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, Feb 12, 2024
I bought this car 8 months ago and one day it just wouldn’t start. the coolant leak has caused my engine to quit. I cannot afford to replace the engine, especially when ford knows this is an issue. My extended warranty also won’t cover it, the dealership said this is fords issue and they need to cover it. Ford has not issued a recall even though there is a service bulletin about it.
Service brakes, Feb 9, 2024
I GOT 2018 FORD ESCAPE ABOUT 7 MONTHS AGO AND WHEN I BACK OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE I GET A SCRUNCHING NOISE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE SEEM LIKE THE BRAKES ARE GRABBING
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge began to indicate that the engine was overheating, after which 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 check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the cylinder water jacket, resulting in damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 69,000.
Steering, Feb 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40-50 MPH, the "Power Steering Loss" message was displayed. The contact pulled to the side of the road until someone associated with the contact could drive the vehicle. The steering had become difficult to maneuver and required an excessive amount of strength to drive the vehicle. The failure recurred after the first repair was completed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the power steering rack and pinion failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had been repaired after the first failure; however, the vehicle was not repaired after the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was transferred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 111,053.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Feb 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the check engine warning light started flickering and the vehicle vibrated and lost motive power upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The contact inspected the engine and discovered white rust on the spark plugs. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic machine showed an engine misfire in engine cylinders #3 and #4. Upon further inspection, the mechanic discovered coolant intrusion into engine cylinders #3 and #4. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Engine, Feb 2, 2024
While driving on the highway on [XXX] at normal highway speed, the instrumental panel suddenly displayed a warning to pull over and shut-off the engine. There were no prior indications of a malfunction. My daughter was alone on the highway shoulder with a car that instructed her to pull over and shut off the engine. After about 15 minutes, the car was restarted and driven to a near-by tire store. They noticed the coolant system was very low on coolant and topped it off. The next day, it was driven to Bob Maxey Ford in Howell, MI, where the codes P0217 (coolant over temp), P0303 (#3 misfire), P0316 (misfire on start), P1285 (cylinder over temp), P1299 (protection activated), P2601 (coolant pump A control circuit) were retrieved. The car has about 51K miles on it. That info was conveyed to Ford and authorization was quickly given by them to perform the engine block and head replacement process under the extended powertrain warranty I purchased when I bought the car. This is my 2nd occurrence with this failure mode with Escapes. The first occurred on a 2013 1.6 liter Escape in 2021 [XXX] ) with about 56K miles on it. I did not have warranty coverage and scrapped the car for $2700 (with good engine worth about $8K) since the remedy was more money that the car's worth. I think Ford should extend powertrain warranty coverage at no cost for all potentially affected Escape owners and refund the money paid by consumers to buy the extended coverage on potentially affected vehicles. Ford knew of this potential defect and its effects and was slow to fix it and by doing so exposed thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, of people like me to deal with the mess they created and allowed to continue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Feb 2, 2024
We purchased our 2018 Ford Escape used with 88,000 miles. At around 96,000 miles the check engine light came on and it threw the P0302 code for a misfire on cylinder 2. We took the car in to Greene Ford Co. in Gainesville, GA. They replaced the coil pack and sparkplug and the car ran well for ~10,000 miles before the check engine light came back on and the car started to sputter and run rough. Took it back to the Ford dealer and they informed us the cylinders were full of coolant and there was a leak allowing coolant to flood the engine block. They said the block was damaged and we would need to purchase a whole new engine. They also told us this was a very common complaint with certain Ford SUVs made in the late 2010s. Our car is completely unsafe to drive now and it almost left my wife stranded on the side of the road (luckily she was able to coast into the Ford dealership). Ford has known this is a problem for almost two years and has refused to do anything about it. This is dangerous and Ford should be required to pay for the repairs to a faulty engine they have install in thousands of cars.
Engine, Feb 1, 2024
Cylinder 3 cracked, needs a new long block. Car is at 100k miles. Needs a new engine.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the temperature gauge began to indicate that the engine was overheating and was unable to accelerate above 30 MPH. There was a message to “Engine Overheating - Shut off Vehicle” displayed. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway to contact Roadside Assistance. Roadside Assistance arrived, and after a visual inspection of the engine compartment, observed a mixture of oil and coolant covering the engine. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that coolant intrusion had damaged the engine, resulting in a cracked long block, and that the long block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The VIN was included but the vehicle had already been repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 82,000.
