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)

92 of 2,628 complaints match · Fuel system · clear filters · page 3 of 4

Mar 28, 2024EngineFuel system

The engine broke down and coolant was coming in somehow. It required a total engine replacement.

NHTSA ODI 11579855

Feb 21, 2024Fuel system

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle was difficult to start while still at the pump. The contact stated while driving at various times, there was fumes coming from the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic and was informed that the failure was due to the vehicle not having a gas cap. The vehicle was not repaired. At the suggestion of the mechanic, the contact attempted to use different grades of gasoline however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 112,000.

NHTSA ODI 11573097

Jan 11, 2024EngineFuel system

Vehicle indicated on the on board information screen that the engine has misfire and service engine soon. Inspected and noticed coolant lower than normal and engine would idle different. Took to dealer for check engine light. Inspected by certified technician and was told the coolant was "washing the cylinder walls of cylinder 2 and dripping into cylinder 3 causing misfire and coolant to enter the combustion chambers and exhaust system ". Fords only fix to this was a complete engine replace. Quoted $8500 to replace. Was told by service writer that Ford has known about this problem on numerous models and passes the repair bill to the Customer with no help. This vehicle transport my 3 children and wife daily. After further review this could cause the engine to over heat cause the oil to become a the cooling solution until it the vehicle will stall and could bust in flames. One engine code indicated that the Evap system has malfunction and could not release the gas vapors from fuel tank. Which will cause the tank to explode with no warning. I bought this vehicle brand new and had services done when needed. 122k miles on a 6 year old vehicle and needing to replace a engine is not suppose to happen especially with a manufacturer that claim they are the leading manufacturer for the most sold and safest vehicles in America.

NHTSA ODI 11564793

Nov 2, 2023EngineFuel system

My car suddenly stopped accelerating. No warning lights came on. If I had been on a freeway, it could have been catastrophic. I had car towed to Sunrise Ford who said I needed a new Turbo boost, turbo charge assembly and VCT solenoids. I authorized that repair as cat only has 65,000 miles. After that repair, while the car was being test driven by the service technician from sunrise ford, the car failed again, completely immobilized and the tech pushed the car off to the side of the road. Now they say I have complete transmission failure and have to spend 7000-9000 to replace the transmission at 65,000 miles. It seems like a defect that could put other drivers at risk! It should be looked into as I hear other Fords have had issue with the turbo boost and transmission.

NHTSA ODI 11553253

Oct 27, 2023Fuel system

The high pressure fuel pump failed causing damage to cam and shavings in motor. The mechanic said engine needs to be replaced. I could have been driving on the interstate instead of a back road when this happened and I lost power. Lucky for me I wasn't. It could have been very bad. Ford has had a service bulletin out on this issue for some time. I had to go to 3 different Mechanics before one would even touch it. They all said the same thing. You will need at least a new cam probably a new engine per the service alert. Ford says those mean nothing and they can't help me. If I had been on interstate and crashed then maybe they would talk to me.

NHTSA ODI 11552258

Oct 14, 2023EngineFuel system

Car idles poorly on Start. Check engine light came on and indicated misfire on cylinder 2. Smell of coolant coming from exhaust. Misfires without check engine light as well. Cylinder 2 and 4 have been replaced but engine continues to misfire. Believed to be a coolant leak into the engine

NHTSA ODI 11549898

Aug 14, 2023Fuel system

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while at a traffic light or a stop sign, the vehicle jerked and jolted forward when the accelerator pedal was released. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the purge valve was stuck open. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The failure mileage was approximately 72,239.

NHTSA ODI 11538378

Jul 10, 2023EngineFuel system

My vehicle was scheduled to have Customer Satisfaction Program 19B37 completed which would have found that Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 needed done and Corwin Ford of Reno pushed my service out by months causing those programs to expire. Due to that my now 5 yr old SUV with 66,634 miles needs a new engine per the diagnostic quote I received from the auto shop that Corwin Ford sent me to because they also couldn’t fit me in for a service.

