2017 FORD ESCAPE Power Train Problems

I am writing to report a serious and potentially dangerous issue with the transmission in my 2017 Ford Escape (6F35 model). On April 13, 2025, at approximately 83,800 miles, my vehicle began exhibiting alarming symptoms, including slipping, jerking, hesitation, and delayed acceleration. A dashboard message instructed me to “Service Transmission.” On Monday morning I immediately took the vehicle to my trusted mechanic, who identified the problem as a likely failure of the 6F35 transmission. Hoping it was a computer glitch, he reset the system and advised me to monitor it. The issue returned within 20 miles. When I brought the car back, he confirmed the failure and informed me this is a common and well-documented problem with this transmission model and vehicle year. I contacted the original dealership where I purchased the car and was told there were no recalls. I then contacted Ford directly. Despite this being a widely...

Bought car from DriveTime, October 23, 2023. Problems started happening in June 2024. Have detailed list. Have spent over $5,000 in repairs. There is a warranty that has covered some repairs. The 2 major issues have been a transmission replacement and most recently an engine replacement. The mechanic I am using is still having problems with completing the work.

The car just stopped in the middle of the road with no warning and I had to have the car towed. The transmission shop had to rebuild the entire transmission.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission was slipping. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 28,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH and while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated while responding. The powertrain malfunction warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the right of the road and left the vehicle unoccupied for several days. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer transferred the contact to NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon attempting to accelerate from a stoplight, the transmission failed to shift into gear, and the contact was forced to pull over onto the side of the road. There were no warning lights illuminated; however, the message "Transmission Fault - Please see Service Center" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.

A design problem with the 2017 Ford Escape Ecoboost 2.0 turbo engine causing a coolant intrusion. As a result, my car check engine light is on. The car cannot pass smog. I have to refill the coolant daily. This coolant intrusion problem is a known design defect as such their needs to be a recall issued to replace the long block. I was not informed of the problem when I purchased the vehicle. The dealership will not honor their lifetime powertrain warranty as they state it is a head gasket problem, when it is actually a known design defect.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the gear shifter indicator failed to display the correct gear that the gear shifter was shifted into. The contact stated that there was a message for a transmission issue; however, the contact was unsure what the message indicated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

January 2, 2025, I took my car to Huntley Ford for a Complete Multi Point Inspection and oil change. It passed on all accounts. One of the many items checked was the Transmission Fluid. It was marked Good. March 25, 2025 (3 months later) I took my car back to Huntley Ford for a vibration / noise. They informed me that the transmission is now shot and needs to be replaced. They said the transmission fluid is black and thick and filled with debris. The inspection report they gave me 3 months ago, said that the Transmission Fluid was Good. My transmission didn't go from Good to damaged beyond repair, in just 3 months. Huntley Ford is negligent, and they expect me to pay $7,000 to replace the transmission. In addition, when Huntley Ford replaced the engine just 8 months ago, they made no note of a failing transmission. It’s...

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.

I tried to accelerate pulling out of a parking lot and there was a whizzing sound and no acceleration. I pulled to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle and restarted it. I got up to 55 mph and the transmission service light came on and it de-acelerated. I ended up going 20 mph for the next mile to get it home in my driveway to park it. I had the vehicle towed to the dealership for diagnostics, the same dealership that had to replace the short engine block due to coolant intrusion in my engine at 84,000 (which I found by accident EVEN though I had a Ford.com account - they never notified me even though they had my email, address, and phone number - also to note i tried to get the repair at three other local dealerships that said they did not see the...

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.

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's husband owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and lost motive power while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The transmission was replaced under warranty by the dealer. The contact stated that recently the failure recurred with an abnormal cranking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact was unaware of any warning lights being illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with a defective flywheel and transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 62,798.

Transmission failed at 96,000 miles requiring replacement Cracked/bad cylinder block at 110,000 requiring replacement Ford knows of engine problem (Technical Service Bulletin 22-2322) will not assist with repair Repair invoices available upon request

Vehicle stopped in roadway. Bad transmission at 64k miles.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle started to shudder. The contact stated that after releasing the accelerator pedal the vehicle to respond normally. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted while driving the vehicle. The contact stated that a dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the torque converter had failed, and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the failure. No additional assistance was provided. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train); however, the repair failed to prevent the failure. The contact stated that one year after the recall repair, while attempting to drive uphill, her grandson noticed that while attempting to accelerate the transmission failed to properly upshift while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact was able to replicate the failure. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission and rear trailing arm bushing failure. The contact was informed that the rear trailing needed to be replaced, and the transmission needed to be replaced because metal shavings were found inside the parts. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately...

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was restarted; however, the vehicle unexpectedly reversed after shifting to drive(D). The vehicle was towed to a church parking lot. The contact stated that there was a fluid leak on the pavement. The check engine warning light was illuminated. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.

Transmission just stopped in the middle of me turning at a red light to get off the road. No lights. No warnings. Apparently that’s normal according to a Ford repair person. I was almost killed. Car wasn’t parked when in park. Car jumped and engine revved when on the brake. Car wouldn’t reverse. Ford says it’s not a recall, but it sure wasn’t anything I did. The car has 70k miles and has been babied. This needs to be fixed because they’re not doing a thing.

