Home · 2017 Ford Escape · Complaints

What 2,613 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Ford Escape

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 (2,613)Crash / fire / injury (69)Engine (1,517)Engine & cooling (501)Transmission & drivetrain (381)Electrical system (150)Fuel system (92)Wheels (76)Body & structure (62)Brakes (48)Steering (48)Lights (37)

12 of 2,613 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jun 2, 2026Transmission & drivetrainCrash

My power lines were not installed properly and leaked all over burning up my transmission. This is aVERY common ford issue to the point where the place where I took it said I got a lot further than others. Ford needs to do better

NHTSA ODI 11741676

Jan 6, 2024Transmission & drivetrainEngineFire

I have a problem with my coolant leaking in the engine of my 2017 Ford Escape SE. case, [XXX] is from ford I have contacted ford several times on this issue. My vehicle is currently in the shop now since 11/14/2023. Ford says they are not going to fix my vehicle and it's a known issue I have included the service bulletin from Ford's website below. Any help getting my vehicle fixed would be greatly appreciated. I am also having problems with my transmission. VIN NUMBER [XXX] Bulletin [XXX] · Number: TSB [XXX] · Date: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11563913

Dec 3, 2023Transmission & drivetrainEngineFire

Hi my name is [XXX] and I have a problem with my coolant leaking in the engine of my 2017 Ford Escape 2.0 turbo all wheel drive SE. case, [XXX] is from ford I have contacted ford several times on this issue. My vehicle is currently in the shop now since 11/14/2023. Ford says they are not going to fix my vehicle and it's a known issue I have included the service bulletin from Ford's website below. Any help getting my vehicle fixed would be greatly appreciated. My transmission is also slipping. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11558182

Nov 19, 2023Transmission & drivetrainEngineFire

TRANSMISSION cable broke. Transmission failed and we had to replace it for $5,500. Car was at 101,000 miles. Ford wouldn't help. Now getting a cylinder 4 misfire - P0304 code, U3000-04. Also, coolant leaks constantly and there is no leak. per the recall of the 2017 Ford Fusion, this coolant leak into the cylinders is happening to us as well.

NHTSA ODI 11555924

Nov 13, 2022Transmission & drivetrain1 injury

On June 01,2018 my coworker and I was on a joint visit. After the visit we walked to our vehicles to start the engines and to turn on the ac. I exited the 2017 Ford Escape and walked over to my coworker and we started to discuss other work problems. My coworker stated "the car is rolling back". I went after the Ford attempting to enter the vehicle. The drivers door knocked me down and I was completely ran over from foot to head. I placed my arm over my face and closed my eyes. I held my breath as I listened to the sounds of bones cracking... I suffered 5 fractured ribs, 2 fractures on my face, 15" Laceration on the back of my head to where my skull was showing. Several hematomas and a contusion in my right lung. I suffer everyday with pain. There is no way I could have exited the vehicle with it moving. I was able to walk to my coworkers vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11493329

Oct 6, 2022Transmission & drivetrainCrash

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The contact had experienced a failure while stopped at a traffic sign. The contact stated that the vehicle rolled forward at approximately 2 MPH and lightly crashed into a vehicle in front of him. There was no damage or injuries. The contact was aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train), however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had experienced a failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11488202

Jul 29, 2022Transmission & drivetrain1 injury

On June 1, 2018 which was a Friday and the time was around 5pm. My co worker and I just finished a patient at the Boise Christian Retirement Village. I proceeded to enter the 2017 Ford Escape to start the engine so that the inside would cool down. As I exited the vehicle to speak to my co worker who was parked 2 cars down. We were discussing a situation about a coworker and she states " Danielle your car is rolling back". At that moment I did not know who was in the building the ford was heading. I ran after the ford and opened the driver side door and grabbed the steering wheel. The drivers door knocked me down and the drivers front tire ran me over starting from the foot , leg, pelvic, chest and then my head. I sustained numerous injuries. I had 5 fractured ribs, a hole in my right lung, 2 fractures on my face, several hematomas. My head was squeezed like grape and had a 15 inch laceration. I suffer everyday from this accident. I have scars and a lot of PTSD. I am currently driving the 2019 Ford Escape for my work. Now I am scared to death and dont know what to do