Engine, Jan 30, 2024
High engine temp notification came on, car would not accelerate. I pulled over and had it towed to the dealer. The dealer said the engine had a coolant intrusion so a new short block is needed. My warranty company denied my claim for the short block claiming this was a recall with ford [XXX] ) . Ford confirmed this was a VIN specific customer satisfaction program, and confirmed my VIN was not issued [XXX] and it is not included on my VIN. The warranty company refuses to pay since all 2018 ford escapes should be under [XXX] . Now I have a 10,000 engine repair estimate and ford or the warranty company will not replace my engine. I want to know why my VIN was left off [XXX] since it’s the same year and same manufacturer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Jan 29, 2024
On Dec 27, I was told my water pump was leaking after an oil change. I brought my car to the dealership for extended warranty repairs on January 18. After an expection it was confirmed the water pump was leaking but also there were other possible leaks of the coolant into the cylindars. And the entire motor would need replacing. There were no service lights / check engine lights on before this happened.
Engine, Jan 24, 2024
My engine threw a check engine light for code P0302, Misfire on Cylinder 2. Took it to two mechanics and had work done (Coilpack, Plugs, Wires, then Camshaft and Crankshaft sensors) before it was noted that there was coolant intrusion. Was alerted to Technical Service Bulletin 22-2134/Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 for "Certain 2017 - 2019 Model Year Fusion and Escape Vehicles Equipped with a 1.5L GTDI Engine-Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion. I took it to the dealer and the technician diagnosed it the same: coolant intrusion in cylinder #2. This is a common issue in EcoBoost (GTDI) engines that Ford has not issued a recall on, but did send out Customer Satisfaction Program. Did not receive notice for this. I have contacted Ford about compensating me for a new engine on a 6-year old car at 75,000 miles. Both meet the above CSP/TSB as less than 7 years/84,000 miles. Stated that US DOT/NHTSA did not include my VIN in the recall, so they won't offer no-cost replacement. I would like to request that NHTSA add my VIN to this recall so that I can have the engine replaced.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Jan 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 62 MPH, the service engine light illuminated. While driving, the engine light started to flash, and the vehicle was running rough. The contact pulled off the roadway. The vehicle was taken to a tire center, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the head gasket had failed, and coolant had intruded into the engine. There was a misfire. The dealer recommended an engine replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called the manufacturer who opened a case and referred him to the NHTSA Hotline. The contact stated that the failure was related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The failure mileage was approximately 129,000.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 21, 2024
Rear window employed two times within 9 months. First time car was parked in garage second time parked at daughter home. Nothing hit it.
Engine, Jan 20, 2024
My engine gave a warning, check engine light went on. I took it to the dealer and the mechanic said the engine failed due to coolant intrusion. Upon searching the issue, this is apparently a common issue in these ecoBoost engine cars that Ford has not issued a recall on, but did send out some satisfaction notice. I never received this notice for some reason. The notice indicates the need to monitor coolant leak, but I never noticed any and wasn't looking for it since I never received the notice. I have contacted Ford about compensating me for a new engine on a 5 year old car, to which they said no because my car is over 84,000 miles (it is as 85,487). I need Ford to recall this issue and frankly it should be criminal not to actively pursue a fix for a known huge and expensive issue that I honestly cannot afford to repair.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and it was determined that coolant intrusion had damaged the engine. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12, but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 72,000.
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Jan 15, 2024
Coolant leaked into one of the Cylinders which is requiring major engine block repairs. It only has 80K miles on the car and is in great condition. No warnings happened before it almost overheated and threw a error code.
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.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jan 10, 2024
While driving this vehicle (~88,000 miles) on a route of ~100 miles, the car started shuddering / shaking at highway speed for 30 - 90 seconds every 10 - 15 minutes. I was 50 miles in to the drive when the shaking began. The shaking was startling and distracting. I drove the car to the dealer that night. While driving to the dealer, the car continued to shudder / shake for even longer durations at greater frequency. Additionally, the car had weak acceleration when the gas pedal was compressed. This created significant challenges when trying to navigate traffic (merging on to highway, accelerating car from stop, etc.). I have a video of the dash which shows the car exceeding 4000 RPM and not exceeding 25mph. I can share this video over e-mail, but could not attach to this form. - The dealer believes this is a malfunction of the powertrain (transmission). It is available for inspection at the time of this writing. However, I am working with Ford and the dealer on a repair solution as this is my primary car. - My safety was at risk because the car shaking was distracting and the lack of acceleration presented challenges with merging, passing cars, accelerating from stop, etc. - Vehicle is currently with dealer beginning inspection - initial suspicion is transmission issue. - No warning lights came on as I was experiencing this issue.
