general problems of the 2017 Ford Escape - part 1

Error code p0303 misfire cylinder 3. Engine rough idle along with white smoke from exhaust and low coolant. This is a known issue with Ford that should be corrected with short block replacement through warranty.

Unknown. There's a white puff of smoke that comes out on a cold start every time. There is a small loss of coolant as well that I have to replace regularly. I was already told by the dealership to get rid of the car because it would need a complete engine fix that would cost 7000 to 10,000 dollars. It started doing this at 92k miles. The car was well maintained with regular oil checks and all maintenance recommended was done in a timely manner. All of the symptoms point to coolant intrusion.

I have a 2017 Ford Escape 2. 0 engine ecoboost. I have an issue that the car tells me that its running hot and I am scared to drive it. I am the 2nd owner of this vehicle. It was purchsed in statesboro at Ford dealership. The vehicle has regular maintenaince and is taken care of. I keep checking for a recall on it; and never see one. But reading the issue about the heating block. It should be on the list.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The low oil warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel prior to the failure. Despite the failure, the contact was able to drive to the residence. An independent mechanic inspected the vehicle and determined that a faulty wire connected to the spark plug had caused the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.

Coolant intrusion into the engine from a manufacturer defect.

My [xxx] daughter was driving her 2017 Ford Escape 1. 5l ecoboost check engine light came on and a message to pull over immediately. Vehicle was out of coolant. The coolant isn't leaking. The vehicle has a design flaw that causes coolant intrusion into the cylinders. Extremely dangerous and could leave someone stranded. The cost to fix is about the same as the value of the car!! thousands of dollars!! this is a known design, flaw, and thousands of customers are experiencing it. It can leave drivers stranded and dangerous situations, including drivers like my teenage daughter. Ford should be responsible to fix this dangerous design flaw! information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

On 1/13/26, vehicle was taken to don hinds Ford, fishers, in 46038-2892 for loss of coolant and sporadic shaking during start. Service performed diagnostic "diagnostic: performed coolant pressure test and used boroscope to inspect each cylinder. Found cyl# 3 & 4 to have cooant intrusion. Recomend replacement of engine long block. " service recommendation "engine rebuild/replace: replcement of engine long block via TSB 22-2229" totaling $9,229. 68 to be paid by customer. TSB 22-2229 is expired and vehicle has 82k miles. Known issue with this engine design, but not covered by Ford. I contacted Ford customer service requesting goodwill assistance or out-of-warranty coverage. Both were denied over the phone.

Coolant intrusion due to engineering defect in engine. Ford is more than aware of this, but will not help us at all. Car is effectively dead and unusable. Ford TSB admits to this defect and requires a "long block" replacement (full engine replacement), but is doing nothing to help customers. This is fleecing.

I am filing this complaint due to repeated and dangerous safety-related failures in my Ford vehicle involving both the transmission and engine. Prior to a transmission recall repair, my vehicle experienced severe drivability issues, including sudden jerking while driving, loss of power on the highway, unexpected stopping, and shutting off at traffic lights. These incidents nearly caused multiple accidents and placed me and others at serious risk. The transmission was later replaced under recall by a Ford dealership. After that repair, I am now experiencing a major engine failure related to coolant intrusion. This defect is well documented by Ford in technical service bulletin (TSB) 22-2322, which supersedes TSB 22-2134. The bulletin states that to resolve the condition, the engine short block and head gasket must be replaced. This effectively requires replacement of the core of the engine and confirms the severity of the defect. The symptoms associated with this engine issue overlap with the drivability symptoms I reported earlier (stalling, loss of power, unsafe operation). The vehicle was previously evaluated by a Ford dealership while this bulletin was already published, yet the engine defect was not identified or addressed at that time. Despite Ford’s acknowledgment of this defect through its own bulletin, I am being denied assistance and left responsible for an extremely costly repair involving what is essentially a partial engine replacement. This defect poses a serious safety risk due to the potential for sudden engine failure without warning. I am concerned that Ford is failing to proactively address a known safety-related defect and that similar vehicles remain on the road with the same risk. I believe this issue warrants further investigation to prevent serious injury or loss of life.

My wife had driven the car, it had given an error and I tested it for a code. The code was po304 cylinder 4 misfire detected. We scheduled a maintenance appointment with our local Ford dealership to have them look at this error and address a recall. We were informed that "coolant and freezant were leaking into cylinder #4!" the mileage is ~150300 and the vehicle has been serviced regularly. Prior to the engine light on/code on, there have been no indication there was a problem. I am now reading about other 1. 5l Escapes that have this same recall but mine was not included? this doesn't make sense, it's the same problem with the same motor that was manufactured in other facilities, with the same parts, and those engines were recalled but mine wasn't?? just fix my engine guys!.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? engine, yes. There is a known coolant intrusion engine fault with Ford Escapes. Ford has issued tsbs over this how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? engine abruptly died. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? yes were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? no.

Engine failure when coolant leaked into #4 cyclinder causing loss of power, excessive smoke and total engine failure while driving on interstate. Ford supposedly knows this was an engineering problem in the 2 liter eco-boost engine for several years yet sold vehiles anyway.

