2017 FORD ESCAPE Engine Problems

Drove around normally last week, and on Saturday with no issue. Monday morning, I started my car and could feel a rough idle. The check engine light was flashing. The idle returned to normal and the check engine light turned off. I drove to work, and the car sat for 9 hours. Afterward, there was a rough idle again, and the check engine light stayed on (solid). The idle got better, but did not go away. I drove straight to the dealership. Dealership said it was coolant intrusion into at least one of the cylinders because of a cracked block. Vehicle has 70K miles on it, mostly highway. Looking online, I see a class action suit is coming Ford's way. It's a known defect in the Ecoboost engines, but for some reason they determine that mine doesn't qualify.

Car displayed CEL and was losing coolant with no visible leaks. Read about coolant intrusion issue and took car to dealer with around 104,000 miles. Dealer said no problem found with car. Finally decided to try a new head gasket. Metal between cylinders on block and head show no problems, but sealing material on gasket completely eroded between cylinders. We have no idea if this will fix the problem or for how long. Ford prescribed fix is $8k+ long block. Would be insane to put that kind of money in an 8 year old car. Shame too, because the car is perfect otherwise. Paid $19,000 for it at a reputable dealer in 2022 - Blue Oval certified.

The vehicle's check engine light came on and my local independent mechanic confirmed that the cause was coolant leaking into the vehicle's cylinders. The mechanic advised that this is an extremely widespread and well-documented problem with Fords from this era, and advised me to reach out to Ford for assistance given the expense of this repair ($10k or more), given that Ford has repaired some vehicles in the past. However, Ford (both its corporate office and the dealer from which I purchased the car) was unwilling to help me with repair costs despite the fact that the car has only 43k miles and is in pristine condition. This manufacturing defect is extremely dangerous (I've seen reports online that cars can suddenly overheat, catch fire, etc) and it is very disturbing that Ford isn't making things right on their own, or being held accountable by the NHTSA given the extremely widespread...

Engine lost compression in one cylinder. I was able to get it off the road and have it towed home. The problem was confirmed by an ASE certified technician at an independant service center, There were no warning lights or messages regarding this problem. Independent service shop Did the inspection on 10/17/2024. they found cylinder number 2 had 10 psi.

Purchased car 4 months ago. 80k miles on it. About 88k miles, engine fault code kicked in along with check engine light. Code was for a misfire on cylinder 4. Started loosing coolant, roughly putting in a gallon every week and a half. Thought it was a faulty cap, so replaced the cap. Vehicle began registering that the key was not in the car, so I replaced the battery the same day. Rough idle was still there. Went to buy coil packs to fix the misfire the next day, however the car would not start. After 2 weeks of running tests, coolant intrusion was noted. Car has only 92k miles on it. Car was also sold as is, no problems noted at purchase, and is still under loan.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the ABS sensor lights was illuminated. Additionally, the engine block was previously replaced and there were unknown failures with the windshield wipers and windows operating previously. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the undercarriage of the vehicle was in a flood and was rusted. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

The check engine light came on in my 2017 Ford Escape, and a diagnostic scan revealed a C4 misfire code. My local mechanic replaced all the spark plugs, which turned off the check engine light. However, the diagnostic test still indicated a misfire. The car ran fine for three days, but on the fourth day, when I started it, white smoke came from both exhaust pipes for about two to three minutes, and the engine idled roughly. I didn’t drive the vehicle, but a few days later, upon starting it again, I immediately received a high engine temperature warning. I had the vehicle towed to the mechanic, who diagnosed a blown head gasket and possibly cracked cylinder heads. The vehicle has 108,000 miles.

