2017 Ford Escape problems and recalls

59% of owner complaints on the 2017 Ford Escape related to the Engine (1,581 of 2,698).

2,698
Complaints
4
Recalls
39
Crash reports
15
Fire reports
56
Injuries
27.0
Severity index

Severity index 27.0 Low. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 27.0p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 134 of 138 by severity index among 2017 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 3% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2017 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

EngineEngine: 1,581 complaints (58.6%)1,581 59%Engine And Engine Cooli…Engine And Engine Cooling: 509 complaints (18.9%)509 19%Power TrainPower Train: 391 complaints (14.5%)391 14%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 155 complaints (5.7%)155 6%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 153 complaints (5.7%)153 6%WheelsWheels: 76 complaints (2.8%)76 3%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 72 complaints (2.7%)72 3%StructureStructure: 62 complaints (2.3%)62 2%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
ENGINE1,58158.6%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING50918.9%
POWER TRAIN39114.5%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1555.7%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1535.7%
WHEELS762.8%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM722.7%
STRUCTURE622.3%

Complaints filed per year

03557102016: 22017: 502018: 572019: 1122020: 1242021: 1162022: 2372023: 3812024: 7102025: 6452026: 264 (partial year)1617181920212223247102526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20162
201750
201857
2019112
2020124
2021116
2022237
2023381
2024710
2025645
2026 (year to date)264
Filings in 2023 to 2025 ran 3.6x those in 2020 to 2022 (1,736 against 477).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
16V61700024/08/2016VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLSFord 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
22V41300010/06/2022POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
26V01100015/01/2026EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATERFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
26V37400009/06/2026VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLSFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Escape vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 16V617. The power-operated windows may exert excessive force when encountering an object, before they automatically reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to com

Other Ford Escape model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 13 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-10-23. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.