2017 Ford Escape Misfire Codes: P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303 & P0304
A misfire code tells you that combustion was not happening normally in one or more cylinders. On a 2017 Ford Escape, the useful next question is which cylinder, which engine, and what other symptoms are present? That matters because a worn spark plug is very different from an EcoBoost engine that is also losing coolant.
What a misfire can feel like
- Rough or uneven idle.
- Shaking or hesitation under acceleration.
- Reduced power or unusually poor fuel economy.
- Hard starting or roughness shortly after startup.
- A check-engine light that may stay on or flash.
Start with the engine and the complete code list
The 2017 Escape came with a 2.5L non-turbo engine and 1.5L or 2.0L EcoBoost engines. All are four-cylinder engines, but the reliability context is not identical. Save all stored and pending codes before clearing anything.
For example, a single P0302 with old spark plugs and no coolant loss points the diagnosis in a different direction from repeated cold-start misfires on an EcoBoost Escape that is also losing coolant.
Common categories behind a misfire
Spark plug or ignition-coil problem
Worn plugs, an excessive or incorrect gap, damaged coil boots or a failing coil can cause a cylinder to misfire. Our spark-plug guide lists Ford's published plug gaps for all three engines and the normal maintenance interval.
Fuel delivery problem
An injector or fuel-delivery problem can also make one cylinder run differently from the others. A trouble code cannot tell you to replace an injector without supporting test results.
Air or vacuum problem
Unmetered air, an intake leak or another air-management problem can contribute to rough running. If an EcoBoost Escape also has a boost code such as P0299, look at the full pattern rather than treating the codes as unrelated.
Mechanical or coolant-related problem
This is the part I would not overlook on a 2017 EcoBoost Escape. Ford published service information for certain 2017-2019 1.5L and 2.0L EcoBoost Escapes that can include low coolant, white exhaust smoke, rough running and misfire codes. If coolant is disappearing without an obvious external leak, see the coolant-intrusion guide before assuming the problem is only ignition-related.
How cylinder-specific codes help
A code such as P0302 tells you that cylinder 2 is the one the computer detected misfiring. That can make comparison testing more useful. A technician can compare ignition, fuel, compression and other data between cylinders rather than replacing several parts at once.
The important idea is that the code identifies the cylinder, not the failed component.
What to record before clearing the codes
- Every stored and pending DTC.
- Freeze-frame information if your scan tool supports it.
- Whether the engine was cold or fully warm when the misfire happened.
- Whether the problem is worst at idle, during acceleration or under load.
- Coolant level and any unexplained coolant loss.
- Age and service history of the spark plugs.
- Any recent work around ignition coils, plugs, intake plumbing or cooling system.
Misfire codes and spark-plug maintenance
Ford's normal maintenance schedule lists spark-plug replacement at 100,000 miles / 160,000 km, with earlier replacement under certain severe-use schedules. Mileage alone does not diagnose a misfire, but plug age is useful context when a high-mileage Escape begins to stumble.
Misfire plus coolant loss deserves extra attention
On the 1.5L and 2.0L EcoBoost, I would take the combination of misfire + low coolant + white exhaust smoke or repeated rough cold starts more seriously than an isolated old-plug misfire. Ford's service bulletins for certain vehicles describe coolant entering cylinders as a possible cause of these symptoms.
What I would avoid
- Replacing all four coils because one cylinder logged a code.
- Assuming a new spark plug will solve an EcoBoost misfire when coolant is also disappearing.
- Clearing codes repeatedly without saving the conditions that set them.
- Continuing normal driving with a flashing check-engine light and a badly shaking engine.
Related guides
See spark plugs and gap for Ford's specifications, coolant intrusion for the EcoBoost service information, P0299 underboost for turbo-related power loss, and check-engine codes for a broader diagnostic overview.