Coolant in the engine leak with 1.5 L Ecoboost. Only have 73,900 miles on car. Just bought car last March. Still have 3 and 1/2 years of payments. Vehicle is non drive able right now. Check engine light on. Engine malfunction came on and took to mechanic right away. Mechanic confirmed coolant leak in engine.

- Chillicothe, IL, USA

Within 2 days of initially experiencing an engine shudder during acceleration on 2017 Ford Escape 2.0L Ecoboost with 44,000 miles, the car was diagnosed with coolant leaking into the engine cylinder. Ford TSB 19-2172 requires an engine long block to remedy the situation. Many others have reported this problem both to NHTSA and online but Ford has not formally addressed this defect as far as I can tell. This is a very costly repair that Ford needs to take ownership for.

- Pleasanton, CA, USA

To: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Subject: Engine Failure in 2017 Ford Escape Titanium at 137,000 Miles -?" Known Issue Not Under Recall Make & Model: 2017 Ford Escape Titanium VIN: [XXX] Mileage at Failure: 137,000 miles I am filing this complaint to report a complete engine failure in our 2017 Ford Escape Titanium at only 137,000 miles. We have been informed by the Ford dealership service department that the engine must be replaced at a cost of approximately $9,000+. This is despite the fact that the vehicle has been perfectly maintained and no prior engine issues. The dealership clearly stated to us that the failure was not due to any negligence or misuse on our part. They also acknowledged that this specific engine has a known issue and has been prone to cracking or internal failure around the 130,000-mile mark. That they will also replace the engine with one that will not have this known cracking and failure issue, but at our own cost. They have confirmed our car is known to have premature engine failure issues. Despite this, we were told by the dealership that Ford has not issued a recall because "not enough" 2017 models have yet reported the issue. We are forwarding this issue to escalate and get coverage relief for ford escape drivers. We were advised to contact Ford for -??Goodwill Assistance.-?? We did so, but our request was denied, and no financial or repair support was offered. The car remains undrivable and in need of a full engine replacement. This is a known engine defect, acknowledged by Ford service staff, yet no formal recall or campaign has been initiated. The failure occurred suddenly and without warning in a vehicle that had no prior engine issues and was in otherwise excellent condition. The failure renders the vehicle effectively totaled, forcing consumers like us into an expensive repair or unnecessary vehicle replacement. Dealership: Ford in Schaumburg IL Best, [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C

- Rolling Meadows, IL, USA

My 2017 Ford Escape is leaking water from the radiator and it is probably going to the engine. From what I've researched, this is a chronic problem with Ford Escapes that causes engine failure, which is very expensive to repair.

- North Chelmsford, MA, USA

MY 2017 Ford Escape with the 2.0L EcoBurst engine is experiencing a check engine light...I took it to my mechanic and Ford on separate occasions and but found that there is coolant leaking into the cylinders covered by Technical Service Bulletin 19-2436...Ford issued a Customer Satisfaction (21N12)...but my vehicle was over the years by 5 months... It is a design issue with the engine that has been corrected in Ford 2.0L EcoBurst engines built after 2019. I think that since it is a design flaw with the engine that Ford should be replacing the engine no matter how long past the Customer Satisfaction lists...In fact Ford has multiple extended warranty programs in place for 10 years or 100,000 miles for other NEWER vehciles with engine issues...

- Chester Springs, PA, USA

I'm Sept 2024 there has been coolant intrusion in the engine. A known flaw that Ford is aware of and has a technical service bulletin out for this issue but, after contacting Ford, they will not help with engine replacement. We were still in our payment period and have had to change jobs to accommodate only having one car to drive as we cannot afford three car payments and thus has to take lower pay. Also submitted a claim with the legal suit in CA.

