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, Oct 29, 2023
I purchased the vehicle from a used car dealership and was the second owner. The check engine light came on. Took it to a Ford dealership, who confirmed it was coolant intrusion in the engine. Ford had put out notices on the issue, however the car was taken in for service numerous times and Ford did not take care of trying to fix the issue. This was a known problem with this engine. There could have been a serious accident from engine failure. I spoke with Ford who stated they would not fix the engine. I don't know how Ford can put a time limit or mileage limit on a design flaw which they knew about. I owned the car for all of about 15 minutes and now I have to pay for a brand new engine.
Engine, Oct 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact stated that he was able to safely drive the vehicle to his office of employment. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart. The contact stated that an independent mechanic arrived at the location to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was diagnosed with coolant leaking into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.
Engine, Oct 25, 2023
There is a known defect with this car [XXX] covers the issue. I suffered the coolant leak for my car. I was told I need a new engine and that Ford will not pay for the repairs. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Oct 24, 2023
According to my mechanic, coolant has leaked into the cylinders of the engine. This is a common problem with this particular model the dealer Ford will not repair.
Engine, Oct 24, 2023
Intermediate start ups, followed by "service engine now" light. Upon immediately taking to shop, I was informed that coolant had leaking into engine via head gasket and engine is damaged beyond repair - vehicle has less than 99,000 miles and has had regular oil changes and fluid checks.
Engine, Oct 21, 2023
Leaking coolant into 2nd cylinder. The head gasket has blown.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to overheat, prompting him to pull the shoulder of the roadway. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the coolant reservoir was empty. Upon refilling the coolant reservoir, the vehicle briefly returned to normal functionality but the failure later reoccurred. The overheating warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined coolant intrusion had damaged the engine requiring an engine replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 76,000.
Engine, Oct 17, 2023
The 1.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit a low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or may run in a rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator light (MIL) with only diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to coolant intrusion into a cylinder bore.
Engine, Oct 16, 2023
Coolant is leaking in to the combustion chamber of my 1.5lt Ecoboost engine. Causing the engine to run very rough and not start sometimes.
Engine, Oct 14, 2023
Coolant Intrusion Cylinder #2. Codes for misfire cylinder 2 as well as coolant loss for OVER 2 YEARS. At the time of both of my warranty work (as well as other extended warranty work) they did the associated computer flash to add the low coolant light, but told me that on the 1.5 eco boost motor that coolant consumption is a "normal occurrence". Which is true but that is because ITS LEAKING INTO THE MOTOR. Ford has intentionally covered up this issue and knowingly sold this motor with this defect. We qualified for the 21N12 Customer satisfaction program but the letter was sent to the old owner of the vehicle ( we purchased this from ford and registered in VT and the letter was sent to a person in Tennessee.) We are currently working with ford customer care but they have said there is little they are willing to do. My local dealership currently has 3, 1.5 eco boost in 2 for intrusion diagnosis and 1 for a new motor. This is a massive safety issue because the motor could overheat ( even with the low coolant light they added the temp gauge does not go over normal operation levels) so the car has a high potential to catch on fire at highway speed. We are currently waiting for our diagnosis appointment (no one can see us for 2 months) but we have all symptoms and codes from the diagnosis process on the 21n12 customer satisfaction letter. [XXXX] ford INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that coolant intrusion had damaged the engine, requiring an engine replacement. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program Number: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Engine, Oct 13, 2023
Coolant intrusion leak in multiple cylinders causing misfires.
Engine, Oct 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on two occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light illuminated but then disappeared. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion into cylinder #2. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.
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.
Power train, Engine, Oct 13, 2023
The vehicle check engine light came on at 61k miles, was found to be misfiring. Upon inspection, dealership found coolant intrusion in engine. Engine will require block replacement. Vehicle could have overheated, caught fire, or left family members stranded in severe weather conditions.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at 50 MPH, the overheating warning light was illuminated. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the coolant reservoir was extremely low and boiling. Upon refilling the reservoir, the vehicle briefly returned to normal functionality, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the vehicle required a coolant flush. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 95,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing coolant but was unable to locate the source of the leak. Additionally, he had to add additional anti-freeze approximately every two to three weeks. The engine warning light was illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, where an appointment was scheduled, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Engine, Oct 11, 2023
I was driving my 2018 ford escape. The check engine light came on, I drove straight to dealer. The inspected the vehicle and said there was a coolant leak which leaks on to the pistons. My 3 piston is misfire and my engine block needs to be replaced. $7500. As I research this issue, I see this was known by for manufacture. I just paid off my vehicle, I have no money and no vehicle to get to work.
Engine, Oct 11, 2023
On September 22 2023 I drove my car home from work and everything was good. The next day September 23 2023 I started my car and my check engine light went yellow, then red, my car instantly overheated, smoke poured out of my exhaust. I brought it to dealership for inspection and was told coolant had leaked into my engine and the engine cracked. Upon research this is a known problem with ford escapes dated from 2013-2019 with the possibility of the car catching fire. I paid over 10k to have it repaired but it shouldn’t have happened in the first place! Ford should have recalled the SUVs and fixed/replaced the problem components.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated when the vehicle was started. The contact checked the engine compartment and became aware that the coolant level was low. The contact refilled the coolant reservoir. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was constantly illuminated, and the contact had been filling the coolant reservoir on a recurring basis. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant had intruded into the engine and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact had researched online and related the failure to manufacturer Technical Service Bulletin Number: 19-2139 Coolant Intrusion into the Engine Block (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the temperature gauge was fluctuating between hot and normal, with an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was discovered that there was coolant intrusion into cylinder #3. The manufacturer and dealer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.
Engine, Oct 5, 2023
Engine and Turbo plus Turbo lines, Hardware and Gasket
Engine, Oct 5, 2023
Issue: 2018 Ford Escape, damaged engine short block due to coolant intrusion. Inspection: Inspected by Ford dealership mechanic. Outcome: needs an engine replacement due to damage from coolant intrusion. Was told there is no preventive maintenance or alerts for this issue and I was told there was nothing I could have done to prevent this from happening. Opinion: Sounds like FACTORY DEFECT that should have been recalled
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion in the engine, and that the engine short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.
Engine, Oct 3, 2023
My 2018 Ford Escape 2.0L Eco Boost engine has a coolant leak that is leaking into the number 3 cylinder. My local Ford dealer said it cannot be fixed and that a new engine is required. The estimated cost to replace the engine is $10,500. My car is out of warranty by 5 months with about 36,000 miles. The dealer will not fix it for free. An online search shows a TBS for the 2.0L EcoBoost engine. [XXX] Further searches provide links to Reddit and car forum posts by other owner's who have had the same issue. I will contact Ford corporate next to see if they can help. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)