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 intended. Additionally, the contact noticed an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the check engine warning light then became illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a fractured transmission axle, causing the transmission axle shaft to fail to operate as intended. The contact was informed that the transmission axle shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,209.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at various speeds, the transmission was slipping into gear, and the vehicle started to jerk while accelerating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, the contact was advised that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.

Transmission failed and burned after only 80,000 miles. Bought car used and only drove for 30,000 miles before it failed. I almost crashed on a busy road. The issue was confirmed by 2 service centers. Only 1 warning light saying oil change required the same day appeared.

Transmission went out. No warning. 145,000 miles. No lights on dash, nothing. Complete failure. Car started whining when accelerating out of nowhere, jerked really hard, and then failed completely. Have had it serviced and maintained regularly and always at the dealer. Ford is aware of the problem on these transmissions and doing nothing to fix it. Service department confirmed it’s an issue they see with regularity. Transmission replaced by dealer at great expense and issue resolved.

Vehicle currently has 86K miles. The transmission is being replaced for the SECOND time. Replaced for the first time 2/17/23 at 63206 miles (invoice included). The dealer also informed me that coolant is leaking into the engine block pursuant to Ford Technical Service Bulletin 22-2229 [XXX] ) but I would have to replace the engine at my expense. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2017 Ford Escape SE Ecoboost engine failure. Check engine light came on, engine did not overheat, but continued to misfire and make strange noises and motions during idling. After diagnostics, it was seen as a coolant leak issue, they later found pistons in my oil pan. Cost is $11,000 and they won't help cover any cost despite class action lawsuits and recall campaign. My car is out of warranty by year. I only have 78,000 miles on it, again should not be happening to a vehicle with this mileage. This is an obvious manufacturer issue and huge safety issue that Ford should be held accountable for.

The oil pump failed due to the coolant intrusion into the engine, causing low pressure and sludge. My mechanical breakdown warranty inspected it and will not cover the replacement due to the sludge. The check engine light came on and off after I hit 70000 miles, and I was alerted to a recall when I got my last oil change in March of 2024, but the Ford dealership stated I had no warranty and no recall to address.

Coolant intrusion into combustion chamber requires new engine. Verified by Ford dealer. Not covered by warranty. Ford technician states engine block manufacturer issue.

Notice coolant reservoir was empty after warning light, refill coolant check reservoir couple days later low again. Research and come to find out common issue with ecoboost engines produced by Ford. Design flaw in the engine block that allows engine coolant to get into cylinders. Took car to Ford dealership were it issue was confirmed, coolant in cylinders. Dealership wants 9k to replace engine that has 71k miles on it. The car is unsafe to drive possible engine failure or fire.

Our car started slipping gears, jerking, take forever to accelerate, and would lose power. We took to dealership thinking it was a transmission. They told us no it wasn’t the transmission and we needed the replace the fuel pump injector we did that. A week later SAME issues happened again they replaced the pump again. A month later SAME symptoms again this time they told us we needed our engine replaced. So we got a brand new engine in. A month later I lost power while turning onto to a highway and the dealership told me that it was the new engine breaking in. Not even 3 months later after the new engine being put in our car starts to act up with the SAME symptoms. We took it back since the engine was under warranty. They tell us we need a new transmission. We told them we knew it...

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to jerk, and she heard an abnormal sound emanating from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle failed to accelerate above 5 MPH. Later, the contact received a notification from the ford app reading "Powertrain malfunction reduced power." No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the powertrain control module. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V444000 (Power Train), but the VIN was not included. 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 158,000.

Transmission went out. No warning. 121,000 miles. No lights on dash, nothing. Complete transmission failure. Car started whining upon acceleration out of nowhere, jerked really hard, and then out it went. Have had it serviced and maintained meticulously. Ford is aware of the problem and doing nothing to fix it.

At approximately 24509.37 miles the engine broke a valve and damaged a piston (hole in piston). We were never notified about Ford Motor Company's "Customer Satisfaction Program" 21N12 & 19B37 and Technical Service Bulletin reference (Technical Service Bulletin) 22-2134 pertaining to 2017-2019 Ford Escape Models. I have a copy of the Ford Motor Company letter sent to all U.S. Dealers dated June 9 2022 that was recently given to me by another Escape Owner. I believe this is commonly known as a "silent recall." The engine damage occurred on [XXX] at [XXX] at the mileage listed above. I believe there was a Class Action Lawsuit filed against Ford Motor Company that I, as an owner of this vehicle, was not notified about as required by law. This issue needs to be investigated so I can file a claim and seek remedy for damage to my vehicle. All the Diagnostic Trouble...

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 22N12 (Rattle Noise at the Transmission Bellhousing Area – Flex plate Cracks); however, the VIN was not included in the Customer Satisfaction Program. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 84,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the contact became aware of white exhaust smoke coming from the rear exhaust pipes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 22N12 (transmission fluid pump, and torque converter); however, the VIN was not included in the Customer Satisfaction Program. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 113,000.

