This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
An -??engine fault check engine now-?? Came up. We quickly brought our 2017 Ford escape into our near by Ford dealership. Mechanic says a P2601 code came up, which is related to coolant to Aux pump performance. They found reservoir leaking a reservoir spiderd hose down to oil cooler. Found coolant reservoir leaking. I have this diagnostic in writing. ford wanted to charge $1088 to fix the issue and said once thats paid they would look further. We didn-??t have close to that amount of money so we went to another near by mechanic, they looked into issue and found the coolant had been leaking into the engine and sent photos, and thats when we realized we needed an engine replacement. We have always taken care of our cars and we should not be having to pay for a brand new engine! The mechanic at the other smaller shop we took car to was actually a prior ford mechanic but left them and says he had seen this issue with this year and model many times! And it was due to a bad engine build that they since corrected for newer cars. So the people who bought a car with that year and model just got screwed. We are now having to take my 5 year old grand daughter to school on a bike and carriage situation, hoping it doesn-??t get to cold or rainy. Not to mention our transmission had to be re built -??just out of warranty-?? so ford was no help once again. We looked it up and the transmission going out just out of warranty was also a recurring issue for this year and model. So really we feel we spent 30,000 to 35,000 on a dud car. We feel not taken care of in the slightest by ford. Also my son has a Ford F-150 and the transmission went out that would cost 5000 to 9000. This truck was gently driven and still had low miles. It should not need such a drastic replacement! We found that this transmission issue was also a recurring issue on that year and model truck and we had no help with it. So we have two ford vehicles now that we poured so much money into that we can-??t use.
My check engine light came on. So I decided to get a code reading from auto zone. Once code scan I received error code p0303. I then decided to replace all coils and spark plugs, then the check engine light goes out for a couple of days. I decided to take to a local shop they tell me a hose was loose and if the check engine light comes back bring it back-??. I thought to myself that's why I came the first time, I then decided to take to ford. They do the diagnostic and say I have to replace engine because of coolant intrusion. I would need a long block and would cost around 8000 to fix. The reason I am sending this is because I believe that Ford should be held accountable for this known flaw in the design of the ecoboost engine. Many people are or has been going through this problem. A recall is the best way for ford to handle and take accountability.
Coolant intrusion into cylinders at 81,000 miles has damaged engine and transmission pump, requiring replacement of both. Appears this is a known issue with both 2.0L and 1.5L engines.
I was informed by the Ford Dealership that I needed new engine. I have spoke to 2 mechanics ( my local mechanic who has 2 Ford Escape with engine failures and the other mechanic from DCH Ford who had 3 engine failures) I see there is no recall but with 5 Ford Escape engine failures that I am aware of via only 2 mechanics I would have to say they are more out there.
- Phillipsburg , NJ, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
Coolant leak causing overheating and rough driving issues. Check engine light stayed on, along with other warning lights. The engine ran terrible. I rely on a Ford vehicle to transport myself and my children safely. This issued cause me to pull over on busy highways and interstates to let the engine rest and add multiple gallons of coolant. Our local mechanic inspected the vehicle and said this was a known issue with these vehicles and recommended to replace the engine due to a crack in the block. I had to replace the whole engine.
Ford dealership states the engine needs to be replaced at a cost of 10K due to coolant in the engine oil as a result of failure of the #4 cylinder. The service advisor stated -?? It-??s actually a pretty common thing on these engines-??. This issue was discovered during a routine oil change by Roberson Ford in Albany Oregon.
I have a 2017 Ford Escape with an EcoBoost engine. My car was running a little bit rough and the check engine light turned on. I made an appointment with an independent service location that I trust to diagnose the issue. After reading the computer code, which noted a cylinder misfire, they noticed that the coolant level was low, did some investigating and found a Ford-issue technical service bulleting from 2022 detailing the likelihood of a coolant leak into the engine. They scoped the cylinder and confirmed the presence of coolant in the cylinder and noted the only repair was a replacement of the entire long block. I then sent my car to a Ford dealership and asked them separately to diagnose the issue, and they returned with the same diagnosis and suggested repair. The safety of me (a lone parent), my 8yo son, and our dog are put at risk every time I have to drive the car since we don't know when the engine might give out completely. I've now been restricted to only driving very small distances until I can find the required $9K to replace the engine. I do not feel comfortable driving my car (which has been great until now), but cannot afford an indefinite rental car, nor a new car, and have no alternative but to drive it. This is a KNOWN ISSUE (as evidenced by the Technical Service Bulletin) and a few older models have actually been recalled, but for some reason, the remaining have not. Ford will not cover any cost of the repair because of the age of the car, even though it only has 52K miles on it (which is extremely low for its age). All known safety issues should be covered regardless of the age of the car. I understand there is an active class action lawsuit against Ford for this very failure, which speaks volumes as to how widespread this safety issue is.
