Overall rating (best variant)
Safety ratings
2018 Ford Escape SUV AWD
- Lane departure warningOptional
- Forward collision warningOptional
- Electronic stability controlStandard
2018 Ford Escape SUV FWD
- Lane departure warningOptional
- Forward collision warningOptional
- Electronic stability controlStandard
Crash test videos & photos
No public crash-test footage is available for this vehicle.
Recalls (4)
- AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOWCampaign 17V803000 · 18/12/2017
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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
- EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATERCampaign 26V011000 · 15/01/2026
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.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGSCampaign 18V104000 · 12/02/2018
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.
Risk: A brake fluid leak may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)Campaign 22V413000 · 10/06/2022
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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Owner complaints
Most-reported areas
- ENGINE320
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING87
- POWER TRAIN87
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER31
- FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM16
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM16
- STEERING8
- WHEELS6
Read individual complaints (50 most recent)
These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.
- 12/31/2024· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of coolant. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant was leaking into the engine and could cause engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.
- 12/31/2024· POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 50-55 MPH in the rainy weather, the vehicle lost motive power. The "Transmission Failure" message was displayed. The vehicle coasted to the side of the road. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that transmission fluid was leaking from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission shifter cable bushing listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) for which the VIN was included, had failed along with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission shifter cable bushing had not caused the transmission to fail. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.
- 12/31/2023· POWER TRAIN,ENGINE
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)
- 12/30/2025· ENGINE
Vehicle with 84000 miles has coolant intrusion into cylinders, dealer is saying new engine is needed at $11,000. Vehicle was bought new by owner. This is a known issue from Ford who knew of this issue.
- 12/30/2024· ENGINE
Good morning, I would like to discuss an issue concerning the Ford Motor Company and one of their many Technician Service Bulletins (TSB). I am a former auto technician now healthcare worker and had the unfortunate luck of purchasing a 2018 Ford Escape with 55k miles for my wife in 2023. The vehicle now has a check engine light on due to engine coolant leaking into the cylinders at 97k miles. After research I discovered Ford issued a limited time fix NOT a recall under the heading of TSB 19-2375 & TSB 21-N-12. The whole engine needs to be replaced and the Ford Motor Company will not pay for a flawed design. There seems to be multiple lawsuits due to many of these engines failing in different Ford Models. Why hasn't this been forced to be a recall? Many people are struggling as it is and a 7 thousand dollar repair is going to put me under. The people of this country including myself need the help of people with is voice. Please I am sinking here
- 12/30/2024· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The contact performed a diagnostic test and identified an engine misfire. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were contacted but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 104,000.
- 12/30/2021· ENGINE
2018 Ford Escape engine with just 22,000 Miles on it needs to be completely replaced for leaking coolant. Was told it could have given up on me at any moment while driving.
- 12/29/2025· ENGINE
No warning but beginning of the issue with coolant intrusion on the engine: car is currently being looked at for blown head gasket or cracked engine block resulting in $3000+ of repairs. Car only has 75K miles on it. Car is shaking while in park/drive/reverse, making odd bumping noises while going up hill, and not throwing any codes. Upon my research, it states there could be a serious issue with the engine but it is expensive to diagnose and Ford refuses to look at it or diagnose it even though it is a known issue.
- 12/29/2021· SERVICE BRAKES
3 different times when I put on the brakes, they just went all the way to the floor without stopping. This happened in a parking lot, exiting my driveway and going down a hill. All 3 times I had just started the car & was only going 5 miles per hour. These incidents occurred randomly, not on the same week.
- 12/29/2020· ENGINE
VEHICLE IS LOSING COOLANT AT 43,000 MILES I FILLED IT TO THE MAX AT 47,000 IT IS BELOW THE MINIMUM THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE ESCAPES BUT NO RECALL FOR MINE
- 12/29/2019· UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEMCrashFire
ON DECEMBER 26, 2019, ANOTHER OTHER VEHICLE HIT THIS 2018 FORD ESCAPE, SPINNING IT INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS ESCAPE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES (ALL FORDS) WERE IN MOTION TRAVELING ABOUT 50 MPH. THIS ESCAPE WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON ROUTE 122 NEAR BURNT CHIMNEY, VA. THE OTHER TWO FORDS WERE TRAVELING SOUTH ON THIS TWO LANE ROAD.
