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, May 7, 2025
I purchased this car new [XXX]. It was running rough for some time but now has 90,000 miles on it. I took it in for the shifter cable recall. I told them it was running rough. The Ford dealership here in Arkansas said it was coolant leaking into cylinder #2. By researching, I found that Ford issued a Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 in June 2022 for this specific issue. I never got a notice in the mail. Ford Motor company says this program stops at 84,000 miles or June 19, 2025 for me so I am out of luck since I have more than 84,000. This is wrong. It should apply to all mileage for such an issue. This should be a recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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, Fuel/propulsion system, May 7, 2025
My coolant is leaking into the motor. Shop gave me a quote for a whole new engine. I’ve seen so many posts on forums and many friends who own the same car having the same problem. Please please make Ford issue a recall as this is my only vehicle and I got it hoping to finally not have to worry about car problems for a while. It’s been 2 months since I bought it.
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, May 6, 2025
Check engine light came on at 103k miles with a P0302 error code. Replaced spark plugs and check engine light went away. 2 weeks later high engine temperature warning came on. Had it towed to a mechanic. Diagnosis was a cracked engine block with coolant leaking into cylinder number 3. Complete engine and turbo replacement is needed quoted at $11k.
Power train, May 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The service transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had previously occurred in 2022, and the transmission was replaced under warranty by the manufacturer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 85,000.
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, May 6, 2025
I have a coolant intrusion in the 1.5L engine and now I have to have the entire engine replaced, and it will cost me more than the car is worth. This is a widely known problem and Ford refuses to include all year/make/models with this issue. I have no way to get my car fixed and it's been down for over a year now because I can't afford to get it fixed.
Engine, May 5, 2025, fire
The car hit 101,000 miles, and the check engine light came on. I do not remember having the spark plugs replaces, so I took the car in to the dealership to have those done thinking that was the problem. They have the car for two days. The dealership replaced the spark plugs and the crank case. The day after the car came back it did not start. Then the next time I drove it, I made it half a mile down the road and it started smoking. After the car was towed to the dealership at 9:57 am, this is the first message I received from the dealership at 4:48pm on Tuesday. "I wanted to inform you the tech did take a look at the vehicle and found a bunch of codes to different parts of the system. The shop foreman, my manager, and my director are all involved to correct this for you. Still performing inspections of different parts of the engine & under the hood." The second message I received was 11:37 Thursday "I apologize, I had to leave office yesterday at 1030 unexpectedly. I have been catching up on everything since returning today. I was informed there is coolant intrusion on the engine after performing the spark plugs. That is what caused the vehicle to start overheating. Our sincere apologies. There is a recall on the vehicle for this exact concern. It calls for an engine replacement. However, your vehicle is outside of the allotted mileage for that recall. I have submitted to both Ford and our rep for assistance to have these repairs taken care of. Per my manager, Jess & director Chris, please stay in the loaner vehicle (our cost) until we can resolve this matter. I should have an answer from our rep/Ford by this afternoon." Then I did not hear from them again until the Monday after at 1:37 pm asking for me to call them. The news on the phone call was that it was an extended warranty not a recall and that Ford was not willing to do anything about it.
Engine, May 5, 2025
The coolant leaked, causing the need for a total engine replacement at only 68,000 miles. This has essentially totaled my vehicle, with the cost of repair exceeding the value of the car. It also placed my family and me at risk if the car had overheated. The vehicle has been inspected and the issue confirmed by my Ford dealer.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, May 5, 2025
The vehicle was shaking really bad when started. I took the vehicle to a mechanic since it seemed like it was mis-firing. I was told the vehicle was leaking coolant into the 2nd cylinder causing damage to my engine. I was told I needed a whole engine replacement. I called Ford Customer care and was told there is no service programs for my VIN number. I also purchased the extended warranty when purchasing this vehicle which just expired in NOV 2024. I can't believe Ford will not honor this engine replacement when I just saw online this was an ongoing issue and my vehicle was was in the time frame of 96 months or $150,000 mile time frame.
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, May 4, 2025
Check engine light came on and car would produce shaking and bumping feeling up on startup Took vehicle to AAA tire and auto Sylvania, Ohio. Service shop performed diagnostic. Used scope to visualize coolant in the third cylinder of the engine. Tech said that the cylinder was almost completely full of coolant and engine would fail soon and would need replaced. A few days later the car is now producing smoke from the exhaust and is now undrivable due to safety concerns from smoke and potential failure while driving.
