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Ford EscapeModel year report

2017 Ford Escape Problems

Compared with other Ford Escape years

More complaints than typical for this model

76/100 1.8× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2019

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
2,702filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
70,000miles, 1,158 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
5 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
25 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl FWD · 22 city / 29 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2017 Ford Escape (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

The most common complaint is coolant getting into the engine cylinders, usually followed by overheating, misfires and engine failure that often requires replacement. Owners also describe transmission jerking or slipping and intermittent stalling or misfires, and many report the check engine light came on before the failure.

  1. Engine cooling

    Coolant leaking into engine cylinders

    • 1,619 complaints (60%)
    • median 80,000 mi at 7.8 yrs old (606 state mileage)
    • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $8,200 (median of 260 quotes)
    • filed 2017–2026

    Owners describe the check engine light, overheating warnings, white exhaust smoke, or rough running, with a mechanic or dealer finding coolant in one or more cylinders, a cracked block, or a head gasket leak. Most were told the engine or short block needed replacement, and several say the vehicle was not repaired because of cost or because the dealer said no coverage applied. Some mention a customer satisfaction program or service bulletin for coolant intrusion, but say the VIN was not included. Reported between about 29,000 and 134,000 miles, with a median near 70,000.

    4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check the coolant level over several visits and look for white exhaust smoke at start-up. Ask whether a service bulletin for the 1.5-liter engine, covering short block replacement or software for coolant intrusion, has been applied to this VIN.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “After turning the car off I could hear coolant running through the engine. Today I started the car to let it warm up, went out to go to work and the car was off. The dashboard was saying that the car was over heating, called and had it towed to garage and they said it needs a new engine will Ford cover expenses”

    NHTSA complaint #11383504, filed 2020-12, 126,400 miles

    “At 50000 miles my check engine light started coming on, my vehicle was driving rough and jolting and I would randomly loose coolant without any exterior leak which of course then my vehicle would start to overheat so I took it in. Luckily barely being within warranty come to find out it was a defect I had a cracked engine block, so my entire engine has to be replaced. One month later I finally get my car back to find while driving it home was extremely loud had no power to accelerate which would shoot up the rpms. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11338726, filed 2020-07, 50,300 miles
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission jerking, slipping, or failing

    • 257 complaints (10%)
    • median 88,000 mi at 6.5 yrs old (112 state mileage)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $5,000 (median of 36 quotes)
    • filed 2017–2026

    Owners describe the car jerking or hesitating when the accelerator is pressed, shifting hard after restarts, and in some cases the transmission or clutch failing and needing replacement. Some say the car lost forward movement or stalled while a service transmission message was on, and dealers recommended transmission replacement. Reported at about 70,000 miles or more, with a median near 103,000.

    What to check: Ask for the transmission service history and any campaigns or repairs for shifting. Test shifting and acceleration from a stop, in drive and reverse, before buying.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Driving back home from downtown Tupelo, my transmission completely went out. Vehicle had to be turned off and back on to move a few feet. It took over 45 minutes to drive 4 miles to my house. Cost of transmission more than value of the vehicle. Ford stated there is no recall on the vehicle for the transmission.”

    NHTSA complaint #11620598, filed 2024-10, 222,970 miles

    “Would shift hard after a fresh start. Would no longer catch gear. After about 3 restarts, it was no longer drivable. Had to have towed to a garage to have transmission replaced with a new one.”

    NHTSA complaint #11323131, filed 2020-05, 70,000 miles
  3. Engine

    Stalling or sudden loss of power while driving

    • 169 complaints (6%)
    • median 62,000 mi at 5.5 yrs old (105 state mileage)
    • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $5,120 (median of 7 quotes)
    • filed 2017–2026

    Owners describe the engine stalling or losing power while driving, sometimes at a traffic light or on an incline, and in some cases the car would not restart. Several had the check engine light on, and in some cases the dealer could not find the cause. Reported between about 41,000 and 112,000 miles, with a median near 54,000.

    What to check: Ask the seller to scan for stored codes and any record of stalling repairs. Test the car at idle, in traffic and under load before buying.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The car stalls on an occasional bases at a traffic light after sitting at the light for a bit. Taking the foot off the brake does not start the car up. I purchased a machine to detect codes and nothing came up.”

    NHTSA complaint #11354487, filed 2020-09, 53,680 miles

    “The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH on the highway, the vehicle stopped unintendedly. The engine fault warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.”

    NHTSA complaint #11633755, filed 2025-01, 96,000 miles
  4. Engine

    Misfire and rough running from coil or plug problems

    • 87 complaints (3%)
    • median 71,000 mi at 6.6 yrs old (44 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $6,530 (median of 10 quotes)
    • filed 2019–2026

    Owners describe a misfire on one cylinder, rough running, and the check engine light, with ignition coils or spark plugs replaced more than once without the problem going away. One owner says the misfire returned within weeks of each coil replacement. Reported at about 58,000 to 70,000 miles.

    What to check: Ask for the diagnostic codes and repair history, and whether the misfire was traced to a specific cylinder. Check whether any service bulletin for the engine was reviewed when the coil was replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “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 complaint #11394963, filed 2021-02, 65,000 miles

    “It started our as the occasional misfire and then the check engine light came on. I took it in to a local meineke where they said 1 of the coils (I believe coil 2) needed to be replaced. I also replaced all 4 plugs at that time as well. Maybe a month later it started misfiring again with the check engine light back on. I took it back to the shop and they said it showed the same coil as needing to be replaced. They recommend I take it to Ford for better diagnosis where they tell me I now need a new engine for upwards of 6 thousand dollars... See pictures for fords description.”

