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2018 Ford Ecosport

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2018 Ford Ecosport do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 395.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

267 reports with mileage · 459 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 355 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 311 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

18 crash reports2 fire reports7 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

10 reports
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24,000 miles · Aug 28, 2025
Air BagsCrash

The contact owned a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while her son was driving at 35 mph, he attempted to avoid a dog in the road, swerved into the oncoming lane of a two-lane road, and then crashed into a fence. During the failure, the contact lost control of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. A police report …

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The contact owned a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while her son was driving at 35 mph, he attempted to avoid a dog in the road, swerved into the oncoming lane of a two-lane road, and then crashed into a fence. During the failure, the contact lost control of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. No injuries were sustained, and medical attention was not required. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and deemed totaled. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), the VIN was included, and the contact associated the failure with the recall consequence. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 24,000.

NHTSA ODI #11683747

50,000 miles · Apr 30, 2025
Air BagsEngine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); but the recall repair failed to repair the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated, and the engine failed after the …

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); but the recall repair failed to repair the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated, and the engine failed after the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 50,000.

NHTSA ODI #11657900

Mileage unknown · Jan 7, 2025
Air BagsEngineStructureCrashInjury

I was involved in a front end collision [XXX] that caused my vehicle to be totaled and me to be transported to the hospital via an ambulance. I purchased the vehicle with the understanding that it had numerous safety features including airbags throughout. During this accident my impact completely crumpled my engine compartment…

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I was involved in a front end collision [XXX] that caused my vehicle to be totaled and me to be transported to the hospital via an ambulance. I purchased the vehicle with the understanding that it had numerous safety features including airbags throughout. During this accident my impact completely crumpled my engine compartment and left portions of my engine were left lying around. The only airbag to deploy was the skirt one below the steering wheel column. The curtain one over my driver door and the steering wheel one did not deploy. I sustained a concussion, post concussion syndrome, chest wall injury, hematoma and abrasions to my left arm and both legs. The bruises sustained to my abdomen make it look like I am still wearing my seatbelt. The post concussion syndrome has caused me memory loss for the entire day, before and after the accident other than a moment here or there. I cannot remember the accident or what led up to it. I continue to have headaches and nausea. I am really just looking for answers on why my other airbags did not deploy. Ford has declined to inspect the airbags unless I agree to have the vehicle brought to one of their inspection locations. Thank you [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11634730

Mileage unknown · Aug 26, 2024
Air BagsUnknown Or Other

Can't open the hood either the latch or the cord is broken. It's very dangerous to drive the car while the engine oil is due to change. The latch or the cord is very defective. Also, airbag has been staying on the dashboard for a long time.

NHTSA ODI #11610825

Mileage unknown · Aug 19, 2024
Air BagsEngine

Engine and airbags lights are always shown on the dashboard without going off. It has been ON always and constantly for many months.

NHTSA ODI #11609561

Mileage unknown · Aug 19, 2024
Air Bags

The airbags light appears on the dashboard always ON, without going off for many months and also the engine light is always showing up on the dashboard without turning off for more than 2 years.

NHTSA ODI #11609560

Mileage unknown · Feb 17, 2024
Air BagsService BrakesCrash

I was just parking my car in a spot in my parking lot in front of my apartment. All of a sudden my car took at a fast speed. I could not stop it. I went over two curbs and hit a tree. Finally it stopped. Now it may be totalled. I looked up the recall of this car, and it said my car has a problem that could cause the engine and p…

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I was just parking my car in a spot in my parking lot in front of my apartment. All of a sudden my car took at a fast speed. I could not stop it. I went over two curbs and hit a tree. Finally it stopped. Now it may be totalled. I looked up the recall of this car, and it said my car has a problem that could cause the engine and power brakes to fail while driving. My insurance company thinks it is my fault, but I think this proves differently. Please advise. I never got a notice about this recall. I could have been killed if my car hit the tree head on. thanks, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11572566

Mileage unknown · Jun 21, 2023
Air BagsPower TrainSeat Belts

car failed to accelerate then lost power then stopped running. my app gave me these messages occupant classification system module is present but not configured, airbag warning is on due to electrical issue with vehicle and poertrain malfunctio powertrain fault. After turning the car off an disabling auto start stop the vehicle…

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car failed to accelerate then lost power then stopped running. my app gave me these messages occupant classification system module is present but not configured, airbag warning is on due to electrical issue with vehicle and poertrain malfunctio powertrain fault. After turning the car off an disabling auto start stop the vehicle got me home. but due to the airbag issue my app advised me to not drive the vehicle. 2 months ago the auto start stop failed to restart and car would not automatically recrank. i usually turn auto start stop off due to the failure to auto restart. I did not disable the auto start stop today until i had had ghe acceleration and power failure.

