general problems of the 2017 Ford Escape - part 2

I own a 2017 Ford Escape with the 1. 5l ecoboost engine. The engine began exhibiting symptoms of coolant intrusion into the combustion chamber. A certified Ford dealership confirmed the diagnosis after inspection and advised that the engine needs to be replaced or rebuilt due to this issue. This defect is known and widespread in this engine type and can lead to engine failure while driving, posing a serious safety risk. Although Ford issued a customer satisfaction program (csp 21n12) for this exact problem, my vehicle was just outside the expiration period, and Ford has denied financial assistance, despite this being a documented and recurring defect. There were no warning lights before the engine began running rough and misfiring. The coolant loss was gradual and internal. This issue has been confirmed and documented by a Ford dealership, and I have a case open with Ford corporate. I am filing this complaint because of the safety risks involved with coolant intrusion, the costly repair burden passed to consumers, and Ford’s refusal to support a known defect that could lead to sudden engine failure while driving.

I took my 2017 Ford Escape to the dealer for a check engine light (code p1450) that was due to an evaporative emissions problem. While checking for this issue, they found that there was coolant incursion into the combustion chamber of one of the cylinders. It is interesting that they checked for this problem while diagnosing an evaporative emissions issue. They told me the only repair is to replace the long block for $10,500. The head gasket failed due to a poor engine casting design. This is a problem that has affected thousands of Ford 2. 0l turbo engines in multiple Ford products. Given the widespread nature of this issue, this seems like it should be a recall. The car is in my garage since it cannot be driven and is available for any third party inspections.

Coolant is leaking into the cylinders, causing misfire. Per this document that you guys posted: "customer satisfaction program 21n12", this is a known manufacturing defect in the engines that are in the model of car that I am driving currently. This is a safety issue and an environmental issue. Coolant gets into the cylinders and burns, emitting into the atmosphere. But the coolant also runs low, and the engine could overheat or catch on fire. The mechanic is estimating currently that the repairs to either change the head gasket or take the engine apart and rebuild it will cost around 7-9k, money we don't have. Ford should fix this manufacturing defect at not cost to us, as their csp 21n12 document states. The only caveat is that the car has 98k miles on it while the cutoff for these repairs ends at 84k miles.

2017 Ford Escape, have had less than 1 year. Transmission failure. Stopped at traffic light, would not move forward when pressed gas pedal. After a few seconds it jerked hard and went into gear. I was able to get to a parking lot out of traffic. Had vehicle towed to Ford dealership where they ran diagnostics and said there was a torque conversion failure which allowed sludge to get into transmission. Transmission would need to be replaced. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to failure. Quoted $9500 to repair. Asked if Ford would compensate since there were so many recalls and law suits; they stated no.

My 2017 Ford Escape began leaking transmission fluid in may of 2025. I had it assessed at my local engine and transmission exchange shop and they found that the leaking was coming from the font main seal and the front pump bushing of the transmission was damaged. The only fix to ensure that this issue would not happen again was to put a different transmission in the car, because this model was so prone to have this issue. I spent the money to have a new transmission installed and the car worked well. Two months later, however, the car began having episodes of not starting, or the engine completely shutting down, no matter where I was on the road. When this occurred, a messaged popped up on the dash counsel stating "engine fault, service now. " I had the car looked at at the same car shop and they found the engine now had an issue. A head gasket was damaged allowing coolant to enter the piston cylinders, fluid locking the engine and shutting down the car. Like the transmission, the only repair is to replace the engine with a new model due to the original model being so prone to this issue. Ford does have a warranty for these issues for a model that is less than 7 years old and less than 84,000 miles. I purchased this vehicle preowned and already outside of that warranty date, therefore these expensive fixes are not covered. The dealership did not report these issue or recalls when selling us the vehicle.

I have a 2017 Ford Escape. Have owned the car for 4 months and it's already experiencing transmission issues I. E. Hesitation, slipping etc. Took it the repair shop and found other issues (turbocharger, thermostat, water pump). They claimed they didn't see anything wrong with the transmission. Car ran well for a couple of weeks and then I got transmission fault warning. It wouldn't engage and I couldn't get it in gear. Undrivable. I sat on the side of the road for four hours waiting for a tow. Mechanic says it's either a full transmission problem or the brushing cable.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and shifting into drive(d), the vehicle failed to move as intended. The contact stated that the "service transmission now" message was displayed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 129,000.

