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Your vehicleHome›Ford›Escape› 2017
Ford · Compact SUV

2017 Ford Escape

Gas
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
6 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
C
Safety Signal
70 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls1 critical 4
Complaints39 crash · 15 fire · 56 injured reported 2,701
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 26 mpg
20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2017 Ford Escape is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 6 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Escape FWD, is EPA-rated at 26 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 2701 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Ford Escape — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Ford Escape (2001 generation) · Photo: Elise240SX · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Escape FWDGasFWD1.5L 4-cyl turbo233026$2,600
Escape FWDGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo222925$2,700
Escape AWDGasAWD1.5L 4-cyl turbo222824$2,800
Escape FWDGasFWD2.5L 4-cyl212924$2,800
Escape FWD FFVGasFWD2.5L 4-cyl212924$2,800
Escape AWDGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo202723$2,900

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 37358, 37359, 37363, 37357, 37360, 37362.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
Escape AWD, Escape FWD6 / 10LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
Escape AWD, Escape FWD7 / 10LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
Escape FWD, Escape FWD FFV6 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 125All 50 states (federal, all altitudes)—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement2.5 L
Engine configurationIn-Line

Engine Output

Horsepower168 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain4x2

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Electronic stability control

Optional: Adaptive cruise control, Blind-spot monitoring, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: S, SE, Titanium). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length178.7 in
Width (body, without mirrors)72.4 in
Height66.1 in
Wheelbase105.9 in
Track, front61.4 in
Track, rear62.2 in
Curb weight3,552–3,677 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear58/42

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 4-door SUV AWD, 4-door SUV FWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Also on file Beside the 2017 Escape
Other years The 2026 Escape Recalls Ford recalls
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Factory warranty running out?

The 2017 Ford Escape is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database
●moderate

Visibility

26C29
18,124 vehicles 14% reported repaired built Oct 8, 2015 – Jan 15, 2017
Problem Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Escape vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 16V617. The power-operated windows may exert excessive force when encountering an object, before they automatically 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 A closing window that does not reverse direction as expected can pinch a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury. Fix Dealers will update the power window operating system software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 22, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C29. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6, 2026.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFOwner letter PDFDealer notice PDF
NHTSA campaign 26V374000 reported Jun 9, 2026 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Equipment

26S01
116,672 vehicles
Problem Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in. Risk An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire. Fix Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. For
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFInterim owner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 26V011000 reported Jan 15, 2026 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Power Train

22S43
2,925,968 vehicles 73% reported repaired
Problem Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach. Risk A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury. Fix Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
NHTSA campaign 22V413000 reported Jun 10, 2022 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Visibility

16C12
17,985 vehicles 83% reported repaired built Oct 5, 2015 – May 12, 2016
Problem 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. Fix 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.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 16V617000 reported Aug 24, 2016 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Escape

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2017 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Ford publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Ford’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2017 Ford Escape, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2017 Ford Escape

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this Escape →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
2701complaints filed

39 involved a crash · 15 a fire · 56 injuries · 0 deaths reported

63 per 10,000 built · Ford reported 431,240 Escape built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2016: 2 · 2017: 50 · 2018: 57 · 2019: 112 · 2020: 124 · 2021: 116 · 2022: 237 · 2023: 381 · 2024: 713 · 2025: 645 · 2026: 264

Most-cited components

Engine → 2092
Power Train → 396
Electrical System → 156
Unspecified 153
Fuel/Propulsion System 95
Wheels 81

In depth: engine problems → · transmission and drivetrain problems → · electrical problems → · body and structure problems →

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

My car was stopped on the property's driveway, transmission was in park. I was standing outside the car, and as I opened the driver's door to get in, the bottom corner of door gouged my lower left leg and peeled back a significant chunk of tissue.
Structure at 6,700 miles Jun 24, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11000956
Chime volume level when power lift gate is opening or closing is very low. This has resulted in the foot activated open/close being activated unintentionally and the lift gate coming down on my head, resulting in a bruise and bump from the latch. This complaint has been addressed by the dealer and Ford management.
Electrical System Jun 23, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11000858
A rodent chewed on the cables to my turbo sensor plus started chewing on my oil pan cover. I had to replace my turbo sensor cable because my check engine light was on and lose power of my turbo. Which cost me over 500.00 in repairs on a vehicle less then 6months old
Engine May 22, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10991046
Model has transmission that has no provision to override automatic transmission allowing engagement of lower gears to utilizing engine braking. This ability is essential for safe mountain driving where downhill grades, including sharp curves, go on for miles. Full dependence on wheel brakes, which will overheat, is a safety issue.
Power Train at 3,000 miles May 16, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10985939
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. While driving 20 MPH exiting a ramp the front driver side wheel separated from the vehicle. The brakes were applied, but failed to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was able to coast to a stop. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, but the cause of the failure could not be determined.
Service Brakes at 4,400 miles May 15, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10985849
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. While the contact's spouse was driving 70 MPH, the front driver side tire blew out and the vehicle crashed into a guardrail. The contact was unsure of what warning indicators were illuminated.
Air Bags at 16,296 miles Mar 31, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10969821

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Ford itself: 84 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 2 killed, 98 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 19 per 100,000 built. Every Escape model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 70k

miles, typically

Half the 1,154 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 45,000 and 97,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 64
10k–20k 50
20k–30k 71
30k–40k 64
40k–50k 74
50k–60k 106
60k–70k 128
70k–80k 132
80k–90k 112
90k–100k 81
100k–150k 237
150k + 35

Median mileage by component

ComponentReportsMedian milesVs same age
Engine88977,0001.33×
Power Train15776,0001.9×
Electrical System8139,0001.11×
Unspecified4426,987—
Fuel/Propulsion System3570,0001.89×
Wheels3444,3462.33×
Structure3140,0001.05×
Service Brakes3117,0000.52×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2017-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported earlier than same-age vehicles: service brakes (0.52×); later: power train (1.9×), fuel/propulsion system (1.89×), wheels (2.33×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆18%
SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆19%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 249
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-04-29
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 248 service bulletins, 1 other

Most often about: Electrical System, Engine, Equipment, Power Train, Structure.

