Vehicle is slowly losing collant, and when I park I get a strong smell of collant. I took vehicle to have collant flushed and was took system was ok. From what I have researched is that there is a history of coolant entering engine cylinder because of defective engine and causeing engines to event ually seize.
2017 Ford Escape engine problems
moderate 1,627 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
1,627
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
3crashes
4fires
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 1,627 engine complaints filed for the 2017 Ford Escape, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 20 model years of Ford Escape we track for engine problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 1,627.
Engine accounts for 63% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 12 categories tracked.
What owners are reporting 13 most recent
Engine failure due to multiple coolant failures, due to poor design of the long engine block. Ford removed and replaced the long block in full, but it was out of warranty. There are multiple class action lawsuits against Ford for the defecting engine block design. There was only 49,187 miles on the car, well under mileage warranty, but above the 7 year old car age warranty. I paid $8379.39…
At 29,314 miles, we experienced total engine failure where cylinder #2 failed and the whole engine failed and needed replaced. This car had impeccable maintenance and engine failure was not due to lack of maintenance. This was an issue with the engine itself and should not have happened.
Ford Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) number is 21-2269. The engine block is leaking coolant into the cylinders which causes the engine to report over heating.
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.
In January 2024, the check engine light came on and we had an ignition coil and spark plug replaced. Less than a week later, the check engine light came back on and diagnostics showed a "misfire" on the same coil. The technician noticed the coolant was empty, refilled and found coolant entering the cylinder while engine was cooling. Engine had a "failed head gasket or cracked/warped head." Had…
Coolant is leaking internally into motor. All gaskets, seals, hoses and radiator are operational with no issues. This is a hazzard and could/will result in damage and potentially serious harm. Dealer has indicated everything checks out and leak is internal intrusion. This is a known issue with Ford and they are unwilling to correct
mode code P0316 (random misfire), coolant leaks into #1 and #3 cylinders, requires long block engine replacement.
After 97,000 trouble free miles, the engine quit working. I took the car into the nearest Ford dealer service department. They concluded there was coolant intrusion to the cylinders, and I need to replace the motor with a long block. After looking into my issue I find this is a common and well documented issue with the Ford EcoBoost 3.0 engine. Ford customer service in Dearborn told me Ford knows…
Head gasket failed causing coolant to leak entirely. A KNOWN DEFECT.
Had engine trouble with your 2017 Ford Escape?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2017 Ford Escape?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 1627 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 706 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 59,918 and 102,000 miles, with the median around 79,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 59,918; a quarter make it past 102,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2017/Ford/Escape.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.