NHTSA ODI 11476446

Jul 23, 2022Transmission & drivetrain1 injury

I exited my car to take pictures of a bird. The engine was running and I thought the gearshift was in Park. I felt the car bump me and realized it had started moving. The rear tire ran over my left foot and I found myself lying face down on the road. I tried to get up but fell onto my camera. I looked to my right and saw my car moving down the road, drifting to the right towards the embankment that leads down to a canal. I managed to get up and reached the car as it was about to leave the roadway. I tried to grab the steering wheel, but the rear tire ran over my right foot, then over my left foot again. My car went down the embankment, stopping just short of flipping over in the canal. Since there was no other plausible explanation at the time, I assumed I didn’t put the car in Park despite thinking I did. However, I’ve puzzled over the accident almost obsessively since it occurred because when the engine is running and the gearshift is in Drive and not Park, my car moves forward at approx. 4 MPH with little to no hesitation as soon as my foot lifts off the brake pedal. I DID NOT GET OUT OF A MOVING CAR. After the recall notice, I looked at the metadata from the images taken the day of the accident and it shows my car did not begin moving until at least 23 seconds after I exited it to photograph the bird. That also indicates it was in fact in Park. I had a broken rib from falling on my camera and a broken (crushed) big toe on my left foot. Other injuries apparent then and/or in the days following were considerable swelling and pain of my left knee and foot, swelling and pain of my right knee and foot, and pain along the outside of my lower legs. I still have pain from the accident, including arthritis in my left foot, pain along my outer left leg and inner knee, and pain in my left big toe. My camera and brand-new lens were damaged. I did not have the car inspected. My safety and the safety of others are at risk until the required parts for repair are available.

NHTSA ODI 11475490

Jul 18, 2022Transmission & drivetrainCrash

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while shifting the vehicle into park, the vehicle surged forward and went over an embankment without warning. The air bag deployed upon impact. The contact did not sustain any injuries and did not seek medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and they were unable to repair the vehicle, the vehicle was then towed back to his home. The contact then received a notification in the mail for NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000(Power Train) which he linked to his failure. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 102,000.

NHTSA ODI 11474446

Jun 18, 2022Transmission & drivetrain1 injury

MY 2017 FORD ESCAPE MOVED FORWARD AFTER BEING PUT IN THE PARK POSITION, THUS CAUSING ME TO FALL TO THE GROUND UPON EXITING AND DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE RAN OVER MY LEFT KNEE, CAUSING A CRUSHED KNEE. I AM STILL UNABLE TO WALK PROPERLY WITHOUT PAIN. I HAVE NOT HAD CAR INPECTED AND HAVE JUST SEEN THE RECALL, WHICH STATES "RECALL INCOMPLETE, REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE".

NHTSA ODI 11469895

Jun 17, 2022Transmission & drivetrainCrash

On June 4th I parked my car at my house and left it running. As I went to walk into my house my car started moving. I was able to get into the car and put it back in park but not before it ran into my house.

NHTSA ODI 11469852

Oct 4, 2018Transmission & drivetrainBody & structureCrash1 injury

ON OCTOBER 3, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:15 P.M. MY WIFE WAS GETTING INTO OUR 2017 FORD ESCAPE. SHE HAD THE DRIVER DOOR OPEN, BUT THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING, AS SHE WAS GETTING IN SHE FELT A JOLT, THE VEHICLE STARTED ROLLING BACKWARD, THE DRIVER'S DOOR SIDESWIPED OUR OTHER CAR AND KNOCKED HER TO THE GROUND. THE CAR ROLLED ACROSS THE STREET AND STRUCK THE CAR PORT BEAM AT THE ADJACENT HOME. SHE YELLED FOR HELP AND WHEN I GOT THERE SHE WAS TRYING TO STOP THE ROLLING CAR. THE CAR WAS IN PARK, I STARTED THE CAR AND MOVED IT OFF THE STREET.

NHTSA ODI 11133248

Working with the data? Download all 2,613 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 7, 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 verdict →