  • 25H05 S1 Other
    2026-04-29 · Electrical System
  • Harvest Program 25H05 – Supplement #1 Certain 2011-2021 Model Year Vehicles Software Verification Harvest Program
  • SSM 54601 Service bulletin
    2026-02-24 · Electrical System
  • Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). Th
  • TSB 25-2570 Service bulletin
    2025-11-26 · Electrical System
  • This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to:  Display operation concerns  Navigation inoperative  Voice recognition concerns  Phone connection issues  Dropped phone connections  Applink related performance  Travel Link not present
  • SSM 54366 Service bulletin
    2025-11-12 · Power Train
  • Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in the Powertrain Control and Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) or in Section 303-14 of the Workshop Manual (WSM) has been updated to address this concern.
  • SSM 53040 Service bulletin
    2024-10-10 · Unknown Or Other
  • While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.
  • TSB 24-2165 Service bulletin
    2024-05-27 · Unknown Or Other
  • This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-2019 Escape/MKC/Flex/MKT/Taurus/Transit/Expedition/F-Super Duty, and 2018-2019 EcoSport vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience various SYNC performance relat
  • SSM 52476 Service bulletin
    2024-04-24 · Equipment
  • All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during initial delivery. Unlike the integrated (wired) factory keypad, the accessory keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool.
  • SSM 52335 Service bulletin
    2024-03-06 · Engine And Engine Cooling
  • For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an engine oil leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 for oil leak inspection and testing methods. Ford has evaluated turbochargers replaced for oil leak symptoms and although oil may collect on the external surface of a turbocharger, it is extremely rare for a turbocharger assembly to b

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
P0316
P0316 on Ford →		Misfire in the first seconds after start-up.Engine17 bulletins · 28 owner reports
P0302
P0302 on Ford →		Cylinder 2 is misfiring.Engine · Ignition coils →4 bulletins · 40 owner reports
P0300
P0300 on Ford →		Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.Engine · Ignition coils →15 bulletins · 17 owner reports
P0303
P0303 on Ford →		Cylinder 3 is misfiring.Engine · Ignition coils →4 bulletins · 25 owner reports
P0301
P0301 on Ford →		Cylinder 1 is misfiring.Engine · Ignition coils →4 bulletins · 19 owner reports
P1299
P1299 on Ford →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine15 bulletins · 8 owner reports
P0217
P0217 on Ford →		The engine has run hotter than its permitted limit.Engine15 bulletins · 7 owner reports
P0304
P0304 on Ford →		Cylinder 4 is misfiring.Engine · Ignition coils →4 bulletins · 17 owner reports
P1285
P1285 on Ford →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine12 bulletins · 8 owner reports
P0012
P0012 on Ford →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine6 bulletins · 3 owner reports
P0014
P0014 on Ford →		The second camshaft on bank 1 is timed further advanced than commanded.Power Train6 bulletins · 2 owner reports
P051B
P051B on Ford →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →5 bulletins · 3 owner reports

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2017 Ford Escape failed the emissions check on 2.4% of first inspections — lower than the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.6% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%).

New York inspections 2.4%

failed emissions

10,994 initial inspections of 10,735 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2017 EscapeEvery 2017 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check2.4%3.7%10,982
Failed the safety inspection2.6%2.1%10,994
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.08%0.25%10,994
Miles driven a year9,98110,048odometer at inspection
Average odometer92,50393,238odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2017 vehicle” is every 2017 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Escape by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2026 C 3 4 40 mpg2025 F 10 31 40 mpg2024 F 10 88 39 mpg2023 F 13 138 40 mpg2022 F 21 384 41 mpg2021 F 21 497 41 mpg2020 F 25 1,905 41 mpg2019 C 3 596 26 mpg2018 D 4 1,821 26 mpg2017 this page C 4 2,701 26 mpg2016 D 4 1,167 26 mpg

Common questions about the 2017 Escape

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2017 Ford Escape have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2017 Ford Escape, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 26V011000, covering Equipment. 2 of them were filed with no repair available at the time — NHTSA's file records what the manufacturer had in hand on the filing date, not what exists today. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2017 Ford Escape?

NHTSA gave the 2017 Ford Escape 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it C (70/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Ford Escape?

Across the 6 EPA-rated configurations of the 2017 Ford Escape, the best EPA combined figure is 26 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2017 Ford Escape?

Transport Canada measured it at 178.7 in long, 72.4 in wide (body, without mirrors), 66.1 in tall, on a 105.9 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,552–3,677 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2017 Ford Escape?

Owners have filed 2701 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Ford Escape, most often about engine, power train, electrical system. Of those, 39 involved a crash, 15 a fire, 56 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2017 Ford Escape?

The EPA smog rating for the 2017 Ford Escape runs 6 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70, LEV-III ULEV125, LEV-III ULEV70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2017 Ford Escape?

The manufacturer has filed 249 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2017 Ford Escape, most often covering electrical system, engine, equipment. The most recent is dated 2026-04-29. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2017 Ford Escape do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2017 Ford Escape failed the emissions check on 2.4% of first inspections — lower than the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.6% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations6 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates6 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls4NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints2701NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings2 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins249NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA11 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2026 Escape The Escape model year with the cleanest record on file — grade C, 3 recalls.Recalls Every Ford recall on file All campaigns filed against Ford vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this Escape by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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