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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

Power Train complaints

67 reports
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73,000 miles · Feb 28, 2025
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle shut off as the oil pressure and check engine warning lights were displayed on the instrument panel. The contact initially restarted the vehicle; however, the vehicle shut off again after driving several miles and failed to restart. Due t…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle shut off as the oil pressure and check engine warning lights were displayed on the instrument panel. The contact initially restarted the vehicle; however, the vehicle shut off again after driving several miles and failed to restart. Due to the failure, the vehicle was first towed to an independent mechanic and the contact was unable to restart the vehicle and diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. The dealer was notified of the failure and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. A diagnostic test was performed that confirmed that the engine had failed. The engine was then replaced by the dealer under warranty. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that recently after starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light reappeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where a code reader was used to scan the vehicle. The code reader showed codes for issues for both low oil pressure and transmission. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that the parts used for the initial engine replacement were the same parts that were currently under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 issue. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI #11645485

Mileage unknown · Feb 14, 2025
Power Train

1. The vehicle jumps when being put into gear and sometimes slips or is delayed as well. It also has a sound that goes along with it. This has been a problem since the first started driving the vehicle. Like many issues with this vehicle it is not consistent, however I estimate that this happens 75% of the time. 2. I have bumpe…

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1. The vehicle jumps when being put into gear and sometimes slips or is delayed as well. It also has a sound that goes along with it. This has been a problem since the first started driving the vehicle. Like many issues with this vehicle it is not consistent, however I estimate that this happens 75% of the time. 2. I have bumped are in my car port multiple times. I've stayed very vigilant as, it has jumped a couple times when I'm in a parking lot at a busy shopping area and people are walking in the lot. It feels very unstable and unpredictable. The whole car jerks. 3. I have been to the dealership for other issues related to the auto start stop not working and engine failure from the 23V905 recall. I am not sure if this was part of the inspections. 4. There are no warning indicators for this. It happens and is jarring. Note below, it is not one incident date, it is constant.

NHTSA ODI #11642842

82,954 miles · Feb 3, 2025
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized with the low oil pressure warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized with the low oil pressure warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 82,954. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI #11640495

Mileage unknown · Nov 11, 2024
EnginePower Train

My engine light came on in September 2024. I took it to the Ford dealership and they told me it was my purge valve. I had my mechanic replace my purge valve and my engine light went off. 24 hours later my engine light came back on. I took it to the Ford dealership and they said the valve was loose and they fixed it. My engine li…

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My engine light came on in September 2024. I took it to the Ford dealership and they told me it was my purge valve. I had my mechanic replace my purge valve and my engine light went off. 24 hours later my engine light came back on. I took it to the Ford dealership and they said the valve was loose and they fixed it. My engine light was off when they gave me my vehicle back. 2 fays layer my engine light came back on. While driving on I-45 my car shut off and stalled. I talked with the Ford corporate office and they informed me about my car's safety recall and that they will not have the parts until next year. I wanted to have my car be a total loss and purchase a 2024 Ford Escape. I was not approved and Ford is trying to give me my car back. I no longer feel safe driving behind the wheel of a car that has an increasing chance of shutting off and causing a crash.

NHTSA ODI #11624569

104,490 miles · Sep 20, 2024
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle was intermittently sluggish and failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle then lost motive power. The contact was unable to pull over to the side of the roadway. The c…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle was intermittently sluggish and failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle then lost motive power. The contact was unable to pull over to the side of the roadway. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle experienced a rough start. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the sparks plugs and ignition coils were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while driving to the residence and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle decelerated to 40 MPH and slowly accelerated to 50 MPH continuously. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a diagnostic test and repair cost would be charged because the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 104,490.

NHTSA ODI #11615615

Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2024
Power Train

While driving down the road the car started to make a weird clunking sound and started to jerk when I made a turns and continued to jerk until stopped. * Independent service removed and replaced the rear differential * There were no warning signs

NHTSA ODI #11610519

Mileage unknown · Jun 25, 2024
EnginePower TrainService Brakes

My car stop running completely. It's at the dealership for about 3 months and they have fix but the engine are on backorder. Looking at the 2nd quarter of next year to be fixed. My family and I will be without a vehicle for almost an year. I don't have the money for a rental which they said they would reimburse me which isn't …

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My car stop running completely. It's at the dealership for about 3 months and they have fix but the engine are on backorder. Looking at the 2nd quarter of next year to be fixed. My family and I will be without a vehicle for almost an year. I don't have the money for a rental which they said they would reimburse me which isn't an option for me at this time

NHTSA ODI #11596614

Mileage unknown · Jun 24, 2024
EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other

While daughter was driving vehicle, the vehicle lost complete power. There is no drive power and almost put my daughter in an accident. We have taken the vehicle to where we purchased it from, and they advised it needed a new engine, after several months, we found out it was due to this engine recall on the ECO Sport and was to…

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While daughter was driving vehicle, the vehicle lost complete power. There is no drive power and almost put my daughter in an accident. We have taken the vehicle to where we purchased it from, and they advised it needed a new engine, after several months, we found out it was due to this engine recall on the ECO Sport and was told it had to be taken to a certified Ford dealer to handle the recall, since the recall superseded the warranty we purchased on the vehicle. It is now sitting at Bob Thomas Ford in Fort Wayne Indiana since February/March, and Ford is not taking responsibility for this. They only offered a rental vehicle on April 15th, which was 5 months into us not having the vehicle, because they have had nothing further on this recall and no parts. I have put in several claims with Ford asking for them to buy back the vehicle at what we owe, since we had to replace the car. Now, they are stating that parts are anticipated to be available 1st quarter of 2025. I am asking that Ford pay off the balance of the vehicle and buy it back. They cannot expect people to pay on a loan for a car when it is not drivable, for over a year.

NHTSA ODI #11596095

Mileage unknown · Jun 12, 2024
EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

The recall on the oil pump has really put a halt in my life. I was driving home when my vehicle cut out. I lost control of the vehicle for a second. Thank goodness I was not on a highway and was able to get it going again to drive home. My dash lit up with all different lights, one being low oil. The vehicle is now sitting at a …

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The recall on the oil pump has really put a halt in my life. I was driving home when my vehicle cut out. I lost control of the vehicle for a second. Thank goodness I was not on a highway and was able to get it going again to drive home. My dash lit up with all different lights, one being low oil. The vehicle is now sitting at a Ford Dealership where we wait for parts for the EcoSport. This was several months ago. I was told multiple times I could not get a loaner car and that I would have to pay for a loaner if that is what I needed. I ended up going to another dealership and financed another vehicle as my job requires me to travel. I have been in contact with the Ford Support and the Ford dealership and nothing seems to be getting done about it.

NHTSA ODI #11593969

Mileage unknown · May 20, 2024
EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other

Kept getting a message on the dash saying low oil pressure then the car just completely stopped on me and wouldn't start no longer

NHTSA ODI #11589670

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.