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 and engine cooling, Jun 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle was shaking with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant was leaking into the engine, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle experienced a rough start and was sputtering abnormally. Additionally, there was white and blue smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message “Engine Overheating - Pull Over” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The dealer determined that the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 64,452.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 2, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was determined that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, resulting in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 2, 2025
The contact's grandson owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact was informed by his grandson that the engine was misfiring significantly. The contact's relative, who was a mechanic at a Ford dealer arrived at the residence and diagnosed the vehicle with DTC: PO302 and PO316. The mechanic determined that there was coolant intrusion in the engine, and the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the coolant level was extremely low, and there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. The contact stated that a diagnostic scanner was used to diagnose the vehicle and retrieved DTC: P0301. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 94,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Structure, May 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving or reversing from a complete stop, the vehicle was shuddering and there was an abnormal waterflow sound coming from the dashboard. The vehicle was taken to Advance Auto, where it was diagnosed and determined that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for an oil change and spark plug replacement, the contact was informed that the spark plugs were frozen, and the failure could cause the vehicle to stall while driving. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the engine had experienced coolant intrusion and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 139,783.
Engine and engine cooling, May 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle with a cracked cylinder head and coolant intrusion into the cylinders. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion); however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact was informed by his wife that while driving at various speeds and while the vehicle was idling, the vehicle was shaking abnormally. The contact was informed that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while the check engine warning light was illuminated, the vehicle failed to unlock using the key fob, and the driver had to unlock the vehicle manually by entering the code on the driver’s side door. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that coolant was leaking into cylinders #2 and #3. The dealer confirmed that the failure was related to Technical Service Bulletin: 22/2229; NHTSA ID Number: 10214126 (Engine and Engine Cooling) with a defective short block to be replaced by a long block. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was included in NHTSA ID Number: 10214126 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 53,600.
Engine and engine cooling, May 22, 2025
See attached document for complaint.
Engine and engine cooling, May 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinder, which caused the engine to fail. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the same assessment was made; the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. No further information was available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000. The VIN was not available.
Engine and engine cooling, May 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the check engine warning light started flashing, and the message "Engine Fault" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, where the contact was informed that the coolant reservoir was empty, and the coolant reservoir was refilled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the water pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The water pump was replaced; however, the failure recurred approximately three and a half hours later. The vehicle was inspected by a certified mechanic who noticed that the coolant reservoir was empty and refilled the coolant reservoir; however, the mechanic noticed that the coolant had lowered by a quart the following morning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a vehicle safety complaint. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, May 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated and the engine overheated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a coolant intrusion and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had previously occurred, and the engine was replaced at 18,000. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine was rattling while idling with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was discovered that there was coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine long block was damaged, which resulted in engine failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under warranty and was given an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was provided a case number. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 108,738.
Engine and engine cooling, May 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated before accelerating. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent at first; however, the failure became worse. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine block had fractured, causing the engine to fail. The contact stated that there was coolant leaking into cylinder #1. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was in for routine maintenance, the mechanic discovered that the coolant reservoir was very low. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and it was diagnosed and determined that the cause of the failure was due to an engine head gasket leak and a cracked engine block. Additionally, coolant had leaked into the engine. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not eligible for the manufacturer's extended coverage related the failure. The failure mileage was 89,600.
Engine and engine cooling, May 9, 2025
The contact's mother-in-law owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that her mother-in-law had experienced a loss of motive power while driving at various speeds. The contact was informed that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact's mother-in-law had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who replaced the spark plugs, ignition coils, and fuel pump. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the same mechanic who was able to diagnose that there was coolant intrusion into the engine. The mechanic referred the owner to a dealer for assistance. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and confirmed that coolant had entered the cylinders and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had researched online and related the failure to a known failure of the 2.0 liter engines. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 78,090.
Engine and engine cooling, May 8, 2025
The contact's son owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact was informed by her son that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant leaking into the engine block. The dealer determined that the long block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under TSB Number: 19-2346. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for information on the reason why the vehicle was not covered under TSB Number: 19-2346. The failure mileage was approximately 76,643.
Engine and engine cooling, May 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the engine was misfiring. Additionally, the contact stated that the check engine warning light was later illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion in cylinder #4. The dealer determined that the bottom part of the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 109,701.
Engine and engine cooling, May 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and the vehicle experienced rough idling. The vehicle taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed an engine cylinder misfire in cylinder #3. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the engine was previously replaced due to the same failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The contact then discontinued driving the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that coolant intrusion into the cylinders had resulted in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 76,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH in a parking lot, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the spark plugs and coil packs. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where a heat test and bore were performed and confirmed there was a coolant intrusion in cylinder #3. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 142,621.
Engine and engine cooling, May 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal. The failure persisted and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and it was determined that there was coolant intrusion in cylinder #3, resulting in engine failure. The contact was notified that the failure was linked to Technical Service Bulletin: 212269. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, May 5, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that an unknown error message related to the coolant was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a local service center, where it was diagnosed with a blown head gasket due to coolant intrusion into the cylinders. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the message "Service Engine Soon" was displayed, and the temperature gauge rose to hot(HOT). Additionally, the message "Stop the vehicle" was displayed while the vehicle was in park(P). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion in the pistons or cylinders. The mechanic determined that the long block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact of Ford Campaign Number: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be covered due to the mileage. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.