2018 Ford Escape
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 1,795 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 26 Escape model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 25 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 30 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Equipment, electrical, engine block heaterJan 15, 2026
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.
An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
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. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.
Campaign 26V011000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, gear position indication (prndl)Jun 10, 2022
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 22V413000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsFeb 12, 2018
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape and Lincoln MKC vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with incorrect front brake hoses that may chafe against other components, possibly resulting in a brake fluid leak.
A brake fluid leak may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake hoses, replacing any that are incorrect, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S04.
Campaign 18V104000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, side/windowDec 18, 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.
If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S44.
Campaign 17V803000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
54 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Jul 23, 2024
This is the third time my lift-gate ( back hatch ) has started working intermittently. I assume the latch is an electromagnet. It is very unsafe as it does not always latch tight and there is no emergency release. Century Ford replaced the first latch on 3/11/21, R.O.342961. It was also worked on 9/15/21. the current incident started on or about 5/20/24
Electrical system, Jun 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, she became aware of a failure with the software on the radio. The contact stated that while trying to connect the phone to the radio, the calls kept dropping, or she could not hear the other person over the radio, as intended. The contact stated the failure was dangerous since she had to maneuver the radio and the connection while driving, which w distracting to her while driving. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was repaired over a year ago; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the same local dealer, and it was diagnosed that the EPAM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that while researching online, she became aware of an unknown recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. However, the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
Electrical system, Engine, Apr 22, 2024
My Ford Escape 1.5L EcoBoost Engine overheated. A Ford service mechanic confirmed the Escape has a defect that causes coolant to leak into the engine’s cylinders, which can cause corrosion, oil dilution and contamination, and engine failure; and these defects create a safety risk, because the lack of coolant created by the leaks causes overheating. The ford service mechanic confirmed my cylinder head was cracked and will lead to total engine failure, and/or engine fires.
Electrical system, Back over prevention, Jan 6, 2024
Subject: Complaint Regarding Electrical Malfunction in 2018 Ford Escape To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to report a concerning electrical malfunction that occurred in my 2018 Ford Escape, resulting in a critical safety issue. At 55,000 miles, the Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) failed, subsequently causing the touch screen, navigation system, voice command functionality, and hands-free communication features to cease operation. Additionally, this failure disabled the phone charging capabilities, posing a safety concern due to the loss of essential functionalities. The malfunction of the APIM at such a relatively low mileage directly impacted the navigation system, voice commands, and the hands-free communication system, rendering them non-functional. As a consequence, this electrical issue posed safety risks, particularly concerning the failure of the navigation system and voice commands, which are crucial for safe driving practices. The incident occurred, and subsequent repair cost of $1,163.72, were serviced at SERRA Ford dealership in Farmington Hills, MI. The nature of this electrical failure not only incurred financial costs but also posed potential safety hazards, especially with the impairment of critical functionalities like the rear-view camera, navigation, and hands-free communication. I urge the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to investigate this matter promptly, as it not only caused inconvenience and financial burden but also compromised the safety features of the vehicle. This complaint aims to highlight the serious implications of electrical failures in Ford Escape vehicles, emphasizing the potential risks it poses to drivers, passengers, and others on the road. Please consider this complaint as a formal report to address and rectify these safety concerns, preventing similar incidents in other vehicles. Your attention to this matter is highly appreciated.
Electrical system, Engine, Oct 13, 2023
I was pulling out of a parking lot when going up a hill my car no longer would shift gears. There was a car coming up fast on me and I barely made it over the hill. I allowed the car to roll into the next parking lot to get out of traffic. No warning lights came on. I turned the car off to see if it was a computer problem. The car would not start up. I used a jump box to restart the battery. When the car was back on I attempted to drive in the empty lot and the car would not shift gears. The car is an automatic and I tried to do manual shift if sport mode and it would not function. I was in a different state with my sister and we were stranded. I had to call my husband to tow my car home because it would be months to get parts for the repair shop in the other state. I had it evaluated at Ford and they said it was the transmission. It took 7 months to get parts and to get it fixed. Now the radiator is leaking and the car no longer runs. I spent $8000 on repairs and I can’t even drive it. Now my dad’s escape that is a different year and body style has to have its transmission repaired too.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Sep 11, 2023
Was driving when engine light came on, then warning that engine was to hot. My car then began to slow down and I pulled over and allowed to cool for a while. Finally able to drive but each time I would drive it happened. Took to a independent contractor and was told my coolant was leaking into engine and it needed to be replaced
Electrical system, Aug 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the auto Start/Stop feature was no longer operable. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Aug 13, 2023
After having the 2018 Ford Escape for three weeks, the entire APIM system went down. I was not able to charge anything, use the radio, or the touchscreen for all of the functions in the dash. It goes in and out constantly, often does not turn on at all, the touchscreen lags, the radio takes up to a minute or longer to change a channel once a button is pressed. The only thing that is in tact is the rear camera. The 2016-2017 APIMs have been recalled, and this one should as well. Other than the rear camera and now being able to charge a phone, I cannot use the touchscreen at all and do not use the radio because I cannot see what channel it is on.
