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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 4 of 13)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #199

Dec 222023

Escape

  • miles

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

1. Coolant is either leaking or evaporating which makes the coolant reservoir tank lose water that requires many refills after daily use. This led to the car to heat up without any notice in the middle of a busy highway with a narrow shoulder. This causes the car to release white smoke from the back with a chemical stench. A mechanic checked the car by raising it on a car lift for any leaks but there were no obvious leaks. 2. Car sometimes violently shakes upon turning on the ignition letting out a loud noise that can be heard from afar. The warning was a misfire on the #2 Cynlinder. We have replaced the old spark plugs and coils with new ones but the car still shakes at times and on the screen it says, 'Engine Fault Service Now". 3. There is also a warning on the system that reads, 'Powertrain Malfunction/Reduced Power'. Upon start of the warning the car abruptly slows to 35 mph max which is a great concern for safety when driving on the freeway/highway with many cars going 70-80 mph. A couple of mechanics have all mentioned something is wrong because the system slows down the car to avoid any more problems to arise and is a big concern for them as well. The computer used to analyze any issues does not directly call out a specific error even though there is an obvious issue with the powertrain. 4. There was an issue with the latch on the lift gate of the car but was fixed by Ford because it was covered under Extended Ford Warranty.

- El Cajon, CA, USA

problem #198

Sep 012023

Escape

  • miles
Engine coolant intrusion short block needed replaced was taken to mt orab dealership to have reprogramming done which I just found out they did not even do the reprogramming back in 2022 I had appointment scheduled for the reprogramming I had made one in November around 11th but not sure what happened so was rescheduled dec 6 th I am so disappointed in dealership lack of communication with customers about this program because they did not get me in until dec 6th the program ended this is completely unfair for me to pay out of pocket for dealership mistake with not disclosing they did not do reprogramming when vehicle was brought in and the program was over by the time they did

- Bethel , OH, USA

problem #197

Jan 172024

Escape

  • miles
Without warning, while driving on the freeway, my car lost power due to an engine fault. The car went into limp mode and I made my way off the freeway and into a parking lot, where I contacted a tow company. My safety, and the safety of those around me, was compromised due to the sudden loss of power during rush hour traffic. Upon review by a local shop, it was determfined that the engine failed due to coolant intrusion, a problem known to, and acknowledged by, Ford Motor Company. This was documented in Ford publication Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12. There were absolutely no warnings or messages, nor were there any smells or sounds to indicate impending failure.

- Eagan, MN, USA

problem #196

Oct 062023

Escape

  • 49,543 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 his daughter was driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle began to lose forward momentum. The contact stated that his daughter depressed the accelerator pedal, and the engine revved but continued to lose forward momentum. The contact stated that his daughter had not noticed any warning lights being illuminated. The contact-??s daughter was able to drive the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that silicone plugs for the transmission drains had failed, and a significant amount of transmission fluid had leaked. The contact stated that the plugs were replaced, and the transmission fluid was replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred again, and the transmission was slipping and the vehicle hesitated before shifting into gear. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 49,543.

- Columbia, IL, USA

problem #195

Jan 062024

Escape

  • 113,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at 60-65 MPH that while veering right coming off an exit ramp and driving approximately 60-65 MPH, and then coming to a stop at a stop sign; the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was determined that the transmission had failed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.

- Magnolia, OH, USA

problem #194

Oct 102023

Escape

  • 110,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an unknown speed, the gears seized. The vehicle failed to reverse. The transmission became inoperable. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact called the local dealer but was unable to obtain a timely appointment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

- Ruther Glen, VA, USA

problem #193

Jan 062024

Escape

  • miles

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

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)

- Broken Arrow, OK, USA

problem #192

Dec 132023

Escape

  • miles
I started the vehicle and the engine was shaking, it had reduced acceleration and power while driving and the engine light started flashing with engine making popping noises and car bucking. I could not stay up with cars on freeway and after stopping would barely accelerate. I had to wait till traffic was not coming to turn across oncoming lanes to prevent being hit. I limped it back home and found low coolant and misfire codes for cylinders 2 and 3. I am a 25 year ASE master certified auto technician, I pulled spark plugs and found coolant in cylinders 2 and 3. Engine was not overheating. this vehicle has 62120 miles. I found many complaints online for this issue.

