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
Engine, Power train, Jun 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power train warning light illuminated. The contact stated while driving, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed there was coolant intrusion in the engine, and the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not under recall or warranty for the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 113,148.
Engine, Jun 16, 2024
My 2018 ford escape began running strangely intermittently. No warning lights and it would only last less than a minute Some time later, it started slow starting on cold starts. No warning lights Eventually the engine light came on. Diagnosed with a misfire in cylinder 2. Had all 4 spark plugs and two coils replaced The engine light came back on and the car was routinely starting slow. About 2 days later the overheating warning came on and the coolant was low
Engine, Jun 15, 2024
My 2018 ford sel 1.5 ecoboost constantly looses coolant. No leaks of coolant seen anywhere. And a smell of coolant is now coming from the rear of car. I also had a cylinder 3 misfire.
Engine, Jun 14, 2024
Coolant leak into engine.
Engine, Jun 13, 2024
The engine design used for my car and multiple other makes of Ford have a common problem of leaking coolant into the engine cylinder. After having it diagnosed at the Ford dealership, I was told that I would need a completely new engine because there is no fix and there is no recall for my specific vehicle, but funnily enough, for similar ones with the same issue. I was told that because it was made at X factory instead of Y factory, mine wasn’t included in the recall issued. If it’s an engine design flaw why does it matter what factory it was built in? Anyways, I’m glad I now know my engine is unusable because I had no engine light warning. I just started it one morning and noticed that it was blowing white smoke out of the exhaust and I had no coolant when I looked at the engine. I’m sure driving a vehicle without any knowledge it was out of coolant or had a crack in the cylinder is a massive safety issue not only to myself but to others on the road with me.
Engine, Jun 13, 2024
This is an update to complaint 11594178 regarding the coolant intrusion issue for cylinder 3 in 2018 1.5l Ecoboost. Customer Relations Case number: cxh02238478. Consumer to dealership who recommended speaking to customer relations regarding the engine replacement due to the coolant in the cylinders. Consumer spoke to customer relations at manufacturer who reported that consumers VIN does not have a customer satisfaction program. Consumer directed customer relations to the Ford Pass/recall/CSP webpage which lists CSP program. Customer relations reported that vehicle is out of the mileage and the date for that program, and consumer requested information on how to appeal, as vehicle is within the years span of the CSP, and consumer did not receive notice of this being a known issue until after the safety concern of vehicle losing power and overheating and shaking while driving. Manufacturing customer relations reported that NHTSA controls when CSPs are allowed or called for, even though manufacturers determine the length of time and if the program will be conducted. Manufacturers customer relations also reported the notice of the CSP would have been sent from NHTSA, not the manufacturer, after consumer reiterated that no such notice was received for the time frame allotted for this to be addressed. Manufacturers directed consumer to file a complaint with NHTSA and to ask NHTSA about manufacturers CSP and it's requirements. Customer relations reported that there is no allotted CSP or support for consumer regarding long block replacement, as the CSP is also specific to the short block, but due to the nature of the issue and the damage caused by the engine design, the dealership service center is recommending a motor replacement. Manufacturers customer team reported no other follow up can be completed to address the safety concern or assist in fixing the vehicle, but reported many other consumers were experiencing the same issue, and to call back if there are updates.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Jun 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the spark plugs were replaced; however, the check engine warning light returned on the drive back to the residence from the mechanic. After the check engine warning light appeared, the vehicle began to hesitate upon the depression of the accelerator pedal while driving at 35 MPH. Despite the failure, the contact managed to drive the vehicle to the destination. The contact attempted to drive the vehicle back to the independent mechanic the next day, and the vehicle began to overheat as the "High Engine Temperature Stop Safely" message appeared on the instrument panel while driving at 25 MPH. After multiple attempts to restart the vehicle, the failure persisted. The next day, the contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with a crack in the cylinder head. The crack resulted in an internal coolant leak which damaged the engine. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle remained in the dealer's possession and had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
Engine, Jun 12, 2024
I got in my car on June 2, 2024, the car was misfiring really bad. I took it to a mechanic on June 3, 2024 to get oil changed and checked to see why it was misfiring and the check engine light. They told me that I had cylinder 2 misfire and misfire on start up. They stated that I need a new head gasket. I then took to the ford dealer and they stated the same codes were reported and I needed a brand new engine. The dealership did inform me that there was a 1 time replacement on a part at a certain mileage or until June 2022. I never received this notice to get it replaced.