Electrical system, May 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his wife was driving approximately 35 MPH, she observed the blind spot detection system had started flashing on both sides off and on. Additionally, the radio was inoperable. The contact stated that the radio functionality returned with the sound blaring. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but had become a recurring failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 64,661.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Mar 2, 2023, crash
Another driver ran stop sign and hit middle of car, mostly the left door behind drivers seat. The back and passager airbags released but the driver side airbag didn't fully release. I didn't know at the time that this was weird and was actually relieved it didn't. Since then, my son's dad drove my suv and told me that the front windshield may not have been bonded correctly, he has to put additional force on the breaks and the engine makes random noises whenever it does, it looses power and he has to put the pedal to the metal. He says since my suv only has 18,000 miles, it shouldn't be doing these things. It also burns through coolant. I don't know if any other fords have issues likes this too.
Electrical system, Traction control system, Feb 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the hill start assist message was displayed. Additionally, the traction control warning light was illuminated, and the instrument panel was blank. The contact stated that the vehicle temporarily lost motive power however, the vehicle regained normal function minutes later. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the contact was unsure of what repairs were performed on the vehicle. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Steering, Electrical system, Visibility/wiper, Feb 15, 2023
I bought the vehicle in July of 2019 with approximately 20,000 mi on it. I have never touched or adjusted the steering wheel, and I'm the only one to drive the vehicle. My daughter has gotten her temps and I allowed her to drive the vehicle last night. She adjusted the steering column as she is a bit shorter than I am. When I got back into the driver seat, and move the steering wheel back into the position that I keep it in, and then proceeded to turn out of the driveway And it felt as if all the tires were flat and it was very hard to steer. I assume I lost my power steering abilities. Also the windshield wipers started going off and the washer fluid just started flying out onto the windshield and would not stop. I immediately put the car into park and turn the vehicle off. I turned on the car, proceeded to make the turn again, and the car did the same thing. The only thing I could think of was possibly something got pinched inside the steering column with the wiring harness because that is the only thing that changed between her and I driving. When I started the car up this morning and went to turn out of the driveway it did the same thing. I loosened up the lock on the steering wheel and I moved it up and down and relocked it, and got to my destination without any more issue, but concerned there is something going on with the wiring harness now.
Electrical system, Aug 16, 2022
The SYNC system is failing causing no GPS, no phone connections, no radio, rear camera problems and other electronic issues. This is apparently a well known part (APIM) problem.
Electrical system, Jul 29, 2022
The component or system would be the APIM malfunction; radio, GPS, volume on radio and Bluetooth all failed. My dashboard flitters and also goes blank/black. Yes, it is available for inspection. I don't know if anyone's safety was at risk because I don't know what is going on. I am taking it to the dealer again. The vehicle hasn't been inspected yet. There was no warning, it just went out.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jun 8, 2022
Hello, I am submitting a formal complaint on my 2018 Ford Escape. History: It is a Lease Plan vehicle that was assigned to me with 11,000 miles on it in 2018 It has a been maintained per the manufacturer schedule through the Lease Plan App Purchased the vehicle in May 2021 thru my companies purchase program, I have only had the car for 9 months and it is now inoperable It is a primary vehicle for work for a family member Situation Error alert appeared on the console for engine Took the car to Firestone initially as they had done all the maintenance work previously They were unable to look at the car and gave me a time of 5-7 days Took it to Tires Plus, they said they could look at it the next day which was a Sunday I had not heard back from anyone at Tires Plus, so I called, they recording indicated that they were closed. I drove up there and Mathew the Manager said that the mechanics had not shown up for work, it was Mother’s Day. Received call that the car needed 1 coil and spark plugs approved the work The told me to come pick up car, they were still working on it when I arrived and I stood around for 45 minutes waiting When the technician test drove the vehicle it started backfiring again, Diagnosis was a cracked spark plug and another coil. Waited another day for it to be completed Picked up the car to drove fine for two days then more engine error codes, overheating codes and the car went into “Limp Mode” The technicians allowed me to drive the vehicle and did not dive deeper into the codes to determine the root cause of why the car was showing all these engine codes Not until I brought it back 2-3 days later and explained that there was white smoke coming out of the tailpipes that the technician said these Ecoboost engines have a known issue with the computer dumping coolant into the cylinders. This cause the head gasket to blow. When I called Ford, they said there was not a recall for this VIN number even though the error codes and
Electrical system, Sep 14, 2021
While on the interstate, engine suddenly cut out. I was coasting and nothing else on the highway during rush hour. I got an alert the "auto start/ stop shift to park, then restart the engine" I pulled over and the engine would not restart.
