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 and engine cooling
342 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Nov 11, 2023
About 20 months ago and at 120,000 miles my transmission blew and I filed a report with you. This time about 2 months ago my engine started shaking when being started, and according to my local Ford dealership, my engine block is either cracked or has a warped cylinder head. Either way the entire engine needs to be replaced. It now has 140,000 miles on it. In addition to this, I have had several other things go wrong with my vehicle over the same time frame. I cannot afford spend $8,000.000 for a new engine right now, and my experience also tells me that this will not be the end of the major repairs either. Right now I have a $35,000.00 (original price) boat anchor. Repair information to be provided upon request.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered and would not properly accelerate. The check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that there was coolant present inside the cylinders. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while starting the vehicle and reversing, the vehicle suddenly overheated. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion in the engine cylinders. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and declined to repair the vehicle under the Third-Party Extended Warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 102,648.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving on the highway the vehicle failed to exceed 60 MPH. The vehicle then decelerated to 35 MPH independently and was sluggish. The contact veered to the side of the road, turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated that she continued driving with the hazard lights activated because the vehicle failed to exceed 37 MPH. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and there was white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. The contact stated that the vehicle started losing power, and she was able to drive uphill to her residence at 10 MPH. The Hill Assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, and that the engine and the turbocharger needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the engine replacement would be covered under Ford Campaign Number: 21N12. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle started overheating. The message "Engine Overheated" was displayed. The contact veered to the side of the road and allowed the engine to cool down. The contact then added coolant to the vehicle and continued driving. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the head gasket had fractured between cylinder #1 and #2, which caused coolant to leak into the pistons. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there would be no assistance because the vehicle was out of warranty. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.
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 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 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 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 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 and engine cooling, Sep 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the engine had misfired and that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired shortly after that the misfire reoccurred. The vehicle was returned to the mechanic who then replaced the ignition coils. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the engine misfired again. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle the next day for approximately 10 miles at approximately 70 MPH when the vehicle sputtered and then stalled. The vehicle was towed to the mechanic who diagnosed that the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who related the failure to NHTSA ID Number: 10213732 (Engine, Engine, and Engine Cooling). The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 86,800.
Other or unspecified, Engine and engine cooling, Sep 26, 2023
COOLANT APPEARS TO BE LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Sep 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent mechanic on two separate occasions where the spark plugs and ignition coils were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact then stated that the vehicle began to overheat as the vehicle would hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic who discovered that coolant intrusion in the engine cylinder had caused a fracture in the engine block. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Sep 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the engine misfired. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that coolant was intruding into the engine cylinder. The mechanic retrieved codes: P0304-00 and P0316-00. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Sep 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started shaking violently. There was no warning light illuminated. The following day upon start the vehicle, the "high engine temperature, stop safely" message was displayed. The contact stated that thick white smoke was coming from the tailpipe. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the engine had failed due to coolant intrusion into the cylinder. The contact was informed that the engine block needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in a Customer Satisfaction Program associated with the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 83,783.
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 45 MPH, the engine overheated warning alert indicated that he should stop driving the vehicle. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, he observed that the coolant level was abnormally low. After refilling the coolant reservoir, the vehicle seemed to return to normal functionality, but the failure recurred. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined coolant had leaked into the cylinder, causing damage to the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to Technical Service Bulletin 22-2322, but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 6, 2023
The contact's sister owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, that the vehicle hesitated. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where the mechanic discovered that coolant had intruded into cylinder #1. Upon investigation, the contact thought that the vehicle would be covered under a Customer Satisfaction Program; however, the dealer informed him that the vehicle was not included in the Customer Satisfaction Program. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 60-70 MPH, a message indicating that the vehicle was overheating and to pull over was displayed. The contact veered to the side of the road and allowed the engine to cool down. The contact continued driving, however, the vehicle was not accelerating as needed. The contact stated that the failure recurred 7-8 times within one week. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion in the engine cylinders, and the engine, the cylinders, and the valve cover gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Aug 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to overheat intermittently, prompting the driver to pull to the side of the roadway, where the failure persisted. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the head gasket had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number 23V380000 (Engine) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,000. The contact stated after the independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure, the vehicle was towed to Ford who confirmed it was in fact engine failure. The cost for repairs was $10,000+ prohibitive without a recall, especially since there is a $17,000 balance on the financed car only ten months earlier.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle overheated. The message "Vehicle Running Hot” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion in cylinder #3. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000. The VIN was not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was being serviced at an independent mechanic, the check engine warning light illuminated. The independent mechanic diagnosed that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the spark plugs were replaced; however, while driving 55-65 MPH, the engine started misfiring and the vehicle was sputtering. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders, and the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 21N12. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 77,893.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Aug 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the spark plugs were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where it was discovered that coolant had leaked into cylinder #2. The dealer informed the contact that either the engine block or the engine might need to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Equipment, Aug 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when starting the vehicle, it would vibrate and shake. The starter would fail to successfully start the vehicle intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that coolant leaking into the engine causing the engine to fail. The engine needed replacement. The failure was related to Service Bulletin NHTSA ID Number: 10210392 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Equipment) however they were 7,000 miles outside of the mileage limitation to receive the repair. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that they did not meet the requirements of the Service Bulletin. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 92,000.