- Parma, OH, USA

My car is having a coolant intrusion/ head gasket failure. There is a recall already for my car which was code CSP 21N12 for this issue. Yet when I put in my VIN for CSP coverage it shows no recalls for my vehicle. I have a 2017 ford escape eco boost 1.5L. It matches the make, year, and engine for the problem. My car is misfiring, white smoke from exhaust from cold start, and having coolant loss with no dripping on the ground.

- Fleming Island , FL, USA

My check engine light came on and the code received was cylinder 2 misfire. The mechanical shop I took my car to ran a diagnostic and said my spark plugs were cracked and needed replacing. They were replaced and some says later my coolant reservoir was empty. They topped it off and told me to come back if it still wasn-??t right. The next week my check engine light came back on and they said there is a coolant intrusion and that I need a new engine. I did some research and this is a common issue within my car-??s year, make, and model but there has been no recall for it.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

Car displayed CEL and was losing coolant with no visible leaks. Read about coolant intrusion issue and took car to dealer with around 104,000 miles. Dealer said no problem found with car. Finally decided to try a new head gasket. Metal between cylinders on block and head show no problems, but sealing material on gasket completely eroded between cylinders. We have no idea if this will fix the problem or for how long. Ford prescribed fix is $8k+ long block. Would be insane to put that kind of money in an 8 year old car. Shame too, because the car is perfect otherwise. Paid $19,000 for it at a reputable dealer in 2022 - Blue Oval certified.

- Oregon , OH, USA

Drove around normally last week, and on Saturday with no issue. Monday morning, I started my car and could feel a rough idle. The check engine light was flashing. The idle returned to normal and the check engine light turned off. I drove to work, and the car sat for 9 hours. Afterward, there was a rough idle again, and the check engine light stayed on (solid). The idle got better, but did not go away. I drove straight to the dealership. Dealership said it was coolant intrusion into at least one of the cylinders because of a cracked block. Vehicle has 70K miles on it, mostly highway. Looking online, I see a class action suit is coming Ford's way. It's a known defect in the Ecoboost engines, but for some reason they determine that mine doesn't qualify.

- Elyria, OH, USA

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request" - engine cyl 4 misfire, coolant intrusion How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? engine instability and potential for failure Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - yes Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? - no Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear" - CEL, 2 weeks ago

- Quincy, MA, USA

I own a 2017 Ford Escape with the 2.0 L Ecoboost engine. My car has around 85,000 miles on it and has been well maintained. Recently, the check engine light came on and I immediately went to the local garage to determine what was going on. The garage reported that the error code indicated a misfire in one of the engine cylinders and they suspected a faulty spark plug. I decided to take the car to the Ford dealer for any needed repairs versus working with the box store auto repair company. Ford then informs me that the car needs a new engine as a result of a design flaw in this model year engine. In this year and a couple other years, the engine block was designed to allow coolant to get deeper in the engine block to prevent overheating. The channels that were cut into the engine block for coolant were not thick enough and this allowed coolant to leak into the engine block. A service bulletin clearly describes this issue and is clearly a design flaw. Later models were redesigned to prevent this from happening, but my low mileage, well maintained car now needs a new $8000 engine. There is a class action lawsuit currently working its way through the courts attempting to get this well documented issue with this engine resolved by the manufacturer. How can Ford get away with this. This engine should be recalled and replaced free of charge by Ford Motor Company.

- Trenton, OH, USA

Engine lost compression in one cylinder. I was able to get it off the road and have it towed home. The problem was confirmed by an ASE certified technician at an independant service center, There were no warning lights or messages regarding this problem. Independent service shop Did the inspection on 10/17/2024. they found cylinder number 2 had 10 psi.

