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: power train
271 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Jul 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle briefly hesitated and lost motive power before returning to normal functionality. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the torque converter. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 56,000.
Power train, Jun 25, 2024
A coolant intrusion into the engine from the 3rd valve occurred, requiring a full engine replacement.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Jun 25, 2024
The fly wheel has had to be replaced twice on my car. I am driving and all of the sudden it starts clanking, I'm thinking my car is going to fall apart. First in 2021 and now again in 2024. I feel this is something that should be recalled because what are the chances that 2 went bad. It is getting fixed after Ford looked at it and wanted to charge us $2800.00 to replace. Took to a recommended transmission shop. Most people don't even know about reporting these issues. Not only that they replaced my engine already in 2021. I have had numerous problems with this car, if interested in checking it out you all are more than welcome to. I was out of town and suddenly my car would not start even though the battery good according to auto zone and O'reilly's was good. it is just crazy the problems, I am afraid to drive my car and being stranded somewhere. I am going to look for all the invoices i have from ford and will submit
Power train, Engine, Jun 21, 2024
Check engine light came on with a P0302 code, indicating misfire. Took it to the dealer that verified coolant intrusion, indicating 21N12. Mileage exceeding the allowable coverage under 21N12, but it was covered by an extended warranty. In addition to having the short block replaced, the wiring harness and PCM were soaked with oil, requiring additional replacement of both. A month prior, the flex plate also failed and required replacement under warranty.
Power train, Jun 19, 2024
Coolant intrusion problem.
Engine, Power train, Jun 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power train warning light illuminated. The contact stated while driving, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed there was coolant intrusion in the engine, and the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not under recall or warranty for the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 113,148.
Power train, Jun 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was an abnormal clicking noise detected. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the clutch plate and flex plate needed to be replaced. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that there were no open recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.
Power train, Jun 17, 2024
The contact's sister owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked forward while depressing the accelerator pedal after coming to a complete stop. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated there was an abnormal winding noise coming from the vehicle while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with a damaged bushing. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The contact linked the failure to the recall. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Jun 16, 2024
May or may not be related but three different warnings came up within a 30 minute period while driving: Hill Start Assist Fault, Anti-lock Brake Fault and Parking Aid Sensor Fault. Note, I have been driving for months with proximity sensor out. Cause is currently unknown, I hope to get it into a garage this week.
Power train, Engine, May 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power train warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and a local dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that coolant intrusion had damaged the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related to the failure to the Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure however, the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be repaired under the Customer Satisfaction Program because the mileage had been exceeded. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.
Power train, May 16, 2024
Transmission started stuttering around 40 to 50mph. The transmission had to be rebuild because of issue.
Power train, Apr 18, 2024
This car has a flood of complaints and FORD even put out a bulletin about fixing the car BEFORE IT WAS SOLD in June of 2022. We purchased the car on 3/23/23 and FORD corporate stated the car never underwent the proper changes. The dealer did not take the appropriate steps to fixing two FORD bulletins, 19-2375 & 21N12, EVEN THOUGH THEIR WAS DIRECT KNOWLEDGE BY FORD TO THE DEALER to fix it before the selling it (be see the documentation provided). The car leaked oil and fluid into the spark plugs causing complete and total engine failure.The car will need a new engine. The problem has been confirmed by an independent service provider and will be soon at a FORD dealer "so they can look through it". The car has not been inspected by the manufacturer just yet but I'm covering my bases because many dealers are refusing to do the work. Warning light stated it was a misfire related code but it was not in fact, then it said it was a Engine Fault. I want this documented.
