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2017 Ford Escape: multiple warning lights

9 of the 2,710 complaints about the 2017 Ford Escape describe multiple warning lights.

owner complaints
9
of this car's complaints
0%
typical mileage
62,000
recalls
1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 74 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below

Multiple warning lights by model year

What owners say

Filed Jan 25, 2026 · Suspension, Transmission · PA

Vehicle was purchased [XXX], the very next day multiple lights came on on the dash and it started bucking while driving. I took it back to the dealership for repairs.The right rear wheel speed sensor was bad. While the vehicle was being repaired a bolt that was seized up was broken requiring the Rr wheel knuckle to be replaced. July, the vehicle was treated for a water leak into the spare tire compartment.In September, more repairs were needed. I took it to my mechanic.The L axle shaft, wheel bearing, control arm w/ball joint, speed sensor and Rt.knuckle needed replaced. At this point, I was informed of the extensive rust under the vehicle and only being 8 years old, is a great concern. When it was taken in for an alignment, it was discovered there was a bolt broken off the Rr control arm, and it was repaired. October, it was treated again for the water leak. Water was still getting in with the spare tire when it rained. Also in October, I noticed a lag in shifting when accelerating. One incident that happened when merging onto a highway, the shifting lagged, delaying my acceleration and caused my vehicle to be traveling at a much slower rate than traffic. I took it to the dealership for repairs for the lag and a grinding noise. The transmission and torque converter were replaced. The grinding noise continued even after the repairs. January 2026, the vehicle was again taken in for the grinding noise and water leak. It now requires a transfer case, drive shaft, rear differential and the sub frame is cracked. I am greatly concerned about the structural integrity of this vehicle. Dealership claims the rust of the frame is from PA winters however the steering shaft INSIDE the car also has rust on it. For comparison, I also have a 2003 Jeep and it has minimal rust and is kept outside daily. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jan 8, 2025 · Engine · 176,510 miles · VA

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 35 MPH, the engine stalled, and all of the warning lights were illuminated. The contact proceeded to pull over onto the side of the road where she attempted to restart her vehicle however the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine had experienced coolant intrusion and would need to be replaced. The failure occurred on two separate occasions. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 176,510.

Filed Dec 29, 2024 · Engine · AR

Sept. 2024, while driving my 2017 Ford Escape, four-cylinder Eco boost engine 2 L down the highway, without warning all the dash lights came on and the engine quit running leaving me stranded on the side of a very busy highway. I had not noticed any engine problems at all until this moment. After a Good Samaritan told me the radiator was almost completely empty of fluid, he added water to my radiator reservoir and told me to immediately ‘gently nurse it’ to an auto repair shop. Which I did. The shop owner took several hours to examine the engine. He told me it ran hot because the radiator fluid had leaked into the oil. He later told me the smoke also coming from the tailpipe, the way the engine was hesitating to start up and radiator fluid in the oil was an indication my engine had a cracked head. He showed me the oil which was a chocolate brown. The shop owner told me it was not supposed to be that color. He told me it was a direct indication that my radiator fluid/antifreeze had leaked into the oil. He informed me this would lead to complete engine failure, and I needed to immediately take it to a shop/dealership where the engine could be rebuilt or completely replaced (he already had several vehicles he was currently working on and would not have time to get to it for several months). I drove my SUV home which was just 4 miles from this shop. It took me awhile to make arrangements for a local Ford dealership. In the meantime, I had not tried to start it back up at all. The morning I was to take my SUV to the dealership it would not start at all. I had to call a wrecker to have it towed to the Ford dealership, where they confirmed the findings of the initial mechanic. My SUV only has 89,748 miles on it. I still owe $11,000 and it will not start at all.

Filed Oct 29, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · 80,000 miles · WI

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that white smoke was coming from the exhaust pipe with several warning lights illuminated. The crankshaft position sensor, power control module short circuit sensor, and other warning lights are illuminated. The contact had reset the sensors however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the coolant was leaking however, there was no location of the leak. The contact stated that driving and then shifting into the park(P), the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was returned to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer had referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.