NHTSA ODI 11531466

Jul 2, 2023Transmission & drivetrainEngineFuel system

I just bought this car less than a week again. 2017 Ford Escapes are known to have cylinder misfires and similar issues. My car just had to issue occur. It raises a lot of safety issues and can render the car unusable.

NHTSA ODI 11529949

Feb 24, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemFuel system

The car has suffered from multiple problems since 2020, where each time I would take it to the shop to be assessed.. The transmission, the electrical, and I have suffered from mental illness due to me being afraid to drive in the car. There was no way to get it diagnosed for the specific recall. I have spent $15,547.50 in mostly the same repairs. I have bought a total of 13 tires. Had to get the front suspension fixed, the struts, rental cars, had to get new brakes and rotos 3 times, wheel bearing replacement, had to get a second key cut, and the car reprogrammed, car makes a loud noise and it was not able to be diagnosed, purge valve assembly, spark plugs changed 2 times, and of course regular oil changes every few months. My check engine light has never come on. I have gone to the ford service cener, grease monkey, valvoline, good year, jiffy lube, tune up clinic, c&p auto repair. There were 2 recalls on the ford escape 2017 causing my car to not be able to be on brake without it shaking uncontrollablly. Every time a car issue would arise I would immediately go to a car shop. I am afraid to drive the vehicle due to the shifter not going into park. My daughter has missed muliple days of school due to the ongoing car issues. Her school is aware of the persistent car issues. We are homeless so we rely on the car 100%. I will be able to send all documents when you are ready.

NHTSA ODI 11508962

Feb 22, 2023Transmission & drivetrainEngineFuel system

While driving on the freeway the engine suddenly lost power, stuttered, misfired, ran very rough and "buckled". I was unable to maintain speed and had to turn off the freeway a the next exit. I was able to reach a safe location in "crawl mode" from where the car had to be towed to the dealership. The check engine light was not lit before but stayed on during and after this incident, which was the first time it happened. The dealer confirmed the problem and identified the throttle body as the failed component, it is sticky on the inside and may have been stuck in a position that did not allow me to drive anymore. It is UNKNOWN if the dealer has initiated getting the vehicle or any faulty parts inspected by anyone else. Unrelated to this incident this vehicle had the entire engine replaced in March 2022, ref TSB 19-2346 https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10169807-0001.pdf ; the symptoms of failure last year were very similar, loss of power, misfire, stuttering, running rough.

NHTSA ODI 11508608

Jan 19, 2023Fuel system

Owner of a 2017 Ford Escape; After refilling vehicle at local fueling station the vehicle would not start. Check engine illuminated. Attempted to start; however the vehicle would not; and everything lit up on dashboard. Finally after the 3rd/4th try the vehicle finally started. Taken vehicle to dealer and was informed it was the purge valve. Headed towards dealership shortly to find the reason. This happens every time I fill up the vehicle; otherwise it starts perfectly. Having to pay a $149. fee for them to check why the engine light is on; although, a gentleman checked it previously for free at the dealership; the representative stated they had to do further testing. Consequently, I see the Ford Focus had the same issue..

NHTSA ODI 11502549

Oct 17, 2022Fuel systemTransmission & drivetrainEngine

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated upon refilling the gas tank at the gas station and attempting to drive, he shifted from park (P) to drive (D), however, the vehicle failed to move. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle after turning off and restarting the vehicle several times. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring after refilling the gas tank. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer who provided an unknown diagnostic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received a recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train), which he associated with the failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to complete the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11489581

Oct 7, 2022Fuel system

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated after refueling the vehicle, she was unable to start the vehicle. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated she had to leave the vehicle running while refueling to not experience the failure. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the purge valve replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because the parts were not available. The contact continued to experience the failure. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11488367

Sep 17, 2022Fuel system

Whenever I put gas in my vehicle it hesitate to start. I reported this to the dealership when it started doing this about 3 weeks after getting it. I purchased it on January 24, 2022.