My vehicle recently generated engine codes p0302 and p0304. Taken to the dealer for a diagnostic which indicated water intrusion into cylinders. Ford has issued a TSB indicating this is a known defect for this style engine due to modifications to increase cooling led to failures in the engine block where water can enter the cylinders, which can cause acceleration issues, misfires, and engine failure potentially leading to danger while driving. No recall currently exists for the 2.0l version of this engine, although the 1.6l version of the ecoboost engine has been recalled for the exact same design defects. Problem affects multiple versions / displacements of the ecoboost engine and multiple class action lawsuits are in progress for the 2.0l engine. Please upgrade this issue to a recall as you did with the 1.6l version of this engine. The engine can be made available for inspection in the very near...

Our 2017 Ford Escape SE FWD 1.5L Ecoboost overheated on two separate occasions, on the second occasion the car also began to shake, and we took it to Pep Boys for evaluation. After the diagnostics were done, they told us it had to go to the dealership because it was serious and they could not handle this repair. We took it to the Ford dealership in Wesley Chapel, Florida, where we bought the car in 2017 and have been bringing it in for most necessary service. After being at the dealership for three days, we got called that the coolant has leak into the engine and we need a new engine block at the cost of over $13,000. We are unable to pay this and I’m currently attempting to figure out how to fix this car and make it drivable again without costing a fortune. They said there were no...

I recently took my car to the dealership due to a check engine light. The troubleshooting discovered that there is coolant in the combustion chamber and will now require a new engine. My car has ~76K miles so it's disheartening to know that a new engine is needed. I've read that this is a known problem with Ford escape engines.

My 2017 Ford Escape began leaking transmission fluid in May of 2025. I had it assessed at my local engine and transmission exchange shop and they found that the leaking was coming from the font main seal and the front pump bushing of the transmission was damaged. The only fix to ensure that this issue would not happen again was to put a different transmission in the car, because this model was so prone to have this issue. I spent the money to have a new transmission installed and the car worked well. Two months later, however, the car began having episodes of not starting, or the engine completely shutting down, no matter where I was on the road. When this occurred, a messaged popped up on the dash counsel stating "Engine Fault, Service Now." I had the car looked at at the same car shop and they found the...

I was told the head gasket was leaking coolant fluid into the engine and the engine needs to be replaced. I have only driven 37,000 miles on it, always treated on time and only in Ford dealerships. I found out Ford knew about that problem and did not issue a recall or extend the warranty on that issue. I was quoted $14,000 to replace the engine, which is roughly the value of the car.

My check engine light came on and my mechanic found codes P0300 and P0316 for engine misfires. Upon further inspection, they found coolant leaking onto cylinders, which they deemed could be a failed head gasket, cracked cylinder blocks, or a cracked engine block, which does include a warranty extension for this. They referred me to the dealership because this is a documented common problem, but the dealership is saying that there are no extended coverages pertaining to that on my car. My vehicle is available upon request and there were no symptoms prior to the failure. It seemed to happen out of nowhere.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, white smoke was coming from the exhaust pipe, and the engine overheated while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the used car dealer, where the vehicle was purchased, and the spark plugs, ignition coils, and oxygen sensor were replaced, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 19-2346 (Coolant in Cylinders, White Exhaust Smoke And/or Illuminated MIL); however, the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and...

Engine light illuminating due to a known issue by Ford due to coolant leaking into the engine. Could potentially lead to fire within the engine. Ford has confirmed although they are aware of the issues, there are no recalls to fix the issue and we must pay for it on our own

The engine has a coolant leak into cylinder number 2 causing a misfire which was diagnosed by an auto repair business. The vehicle has 39,960 miles on it and Ford is saying that it would require a new engine at my cost of $8,000. Not acceptable with a known issue with this engine. I am scared to drive it due to this as this is supposed to be an issue that could leave me and my family stranded.