NHTSA ODI #11528207

30,000 miles · Apr 13, 2022
Air BagsCrash

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving on the highway at approximately 70 MPH, there was a mattress on the road. The contact stated that the vehicle in front of her stopped to pull the mattress off the roadway causing the vehicle behind her to crash into the rear of her vehi…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving on the highway at approximately 70 MPH, there was a mattress on the road. The contact stated that the vehicle in front of her stopped to pull the mattress off the roadway causing the vehicle behind her to crash into the rear of her vehicle. As a result of the impact, it caused her to rear-end the vehicle in front that was removing the mattress off the road. The contact stated that the foot air bag did deploy, however, the upper airbag did not deploy. The contact stated that to her knowledge the passenger in the first vehicle sustained minor injuries, however medical attention was not called or needed for anyone involved in the crash at the time. The contact stated the police were called at the time, however since no one was in need of medical attention, a police report was not made. The contact stated that she then had her vehicle towed to a tow yard where it remains awaiting to be towed to a junkyard, as the vehicle was totaled. The contact stated that she then contacted the manufacturer who advised there was nothing that could be done. The failure mileage was 30,000.

NHTSA ODI #11460669

Mileage unknown · Mar 26, 2019
Air BagsCrashInjury

MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER WERE INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON MARCH 14 2018, THEY GOT HIT PRETTY GOOD IN ALL ANGLES OF THE CAR. THE CAR WAS DECLARED TOTAL LOSS. MY CONCERN IS .. WHY, ANY OF THE AIR BAGS ON THE CAR DEPLOYED ? NONE OF THE AIRBAGS, EVEN THE ONES ON THE SIDES, WENT OFF. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER SHIP, THEY TOLD ME THE CAR…

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MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER WERE INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON MARCH 14 2018, THEY GOT HIT PRETTY GOOD IN ALL ANGLES OF THE CAR. THE CAR WAS DECLARED TOTAL LOSS. MY CONCERN IS .. WHY, ANY OF THE AIR BAGS ON THE CAR DEPLOYED ? NONE OF THE AIRBAGS, EVEN THE ONES ON THE SIDES, WENT OFF. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER SHIP, THEY TOLD ME THE CAR NEEDS TO BE CRASH IN THE FRONT AREA IN ORDER TO DEPLOY. HERE COMES MY CONCERN, IS THAT A GOOD SAFETY SYSTEM FOR THIS VEHICLE? I AM NOW GOING TO TRY TO GET ANOTHER VEHICLE SINCE IAM WITHOUT ONE RIGHT NOW. THE VEHICLE WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY AT 60 MILES WHEN THIS HAPPENED, IT HAPPENED IN THE HIGHWAY. THE OTHER DRIVER WAS AT FAULT. POLICE REPORT STATES IT.

NHTSA ODI #11191678

Official recalls

2

23V905000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:oil/lubrication:pump

Dec 22, 2023

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A loss of oil pressure can result in an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the oil pump tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt, free of charge. If engine failure occurs due to a damaged oil pump belt and/or oil pump belt tensioner, Ford has authorized dealers to replace the engine assembly as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S64.

18V312000 · Equipment:other:labels; Service Brakes

May 14, 2018

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Ecosport vehicles sold in the United States Federal Territiories. These vehicles were shipped with the European brake reservoir pictogram cap label and the European English language owner's manual kits. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Owners could be confused by the incorrect label on the brake fluid cap, potentially causing them to replace the brake fluid with an incorrect fluid which could affect brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake fluid cap and owner's manual kit, free of charge. The recall began on June 21, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C04.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Service Brakes

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Ecosport vehicles sold in the United States Federal Territiories. These vehicles were shipped with the European brake reservoir pictogram cap label and the European English language owner's manual kits. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Consequence: Owners could be confused by the incorrect label on the brake fluid cap, potentially causing them to replace the brake fluid with an incorrect fluid which could affect brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake fluid cap and owner's manual kit, free of charge. The recall began on June 21, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C04.

Equipment:other:labels

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Ecosport vehicles sold in the United States Federal Territiories. These vehicles were shipped with the European brake reservoir pictogram cap label and the European English language owner's manual kits. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Consequence: Owners could be confused by the incorrect label on the brake fluid cap, potentially causing them to replace the brake fluid with an incorrect fluid which could affect brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake fluid cap and owner's manual kit, free of charge. The recall began on June 21, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C04.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE23015 · Oil Pump Failure

Opened Sep 20, 2023 · Closed Feb 14, 2024

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:oil/lubrication:pump

On September 20, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-015 to investigate instances of engine failure due to loss of oil pressure in model year (MY) 2018-2021 Ford EcoSport vehicles. Some consumers reported a low engine oil pressure warning lamp immediately preceding a complete loss or reduction of motive power while the vehicle was in motion. The investigation revealed that the engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm may fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure. A loss of engine oil pressure can result in engine seizure, which can result in a loss of motive power and a loss of mechanical vacuum pump required to provide power braking assist, increase the risk of a crash. On December 22, 2023, Ford filed recall 23V-905 for certain MY 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The recall remedy provides the replacement of the oil pump drive belt tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt with redesigned parts to improve robustness. In view of the recall action being taken by Ford, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.