NHTSA ODI 11484925

Aug 23, 2022Electrical systemEngineFuel system

The vehicle started over heating for no reason, filled the coolant with last oil change within a few days before. Would get to the point the car would stop driving. Happened a few times a day then spread out to less and less. Then happened randomly one day and the car never started again. It stays in a dangerous over heat mode where the car won’t start. I had to have it towed almost 60 miles home and then Uber myself home. We had the car looked at. Never diagnosed, but we were told we have a cracked head. Possible coolant leakage. Total Engine failure. The cause is because the vehicle is defective p

NHTSA ODI 11480864

Jun 16, 2022EngineFuel system

While stopped at a red light the car spontaneously shut off and had to be put in park and restarted. This happened 3 times in the past 2 weeks on extremely hot days. No engine warning light has come on.

NHTSA ODI 11469678

Jun 8, 2022Electrical systemEngineFuel system

3-4 times a year my 2017 Ford Escape doesn't automatically start after auto stop start turns the engine off and i have to shift into park and restart the car. This has happened basically since new.

NHTSA ODI 11468103

Jun 5, 2022EngineFuel system

I’ve had my 2017 Ford Escape EcoBoost since December 3, 2020, I first noticed a problem around late November 2021 (after Thanksgiving). I would put fuel in my car and it would putter (idled low) when I started it back up. As this issue became progressively worse, I began to notice around mid January 2022 that I would have to refill my antifreeze at least once per 2wks but there wasn’t any leakage on the ground, check engine light came on but went off on its own a few days later. In late March 2022 the check engine light came back on and stayed on, so on May 23, 2022 I took it to CarX for an engine diagnosis. The diagnostic revealed misfire codes concerning #4 coil and to replace sparks plugs, also an EVAP Purge Valve Solenoid Assembly would be required (I have an image of the print-out for the diagnostic). I’ve had the #4 coil and spark plugs replaced by a reputable mechanic (on 6/1/2022), ordered the purge valve solenoid (which hasn’t arrived yet), and I have had the air filter replaced. In spite, of these initial repairs the car has run hot (on 6/4/2022), and the radiator reservoir is extremely low. When it did start this morning (6/5/2022), it took 3 tries for the engine to turn over, and there was blueish white smoke coming from the tail pipe. I’ve researched the vin number and noticed that there are no recalls, despite numerous complaints of this nature. Sadly, now my vehicle won’t start at all.

NHTSA ODI 11467642

May 6, 2022Fuel system

I put 20 bucks worth of gas in the tank. Start to drive off then my engine would not start. In order to get it to run I had to hold the gas pedal down and put it in gear finally it started running the check engine light came on during this. I have a code reader at home which I have for an old Ford Taurus I used to check my code out. The first time and came back as P1450 or unable to bleed up fuel tank vacuum. I thought maybe I got bad gas so I cleared it but not permanently. I drove it for a few miles the check engine light did not come on. Then when I shut it off and turn it back on the check engine light came back on. I checked YouTube and Google where it seems that the purge valve is a common problem with these vehicles. In fact all the way back to at least 2013 from what my memory serves me today after watching a few videos last night. I have looked for parts for this particular component which will probably run around $85 and aftermarket at your local AutoZone. I prefer buying manufacturer parts from Ford the company itself. I am filing a complaint because I admissions valve should not be going bad this quick with 85,000 miles on the vehicle. I am afraid to drive the vehicle much until it is fixed. I drive a mile and back daily for my son for school and I only have one vehicle. My family has bought Fords predominantly throughout my lifetime. Other than one heater core and common maintenance is all I ever had to do these vehicles been good quality. Thank you for your time.

