2017 Ford Escape Safety Report
2017 Ford Escape Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2017 Ford Escape
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2017 Ford Escape. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | High (3) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | High (2495) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 53 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Engine | Compare engine issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2021 | Compare against the 2021 Ford Escape with 272 complaints and 19 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2018 | Check the 2018 Ford Escape before buying across this generation. |
Ford Escape Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Ford Escape years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Ford Escape | 1586 | 4 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2016 Ford Escape | 947 | 4 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2019 Ford Escape | 503 | 3 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2015 Ford Escape | 969 | 9 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2020 Ford Escape | 1386 | 23 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2021 Ford Escape | 272 | 19 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
2017 Ford Escape Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2017 Ford Escape, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Engine
1060 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine issues Ford onlyEngine And Engine Cooling
369 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine And Engine Cooling issues Ford onlyPower Train
206 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train issues Ford onlyPower Train,Engine
89 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train,Engine issues Ford onlyUnknown Or Other
75 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Ford onlyEngine And Engine Cooling,Engine
68 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine And Engine Cooling,Engine issues Ford onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2017 Ford Escape
Reliability Score
The 2017 Ford Escape receives a reliability score of 85 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates above-average reliability relative to comparable vehicles.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2017 Ford Escape
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2017 Ford Escape
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2017 Ford Escape:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coolant Intrusion Coolant intrusion is a severe issue, leading to engine failure and requiring costly repairs. This defect is common in the 2.0 EcoBoost engine. |
High | Rare | 30k-60k miles |
| Automatic Transmission Gear Position Gear position indication defects can cause sudden loss of power and stalling, posing safety risks. |
Medium | Rare | 0 miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2017 Ford Escape:
Engine issues are the most common problem, with 56% of reported issues.
Automatic transmission issues are the second most common, with 15% of reported issues.
Cooling system issues, including coolant intrusion, are a significant concern.
Visibility issues, such as power window defects, are less common but still present.
Recall Details for the 2017 Ford Escape
The following 3 recalls have been issued for the 2017 Ford Escape by NHTSA:
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Consequence: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent...
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-73...
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2017 Ford Escape Titanium and SE vehicles manufactured October 5, 2015, to May 12, 2016. The settings for the closing-force of the power-operated windows may allow the windows to close on an object such as a body part and injure it before the windows auto-reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
Consequence: If a window closes on a body part, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will update the power window operating system software, free of charge. The recall began on September 6, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C12.
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2017 Ford Escape
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2017 Ford Escape with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Coolant leak and dealership advises that the car will need a engine replacement to fix the problem. The car is constantly running rough and misfiring. Driving this vehicle this way put myself and small children at risk that there could be a potential complete engine failure while driving the vehicle. This problem has been confirmed by the dealership and I was told that Ford Motor Co. is aware o...
‘Coolant Intrusion’ - A defect in engine design where coolant leaks into the cylinders, depleting coolant along with damage to motor etc. Overwhelming amount of both frustrated Ford owners suffering from having to pay for engine replacement while not at fault, and even larger amount of PROOF that this should be a recall, that it is still happening after year of insult and that Ford is content to c...
My vehicle was inspected by a mechanic after experiencing sudden loss of power and stalling while merging onto the expressway in active traffic. At the time of the incident, the vehicle became unable to accelerate properly, creating a serious safety hazard due to surrounding vehicles traveling at highway speeds. The mechanic determined that the fuel pump had failed. During inspection prior to rep...
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message “Pull Over Immediately” was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle entered LIMP Mode and failed to exceed 5 MPH. Upon inspection, the contact became aware that there was no coolant in the coolant reservoir. There was no coolant visible on the ground. An independent mechanic diagn...
Due to a design flaw the 2.0 Ecoboost engine has confirmed coolant intrusion. This diagnosis has been confirmed by both the Pierre Ford Dealership and a local mechanic, Chaplin Auto. The car is available for inspection. The engine light came on before full engine overheating. As soon as the light came on I had it checked immediately and the only code pulled had to do with the evap. I was told that...
