2017 Ford ESCAPE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2017 Ford ESCAPE has 3204 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 40.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (63% of all complaints), specifically: while driving on a highway the car began to decelerate and i was unable to accelerate. a warning message came on advising me that the auto start/stop was not working and i must put the car in park and and restart the engine. this occurred while on the highway.. ⚠️ 21 fire reports filed.

21 fire reports 23 crash reports 25 injuries

3204

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

40.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

2009 complaints

63%

• WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY THE CAR BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. A WARNING MESSAGE CAME ON ADVISING ME THAT THE AUTO START/STOP WAS NOT WORKING AND I MUST PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND AND RESTART THE ENGINE. THIS OCCURRED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY.
• A RODENT CHEWED ON THE CABLES TO MY TURBO SENSOR PLUS STARTED CHEWING ON MY OIL PAN COVER. I HAD TO REPLACE MY TURBO SENSOR CABLE BECAUSE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND LOSE POWER OF MY TURBO. WHICH COST ME OVER 500.00 IN REPAIRS ON A VEHICLE LESS THEN 6MONTHS OLD.
• THE 2.0 ECOBOOST ENGINE IN MY 2017 ESCAPE HAS STALLED TWICE AT LOW SPEEDS. ON 6/18/17 WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE MOVED APPROXIMATELY SIX FEET AND THE ENGINE STALLED IN REVERSE. ON 6/24/17 THE ESCAPE STALLED IN A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT. THE SUV WAS IN DRIVE, MOVED ABOUT TEN FE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 10 fire reports💥 8 crashes

“WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY THE CAR BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. A WARNING MESSAGE CAME ON ADVISING ME THAT THE AUTO START/STOP WAS NOT WORKING AND I MUST PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND AND RESTART THE ENGINE. THIS OCCURRED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

384 complaints

12%

• HAVE NEW 2017 FORD ESCAPE 1.5 ECOBOOST SE 4WD. ONLY 800 MILES ON THE CAR. WHEN TURNING TIGHT TURNS, HEARING A LOUD GRINDING SOUND FROM REAR OF VEHICLE THAT IS NOT PRESENT WHEN TEST DRIVING OTHER NEW 2017 ESCAPES ON THE LOT WITH 4WD. ONLY DOES IT FROM A STOP AND BARELY MOVING, THEN SOUND GOES AWAY. C
• MODEL HAS TRANSMISSION THAT HAS NO PROVISION TO OVERRIDE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ALLOWING ENGAGEMENT OF LOWER GEARS TO UTILIZING ENGINE BRAKING. THIS ABILITY IS ESSENTIAL FOR SAFE MOUNTAIN DRIVING WHERE DOWNHILL GRADES, INCLUDING SHARP CURVES, GO ON FOR MILES. FULL DEPENDENCE ON WHEEL BRAKES, WHICH
• AT 100 MILES CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE NO WARNING LOST ACCELERATOR PRDAL NO RESPONSE SEWRVICE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY TURN CAR OFF ON SIDE OF THE ROAD RESTARTED DID IT AGAIN AT ABOUT 3800 MILES AND THEN AT ABOUT 11500 MILES. DEALER DOESNT KNOW WHATS WRONG WITH IT. HAD TO TURN CAR OFF AND ON FIND NEUTRAL AN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 5 crashes

“HAVE NEW 2017 FORD ESCAPE 1.5 ECOBOOST SE 4WD. ONLY 800 MILES ON THE CAR. WHEN TURNING TIGHT TURNS, HEARING A LOUD GRINDING SOUND FROM REAR OF VEHICLE THAT IS NOT PRESENT WHEN TEST DRIVING OTHER NEW 2017 ESCAPES ON THE LOT WITH 4WD. ONLY DOES IT FROM A STOP AND BARELY MOVING, THEN SOUND GOES AWAY. C”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

162 complaints

• THE VEHICLE IS MADE WITH RECYCLED AND/OR SOYBEAN BASED PRODUCT WHICH ATTRACT RODENTS, THIS NEW CAR HAS OVER 2000.00 OF RODENT DAMAGE NO ONE NOTIFIED ME ABOUT THIS ISSUE. WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN TO DETER MICE, CHIPMUNKS ETC. 2 OTHER VEHICLES PARKED IN THE SAME GARAGE DO NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE. TH
• I WAS UNLOADING GROCERIES FROM MY GROCERY CART AT THE REAR OF THE CAR WITH THE TAIL GAIT IN THE UP POSITION, SWINGING FROM THE GROCERY CART TO THE CAR WITH THE HEAVIER ITEMS, WHEN UNKNOWINGLY, MY FEET MUST HAVE ACTIVATED THE GAIT TO START CLOSING. NEXT THING I KNEW, MY HEAD HIT THE GAIT VERY HARD I
• MY CAR WAS RUNNING, BUT PLACED IN PARK, AND I WAS RUNNING TO GRAB SOMETHING FROM MY HOME. AFTER I EXITED THE CAR, I NOTICED MY CAR WAS ROLLING DOWN MY SLANTED DRIVEWAY, AND I RAN TO STOP IT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CAR HIT ME AND RAN ME OVER RESULTING IN A BROKEN ANKLE. I BELIEVE THE CAR SLIPPED OUT OF G

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 7 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“THE VEHICLE IS MADE WITH RECYCLED AND/OR SOYBEAN BASED PRODUCT WHICH ATTRACT RODENTS, THIS NEW CAR HAS OVER 2000.00 OF RODENT DAMAGE NO ONE NOTIFIED ME ABOUT THIS ISSUE. WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN TO DETER MICE, CHIPMUNKS ETC. 2 OTHER VEHICLES PARKED IN THE SAME GARAGE DO NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE. TH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

