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.
Steering, Feb 28, 2023
Wife was driving our 2018 Ford Escape out of a parking lot. Steering wheel locked up and vehicle displayed a “Steering Assist Fault” warning light. She was unable to steer vehicle, which nearly caused accident before she was able to stop vehicle.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Feb 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the vehicle started overheating and the coolant level warning light illuminated. The contact checked the coolant level and noticed that there was no coolant in the vehicle. The contact added coolant, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that coolant was leaking into cylinder #2, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 122,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Feb 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an unknown speed, a temperature warning message appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was first towed to an independent mechanic and later to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that coolant had leaked into cylinder #2. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the VIN regarding the engine. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure and remained in the possession of the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 63,500.
Electrical system, Traction control system, Feb 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the hill start assist message was displayed. Additionally, the traction control warning light was illuminated, and the instrument panel was blank. The contact stated that the vehicle temporarily lost motive power however, the vehicle regained normal function minutes later. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the contact was unsure of what repairs were performed on the vehicle. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Feb 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle overheated. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin Number: 21N12 (Coolant Intrusion). The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 121,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power. The engine overheated message was displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who made the contact aware of TSB: 10156569. The vehicle remained with the independent mechanic awaiting the diagnostic test and repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced cold start issues, requiring numerous attempts while starting the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle idled roughly once started. The contact stated that once the vehicle reached approximately 30 MPH there would be a white smoke cloud coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant had leaked into the engine block and that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
Steering, Electrical system, Visibility/wiper, Feb 15, 2023
I bought the vehicle in July of 2019 with approximately 20,000 mi on it. I have never touched or adjusted the steering wheel, and I'm the only one to drive the vehicle. My daughter has gotten her temps and I allowed her to drive the vehicle last night. She adjusted the steering column as she is a bit shorter than I am. When I got back into the driver seat, and move the steering wheel back into the position that I keep it in, and then proceeded to turn out of the driveway And it felt as if all the tires were flat and it was very hard to steer. I assume I lost my power steering abilities. Also the windshield wipers started going off and the washer fluid just started flying out onto the windshield and would not stop. I immediately put the car into park and turn the vehicle off. I turned on the car, proceeded to make the turn again, and the car did the same thing. The only thing I could think of was possibly something got pinched inside the steering column with the wiring harness because that is the only thing that changed between her and I driving. When I started the car up this morning and went to turn out of the driveway it did the same thing. I loosened up the lock on the steering wheel and I moved it up and down and relocked it, and got to my destination without any more issue, but concerned there is something going on with the wiring harness now.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Feb 13, 2023
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 an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the coils needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was then taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer awaiting the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the warranty had expired. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Feb 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle overheated and stalled. The engine misfire warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the head gasket was blown, and that antifreeze was leaking into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no additional assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Back over prevention, Feb 11, 2023
Sync is having issues... No rear camera, only 1 station on radio available, radio stays on when engine off and door is opened. Horn beeps on its own. Doors lock themselves, Sync screen goes blank etc
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 9, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle nearly to stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing motive power. The driver pulled over and the vehicle stalled. The driver was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that his wife noticed the "Service Engine Soon" light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic who determined that the vehicle was leaking coolant into the engine block. The contact had been advised by the mechanic that the engine failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000. The VIN was not available.
Structure, Feb 9, 2023
I took my car into Lugoff Ford, in South Carolina today, because the passenger side dashboard is lifting up near the glove box, and I felt the transmission slip. I noticed this (Dash issue) has happened on the 2020 Fords. I was told today by the dealer that the "The Clips failed to secure the dash, probably because of to much vibration." I would have to pay $298.00 for a new dash, I have 17,279 miles on it, so under 20,000 miles these clips failed? It sat in my garage for the first 4 years of having the car. I'm 68 years old, and only drive to doctors mainly, not sure how much vibration I could cause on this, just concerned how many more people are actually doing the same, and no one is reporting them. Safety issue to me would be if the other clips failed on driver side, and the dash rose up BLOCKING YOUR VIEW WHILE DRIVING. I DO have Premium warranty on my car until 2026, but was told it doesn't cover the dash. Thank you for your assistance.
Engine, Feb 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with the coolant leaking into the engine. The contact was informed that the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.
Engine, Jan 30, 2023
The fly wheel broke at the factory welds, and it is not covered by the warranty, but the same flywheel is used in the 2020 Ford Fusion and is being recalled for defects and covered under warranty.
Steering, Jan 29, 2023
The power steering suddenly stopped working on my 2018 Ford Escape when I turned my car on, with an odometer reading of under 26,000 miles. A "Steering fault" message suddenly appeared. If I had been driving on the highway or interstate at the time, this could have resulted in a serious and deadly accident. I called the Ford dealership and the representative told me it was safe to drive the car, and said that if I wanted to, I could just drive it without the power steering until they had the part in to fix it. I asked if that was safe and they said yes. I asked if they were sure it was safe. Then they went and checked with a tech person and told me it wasn't safe. The dealership confirmed the steering fault message and found codes U3000:49 and U3000:53. Notes from my very expensive invoice indicate "Pin Point test leads to internal fault with steering gear module remove and replace steering gear assy."
