2017 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

Coolant leaking into cylinders. Repair shops said it was a known Ford issue with the 1.5 ecoboost engine. Causes the coolant to leak out and the engine to overheat and the overflow tank to leak.

Engines has a severe issue with coolant leaking into the engine cylinders due to a design defect in the engine block. This "coolant intrusion" lead to misfires, engine overheating, and complete engine failure, and is requiring a full engine replacement.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered, causing the RPM to fluctuate. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V011000 (EQUIPMENT); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 157,000.

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 Auto Zone, and the contact was informed that there was a misfire in cylinder #2. The contact replaced the ignition coils and spark plugs; however, the following day, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the contact took the vehicle to another Auto Zone, the vehicle was diagnosed with cylinder #2 misfire. The contact then took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, and there was white smoke coming from the coolant intrusion into the engine. The independent mechanic used a borescope and determined there was coolant intrusion in cylinder #2. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine temperature warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion into the engine. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired because the VIN was not under recall. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V011000 (Equipment); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,459.

Coolant intrusion into engine from poor design. A known issue which causes overheating which may cause fires or engine failure while driving. With thousands of Ford escape owners affected. It has a recall on certain models but models that aren't on the recall are also affected.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20-65 MPH, there was a misfire coming from the vehicle while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in the engine caused by a crack in the engine block. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure was a design flaw. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was deemed a common failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.

Coolant Intrusion – Engine Defect Concern “Coolant intrusion” is a known engine design defect in which coolant leaks into the cylinders, leading to internal damage, misfires, and eventual engine failure. In our case, we own a 2017 Ford Escape 1.5L EcoBoost, which is now inoperable. The vehicle was properly maintained, with no prior issues. At approximately 103,000 miles, the engine began to fail unexpectedly. There was no overheating condition. Outdoor temperatures were normal (around 75°F), and the vehicle had been running properly up to that point. We have always used good quality fuel and kept up with regular maintenance. The first signs of failure included a check engine light with a cylinder misfire code, followed by noticeable white smoke from the exhaust. At the same time, coolant began rapidly disappearing despite being refilled. There are no external leaks, indicating the coolant is entering the engine internally. The vehicle now will not operate properly and cannot be driven. This failure occurred without warning and without any owner-related cause. Given the widespread reports of identical issues affecting Ford vehicles with this engine, this is clearly not an isolated incident but a systemic design problem. The pattern of coolant intrusion, white smoke, misfires, and sudden engine failure is well-documented among Ford customers. This issue requires immediate attention. It should be addressed as a recall, as it stems from a defective engine design rather than normal wear, misuse, or neglect.

2017 Ford Escape equipped with 2.0L EcoBoost engine with coolant leaking into engine cylinder head leading to possible safety concerns and engine damage due to coolant intrusion into engine cylinders (according to Ford dealership)

Coolant intrusion into cylinder heads requiring a full engine replacement. Posted in a Ford technical bulletin, but not covered by Ford at all. Expecting full price for service to change the engine.