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 45-55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, with a message that the engine was overheating displayed. The vehicle experienced reduced power and decelerated to 8 MPH. The vehicle was driven to the residence, and coolant was added to the coolant reservoir. The contact replaced the ignition coils and spark plugs; ho...
Coolant intrusion to cylinder #3 deeming the engine bad needing to be replaced.
My car was just fine, then I noticed white smoke coming from the exahust pipe. It started to smell like antifreeze. Then the next day my antifreeze level got really low fast and over heated. I put antifreeze in it, to get it to a mechanic right away. I was then told it has an internal leak and the head gasket is blown or it may need a whole new engine to fix. Estimated from 6,000 to fix for head g...
2017 Ford Escape Titanium 2.0 Eco boost, 86,000 miles coolant in engine block [Intrusion] blown motor. Me who still owes 9.300 on a loan me angry, not knowing how to fix. Shame on Ford for not building Ford motors to last over 150,000 miles or the duration of a 5-7 year loan. I had ignition coils and plugs replaced twice over 600,00 cost each time. Then an engine block test confirmed I need a n...
My 2017 2.0L Ford Escape experienced the commonly known coolant intrusion issue that this model faces. It started out as a P300 cylinder misfire code every now and then. I replaced all the spark plugs and coil packs but the engine light would still come on. The vehicle was looked at by Ford. They conducted a cylinder pressure test which indicated microfractures in the engine block. They quoted a ...
First trip (12/9) to mechanic for regular maintenance...technician discovered empty coolant reservoir, found leaking auxiliary water pump...repairs made. Two weeks later (12/23), engine light comes on...technician found faulty ignition coil in cylinder two...removed and replaced all ignitions coils and spark plugs. Took car on the highway, but couldn't get above 35 mph without lurching, car wouldn...
Ford did a recall on certain vehicles with the 1.5L ECVOBOOST motor, when in fact everyone of these motors are know to have issues, either white smoke out the exhaust, loosing coolant into the engine or in our case the motor now has a cracked head, and cannot be driven. The recalls for motors from the Louisville, KY plant. Our vehicle came from that plant. It seems that Ford knows all of their ...
Coolant intrusion causing need for engine replacement. Like many others I've read about this is a KNOWN ENGINE DEFECT that Ford does not want to fix.
Bought the car used in 2021 from a non Ford dealer, 3 months after purchase the engine failed due to coolant leak in the 3rd cylinder, was told Ford had created a new engine to fix the problem so went $5,000 in the hole for the new engine by Ford and had it replaced by a Ford certified mechanic. Now in March 2026 the car started having issues with skipping limited power. Took it to the mechanic a...
Engine failure due to coolant intrusion. Ford has issued a technical bulletin to its technicians regarding this issue. While my wife was driving the vehicle, a warning light first appeared indicating that the engine temperature was high. Shortly afterward, the warning escalated to a red alert stating that the transmission was blocked. My wife immediately turned off the engine to prevent further d...
White smoke from vehicle exhaust. Vehicle misfires and jumps when trying to engage gears. Then vehicle goes limp after running for a while.
Our car just turned over 91,000 miles. The check engine light came on so I had spark plugs replaced. The repair shop noticed that our coolant level was way down so they ran a scope into the cylinders. They found fluids leaking into the #4 cylinder. I took car to Ford dealer and they confirmed water leaking into cylinder. They say I need a completely new motor and want to charge full price even...
2017 Ford Escape SE 2.0L critically malfunctioned on my way home from work due to coolant intrusion. The engine started sputtering, a warning came on the dash, and lost all acceleration. This is a known design flaw by Ford that requires a full engine replacement but a recall was never issued and I, like many customers are burdened with the financial responsibility to replace the engine or buy a ne...
My vehicle started slowing down, check engine light came on, and then the vehicle went into limp mode. The vehicle won't go faster than 10-15 miles per hour. I had the accelerator and sensor replaced, but the vehicle won't start or move. My car is not running and hasn't run for over a year.
