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, May 14, 2022
The motor is faulty on the vehicle. Took to dealer for smoking problem which it has had for a while, the confirmed that cylinder is leaking coolant due to most likely small crack. They noted only fix is engine replacement and that this is very common problem on these vehicle/engine configuration. Communicated with Ford but they were only willing to pay for portion of labor, which still puts bill over $4k-$5k. Not money we have and don’t have money to replace car. With engine cylinder leaking fear is that motor could go at anytime creating safety issue. Not just safety from car suddenly stalling on road, but also fire hazard from over heating. I know there is class action suit on this, but did want to register complaint.
Engine, May 11, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the engine to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Engine, May 3, 2022
One morning, we went to start the car and the check engine light came on. There was a slight burnt smell and a rumbling. We took it to Ford and got the famous coolant leak explanation. 4000 miles outside of the warranty. We are so disappointed that we are going to have to replace the entire engine on practically a new car.
Engine, Apr 29, 2022
Vehicle ran fine and no indicator lights on when I went to work on 4/21/2022 a.m. When I left work the same day the car started fine but was shaking. When I started driving there was a loss of power and the check engine light came on, the shake and power issue smoothed out as I was driving home. I quit driving it at that point. Took it to a garage a few days later, the car was shaking again and had lost a lot of power. The garage is very close to my house so I drove it there. They told me that the head gasket had blown and was leaking coolant into the engine and that I was probably going to need a new engine. Had to have it towed back to my house because it won't hold coolant. Verified with another garage that I do indeed need a new engine, the head gasket itself can't just be replaced. It is currently at my house while I work with the garage on the replacement engine.
Engine, Apr 29, 2022
2018 Ford Escape SUV 1.5L Ecoboost. Drove 150 from home with no issues. Stopped for about 30 minutes, attempted to resume drive of another 50 miles, but within the first 2 miles all of a sudden warning light came on "High Engine Temperature Stop Safely". I checked the coolant and with No advance warning the coolant was completely gone. I was able to get some coolant and get to a safe location. There are no leaks as the reservoir has stayed full. The temperature gage is still at the highest range even after sitting for days, vehicle not operatable. SUV has 90K miles, I have an extended warranty. Almost 2 weeks later I still can't get help from the Ford dealerships local where the SUV broke down or the location where I purchased it at. Ford Customer Service hasn't been able to rectify anything as well. I was stranded for almost a week before I could get back home. These are unsafe vehicles that desperately needs a recall. I hope it doesn't come down to someone dying before a recall is put into place. Hold Ford accountable, it's a $500 billion company they can do better than this! I think this is complaint #98 about engine issues most just like mine. I don't feel safe in this vehicle that may catch on fire as I'm driving on the freeway.
Power train, Engine, Apr 15, 2022
Have a 1.5 engine and antifreeze leak into spark plugs.
Engine, Apr 14, 2022
Engine coolant leaking into motor - Complete engine rebuild must be completed AWD transmission also not working - Complete rebuild needed.
Engine, Apr 8, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a knocking sound coming from the vehicle, and the vehicle jerked. The contact thought the vehicle had a flat tire, but upon inspection, the contact's husband noticed that the engine guard on the front passenger's side had detached, causing it to hit the passenger's side front tire while driving. The contact's husband reattached the engine guard; however, the failure recurred with the front driver's side engine guard detaching. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.
Engine, Apr 4, 2022
The defects that cause coolant to leak into the engine cylinders, causing significant damage and, in some cases, complete engine failure. I have an invoice of over 2100.00 that did not repair the damage. My mechanic spoke to Ford dealership and they said they were aware of the problem and explained the issue to him. He sent me several estimates and so did Ford stating I need a new engine that would cost and estimated amount of $8200-$12,000.00. After the engine light came on. everytime I took it to get fixed, "cylinders" the engive light would go out temporarily and then I went to pull out of my home and was almost hit because my car would not go. it just kept stuttering. (best way I can describe it) my son and i were cussed out by the woman thinking I just purposely stopped in the middle of the road. There are several class action lawsuits against Ford over this matter since 2020. I called them and they refused to help me but told me to get another estimate from a Ford Delearship that would cost me an additional 500 plus. I am a single mom and owe almost 16,000.00 on this and cannot afford to get a new engine. My heart breaks that I a cannot travel to see my elderly parents and grandparents. In order to drive around town, I have to put several bottles of coolant in it a week. while my car was in the shop my son missed the bus and had to walk home 3 mile in the winter months. I hope that you can help us.