My Ford Escape has had coolant leak into engine block, causing damage to cylinders and cylinder misfires, detailed in this service bulletin: [xxx] . The car has been checked by my mechanic, who confirms the problem. Dealership acknowledges that this problem is real and has had many customers who have had to replace motors because of it but says there has been no recall or extended warranty in respect to this design flaw and declines to resolve the problem at Ford's cost. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Vehicles transmission, with no warning indicator lights, or any indication whatsoever, failed on me at a busy intersection and nearly caused me and others to be in a possibly fatal accident. It's my knowledge that Ford knowingly produced this 6f35 transmission with a flawed design and with poor engineering. There should be a recall to prevent a possible fatality.

Automatic transmission failure burnt smell started coming from the engine compartment but didn't see anything because the engine air filter was on the way but after removing it there was a leak coming from the top of the transmission vehicle only has 129,598 miles and I was in the highway when I notice vehicle deaccelarating and had to pull over almost cause a. Accident because I was in the middle lane problem has not been addressed by dealer or independent service center no inspection done to the vehicle yet no warning lights until too late which is burnt transmission fluid and transmission in top of transmission.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 50-60 mph and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated and jerked. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was determined that the failure was related to an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the recall because the VIN was not included. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired and was towed to the residence. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact's daughter owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle began to jerk and hesitate while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. An independent mechanic inspected the vehicle, and the contact was provided the same information as the dealer, with an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided the contact with a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

I am writing to report a serious and potentially dangerous issue with the transmission in my 2017 Ford Escape (6f35 model). On April 13, 2025, at approximately 83,800 miles, my vehicle began exhibiting alarming symptoms, including slipping, jerking, hesitation, and delayed acceleration. A dashboard message instructed me to “service transmission. ” on Monday morning I immediately took the vehicle to my trusted mechanic, who identified the problem as a likely failure of the 6f35 transmission. Hoping it was a computer glitch, he reset the system and advised me to monitor it. The issue returned within 20 miles. When I brought the car back, he confirmed the failure and informed me this is a common and well-documented problem with this transmission model and vehicle year. I contacted the original dealership where I purchased the car and was told there were no recalls. I then contacted Ford directly. Despite this being a widely reported issue, Ford told me I had to take it to a dealership for official diagnosis. I did so—at an additional cost of $200—and the dealership confirmed exactly what my mechanic had already determined. They then quoted a repair cost of over $7,000, which is nearly the value of the vehicle itself. Further research confirmed that this is a known and widespread issue with the 6f35 transmission in the 2017 Ford Escape and prior models, yet Ford has failed to issue a recall or offer assistance. This transmission failure poses a significant safety risk, especially in high-speed or high-traffic situations, where sudden loss of acceleration could lead to accidents. I am urging you to investigate this matter for potential safety defects and to consider a formal recall. Consumers should not be left to bear the financial and safety burden of a manufacturing defect that Ford has failed to address.

The transmission went out and completely immobilized the car while driving. My wife was driving the car on a 45mph public road, approached a roundabout that had a single entry lane where she attempted to enter. After trying to safely enter the roundabout, then engine revved but the car did not move. If she let it sit, the transmission would eventually engage but surge into gear, and she was able to eventually operate the vehicle to get it to a safe spot until it could be towed. I requested a transmission drain and fill from the dealership at about 55,000 miles, but the service writer declined to have the service done because the service interval from Ford is listed at 150,000 miles. The service writer told me the transmission fluid was in a sealed system and would not need to be replaced yet based on my usage for the car, which is largely city/suburban driving with longer trips mixed in where I was not towing.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 60 mph and while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated while responding. The powertrain malfunction warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the right of the road and left the vehicle unoccupied for several days. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer transferred the contact to NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon attempting to accelerate from a stoplight, the transmission failed to shift into gear, and the contact was forced to pull over onto the side of the road. There were no warning lights illuminated; however, the message "transmission fault - please see service center" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.

A known issue with these Ford Escape, the torque converter and transmission system is failing. The torque converter started shedding metal flakes into the transmission and now making the transmission system not work properly.