1. Transmission failure, it is available for inspection up until time of repair. 2. The vehicle lost power while driving, had incidents of jerking forward without warning, and shifter would get stuck. 3. Yes, independent service center. 4. Yes, when the incident occurred (Transmission Fault Service Now) P0301-00 Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected P0316-00 Misfire Detected on Startup P059F-00 Active Gril...
Showing 20 of 2495 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2017 Ford Escape
Has the 2017 FORD ESCAPE been recalled?
Yes, the 2017 FORD ESCAPE has 3 recalls on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2017 FORD ESCAPE have?
The 2017 FORD ESCAPE has 2,495 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 38 involved crashes. 56 injuries and 0 deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2017 FORD ESCAPE?
The 2017 FORD ESCAPE received an overall NHTSA safety rating of excellent (5/5). Frontal crash: 5/5. Side crash: 5/5. Rollover: 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 FORD ESCAPE?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2017 FORD ESCAPE involve engine (1,060 complaints), engine and engine cooling (369 complaints), power train (206 complaints). Other affected components include power train,engine, unknown or other, engine and engine cooling,engine.
How many crash reports does the 2017 FORD ESCAPE have?
There are 38 crash reports associated with the 2017 FORD ESCAPE out of 2,495 total complaints (1.5% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2017 FORD ESCAPE have?
There are 15 fire reports for the 2017 FORD ESCAPE out of 2,495 total complaints. Fire reports are among the most serious safety concerns tracked by NHTSA.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2017 FORD ESCAPE?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2017 FORD ESCAPE.
How many injuries are reported for the 2017 FORD ESCAPE?
56 injuries have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2017 FORD ESCAPE. These are self-reported by vehicle owners as part of their safety complaints.
Should I buy a 2017 FORD ESCAPE?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2017 FORD ESCAPE is extreme caution advised. It has 2,495 complaints, 3 recalls, and a excellent (5/5) safety rating. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2017 FORD ESCAPE?
The components with the most failures on the 2017 FORD ESCAPE are: 1. ENGINE (1,060 complaints), 2. ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (369 complaints), 3. POWER TRAIN (206 complaints), 4. POWER TRAIN,ENGINE (89 complaints), 5. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (75 complaints). ENGINE is the single most-reported problem area with 1,060 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2017 FORD ESCAPE?
Be cautious of coolant intrusion issues, especially in the 2.0 EcoBoost engine, and consider the recall for automatic transmission defects. The 2017 FORD ESCAPE has 2,495 NHTSA complaints and 3 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it excellent (5/5).
How reliable is the 2017 FORD ESCAPE?
The 2017 FORD ESCAPE receives a reliability score of 85/100, indicating above-average reliability. This is based on 2,495 owner complaints, 3 recalls, and 53 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Coolant Intrusion and Automatic Transmission Gear Position.
What are the known issues with the 2017 FORD ESCAPE?
Known issues with the 2017 FORD ESCAPE include: Coolant Intrusion, Automatic Transmission Gear Position. These are based on patterns found across 2,495 NHTSA complaints. 3 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
What are the most common issues with the 2017 Ford Escape?
The most common issues are engine problems, particularly coolant intrusion, and automatic transmission gear position defects.
Is the coolant intrusion issue covered by a recall?
Yes, Ford has issued recalls for the 2.0 EcoBoost engine due to coolant intrusion.
What should I do if I suspect coolant intrusion in my 2017 Ford Escape?
Contact a mechanic immediately to inspect and address the issue, as it can lead to engine failure.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be cautious of coolant intrusion issues, especially in the 2.0 EcoBoost engine, and consider the recall for automatic transmission defects.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2017 Ford Escape
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2017 Ford Escape. The data includes 2495 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 3 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 38 reported crashes, 15 fire incidents, 56 reported injuries, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2017 Ford Escape an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with a frontal crash rating of 5 stars, a side crash rating of 5 stars, and a rollover rating of 4 stars. These ratings are determined through controlled crash testing conducted by the NHTSA.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-15