- Newcastle, OK, USA

problem #191

Nov 122023

Escape

  • miles
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)

- Broken Arrow, OK, USA

problem #190

Feb 012023

Escape

  • 68,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle occasionally stalled, hesitated, or jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

- Pilot Mountain, NC, USA

problem #189

Nov 172023

Escape

  • miles

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

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.

- Blue Springs, MO, USA

problem #188

Nov 032023

Escape

  • miles
Check engine light came on and a diagnostic check showed that there was coolant intrusion in the cylinders. This apparently is known by Ford that there was a manufacturing defect.

- Magnolia , TX, USA

problem #187

Oct 032023

Escape

  • miles
The engine began to misfire on cylinder 1.The check engine light came on and verified the problem. The sparkplugs were replaced and coil 1 was swapped with #2 to ensure the coil wasn't malfunctioning. the problem resolved for a couple of days and once again misfires and the check engine light indicated a misfire problem in cylinder one. This time I looked at the coolant level and it had dropped significantly. I believe I have a coolant intrusion problem that the 2.0 Ecoboost engines are known for. In speaking with the Ford dealership they estimated a new engine to be 12000-13000 dollars in repair costs. If I continue to use the vehicle I am certain the engine will overheat possibly blow and catch fire as the coolant will run out or thin the oil. Ford should be held accountable for this problem

- Jacksonville, IL, USA

problem #186

May 172023

Escape

  • miles
The vehicle began experiencing a slight vibration when accelerating. When the vehicle reaches 28 mph through 54 mph, the vibration is noticeable. Very noticeable when going uphill. It feels like the rumble strips you drive over at a road construction area. When the vehicle reaches close to 60 mph the vibration is not felt. It began around May/June 2023 and got worse as the months went on. I took the vehicle to the dealer and they said it was a known issue with some Ford vehicles where a transmission torque converter would fail. Their recommendation was to pay them $6K for a new transmission that would come with a 3-year warranty. I already paid them $8K for a new engine for another known problem. I am not giving them another penny.

- Westerville, OH, USA

problem #185

Dec 012022

Escape

  • miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the Auto START/STOP feature failed to operate as needed and the engine failed to restart after depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact also stated that the vehicle failed to immediately start after refueling. The contact stated that the -??Auto START/STOP - Shift to Park(P) and Restart Engine-?? message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Chillicothe, OH, USA

problem #184

Sep 272023

Escape

  • miles
Rough startup and idle, white smoke out of tailpipe. Local shop ran Ford's TSB 22-2229 to find that coolant had leaked into cylinder #1 and that the long block needs to be replaced per Ford. I was quoted $9,600 for the repair. Upon further research, this is an engine design defect in the Ford 2.0L ecoboost 2017-2019 where the open deck block design creates thinner gasket areas prone to fail and leak coolant into the engine. Ford is making customers pay to replace engines with a faulty manufacturing design, out of pocket. It is completely unacceptable and needs to be a recall. The same issue is present on their 1.5L and 1.6L ecoboost engines.

- Shingle Springs, CA, USA

problem #183

Sep 182023

Escape

  • miles
Short Block replacement needed because of coolant inside engine. Current status at dealership for repair advisement. During routine drive to work, car reduced power, indicated 'over temp' light and check engine indicator while in the middle of morning commuter traffic. Inspected by Serra Ford, who indicated coolant leaked onto bearings and into engine requiring replacement of engine. Only warning issue was coolant level slightly low at last oil change ~3,000 miles ago.

- Rochester Hills, MI, USA

problem #182

Aug 262023

Escape

  • 94,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH the check engine light illuminated and a chime went off and "service engine now" appeared on the instrument cluster. The contact stated that he pulled over and turned the engine off due to seeing the "over heat" warning illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who advised the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer due to a known manufacturer problem with the motor. The contact then had the vehicle towed to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine and transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

- Monroe, CT, USA

problem #181

Sep 282023

Escape

  • miles
Transmission. Was replaced at 101,000 miles. Made driving situation unsafe, at risk for transmission failure. Replaced at independent service. Has been brought to a ford dealership and looked at. Check engine light appeared. 6 months before replacement.

- Heber City , UT, USA

problem #180

Sep 062023

Escape

  • 113,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the gear shifter was firm causing the vehicle to become inoperable. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.

- Lexington, SC, USA

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