The Lemon Index2017 Ford Escape.
The 2017 Ford Escape is about average by owner complaints: 345 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 106, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about engine, it has 4 recalls, and it gets 23 to 26 mpg combined. The best Ford Escape year is 2019.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
Fixes owners look up most.
From 100 YouTube videos about the 2013–2019 Ford Escape, 19.1M views. The 2017 is the same generation.
- Infotainment, battery & electrical1.6M views
2013-2016 Ford Escape Battery Replacement FAST!NNKH 2 · 394K views · 7 videos - Transmission & shifter1.5M views
2013-2019 Ford Explorer Escape Fusion 6F35 Six Speed Transmission Fluid Change ProcedureFordTechMakuloco · 631K views · 6 videos - Heat, A/C & blend door1.2M views
2013-2014 Ford Escape Poor A/C Performance Quick FixFordTechMakuloco · 433K views · 6 videos - Gauges, lights & wiring900K views
How To: Change the Headlights in a 2013 to 2019 Ford EscapeO'Reilly Auto Parts · 347K views · 4 videos
Show 4 more
- Cooling system624K views
2013-2016 Ford Escape 1.6L Ecoboost P26B7 Coolant Bypass Valve "C" ReplacementFordTechMakuloco · 318K views · 3 videos - Brakes & ABS537K views
2013-2019 Ford Escape Full Brake Job. (Front & Rear)Repair Geek · 313K views · 3 videos - Steering & suspension407K views
How to Replace Front Wheel Bearings & Hubs 2013-2019 Ford EscapeTRQ · 140K views · 4 videos - Windows, doors & mirrors259K views
How To Find The Keypad Door Code On 2013 - 2019 Ford Escape - Driver's Door Key Pad Code LocationPYR Automotive · 130K views · 2 videos
Before you buy, watch
Top 5 Problems Ford Escape SUV 2013-2019 3rd Generation1A Auto: Repair Tips & Secrets Only Mechanics Know · 397K views
Ford Escape 2013-2019 Problems, Engines and ReliabilityMaxTheCarGuy · 191K views
TOP 5 Problems with the FORD ESCAPE ( 3rd Generation 2013-2019)Alex The Car Doctor · 79K viewsViews show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.
How serious. Out of 2,700 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Ford Escape year. 2017 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 45K to 97K miles on the car (1,158 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- engine complaints mostly came at 48K–97K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 48K–107K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 18K–69K miles
Recalls 4
- visibility 2026
The power-operated windows may exert excessive force when encountering an object, before they automatically reverse.
- equipment 2026
The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
- transmission & drivetrain 2022
The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Show all 4 recalls
- visibility 2016
The settings for the closing-force of the power-operated windows may allow the windows to close on an object such as a body part and injure it before the windows auto-reverse.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Ford told dealers about
Ford sent dealers 249 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Some 2017 escape vehicles equipped with a 1.5l gasoline turbocharged direct injection (gtdi)…
- 2017 escape - emtc - ford original accessory/factory invoiced accessory (fia) remote start -…
- Timing belt saw or chirp type noise
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Escape SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Ford Escape SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $2450–2800 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 1.5L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl.
In owners' words
I was driving to work on freeway and my suv started misfiring and the engine light started blinking then stayed on had code engine misfire discovered there was oil in the Spark plug well on all four cylinders
2017 Ford Escape owner · NHTSA complaint 11354523
More owner reports
Vehicle keeps overheating. We continue to add coolant. We're able to only drive a short distance at approximately 20 to 30 mph and the vehicle warning lights come on and the vehicle begins to overheat again
NHTSA complaint 11372769
The car suddenly loses power. Then the braking is very difficult . You feel as though the car will not stop . This has occurred four times in the span of 300 miles .this has occurred on the highway and city streets.
NHTSA complaint 11170616
Quick answers
Is the 2017 Ford Escape reliable?
About average by government complaints. It drew about the average number of complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 106; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Ford Escape year by this measure since 2010 is 2025.
What are the most common 2017 Ford Escape problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are engine (43%), electrical (19%) and transmission & drivetrain (14%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2017 Ford Escape have?
4 safety recalls (latest: visibility). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2017 Ford Escape get?
23 to 26 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2017 Ford Escape safe?
NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2017 Ford Escape problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 45,000 and 97,000 miles. The middle report was at 70,000 miles, from 1,158 complaints.
Does the 2017 Ford Escape have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 14% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2017 Ford Escape cost in fuel a year?
About $2450 to $2800 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2017 Ford Escape have?
1.5L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl.
What Ford Escape year is better than the 2017?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2019, 2015 and 2018.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works