Electrical system, Engine, Mar 3, 2021
COOLENT LEAKAGE INTO ENGINE BLOCK.
Electrical system, Feb 9, 2021
THE SYNC SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE APIM MODULE. THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE DRIVEN FOR QUITE SOME TIME (UNTIL IT WARMS UP?) WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON THE SYNC SYSTEM MIGHT START WORKING.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Sep 1, 2020
RECURRENT PROBLEMS WITH COOLANT LEAKING. ENGINE REPLACED ONCE, NOW LEAKING AGAIN. RECURRENT PROBLEMS WITH THE SPARK PLUGS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, CAR SHAKES WHEN DRIVING, UNABLE TO DRIVE WITH AIR-CONDITIONING ON
Electrical system, Aug 11, 2020
DIFFICULTY STARTING. STATIONARY
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Jun 28, 2020
2018 FORD ESCAPE SE ACQUIRED ON 09/2018. AT 17000 MILES, IN 08/2019, AND DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, VEHICLE STARTED TO DISPLAY THE FOLLOWING MESSAGES: "HILL START ASSIST WARNING" "POWERTRAIN MALFUNCTION/REDUCED POWER" "MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP - REGULATORY" "ANTILOCK BRAKE FAULT" "RESTRAINTS INDICATOR LAMP WARNING" "ENGINE FAULT - SERVICE NOW". PULLED OVER, SHUT DOWN VEHICLE, RESTARTED VEHICLE AND CONTINUED DRIVING. ABOUT 10 MILES LATER, ALL DASHBOARD INDICATOR LIGHTS TURNED ON AND COMPLETE LOSS OF ALL INSTRUMENTS (TACHOMETER, SPEEDOMETER, TEMPERATURE, MILEAGE, ETC.) AND A/C. BROUGHT IT INTO DEALERSHIP TWO DAYS LATER (EARLIEST AVAILABLE TIME) AND THEY CLAIMED IT WAS THE RESULT OF A BAD BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) AND REPLACED IT UNDER WARRANTY. TWO AND HALF WEEKS LATER, VEHICLE DID THE SAME THING WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. BROUGHT IT INTO SAME DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A BAD ABS MODULE AND THAT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. IN 06/2020, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE EXHIBIT THE SAME BEHAVIOR AS THE PREVIOUS TWO TIMES. SHUT DOWN VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND IT WOULD NOT RESTART. AFTER 45 MINUTES VEHICLE RESTARTED AND TOOK IT TO NEAREST DEALERSHIP. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THERE WERE ERROR/FAULT CODES, CLEARED THEM AND TEST DROVE FROM IT FOR 20 MILES AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. CURRENTLY WAITING ON FORD CORPORATE TO GET VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP THAT CAN RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Nov 26, 2019
THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN MAR/APR 2019 WITH 3000 MI. THE VEHICLE HAD ALL REGULAR MAINTENANCE CHECKS PRIOR TO THE 11/11/19 INCIDENT. THERE WERE NO VEHICLE ALERTS REGARDING COOLANT OR ENGINE OVERHEATING PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. AT 17349MI, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AFTER A 35MIN DRIVE ON THE TOLLWAY. THE VEHICLE HAD ONE COOLANT/HOT ENGINE WARNING AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 2.5HRS IN SUB-ZERO WEATHER. I TURNED OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN 5 MIN LATER. THIS TIME THE ENGINE SHUT ITSELF OFF IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE KEY TURN.THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE "LOCKED UP" AND IS AT THE DEALERSHIP AWAITING REPAIR. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS REPAIR COULD TAKE 4-6 WEEKS BECAUSE ENGINES ARE ON BACK ORDER AND GENERALLY TAKE UP TO TWO WEEKS TO INSTALL. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO STATES THAT THERE WAS NO WAY THAT THIS REPAIR WOULD HAVE BEEN FOUND IN PREVIOUS MAINTENANCE CHECKS.