I am reporting a serious engine and reoccurring defect in my 2017 Ford Escape (1.5L EcoBoost), which poses a safety risk due to recurring cylinder misfire and engine failure.This issue aligns with Ford's known TSBs 19-2346 and 22-2134, and DTCs P0302 (Cylinder 2 Misfire) and P0316 (Misfire on Startup). This defect presents clear safety concerns, including rough idling, loss of power, increased emissions, stalling in traffic, is unsafe to drive, and potential risk of other mechanical failures with continued use without repair. In 2022, at approx. 83,747 miles, the engine was replaced by Bill Currie Ford under a recall related to cylinder 3 head failure. Now, less than 37,000 miles later on the replacement engine, the exact same issue has returned, with identical fault codes and driveability concerns. Despite this being a known and documented defect across the EcoBoost engines and replacement engines, Ford and the servicing dealership, Bill Currie...

Engine block/head gasket failed prematurely (approximately 75,000 miles) allowing engine coolant to enter the cylinder leading to engine failure/replacement.

Engine light came on and then 3 days later, the car would not drive. Got the car inspected and found out the coolant is leaking into the engine.

Coolant leak into an engine cylinder.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that an abnormal, rumbling sound was coming from the vehicle at start-up, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and a tune-up was performed on it. Despite the tune-up, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the contact was informed there was coolant intrusion into the engine and the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to two other independent mechanics, who advised the contact not to replace the head gasket because it was not a permanent repair. The contact was advised to replace the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 67,895.

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The engine coolant system failed due to coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders, a known defect in the 1.5L EcoBoost engine. This caused white exhaust smoke, engine misfires, overheating, and eventual engine failure. The vehicle is currently undriveable and available for inspection upon request. A Ford dealership diagnosed the issue and provided a written estimate for full engine replacement. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The vehicle experienced loss of engine power, stalling, and overheating while driving, posing a significant safety risk on the road. There were instances where I felt unsafe continuing to drive the vehicle, and I was concerned about the possibility of engine failure while driving at highway speeds or in high-traffic conditions. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer...

Engine failure. Engine was confirmed by a dealer to have engine failure from coolant intrusion into the cylinder body. Check engine light appeared before failure occurred.

Coolant leaking unknown source

My car began throwing codes for a Cylinder 2 misfire in October of 23. We did a tune up. Within a few months, same issue. By Oct of 24 my head gasket needed replaced. Now it is August of 25 and I am having the same issue and signs that the head gasket is bad again. I am told by dealers this is due to a faulty head gasket that Ford knowingly put in the vehicles. There is a limited recall for the 1.6L but not the 2.0 EcoBoost motors. I am now out thousands of dollars for the new head gasket less than a year ago and am being told the only fix is to replace the engine as a whole which will be thousands of more. This is due to Ford putting in faulty parts, and not taking responsibility. I am now out of a car, while working...

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the transmission downshifted and upshifted intermittently, and the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to slow down and exiting the highway, the brake pedal was depressed however, the brake pedal was extremely stiff. The vehicle was shifted to neutral(N) for the vehicle to slow down. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where a handheld diagnostic machine retrieved information that the cam shaft sensor was not working properly, and the engine needed to be replaced. Additionally, the brake booster was defective and failed to build up pressure as needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000. The VIN was not available.

Check engine light came on for a fouled spark plug. When taken to repair shop, technician discovered that coolant was leaking into an engine cylinder. This is a known manufacturers defect that Ford Motor Company refuses to accept responsibility (see Ford Technical Service Bulletin 19-2208 - attached). Coolant is leaking at approx one gal per month. If not replaced, engine can overheat leading to further engine damage. Coolant in engine cylinder decreases driving performance with multiple misfires possibly leading to inability to avoid or causing an accident. White smoke from exhaust can hamper visualisation of following vehicles. Recall on all Ford models with Eco Boost engines is indicated with company paid repairs if coolant is leaking into engine.

