1,000 miles from home we suddenly received a low oil pressure warning. I immediately pulled into the gas station that was magically there. The oil was found to be full, but the car wouldn’t start again. We had it towed to the nearest Ford dealer in Mississippi who contacted us the next business day. We have been told that the oi…
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1,000 miles from home we suddenly received a low oil pressure warning. I immediately pulled into the gas station that was magically there. The oil was found to be full, but the car wouldn’t start again. We had it towed to the nearest Ford dealer in Mississippi who contacted us the next business day. We have been told that the oil pump tensioner broke requiring a new engine. We are awaiting a full estimate, and an appraiser to look it over from the warranty company to know the full extent and if it will be covered. Not only were we stranded in 90+ degree heat in the middle of nowhere 1,000 miles from home, there were no options for transportation to the nearest airport 1 1/2 hours away to get a rental on a Saturday afternoon. We were lucky in that we stopped and didn’t try to continue only to have it die in the middle of the highway. No leaking fluids, no engine trouble prior, no other warning or overheating present. Just a sudden loss of pressure and now my car is on the opposite side of the country needing a new engine.
NHTSA ODI #11477223
Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2022
EngineFuel/propulsion System
Mechanic diagnostic was that nothing is getting to engine, which is why vehicle doesn't start. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT A LOCAL MECHANIC ADVISED THERE WAS METAL IN THE OIL PAN.
NHTSA ODI #11476332
Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2022
EngineUnknown Or Other
On July 9, 2022 Warning across dashboard stated engine oil pump pressure low then heard grinding noise. Towed to mechanic and found out the oil pump belt was broken and had metal in engine causing engine to fail also messing up turbo. Have to now replace engine with turbo which is costly but still owe on vehicle. Engine is $7000…
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On July 9, 2022 Warning across dashboard stated engine oil pump pressure low then heard grinding noise. Towed to mechanic and found out the oil pump belt was broken and had metal in engine causing engine to fail also messing up turbo. Have to now replace engine with turbo which is costly but still owe on vehicle. Engine is $7000+ and is extremely hard to find plus was told the problem will most likely happen again. If I had been driving when this happened the motor would have locked up causing an accident and could have possibly been fatal per mechanic.
NHTSA ODI #11475715
Mileage unknown · Jul 21, 2022
EnginePower Train
Ive had this car for 2 years and the check engine light is on and low oil pressure light is on also. The oil is not getting to the engine causing it to knock and loose pressure when driving. Also the starter wont turn.
NHTSA ODI #11475196
106,000 miles · Jul 20, 2022
Engine
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated to 60 MPH. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal however, the vehicle failed to exceed 60 MPH. The oil pressure warning light and service warning light were illuminated. The message “Oil Pressure Low” was d…
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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated to 60 MPH. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal however, the vehicle failed to exceed 60 MPH. The oil pressure warning light and service warning light were illuminated. The message “Oil Pressure Low” was displayed. Additionally, the contact heard abnormal loud knocking sounds coming from the engine. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced Ford Technical Service Number: SSM 48093. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired by replacing the engine and turbos. Ford agreed to reimburse 60% of the repair cost.
NHTSA ODI #11475009
84,000 miles · Jul 15, 2022
EngineEngine And Engine Cooling
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle was hesitating. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle the next day, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact …
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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle was hesitating. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle the next day, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that three spark plugs and coolant needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the head gasket had blown and the engine needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.
NHTSA ODI #11474170
Mileage unknown · Jul 14, 2022
Engine
After pulling up in my driveway, had a low oil pressure warning show in the dashboard. Checked to see oil life (28%) and whether there was enough oil in the engine. Since it was a hot day, assumed it could be temperature related and decide check out everything the next morning when it would be cooler. Upon starting the car th…
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After pulling up in my driveway, had a low oil pressure warning show in the dashboard. Checked to see oil life (28%) and whether there was enough oil in the engine. Since it was a hot day, assumed it could be temperature related and decide check out everything the next morning when it would be cooler. Upon starting the car the next morning, the warning appeared again and then the car immediately lost power. After I could not get the engine to restart, had it towed to the dealership where I was told a new engine would be needed.
NHTSA ODI #11473839
Mileage unknown · Jul 1, 2022
Engine
I was driving down the interstate in the fast lane. The ecosport I was driving flashed a low oil pressure warning and cut off. I had no choice but to get over in the fast lane shoulder. Very dangerous situation. The Tennessee HWY response team showed up and was able to get my car to the right side shoulder. My car only has …
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I was driving down the interstate in the fast lane. The ecosport I was driving flashed a low oil pressure warning and cut off. I had no choice but to get over in the fast lane shoulder. Very dangerous situation. The Tennessee HWY response team showed up and was able to get my car to the right side shoulder. My car only has 38,000 miles. After researching the problem, It appears to be wide-spread with class action lawsuits being put into place. Ford released a bulletin on the problem. This is a very dangerous situation and Ford should be held accountable for their faulty engine design.
NHTSA ODI #11471948
Mileage unknown · Jun 15, 2022
Engine
While driving my 2018 ecosport, i got a warning of "low oil pressure". my car became slow and would not accelerate correctly. I took it to my local mechanic who told me a belt inside of my oil pump shredded and i needed a completely new engine. I am only about 6000 miles over the standard ford warranty of 60,000 miles (i have ju…
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While driving my 2018 ecosport, i got a warning of "low oil pressure". my car became slow and would not accelerate correctly. I took it to my local mechanic who told me a belt inside of my oil pump shredded and i needed a completely new engine. I am only about 6000 miles over the standard ford warranty of 60,000 miles (i have just under 67000 on my car). we decided to tow my undrivable car to my local ford dealership to have a second opinion and they confirmed the same problem. we contacted ford customer service to bring the problem to their attention and they told us there was nothing they could do. upon further investigation we have found this is chronic problem with the 1.0 turbo ecoboost engines and found a class action lawsuit (from CSK&D-FORD ECOSPORT ECOBOOST DEFECT – CLASS ACTION INVESTIGATION) started against ford for this specific issue, and they still will not help us cover the costs. We cannot afford to replace the engine and still owe too much on the car to try to trade it in. it has caused a major hardship on my fiancé and I, trying to juggle both our jobs without this car and find the funds to repair the ecosport all while prices of parts and gas are skyrocketing. I have only had this car for a little over year, it has just under 67000 miles, and it is completely undrivable due to the faulty and carless engineering.
NHTSA ODI #11469488
Mileage unknown · May 24, 2022
EngineFire
Engine Caught fire and car was engulfed in flames. Insurance is investigating. Oil Pressure Low light came on roughly 10 minutes before this occurred.
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.
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.
2018 Ford Ecosport Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year