- Valley Center, CA, USA

The vehicle's check engine light came on and my local independent mechanic confirmed that the cause was coolant leaking into the vehicle's cylinders. The mechanic advised that this is an extremely widespread and well-documented problem with Fords from this era, and advised me to reach out to Ford for assistance given the expense of this repair ($10k or more), given that Ford has repaired some vehicles in the past. However, Ford (both its corporate office and the dealer from which I purchased the car) was unwilling to help me with repair costs despite the fact that the car has only 43k miles and is in pristine condition. This manufacturing defect is extremely dangerous (I've seen reports online that cars can suddenly overheat, catch fire, etc) and it is very disturbing that Ford isn't making things right on their own, or being held accountable by the NHTSA given the extremely widespread nature of this issue. Furthermore, it is very disturbing that Ford hasn't had to notify owners like me about this problem, as I drive around with my family and it seems like the car could have overheated or caught fire at any time.

- Menlo Park, CA, USA

Purchased car 4 months ago. 80k miles on it. About 88k miles, engine fault code kicked in along with check engine light. Code was for a misfire on cylinder 4. Started loosing coolant, roughly putting in a gallon every week and a half. Thought it was a faulty cap, so replaced the cap. Vehicle began registering that the key was not in the car, so I replaced the battery the same day. Rough idle was still there. Went to buy coil packs to fix the misfire the next day, however the car would not start. After 2 weeks of running tests, coolant intrusion was noted. Car has only 92k miles on it. Car was also sold as is, no problems noted at purchase, and is still under loan.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

The check engine light came on in my 2017 Ford Escape, and a diagnostic scan revealed a C4 misfire code. My local mechanic replaced all the spark plugs, which turned off the check engine light. However, the diagnostic test still indicated a misfire. The car ran fine for three days, but on the fourth day, when I started it, white smoke came from both exhaust pipes for about two to three minutes, and the engine idled roughly. I didn-??t drive the vehicle, but a few days later, upon starting it again, I immediately received a high engine temperature warning. I had the vehicle towed to the mechanic, who diagnosed a blown head gasket and possibly cracked cylinder heads. The vehicle has 108,000 miles.

- Calhoun, GA, USA

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the ABS sensor lights was illuminated. Additionally, the engine block was previously replaced and there were unknown failures with the windshield wipers and windows operating previously. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the undercarriage of the vehicle was in a flood and was rusted. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

- Edgewater, MD, USA

My vehicle recently generated engine codes p0302 and p0304. Taken to the dealer for a diagnostic which indicated water intrusion into cylinders. Ford has issued a TSB indicating this is a known defect for this style engine due to modifications to increase cooling led to failures in the engine block where water can enter the cylinders, which can cause acceleration issues, misfires, and engine failure potentially leading to danger while driving. No recall currently exists for the 2.0l version of this engine, although the 1.6l version of the ecoboost engine has been recalled for the exact same design defects. Problem affects multiple versions / displacements of the ecoboost engine and multiple class action lawsuits are in progress for the 2.0l engine. Please upgrade this issue to a recall as you did with the 1.6l version of this engine. The engine can be made available for inspection in the very near future. I will need to use the car as a trade in to get a working vehicle in the coming 1-2 weeks. thank you

- Canoga Park, CA, USA

I recently took my car to the dealership due to a check engine light. The troubleshooting discovered that there is coolant in the combustion chamber and will now require a new engine. My car has ~76K miles so it's disheartening to know that a new engine is needed. I've read that this is a known problem with Ford escape engines.

- Newark, DE, USA

Our 2017 Ford Escape SE FWD 1.5L Ecoboost overheated on two separate occasions, on the second occasion the car also began to shake, and we took it to Pep Boys for evaluation. After the diagnostics were done, they told us it had to go to the dealership because it was serious and they could not handle this repair. We took it to the Ford dealership in Wesley Chapel, Florida, where we bought the car in 2017 and have been bringing it in for most necessary service. After being at the dealership for three days, we got called that the coolant has leak into the engine and we need a new engine block at the cost of over $13,000. We are unable to pay this and I-??m currently attempting to figure out how to fix this car and make it drivable again without costing a fortune. They said there were no other fixes. This evaluation from the dealership took place on Monday, August 11, 2025. The car is not safe to drive and we are suddenly out of a vehicle due to this leakage from the coolant into the engine.

- Lutz, FL, USA