At 7 years and 68,000 miles, the driving became sluggish at low speeds. There were intermittent periods of low/no power from stop to low speed, making speed control dangerous. By the time the vehicle could be brought in for service, the "Transmission Fault - Service Now" warning came on. Diagnosis of fault states trouble code relating to an incorrect gear 3 ratio, indicating internal transmission failure. Confirmed at independent mechanic.

In May 2023, I paid an independent service center to repair and replace the transmission flex plate. In December 2023, I paid the same service center to repair and replace the transmission flex plate a second time. The repairs exceeded $5000. In November 2024, I paid Morries Minnetonka Ford to diagnose transmission vibration. It determined that the torque converter was failing and that I needed a new transmission. The cost of the repair is expected to be in excess of $6000. A search on the internet revealed that Ford recalled torque converters (Recall Number 17S16). Not that the internet is the source of truth, but it appears that transmission issues with Ford vehicles with lower miles is a relatively common event. I believe that my issue is a manufacturing issue. The torque converter and flex plate are parts that should not fail at 73,000 miles. They are designed to last...

For the past two years I have drove a 2017 ford escape. Over the past two years my car has failed me multiple times My question is for ford motor company. Knowing this is a known issue with escapes…why are they doing nothing to help customers who have had a total engine failure due to manufacturing’s flaws ?

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while at a stop sign, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted but failed to shift into gear. While driving 55 MPH, the speedometer decreased, the vehicle failed to accelerate and then stalled. The contact was able to veer over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to shift into gear. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called for a tow truck. The tow truck driver informed the contact that there was coolant leaking from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 208,000.

In September my check engine light came on, codes were for spark plugs, ignition coil and misfire cylinder 2. I took it to mechanic he said my spark plugs were covered in oil I changed the spark plugs, replaced valve cover gasket and intake gasket. Engine light went off car felt great not even 2 days later I felt the misfire again and there's the engine light back on and white smoke from my exhaust. Brought it back to mechanic I mentioned my coolant issue to him I have to fill my coolant every 2 days no puddles under my car. After looking at my car he said coolant is leaking into cylinder 2 so that's why when I start my car is shakes really bad coolant is burning off from the cylinders. He said I need new heads but they are warped so my best option is to get...

Driving back home from downtown Tupelo, my transmission completely went out. Vehicle had to be turned off and back on to move a few feet. It took over 45 minutes to drive 4 miles to my house. Cost of transmission more than value of the vehicle. Ford stated there is no recall on the vehicle for the transmission.

Cold intrusion into the engine causing major repair, including full engine replacement.

My ford escape had a recall for lower engine block back in late 2020. As of yesterday they are now telling me I need to get the same part they replaced then replaced again. Its been under 23k miles since the recall replacement was done and they want to charge me 9k

Vehicle suddenly started not shifting gears correctly and lost power, took to dealer and was told it is a known problem with this model of Ford Escape, the service manager went as far as stating there was nothing we could have done. We had no warning lights, no leaking of any type but was told the coolant was empty. Service manager said engine had absorbed coolent. They stated it had also caused the transmission to malfunction and cost to repair would be around $20,500. This is way more than the vehicle is worth yet we still owe $6,800 on a vehicle we have made regular oil changes and has presented no prior signs of problems. Obviously, Ford is very aware of problem yet has not made a recall. What can we do?

I was driving down the road and my vehicle stalled out and had little to no acceleration Was stuck in the middle of an intersection until I could move it to a parking lot putting my safety at risk. Dealer (Brondes Ford Toledo) ran codes, yet would not tell me the codes after they tried to charge $11,000. No Warning lights yet, had engine lights on until the dealer replaced Fuel vapor assembly and crankcase pressure sensor a little less than 30 days beforehand. After service Ford said it was good to go and stated this could not have been related to the bushing already recalled.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while pulling out of the driveway, the messages that "Engine Overheating, Do Not Drive" and "Power Train Failure" were displayed on the instrument panel. Additionally, the vehicle was jerking. The vehicle was placed in Neutral(N) and coasted back into the garage. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the short block needed to be replaced due to coolant leaking into cylinder #3. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 116,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle downshifted with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred, and the transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.

Per my mechanic, after 2 rounds of Cylinder #2 misfire, it seems as though there is coolant leaking into the engine. I have had this card for 2.5 yeas and have less than 100K miles on it. Research shows that I may need a new engine at $6-8K on a car that I have put 5k miles on in 2 years and still owe over $10k on. Per research, this has been a known issue for years and nothing has been done about it. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request, if it will assist in my situation. Per research, this issue causing severe overheating and some cars run the risk of catching on fire and some just stop functioning altogether. My car was sputtering on a cold start, and then my car and Ford App told me there was an issue with the engine. My first plug/wire/boot replacement was...

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Service Engine Now" and "Engine Service Require" messages were displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the water pump, but the failure persisted. The vehicle stalled while driving. The vehicle was towed to a transmission specialist, who replaced the transmission for the second time; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who replaced the alternator and coolant pump; however, the failure recurred, and the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.