete engine failure in my 2017 Ford Escape 1.5L caused by coolant intrusion. I only have 67,000.

NHTSA ODI 11738580

I own a 2017 Ford Escape equipped with the 1.5L EcoBoost engine. The vehicle began experiencing severe coolant loss with no visible external leaks, requiring nearly a full coolant reservoir refill daily. Along with the coolant loss, the vehicle developed constant bubbling/gurgling noises from the cooling system, rough cold starts, engine shaking/misfires, intermittent failure to start, loss of acceleration, and “Engine Fault Service Now” warnings on the dashboard. Diagnostic scans revealed persistent cylinder 2 misfire codes, additional cylinder 3 misfire codes, and a crankshaft position sensor intermittent code (P0339). Replacing/swapping ignition coils and spark plugs did not resolve the issue. After researching the symptoms and speaking with Ford, the vehicle appears to match the well-documented coolant intrusion issue associated with the 1.5L EcoBoost engine. The coolant loss and misfires create serious safety concerns due to sudden loss of power, unreliable engine operation, and the possibility of complete engine failure while driving. Ford Corporate declined assistance despite the vehicle exhibiting symptoms consistent with the known defect and despite the vehicle being purchased during the timeframe when Ford’s customer satisfaction program related to this issue was active.

NHTSA ODI 11738104

Coolant leak into the engine. Told that Ford knows about this but refuses to do anything to help me. Said the car would need $14,000 worth of fixes when I only bought it for $12,300.

NHTSA ODI 11737837

Coolant intrusion into cylinders from block

NHTSA ODI 11737634

The coolant is leaking into the engine making the vehicle unsafe to drive.

NHTSA ODI 11737279

Evap purge valve stuck open, coolant pooling in spark plugs, and oil combusting rapidly causing fire and explosion fears. Heavy smell of gasoline to where i didn't feel safe to start or drive

NHTSA ODI 11737449

My Escape has a severe coolant intrusion of the second cylinder. I took my vehicle in because all of the sudden I had no coolant and no visible leaks, and my mechanic scoped my engine and informed me that I need a complete engine replacement. I am financing my vehicle through JD Byrider. I keep getting bad misfires with a code of P0302

NHTSA ODI 11736955

Vehicle is at 83,000 miles and the engine was diagnosed with a need to replace TSB 22-2322 (Intrusion of coolant into engine Cylinder) This issue could cause the vehicle to stop running or break down in transit. The only fix is to replace the entire engine which was designed with a flaw. Ford Service center quoted me $15,000 to replace engine. Miller vs. Ford motor company class action lawsuit claims this defect was known to ford and they sold faulty vehicles anyway. Ford denied repairing my vehicle. Freeway Ford Service Center in Denver Colorado.

NHTSA ODI 11736498

I own a 2017 Ford Escape SE with approximately 96,665 miles. The vehicle developed coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders, resulting in coolant loss, misfires, rough running, and risk of engine failure. The dealership diagnosed the vehicle as requiring a full engine replacement. Ford has acknowledged similar coolant intrusion defects in certain 2017 Ford Escape vehicles through Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 and related technical service bulletins, but my VIN was excluded despite experiencing the same failure symptoms. This issue creates a serious safety concern because coolant intrusion can lead to sudden loss of power, stalling, overheating, or complete engine failure while driving. The defect occurred despite regular maintenance and without warning beyond coolant loss and drivability symptoms. In addition, the vehicle experienced transmission failure around the same timeframe, significantly affecting the safety and reliability of the vehicle for family transportation. I believe Ford should investigate and expand coverage for this known engine defect to include similarly affected vehicles outside the current VIN range.

NHTSA ODI 11736249

Coolant and oil completely gone. Mechanic says the engine has froze up from timing chain jump. Suv is a 2017 ford escape with 54000 miles on it. Oil has been changed every 5000 miles.no leaks showed up on ground until Saturday and it was not noticed until today. The coolant was checked in February for antifreeze before the first freeze and there was no coolant at that time and mechanic filled it up. It makes no sense that a vehicle with such low mileage would need a new engine.

NHTSA ODI 11736436

* The 2.0 Ecoboost engine has failed due to coolant puddling on top of the piston of cylinder 1 * The safety of any driver and others on the roads is at risk due to the potential of the vehicle overheating and engine seizing while driving * The symptoms (rough engine operation, check engine light) were reported and reproduced by a local Ford dealer, and inspected by the same dealer who cited Technical Service Bulletin 22-2229 which we were not made aware of at any time since purchasing the vehicle. * The symptoms included a rough operating engine and intermittent check ending light incited us to schedule the diagnostic service in April 2026. The vehicle was serviced 4.5 months earlier in December 2025 for a 100K mileage service, and the check engine light symptom occurred and was serviced prior in August 2022 and April 2025. At no point were we informed of the apparently known TSB 22-2229.

NHTSA ODI 11736127

Coolant intrusion on 1.5 eco boost engine. Common problem with Ford escapes but Ford does nothing to make it right.

