Is the 2017 Ford ESCAPE reliable?

The 2017 Ford ESCAPE has 3204 complaints filed with NHTSA (2.5x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: avoid. Most common issue: ENGINE problems.

What are common problems with the 2017 Ford ESCAPE?

Top problems: ENGINE (2009 complaints, avg repair $500); TRANSMISSION (384 complaints, avg repair $500); OTHER (162 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2017 Ford ESCAPE?

Yes, there are 4 recall(s): VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL), EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS. Contact any Ford dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2017 Ford ESCAPE?

The 2017 Ford ESCAPE gets 24 MPG combined. At current US average gas prices, driving 12,000 miles per year costs roughly $2000. See the interactive fuel cost calculator on this page for state-specific pricing.

How much does it cost to insure a 2017 Ford ESCAPE?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2017 Ford ESCAPE is approximately $1,652/year (suv-midsize class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

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 2.5x the segment average of 1283. 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.. There are 4 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 21 fire reports filed.

21 fire reports 23 crash reports 25 injuries

3204

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

5/5

Safety Stars

2.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

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

When Problems Appear on the 2017 Ford ESCAPE

Based on 1,417 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 70K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 60-100K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

259

30-60K

292

60-100K

532

100-150K

294

150-200K

200K+

ELECTRICAL

Earlier than typicalmedian 37K mi · 84 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

OTHER

Earlier than typicalmedian 27K mi · 50 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BODY/STRUCTURE

Earlier than typicalmedian 40K mi · 31 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BRAKES

Earlier than typicalmedian 18K mi · 30 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

SPEED CONTROL

Earlier than typicalmedian 15K mi · 21 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

AIR BAGS

Earlier than typicalmedian 48K mi · 15 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (4)

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS24/08/2016

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."

Risk: If a window closes on a body part, it can increase the risk of injury.

Fix: 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.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2017 Ford ESCAPE

Live EIA prices

Annual miles driven: 12,000

Your state (affects local gasoline price)

Per year

$2,001

Per month

$167

Per mile

16.7¢

MPG

City driving (worst-case MPG)

$2,401/yr

Highway driving (best-case MPG)

$1,715/yr

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

5-Year Gas Price History

EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → today

Show:

Current

$4.00

5-year low

$2.78

5-year high

$5.01

Since 2021

+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2017 Ford ESCAPE

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$1,652

Full coverage / month

$138

Liability only / year

$600

vs US avg

-1%

How this estimate is calculated

US base full-coverage premium$1674

× state (US)1.00x

× vehicle class (suv-midsize)1.05x

× theft risk1.00x

× safety rating0.94x

× vehicle age1.00x

= Full coverage estimate$1652

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Ford ESCAPE Service Intervals

Oil change

8K mi / 12 mo

Tire rotation

8K mi

Brake fluid

36 months

Transmission fluid

30K mi

Engine coolant

100K mi

Spark plugs

100K mi

Cabin air filter

20K mi

Engine air filter

30K mi

Differential (AWD/4WD)

30K mi

IOLM (Intelligent Oil Life Monitor) may signal earlier. Older 5.4L Triton engines have specific service needs — check the manual.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Ford New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)

3 yr / 36K mi

Powertrain

5 yr / 60K mi

Hybrid/EV battery

8 yr / 100K mi

Corrosion (rust perforation)

5 yr / unlimited mi

Roadside assistance

5 yr / 60K mi

These are the terms for a new Ford. If you're buying a used 2017 ESCAPE, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Ford dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Videos About the 2017 Ford ESCAPE

Videos hosted on YouTube — embedded via official player

2017 Ford Escape - Review and Road Test

Kelley Blue BookJan 2017

Good Used SUV Bargain in 2026? 2017 Ford Escape Titanium Review

Matt Maran MotoringApr 2026

2017 Ford Escape Review

AutoGuide.comApr 2017

A Complete Review of the 2017 Ford Escape SE

EYVO AutoApr 2025

2017 Ford Escape Titanium 4WD Review - A Capable Compact

AutoAcademicsApr 2017

Videos are hosted on YouTube and embedded here via YouTube's official player. BestCarRank does not host or produce these videos. Watch counts and channel information are pulled from YouTube's public Data API.

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
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 4 recalls have been completed — free at any Ford dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)