January 2, 2025, I took my car to huntley Ford for a complete multi point inspection and oil change. It passed on all accounts. One of the many items checked was the transmission fluid. It was marked good. March 25, 2025 (3 months later) I took my car back to huntley Ford for a vibration / noise. They informed me that the transmission is now shot and needs to be replaced. They said the transmission fluid is black and thick and filled with debris. The inspection report they gave me 3 months ago, said that the transmission fluid was good. My transmission didn't go from good to damaged beyond repair, in just 3 months. Huntley Ford is negligent, and they expect me to pay $7,000 to replace the transmission. In addition, when huntley Ford replaced the engine just 8 months ago, they made no note of a failing transmission. It’s common practice to check the transmission during an engine replacement. The engine and the transmission work together to provide the power and control for driving.

I tried to accelerate pulling out of a parking lot and there was a whizzing sound and no acceleration. I pulled to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle and restarted it. I got up to 55 mph and the transmission service light came on and it DE-acelerated. I ended up going 20 mph for the next mile to get it home in my driveway to park it. I had the vehicle towed to the dealership for diagnostics, the same dealership that had to replace the short engine block due to coolant intrusion in my engine at 84,000 (which I found by accident even though I had a Ford. Com account - they never notified me even though they had my email, address, and phone number - also to note I tried to get the repair at three other local dealerships that said they did not see the csp for this issue and would not get me in - I did notify Ford customer service). The same dealership also replaced a shifter bushing cable when they did the engine. Dealership called today to advise that it was the torque convertor and I needed a new transmission. They are going to have warranty department see if Ford will assist with repairs, but I'm sure they won't. Mileage is 121,000. At this point there is a class action for transmission related issues for this year, make and model and Ford has still not issued a recall. In speaking with the dealership, they said this is a common issue with the year, make, and model. And that anything over 100,000 is subject to trannie issues for this car. So obviously Ford knows this is an issue. I see they also recalled the torque convertors for other vehicles. And I see several other complaints where customers are being told the same thing as I am. Could a defective shifting bushing cable cause this? should the torque convertor have been included in their other recall for the Ford Escapes? how does both an engine and transmission need replaced with 120,000 miles on the car. I used to love Ford. I will never buy another Ford again as long as I live.

I was driving stopped at a red light and when the light turned green and I proceeded my car continuously jerked and would not pick up speed then it would go and start jerking while in the middle of traffic putting me and others at risk for possible pile up multi accidents. Given no warning just out if the blue no lights on dash either. Yes it's is available for inspection took it to shop today was advised to take it to transmission specialist which I plan to.

Misfired on ignition. Diagnostics ran. Replaced all spark plugs, coils and gasket. Engine coolant flushed and exchanged. 1 week later misfiring again. 2 diagnostics run. . . Conclusion was coolant intrusion. Upon researching this problem I have discovered many Ford Escapes have this same issue. No recall was ever issued. The customer satisfaction program(21n12) was not widely announced in 2022. I was unaware of it until last week. It was for vehicles made in louisville between 9/17/2015 and 4/8/2019. My vehicle was manufactured there in Feb. 2017. It was good for 7 years or 84000 miles. I am only 6 months past that time period, however only have 37000 miles on this vehicle. I was told by 2 different mechanics it was not safe to drive in this condition and the repairs could run up to $10000.

As has happened to many others, a coolant intrusion destroyed the engine. The engine was replaced around 60k miles. Now around 84k miles, my transmission needs to be replaced. Ford is telling me that a new engine and new transmission for a 2017 car with 84k miles on it is something they see. The customer experience team told me there's nothing they can do. I can't believe a car this new, with that mileage, has had such significant and dangerous failures.

No warning lights turned on but antifreeze just started spraying out everywhere without warning and car was not overheating or showing any signs of overheating emptying the entire contents of the radiator and the antifreeze reserve.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his wife was driving 35 mph, the vehicle hesitated. In addition, while attempting to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The “engine fault - service now” warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that an independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the shifter cable had failed, and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 22v413000 (power train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance, and informed the contact that the recall was closed. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 16,821.