Engine, Jun 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly lost motive power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with a misfire in cylinder #4. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, no assistance was provided because the vehicle was no longer under Warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Engine, Jun 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and would not accelerate above 3 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant was leaking into the engine and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 97,000.
Engine, Jun 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated while starting. In addition, the contact stated the vehicle would occasionally remain idling. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the exhaust pipes began to blow an abnormal amount of smoke after being driven the following day. The vehicle was scanned with an OBD scanner where it was diagnosed that there was a misfire in cylinder #4. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that there was a coolant intrusion present in cylinder #4. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was vibrating and driving rough. The contact pulled off the roadway and drove to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was a coolant intrusion in cylinder #2. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to a dealer who confirmed coolant intrusion into cylinder #2. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to TSB Number: 19-2139 - Coolant Intrusion Into the Cylinders (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
Engine, Jun 12, 2024
Engine light on for a leak in the coolant, that is seeping into the engine. Ford is aware of this manufacturing defect and refuses to replace the engine. This is a very common issue that ford is very well aware of as my local ford service garage advised me.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to drive in LIMP Mode with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant was leaking into the eco boost and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 119,107.
Engine, Jun 11, 2024
The engine has a cylinder misfire and leaks coolant (the engine was destroyed - manufacturer error).
Engine, Jun 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on several occasions when the vehicle was started, the engine misfired and was running rough. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,245.
Engine, Jun 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the transmission and alternator had been replaced in the past. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where it was diagnosed that the coolant level was low, the cylinder temperature was too high, cylinder #2 had misfired, and the spark plugs had seized. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 129,000.
Engine, Jun 10, 2024
Coolant intrusion lead to broken head gasket. Ford CSP 19B37 and 21N12 expired Nov 2022 and Ford will not cover cost of repairs even though this was a known issue from June 2022 and last service at Ford dealership was July 2023.
Engine, Jun 8, 2024
My 2018 Ford Escape needs a completely new engine at 84,495 miles due to coolant leaking into the engine. $9100 to fix an issue Ford is aware of is unacceptable. Ford extended the warranty to 84,000/7yrs. This should be a recall and not simply an extended warranty.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware of a misfire failure with the vehicle. The contact stated that the temperature gauge became extremely elevated, and the Engine Overheating warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the spark plugs were replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for the second time and the spark plugs were replaced again; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated, and the engine misfire persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related to the failure with the Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion). However, the vehicle was not included in the program. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Engine, Jun 7, 2024
Coolant leaking into 3rd cylinder causing engine failure.
Engine, Jun 6, 2024
My 2018 Ford Escape with only about 70000 miles needs a complete engine replacement. The reason is there a crack in the cylinder which is leaking coolant into the engine. Because of that I need my entire engine replaced at a cost of $6,800.00. This car has been very well maintained. I have always followed the vehicle maintenance recommendations.
Engine, Jun 6, 2024
Head Gasket appears to have failed prematurely allowing coolant liquid to enter cylinder and degrade internal components of engine, causing misfiring and engine overheating and failure messages. Conditions have been confirmed by private independent mechanic. have appointment to have dealer evaluate issue.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine temperature gauge became extremely elevated. The check engine and high engine temperature warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jun 4, 2024
Coolant leaking into engine. Not dead yet but not drivable since it will cause more damage to the engine. Luckily caught it before engine went out on the highway, overheating occurred, or fire occurred. This was confirmed by a dealership after they did an engine diagnostic, although a month ago when I brought it in for an oil change they noticed my coolant was low and said they would look into it, they didn’t. Only the ford dealership mechanics have inspected this as of yesterday. An engine warning light came on the day I took it in (yesterday). - was told by my dealership that entire engine needs to be replaced.