NHTSA ODI 11463685

Mar 21, 2022Fuel system

My 2017 Ford Escape’s check engine light turned on 02/24/2022. The next day I fueled up the vehicle and when I attempted to start vehicle it misfired and I had to try starting it multiple times. I went to Auto zone to have the light read and was told error code P1450 was the reason for issues. I made an appointment with the Ford Delear I purchased the vehicle from. The delear explained that the SUV’s purge Cannister Valve was bad and that is why my engine was Misfiring after fueling up. I was told the part would be here within 2 days. After about 4 days I was told no eta on parts and that the issue was with transportation on part but that it will be here soon. I called a different Ford delearship in town and when they looked up my vin the explained that the part was recalled by Ford as it was faulty and they didn’t know when it would be fixed. I then attempted to take my car to a different mechanic shop and had them look at the aftermarket supply for the part and we were advised that Ford Motor Company has a nationwide shortage on this part and has a demand/priority with aftermarket manufacturers to suppply Ford’s needs first and that no clue as to when this would happen as this is affecting all escape owners with this part issue. We also learned from inquiring with aftermarket part manufacturing that in just in the Northeast part of our state there are over 1100 Ford escapes waiting for the same part as well and that the shortage just happened recently as many Ford escapes recently reported having a bad Cannister Purge Valve. Looking at how this has progressed and how the engine misfires after fueling up due to faulty Cannister purge valve i am asking for an investigation into this issue since this is part of the vehicles emission system and can lead to engine issues due to misfires as we are not able to utilize the vehicle out of fear that it won’t start or misfires potentially causing other system issues down the line.

NHTSA ODI 11457728

Jul 6, 2021Electrical systemEngineFuel system

Upon parking the vehicle in my driveway, the vehicle would not turn off after turning off he ignition and removing the key. All the dash lights were on as the would be normally and the engine remained running. Tired everything including in and out of gear, driving, turned key on and off several times, tired both keys. Googled and seen there had been similar issues with earlier models that resulted in a recall, but this is a 2017. Found some online suggestions and after an hour figured out where the fuel pump fuse was and removed it and the engine stopped. The dash still stayed lit up and had a warning to get engine serviced. Put key in ignition and turned to run not start position and vehicle cranked and tried to start. Could not get dash console to power down or look the doors, the horn would beep twice every time I tried to lock the doors. Ended up disconnecting the battery to kill the power to everything. Plan to take it to Ford today if I can get it started again.

NHTSA ODI 11423544

Jun 1, 2021Fuel system

The purge valve sylanoid is malfunctioning. Every dealership and auto store in my town is out of the part and backordered, which tells me this is a common problem.

NHTSA ODI 11419229

Mar 25, 2021Fuel system

AFTER FILLING MY GAS TANK AND STOPPING FUELING WHEN THE GAS PUMP STOPS, THE CAR BEGINS TO ACT LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL WHEN I START DRIVING. THE RPMS WILL DROP DOWN FROM 1250 TO AROUND 300-400 AND SHOOT BACK UP. THIS WILL ONLY LAST FOR ABOUT A MILE OR TWO OF DRIVING AND GO AWAY. IT IS HAPPENING CONSISTENTLY AND OTHER INTERNET USERS APPEAR TO HAVE ISSUES WITH COMPLETELY STALLING. IT APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY A FAULTY "VAPOR CANISTER PURGE VALVE."

NHTSA ODI 11404858

Feb 6, 2021Transmission & drivetrainFuel system

RECURRING ISSUE WITH THE SAME IGNITION COIL/SPARK PLUG COMPLEX WHERE THE ENGINE WILL MISFIRE ON A COLD START. I HAVE REPLACED THE IGNITION COIL 3 TIMES AND EACH TIME IT FAILS WITHIN 3 WEEKS. I HAVE HAD THE ENGINE PRESSURE TESTED AND THERE ARE NO ISSUES THAT WOULD CAUSE MISFIRING. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL FEEDBACK ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11394963

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Working with the data? Download all 2,628 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 18, 2026

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 →