Purchased in-10/31/24- 2017 Escape ES 2. 5 ltr echoboost: 11/13/24-oil change,wipers,headlights, recall buching,11/24 transmission mount, clicking noise, transmission chokes 11/23-check engine lights, 12/10- headlights, car auto shut off 1/23/25- new tires, studdars accel, loosing power, cylinder 2 missfire,spark ignition coils all 4 replaced, 02/10- missfire 3-cylinder, replaced, 3/24-misfire 2&4-cylinder moister on coils & plugs, replaced-headlights,bright lights malfunction. 5/17- shaking, chokes acceleration, turned off on hghwy 65mls hr apx. Misfire 2-cylinder. 7/3-tires won't hold air,7/27-tire melted from inside out,9/3-over heat indicator, resivor empty take cap off fills with collant, no leaking found, hear the fluid bubbling through engine, wheels screeching acceleration, 9/28- over heat, back tires screeching, brakes grinding, shuts off while on hghwy. 9/29-engine light, drive train evape,change tires, Escape valve canister, 10/15-misfire cylinder3, greyish white smoke tail pipe, ignition starts without key fully engaged, chokes after starting power lose, peddle clicking on acceleration, slow acceleration hestattion. 11/2-change rotors, breakpads, due to ignition malfunction removed starter fuse to enter maintenance mode. I'd be happy to email documents the website doesn't allow me to upload with complaint, these events took place over 12months period bad continue. Car now is overheating stopping the engine while I'MA driving low or high speeds. Causing clicking sound in front tires and a squealing noise driving low speeds or accelerating stops around 35mls hr.

Bought car from drivetime, October 23, 2023. Problems started happening in June 2024. Have detailed list. Have spent over $5,000 in repairs. There is a warranty that has covered some repairs. The 2 major issues have been a transmission replacement and most recently an engine replacement. The mechanic I am using is still having problems with completing the work.

Vehicle stopped in roadway. Bad transmission at 64k miles.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the vehicle started to shudder. The contact stated that after releasing the accelerator pedal the vehicle to respond normally. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted while driving the vehicle. The contact stated that a dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the torque converter had failed, and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the failure. No additional assistance was provided. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission was slipping. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 28,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 22v413000 (power train); however, the repair failed to prevent the failure. The contact stated that one year after the recall repair, while attempting to drive uphill, her grandson noticed that while attempting to accelerate the transmission failed to properly upshift while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact was able to replicate the failure. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission and rear trailing arm bushing failure. The contact was informed that the rear trailing needed to be replaced, and the transmission needed to be replaced because metal shavings were found inside the parts. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.

Transmission just stopped in the middle of me turning at a red light to get off the road. No lights. No warnings. Apparently that’s normal according to a Ford repair person. I was almost killed. Car wasn’t parked when in park. Car jumped and engine revved when on the brake. Car wouldn’t reverse. Ford says it’s not a recall, but it sure wasn’t anything I did. The car has 70k miles and has been babied. This needs to be fixed because they’re not doing a thing.

In January 2025, my 2017 Ford Escape experienced a sudden and unexpected transmission failure at approximately 69,500 miles while the vehicle was in operation. The failure occurred without warning and resulted in an immediate loss of propulsion, making it impossible to accelerate or maintain speed in active traffic. This created a dangerous situation and nearly caused a collision with surrounding vehicles before I was able to pull over. The vehicle became completely undrivable following the failure. Sudden loss of propulsion presents a serious safety hazard, particularly in high-speed or congested roadway conditions. Multiple other owners have reported similar sudden transmission failures in 2017 Ford Escape vehicles, including loss of acceleration, stalling, and unexpected breakdowns at relatively low mileage, often requiring full transmission replacement. These repeated incidents demonstrate a recurring safety-related defect that poses a significant risk to public safety and warrants further investigation.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the gear shifter indicator failed to display the correct gear that the gear shifter was shifted into. The contact stated that there was a message for a transmission issue; however, the contact was unsure what the message indicated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 22v413000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at various speeds, the transmission was slipping into gear, and the vehicle started to jerk while accelerating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, the contact was advised that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was restarted; however, the vehicle unexpectedly reversed after shifting to drive(d). The vehicle was towed to a church parking lot. The contact stated that there was a fluid leak on the pavement. The check engine warning light was illuminated. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 22v413000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.