Engine, Apr 2, 2022
I drove 2 minutes down the road and my dashboard told me "autostart is disabled turn off the car and restart the car". after pulling over on the side of the road cause my car had to die while I was driving. I tried to restart my car and nothing working it was cranking but wouldn't start. I had to get my car towed to my local shop. My mechanic is saying there is zero compression and my engine is blown, my engine has a little over 60k. I get oil changes every time it is needed. my coolant is leaking but shows no trace of where the coolant is going. Please help!
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 31, 2022
The engine of my 2018 Ford Escape failed while driving, indicating it was overheating and to pull over and turn off the vehicle immediately. I could feel a loss of response of the engine while I was driving accompanied by shuddering and an odd noise. This happened within 3 minutes of leaving my house on a cold day, traveling about 1/4 mile. Fortunately, I was on a back road with a low speed limit and could pull over to the shoulder safely. However, had this been on a highway I may have had major safety issues with loss of acceleration and ability to safely move my vehicle to the side of the road. The problem was confirmed by an independent auto shop as well as the dealership by inspection where antifreeze was found to leak into the engine block and cause engine failure. This was noted as a service bulletin by the dealer, but never as a recall nor was it shared with car owners. My vehicle has only ~43000 miles on it. The check engine light to my vehicle turned on a few weeks prior to the engine failure. A diagnostic check by a service provider indicated a cylinder misfire caused by worn out spark plugs or ignition coils and repair was not urgent. This was also 1 week after I had my car inspected by the dealer for a tune up, oil change, and general check where I was told everything looked normal. The check engine light went off for periods of time before coming back on and there was a slightly rougher idle to the vehicle, but no obvious warning signs indicating engine contamination with antifreeze and imminent failure. I was told a compression test of the engine could have helped spot the problem before engine failure, but this was not confirmed by the car dealer.
Engine, Mar 23, 2022
Engine requires replacement. Vehicle is presently located at Century Ford in Mount Airy, Md. The vehicle is scheduled to be picked up and repalced by Element Fleet. The engine cost replacement was estimated at $5.500.00. The vehicle slowed down severely, loss of horsepower on major 70 MPH highway near Hagerstown, Md. I was driving normally when the vehicle slowed and the Enigine Light was Flashing On and Off most of the 30 minute drive to the local repair shop. I was concerned about my safety from all traffic especially tractor trailers. I thought the vehicle might completely shut off. I was then instructed by the company Element Fleet management to take the vehicle to a Ford dealer. The local repair shop said the vehicle needed the engine replaced. The Ford Dealer also said the engine needed replacement. The mileage was 87, 376. Regular maintenance and proper driving was applied at all times. I received the vehicle with about 61,000 miles from another co-worker in May 2021.
Engine, Mar 15, 2022
Started sputtering. Engine light popped on. Sputtering. Stalling. Heating up upon diagnoses. Coolant leaked onto engine.
Engine, Feb 25, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the engine overheated, causing the vehicle to stall. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine head gasket failed and the engine short block 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 75,683.
Engine, Jan 25, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The check engine warning light and the oil warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who was unable to diagnose the vehicle and referred the contact the dealer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the engine short block needed to be replaced. The dealer also advised the contact that she would be responsible for the cost of the repair since the VIN was not included in an unknown Technical Service Bulletin. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer also referred the contact to NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Engine, Jan 20, 2022
I have a 2018 Ford Escape purchased brand new off the lot.. Now less than 3 years and 66000 miles later my check engine light comes on.. I took my car to a trusted mechanic who advised of a bad spark plug. A day after the repair, driving less 15 miles the check engine light came back on. After further inspection the mechanic advised I should take it to the Ford dealership. The diagnosis at the Ford dealership showed a blown head gasket and that I would need to replace the entire engine. The Ford service agent said the damage was caused by coolant leaking into the oil. He said the cost of the repair is estimated at $10000 (which is more than I owe on the car). With so many similar issues this is definitely a defect of the engine in the Escape. This issue should be immediately investigated, recalled, and repaired by Ford as it is clearly not a consumer caused issue. I'm sharing a pic of the spark plug that has been corroded due to the coolant leaking into the oil which has destroyed my engine. Please help us!
