I recently bought a 2017 Ford Escape for my son to learn to drive, but after the purchase, I found out about the infamous coolant intrusion issue. I regret buying it now.
I replaced the plugs, and they didn’t seem to have any coolant on them. However, the car produces white smoke on cold starts for about 10 seconds before clearing up. It runs fine, no CEL, no misfires, but I noticed the coolant level dropped slightly after a couple of weeks of driving (less than 1/4 inch).
My question: How long can I keep refilling the coolant if it’s just a small amount? Will the car last like this?
Flynn said:
The plugs look fine—no obvious coolant. Check for external leaks. Coolant level also fluctuates depending on whether you check it cold or warm.
Good point—I’ll inspect for leaks. My concern is the white smoke during cold starts, though. Wouldn’t that indicate burning coolant?
@Sal
White smoke could just be normal steam on a cold engine. If it’s thin and dissipates quickly, it’s fine. Burning coolant produces thicker smoke that lingers like a cloud.
Mine lasted about a year after I first noticed coolant loss. If one plug looks especially clean or white, that’s a sign of steam cleaning from coolant intrusion. Good luck!
If it’s burning coolant, you’ll eventually have trouble removing one of the plugs. It’s worth checking the water pump or seals—it’s not always coolant intrusion.
Hollis said:
How old are the plugs? Also, has the transmission fluid or PTU fluid been changed? How does the engine oil look?
I think the plugs are original—it had 98k miles when I bought it. Planning to do a transmission fluid change soon. The oil was sludgy, but an oil flush cleaned it up.