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 27, 2023
The contact called on behalf of a friend who owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his friend was driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle emitted an abnormal sound. Additionally, there was significant amount of smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The coolant temperature warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the head gasket was blown. The dealer informed the contact's friend that the vehicle could not be repaired under an unknown recall as the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 81,647.
Wheels, Jan 24, 2023
Dealer recommended lug nuts to be replaced. Called dealer to ask why lugs need to be replaced. Service advisor said lugs swell due to inferior materials. This vehicle only has 50,000 miles. This is not expensive to replace, makes you wonder if they cheap out on lug nuts what else is made cheap.
Engine, Jan 23, 2023
On Sat, Jan 14, started my car, it misfired on startup. Sun 1/15/23, started it, it misfired again. ‘Ck Engine light’ came on.Went to Advanced Auto Parts- code = P0304, Cylinder 4 Misfire Detected. Immed stopped driving vehicle-scheduled appt w/mechanic. Tuesday, Jan 17, drove vehicle to 1st Stop Auto, they diagnosed it, another code came up=P0316, Misfire Detected on Start-up (First 1000 Revolutions). They pulled all recalls, found out there's Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) on my make and model dated 12/2019. Diagnosis of vehicle from mechanic: “Found coolant was low due to it getting into Cylinder 4. TSB for replacing the engine for this issue.”. I picked up vehicle and drove it to Pinnacle Ford to have them diagnose it. In 12/2019, Ford distributed an INTERNAL Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) to their service departments regarding this major issue, WITH NO RECALL, then in 2020, a Class Action Lawsuit was filed against Ford. Both the mechanic and dealer has told me that my SUV needs a new engine-long block because the EcoBoost engine is defective as coolant leaks into the cylinders, which causes misfires, damage to additional major parts of the engine, AND can cause fire. This is not only a major repair for a vehicle w/less than 68k miles, but also a MAJOR safety hazard and Ford Motor Company IS DOING NOTHING TO REPAIR OR COMPENSATE OWNERS THAT OWN OR LEASE THEIR PRODUCTS/VEHICLES! They're fully aware of problem & have been for close to 10 years. Pinnacle Ford Lincoln diagnosed vehicle & filed the issue via paperwork to Ford Motor Company TO SEE if they will offer financial assistance for repair. They would not provide me with a loaner as I’m without a vehicle due to their negligence. I contacted Ford 5x in the last week, as early as today. Their Customer Care dept could care less. I requested my call be expedited. Not one rep would do so. The TSB bulletin is 7 pages of information and parts that must be ordered to fix this problem.
Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 22, 2023
Evap purge valve issue ( well recognized by Ford itself as part of a recall with Ford focus models after 2009.). But also needs to be addressed with Ford escape models of the same period. Multiple reports noted online as well ( seeking remedy on youtube and forums). I have Ford protect warranty. They refused to address it as part of the plan!!
Steering, Power train, Engine, Jan 14, 2023
There have been several instances of the vehicle completely shutting off while sitting idle and at red lights. I took it to the dealership and there is coolant leaking into the cylinders causing it to misfire. This is very dangerous and could cause the car to run hot or burn up! The said I should replace the engine but FORD should be responsible as this seems to be a problem in many of their escapes!
Engine, Jan 13, 2023
Took car in due to heater not working correctly, was not blowing hot air, was told coolant was leaking into engine, would need new engine, head gasket and block damaged. No warning or check engine lights on. Car is available for inspection if needed. I drive this car with ,y son on a daily basis if not for a cold front that past I would have never knew my heater didn't work and would be driving this car without knowing there was a problem which could lead me to be stranded. I was also told by the mechanic that this is not the first 2018 Ford Escape they have encountered with this same problem, they had worked on one just a week prior to me bring in my car. We were also informed by several Ford and other dealership service departments that it is an ongoing problem right now with all the 2018 escape to where there is a shortage of engines right now to replace them. I feel like this should qualify for a recall and that Ford needs to replace these engines at their cost since its a known fact online and in person that its faulty engines.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Jan 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after his daughter started the vehicle and started accelerating, the vehicle was jerking. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed her that the oil level was low and that cylinder #4 was misfiring. The contact was referred to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic confirmed a misfire in cylinder #4 due to coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 43,780.
Engine, Jan 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed as a catastrophic camshaft failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.
Power train, Service brakes, Jan 11, 2023
This 2018 Ford Escape Titanium has 32,000 miles on is experiencing chronic, substantive defects in the rear powertrain. Specifically, it is having its second replacement rear differential unit (RDU) installed. This means it will have worn out 3 RDU's in 32,000 miles. -Original RDU was replaced at ~23,000 miles and failed ~30,000 miles. Third RDU in vehicle's life is currently being installed. Additionally, this vehicle has already had its Power Transfer Unit (PTU) replaced at 22,000 miles and is now on its third set of rear brake rotors. My contention is that there are serious, substantive defects in the vehicles rear powertrain causing premature wearing of the brakes and potential for serious accidents related to the loss of rear differential control and brake damage.