Engine, Jan 13, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the coolant was mixing with the oil. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000. Consumer stated vehicle was serviced and repaired on December 2, 2021. Levittown Ford replaced the engine due to the coolant mixing with the oil.
Engine, Dec 30, 2021
2018 Ford Escape engine with just 22,000 Miles on it needs to be completely replaced for leaking coolant. Was told it could have given up on me at any moment while driving.
Engine, Dec 15, 2021
My 2018 Ford escape has a blown engine. My check engine light came on and I brought the car to the dealer. The Service rep advised me I need an appointment to have the car checked. I advised him that the check engine light came on and It might be a serious problem and I’m not driving the car. Ford took the car 14 days ago I’m awaiting an answer on the status. The engine was blown due to oil mixing with coolant through the cylinder. A quick Google check of the 2018 Ford escape has many complaints similar to mine. I called Fords Main office inquired if there was any recalls or any problems and they told me there was no recalls and no problems. This is a serious problem if somebody disregards the check engine light and the motor Ceased they could be a rear end collision. I observed on Car websites that people have complained of the similar problems and Ford does nothing about it. How can these dealers get away with not advising owners of possible serious the physical injury or death caused by defective parts that they are well aware of? I believe this needs checking into further by governmental agencies and force Ford to repair the engines and extend the warranties on those bad motors they’re aware of. My brother drives a Ford escape at work the car has three engines in it and it only has 48,000 miles. The same problem with my car happened with all three of those of the motors. It’s a shame Ford could get away with us. Ford is repairing the car right now after me insisting to them that I wasn’t leaving with the check engine light on. When the service manager advised me the motor was shot he also told me my free oil changes would not be honored any longer although I have it in writing. These dealers get away with it because they know you’re not gonna go to arbitration over a couple oil changes but they get away with it. The problem with the 1.5 eco-boost Ford motor should immediately be recalled and repaired the warranty.extended Sincerely yours, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Engine, Nov 1, 2021
There is coolant going into our spark plug coils. We filled up the coolant, because the engine light came on and the temperature went directly to Hot after a 7 minute drive. Checked the coolant, it was very low. Filled it up to the max mark - had a mechanic look at it today and now as soon as you start it, you can hear the 1st and 2nd spark plug misfiring. The exhaust has a smell that you can detect coolant. There is coolant pooling in the coils.
Engine, Sep 30, 2021
P0302 code is showing that coolant is leaking into the engine through cylinder 2. Dealer looked at our vehicle and we will need a completely new engine. Regular maintenance has been done on this vehicle.
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 27, 2021
The dealer has determined that engine coolant is leaking into the motor. This is a 2018 model with 24,500 miles. I understand that a number of Ford vehicles with the same engine design have been recalled because this is a safety issue, and I am afraid to drive the vehicle.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Sep 27, 2021
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that there was a coolant leak and an engine replacement was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 61,000
Engine, Sep 17, 2021
Approximately one week ago, our car began running rough and the check engine light came on. We took it to one independent service center who ran a diagnostic check that showed a cylinder 4 misfire. We took it to a separate ISC who performed a more robust diagnostic per the Ford outlined TSB 19-2346 and found coolant in cylinder 4 as well as loss of pressure in cooling system. Mileage of the vehicle is 25,398 miles and the vehicle is covered under Ford powertrain warranty; however, Ford customer service refused to support the diagnosis of the two separate ISCs. They informed us that they would only accept a diagnosis from a Ford dealership, but no appointments with dealerships were available in the near future. Upon further investigation, we discovered that this is a common and known issue for at least 5 separate models of Ford vehicles since 2015 and requires an entire replacement of the long block engine assembly. Despite that, Ford advised us they would be unable to help us without a dealer diagnostic whenever that became available. So while waiting for this supposed service to determine an already known issue in a month, my family must risk their lives with an engine that has coolant leaking into it if we want to be able to function outside of our home. Ford Motor Company is risking the lives of thousands with these engines, but since there is no recall we are left with no support.The ISCs and our other warranty companies cannot help due to the existing Ford powertrain warranty, but Ford refuses to acknowledge the issue.
Engine, Sep 12, 2021
My daughter was driving the car approx 40 mph on a busy road. Warning Notification: "Transmission, put in park". She slowed down then the car stalls. Eventually turned the car off then restarted the car and it seemed to reset and drive OK again. Taking car into dealership tomorrow. 49K miles on the car and in good working order....other than this.