Known coolant leak into the cylinders that Ford won’t cover.

In my 2017 my check engine light came on at 70,000 miles throwing a bunch of different codes, ignition coil misfire and actuator making vehicle overheat and run rough, made extensive repairs to the vehicle based on what the codes were which didn’t repair the vehicle, finally engine gave out on me at 93,000 miles and I had the vehicle towed to classic Ford in mentor ohio and they diagnosed the vehicle with a bad engine requiring the engine to be replaced, I was then informed by the service department that what killed the engine was coolant leaking into the cylinders due to a design defect by Ford motor company and these issues with these ecoboost engines are very well documented across the internet, dealership quoted me over $9,000 to replace the engine which I definitely can’t afford at all, due to this not being my fault and I’ve kept up with all maintenance but again what killed the engine was Ford’s design that allowed coolant to leak into cylinders, I’ve made several calls to Ford motor company and there corporate offices and they are declining to do anything to help this issue, my case number is [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While driving at a constant speed on the highway, the transmission shifted down a gear and revved into very high rpms. I was dramatically slowing down despite pressing on the gas pedal. The car didn't provide any power and just revved while I had cars next to me going at highway speeds. Managed to get off the highway, a transmission fault indicator popped up on the dash. The car no longer was able to move. I had the car towed to the Ford dealership. This car has a bad transmission at ~97,000 miles. Prior to this, I felt like the car's transmission maybe wasn't shifting on time but didn't make much of it. This could have easily resulted in a crash. Turns out this is a very well known problem with the Ford Escape. My friend has a 2016 Ford Escape who recently paid 8000$ for a new transmission. This is clearly unsafe and the failure is definitely premature.

Vehicle: 2017 Ford Escape, 1. 5l eco boost component/system: engine/cooling system the engine in my 2017 Ford Escape experienced a failure due to coolant intrusion into the cylinders, which was diagnosed and confirmed by an authorized Ford dealership. The dealership advised that coolant intrusion is a known issue with this engine design and recommended full engine replacement, with an estimated repair cost exceeding $10,000. Prior to diagnosis, the vehicle exhibited rough idle, shaking, and intermittent check engine warnings. The condition worsened over time and posed a safety risk due to potential engine failure while driving, including hesitation and reduced acceleration. The vehicle has been properly maintained, and the failure was not attributed to neglect or lack of service. Ford motor company has acknowledged similar failures in this engine family through service bulletins; however, my VIN is not currently included in a recall or customer satisfaction program. The defective engine is available for inspection and remains unprepared due to the prohibitive cost of repair. I am submitting this complaint to document a suspected manufacturing/design defect that has resulted in premature engine failure and significant safety and financial impact.

Two different things are happening with my car. 1) the paint is chipping and has caused corrosion on the body. Apparently this is a known issue but the peeling/chipping has gotten worse and will keep doing so until it is fixed. 2) car keep running hot and losing coolant but no leak to be found even after several rounds of tests.

There is a searchable TSB for these vehicles from Ford basically stating the engine has a known defect and the only remedy is to replace the engine. Coolant intrudes into the cylinders causing premature engine failures or seizures.

Coolant intrusion on the 2. 0 ecoboost engine diagnosed by a Ford dealer service center and a well documented issue. The coolant intrusion causes the engine to misfire rendering the car unusable and a potential road hazard.

Coolant intrusion: a design flaw in the open-deck engine block allows coolant to leak into the combustion chambers, leading to misfires, white smoke, and severe engine damage. Affected vehicles: primarily 2017-2019 Escapes and 2014-2019 fusions with the 1. 5l ecoboost engine, built before specific dates. Symptoms: low coolant, white exhaust smoke, rough idling, check engine light, and dtcs like p0300, p0301-p0304.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 10 mph and attempting a right turn, the “high temperature - fire risk” message was displayed, and the vehicle independently shut off while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact started to merge the vehicle into a shopping center. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The thermostat was replaced, and the remaining coolant was drained and refilled, and the coolant temperature sensor was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall or warranty on the vehicle for the repair. The contact was informed that if the vehicle was repaired out of pocket and then there became a recall for the failure, there was a possibility of being reimbursed. The approximate failure mileage was 88,344.

I am the single owner of this 2017 Ford Escape with an eco-boost 2. 0l engine. This vehicle has only been serviced by Ford dealerships. At approximately 60k miles I noticed a lag in acceleration between 1200-2200 rpm. At 88k this lag became more violent, and I took the car to a Ford dealership for diagnosis. No warning lights had illuminated. The Ford dealership advised me that there was coolant intrusion in the cylinders, and an entire new long block engine was required. After researching I learned that the 2017 had a design flaw that allows coolant to leak into the combustion chambers. In 2020 Ford redesigned the engine from an open deck to a closed deck. Due to Fords design flaw, I required a completely new long block engine and was able to confirm it was the new closed deck design at a cost of $14k. This problem boils down to the engine's open deck cooling design, which causes premature gasket failure and sometimes cracks between the cylinders. These problems don't affect the earlier versions of these engines due to their closed deck system, which was used prior to the introduction of the 2017 Escape. Ford has acknowledged this problem, but the fix isn't a simple one - it requires a long block replacement, which is obviously a labor intensive and expensive job. How to we get Ford to be responsible for the costs associated with changing the engine out from their flawed design? this could have been an on highway incident since there were no warning lights or other visible issues.