151 complaints

• MY FORD ESCAPE 2017 DEVELOPED HEATING AND A/C PROBLEMS. PURCHASED FORD ESCAPE 2017 ON 08/22/2016. ON 10/13/2016, MORNING, I LEFT HOME ON I-40 EB TOWARD WESTERN NY. I WAS ON THE ROAD ROUGHLY 2-HRS BEFORE I DETECTED BURNING SMELL IN THE CAR. WITHIN MINUTES OF BURNING SMELL, MY FORD ESCAPE 2017 HEATER
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE ACTIVATING THE AUTOMATIC PARALLEL PARKING ASSIST, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO PARALLEL PARK AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE AUTOMATIC PARALLEL PARKING ASSIST DEACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THER
• CHIME VOLUME LEVEL WHEN POWER LIFT GATE IS OPENING OR CLOSING IS VERY LOW. THIS HAS RESULTED IN THE FOOT ACTIVATED OPEN/CLOSE BEING ACTIVATED UNINTENTIONALLY AND THE LIFT GATE COMING DOWN ON MY HEAD, RESULTING IN A BRUISE AND BUMP FROM THE LATCH. THIS COMPLAINT HAS BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE DEALER AND F

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“MY FORD ESCAPE 2017 DEVELOPED HEATING AND A/C PROBLEMS. PURCHASED FORD ESCAPE 2017 ON 08/22/2016. ON 10/13/2016, MORNING, I LEFT HOME ON I-40 EB TOWARD WESTERN NY. I WAS ON THE ROAD ROUGHLY 2-HRS BEFORE I DETECTED BURNING SMELL IN THE CAR. WITHIN MINUTES OF BURNING SMELL, MY FORD ESCAPE 2017 HEATER ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

94 complaints

• AUTOSTOP FEATURE ENDANGERS LIVES. I EXPERIENCED AN ALMOST FATAL SAFETY INCIDENT WITH THE AUTOSTOP ENGAGED. I WAS STOPPED, EXITING A PAVED DRIVEWAY ONTO A 2 LANE ROAD. I DECIDED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ACROSS THE PATH OF A LARGE TRUCK THAT HAD JUST TURNED THE CORNER 300 FT AWAY. THE TRUCK SEEMED
• I AM WRITING DUE TO MY CONCERN ABOUT MY 2017 FORD ESCAPE. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW IN MAY 2017. SEPT 8TH ,THE ENGINE STOPPED SUDDENLY WHEN I BRAKED TO PULL INTO THE PARKING LOT AT WORK..THE MESSAGE ON THE DASH BOARD WAS : MANUAL START REQUIRED SO I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTARTED IT WITHOUT
• FORDS 1.5L ENGINE HAS A FUEL IN OIL. EVEN AFTER OIL CHANGE AFTER CAR DRIVEN JUST 30 MILES HIGHWAY MILES OIL HAD ALMOST A QUART OF FUEL IN IT. TURBO IS BURNING COOLANT. EVERY TWO WEEKS HAVE TO ADD COOLANT TO RESERVOIR BECAUSE TURBO IS BURNING IT. TRANSMISSION WHINES VERY LOUD ON TAKE OFFS AND UP

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“AUTOSTOP FEATURE ENDANGERS LIVES. I EXPERIENCED AN ALMOST FATAL SAFETY INCIDENT WITH THE AUTOSTOP ENGAGED. I WAS STOPPED, EXITING A PAVED DRIVEWAY ONTO A 2 LANE ROAD. I DECIDED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ACROSS THE PATH OF A LARGE TRUCK THAT HAD JUST TURNED THE CORNER 300 FT AWAY. THE TRUCK SEEMED ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 3204 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY THE CAR BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. A WARNING MESSAGE CAME ON ADVISING ME THAT THE AUTO START/STOP WAS NOT WORKING AND I MUST PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND AND RESTART THE ENGINE. THIS OCCURRED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: HAVE NEW 2017 FORD ESCAPE 1.5 ECOBOOST SE 4WD. ONLY 800 MILES ON THE CAR. WHEN TURNING TIGHT TURNS, HEARING A LOUD GRINDING SOUND FROM REAR OF VEHICLE THAT IS NOT PRESENT WHEN TEST DRIVING OTHER NEW 2017 ESCAPES ON THE LOT WITH 4WD. ONLY DOES IT FROM A STOP AND BARELY MOVING, THEN SOUND GOES AWAY. C
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE VEHICLE IS MADE WITH RECYCLED AND/OR SOYBEAN BASED PRODUCT WHICH ATTRACT RODENTS, THIS NEW CAR HAS OVER 2000.00 OF RODENT DAMAGE NO ONE NOTIFIED ME ABOUT THIS ISSUE. WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN TO DETER MICE, CHIPMUNKS ETC. 2 OTHER VEHICLES PARKED IN THE SAME GARAGE DO NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE. TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: MY FORD ESCAPE 2017 DEVELOPED HEATING AND A/C PROBLEMS. PURCHASED FORD ESCAPE 2017 ON 08/22/2016. ON 10/13/2016, MORNING, I LEFT HOME ON I-40 EB TOWARD WESTERN NY. I WAS ON THE ROAD ROUGHLY 2-HRS BEFORE I DETECTED BURNING SMELL IN THE CAR. WITHIN MINUTES OF BURNING SMELL, MY FORD ESCAPE 2017 HEATER
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)