Power train, Engine, Apr 18, 2024
December 2023 my 2018 ford escape 1.5L ecoboost had low coolant levels. We put more in every other day. The check engine light came on and a warning saying engine failure repair now. Took it to an independent garage where I was told it needed a new short block due to coolant intrusion. I called ford and was told to take to ford dealership to be diagnosed. I was told the same thing there. I’m 180 miles over the 84,000 that they extended it too so I have to pay. I applied for financial assistance and fords paying some of my bill. It’s been 5 months and I’m getting the run around from them and won’t have my car until at least mid may. I’m also being denied a loaner. I was on my way home from work and my car alerted me it was over heating and to turn it off. Then my car threw itself in “limp mode” causing me to go from 55 to 15 within a matter of seconds almost causing an accident if people behind me didn’t swerve around me. With so many complaints how is this not a recall? It poses a great risk for the driver of the vehicle along with other potential drivers on the road.
Power train, Engine, Apr 8, 2024
The 2018 Ford Escape had a check engine light come on. It showed a code (P0303) that said cylinder 3 was misfiring. It was also having white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe and my coolant was draining really quickly. The coolant tank was completely empty before hitting 2,000 miles since it had last been filled. I took the vehicle into a Ford dealership for a diagnostic check to see what was going on. In the end I was told that I have a crack in the long block that is letting coolant into my cylinders which is causing the misfiring. I was told that the possibility of an engine fire and a few other things that make the engine not work could have happened while driving it. Unfortunately the vehicle isn’t even paid off yet and I can’t drive it for fear of something bad happening while doing so. They are quoting me around $8600 to fix it. We are currently trying to figure out if there is anyway of fixing it without having to pay out of pocket. It appears that this is a common problem with 2018 ford escape 2.0L engines. My engine was manufactured in Louisville, Kentucky. The Ford company sent a notice or something out on [XXX] that said the manufacturer error engines for the 2017-2019 Ford Escape 1.5L Ecoboost were manufactured in Louisville, Kentucky. Seeing as my engine was made there and has the same problem as the 1.5L engines I feel like there should be a recall put out for the 2.0L and the 1.5L 2017-2019 Ford Escape engines. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Apr 1, 2024
The car was stalling while driving and coming to a complete stop while accelerating. No warning lights were on. I called an independent mechanic shop and they came out to diagnose the issue. They informed that the powertrain light was now on and that car would not go into first gear. I called the Ford Service Center to schedule a service appointment and I was informed that the car had a recall notice. I took the car in for the recall service and was informed that they completed the service for the recall but that the car was having the same issue.
Power train, Mar 27, 2024
On 02/28/2024, I was driving on the freeway taking my child to school. going about 65mph and the RPM gauge started to swing left to right. My car started to slow down. I was able to pull over to the side of the freeway safely. As I pulled over the car came to an abrupt stop and the screen flashed "Transmission Failure". I called my insurance, and they informed me that it was not an insurance issue and to check to see if any recalls were on my car. I checked and it stated that there was a recall regarding my transmission parts. I had the car towed to the closest dealership. At the dealership they stated that I had a Certified Preowned and my warranty covered the cost for the service. I was informed that a rental car would be covered for 5 days at $38 a day. I was also informed that it would take them until 03/07/24 to breakdown the car and transmission to locate the exact issue that needed to be fixed. I received a call on 03/08/24 stating that the issue was the transmission and approval would need to be obtained from Ford to either replace the transmission or fix the parts. Ford authorized the replacement transmission on 03/12/24. I was then informed that the new transmission would be delivered by 03/21/24. On 03/25/24, I called the dealership since no call was made to me and was informed that the transmission being shipped was unable to be located. I called Ford corporation and filed a complaint due to lack of communication and prolonging my rental car usage. On 03/26/24, I spoke with the manager of the dealership and was informed that the transmission was not lost but was on backorder. He stated that he would need to find parts to rebuild the transmission at this point. He also stated that he would need to get approval from Ford to outsource the parts needed to rebuild the transmission. He stated that it would be another 2 weeks before my car may be fixed and given back to me. I now have to continue with my rental usage and the current total is $2000 and rising.
