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: engine
1,426 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Engine, Aug 19, 2025
Blown head gasket which is causing coolant to leak into the cylinders. Check engine light came on at 72,000 miles (leased the car at 71,000) with coolant loss. The problem was diagnosed by an independent service center on 8/19/25, 3 weeks after leasing to buy.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle experienced harsh driving and hesitation while accelerating. The vehicle was also consuming an excessive amount of coolant. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 146,000.
Engine, Aug 17, 2025
[XXX] Ford Escape panel flashed red with warnings about overheating. Could not drive vehicle. Vehicle towed to nearest Ford dealership. After inspection, advised that coolant intrusion into Cylinder 2 caused engine to overheat and was not repairable. Replacement cost ranges from $8,000-11,000. Contacted Ford Corporate since class action suit involved this exact problem. Ford Corp said that they could not assist with repair even though this make and model was included in a class action suit of which we knew nothing. There is a loan on the vehicle that cannot be sold except to a salvage company. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lost motive power with white smoke coming from the exhaust. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road, turned off, and restarted the vehicle after approximately 30 minutes. The contact stated that there was still white smoke coming from the exhaust, and the vehicle was driving in LIMP Mode. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 94,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust, and the vehicle surged forward unexpectedly. The check engine warning light remained illuminated. The contact stated that upon inspection, the coolant level in the coolant reservoir was low. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine was faulty due to coolant intrusion and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light displayed, and the vehicle was taken to the local Auto Zone who diagnosed a cylinder misfire. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was coolant inside the cylinders, causing the spark plug to fuse inside the cylinder, and the spark plug could not be removed. The contact was later advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 88,418.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was losing coolant. The contact related the issue to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for an oil change, and it was diagnosed that the coolant was bubbling and entering the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who confirmed there was no recall coverage on the VIN, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 67,500.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 13, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the vehicle was cold-started, the vehicle was idling roughly and vibrated abnormally before the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed by the mechanic that the failure was a known failure. The contact called the manufacturer and was informed that there was a TSB, but the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Engine, Aug 13, 2025
Due to a lack of power I took my car to my mechanic for diagnosis. After performing compression checks he found that 3 of the 4 cylinders had low compression. Additionally the coolant level was found to be low. A check of the Ford web site showed that TSB #22-2229 was issued and indicated that coolant was leaking into the block. The Ford remedy was to replace the short block assembly. This repair would cost approximately $6 - 7000. No re-call was ever issued for this problem.
Engine, Aug 12, 2025
The engine design allows premature failure of the head gasket and allows coolant to leak into the cylinders. This is a known issue and I just had it happen to my car.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle hesitated, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that there was a misfire in cylinder #2 due to coolant intrusion. The contact was informed that the bottom of the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 75,600.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 12, 2025
Engine failure. No engine lights are on and vehicle is driving fine, but engine block could crack due to coolant intrusion problem. Coolant intrusion is a defect in the motor well know to Ford and mechanics.Ford customer satisfaction program:21N12 and 19B37.TSB tech. serv. bulleting 22-2134 and 19-2375. Problem has been confirmed by private mechanic shop and Ford dealer. No warning lights, no messages, no symptoms. Problem appeared scheduled maintenance & multipoint inspection.
Engine, Aug 12, 2025
Coolant leak into Cylinder 1 causing engine to overheat. Have to keep putting coolant in to drive it. Brought it to Park City Ford for evaluation. They confirmed it is coolant leaking into Cylinder 1. Engine replacement necessary to resolve issue. Called Ford customer service several times. Because it is over 60,000 miles its out of warranty and nothing can be done for me.
Engine, Aug 11, 2025
Coolant leak into the engine
Engine, Aug 11, 2025
Check engine light came on, Ford Dealership told me I need to have the engine replaced at my cost $10,000 I am the second owner and it only has 45,000 miles Please help!
Power train, Engine, Aug 9, 2025
Coolant intrusion . Coolant leak caused the vehicle to overheat and thus making it unable to drive . Had to tow to a repair facility and they confirmed that it’s a coolant intrusion, a common issue with Ford Escape .Engine warning light came up and there were mis fires in engine. In a week , got an engine overheat warning in the morning when I started the car .
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the engine was slow to turn over, and after restarting the vehicle, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that coolant was leaking into the engine, but there were no warning lights illuminated. The contact related the failure to the Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who confirmed the coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and verified the failure. However, it was determined that there was no warranty or recall coverage for the failure. The vehicle remained unrepaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that a manager would respond soon. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the steering wheel was shaking abnormally. The check engine warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine and the cylinders, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to the Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion); however, the VIN was not included in the program. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and agreed to pay a portion of the cost for the repair. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.
Engine, Aug 8, 2025
Car in shop for the 4th engine. First was coolant going into the oil-cracked block. 2nd was cracked cylinder wall- coolant leaking in to cylinder 4 now coolant leaking into the cylinder again. They can't find the leak but can see the inside there is coolant. All have been covered under warranty for now. And taken to Ford dealerships. But there has to be an issue, why it keeps happening. The service light only went on for the second engine. It was labeled as a misfire, and i had reduced engine power. So i went straight in knowing I had just gotten it replaced 3 months prior. Car bought- 40k miles 11/2021. taken in 3/2022, 6/2022 for coolant intrusion. taken in 11/2023 for thick white smoke. They told me it was just condensation. taken in 8/2025 for persistent thick white smoke, and oil/coolant build up on turbo case. Dealership is ordering a 'long block' vs the short block its been replaced with.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where failure persisted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined there was coolant intrusion into various cylinders, resulting in damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 82,000.
Engine, Aug 6, 2025
There is a known ford problem with the engine in 2018 Ford escape manufactured in Louisville from 11-16-17 / 4-8-2019. And the final assembly plant was in Louisville . I spoke with Ford today my vin should have been covered under 21n12 and 19b37. A rep at Ford, Tim, told me to contact you because my vin was missed on this recall. This is the 2nd engine it has needed. I just purchased this car in Oct of 2024 . The car is in the Ford dealer for the same exact thing in Aug 2025. The engine needs to be replaced . There is a problem with the block due to coolant intrusion. The blocks were built poorly causing this problem. There is also a TSB issued for this problem. The cost of this repair will not be covered by Ford and it should. My vin was not included in recall, and this came from a Ford rep in customer relations. Ford is well aware of these problems and are doing nothing about this problem. Something should be done before more people experience this problem.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Engine, Aug 5, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and occupied, while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that after twenty-five minutes of turning off and restarting the vehicle several times, the vehicle operated as intended. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and transferred the contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 89,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 5, 2025
The contact called on behalf of the owner of the 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was diagnosed that a warp cylinder block had failed, and the dealer became aware of coolant intrusion into the cylinder, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 84,000.
Engine, Aug 3, 2025
Coolant leak into the cylinder requiring a complete new engine.
Engine, Jul 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the vehicle started to hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was flashing. The contact stated that upon scanning the vehicle with a vehicle scanner, the contact retrieved diagnostic trouble codes that indicated a misfire in engine cylinder #2. The vehicle was initially towed to an independent mechanic, who referred the contact to the dealer. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact related the failure to the Ford Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12; however, both the dealer and the manufacturer informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a vehicle safety complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 131,000.