My 2017 Ford Escape Titanium with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine is experiencing unexplained coolant loss. After topping off the reservoir, coolant disappears within days, yet there are no visible external leaks. The oil appears milky and frothy, suggesting coolant intrusion into the oil system. This points to a possible internal leak such as a head gasket failure or block defect. This issue poses a safety risk due to potential engine overheating, misfires, and sudden engine failure while driving. Symptoms began in early November 2025 and have worsened over time. The problem has not yet been confirmed by a dealer or independent shop, but it matches known issues documented in Ford-??s Technical Service Bulletin 19-2208. No warning lights appeared prior to the issue. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer or other parties. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue and urge Ford to issue a recall or extended coverage for affected vehicles.
Had a coolant leak at 67,000 miles, and the only indication I had was the heat in my car stopped working. I assumed it was a thermostat issue, dismissed it, and continued driving for months like that since it was the summer. Where I live, it's pretty mild in the summer so I wasn't driving with AC or heat on, just with the windows down. I happened to notice the coolant reservoir was completely empty while routinely refilling the windshield washer fluid. This was my first indication anything was seriously wrong with my car, and I only noticed accidentally. I took it into the repair shop, and they pressure tested the system. They discovered coolant was leaking into the cylinders and called to tell me Ford has had a technical service bulletin they issued years ago (22-2229) about the engine in my car. This is known defect with the engine, and that the only way to remedy it is to replace the engine long block. They quoted me over $17,000 for the repair (parts and labor), and told me that there was internal engine damage that could lead to the engine seizing while operating, which is an obvious safety issue. Had I not happened to refill the windshield wiper fluid, I would have had no idea. In hindsight, this wasn't just a thermostat issue...it was a massive coolant leak into the cylinders. I didn't even get a check engine light until I had already discovered the issue and was waiting for a repair appointment. The problem is known by Ford, and is widespread enough in the ecoboost engines that they issued a TSB (but not a recall). They're letting people drive around with these engines, which have subtle failure signs in milder climates, and then leaving them to foot the massive repair bill for a known issue caused by their bad engineering.
Like so many other with the ford escape from 2017 I experience a coolant leak into engine head causing overheating. With only 115,000 miles and the clear amount of vehicles with the same issues its quite disappointing there is nothing ford motor company is doing, when its clearly a manufacturer defect. Any other company would be held responsible for such an obvious mistake made on their part. I would never buy a ford vehicle going forward as this experience is very disappointing.
Due to a known issue with the casting of the engine block, there is coolant inside of my engine. When my mechanic looked at it, he found a known issue with the block being cast incorrectly. The only work around is a new engine, but the engine that fits my car, will just have the same issue. Ford knows about the default and are not issuing any repair recalls because not enough people have complained about it. I just replaced the transmission last year because it suddenly failed. Now my engine is toast as well. Ford needs to do something about this. The only warning I had was when all of my coolant leaked into my engine and suddenly it overheated.
While driving the car- the front end started to shake and the check engine light came on. Took it to our local Ford dealership and the advised that it was a cylinder 2 misfire when they diagnosed. They advised that the engine block is porous and the coolant slowly leaks into the engine which is causing the misfire. Called Ford's customer assistance line and since the car is out of warranty- and there are no open recalls, that they will not cover the $9100 new engine repair. Our car is a 2017 Ford Escape Titanium- with approx 82k miles. We purchased the car as a certified pre-owned in 2021- and have had no prior issues. We did not purchase any extended warranty. We were advised that the car isn't safe to drive due to the engine misfire.
vehicle idled rough and then check engine light came on. Took to ford dealer in Stillwater, OK and they told me coolant was low, vehicle is leaking coolant into cylinder one and needs a new engine block for $9700. Asked about adding coolant and was told without the repair it would just go straight into the engine. Low coolant is at risk for overheating and engine shutdown
I bought this car on 05/30/25 and there is now a Coolant infusion into the engine which has made the car undrivable. The repair at my local Ford delaership is $7500. Ford has refused to assist in the repair or help in any way. I am now out of a vehicle due to this known issue Ford has
The motor in my 2017 Ford escape has knocked since purchasing the vehicle. The coolant degas tank was completely empty upon inspection indicating it leaked somewhere. The engine is blown and the technician states it-??s due to sludge in the engine. Given that I have kept up on vehicle maintenance and only owned the vehicle for 25k miles, my suspicion is that the engine head sucked in the coolant causing engine failure. At this time the dealer is refusing to help in the repairs and I have no vehicle. I am not the only consumer that-??s experiencing this issue.
Coolant Infusion Into Engine, Powertrain Light Issue Turns On But & It Stated To Replace Spark Plugs/ Coil Overs But Coolant Still Dissapates From Coolant Resevior
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Baltimore, MD, USA