Electrical system, Jul 31, 2019
2018 FORD ESCAPE TITANIUM PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED 2 TIMES WITHIN ONE MONTH. BOTH TIMES FORD DEALERSHIP STATED THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM.WHEN TRYING TO START CAR. THERE IS NO POWER WHATS SO EVER. ONCE IN MY DRIVEWAY AND 2ND TIME AT A RESTAURANT. CAR WAS STATIONARY BOTH TIMES. TRIED JUMPING CAR BUT NO LUCK. CALLED ROADSIDE ASSIST TO TAKE TO FORD DEALERSHIP. THIS TO ME IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS OTHER PEOPLE'S COMPLAINTS INDICATE LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING AND HAVING NO CONTROL OVER CAR. I'VE OWNED THE CAR 4 MONTHS. THE FIRST INCIDENT INCLUDED NO POWER BUT ALSO THE STOP/START FEATURE WOULD FAIL TO RESTART THE MOTOR AFTER BEING STOPPING FOR A STOP SIGN OR A RED LIGHT. THIS HAPPENED AT LEAST 35 TIMES WITHIN 4 MONTHS...SECONDLY THE REAR HATCH WOULD NOT LOCK PROPERLY AND THE USB PORTS WOULD NOT CHARGE MY IPHONE. THE DEALER INDICATED THE BATTERY SHOWED A FAILURE AND REPLACED BATTERY, BUT STOP/START FEATURE CONTINUES TO FAIL. THIS VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY.
Steering, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jun 16, 2019
2018 ESCAPE PURCHASED MARCH 2018. APRIL 2018 AFTER DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WHILE DECELERATING DOWN OFF RAMP THE FOLLOWING WARNING MESSAGES BEGAN FLASHING: HILL START ASSIST UNAVAILABLE, STEERING ASSIST NOT OPERATIONAL, AND 911 ASSIST NOT OPERATIONAL. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL DEALER WAS ABLE TO GET VEHICLE INTO SERVICE SCHEDULE. DURING MALFUNCTION VEHICLE WOULD BECOME HARD TO TURN. REPAIR ORDER OPENED 4-26-18 DURING DIAGNOSTIC 28 CODES WERE FOUND IN MEMORY. BCM REPLACED VEHICLE RETURNED ON 05-03-18. AUGUST 2018 SAME PROBLEMS STARTED AGAIN, IN ADDITION TO SEATBELT MINDER LIGHT ILLUMINATING WHILE ALL PASSENGERS WERE BUCKLED, AND AIRBAG LIGHT. VOICE COMMAND SYSTEM SPOKE PROCEED TO DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE IMMEDIATELY. REPAIR ORDER OPENED 2ND TIME 08-29-18. DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT UNABLE TO REPAIR VEHICLE IN TIMELY MANNER THROUGH SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. COMPLAINT TO FORD HEADQUARTERS CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT OPENED ON 10-18-18 AS VEHICLE WAS STILL NOT FULLY REPAIRED AT THAT TIME. VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME LATE OCTOBER, DEALER HAD VEHICLE IN SERVICE DEPARTMENT NEARLY 3 MONTHS. MULTIPLE POWER MODULES REPLACED, WIRE HARNESS REMOVED FROM VEHICLE AND MULTIPLE WIRE CAPS REPAIRED/REPLACED. JUNE 2019 SAME EXACT PROBLEMS STARTED AGAIN, SAME WARNING CODES AND LIGHTS AS THE FIRST FEW TIMES ONLY NOW THEY HAPPEN AT RANDOM. VEHICLE MILEAGE JUST OVER 13,000. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME IN 14 MONTHS THAT THE SAME ELECTRICAL ISSUES HAVE OCCURRED. CURRENTLY AWAITING SERVICE APPOINTMENT AT THIS TIME.
Electrical system, Apr 22, 2019
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK THIS MORNING AND A STRONG SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC/RUBBER FILLED THE CABIN. I DID MAKE IT TO WORK AND HAD SEVERAL COWORKERS SIT IN THE VEHICLE TO MAKE SURE I WAS NOT IMAGING AN ODOR. ALSO LIFTED THE HOOD TO CHECK ENGINE FOR ANY MELTING HOSES ETC AND DID NOT SEE ANYTHING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN THAT MORNING, THE SERVICE MANAGER AND TECHNICIAN DID A CHECK AND DID NOT NOTICE A SMELL AND TOLD ME THAT THE SMELL WAS THE LEATHER SEAT COVERS THAT I INSTALLED... I INSTALLED THE FAKE LEATHER SEAT COVERS OVER TWO MONTHS AGO. I DO KNOW WHAT BURNT RUBBER VS PLEATHER SMELL LIKE. SERVICE PERSON KEPT ASKING IF I HAD LEFT A PHONE PLUGGED INTO THE VEHICLE, AFTER HE ASKED ME THAT I ASKED HIM HAD THERE BEEN OVERHEATING CONCERNS. I WAS TOLD NO, JUST SEEMS STRANGE THING TO ASK IF PHONE JACKS WERE NOT A ISSUE. SO, I AM MAKING A NOTE OF THIS ELECTRICAL ISSUE AND HOPE THAT THIS WILL NOT TURN INTO A PROBLEM.