In June 2023, I took a summer vacation with my 8 year old grandson when the engine began running extremely rough (thought it was bad gas). Once we made it home safely my husband filled it with premium gas and put fuel injector in - Did NOT fix the problem. Engine continued to run rough. I was driving down the road when the engine died and people swerved to avoid hitting me. I restarted the car and then the high temperature warning and pull over safely, alert came on. I then turned the defroster on high hoping that would cool the engine but NOPE. IT took several times of me restarting the car and creeping back home. I called the local Ford dealership and was informed this was an ongoing issue with the 1.5 ltr engine. I was furious that I've barely drove this brand new vehicle ( new to me anyways) during the past 3 years. When I bought it, October 2020 it had 24,900. It now has 50,900! I don't drive my cars hard. I maintain them regularly. This should NOT happen to a vehicle with 50,000. Ford Motor Company should offer a buy-out. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE driving this vehicle.

I was really surprised by the service writers' comment that after paying for replacing the spark plugs that the engine on this vehicle are known for coolant leaking into the cylinders - that would mean I would have to have the engine replaced. I almost fell over when they told me that information. I was thinking why Ford wouldn't have a recall if this problem was known by all the service people. Coming to this site I found out that someone mentioned that their evidently was a recall but I never received it.

Usually when starting the car, the engine will run a little rough for a while, and then smooth out. This was the first occurrence, and when I connected my handy little code reader (everyone who has a car should buy a cheap code reader so you know what the car is complaining about and you have something to Google before you go to the dealer), it was complaining about misfires on multiple cylinders. Such "old car problems" on such a relatively new car! The Ford dealer kept it for 3 weeks, then gave it back without doing anything because though they could read the codes, they couldn't get it to misfire while it was in the shop. (How hard did they try?)

While driving it home from the dealer, the engine light came on again. Not wanting to go through that hassle again, I drove it for a while until one day suddenly the dash panel went red with an urgent overtemp warning. The temp gauge was still looking normal (about half way), so this was sudden. While I was looking for a place to pull over (I was about a block from my destination), the temp gauge went to max, and then it dropped back down to 1/2, and the warning went away.

After letting the engine cool a little, I looked at the coolant, and the reservoir was empty. (If you drive a 2017 Escape, or probably any 1.5L Ecoboost Ford, keep an eye on the coolant, this is a significant symptom to report to the dealer if it's consuming coolant!) Jug of coolant from Auto Zone to get me home, then to a different dealer:

The combination of misfires and coolant consumption led them to a bulletin from Ford about certain cars where a bolt backs out somewhere in the intake manifold and wears a hole through a wall where coolant flows. Coolant is then sucked into the engine and burned with the fuel, hence the misfires. Three weeks to have the intake components replaced, and I got my car back.

Days later, a Check Engine again! Misfires again! And some (not much but enough) coolant has gone missing again!

Six weeks at the dealer and it got a new engine block because there was a crack near Cylinder 1 where, you guessed it, coolant was being pulled into the cylinder and being burned causing misfires! I believe I've read about this being a thing with 2016 Escapes that I'd hoped would have been fixed, but my 2017 Escape was actually built in May or June of 2016, so it was an early '17.

So, finally getting my car back, I pulled out of the dealer, made a right turn, and... Check Engine! Engine Knock Sensor 2 this time. (To Be Continued...)

In November I purchased a 2017 Ford Escape with 64,073 miles on it. In April it started to make noise and run rough, at around the same time I received a recall notice 19b37 for reprogram of power train control module due to coolant leaking into cylinders. Took it to dealership to have recall fixed and a few weeks later took it in again for same issues. This time I was told the engine had failed and would need to be replaced due to coolant found in cylinder 3. Ford has admitted the problem with the issue of a recall but will not replace the engine. The cost for me is $7000 for a new engine.

I am only commenting on the quality of the service department and not the Quiklane or Sales departments which I have not experienced. I brought my Ford Escape into the dealership on June 1 after receiving an Engine Service Light, which required constant attention. While on vacation over Memorial Day holiday. Issue 1: I made an appointment over the internet for 7:45 AM which was allowed, but the attendant had no idea that I had an appointment. Apparently, Lithia does not use the internet and only shows that they open at 8:30 AM. I called the attendant at 10:00 and was told that my car should be ready by noon and that it was a bad spark plug, wires and distributor issue and would cost about $500. As I was walking back to the dealer, I received a call at 11:15 and the attendant told me it was harder than they thought to work on my Escape and they needed to keep the car overnight. I was billed $549 for the initial repairs.