I discovered, after my Ford Ecoboost engine light came on, that my engine needs a total replacement with only 67,000 miles on the engine. I have learned that it was a KNOWN design flaw by Ford Motor Company since 2020, the year I purchased my vehicle slightly used with 20k miles. The engine can overheat, catch fire, or seize up while driving, due to coolant leaking into the piston chambers. I was NEVER sent a recall notice, or warning of any kind from Ford Motor Company, even though this could cause an accident. I am expected to pay over $10,000 for a new engine that SHOULD have been recalled, due to their own design flaws. I see that there are multiple class actions law suits pending over this issue.

I bought a used 2017 Ford Escape Titanium in September of 2024. Around a month and a half later, the check engine light came on and had the code P0302. The check engine light has been intermittent since then. My car only has 56,558 miles on it and it is a 2017 so this has been extremely frustrating.

I am loosing coolant into the engine, most likely into cylinder#2, spark plug is seized in the block, I have to add coolant every 3-4 days to prevent overheating.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? 1.5L short block, due to coolant intrusion to the cylinder bores How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The engine could stop running. I drive with two small children so their safety would be at risk. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?Confirmed by a dealer. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Check engine light. This is a known issue that Ford is aware of. I did not receive any communication that this should be fixed and am now facing a repair that exceeds that value of the vehicle.

coolant leaking into engine causing overheating

My engine died at 63,000 miles. I'm thinking it's a coolant leak issue that I've read about online. I am severely disappointed.

Started having issues with the power of the engine, white smoke from exhaust, and loss of coolant. Apparently there are multiple TSBs about this problem, and has been discovered to be an engine design failure for several models under Ford and Lincoln and it is still not a recall. This issue is known to ruin the head gasket and ultimately crack the cylinder head. If I had not spoke to my mechanic about the white smoke and power loss, he would not have recommended that I check my fluids and saw I was losing coolant untimely. Due to it leaking into the engine every time I drove my car. He also stated that he’s seen this issue before, found multiple sources around the country that have seen the same issue and basically fixing the issue won’t ultimately fix the problem. Because the engine design is defective, the problem will happen...

On Sunday, 7/6 the check engine light came on. The vehicle was dropped off at a Ford dealership for review and it was determined that a coolant leak into cylinders causing internal damage to the engine. Recommendation is to replace the main engine assembly (long block) at $10,000. Which is more than what the car is worth. The car currently has 102,062 miles. This appears to be a known issue among the model year of the Escape and engine type. Currently there is no assistance in helping with the cost of repairs. We have contacted Ford and asked for assistance as we are long time Ford vehicle owners. They logged the following: CXH-05084174-H2Q6H1 and recommended that we log an issue with the NHSTA.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the vehicle was not fully diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the engine had failed, and that the contact would be notified what part of the engine needed to be repaired, or if the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

Coolant intrusion in engine. My Ford escape has only 89,000 miles, it looks brand new. It’s a manufacturer defect, the local Reno Ford is charging $9,000 to fix it. Why is not a recall from Ford? Thank you

My vehicle has been suffering coolant intrusion into the engine, specifically the cylinders, causing significant damage and leading to my vehicle overheating. After discovering the issue at my mechanic, I found out there was a recall for my specific vehicle for this issue, but my VIN was not included. Not being notified of this issue by a recall risked my vehicle overheating and potentially starting a fire which could have been hazardous to myself and any passengers.

[XXX] Car began to run rough as if it had bad gas and the engine would not idle smoothly. When I got into the vehicle the next day the instrument panel flashed lights and the vehicle stalled. I had it towed to the repair shop thinking it was overheating due to a bad thermostat. I was told that the engine coolant was leaking into cylinder 4 of the engine and I would have to replace the engine. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I own a 2017 Ford Escape with approximately 102,000 miles. I am the original and only owner and have had regular maintenance done on my vehicle the entire time I've owned it. After a recent 9-hour road trip, I experienced sudden engine failure with no prior warning signs. My local dealership has diagnosed the issue as coolant intrusion into the engine, which caused catastrophic engine damage and now requires a full engine replacement at a cost of $8,800. After researching the issue, I discovered this is a known and widespread problem with EcoBoost engines in 2013-2019 Ford Escapes and other Ford vehicles. Ford has issued Technical Service Bulletins regarding this, and there is at least one ongoing class action lawsuit related to engine failure caused by coolant intrusion. This problem poses serious safety concerns, especially when it causes vehicles to fail unexpectedly at highway speeds or in unsafe conditions. I...