Power train, Mar 26, 2024
I am experiencing transmission issues in my 2018 Ford Escape SUV, the vehicle is barely 5 yrs old with less than 75k on the odometer. I started noticing that when I go over 60mph it starts to sputter, I took it to the ford dealership and was told I need to replace the torque converter and transmission at a cost of over 6K. I am in a delima as this is my only vehicle and or not to repair the vehicle or get rid of it. This is a very frustrating situation to be in.
Power train, Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Mar 18, 2024
Check engine light came on steady. Took vehicle in for service at 1st possible appt. Was told it was engine block failure due to faulty porous block installed by Ford. Vehicle has 54000 miles on it, 8 months out of the 60,000/5yr powertrain warranty. Have an extended warranty but they refused to pay stating Ford knew about the faulty engine blocks installed on thousands of vehicles. Ford had issued a TSB warning of potential engine failures in these vehicles, but no recall. TSB 22-2322 Huge safety issue due to possibility of catching fire or breaking down on busy interstate. Vehicle currently at Ford dealership with a repair price tag of 10,400.
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Mar 11, 2024
See attached document for complaint
Power train, Mar 5, 2024
This was a company leased vehicle that I bought in 2023. It was never in an accident, and I had it in for the regular maintenance every 7,000 miles as directed by my company. Car crossed over to 100,000 miles and started making a loud rattling noise near the engine. Took it to a local Goodyear who believed it was a cracked or damaged Flywheel. They have dealt with several problems with this make and model for the flywheel issue. They suggested I bring it to the dealer and have the dealer diagnose. Dealer confirmed the flywheel was cracked. During this time, I was able to confirm a November 2022 recall was conducted for the same year for the Ford Edge and again for the Ford Fusion and MKZ models, for the flywheel issue. Customer Satisfaction Program number 22N12. I believe the Ford Escape Flywheel issue should be connected to this recall.
Power train, Engine, Feb 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was experiencing hard shifts and the transmission was slipping. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the failure was related to the transmission. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, where it was diagnosed that an unknown transmission part had failed, but the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a transmission specialist, where the transmission fluid was flushed, and the failure ceased. The contact stated that the check engine warning light later illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the transmission specialist, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission fluid was abnormally dark. The transmission specialist replaced the valve control assembly, the solenoid valve blocks, the clutch drum 3-4-5. Additionally, the transmission fluid was flushed, and the transmission was reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for repairs to reimbursed. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
Power train, Engine, Feb 23, 2024
The flex plate cracked in four places. I have images showing the cracks on the flex plate. The problem was confirmed by an independent service center. There were no warning lamps or messages, only a percussive tapping sound caused by the cracked flex plate. This issue could cause loss of control of the vehicle leading to an accident.
Power train, Feb 21, 2024
Vehicle made rattling noise that was evaluated as a heat shield 2 months ago . Vehicle began acting sluggish on acceleration finally refusing to travel over 15mph then stopping completely on road. Vehicle then rolled backward when in a forward gear ( automatic transmission) Transmission has been evaluated as " blown" $4,430.00 for rebuilt transmission from Ford Motor Company ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE : Lebanon Ford in Lebanon NH has disconnected our ability to service our vehicles at their facility. Leaving a [XXX] young lady to deal with this on the side of the road ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 14, 2024
Coolant intrusion into motor. Coolant leak causing multiple misfires and my vehicle to lose power while driving and not to over 30mph. I have had the spark plugs, injectors, and coil packs all changed and problem persisted. Taking my car back to mechanic a test was done and there is coolant in the pistons.
Power train, Jan 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine misfired. Additionally, the contact noticed a burning odor on the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was informed that the failure was related to TSB Number: 22-2134. The contact was then informed that the vehicle could not be repaired under TSB Number: 22-2134, because the TSB had expired, and the vehicle had a Salvage Title. Additionally, the contact received notification NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The contact was informed by the dealer that the recall repair would not be completed due to the Salvaged Title. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.