2017 FORD ESCAPE Engine Problems

Coolant intrusion, a defect where coolant leaks into the engine's cylinders, causing misfires and engine damage.

On February 3,2025 I was driving car on highway when engine's red light came on. I called local Ford dealership and they said to drive car in to them. On February 19, 2025 after they performed inspection I was told engine light came on due to " long block due to coolant intrusion into cylinder #2".

Engine failure. Known Ford engine problem due to antifreeze intrusion into the engine.

coolant leak and intrusion into cynlinder. resulted in spark plug corrosion, siezed spark plug, unable to remove

The engine has a coolant leak to the engine block. Faulty engine design.

My engine died due to coolant leaking into the cylinder due to a manufacturing defect that FORD had known about for many years but about which we, the drivers were not warned. This could have happened on a busy freeway and been very dangerous.

Had the motor replaced in 2021 for cylinder 3 misfire , i had the car parked in my driveway & i go to start the car & the temperature is immediately going to hot. I had the car diagnosed and the motor is blown once again. My car is well taken care of with oil changes & maintence.

Issues described in Ford Technical Service Bulletin 22-2229. 2.0L EcoBoost - Coolant in Cylinders, white exhaust smoke and/or illuminated malfunction indicator light.

I was driving from Colorado to Moab, Utah in Feb 2025 when my car’s engine started making a ticking noise. It had only about 80,000 miles on it at the time and had never had any major issues in the past. I’ve only ever taken it to the Ford service department for regular maintenance and they do a multi point inspection every time—I went in January a month before the trip to Moab and they had found no issues. I took it into 2 mechanics and both said I’d need to replace the engine. The diagnostic from Ford is below. Customer Reports: C/S HEARING A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE. CHECK AND ADVISE. Caused by: AUDIBLE TICKING NOISE AROUND CYLINDER 3. NO CODES. REQUIRES TEAR DOWN TO PINPOINT. ADVISE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. Because both mechanics said we’d need a new engine for $6-9k we had to sell the car in Moab...

Coolant leak caused head gasket to leak on cylinder which consistently washed the car's spark plug. This caused the cylinder walls to become washed out which has caused significant damage to the car's engine. The consistent washing of the spark plug has caused the car to not be able to accelerate beyond 20mph - 45mph. This is a danger while driving on main roads as well as the highway. The car has also overheated because of the problem, causing the car to not start as well as to stall. The check engine light typically blinks or stays idle before the issue occurs. The vehicle was first inspected by the car dealer that sold me the car, because the check engine light was on, they stated there was nothing wrong with the car. A Tire Plus mechanic did a diagnostic and discovered the spark plug to need replacement. Most recently, the...

I was driving stopped at a red light and when the light turned green and I proceeded my car continuously jerked and would not pick up speed then it would go and start jerking while in the middle of traffic putting me and others at risk for possible pile up multi accidents.Given no warning just out if the blue no lights on dash either.Yes it's is available for inspection took it to shop today was advised to take it to transmission specialist which I plan to.

It is a coolant leak into the engine which can cause the car to catch on fire. The car is not drivable without a new engine.

Coolant Intrusion on Cylinder 2 after previous recall was done to "correct" the issue, engine block replacement required. The vehicle suddenly without warning or indication started sputtering at freeway speeds then proceeded to stall. The vehicle was previously inspected by Ford Motor Company 5 months prior.

The engine failed while i was driving through mountains. The car shut off and would not shut back on. The check engine light had been on for about 2 weeks

Coolant is leaking into the engine (1.5 liter Ecoboost) in my 2015 Ford Escape (less than 50,000 miles). After the check engine light came on recently (within the last week) the code was read by a local auto repair shop and a Ford dealer. Both confirmed (codes P0302, P0316). I initially went to my local mechanic before going to Ford dealership. He found the coolant was low and the engine was running rough. He topped off the coolant. He mentioned that there was a known problem with some Fords with coolant leaking into the cylinders. I then went to a Ford dealership for service when the light came on a second time becuase I have an extended warranty. The Ford service tech said I need a new engine becuase coolant is leaking into the cylinder. I'm reading about this now when I researched it. I never received a Customer Satisfaction...

My engine has been affected by the coolant intrusion issue laid out in 21N12. I am over the 85k mileage, so Ford is unwilling to help. I have 115,026 miles and the engine has bearing failure, I’m assuming due to the coolant dilution of the oil. There is metal in the oil due to the poor oil quality. Also, coolant level is low.