There is an issue with the type of engine used in these vehicles where coolant leaks into the engine causing cylinder misfires. This is a known issue that has not been issued a recall. I have had a complete repair done in the past involving the complete reconstruction of the engine, however after only 21,000 miles the repair failed.

This vehicle has had multiple issues with starting. But now there’s a “Steering Assist Fault” that clearly ford is aware of but has decided that manufacturing this vehicle anyway was the way to go. The vehicle won’t start again now because of this issue. What happens is the vehicle loses its assisted steering and sometimes while driving which is extremely dangerous.

NO VISBLE COOLANT LEAKS, HAVE TO REFILL ANTIFREEZE RESEVOIR WEEKLY, MISSFIRING #2 CYLINDER AS RESULT, IGNITION COIL FOR THAT CYLINDER AND PLUG WORK FINE

In 2024 the vehicle was brought in for a P0012 code, rough idling, loss of power, and hesitation when accelerating. The cam phasers were the culprit which were replaced along side multiple gaskets, and the timing belt. The tensioner was not replaced at that time. One year the vehicle is performing the same way, threw a P0012 code, rough idle, and loss of power. This time the dealership found suspended metals in the oil, and discovered scoring in the chambers. They refuse to look at the cam phasers or belt to see if there is wear or damage.

Coolant intrusion at only 56,000 miles due to defective engine design. Engine replacement is the only remedy. This has been happening to cars with as little as 20,000 miles. Ford knows about it, there is a TSB that says the repair is "replace engine." At a cost of ~$10,000. Ford can't be allowed to sell cars with defective engines that fail at low mileage saddling consumers with astronomical repair fees. These vehicles can catch fire or leave someone stranded in the middle of nowhere, as well. It's absolutely outrageous that there has not been a recall with how many vehicles have been affected. The government needs to step in and help people. I have tried to upload files, but the site won't let me.

Engine is being less powerful and losing coolant like crazy, looked up what issue is and these engines are known to leak coolant into the engine, in the long run ruining the engine, mine is misfiring and running awful at this point, tried to have ford do something and they acknowledged it’s an issue but won’t do anything without me paying thousands of dollars

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to restart but was undrivable. The vehicle was towed to Firestone but was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that a cracked fuel injector had leaked fuel into cylinder #3, creating a hole in the cylinder and the engine. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle remotely, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started manually, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a misfire in cylinder #4. The contact was informed that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred three days later. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 69,900.

Coolant intrusion into engine causing the car to over heat and break down multiple times. On going issue unable to be repaired by multiple mechanics for a year and a half. Coolant leak confirmed during diagnostic using a scope.

The problem with my 2017 Ford Escape began in June 2021 (mileage 65652) when the engine warning light came on and there was white exhaust smoke. Our local mechanic tried various actions to determine why the engine light was on, such as performing a GDI treatment for carbon buildup, but over the summer months none of his actions were successful but each action was an incurred expense. By August 30, 2021, a new warning appeared “High Engine Temp. Stop Safely”. At this point our mechanic found a Technical Service Bulletin regarding the 2017 Ford Escape 2.0L EcoBoost engine coolant in cylinders and my car was towed to our local Ford dealership in Prince Frederick, MD. The Ford dealership verified our concern as follows: “Tech Notes: Verified Concern, Check Engine Light Missfire Code Cylinder #3. Remove Plug, Coolant Fouled. Coolant Intrusion. Ford Assisting Customer on Repair. CAS-33032232-M8C9Z8. Remove and Replace Long...