    NHTSA complaint #11416262, filed 2021-05, 60,000 miles

Buying note. Ask for records of coolant top-ups, engine repairs and transmission work, and check for coolant loss or white smoke on a cold start. Test the transmission and engine from a stop before buying, since several complaints describe failures that began with warnings.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 80 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 2,702 consumer complaints for the 2017 Ford Escape. 1,158 of the complaints include a mileage, and 28% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 70,000 miles. Of all complaints, 39 involved a crash, 15 a fire, 56 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 249 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 15 Ford Escape model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 76 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Exterior lighting (40), Vehicle speed control (31), Air bags (21), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (15), Seat belts (14), Latches, locks and linkages (8), Suspension (8), Electronic stability control (7), Tires (6), Back-over prevention (rear camera) (5), Equipment (5), Seats (4), Lane departure (3), Hybrid propulsion system (1).

Example complaints

Engine: “My 2017 ford was over heating got the head gasket replaced, the car was working fine for about a thousand miles when the wheel locked up and over heated again. Took it to ford and another mechanic and was told the problem was with a recall but my vehicle’s vin is not on the list. The engine short block as well as other parts.”

NHTSA complaint #11624544, filed 2024-11, 119,060 miles

Engine cooling: “Engine warning light came on while driving. Vehicle is operable but service department has indicated coolant intrusion needs new engine short block replaced to operate the vehicle. This is our only transportation and we have been advised not to drive the vehicle as the engine could seize up at any time.”

NHTSA complaint #11571402, filed 2024-02

Transmission and drivetrain: “I was driving, tried to accelerate vehicle made a strange noise and would not accelerate, would not go over 10 MPH, RPM went up to 6. Pulled of the road, placed it in park, turned it off, then back on. Vehicle would not go into gear. Had to have it towed to a Ford dealership, was told I need a new transmission. Waiting for estimate at this time.”

NHTSA complaint #11319445, filed 2020-03, 90,850 miles

Other or unknown: “Car is randomly jumping to overheat after being in motion. Approx 5 mins of being on. Then violently shaking and cutting itself off. Driving out of an apartment driveway. Was told it was the coolant leaking, however it solved itself and I was sent on my way. This is now the second time this has happened. Upon research, it seems as this is a common issue with fords.”

NHTSA complaint #11203002, filed 2019-04, 62,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

28% of the 1,158 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 45,000 and 97,000 miles.

6%0–107%10–2515%25–5026%50–7522%75–10020%100–1503%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (1,158 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 70,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

201620182020202220247132026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2017 Ford Escape. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Escape · SUV AWD★★★★★5 / 4554 · 18.5% risk
Escape · SUV FWD★★★★★5 / 4554 · 19.1% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2017 model year: forward collision warning optional, lane departure warning optional, automatic emergency braking not available.

Neighbouring years: 2016: 4 stars overall; 2018: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2017 Ford Escape version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Escape AWD1.5L 4-cyl6-speed automatic222824$2,800
Escape AWD2.0L 4-cyl6-speed automatic202723$2,900
Escape FWD1.5L 4-cyl6-speed automatic233026$2,600
Escape FWD2.0L 4-cyl6-speed automatic222925$2,700
Escape FWD2.5L 4-cyl6-speed automatic212924$2,800
Escape FWD FFV2.5L 4-cyl · flex-fuel6-speed automatic212924$2,800

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2017 Ford Escape → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 249 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 249 bulletins →

Other model years of the Ford Escape

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2025265,0009530Too new to compareToo new
20247611,5318530Too new to compareToo new
202310121,1931153013 · FewerToo new
202223635,5001953034 · FewerRising
202135239,0001953048 · TypicalRising
20201,61845,0002353083 · MoreRising
201959764,210352520 · FewerRising
20181,82280,851452448 · TypicalRising
20172,70270,000452576 · MoreRising
20161,17078,000442549 · TypicalRising
20151,13276,665942551 · TypicalStable
20142,08975,0001642578 · MoreStable
20132,75375,00018425100 · MoreFalling
201260457,000132316 · FewerStable
20111,31857,000232371 · MoreStable
20102,07059,9043—2365 · MoreFalling
20091,69390,0001—2325 · FewerFalling
20081,974100,0003—2251 · TypicalFalling
200725471,6002—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200646483,0003—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20051,394105,0004—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2004499107,6986—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200355890,0007—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20021,02785,8308—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200199675,35013—23Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2000564,5000———Not enough data

All Ford Escape model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2017 Ford Escape?

The most common complaint is coolant getting into the engine cylinders, usually followed by overheating, misfires and engine failure that often requires replacement. The issues reported most often: Coolant leaking into engine cylinders; Transmission jerking, slipping, or failing; Stalling or sudden loss of power while driving.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2017 Ford Escape have?

NHTSA recorded 2,702 consumer complaints for the 2017 Ford Escape as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2017 Ford Escape is reported most often?

Engine is named most often, in 1,583 complaints (59% of the total), followed by engine cooling with 509.

Has the 2017 Ford Escape been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2017 Ford Escape do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2017 Ford Escape 5 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2017 Ford Escape get?

The EPA rates the 2017 Ford Escape (Escape FWD, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 25 mpg combined, 22 city and 29 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,700 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2017 Ford Escape reported?

Among the 1,158 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 70,000 miles and the middle half falls between 45,000 and 97,000 miles; 28% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.