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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 0
Average Mileage:
37,271 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2017 Ford Escape drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2017 Ford Escape Owner Comments (Page 2 of 13)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #239

Jul 012024

Escape

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This vehicle has an internal coolant leak causing white smoke out of the tail pipe, rough idling and constant misfiring. I know its an internal coolant leak because I have to constantly add coolant to the vehicle as well as the rough idling and rough start/ misfiring

- Jacksonville, NC, USA

problem #238

Jul 182024

Escape

  • miles
Barber Ford in Holland reported that the transmission has failed at 66,000 miles. Looking online this seems to be a common issue.

- Holland, MI, USA

problem #237

Jul 182024

Escape

  • miles
We have only had our 2017 Ford escape for less than two years. We are the second owners of the vehicle and have maintained its prestigious service record with none stating that the transmission was or is faulty. Woke up one morning, driving to work and all of a sudden I go to press the gas and it felt like I hit a brick wall. It was the scariest thing! My head almost hit the steering wheel!!! I was NOT expecting that at all! Took it to our mechanic on a trailer and they stated that the transmission did NOT even come up on the diagnostic computer. They informed me that they tested the fluid and that was OK. They called me to come pick it up. I told them there-??s no way it-??s OK because of what happened. My dad went and picked it up he was only a minute or two down the road and it happened to him. He called our mechanic back, put it back on my dad-??s trailer with help from a friend. Got it back to their service department and again hooked it up to the computer and it did not say the transmission. But with the mechanics expertise, it was the transmission. They also stated that for this particular vehicle you cannot -??rebuild the transmission-?? it is a -??throwaway transmission-?? and you have to buy a whole new one. This is a huge safety concern. Like I mentioned, it felt like hitting a brick wall. It just completely stopped with no indication that there-??s even a transmission issue or signal on my dashboard and now this is going to cost about $7000 to replace. We have to get it fixed. When we purchased the vehicle a year and a half ago it was over $20,000. This is a major issue for me and my family because we will not be able to afford this, but this needs to get fixed somehow. If someone in your department can escalate this and give me a call I would greatly appreciate it. We can provide any documentation needed from two different Mechanic shops. The place where we bought it where I get it regularly maintained, and the mechanic that informed us that it is the transmission.

- Leesburg , FL, USA

problem #236

Jun 272024

Escape

  • 154,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the transmission slipped out of gear. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the engine revved; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the "Service" with an exclamation point warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but became a recurring failure while driving at various speeds. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local mechanic who flushed and refilled the transmission fluid. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the transmission failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 154,000.

- St. Johnsville, NY, USA

problem #235

Apr 142024

Escape

  • 93,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, there was a loud thumping sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 93,000.

- Carthage, NC, USA

problem #234

May 032024

Escape

  • miles
When I am driving my 2017 Ford Escape SE 2.0L Turbo EcoBoost, the engine seems to hesitate/skip when I am driving along at speeds from 25-55, once it accelerates from 55 to 70, the skipping doesn't seem to happen. It feels like the engine is skipping or gear shifting is skipping. This has been happening for a long time since it passed 60,000 miles and it's at approx. I was told by an independent mechanic that the transmission needs to be flushed, but flushing it wouldn't necessarily stop what's happening. I am now at 140,000, the car seems to still operate, and the engine light has never come on indicating an issue/malfunction. It's even had a part fixed in the transmission from a recall and the issue continues. However, recently I noticed when I am coasting down a hill and I tap my brakes to slow down and usually during this time braking triggers the hill assist function, the RPMS have been racing up to 3,000-4,000 RPMs and it usually won't go back down unless I press the gas to get it to shift gears. Usually this makes me have to accelerate instead of slowing down or keeping my speed at the legal speed limit on that road the hill is on. I was recently told that there is an engine block recall on 2017 Ford Escapes, and I am not sure if this could be the issue. But if it is, I would like to have my vehicle looked at by a Ford garage and have it replaced at no cost.

- Fairfield, ME, USA

problem #233

Jul 042024

Escape

  • 118,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The contact stated that after several attempts to accelerate, the vehicle lunged forward. In addition, the RPM was elevated. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving on a busy highway. The contact stated that the failure occurred after releasing the brake pedal or after coming to a complete stop. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was advised to have the vehicle towed to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Northampton, MA, USA

problem #232

Jun 252024

Escape

  • miles
My vehicle is currently with a Ford Dealership and I was advised one of the cylinders is bad and the repair bill is $13,000. I have 55,000 miles on the vehicle. This appears based on my research this has been a common problem. Since the 60 months has passed, I am told I have no recourse to address this problem. Ford needs to honor any problems that happen before 60000 miles and not 5 years OR 60000 miles whichever comes first! In this society people work from home and don-??t drive cars like they have in the past!

- Savannah, GA, USA

problem #231

May 012024

Escape

  • 108,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate and shift between gear as intended. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired, and the failure was related to an unknown recall; however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

- Saint Joseph, MO, USA

problem #230

Jun 162024

Escape

  • 68,125 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond with the accelerator pedal depressed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with front pump failure and a faulty part in the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline and report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,125.

- Norfolk, VA, USA

problem #229

May 212024

Escape

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This is my 18 year old daughters vehicle, she was driving on the highway at a high speed of 75 and all of a sudden it dropped to 50 (TERRIFYING), this happened probably a handful of times before we had the vehicle looked at! The vehicle gave her a check engine light, we had someone look at it at, they replaced her high pressure fuel pump, no one said anything about her transmission failing. It lasted 2 more weeks and completely stopped on her. We had the transmission rebuilt and hasn't given her issues for 1 week. NOW my 2018 expeditions transmission is a goner, having it now looked at. Should not happen after 5 years!