NHTSA ODI 11735655

Coolant intrusion into one or more engine cylinders causing rough startup and coollant loss not accountable externally. A known issue and understood by Ford to be a design flaw. 2017 Ford Escape with 2.0L Ecoboost engine, 81,000 miles.

NHTSA ODI 11735663

NHTSA Complaint SummaryVehicle: 2017 Ford Escape SEEngine: 1.5L EcoBoostVIN: [XXX] Defect: Engine Block Design Flaw / Coolant IntrusionTechnical Description of the Issue:My vehicle is experiencing a well-documented manufacturing defect specific to the 1.5L EcoBoost engine. The engine block was designed with a "v-groove" between the cylinders that is prone to structural failure. This allows engine coolant to leak into the combustion chambers (coolant intrusion) and allows engine oil to contaminate the cooling system. My vehicle currently exhibits "milky," tan-brown sludge in the coolant reservoir, confirming that oil and coolant are cross-contaminating due to internal engine failure.Extreme Safety Hazards and Dangers:This defect creates several critical safety risks for the driver, passengers, and other motorists:Sudden Loss of Power at High Speeds: The mixing of oil and coolant destroys the engine’s ability to lubricate internal bearings. This can lead to a catastrophic engine seizure while the vehicle is in motion, causing an immediate loss of power and power steering, which creates a high risk of collisions on highways.Engine Fire Risk: When coolant enters the combustion chamber, it can cause severe engine misfires and overheating. Overheated oil or pressurized coolant spraying onto a hot exhaust manifold during a mechanical failure presents a significant fire hazard.Hydro-locking: If coolant floods the cylinder while the vehicle is in operation, the engine can hydro-lock, causing the engine to stall instantly and potentially throwing metal debris onto the roadway, endangering other drivers.Visibility Hazards: Excessive white smoke from the exhaust (caused by burning coolant) can suddenly obscure the driver’s rear-view visibility and the visibility of trailing motorists.Conclusion:Ford Motor Company was aware of this defect, as evidenced by Customer Satisfaction Program 21N08 and TSB 19-2346. However, because these programs have arbitrary expira INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11735289

Coolant intrusion defect. Had to replace engine. Power train fail also.

NHTSA ODI 11734803

I am reporting a potential safety-related engine defect on my 2017 Ford Escape 1.5L EcoBoost. The vehicle has a history of repeated coolant loss and white smoke, followed by engine failure/no-start. The trouble codes later provided by the dealer included P1285 and P1299, which are related to engine over-temperature protection/thermal event concerns. The local Ford dealer diagnosed the vehicle as “out of time” and recommended a major timing/engine repair path. However, after repeated written questions, the dealer confirmed that my prior history of repeated coolant loss and white smoke was not taken into account as part of the current diagnosis. I am concerned that the vehicle should have been evaluated under a coolant-intrusion / thermal-event failure pathway associated with this engine family, rather than being limited to a timing-only diagnosis. My concern is that this may represent a safety-related engine failure pattern involving coolant loss, overheating protection, and possible coolant intrusion, which could cause sudden vehicle disablement or engine failure. I have also opened a case with Ford requesting an independent review: Case CXH-07588177-W3Z8K7.

NHTSA ODI 11735003

The engine cooling system and engine block failed due to coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders. This is a known issue in certain 2017 Ford Escape vehicles with the 1.5L or 2.0L EcoBoost engine. The vehicle experienced a loss of power and an engine malfunction while my daughter was driving it, which created a dangerous driving situation for her. The issue has been diagnosed by a mechanic. Prior to the failure, there were symptoms including the check engine light on, the car overheating, and the car running rough.

NHTSA ODI 11734592

2017 Ford Escape. 58K miles. Engine light turned on, took vehicle to Ford was informed there was an issue with a coil. $5000+ for repair. Warranty had already lapsed, took to an auto repair shop, coil replaced. Problem solved. 1 month later car overheats, zero coolant in vehicle. Coolant replaced and within 3-5 days level of coolant is less than half. Research and find a recall for coolant problems causing misfires. No letter received, VIN not listed in recall however the problem looks pretty prevalent via blogs and consumer feedback.

NHTSA ODI 11734709

April 2025 our Ford Escape, a 2017 model, had an issue with the car overheating, we brought to a dealer and the diagnosis was coolant leaking into the cylinders of the engine . Repair costs range $8-10,000.00 , new engine $11,000 plus. Through research on chat rooms we have discovered that this is a known issue with Ford's design, several consumer complaints and open class action lawsuit exists. Our dealer offered no assistance financially, we were told auto is out of warranty and no restitution is available to us. We've taken excellent care for this car and are seniors on fixed income. Like many other consumers facing the same engine issues, we are left with no choice but to absorb costs to repair the auto. Any trade in or resale value is diminished. Thank you for accepting our submission on this critical consumer issue. We are the original owners of this vehicle. Ford is showing no customer loyalty and, no concern for consumer safety as this "coolant intrusion" issue can cause the car to fail, shut down or catch fire.

NHTSA ODI 11734242