About my 2017 Ford Escape 2021 engine failed and was replaced. 2025 transmission failed. Repairs cost too much! Car is now junk. $500 to junk it! Body and interior are fine. Ford Escapes as I now understand, are a terrible car from what I have witnessed, read AND heard from others. Ford is not right on this car, and I will not buy another Ford. I see there are no recalls on this car but there should have been. Ford knows about the issues with Escapes! This is horrible!

- Pickerington, OH, USA

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.

- Houston, TX, USA

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.

- Seaside, CA, USA

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.

- Moorpark, CA, USA

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.

- Bristol, VA, USA

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle started to shake abnormally. Additionally, while shifting from fourth to fifth gear, there was a violent clunk coming from the transmission. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who test-drove the vehicle for an hour but was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired, and the failure persisted. While the contact-??s wife was driving, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the cylinder head had fractured, and coolant was leaking into the engine. The dealer recommended that the engine and transmission be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

- Warrenton, VA, USA

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.

- Caseyville, IL, USA

2022 - driving to Maine from NJ in June. Transmission failed with no warning in traffic on [XXX] in Connecticut, almost caused a large accident and killed my girlfriend and I (car suddenly stopped moving in the middle lane). - Repaired at Colonial Ford in Danbury Connecticut. Receive repaired car 7/8/2022. July/2022 - car lacks power, dangerously so when accelerating, merging, or accelerating from stop. Took the vehicle to various dealers who held the car for weeks at a time, while lying to me, while not being able to -??find the issue-?? that was clear as day. (dealers were Woodbridge ford and Duane ford in Summit, NJ) [XXX] - transmission failed again on [XXX] coming home from work (also almost caused a major accident but traffic was slower). 8/4/2022 - take my car back to Woodbridge Ford in NJ, they refuse to touch it (car is under ford warranty). They hold the car for 7 weeks and lie to me about everything. Ford corporate also lying to me about vehicle. After fighting with ford for 3 additional months, I had to call the GM of colonial ford in Danbury to explain the situation. They agree to repair under their warranty. Ford charges me $750 to tow the car up to Connecticut, do not reimburse me, and do not give me a rental at any point. I went almost a full year of making payments on a vehicle I haven-??t used, and spent about $2500 in rental vehicles, mechanic appointments, towing fee, and loss of work opportunity due to lack of reliable transportation. Car now runs sluggishly and accelerates like a go kart. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Cranford, NJ, USA

2017 ford escape titanium needed a rebuilt transmission due to it slipping gears while driving. slipping would occur between 1000-2000 RPM at speeds between 40-60 MPH. this problem caused my car to have to get towed to a dealership to have fixed because my car would not accelerate.

- Toccoa, GA, USA

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.

- Lilburn, GA, USA

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

- Caseyville, IL, USA

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)

- Cortlandt Manor, NY, USA

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.

- Fairfield, CA, USA

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.

- Eastview, KY, USA

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.

- Avondale, PA, USA

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.

- Henrico, VA, USA

The car just stopped in the middle of the road with no warning and I had to have the car towed. The transmission shop had to rebuild the entire transmission.

- Uniontown, OH, USA

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.

- Portage, IN, USA

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.

- Corning, KS, USA

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.

- Ashley, OH, USA