Engine, May 3, 2025
Vehicle acts like it wants to stall when it starts. I had it checked and it has coolant intrusion on cylinder 3 from engine block. Ford dealer says it does not fall under a replacement campaign. I called Ford consumer support and was told that if the vehicle had been manufactured in building A versus B, it would be fixed by Ford. So, all the same parts are used to manufacture the vehicles................they all will have the same issue. The 21N12 campaign needs to be expanded to cover all vehicles since they have the same motor which results in the same issue. This vehicle has 43,932 miles on it so it hasn't even lasted the 60,000 miles that one would expect the engine to last. I am requesting that the NHTSA assist in getting this engine replaced since it is a known issue. Ford needs to replace all faculty engines.
Engine, May 2, 2025
Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 21n12. Coolant intrusion into one or more cylinders for the 1.5L Ecoboost motor. Ford will not repair this motor under the 21n12 code beyond 7 years or 84,000 miles. CSP 19b37 is required prerequisite prior to performing the 21n12 repair, so the 21n12 repair timeline therefore should start at the date of the 19b37 repair. My vehicle is just 4 months out of the 7 years (in service date) and Ford won’t cover the repair. Vehicle is inoperable and the repair cost will exceed the cars value after repairs are made. The vehicle currently has 79,xxx miles which is unacceptable by today’s vehicle life standards.
Engine, May 2, 2025
This vehicle has a known issue with coolant intrusion into the engine, while driving down the highway this caused my car to instantly send an engine overheating message and send the car into limp mode. While driving in the left lane i quickly lost all power and was limited to roughly 10mph to try and merge across 3 lanes of traffic. There was a customer satisfaction program to fix this but i am 6k miles beyond qualifiying.
Engine, May 1, 2025
Recall 21n12 Was sold this car from ford dealership without them disclosing this recall that has been in affect for years Now being told that my engine failed due to this recall but that ford isn’t going to cover it due to it being past the recall date now and I was quoted $14,000 which is more than what the car was even worth in the first place
Engine, May 1, 2025
Coolant intrusion in engine block for the second time.
Engine, Apr 30, 2025
Short Block Coolant Intrusion as described in Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 dated June 9, 2022.
Engine, Apr 30, 2025
I purchased a 2018 Ford escape from a dealership in 2023. Has know recall issue/ issues dealership should have notified me of. Also manufacturer warranty should cover but warranty is limited to time I didn't own the vehicle. Was not notified as required by statute.
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.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Apr 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine failed to turn over. The check warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine which caused the #4 spark plug to be rusted, and a failure with the long block. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to an unknown NHTSA Campaign Number; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.
Service brakes, Apr 28, 2025, crash
My husband were driving and per him and per my Son brake failed to work he stepped the break multiple times wouldn't work that RESULTED TO A CAR CRASH. I have a dashcam I reviewed the video the car had a weird noise then accelerated from 64-78 then that's it it crashed,, break didn't engaged The car is currently in Marion IL, I spoke with state farm they said they are in the process today in transferring the car to the closet state farm storage. I am ok for NHTSA to do forensics in the car. So let me know ASAP I can turn over the car to NHTSA for further investigation. Having the vehicle brand new for 6 years a 2018 ford escape titanium with no problem and been maintained brought to Golf Mill ford in Niles Il every 6 months and I was not told there is any problem in my car, the last time it was checked was January 2025 and all were fine I was told. The vehicle placed 5 lives was put at risk of death because of this break failure that shouldn't happen, this is something that needed checked ( and ESCALATED) and take seriously before multiple lives can possibly affected or taken. I HOPE FORD reach out to me of this matter I almost lost my husband and Son with this defect. No warning lights or anything for this brake failure and this 2018 ford escape vehicle should be updated with the technology but it's just a failure now I AM LEFT WITH NO CAR, and per state farm liable to the other party or defected car hit and we should me responsible FORD should take that responsibility. NOW I DONT KNOW IF I SHOULD GET ANOTHER FORD THE TRUST HAS BEEN TARNISHED NOT UNTIL MAYBE FROM FORD REACH OUT TO ME DIRECTLY. and I have Statefarm , I didn't feel that I was heard.. This is not our fault it's a defect. Hopefully NHTSA can help us investigate this matter.