AutoUtility currently tracks 2662 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2017 Ford Escape. Engine & Cooling issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 1896 complaints (71.2% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 39 filings cite a crash, 15 cite a fire, 38 report one or more injuries.
Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records
1896 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
389 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
153 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
94 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
944 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
116 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
70 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
18 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
16 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake warning light was persistently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the brake booster and brake master cylinder assembly needed to be..."
"2.01 block features a narrow cooling slot machined into the block surface right between the cylinder bores. Under high boost pressure and thermal stress, the narrow metal section around this slot distorts or cracks. This erodes the head gasket clamping force and allows pressurized coolant to bypass..."
"The 'Engine fault, service now' warning came on. Car started sputtering and in reverse engine shuts off. Car shakes while driving and loss of power. Upon further inspection looks like a coolant intrusion."
"Received P0304 code for 4th cylinder missfire. Appears to be affected by the know coolant intrusion issue with these models"
"Purchased this vehicle in April of this year for my granddaughter. Check engine light came during test drive. Was told it needed some oil added and that took care of the issue. Soon after the check engine light continued so I made an appointment with auto mechanic. Code reads a misfire on 3rd..."
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Ford Escape | 1075 | 29 | 9 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Ford Escape | 1097 | 36 | 4 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Ford Escape Current Page | 2662 | 39 | 4 | Current |
| 2018 Ford Escape | 1771 | 25 | 4 | View 2018 Problems → |
| 2019 Ford Escape | 578 | 24 | 3 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Ford Escape | 1799 | 21 | 24 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2021 Ford Escape | 355 | 10 | 20 | View 2021 Problems → |
| 2022 Ford Escape | 371 | 11 | 21 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Ford Escape | 128 | 4 | 13 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Ford Escape | 85 | 5 | 10 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Ford Escape | 25 | 0 | 10 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Ford Escape | 0 | 0 | 3 | View 2026 Problems → |
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 138 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Injury Entries | Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 1162 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 384 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 217 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 98 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 79 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE | 68 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS | 65 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 52 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 47 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 30 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 24 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 15 | 13 | 1 | 22 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System NHTSA category: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ENGINE | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 7 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Doors, Latches & Locks NHTSA category: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires NHTSA category: TIRES | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention / Camera NHTSA category: BACK OVER PREVENTION | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| WHEELS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| CARRY HANDLE, SHELL, BASE,OTHER/I AM NOT SURE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment & Accessories NHTSA category: EQUIPMENT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,ENGINE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EQUIPMENT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEATS,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,EQUIPMENT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FIRERELATED | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EQUIPMENT,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FIRERELATED | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System NHTSA category: FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PARKING BRAKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,WHEELS,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEAT BELTS,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEAT BELTS,SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEAT BELTS,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEAT BELTS,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,STRUCTURE,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,WHEELS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,WHEELS,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| VISIBILITY,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WHEELS,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WHEELS,ENGINE,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year
Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.
Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.
EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2017 Ford Escape
In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2017 Ford Escape is Engine & Cooling, appearing in 1896 records (71.2% of submitted filings).
Secondary reported categories include Powertrain & Transmission (389) and Electrical System (153).
AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 2,662 consumer defect complaints and 4 safety recall campaigns for the 2017 Ford Escape.
Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.
Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2017 Ford Escape, 39 filings cite a crash, 15 cite smoke or fire, and 38 report one or more injuries.
Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.