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 and engine cooling, Sep 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated and the vehicle went into Limp Mode. The coolant temperature and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine was cracked and produced code: P0302. The contact stated that the mechanic was able to reset the computer. The contact referenced TSB: 22-2229. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall and to contact the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.
Power train, Sep 19, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the parts to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Additionally, the contact stated that she placed her foot on the accelerator pedal attempting to merge into traffic when the vehicle started to shake with the gear shifter was stuck in drive. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that parts were unavailable to repair the vehicle, and an appointment was scheduled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Power train, Sep 19, 2022
SAFETY RECALL ON MY 2018 FORD ESCAPE WARNING RISK IN DAMAGED OR MISSING BUSHING IN SHIFTING TRANSMISSION INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY OR CRASH. PARTS ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE TO FIX AND WE ARE TAKING OUT OF STATE TRIP. I ASSUME IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT FORD IS RESPONSIBLE BUT WE DON'T WANT TO CHANCE DRIVING A RECALLED VEHICLE. WHEN WILL THIS SAFETY ISSUE BE RESOLVED?
Power train, Sep 13, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40-45 MPH on a curve, the transmission was slipping. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that upon veering to the side of the road, the vehicle began to operate as needed. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 72,121. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Power train, Sep 12, 2022
THE CAR DOES WORK TRANMISSION..
Structure, Other or unspecified, Sep 10, 2022
The driver and front passenger door passenger won't latch. It doesn't catch properly and the warning light comes on for the door. There shouldn't be any problems for a car with only 22509 miles.
Engine, Sep 7, 2022
A flawed engineering design has led to a rash of catastrophic engine failures in certain Ford Escape and Fusion vehicle models. The nature of the failure manifests as a leak of engine coolant into the internal combustion engine. There is no warning message, and the issue was thankfully discovered when I brought the vehicle in for a routine oil change and before it led to a catastrophe such as an in-motion engine overheat situation or engine fire. Dealer's service manager recommends engine replacement, and Ford Motor Company will not fully cover the costs.
Steering, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Sep 6, 2022
Transmission fault notification appeared on the screen while on the highway. Vehicle unable to maintain speed and has "bumping" when attempting to drive it. Poses a safety threat because I was unable to maintain speed while driving. Ford has not found remedy and it has been a month without ability to use vehicle.
Power train, Sep 6, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle was jerking with the ABS and traction control warning lights illuminated. The contact shifted the vehicle into park(P); however, the gear shift indicator register that the transmission was in neutral(N). The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was unable to repair the vehicle due to parts not being available and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.
Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 5, 2022
Entered car after work on 6/23/22, went to pull into street and car had no excelerating power, steering wheel vibrated, couldn’t go over 15-20 mph, then message on dash alert said: Engine Fault Service Now, the ford message on my app said: power train malfunction, reduced power, hill start assist warning. I messaged with Ford and they said I could drive just not over 15-20 mph. Drove home. Made arrangements to bring car to dealer service next day. They told me to drive it in like that. I was terrified when this happened, I had pulled into busy street, cars honking and trying to pass me, my car just couldn’t move. I didn’t have an immediate place to safely pull over. This was so stressful, felt grateful I wasn’t hit pulling out or from behind.
Engine, Sep 4, 2022
Coolant leaks into cylinder 2 causing hesitation, power loss and extreme amounts of white smoke. This is caused by a manufacturing flaw where ford built the block with slits between cylinders which leak coolant. As evident by the technical service bulletin and new block design, ford is aware that they manufacture a faulty engine. The fix requires a complete rebuild of engine which will run over $8000, but will only cover cost for vehicles under 30k miles (factory warranty) despite know of this for some time, the dealership would simply top off coolant during every regular service and send me on my way. Now that I well outside of warranty, they claim that I must pay for repairs of a manufacturing issue. Their are many documented incidents of this occurring as well as videos of the difference between original and redesigned blocks, as well as the extensive rebuild required to repair.
Engine, Sep 3, 2022
The head gasket leaked coolant into cylinders causing the cylinder walls to crack. Vehicle would suddenly run rough and stall which is dangerous if you are driving the vehicle. The engine needed to be replaced completely.
Engine, Aug 31, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle was vibrating with an abnormal amount of smoke coming from the exhaust tip. The vehicle overheated and shut off. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 48,704.
Engine, Aug 29, 2022
I was driving the vehicle in town when the "check engine" light came on. The car stalled and jerked several times, but I was able to keep it going. Luckily this was in a parking lot. I immediately took it to the dealer I purchased it from, several miles away. I do not know if the dealer reproduced the problem, but he dealer indicated that I needed a new engine. Apparently there was some coolant that leaked into the cylinders. I brought the vehicle to the dealer on July 21, 2022 and they were not able to look at it until August 16th. That is when I was told the vehicle needed a new engine. The Ford Escape has approximately 86,500 miles on it.
Power train, Aug 26, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after shifting into drive(D), the vehicle instead reversed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Power train, Service brakes, Engine, Aug 26, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, she heard an abnormal noise while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated for a short period of time. The contact was able to continue driving to her destination at a slow speed. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission to be rebuilt. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was 79,334.
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Aug 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle overheated. The contact was able to pull off the highway and after waiting approximately an hour was able to continue driving; however, the failure persisted. The temperature gauge was elevated to the hot position. The check engine and TPMS warning lights were illuminated. The contact called an independent mechanic and was referred to the local dealer. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Power train, Aug 18, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact had experienced an unintentional rollaway and was injured when the vehicle rolled over her right ankle and calf. The contact was taken to the hospital by a friend to seek medical attention. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Other or unspecified, Aug 18, 2022, crash
2018 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO PARTS BEING UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM NHTSA SAFETY RECALL. THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL 22S43/22V13. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. THE VEHICLE SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT FRONT END DAMAGE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME COMPLETING THE RECALL REPAIR.
Other or unspecified, Aug 16, 2022
It wouldn’t go into second gear and would stop and not go so I turned the auto bio fuel feature off and it started to act better. Then it gave me a transmission default alert. I parked turned off the car and turned it back on and nursed it home
Electrical system, Aug 16, 2022
The SYNC system is failing causing no GPS, no phone connections, no radio, rear camera problems and other electronic issues. This is apparently a well known part (APIM) problem.
Engine, Aug 13, 2022
Cylinder 2 misfire, coolant leaking into cylinders. Fill up coolant reservoir and is gone with in hours.
Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed control, Aug 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle emitted an abnormal winding sound. The vehicle decelerated independently, failed to accelerate and stalled without warning. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact had to push the vehicle out of the highway. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 61,294.
Steering, Aug 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at 60-65 MPH in a straight forward lane, the steering wheel would independently steer to the right with resistance. There was no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that there was resistance while attempting to readjust the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that no issues were found. However, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.
Power train, Engine, Aug 11, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undetermined speed, there was abnormal rumbling noise detected when shifting. The engine warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number:22V413000 (Power Train). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.