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 20, 2022
The check engine light came on and an engine fault error message come on when you start the car. took the car to my mechanic who couldn't find anything that would cause these. He started looking into issues and found Ford is fully aware there is an engine coolant leak into one of the cylinders, all escapes from 2013 to 2019 could be affected. The only way to fix this is to replace the small block (minimum $6000 repair according to ford)... possible for engine to catch fire according to the information I found). How is this not a recall, that Ford needs to be responsible for? They're aware of the issue and that it's not consumer caused.
Engine, Oct 20, 2022
My vehicle is under 80,000 miles. The check engine light came on and the car was not drivable. Fortunetely, I was in my driveway when the check engine light blinked and car did not run. If it was on the road, I would have been in danger. I immediately towed it to the business I have a warranty with. Bill Collins Ford has determined the engine has a cracked cylinder and coolant was leaking in. I now have to have the short block replaced costing near $7,000.
Engine, Oct 20, 2022
The engine in this vehicle experienced a loss of coolant into cylinder #3 in late August 2022. This led to white smoke from the exhaust, rough idle and a complete loss of coolant from the cooling system into the engine. This occurred during a trip to Canada and back. After returning from the trip, the check engine light came on. The vehicle was immediately brought to a Ford dealership (Salem Ford NH) where the PCM codes (P0303 and P0316) and engine inspection confirmed engine failure. The dealer confirmed the engine must be replaced.
Engine, Oct 13, 2022
Coolant leaking in to cylinder
Other or unspecified, Engine, Oct 4, 2022
CEL came on and showed code P0302. I replaced the coil pack and spark plug, problem was fixed for a week and then the code came back on. Did research and realized when the car is on the coolant totally depletes and returns after the car is off, the coolant should not deplete like it did. This is a known issue with these vehicles that the coolant goes into the engine when it should not and causes problems with cylinder 2. This is a manufacturing defect and should have a recall so that Ford can fix their mistake. There are no recalls for this problem even though Ford has many customers with Escapes that are having this same exact problem and caused by no fault of our own. Ford will not fix it since it’s out of warranty so will need to pay out of pocket.
Engine, Oct 3, 2022
The contact owns a 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 where it was diagnosed that there was a rodent’s nest underneath the hood. The dealer removed the rodent’s nest; however, the failure recurred and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The dealer determined there was a coolant leak in the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer referred the contact to Dorian Ford (35900 Gratiot Ave, Clinton Twp, MI 48035) and scheduled an upcoming appointment for the service. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 18,682.
Engine, Sep 26, 2022
Engine possibly could have failed in high volume traffic causing a collision. Check engine light came on 7/28/22 @ approximately 82,500 miles, code PO301 engine misfire # 1 cylinder, cleared trouble code, but problem returned on 8/2/22 @ 82,793 miles same code, 8/5/22 replaced #1 ignition & spark plug, cleared code again, but code returned again on 8/9/22, my local repair facility (Oxford Motors in Oxford NY) diagnosed engine internal coolant leak causing engine misfire on cylinder #1, tested for head gasket failure @ 83,483 miles, coolant recovery tank was low, filled w/engine coolant to specified level, checked engine compression on all 4 cylinders, found #1 cylinder @ 80 psi compared to all other cylinders @110 psi, made appointment (8/29/22) with local ford service center (Matthews Ford in Norwich NY) for further inspection, the dealer recommended replacing engine long block as this is a common problem with this engine. Engine replaced @ a cost of $6011.61 and The Ford Motor Company would not extend the drive line warranty due to the fact the vehicle was purchased used and not serviced by a ford dealer, but if it had been ford in the past has extended the warranty to 100,000 miles. Ford is aware of this problem, but has not issued any recall & is addressing the problem as it occurs with bias.
Engine, Sep 22, 2022
Vehicle alerted for miss-fire cylinders 1&2. I took to my mechanic and he diagnosed coolant had leaked into the engine fouling cylinders 1 & 2 irreparably and needed a complete engine change. Advised I take it to Ford dealer as this is a known issue. I contacted Ford customer service for advice and was told I needed to take it to a Ford dealership for diagnosis and determination. Towed vehicle to Ford. Same diagnosis with an estimate of $11,154.31 to replace the engine. Requested an adjustment or assistance as this is not an expected failure and there is sufficient evidence of this happening with this engine to many people. Ford refused assistance. Towed back to my mechanic for an OEM engine change. At least two people in my area have had this engine replaced with my mechanic since my occurance.
Engine, Sep 21, 2022
Ford has a recall on the short block my car has the exact issue and the mechanic at my dealership told me it was the short block the issue was cause engines to be blown which happened got engine replaces and has had problems since then and got a paper stating the short block issue and ford knows about it. But refuses to fix it.
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated and the vehicle went into Limp Mode. The coolant temperature and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine was cracked and produced code: P0302. The contact stated that the mechanic was able to reset the computer. The contact referenced TSB: 22-2229. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the engine and that the engine 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 and to contact the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.
