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
1,795 reports, newest first.
Engine, Jun 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was parked for several hours and then started, and the check engine warning light was no longer illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started shaking, lost motive power, and the engine warning light started flashing. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, restated the vehicle and the check engine warning light became illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. Additionally, the mechanic observed coolant leaking into the engine and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 61,000.
Engine, Jun 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon start the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with a cylinder #2 misfire. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed because the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Gasoline, Jun 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the vehicle was shuddering and shaking abnormally. The check engine waning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the EVAP purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred two days later. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The vehicle was then taken to a 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 129,000.
Engine, Jun 7, 2025
The gasket cracked and coolant leaked into the #2 cylinder.
Engine, Jun 6, 2025
Engine is shaking car. Appearing to misfire. Car was on highway when this occurred.
Other or unspecified, Jun 6, 2025
Check engine light came on ON DAY OF MY FINAL PAYMENT!! Mechanic said there had been issues and possible recall to fix. Antifreeze leaking into engine causing need to replace engine
Power train, Engine, Jun 5, 2025
Blown engine, misfire cylinder 3 coolant leaking into cylinder 3, block cracked...smuttering. problem has been identified by our mechanic, and Ford has been called for a replacement engine. Check engine light was on.
Engine, Jun 5, 2025
Ford EcoBoost 1.5l block has design flaws, causing coolant to enter into the block which causes the car to studder and reduce speed due to a misfire happening in the engine. Inspection upon request approved. Car acted completely fine, as we entered onto the highway we started to pick up speed as traffic is very fast, about 100 yards after entering the highway the vehicle failed causing sudden reduce engine performance. Traffic caught up to us as we veered to the far right shoulder, almost getting rear ended and causing a multiple car pileup. Car was towed to the Ford dealership for diagnosis, that was when ford told us this is a common issue on 1.5l EcoBoost's and common on all of the EcoBoost. There was a recall for this issue, but it does not pertain to this VIN due to the build location? There were no warning signs, no messages or any other symptoms to know this was going to happen. Ford knows about this EcoBoost problem and has made a new block to replace the design flawed 1.5l EcoBoost, but no recall on for anything in relation to this. Ford didn't notify us about this issue, which very easily could have ended in a horrible car accident and the death of the multiple people in the vehicle when it failed. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AND FORD SHOULD TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THERE POORLY DESIGNED ENGINES! I'm very lucky my mother wasn't driving, as this could have ended very horribly.
Engine, Jun 4, 2025
Bought a used car from Marsh Auto Sales in Ortonville Michigan in April, the very next day the check engine light came on and car would not start. It kept saying “Engine Fault.” Finally got the car to start, drove it for the rest of the month, scheduled a service appointment but the car overheated, we were stuck on the side of the road, it would not run and the coolant was low. Looked on Ford’s website and there was a “Customer Satisfaction Recall or program - 19B37, Campaign number 21N12“ that issued a recall for a the exact problem and the engine needed to be replaced. They issued the recall during Covid, and Im sure it was hard for the original owner to submit it for service as getting appointments was extremely hard. I called Ford, and Marsh Auto Sales and neither were willing to help.
Engine, Jun 4, 2025
Experiencing coolant intrusion with a 2018 Ford Escape. Ford is charging $8,000 for the repair. This is known issue with the vehicle. They instituted a temporary program to fix the vehicle free of charge but has expired in 2022. Ford should have recalled the vehicle for this issue. It is unacceptable they can charge so much for a known issue, that they acknowledge is their own fault.
Engine, Jun 4, 2025
Check engine light came on and coolant tank was nearly empty after refilling it days before. Mechanic confirmed engine failure.
Engine, Jun 3, 2025
Check engine light came on and engine running rough. Shop found coolant leaking into cylinders due to issue with the make of the engine. Needs a new engine before it can be drivable. This is a known problem with these engines that Ford is aware of but a formal recall has not been issued.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the cylinder, 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 informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was referred to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
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.
Power train, Engine, Jun 2, 2025
HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER THE END OF APRIL 2025 FOR OIL LEAK THAT THEY DISCOVERED. IT WAS FIXED. THEN ON MAY 8 2025 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SO HAD IT TOWED TO FORD DEALER. THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY THING WRONG. CAR HAD WHITE SMOKE, SHAKING WHEN STARTING AND SMELLED LIKE OIL. THEY HAD IT 6 DAYS BEFORE RETURNING IT. THEY SAID THE WHITE SMOKE WAS NORMAL FOR AN OLDER CAR BECAUSE THE EXHAUST STSTEM IS OLDER. HUH??? SO THEN ON MAY 29 2025 THE CAR STILL HAD THE WHITE SMOKE WHEN STARTED. MOVED CAR DOWN THE DRIVEWAY INTO THE STREET AND IT DIED. IT WOULD NOT MOVE AND WAS SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. LET IT SIT FOR A WHILE AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE IT BACK INTO THE DRIVEWAY. CALLED DEALER AGAIN AND ASKED THEM TO TOW IT AGAIN. DEALER SAID THE WALL WAS CRACKED AND THE COOLANT HAD LEAKED INTO THE CYLINDERS AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $10,000.00. OH AND THAT WAS A DISCOUNTED PRICE. THE WARRANTY HAD RAN OUT 86 MILES BEFORE. I ASKED FORD MOTOR CO. IF THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NO PROGRAMS TO PAY FOR IT. THEY SOLD A FAULTY VEHICLE AND SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS, NOT ME. IT WAS A DANGER TO DRIVE AND WE AS OWNERS WERE NOT TOLD ABOUT IT.
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.
Power train, Jun 1, 2025
The vehicle flywheel is currently damaged at around 66000 miles. There are currently no warning lights for it at this time. There is a loud knocking sound that is known to get louder when turning the AC on.
Engine, May 29, 2025
Coolant intrusion. Engine fault light came on and then the engine overheating light came on. Coolant was empty. Added coolant. Coolant emptied. No puddles on ground. No visible leaks. Problem confirmed by dealership. Owned vehicle for a week before the issue appeared. Outside the 21N12 customer satisfaction program by a month.
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.