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

My 2017 Ford Escape began leaking transmission fluid in May of 2025. I had it assessed at my local engine and transmission exchange shop and they found that the leaking was coming from the font main seal and the front pump bushing of the transmission was damaged. The only fix to ensure that this issue would not happen again was to put a different transmission in the car, because this model was so prone to have this issue. I spent the money to have a new transmission installed and the car worked well. Two months later, however, the car began having episodes of not starting, or the engine completely shutting down, no matter where I was on the road. When this occurred, a messaged popped up on the dash counsel stating "Engine Fault, Service Now." I had the car looked at at the same car shop and they found the engine now had an issue. A head gasket was damaged allowing coolant to enter the piston cylinders, fluid locking the engine and shutting down the car. Like the transmission, the only repair is to replace the engine with a new model due to the original model being so prone to this issue. Ford does have a warranty for these issues for a model that is less than 7 years old and less than 84,000 miles. I purchased this vehicle preowned and already outside of that warranty date, therefore these expensive fixes are not covered. The dealership did not report these issue or recalls when selling us the vehicle.

- Milwaukee, WI, USA

I was told the head gasket was leaking coolant fluid into the engine and the engine needs to be replaced. I have only driven 37,000 miles on it, always treated on time and only in Ford dealerships. I found out Ford knew about that problem and did not issue a recall or extend the warranty on that issue. I was quoted $14,000 to replace the engine, which is roughly the value of the car.

- Dunedin, FL, USA

My check engine light came on and my mechanic found codes P0300 and P0316 for engine misfires. Upon further inspection, they found coolant leaking onto cylinders, which they deemed could be a failed head gasket, cracked cylinder blocks, or a cracked engine block, which does include a warranty extension for this. They referred me to the dealership because this is a documented common problem, but the dealership is saying that there are no extended coverages pertaining to that on my car. My vehicle is available upon request and there were no symptoms prior to the failure. It seemed to happen out of nowhere.

- Grand Rapids, MI, USA

Engine block/head gasket failed prematurely (approximately 75,000 miles) allowing engine coolant to enter the cylinder leading to engine failure/replacement.

- Port Orchard , WA, USA

I am reporting a serious engine and reoccurring defect in my 2017 Ford Escape (1.5L EcoBoost), which poses a safety risk due to recurring cylinder misfire and engine failure.This issue aligns with Ford's known TSBs 19-2346 and 22-2134, and DTCs P0302 (Cylinder 2 Misfire) and P0316 (Misfire on Startup). This defect presents clear safety concerns, including rough idling, loss of power, increased emissions, stalling in traffic, is unsafe to drive, and potential risk of other mechanical failures with continued use without repair. In 2022, at approx. 83,747 miles, the engine was replaced by Bill Currie Ford under a recall related to cylinder 3 head failure. Now, less than 37,000 miles later on the replacement engine, the exact same issue has returned, with identical fault codes and driveability concerns. Despite this being a known and documented defect across the EcoBoost engines and replacement engines, Ford and the servicing dealership, Bill Currie Ford, refuse to cover the cost of another repair, claiming no further responsibility. Of note, the vehicle was habitually serviced there and the defective engine was installed by them. Multiple reports suggest this issue continues even after engine replacement, raising concerns about the long-term effectiveness of the recall and it actually being "fixed" with the replacement engines. I have contacted Ford Motor Company and the dealership directly to escalate the issue, but I have been denied resolution. I am now urging the NHTSA to: - Investigate the long-term safety and effectiveness of repairs done under the TSBs and related recalls. - Determine if replacement engines are also defective. - Consider expanding or reissuing a recall campaign for affected vehicles. - Ensure owners are not left with recurring failures at their own expense. - Assistance in helping me get my engine replaced by Ford, at their expense. Thank you for your attention to this safety matter.

- Tampa, FL, USA

The engine has a coolant leak into cylinder number 2 causing a misfire which was diagnosed by an auto repair business. The vehicle has 39,960 miles on it and Ford is saying that it would require a new engine at my cost of $8,000. Not acceptable with a known issue with this engine. I am scared to drive it due to this as this is supposed to be an issue that could leave me and my family stranded.

- Billings, MT, USA

Engine light illuminating due to a known issue by Ford due to coolant leaking into the engine. Could potentially lead to fire within the engine. Ford has confirmed although they are aware of the issues, there are no recalls to fix the issue and we must pay for it on our own

- Lewisberry, PA, USA

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, white smoke was coming from the exhaust pipe, and the engine overheated while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the used car dealer, where the vehicle was purchased, and the spark plugs, ignition coils, and oxygen sensor were replaced, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 19-2346 (Coolant in Cylinders, White Exhaust Smoke And/or Illuminated MIL); however, the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.

- Wrentham, MA, USA

Engine light came on and then 3 days later, the car would not drive. Got the car inspected and found out the coolant is leaking into the engine.

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that an abnormal, rumbling sound was coming from the vehicle at start-up, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and a tune-up was performed on it. Despite the tune-up, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the contact was informed there was coolant intrusion into the engine and the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to two other independent mechanics, who advised the contact not to replace the head gasket because it was not a permanent repair. The contact was advised to replace the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 67,895.

- Brick, NJ, USA

Coolant leak into an engine cylinder.

- Brentwood, CA, USA

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request" The engine coolant system failed due to coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders, a known defect in the 1.5L EcoBoost engine. This caused white exhaust smoke, engine misfires, overheating, and eventual engine failure. The vehicle is currently undriveable and available for inspection upon request. A Ford dealership diagnosed the issue and provided a written estimate for full engine replacement. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The vehicle experienced loss of engine power, stalling, and overheating while driving, posing a significant safety risk on the road. There were instances where I felt unsafe continuing to drive the vehicle, and I was concerned about the possibility of engine failure while driving at highway speeds or in high-traffic conditions. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The issue has been diagnosed and confirmed by Colorado Engine, which provided an $11,000 estimate for a complete engine replacement due to coolant intrusion. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has been discussed with a certified Ford dealership. I have not involved police or insurance representatives at this time. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear" Yes. Symptoms included: Low coolant warnings (despite no visible leak) White smoke from the exhaust Rough idling, engine shaking, and occasional stalling Intermittent engine overheating warnings These symptoms began in late May 2025, roughly 3 years after I purchased the vehicle from CarMax. The issues progressively worsened until the vehicle became undriveable.

- Denver, CO, USA