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, Jul 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, there was a rattling sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer who diagnosed and determined that the coolant level was low. The contact was informed that the head gasket was leaking coolant into cylinder #1. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 17, 2024
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 lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that coolant was present inside the engine and had caused severe engine damage. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact stated that the engine was previously replaced for similar failure. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 28,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact inspected the coolant reservoir and became aware that it was empty. The contact refilled the coolant; however, after attempting to drive the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated again. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the coolant gasket was leaking. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. The contact stated that during the failure, there was a cloud of white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. The contact stated that the instrument panel indicated that the engine was overheating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the coolant and engine oil were mixing, due to coolant intrusion, causing engine failure. The dealer was unable to specify the location of the leak. 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 it was confirmed that the VIN was not under recall or Warranty. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 61,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated and temperature gauge raised to HOT, and the vehicle failed to properly accelerate. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, and the engine short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 8, 2024
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 an independent mechanic where the spark plugs were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic a second time and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000. The VIN was not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the engine cooling pump was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion in the engine. The dealer determined that the engine short block needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under Ford Campaign Number: 21N12, because the campaign had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that she had not received a notification letter for Ford Campaign Number: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,400.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, there was a white cloud of smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. The smoke dissipates after several minutes. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of coolant. There were no warning lights. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the short block had fractured. The short block was replaced. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred approximately one and a half years later. The vehicle was returned to the dealer who diagnosed that the short block needed to be replaced again. The vehicle was not repaired a second time. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not covered by warranty or recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 82,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light had been illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with a defective sensor; however, the failure returned soon after the sensor was replaced. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic and the failure was linked to Technical Service Bulletin: 22-2322. The contact called the dealer and while the vehicle was being serviced, the technician discovered that the coolant reservoir was empty. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where a pressure test was performed, and the dealer discovered coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders. The contact continued to drive the vehicle, and the engine would misfire while depressing the accelerator pedal. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the engine temperature gauge raised and indicated that the engine was HOT. The message "Overheating - Pull Over Immediately" was displayed temporarily. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that there was a coolant leak present in cylinder #2. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Jun 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and lost motive power. In addition, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was then driven to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into cylinder #2. The contact was informed that cylinder #2 needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was diagnosed again with a failure within cylinder #2, due to coolant intrusion. The contact was informed that cylinder #2 needed to be replaced again. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was diagnosed with a failure of cylinder #2 due to coolant intrusion and engine failure. The contact was informed that due to the coolant intrusion and the repeated cylinder #2 failure, the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. In addition, the contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline and report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,617.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering and making an abnormal rattling sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer at slow speeds. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that coolant had leaked into an unknown valve and into the pistons, causing engine damage. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 21, 2024
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 contact used a code reader and retrieved DTC code: P201, indicating there was moisture in the cylinder. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 100,347.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to idle rough with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000. The VIN was not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, she noticed a slight vibration in the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure persisted for over a year and recently the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the ignition coils were replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into cylinder #3. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure with 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 the contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Jun 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the spark plugs were replaced; however, the check engine warning light returned on the drive back to the residence from the mechanic. After the check engine warning light appeared, the vehicle began to hesitate upon the depression of the accelerator pedal while driving at 35 MPH. Despite the failure, the contact managed to drive the vehicle to the destination. The contact attempted to drive the vehicle back to the independent mechanic the next day, and the vehicle began to overheat as the "High Engine Temperature Stop Safely" message appeared on the instrument panel while driving at 25 MPH. After multiple attempts to restart the vehicle, the failure persisted. The next day, the contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with a crack in the cylinder head. The crack resulted in an internal coolant leak which damaged the engine. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle remained in the dealer's possession and had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was vibrating and driving rough. The contact pulled off the roadway and drove to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was a coolant intrusion in cylinder #2. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to a dealer who confirmed coolant intrusion into cylinder #2. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to TSB Number: 19-2139 - Coolant Intrusion Into the Cylinders (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to drive in LIMP Mode with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant was leaking into the eco boost and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 119,107.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware of a misfire failure with the vehicle. The contact stated that the temperature gauge became extremely elevated, and the Engine Overheating warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the spark plugs were replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for the second time and the spark plugs were replaced again; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated, and the engine misfire persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related to the failure with the Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion). However, the vehicle was not included in the program. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine temperature gauge became extremely elevated. The check engine and high engine temperature warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated and was flashing. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who scanned the vehicle and informed the contact that coolant was leaking and intruding into the engine and cylinder #3. The vehicle had misfired. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that there was no Warranty coverage on the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 3, 2024
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 check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that coolant intrusion had damaged the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to b 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 89,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 31, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 65 MPH, the temperature gauge began to indicate that the engine was overheating, prompting him to pull to the shoulder of the roadway to let the vehicle cool down. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact's husband observed oil mixed in the coolant reservoir. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. 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 100,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local service center who diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the engine cylinders. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under an unknown Manufacturer's Extended Warranty Campaign related to the failure. The failure mileage was 161,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated driving approximately 65 MPH, the high engine temperature warning illuminated. The contact was able to exit the highway and drive the vehicle to the residence. The contact checked the coolant level and noticed that the coolant level was low. The contact refilled the coolant reservoir. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant had intruded into the engine block. The dealer informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 Coolant Intrusion into the Cylinders (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.