The low engine oil pressure light came on and within seconds the entire car lost acceleration. This car only has 54,000 miles on it and has always had regular maintenance. Ford made a lemon engine and is refusing to fix it.
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Ecosport years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
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.
Engine complaints
355 reportsThe contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at 3 MPH, the vehicle independently stopped. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a …
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The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at 3 MPH, the vehicle independently stopped. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a faulty engine oil pump drive belt. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to call NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 87,745.
In August 2023 we were driving our 2018 Ford Ecosport (with a little over only 45,000 miles) in town and the check engine light came on following the check oil light. We instantly headed to a mechanic and paid for a diagnostic. The mechanic told us that there were metal shavings in the oil and the remedy is to have an engine rep…
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In August 2023 we were driving our 2018 Ford Ecosport (with a little over only 45,000 miles) in town and the check engine light came on following the check oil light. We instantly headed to a mechanic and paid for a diagnostic. The mechanic told us that there were metal shavings in the oil and the remedy is to have an engine replacement. We drove back home. The following day, we headed to the local Ford dealership to see what we could do to get it fixed and file a complaint with them. On our way there, we were in a 50mph zone and we the power of the vehicle lessened a lot (from 50mph to 10-15mph and the RPM was 4,000 on a two lane road (we were on an overpass where we could not even pull over and we had 3 autistic children in the back seat. Midway across the overpass, We lost power completely. The engine was gone. We BARELY coasted off of the overpass, to where we had to run a Yield traffic sign and almost collided with another vehicle.
Oil pressure failure on highway. Loss of speed and power.
In late August 2023 my wife and I were driving her 2018 Ford Ecosport SE down one of our local highways at approximately 70mph. Without any warning the low engine oil pressure light came on and the car alerted to low oil pressure. The vehicle suddenly slowed down and would not travel any faster than 20mph in an instant. I was ab…
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In late August 2023 my wife and I were driving her 2018 Ford Ecosport SE down one of our local highways at approximately 70mph. Without any warning the low engine oil pressure light came on and the car alerted to low oil pressure. The vehicle suddenly slowed down and would not travel any faster than 20mph in an instant. I was able to pull safely to a side road about .5 miles from where it initially happened. It was a very hot August day and my 18 month old was in the back of the vehicle. When I parked the vehicle it shut off and never turned on again. We waited for upwards of 2 hours on a tow truck while thankfully we were able to get our child into a cool car after about 45 minutes of waiting for someone to get to us. I had the vehicle towed to the dealership where we bought the car new in 2019. The vehicle at the time of incident had just over 70,000 miles. Upon diagnosis Ford stated there was some type of failure that the suggested repair would be a long block assembly 6006 and turbocharger. This service would cost $7,464.61 but they could not do it because the replacement engine is on backorder with no estimated time of when one would be available. We have since had to have the vehicle towed several times back to our place where it sits just waiting to decide what to do with it and have been forced to purchase a new vehicle since. I have noticed after this happening that I am not the only one that has experienced this problem and that it is a known issue and has been for years. One of the remarks I received from a Ford employee is "you should not have bought a throw away car".
I own the 2018 Ford Ecosport 1.0 lt. engine with Ecoboost engine I was 100 miles from home on a business trip when the low oil pressure warning came on with chimes alerting me about the low oil pressure. The notice and chimes remained until I stopped. I've never seen this warning before and nor have I had any problems whatsoev…
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I own the 2018 Ford Ecosport 1.0 lt. engine with Ecoboost engine I was 100 miles from home on a business trip when the low oil pressure warning came on with chimes alerting me about the low oil pressure. The notice and chimes remained until I stopped. I've never seen this warning before and nor have I had any problems whatsoever in the 3 years I've owned it. While waiting for a tow back to my home, I looked up some info and found that Ford knew about the oil pressure/oil pump problems and chose to do nothing about it. Luckily I was able to pull over fairly quickly but if I hadn't been able to, I was on a very busy freeway and a mountain pass that could have resulted in a much worse situation like some of the other reports of this issue in their Ecosport. Once home, I had it serviced by a AAA endorsed automotive shop and they determined that the oil pump failed causing the low oil pressure and is basically not replaceable. My engine and my vehicle are totaled. You would only be able to replace the faulty oil pump with the same pump since this is what they use in this vehicle. It's just wrong that Ford knew about this and continues to sell this vehicle. I also can't afford another car. I'd just paid this one off and I loved it. They should pay me for my loss.
On October 11th my wife’s EcoSport showed a check engine light, so we started to head towards David McDavid’s service. En route, the oil pressure light came on and the car died in the middle of the road right as schools were getting out. A White Settlement Police Officer kindly helped me push the car out of the middle of the roa…
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On October 11th my wife’s EcoSport showed a check engine light, so we started to head towards David McDavid’s service. En route, the oil pressure light came on and the car died in the middle of the road right as schools were getting out. A White Settlement Police Officer kindly helped me push the car out of the middle of the road and it was towed to David McDavid Ford. The dealership confirmed that the engine had died as a result of failed oil pressure. We take care of our cars (spending about $1200 annually per vehicle) and for this to happen on a 2018 vehicle is greatly concerning.
Vehicle began making strange noise and losing power while driving, thankfully a few feet from daughter’s home. Made it to driveway, made loud noise and lost all power and control of vehicle. My vehicle had recently been serviced and there were no warnings that this would happen. No lights came on to indicate that there was abo…
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Vehicle began making strange noise and losing power while driving, thankfully a few feet from daughter’s home. Made it to driveway, made loud noise and lost all power and control of vehicle. My vehicle had recently been serviced and there were no warnings that this would happen. No lights came on to indicate that there was about to be a problem. I had just left a major hwy (441) where speeds average 70 mph and there are a lot of log trucks and transit vehicles. Ford agreed to pay a portion of the repair but it took 3 months and my vehicle isn’t the same since picking it up Friday 10/13:23. I feel I paid a lot of money to replace an engine that was nowhere near the end of its mechanical lifespan. I had to refinance my car in order to do loan for the repair which caused me a loan fee and will result in more interest. It is my understanding that a service bulletin was issued on this problem but Ford took no effort to warn us of the danger or repair ahead of time before it cost us thousands of dollars.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that after stopping at a stop light, the light turned green and the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drive the vehicle to her destination. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by …
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The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that after stopping at a stop light, the light turned green and the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drive the vehicle to her destination. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.
I was driving to Temecula and hot a notification on my dash that said ‘Engine Oil Pressure Low’. I was worried so I found an oil change place close by and pulled off the freeway, but then I noticed the car wasn’t accelerating, my foot was flat down on the accelerator and it was crawling along the road. SO I pulled over to the si…
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I was driving to Temecula and hot a notification on my dash that said ‘Engine Oil Pressure Low’. I was worried so I found an oil change place close by and pulled off the freeway, but then I noticed the car wasn’t accelerating, my foot was flat down on the accelerator and it was crawling along the road. SO I pulled over to the side and that was it, it wouldn’t go on again. All of the accessories still worked, but it absolutely wouldn’t turn on. It was towed to a local repair shop. I was told the engine had 'seized' and needed to be replaced. I've only done 42k miles and bought it 2nd hand 2 years ago. I've only done 10k miles since then, surely at 42k miles the engine shouldn't need to be replaced. Ford said their warranty only goes to 5 years so there's nothing they can do to help.
Official recalls
223V905000 · 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
1PE23015 · 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.
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