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severe Owners of the 2017 Ford Escape have filed 8 NHTSA complaints about the visibility at roughly $350 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See visibility across all vehicles →
| Model year | visibility complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 Escape | 30 |
| 2014 Escape | 18 |
| 2015 Escape | 13 |
| 2016 Escape | 12 |
| 2017 Escape (this page) | 8 |
| 2018 Escape | 12 |
| 2019 Escape | 3 |
| 2020 Escape | 37 |
| 2021 Escape | 10 |
All 2 active visibility recalls on this vehicle land at critical or severe — none classified moderate.
If a window closes on a body part, it can increase the risk of injury.
A closing window that does not reverse direction as expected can pinch a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering visibility on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Some 2010-2020 vehicles may exhibit distorted glass with a subtle orange peel pattern or streaking etched into the surface. This is caused by hydrofluoric acid which is used in some car wash solutions as a cleaning agent. Hydrofluoric acid can attack the glass and cause visual distortion and/or discoloration on the outer surface which cannot be removed by further cleaning. If this type of distortion is found, inspect the area of the glass that is covered by the cowl and/or molding. The portion of glass that is covered by the cowl or molding will not be affected by the acid. Hydrofluoric acid damage is not a defect in material or workmanship and is not a warrantable condition.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013-2019 Escape and 2015-2019 MKC vehicles equipped with a power roof opening panel will exhibit a small vent opening position of 5 mm (.197 in). This is the normal vent position for optimal noise, vibration, harshness (NVH) and windnoise qualities. When the vent is closed, the front sliding glass panel will open to the 10 mm (.394 in) position and then close. The front sliding glass panel also opens to the 10 mm (.394 in) position to give the front sliding glass panel enough clearance before it opens to the rearward position. This is a normal operating characteristic of the front sliding glass panel. No repairs are required.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Some 2017 Escape vehicles built on or before 1-Dec-2016 may exhibit a wind and/or whistle noise from the exterior mirror(s) at highway speed. Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SOME 2017 ESCAPE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ONE TOUCH OPEN ON THE DRIVERS WINDOW ONLY AND BUILT ON OR BEFORE 29-JUL-2016 MAY EXHIBIT INOPERATIVE FRONT POWER WINDOWS DUE TO AN OPEN FUSE 15 IN THE RJB. FUSE 15 IN THE RJB MAY OPEN IF THE FRONT WINDOWS ARE OPERATED AT THE SAME TIME AND THE SWITCHES ARE HELD AT THE STOPS. THIS MAY OCCUR IN COLDER WEATHER DUE TO INCREASED CURRENT REQUIREMENTS OF THE MOTORS. FOLLOW THE SERVICE PROCEDURE STEPS TO CORRECT THE CONDITION.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2017 ESCAPE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH POWER ROOF OPENING PANEL BUILT ON 06-JUN-2016 AND THROUGH 03-DEC-2016 HAVE A CHANGE TO THE INITIALIZATION PROCEDURE FOR BOTH THE ROOF OPENING PANEL AND THE SHIELD(SUNSHADE). REFER TO WORKSHOP MANUAL, SECTION 501-17. IN STEP 2 FOR THE PROCEDURES THAT MUST BE COMPLETED WITHIN 5 SECONDS, DO NOT RELEASE THE TILT SWITCH(SLIDING GLASS PANEL CLOSE SWITCH) OR THE SHIELD (SUNSHADE) CONTROL CLOSE SWITCH. THE SWITCHES MUST BE HELD DOWN DURING THIS STEP. PLEASE NOTE THAT VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN 06-JUN-2016 AND 10-JUN-2016 MAY HAVE EITHER THE NEW OR OLD INITIALIZATION PROCEDURE. VEHICLES BUILT ON OR AFTER 03-DEC-2016 REVERTED BACK TO THE ORIGINAL INITIALIZATION PROCEDURE
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
It's a meaningful issue. 8 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $350.
Based on the 8 complaints filed, visibility issues most often appear around 41,538 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
Independent shops typically charge around $350 for visibility 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.
Yes — 2 active recall(s) cover visibility issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.