While driving in traffic, engine power became sluggish and had high vibration. Had to pull to side of road on busy highway. Took to dealer who diagnosed coolant leaking into cylinder causing mis-fire and high coolant temp reading.

I recently had my engine go on my 2017 Ford escape se due to a coolant intrusion into the cylinders. Ford refused to help me in any way.i have seen online lots of complaints and a few different class action lawsuits claiming that Ford knew about the flawed design on the head gasket. The did a recall on mine in 2018 for a sensor which they never told me what is was for but it was to warn if a problem comes up . anyway I'm out a car and have contacted some lawyers that were filing the lawsuits but was told they couldn't help me because I was not in that state.

2017 short block was replaced in the engine. Only to find out recalls for engine coolant has been leaking into the engine again. Year models built Sept 17, 2015 to year April 8,2019 at lewyviell Kentucky. Ironically my car was made at this location where the cars have been recalled from March 25, 2017. My car was made and the only thing ford company did was replace the short block not the entire engine. And not with the new engine recalls that started on June 9, 2022. That I already mention was the series of cars made at that plant.

As has happened to many others, a coolant intrusion destroyed the engine. The engine was replaced around 60k miles. Now around 84k miles, my transmission needs to be replaced. Ford is telling me that a new engine and new transmission for a 2017 car with 84k miles on it is something they see. The Customer Experience team told me there's nothing they can do. I can't believe a car this new, with that mileage, has had such significant and dangerous failures.

No warning lights turned on but antifreeze just started spraying out everywhere without warning and car was not overheating or showing any signs of overheating emptying the entire contents of the radiator and the antifreeze reserve.

Coolant intrusion into the cylinders

Known issue with 2.0L Ecoboost Ford Escape 2017 motors. Coolant is leaking into cylinder causing misfire, white smoke and rough driving. Also, engine light is on and sometimes flashing when driving is particularly rough. All of this has been checked and diagnosed at a repair shop.

Vehicle misfires. I have taken this vehicle to my mechanic for the same issue 3 times. Each time it has be diagnosed as cylinder 3 problem. My mechanic did an investigation and found that this particular engine has been identified as a problem motor with coolant leaks into the motor, causing failure in the cylinders. Ford has not issued a recall but is aware this is a major issue. I have to check the coolant constantly and there are not leaks in the coolant system. Mechanic has stated the only way to fix the issue is to replace the engine.

Engine block suffered coolant intrusion into #2 cylinder. Engine died suddenly. Car was losing coolant at alarming rate for weeks/ months ahead of time.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine made an abnormal rattling sound, and the vehicle lost motive power. There was thick white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The check engine warning light flashed but had not remained illuminated. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that there was no engine oil in the engine. The contact added engine oil, but the failure persisted, and no leaks were found. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 20-2100 (Low Coolant, White Exhaust Smoke And/Or Illuminated MIL). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

Need a new motor at 60,000 miles. Iv never missed an oil change

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start intermittently. The contact stated that several attempts were needed to start the vehicle. The failure had gotten progressively worse over time. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that there were no recalls on the VIN for the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

This is an issue in general. I caught issue early on, but am now out a car. Engine has a known defect by Ford Motor Company that they refuse to recall. They have acknowledged this defect, but only slightly extended the warranty to fix issue. Any cars with this engine design will eventually fail. It is "When" not "If". This defect lead to coolant intrusion into engine's cylinders. If not corrected, car continues to burn more and more antifreeze, which will lead to catastrophic engine failure while driving, potentially in a high speed situation where others cannot react in time to avoid collision, or potentially during a turn where driver would be left in an intersection. Once intrusion begins, the car is basically not drive-able by the owner, but many people, having invested thousands into their new vehicle, cannot afford another $10k repair to fix the issue, nor can they...

My check engine light came on (again) on my Escape (less than 80,000 miles). The cause appears to be coolant intrusion which I found can lead to engine failure, engine damage, misfires, corrosion and even potential fires. I understand this is a design flaw that well-known by Ford.

Design defect that allows coolant to leak into the cylinders and cause engine failure.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle hesitated and lost motive power. In addition, while attempting to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The check engine warning light and TPMS warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the oil, causing the engine to fail. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was towed to the residence and had not been driven since the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.

Vehicle was quoted a 7400 dollar engine repair for a coolant intrusion issues from a defect in the engine block. The dealership stated that the engine could fail if the engine wasn’t replaced in ample time

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound emanating from the engine compartment, prompting the to discontinue driving the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the head gasket, resulting in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 39,000.