- 12/28/2024· ENGINE
Engine is exhibiting a P0302 Cylinder 2 misfire code and was taken to the Ford Dealership. Here, they stated the misfiring is due to a coolant leak that has seize the spark plug. The engine light has been on (periodically turning off) over the course of 3 weeks but the vehicle has not been driven much due to fear of stalling out in middle of drive/highway/road. Once the engine light started flashing it was towed to a Ford Dealership.
- 12/28/2024· ENGINE
Coolant leaking in the engine at 96k miles. Car locked up and is not drivable. Manufacture quoted me $8500 for the repairs.
- 12/28/2024· ENGINE
Car occasionally ran rough, engine light came on, code indicated a misfire so we changed the spark plugs and coils. No improvement, then suddenly while on the interstate, it was jumping and bucking and could barely run. Took it to a Ford dealer and they said it was a known problem with engine coolant leaks in Ecoboost engines but that they what $9,000 to replace it. This is not only reprehensible corporate irresponsibility but a safety issue, as my defective engine suddenly stopped working properly while I was driving in heavy high speed traffic.
- 12/28/2024· POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Purge valve stuck open causing check engine light to come on. Same as current recall on Ford Focus 2012-2018 vehicles. Ford Escapes within the same time frame should be included in the recall. Every time I fill gas there is a hard turn on since beginning of December. Then check engine light came on and code P1450.
- 12/28/2023· ENGINE
The system that had failed is the engine. According to the dealership where I took my car, which is the same dealership I purchased the car from, the engine has a coolant intrusion in cylinder #2 that has compromised the engine. There is a technical service bulletin [XXX] stating similar issues in Ford Escapes and my VIN # is not included in that service bulletin. The problem has been confirmed by the Ford dealership where I have taken my car. According to the service manager, many Ford Escapes have encountered similar issues. The vehicle is readily available for inspection at the Ford dealership. While driving, a temperature notification informed me of an issue, but the temperature gauge was not affected. A 2018 vehicle is excellent condition with only 78,516 should not have this kind of engine malfunction. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- 12/28/2023· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns 2018 Ford Escape. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was noticed that the vehicle had a coolant leak. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted by the independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 90,000.
- 12/27/2024· ENGINE
Coolant leaks into my engine’s cylinders, is causing cylinder misfire, overheating, engine corrosion, oil dilution and contamination, with high potential for the cylinder head cracking, total engine failure, and/or engine fires, according to my mechanic.
- 12/26/2025· POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES
Multiple failures occurred while driving with my kids in the car from what we can tell an electrical system failure of the parking brake motor as well as a transmission failure it is unknown at this time whether the parking brake motor failed causing stress on the transmission or the transmission fault led to the end Electric motor failure of the parking brake
- 12/26/2025· UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE
I purchased a 2018 Ford Escape from Metropolitan Ford dealership in Eden Prairie, MN on 5/15/2025. The very next day the engine light came on. I called them, made an appointment and brought it in thinking that it was a sensor. They checked it out and tried to charge me $1000 for the fix. I argued with them that I had just bought the car and the should be responsible for fixing it. In end I paid $300 and knew from that point that they would take no responsibility for anything wrong with th car. Fast forward to 12/12/2025 I was driving to work and as soon as I entered the interstate the engine light came on as well as the temperature gage going through the roof. I found that I couldn't accelerate and slowly drove the car off the next exit. I was able to get it to my mechanic right there, where he said I had a slow leak in the coolant and gave me a rough estimate of $1000 possible fix but he couldn't do it then. He advised me to keep the coolant filled and took it out of the "limp" mode so I could drive it. A week later I went out to my car and it was in the "limp" mode again, I had it towed to the nearest service station where they came back with the issue. A coolant intrusion. The engine was no longer functional. I went back to the dealer and they told me it was my problem to deal with and that they had no responsibility to do anything. That's when I found out about the recall that they knew about and ignored and sold me a car that they knew was problematic. I'm hoping to join this class action lawsuit because I'm out $12,000 the largest amount that I ever paid for a car and I don't have a working car. I still owe $5000 on this one. I thought going to a Ford dealership and spending the kind of money I spent would protect me from this exact thing. I'm devastated and really don't know what to do.
- 12/26/2024· ENGINE
Engine design flaw with coolant channels caused coolant to leak into cylinder 3 causing misfire and rapid coolant loss.
- 12/26/2024· ENGINE
Coolant leaked into engine and the vehicle now needs a new engine.
- 12/26/2023· POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact stated that the vehicle was inoperable. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
- 12/26/2022· POWER TRAIN,ENGINE
Coolant has leaked internally, without warning, until a few days ago when I got a "high engine temperature" warning and my car is now unusable. My engine is shot.