Engine, Jan 10, 2024
While driving this vehicle (~87,000 miles), the engine began to overheat. The engine light had come on the day before (Saturday). The engine began to overheat the next day (Sunday) while driving on the highway. I quickly pulled off the highway and drove the vehicle back home while staying at a low speed. If I had not taken this action, the engine overheating could have posed a safety risk. Upon receiving repairs at a Ford dealer, I later learned that this engine overheating is a known issue by Ford. It is caused by coolant intrusion to the engine. Two customer satisfaction programs have been issued for this problem: 19B37, 21N12. However, given the safety issue (engine overheating), I was surprised this repair was not fully covered. This issue happened in my vehicle after the extended warranty period of 84,000 miles.
Engine, Jan 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Engine Overheated message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was informed that the VIN was included in Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion); however, the mileage warranty had expired. The contact stated that he had not received notification of the Customer Satisfaction Program. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.
Power train, Jan 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while pulling out of the driveway at 10 - 15 MPH, at approximately 100 meters down the street, the transmission fault message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact immediately turned around and parked in the driveway. The contact learned of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) and believed that the failure the vehicle had experienced was related to the recall. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure where it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall nor was the warranty coverage available. The manufacturer opened a case regarding the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for further assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 39,000.
Electrical system, Back over prevention, Jan 6, 2024
Subject: Complaint Regarding Electrical Malfunction in 2018 Ford Escape To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to report a concerning electrical malfunction that occurred in my 2018 Ford Escape, resulting in a critical safety issue. At 55,000 miles, the Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) failed, subsequently causing the touch screen, navigation system, voice command functionality, and hands-free communication features to cease operation. Additionally, this failure disabled the phone charging capabilities, posing a safety concern due to the loss of essential functionalities. The malfunction of the APIM at such a relatively low mileage directly impacted the navigation system, voice commands, and the hands-free communication system, rendering them non-functional. As a consequence, this electrical issue posed safety risks, particularly concerning the failure of the navigation system and voice commands, which are crucial for safe driving practices. The incident occurred, and subsequent repair cost of $1,163.72, were serviced at SERRA Ford dealership in Farmington Hills, MI. The nature of this electrical failure not only incurred financial costs but also posed potential safety hazards, especially with the impairment of critical functionalities like the rear-view camera, navigation, and hands-free communication. I urge the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to investigate this matter promptly, as it not only caused inconvenience and financial burden but also compromised the safety features of the vehicle. This complaint aims to highlight the serious implications of electrical failures in Ford Escape vehicles, emphasizing the potential risks it poses to drivers, passengers, and others on the road. Please consider this complaint as a formal report to address and rectify these safety concerns, preventing similar incidents in other vehicles. Your attention to this matter is highly appreciated.
Power train, Jan 5, 2024
Ford Dealership replaced the transmission under warranty and forgot to tighten the transfer case bolts when reassembling the vehicle. Transfer case bolts worked loose over 8,000 miles and the transfer case separated from the transmission while driving.
Power train, Engine, Dec 31, 2023
I Purchased a 2018 Ford Escape SE (VIN# [XXX] ) with 1.5 EcoBoost Engine on 9/24/2023 with 89,726 miles. On 12/10/2023 my 16 year old son was operating vehicle when he experienced a catastrophic engine failure and the vehicle is unserviceable. The vehicle had 90,766 miles on it at the time of the failure. Vehicle was diagnosed on 12/18/2023 and it was determined that there was coolant intrusion into the #2 and #3 cylinder and that the engine will need to replaced. Diagnosis showed that Ford had issued (2) Customer Satisfaction Program alerts on the vehicle for this issue Ford CSP 21N12 and 19B37 on 06/9/2022. I contacted Ford Motor Company and my local dealer to report the issue. I was advised this is a known issue with this specific engine although the vehicle is beyond the extended warranty under the Ford CSP's above. This known issue on this vehicle was not disclosed to my at the time of purchase and Ford will not cover any cost associated with the repair. I feel this known issue should be a recall due to the fact that this catastrophic engine failure does pose a significant safety risk to the vehicle operator and other traveling public. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)