Engine, Sep 7, 2022
A flawed engineering design has led to a rash of catastrophic engine failures in certain Ford Escape and Fusion vehicle models. The nature of the failure manifests as a leak of engine coolant into the internal combustion engine. There is no warning message, and the issue was thankfully discovered when I brought the vehicle in for a routine oil change and before it led to a catastrophe such as an in-motion engine overheat situation or engine fire. Dealer's service manager recommends engine replacement, and Ford Motor Company will not fully cover the costs.
Steering, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Sep 6, 2022
Transmission fault notification appeared on the screen while on the highway. Vehicle unable to maintain speed and has "bumping" when attempting to drive it. Poses a safety threat because I was unable to maintain speed while driving. Ford has not found remedy and it has been a month without ability to use vehicle.
Engine, Sep 4, 2022
Coolant leaks into cylinder 2 causing hesitation, power loss and extreme amounts of white smoke. This is caused by a manufacturing flaw where ford built the block with slits between cylinders which leak coolant. As evident by the technical service bulletin and new block design, ford is aware that they manufacture a faulty engine. The fix requires a complete rebuild of engine which will run over $8000, but will only cover cost for vehicles under 30k miles (factory warranty) despite know of this for some time, the dealership would simply top off coolant during every regular service and send me on my way. Now that I well outside of warranty, they claim that I must pay for repairs of a manufacturing issue. Their are many documented incidents of this occurring as well as videos of the difference between original and redesigned blocks, as well as the extensive rebuild required to repair.
Engine, Sep 3, 2022
The head gasket leaked coolant into cylinders causing the cylinder walls to crack. Vehicle would suddenly run rough and stall which is dangerous if you are driving the vehicle. The engine needed to be replaced completely.
Engine, Aug 31, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle was vibrating with an abnormal amount of smoke coming from the exhaust tip. The vehicle overheated and shut off. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 48,704.
Engine, Aug 29, 2022
I was driving the vehicle in town when the "check engine" light came on. The car stalled and jerked several times, but I was able to keep it going. Luckily this was in a parking lot. I immediately took it to the dealer I purchased it from, several miles away. I do not know if the dealer reproduced the problem, but he dealer indicated that I needed a new engine. Apparently there was some coolant that leaked into the cylinders. I brought the vehicle to the dealer on July 21, 2022 and they were not able to look at it until August 16th. That is when I was told the vehicle needed a new engine. The Ford Escape has approximately 86,500 miles on it.
Power train, Service brakes, Engine, Aug 26, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, she heard an abnormal noise while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated for a short period of time. The contact was able to continue driving to her destination at a slow speed. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission to be rebuilt. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was 79,334.
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Aug 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle overheated. The contact was able to pull off the highway and after waiting approximately an hour was able to continue driving; however, the failure persisted. The temperature gauge was elevated to the hot position. The check engine and TPMS warning lights were illuminated. The contact called an independent mechanic and was referred to the local dealer. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine, Aug 13, 2022
Cylinder 2 misfire, coolant leaking into cylinders. Fill up coolant reservoir and is gone with in hours.
Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed control, Aug 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle emitted an abnormal winding sound. The vehicle decelerated independently, failed to accelerate and stalled without warning. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact had to push the vehicle out of the highway. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 61,294.
Power train, Engine, Aug 11, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undetermined speed, there was abnormal rumbling noise detected when shifting. The engine warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number:22V413000 (Power Train). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 11, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated she noticed that the check engine warning light was flashing on and off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they stated that there was a misfire in cylinder three and the spark plugs were replaced, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they replaced the coil pack but the failure occurred once again. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, and they stated that coolant fluid was in the engine compartment. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and they stated that there was nothing they could do and advised to contact to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 74,125.
Engine, Aug 11, 2022, fire
SUV began "shuttering" at idle. Drove for another 10-15 minutes then made an appt to bring to a mechanic to check codes. As I drove vehicle for about 30 seconds the next morning, white smoke began to pour out of the tailpipe and the engine temperature gauge showed it was overheating. Pulled over and opened hood. Saw flames near engine and extinguished with an old t-shirt. Towed to mechanic. Claimed Ford had a new technical bulletin out (TMK 22-2229) that directed mechanics working on vehicles with these symptoms to replace the engine long block. Vehicle only has 67,000 miles on mostly the highway. All occurred while on vacation so I had to buy airline tickets to get back home from the vacation spot. Incident occurred 6/29. Still awaiting word from Ford on whether they will help with engine repairs/replacement. Should be a recall. Pending class action lawsuit. Danger the engine could catch fire and injure.
Engine, Aug 6, 2022
After coming to a stop and shifting gear to park - I watched gear change- a message appeared to advise car was not in park. I re shifted and car was then fine. I wanted to report this issue.
Engine, Aug 5, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the engine block was cracked. The contact stated he had to add water to the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who referred the contact to the dealer. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was unknown.