June 2: The attendant called at 10:30 and told me the mechanic drove the car and the problem was not fixed and the problem was now a bad injection system and that they did not have the part to repair my Escape and would have to expedite them from Denver. My car was not drivable because it shook when the engine was running. This issue did not occur from 5/29 to 6/1 when I had to drive home from vacation over 300 miles. June 3: No parts. I called 2x during the day to check because Ford never calls to give me an update. June 4: Parts still had not arrived by 3 PM when I called. June 7, 8:30 AM: I rode my bike to Ford dealer and asked about my car. The parts had arrived on Friday near close of business per the attendant, but no call to me to inform me. I had to ask when I would get my car and was told that I could expect my car to be next in line after a brake job. I was told I should expect my car today. June 7, 3:30 PM: Still Waiting, no update. Is this the dealership you want for a simple repair and quality feedback? Were my plugs and coil the real problem or just a symptom and an unnecessary repair? I'll never know. NOW THE REAL ISSUE: June 7, 4:30 PM: Attendant called and said injectors were replaced, but car now vibrates so badly all the time that it will damage the engine to continue to leave running. I only had this issue when I started it up first thing in the morning over the holidays FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS and it ran fine when I brought it in to the dealer for repairs on June 1. Their work has made my Escape undriveable and a danger to me to drive. More troubleshooting to evaluate a possible damaged engine/cylinder tomorrow. June 8: Service manager said they are uncertain, but it appears to be a compression issue on one cylinder and may require an engine replacement with no end date available at this time.

This is my second Ford Escape that I have owned and never had this major of an issue.

Update from Jun 8, 2021: Update: Dealer has determined that coolant is leaking into one of the cylinders much like many of the other reviews on this website and engine will need to be replaced.

Update from Jun 13, 2021: June 9: The engine will need to be replaced due to coolant leaking into cylinder #1. I have been give a loaner Escape. Parts are on order.

Update from Jul 8, 2021: Following several unsuccessful attempts by dealer to fix my engine trouble light, of which replacement of spark plugs and coil cost me over $500, they determined that coolant was leaking into the engine. Only then did they determine that coolant was leaking into the engine and it needed to be replaced. That determination was on June 8th. As of July 8th, my car is still sitting at the dealer with no return date being given or estimated to be returned.

Update from Aug 27, 2021: Update: After a 2 month wait for parts, the engine has been replaced. Still in the break-in period and have yet to take the vehicle out for our biannual 700 mile drive and 80 mph freeway speeds.

Received a letter from Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited indicating that, under the Customer Satisfaction Program 19B37, that a reprogramming of the PCM is required to "reduce the potential for coolant intrusion into the cylinders". So, we had this performed at 92,935kms and now, at 111,000kms, the dealer has confirmed that we have coolant intrusion but we are no longer covered by the 100,000km powertrain warranty (We did NOT get the extended cash-grab... sorry, I mean "warranty"). Seems to me like this reprogramming was done intentionally in hopes of delaying the inevitable.

I understand there is a class action lawsuit filed in early December but I'm not sure how to proceed.

Brought car to dealer for P2096 error. Dealer replaced one O2 sensor and returned car. CEL back on after 1 day. Brought car back to dealer, changed another O2 sensor and returned car. CEL back on after 1 day. Brought car back to dealer after 2 days dealer said we need new engine because they saw smoke from exhaust. Dealer said to call Ford Customer care because there is a service bulletin/known issue with ecoboost engines leaking coolant into the cylinders.

Ford customer care is a joke. They offered to help with repair costs but not totally car for replacement. Took car home, changed spark plugs (98k miles). Check engine light out. Dealer still stands by needing to replace engine even though they never did a pressure test on the coolant system or any other diagnostic test. Car does not smoke or use coolant nor is there any coolant in the oil. Tried to get Ford to pay for a second opinion, but they won’t.

Have a 2017 Escape SE with 30,002 miles the check engine light came on 3 days after receiving a letter from Ford stating this was a customer satisfaction program 19B37. In the interest Ford motor company has authorized your dealer to reprogram the powertrain control module to improve engine cooling. The Escape was taken to local Ford dealer that day. I was told they would check it out and I could pick it up tomorrow. I received a call the next morning stating the engine needed replaced. The dealer gave us a rental car and said he would be at lease three weeks for replacement of short block. Ford should be recalling all these Escapes and helping the owners with the purchase of a new vehicle, Five people that I work with also received the same letter about taking their Escape in for a check one was a 2018 with 12,000 miles and the also needed replaced. Major problem with Ford hiding the recall as a Customer Satisfaction Program.

Bought my 2017 Ford Escape last year in August. Bought it was 47,000 miles. Has been a wonderful car until we took a trip from Nebraska > Minnesota > Wisconsin. On our way to Wisconsin we stopped for a rest and when we went to turn the car back on it would hard idle for about 8 seconds and then go back to running normal. Check engine light comes on. We stopped at a local garage where they told us it may be something with the cylinders and we could probably make the final 2 hours to our destination. Dealership up in Northern Wisconsin had it for 2 days and let us know that coolant was leaking into Cylinder #3 and a new engine was in order. Lucky we are at 55,000 miles so it is covered under Powertrain warranty.

I was wondering if those of you who have had this problem in the past if after you received a new engine if the problem was fixed or if this was something that came back down the road later on. Fords Powertrain warranties only go to 60,000 miles so I'm wondering if it worth keeping the car.

I brought the car in because the check engine light went on. It was a bad head gasket. Antifreeze mixed with the oil. After waiting 6 weeks to get the ok from Ford, they agreed to replace the engine. 6 weeks after that, it was in. By the way, they didn't hook up the auto on/off switch, the plastic panel under the car was dragging on the ground, the best was they didn't connect the antifreeze properly and it overheated. Towed it in and they fixed it. Guess what, today a week later and the check engine light is back on. I'm going to bring it. Let's hope it's not the same issue where it needs a new engine. Oh boy!