- 12/26/2020· POWER TRAIN,ENGINE
DEC.20,2020, MY CAR PARK IN MY DRIVE WAY, START UP AND THE ENGINE RUNNING VERY ROUGH AND DISPLAY HAS A CODE FLASHING ( ENGINE ). TECH INFO ME THAT NUMBER 4 PLUG MISFIRE, ADD COOLANT, RESET CODE PO316 AND PO304. TECH SAID THAT THERE IS A TSB20-2100 ?
- 12/26/2019· ENGINE
ENGINE OVERHEAT LIGHT WOULD COME ON IMMEDIATELY UPON STARTING THE ENGINE AND WOULD REMAIN ON. CAR STALLED SEVERAL TIMES BUT I WAS ABLE TO START IT UP AGAIN AFTER A FEW MINUTES AND IT DROVE FINE. FINALLY, THE CAR COMPLETELY STALLED AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE SHORT BLOCK AS THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE SHORT BLOCK, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE CYLINDERS. THIS VEHICLE HAD 25,000 WHEN THIS OCCURRED AND HAD BEEN LEASED (NEW) FOR LESS THAN 1 YEAR. DEALERSHIP WAS BACKLOGGED WITH ENGINE REPAIRS ON FORD ESCAPES FROM VARIOUS MODEL YEARS. THE DEALERSHIP LISTED THE REPAIR THE PROBLEM AS "CYLINDER DECK SURFACE IMPERFECTION." MY VEHICLE WAS IN SERVICE FROM OCTOBER 29, 2019 TO DEC 16, 2019.
- 12/24/2025· UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE
I believe coolant got into the cylinders and caused an engine failure. I had to replace the engine on the vehicle at 58000 miles
- 12/24/2025· ENGINE
When starting car, rough idle and engine light turns on. Diagnostic trouble codes show P0300, P0301, and P0304. This engine has a known manufacturing defect by Ford and they have some policies for replacement depending on age and mileage. There is no way to prevent this cracked block issue by consumers as it is a design flaw. Engine coolant seeps through the crack into the cylinders. I'm afraid to continue driving it as it may stall in traffic causing an accident or overheat if coolant gets low causing a fire.
- 12/23/2025· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and there was a misfire coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was covered under the Manufacturer’s Extended Warranty which was related to the failure. The failure mileage was 126,000. The VIN was not available.
- 12/23/2020· POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WHILE IN MOTIION (TAKING OFF AND DURING DRIVE) THE CAR 'CUTS BACK' AND DOESN'T PICK UP SPEED CAUSING DRIVER OF VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY PRESS THE GAS PEDAL TO INCREASE SPEED(ONLY SOMEWHAT GRADUALLY AFTER ANOTHER CUTBACK). THIS HAPPENS WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAYS AND ON CITY STREETS OR COUNTRY ROADS. IN ADDITION, WHEN PUTTING CAR IN REVERSE (TO PARK OR PULL OUT OF PARKING SPACE) THE CAR EITHER TURNS OFF OR DOESN'T MOVE BACK WHEN PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL.
- 12/22/2023· POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact received Customer Satisfaction Program: 19B37 PCM (Power Train Control Module) reprogramming. After the reprogramming was performed, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated there was white smoke coming from the engine. The contact was almost in a crash due to the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed by the dealer that the PCM needed to be replaced before an additional diagnostic test was performed to determine if coolant had intruded into the engine. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer initially stated that the cost of the repair would be fully covered; however, the contact was later informed that the warranty had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 35,176.
- 12/21/2022· ENGINE
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at approximately 70-80 MPH, the vehicle started to shake and the engine misfired. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact’s wife was able to maneuver the vehicle onto the shoulder. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the tires and brakes were replaced, and the vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that cylinder #1 had failed. The vehicle was then taken to another independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine block had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into cylinder #1. The contact was informed that the short block 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. The contact was provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
- 12/20/2025· ENGINE
While driving down the interstate the engine light started to flash and the engine started to stutter. It would rev up and down. This incident occurred while traveling at approximately 70mph with no prior warning. We exited the highway as soon as possible and towed the vehicle to a Ford dealership. They performed a diagnostic and found that a spark plug had broken and that there was coolant intrusion in 3 of the 4 cylinders. There were no prior engine warning lights. The only potential prior warning to this was the coolant was low during a oil change performed 2 weeks before. The dealership informed me that total engine failure was imminent and inevitable. The engine would need to be replaced for $13,000. The vehicle broke down approximately 100 miles from home. It is not available for inspection as bringing it home was cost prohibitive. I've already sold the car to a wrecking company, Peddle, LLC. The car broke down on 12-12-25. The mileage at the time of the breakdown was 74315. This was recorded at the Ford dealership. Car maintenance was up to date and routinely performed.