My car has yet to hit 90k miles. 2017 ford escape. Recently my check engine light came on. Cylinder 3 misfire. Replaced the spark plugs and it went off. Came back on a week later. Same code. Replaced the ignition coils and went off. Came back on almost a week later again. Same code. Took it to ford to see what’s going on. Apparently there is a KNOWN issue where the coolant leaks into the engine, causing misfires and more problems. It’s not a recall apparently for my vehicle. The only thing to do to fix it is to, guess what, get a new engine.. I’ve done some research now and many, many people are having this same issue. Ridiculous by ford to keep allowing this to happen.

Check engine light came on at 104,000 miles (after a recent 100K mile tune up) Independent mechanic diagnosed 2 issues: a P0301 Cylinder 1 misfire detected. Also a P0316 Cylinder 1 misfire detected on start-up. Mechanic pressurized cooling system, let sit, and then pressure dropped to 10 PSI. We were told it was a coolant intrusian with coolant was leaking into cylinder and if we drove it much longer the engine would fail. We were told we would need a new engine, approximatley $8000 quote. We were also told Ford knows of this issue and has since build a new engine for this car--yet has NOT recalled or helped all these people who have this engine failure due to this defect. This is a major defect that we (and others) should get help or compensation for. We are not going to spend 8K to fix. Today's diagnosis cost us $325...

Coolant leaked out, and ran hot. Refilled coolant and it didn't leak out but still runs hot. Mechanic said the car runs hot as soon as it’s turned on; coolant is leaking into the cylinders or warped cylinders causing engine block cracks. Another problem is when I get fuel and start the car back up “auto manual restart” comes up on the dash and car shuts off. Car also sputters then shuts off every time I turn it back on after that until I press the gas pedal a few times. Has been smoking since April of 2024 but coolant problem occurred sometime in January of 2025. Fuel issue had been happening since September of 2024.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his wife was driving 35 MPH, the vehicle hesitated. In addition, while attempting to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The “Engine Fault - Service Now” warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that an independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the shifter cable had failed, and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (POWER TRAIN). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance, and informed the contact that the recall was closed. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 16,821.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that a technician noticed coolant leaking into the engine. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to O'Reilly's and the contact was notified of a misfire in cylinder #2. The vehicle was then taking to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 109,000.

Oil is leaking into my cylinder 3 and 4. I’ve been reading all over that a lot of people are having issues with same thing on there ford escape.

Cylinder 3 is leaking coolant please reference claim 11643983

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that a mobile mechanic inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the vehicle with a misfire in cylinder #3. The contact was informed that the spark plugs and ignition coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak in cylinder #3 and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,854.

Regarding 2017 Ford Escape: Coolant is intruding into the firing cylinder. In my case it was cylinder #3 and was confirmed by KeyScales in Leesburg, Florida. Upon speaking with a Ford Motor Company representative, they told me it was a known problem but no recalls have been issued by NHSTA even though a similar recall has been issued for 2013 Ford Escapes. I was told the engine will fail quickly and should be replaced immediately at a cost of $10,400.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while her daughter was driving out of the school parking lot at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine block was fractured, and there was coolant intrusion in cylinders #3 and #4. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to an undisclosed TSB. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

Coolant intrusion into the engine block. Dealer says engine needs to be replaced

2017 ford escape we were taking a 4 hour drive car made some strange noise check engine light came on well half way to our destination car began spitting and sputtering we pulled into a car part dealer and began changing things spark plugs air filter car continued to read mis fire we drove home car would not go over 50 black smoke pouring from it making horrible noises got it home went straight to a garage the engine had leaked coolant into had to replace engine total cost 5000 dollars

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while parked and attempting to start the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while attempting to depress the accelerator pedal and failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that a dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 91,271.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 35-40 MPH, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while it was raining the windshield wipers became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the catalytic converter, windshield wiper motor, and emission coil needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

Coolant is leaking from the system into the cylinder causing a check engine light and cylinder misfire.

My 2017 Ford Escape had the check engine light come on, on Dec 15 2024, and then it went away. It came back on on Jan 7, 2025 and I took the car in to Ford and they told me after doing a pressure test on the coolant, that I need a new engine. The cost is $9800. There was a cylinder 3 misfire and coolant was low. I have the coolant intrusion issue that is a known defect. Ford Corporate is not willing to help I was told. I had a 96 month extended warranty but it ended on 11-29-2024. The car has 93K miles and all service and repairs have been done at the Ford dealership.