Coolant leaking into engine. Known problem they say they won’t fix.

I experienced a sudden and unexpected water pump failure on my 2017 Ford Escape while driving in active traffic. The failure occurred without warning and resulted in rapid coolant loss and engine overheating, causing the vehicle to lose power while in motion. This created a hazardous driving condition and required me to pull over to avoid a potential collision. Sudden cooling system failure presents a serious safety risk, as it can lead to engine stalling, loss of power steering and braking assist, and breakdowns in traffic or at highway speeds, significantly increasing the risk of crash or injury. Additionally, other owners of 2017 Ford Escape vehicles have reported similar sudden water pump failures without warning, often leading to overheating, loss of drivability, and vehicle breakdowns at relatively low mileage. These repeated incidents indicate premature component failure rather than normal wear and demonstrate a recurring safety-related defect that poses a significant risk to public safety and warrants further investigation.

Coolant leaking into engine cylinder 2 possible head gasket issue associated with known problem for this vehicle. Will cause overheating due to coolant levels needing to be refilled on a regular basis.

Stalled at traffic lights when stopped and finally told engine coolant leak at 89k miles.

Coolant intrusion on 2. 0l ecoboost engine car started running rough, oil light came on. Palmetto Ford charleston SC indicated engine needed replacement due to coolant intrusion. This same dealer replaced the turbo wastegate 10/17/2025. 12/17/2025 the car ran rough. Service bulletin 19-2346 seems to be the problem. Called Ford customer service who offered no assistance. Car has 75,000 miles, 1 owner, well maintained.

This is related to the class action lawsuit 2:20-cv-01796-dad-ckd miller v. Ford motor CO. Concerning alleged engine defects in Ford vehicles, specifically focusing on issues like excessive oil consumption and premature failure in certain ecoboost engines. My engine has developed symptoms regarding the known coolant leak into the engine. The engine looses power when accellerating, and produces white exhaust after starting cold. Replacing spark plugs and coils did not resolve the issue. I checked the coolant level and it was below the minimum, and I had to add more coolant. The ecu has logged misfires at cylinder 2 and 4. The mil turns on intermittently.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving or starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light would unexpectedly illuminate. The contact also stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption, which required the coolant reservoir to be refilled several times after noticing that the coolant level was consistently low. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the second cylinder, causing the short block to fail. The contact was informed that the short block needed to be replaced, or the entire engine might need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 157,236.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered abnormally while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the failure could cause engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.

The engine light came on. I plugged a diagnostic scanner in under the dash and it read “misfire on cylinder 1”. I installed a new spark plug and cleared the code. I also noticed the coolant level was low so I added some. I checked it the next day and the coolant was low again but it was not puddled on the driveway. The check engine light was back on again. I took the car to the local Ford dealer and after they run a couple of test, I was informed the car had coolant intrusion on cylinder #1. They said the engine had cracked and needed to be replaced . I did not drive the car until I was able to have it repaired. The cost was $9451. 51.

Coolant leaking into the engine and blowing white smoke.

Ford on 12/4/25, diagnosed there is a coolant leak into the engine from the spark plugs, coolant was low when towed in and had rough idle. I know there is a class action suit against Ford right now for this very problem with the 1. 5, 1. 6, and 2. 0 engines. The vehicle started overheating and check engine light came on. Started showing about a week ago.

Coolant intrusion in my 2017 Ford Escape titanium presents a serious safety hazard that warrants an immediate recall. When coolant leaks into the engine’s cylinders, it can lead to sudden engine misfires, stalling, loss of power, or complete engine failure while the vehicle is in motion. This creates extremely dangerous driving conditions—especially at highway speeds, during turns, or in intersections—because it removes the driver’s ability to accelerate, maintain speed, or safely maneuver the vehicle. In many cases, coolant intrusion causes the engine to overheat rapidly, which can result in thermal damage, smoke, or even fire risk. Drivers often receive little to no warning before these failures occur. The problem is both unpredictable and progressive, meaning a vehicle that appears to be operating normally can suddenly stall or seize without sufficient time for the driver to react. Ford has been aware of widespread coolant intrusion issues across multiple ecoboost engines, yet many affected owners—including myself—have not received adequate support, coverage, or recall actions. This defect is not merely a mechanical inconvenience; it is a direct threat to driver, passenger, and public safety. The only appropriate response is a mandatory recall to inspect, repair, or replace affected engines before more drivers experience dangerous failures on the road. Paying for this on a teachers salary before the holidays is a struggle.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the warning light for the engine overheating was illuminated. In addition, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The contact parked and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed back to the used car dealer where the vehicle was purchased. The vehicle was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact was informed of an unknown recall with a similar failure; however, the VIN was not under recall. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was purchased a year ago from a used car dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.