- Travis Afb, CA, USA

problem #228

Feb 272024

Escape

  • miles
Ford dealership performed EEC test and ran OASIS- identified TSB 22-2229 and verified that my 2017 Escape SE 2.0L (purchased in July 2020) met criteria for inspection on 02/27/2024. The vehicle had been experiencing an intermittent engine light, coolant loss x 3-4 months, rough start up, and white exhaust. An OBD code of P0302 was noted one week prior to the dealership appointment and was verified during the inspection. The dealership performed a cooling system pressure test and borescope on the cylinders, and identified coolant intrusion. Along block replacement was recommended at a cost of $7900. I contacted Ford Motor Company for help, as this is a known engineering flaw of the Ecoboost engines that causes (per Ford Motor Company) coolant intrusion in the 2015-2019 Escapes. My extended warranty had expired, and I still owe ~$8500 on my auto loan. I was told there was no help available for me, but to keep receipts in the event of an issued recall. I continued to keep my coolant reservoir filled after each trip ( I have a 35 minute trip to and from work), and the dashboard indicators all came on 2 weeks ago while driving to work (had no other option except to keep using my vehicle). The engine will now not turn over. Luckily, I now have a family member's car for driving to/from work. My question is when will Ford finally issue a recall for the 1.6 & 2.0L Escape engines, as they did in 2022 for the 1.5L engines"? Lots of folks out there with these engines are in the same boat as me, unless the engine is still under warranty. And coolant mixing with the engine oil after the head gasket fails? A fire hazard, correct" Ford needs to step up and take responsibility for this issue already. I have been a loyal customer (my Escape is my 5th Ford vehicle) and have always followed manufacturer recommendations. This will be my last Ford vehicle for sure.

- Olmsted Township, OH, USA

problem #227

May 152024

Escape

  • miles
I was driving to work, and I reversed out of my driveway. I stopped, put the transmission in Drive, and proceeded forward. I let my foot off of the accelerator, and the transmission slipped and the car lurched and made a "thunk" noise. I stopped, and then accelerated again. After about 10 minutes of driving (while stopping and going at several stoplights), I was driving at 45 mph. The engine suddenly started revving past 4000 RPM, and the car would not accelerate forward anymore. I let my foot off the accelerator, then pressed on it again. The engine again revved with no forward movement, and several clunking and grinding noises. I was fortunately able to pull over on the shoulder of the road. I put the vehicle in park, then drive again. It would not move. After turning the car off and on again, and putting the transmission in drive, it clunked loudly and lurched forward. I was able to drive another 1/4 mile slowly, and pull into a parking lot. After that, the car would not move in forward or reverse gear. It was towed to the dealership on May 15, and has been there evere since. I am submitting this due to the Ford Motor Corporation's awareness of the issues with the transmissions on these vehicles, and the safety risk that they pose. I was lucky that there was a place to safely pull off of the road and move the vehicle to a parking spot.

- Fort Collins, CO, USA

problem #226

May 162024

Escape

  • miles
My car doesn't have 70,000 miles on it and the flex plate is cracked. There have been other models of Ford ie the edge that have had the same problem. Something needs to be done about this because hundreds of people are reporting the same problem. With a quick Google search you can see that.

- Kunkletown, PA, USA

problem #225

May 202024

Escape

  • miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated with an error message of "Vehicle Overheating -?" Turn Off Vehicle" prior to the engine overheating. The vehicle was able to be moved to the shoulder before the vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with 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 unknown.

- Warner Robins, GA, USA

problem #224

May 032024

Escape

  • miles
bought a used 2017 Ford escape Titanium in 2022 with 38k miles. Didn't know anything about the issues with the car. Fast forward 8 months ago I started smelling coolant out of my exhaust. Had a friend to check it and coolant levels were low and coolant found it's way into my engine oil. This was around 58k miles on the odometer. Fast forward again end of March 2024 my check engine light came on took it to dealership for a diagnostics. They kept my car all day just to tell me I need a new engine and turbo which would total 14k dollars.

- Hagerstown , MD, USA

problem #223

May 112024

Escape

  • 72,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle was revving as if the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact slowed down and depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle was jolting like shifting gear. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stopped the vehicle and had the vehicle towed to the residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

- Plantation, FL, USA

problem #222

May 162024

Escape

  • 12,500 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, attempting to go uphill, the vehicle failed to shift gear and surged. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission was cracked, and there was antifreeze leaking into the engine compartment, causing engine failure. The dealer was informed that the transmission and engine needed to be rebuilt. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,500.

- Wausau, WI, USA

problem #221

Apr 182023

Escape

  • 105,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, a ticking noise was present coming from the transmission. Later, the transmission failed, and the transmission shifter would not go into gear and the vehicle failed to go in drive or in reverse. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 105,000.

- Davenport, IA, USA

problem #220

May 102024

Escape

  • miles
The engine was emitting white smoke at approximately 55,000 miles. After a quick inspection a low coolant level was noted and a code for a misfiring cylinder 2 was noted. This issue is likely coolant intrusion into the cylinder. I was made aware of the Customer Service Program 21N12.

- Mobile, AL, USA

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