Filed Apr 22, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · CA

Since last four months I get multiple warning lights with alarm in my car . 1) Engine failure contact dealer immediately announcement 2) steering assist failure announcement ( & steering becomes heavy) 2) Hill assist failure 3) rear park aid failure announcement 4) 911 assist is not operational contact dealer . The odometer and speedometer goes blank and I can not see what speed I am driving at. I have given my car to dealership 4 times so far. For multiple weeks. still the same issue. I am not getting any replacement vehicle . I am concerned about safety of my, my family and other people on the road. I need help to get a reliable vehicle that I can use safely. I have valid extended warranty. I have attached example invoice showing I was asked to pay lot of money out of pocket ispite of having warranty.

Filed May 8, 2023 · Electrical · 60,000 miles · NY

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the rear driver’s and passenger’s side taillight lenses had started to detach. As a result of the failure, water started to enter the taillight housings. The contact stated that due to the water intrusion, several warning lights were intermittently illuminated and malfunctioned. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the taillight assemblies needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Filed Jul 6, 2021 · Electrical, Engine · OH

Upon parking the vehicle in my driveway, the vehicle would not turn off after turning off he ignition and removing the key. All the dash lights were on as the would be normally and the engine remained running. Tired everything including in and out of gear, driving, turned key on and off several times, tired both keys. Googled and seen there had been similar issues with earlier models that resulted in a recall, but this is a 2017. Found some online suggestions and after an hour figured out where the fuel pump fuse was and removed it and the engine stopped. The dash still stayed lit up and had a warning to get engine serviced. Put key in ignition and turned to run not start position and vehicle cranked and tried to start. Could not get dash console to power down or look the doors, the horn would beep twice every time I tried to lock the doors. Ended up disconnecting the battery to kill the power to everything. Plan to take it to Ford today if I can get it started again.

Filed Nov 16, 2020 · Electrical, Engine · 62,000 miles · MI

Tonight, 11/16/2020, my escape started to idle roughly. The tachometer would go up and down by at least 500 RPM without any input from me. The lights would flicker. The dashcam I have mounted turned off. I tried making it home and it just died. Lost all lights. I shifted to neutral and coasted to the left turn lane. While doing this, the auto start system tried to restart the car, even though it had been previously disabled. I tried to start the car manually, about five or six times. It finally started and I was able to make it home. I turned off the HVAC auto feature, my dashcam and radio in case it was a voltage issue. Just one more issue with this vehicle. The electronic package is finicky and horrible. It has a mind of it's own. I have also had the dealer do the service bulletin on the [xxx] system. It still acts up occasionally leaving me dead in the water until I can shift to park and manually restart it. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Feb 16, 2019 · Lights · 20,000 miles · MO

Daylight running lights do not include tail lights. Cars driven at dusk, dawn, or weather conditions when headlights provide added safety are driven with only daylight headlight and no tail lights. Many times cars appear to be diving with no headlights, or lights, only to see they are driving with daylight running lights. Please engage all lights, headlights and tail lights at all times for added safety. Too many times vehicles are driven with what appears to be no tail lights. Daylight running lights with only headlights are dangerous.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

Electrical system: softwareReported August 24, 2016 · 17,985 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2017 Ford Escape Titanium and SE vehicles manufactured October 5, 2015, to May 12, 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
Risk
If a window closes on a body part, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Ford has notified owners, and dealers will update the power window operating system software, free of charge. The recall began on September 6, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C12.

Recall number 16V617000 · Recall details

Questions about the 2017 Ford Escape warning lights

Is multiple warning lights a common problem on the 2017 Ford Escape?

9 of 2,710 owner complaints about the 2017 Ford Escape (0%) mention multiple warning lights. The model year with the most reports is 2005.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2017 Ford Escape?

There is 1 recall and 74 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2017 Ford Escape

Check engine light 1,006Overheating 662Engine failure 646Misfire 475Stalling 183Fire or smoke 135Loss of power 101Transmission failure 101Jerking 89Hesitation 85Shudder 68Start-stop 52Won't shift 37Won't start 33Headlights 25Slipping 25Power steering loss 22Knocking 21Grinding brakes 16Fuel pump 16Sudden acceleration 15Harsh shifting 14No deployment 13Door locks 12Key fob 11Water leak 11Wipers 11Brake failure 9Seat belt 9Fuel smell 7Backup camera 6Oil consumption 6Adaptive cruise 5Ball joint 5Sunroof shattered 5Tire blowout 5

All model years of the Ford Escape

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