2017 Ford Escape: brake failure

Filed Feb 24, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · IN

When driving, the car has stopped 4 times in the last 3 years. Last week the car came to a red light and the inside lights started flashing. There was a warning that read "transmission not in park." The car's power steering and brakes went out and the car went through the red light. Three other times the car was on the expressway and it died with the same warning. Fortunately, the car was in the slow lane and was able to pull onto the shoulder. Once the car is put in Park and turned off, it is able to be restarted and everything is working.

Filed Aug 22, 2025 · Brakes · ME

Component: BRAKE BOOSTER While driving on the interstate (at 80mph), check engine light came on and vehicle struggled to maintain power to stay at speed, would downshift for power to get back but as soon as it up shifted speed would drop again. My fuel mileage also dropped drastically as well as forced me to exit interstate on order to get gas. In attempt to stop at the stop sign, I discovered I had little to no brakes. Brake pedal was extreme hard and could not be pushed down. Luckily no cars where in front of me or coming when I reached the stop sign, had to be put into N to stop/stay stopped at the sign until it was safe to completely exit the off ramp and get to the nearby gas station to safely park the car. SAFETY: Highly compromised for myself as well as others as it was impossible to stop/slow quickly nearly at all. Independent garage: all issued (including engine power) were direct result of Brake Booster FAILURE. Component has been replaced and remedied with a new replacement brake booster. I obtained pictures as well as kept the original part as it has clear damage to one side due to manufacturer/mechanical defect. - Ford has recalled this exact part, cause & reason for thousands of OTHER newer models. However clearly 2017 escapes are also effected. At first glimpse, it disnt appear that the brakes were the entire cause of rhe issues, especially since the brake light failed to come on.

Filed Apr 4, 2025 · Brakes, Engine · 126,000 miles · OH

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact's daughter stated that while driving 40 MPH around a bend, the brakes failed to function as intended. The contact's daughter depressed the brake pedal, but the brake pedal seized. The contact's daughter had to depress the brake pedal with force. The vehicle came to a stop when the contact's daughter shifted the vehicle into park(P). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle with vacuum brake booster pump failure. The vehicle was repaired. The contact's daughter stated that when the mechanic took the vehicle for a test drive, the timing belt fractured. The vehicle was then diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 126,000.

Filed Dec 20, 2024 · Brakes, Engine · VA

The car experienced a sudden loss of boost power and, at the same time, and MUCH more concerning and dangerous, a total loss of brake power assist. The brakes were firm (hard), but had ZERO power assist, and I could barely stop the car at idle in my driveway, much less on a highway or open road. I thank God that my son, who was driving at the time, was not in a dangerous situation when this failure occurred. It turns out, a single vacuum pump, mated directly to the camshaft, applies vacuum boost to the turbo (power loss) and brakes (catastrophic brake failure). I replaced the vacuum pump, but the problem persisted, so I had to take it in to the dealership for evaluation. I was told the problem is the bolt that mates the vacuum pump to the cam shears off when the vacuum pump seizes. I subsequently read of many cases of this problem on the Escape, but also on the F-150 (for which there is apparently a recall???) -- really, any Ford with an Ecoboost turbo engine. Additionally, the bolt shearing and vacuum pump disintegrating, leads to metal shavings that destroy the turbo. How this VERY serious road hazard caused by a terrible engineering design flaw (single point of catastrophic failure) hasn't resulted in a MAJOR safety recall for all these Ford Ecoboost engines is totally shocking and beyond me. This is coming from an engineer who has spent 50+ years working on cars. the federal safety agency has absolutely failed in not addressing this terrible safety and design problem.

Filed Jun 22, 2022 · Brakes, Engine · OH

Traveling on I-77 in Bland County Virginia. I was doing 70 mph and had to slow to 40 mph due to a tractor trailer. Brakes failed, made it off the interstate safely. I went to a garage. They installed front brake pads which did not help. Upon checking, they recommended a vacuum pump as my brakes were no better and all of the oil was leaking out of my car. I checked with Ford and my warranty expired on May 16, 2022. Cannot even drive the car due to the oil and brake issue. The vacuum pump had disintegrated.

Filed Aug 29, 2019 · Brakes · 44,500 miles · FL

80 miles away from home.brake pedal was hard to used,failing to stopping, towed to dealer they change my oil and said I need brakes and declined diagnostic.they knew their was no brakes.I did not what them to replace brakes and to find out what cause the failure. I picked up with no brakes and took somewhere else. It was the vacuum boost and gear snapped off which turns vacuum. This part should not fail and needs to be recalled also reimburse my costs out of pocket. Any questions just ask

Filed Mar 31, 2018 · Suspension · 7,400 miles · PA · crash · 1 injury

Complete right front suspension fell off the vehicle, wheel and all ..and caused a minor collision traveling at appx 15 MPH. Tow truck had to retrieve complete suspension and wheel. No brakes because brake line severed.

Filed Jan 28, 2018 · Brakes · 18,000 miles · IN

My 2017 ford escape with 18,000 had a master brake cylinder failure at 18,000 miles. The car was parked outside over night in single digit temperatures. When I started to drive it the next day on a residential street the brake pedal went to the floor the first time I applied the brakes at a stop sign. The brakes engaged , but not very well. The problem did not go away after trying several more brake applications, or by pumping the brake pedal. There was no indication from the car's warning systems that there was any problem with the brake system. The ford pass app on my phone didn't report any problem either. The total lack of warning is a real concern. The problem did not go away after the car was parked in a warmer garage. I took the car to the dealer and they confirmed the problem was a failed master brake cylinder. They couldn't tell me what caused the failure or what failed. They did say the faulty brake cylinder would be sent to ford for analysis. This brake system failure is a real concern. In over 50 years of driving I have never had a brake master cylinder fail on a car with such low miles. Without knowing why it failed I am concerned that it could happen again with the replacement brake master cylinder. Next time it could happen as I am driving the car at higher speed, or in traffic resulting in an accident. This type of brake system failure should not happen on any newer car, and the car's warning systems should be able let you know there is a problem with any part of the brake system.

Filed Mar 9, 2017 · Brakes · 250 miles · VA

In event of main brake failure, parking brake cannot be manually engaged as a secondary braking system due to introduction of electric parking brake requiring vehicle to be stopped to engage parking brake. This could result in fatality in the event of main brake failure. (fyi. I recently had a brake hose fail on a '99 chevy pickup truck when approaching an intersection. Using the manual parking brake I was able to safely stop the vehicle and avoid a collision. This is not possible with electric parking brake the way it is implemented on 2017 ford vehicles.)