- 12/20/2024· ENGINE
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that there was a coolant intrusion resulting in a misfire and damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was 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 80,000.
- 12/20/2024· ENGINE
Ford 2.0l EcoBoost engine has a design failure Ford has been aware of prior to 2019. My 2018 Ford Escape, I bought new with less then 45000 miles on it has failed due to this design where coolant is sucked into the #2 cylinder. I have contacted Ford, and they will not admit it their design failure. Ford also issues two technical service bulletins concerning this issue in 2019 where the recommend replacing the engine. TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 19-2208 and 19-2346. I've contacted Ford and they are willing to pay for the labor but not the parts. This failure was caused by Ford and since I could do nothing to fix it nor did they inform me about the possible issue prior to the expiration of the 5-year warranty in 2023. I am having to foot a bill for something they knew about for years. This is consumer fraud.
- 12/20/2024· UNKNOWN OR OTHER
APIM is not fuctional. Rear camera does not work, display does not work, stereo does not work. Resetting the system does not work. Fuses are all good, and electrical connections confirmed good. APIM issues have been an issue with this year of Ford.
- 12/20/2024· ENGINE
I was told by Ford during an oil change around 06/2024 that my coolant is leaking and I needed a new engine.. now my car keeps overheating and I haven't been able to drive it for about 5 months....my extended warranty is also expired now....they said there was a recall for this, but expired back in 2022? I never received notification of this... it makes no sense to me.
- 12/20/2023· ENGINE
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after the vehicle had received an oil change, the check engine warning light illuminated while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the engine; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who determined that the airflow shutter actuator needed to be replaced, but the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 134,932.
- 12/19/2024· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion 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. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.
- 12/19/2023· ENGINE
11/29/2023 Temperature light came on/reported hot, said please pull over when safe; I stopped shortly but was on a hill with vehicles behind me, and had to get to the top to pull off. (Within 1 minute); NO previous warnings or having to put additional antifreeze in the vehicle. The coolant in the reservoir was boiling; Called Tow Truck; took to Ford Dealer; several days later they informed me there was coolant in the engine; Option replace the engine for $9,300 and did not tell me this is a recurring issue with the 1.5l EcoBoost Engine; The vehicle is still at the dealership and is available for inspection; Ford knows about the issue and is not taking full responsibility for a design or manufacturing problem; If the engine just shuts down in front of other vehicles our safety is compromised; An engine fire or coolant reservoir explosion is possible. The coolant leak issue has been inspected and confirmed by Ford and the local dealership; Ford acknowledges there is a problem (Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 and stated they provided recall information in 2022 to all Ford Escape 1.5l EcoBoost Owners that Ford would replace the short block in the Escape at their cost; said it ended 11/30/2022. I NEVER received any recall information from FORD and my vehicle had 0 Unrepaired recalls. What happened? Ford should replace the engine at no cost to the owner because of the known recurring issue. Hundreds of complaints. This is a design or manufacturing issue! Escape owners need HELP with this issue from the NHTSA.
- 12/19/2022· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started to hesitate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who stated that coolant was leaking into cylinder #2. The contact was also informed that the engine needed to be rebuilt. The contact called the manufacturer who referred her to a dealer. The dealer was notified of the failure and scheduled an appointment. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 112,000.
- 12/19/2018· STEERING
I WAS BEING TO ACCELERATE AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN, WHEN THE STEERING FROZE THEN VIOLENTLY TURNED TO THE RIGHT. WHEN THE STEERING TURNED TO THE RIGHT I INADVERTENTLY PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SPEEDING UP SLIGHTLY TO APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. DURING THE SPLIT SECOND THAT THIS HAPPENED I WAS ABLE TO WRESTLE THE VEHICLE BACK TOWARDS THE ROAD BARELY MISSING A TELEPHONE POLE, BUT I DID STRIKE THE GUY WIRES THAT SUPPORT THE POLE. THIS CAUSED ABOUT $800 IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND NO DEFECT COULD BE FOUND BY THE SERVICE STATION. WHEN THE STEERING DID GO OUT IT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT THING TO STEER THAT I HAVE EVER DRIVEN INCLUDING OLD LARGE TRUCK WITH NO POWER STEERING.
- 12/19/2018· ENGINE
ENGINE CYLINDER#2 COOLANT LEAK ON 2018 FORD ESCAPE WITH ONLY 7,865 MILES ON IT AND ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH ON THE FREEWAY. HAD PROBLEMS FOR WEEKS ROUGH IDLING, STALL WARNING CODE P0302 AND THEN IT STARTED TO OVERHEAT FOR 10-15 SECONDS DAILY. ONCE IT OVERHEATED IT WOULD ALWAYS THROTTLE BACK MY ENGINE. CASE IN POINT I WAS GOING 70MPH WHEN IT OVERHEATED AND IT DECELERATED TO 20MPH IN LESS THAN 10 SECONDS AND COULDN'T ACCELERATE TO GET OUT OF THE OTHER CARS WAY GOING 70 PLUS MPH SWERVING AROUND ME TO PULL OVER AND ALMOST GOT INTO A CRASH ON THE 4 LANE FREEWAY NOT GOOD. FINALLY TOOK IT IN WITH IT OVERHEATED TWICE ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER DAYS OF TEARDOWN THE DEALERSHIP SAID I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE DUE TO A COOLANT LEAK INTO THE #2 CYLINDER CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE BEYOND ECONOMICAL REPAIR PER THEIR CHECKLIST. THE DEALERSHIP TRIED TO GET A SHOT BLOCK ENGINE BUT WENT BACKORDER NONE AVAILABLE IN THE SYSTEM DUE TO THE HIGH DEMAND FOR THIS ENGINE. HAD TO GET FORD TO APPROVE A LONG BLOCK THEY COULD GET LOCALLY. NOW WAITING ON THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE TO ARRIVE AND BE INSTALLED 11 DAYS LATER. I SEE FROM OTHERS THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THIS NEW VEHICLE WITH 1 IN 5 ENGINES NEEDING FULL ENGINE REPLACEMENT AT THE 5000-7000 MILES MARK. ASSUMING THEY USE THE SAME OEM ENGINE THIS WILL COME BACK IN ANOTHER 5-7K MILES. I HAVE LOST ALL CONFIDENCE IN THE VEHICLE TO STAY DRIVABLE AND SAFE TO DRIVE FOR MORE THAN A FEW MONTHS..
- 12/18/2025· ENGINE
Engine coolant intrusion, confirmed by local mechanic and with Ford dealer technician over the phone.
- 12/18/2024· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked while attempting to start the vehicle, the infotainment system failed to display the rear-view camera, and the contact was unable to view the image behind the vehicle. The contact stated that the radio was also inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic and all the vehicle fuses were checked for proper functionality. The dealer was contacted and provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 96,000.
- 12/18/2023· ENGINE
The 1.5L eco boost engine is causing coolant to leak into the engine. I need a new engine and can’t get one. It failed the block test. I will need to check and fill the antifreeze everyday until a recall is issued. This is a common problem from what I’ve read.
- 12/18/2023· ENGINE,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
At roughly 54600 miles the engine began to shudder badly when starting the vehicle and driving for the first minute or so. The vehicle produced a check engine light that would come on and then would go off within the same day after it was parked multiple times over several weeks, finally staying on for 2 days. Shuddering from the engine became significantly worse in that time and the check engine light began to flash while driving along with experiencing sudden loss of engine power. Took the vehicle to Ford who found the cause was a known defect causing coolant intrusion into the engine, requiring short block replacement new spark plugs, gaskets, etc. The vehicle was retained by Ford for over 3 weeks for this repair.
- 12/18/2023· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light had illuminated. Additionally, coolant needed to be added to the vehicle more frequently than normal. The contact stated that while accelerating from a stop sign, there was a large amount of white smoke coming from the rear-end of the vehicle. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle to allow the smoke to dissipate. The contact was able to push the vehicle back to the residence nearby. The contact stated that a mobile independent mechanic arrived and inspected the vehicle, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The failure was related to NHTSA ID Number: 10214126 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 60,100.
- 12/18/2018· UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2018 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A RUMBLE NOISE WHILE TRAVELING AT 45-50 MPH. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER ADVISED THE RUMBLE WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. *JS
- 12/17/2025· POWER TRAIN
Had vehicle in shop for axle repair, as soon as I got home transmission went out when I was about to turn onto a main road with 2 kids in my car. My car felt like it was in neutral but it wasn’t. Barely got back to my parking spot. Seeing this is a common issue with my car and I think it should be covered under a recall