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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

Unknown Or Other complaints

61 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jun 10, 2026
Unknown Or Other

Safety defect involves an extreme structural hazard caused by the improper execution and assembly of components under open Federal Safety Recall Campaign 23V905 (Ford Recall 23S64) on a 2018 Ford EcoSport.The vehicle previously underwent the authorized interim engine replacement mandated by Safety Recall 23S64. Following a recen…

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Safety defect involves an extreme structural hazard caused by the improper execution and assembly of components under open Federal Safety Recall Campaign 23V905 (Ford Recall 23S64) on a 2018 Ford EcoSport.The vehicle previously underwent the authorized interim engine replacement mandated by Safety Recall 23S64. Following a recent diagnosis by certified technicians to investigate severe vehicle noise, it was discovered that all but one of the main front engine subframe (cradle) bolts are completely missing from the vehicle.The front subframe must be completely dropped and reinstalled to execute this specific recall's interim repair. The missing hardware is a direct result of critical structural fasteners being left loose or entirely uninstalled during the official recall service.As a direct consequence of the detached subframe shifting dynamically while driving, the vehicle has suffered severe structural and tire damage and tracking misalignment. The vehicle has been officially deemed entirely unroadworthy and unsafe to drive due to an imminent risk of structural collapse or catastrophic steering and control failure.The consumer is currently facing a refusal of accountability regarding this safety failure. The manufacturer's customer service division is classifying this severe hazard as a localized dealership workmanship dispute rather than a critical failure of federal safety recall integrity, leaving an unsafe, recalled vehicle unaddressed and grounding the consumer.

NHTSA ODI #11743321

Mileage unknown · Apr 23, 2026
Unknown Or Other

Shifting into and out of first gear causing the front end to slam down almost sending my daughter and myself threw the windshield. It clunks and slams into gears causing the car to buck, shaking when trying to start moving.

NHTSA ODI #11733203

Mileage unknown · Mar 25, 2026
Unknown Or Other

I was at stop light went to take my foot off brake to go when light was green car shut completely off. I quickly put hazard lights on then put car in park to restart car. Lucky car didn’t rear in me. Safety recall •Vehicle shuts off in traffic •Unsafe to drive •Loss of wages •No transportation provided •Second recall with long d…

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I was at stop light went to take my foot off brake to go when light was green car shut completely off. I quickly put hazard lights on then put car in park to restart car. Lucky car didn’t rear in me. Safety recall •Vehicle shuts off in traffic •Unsafe to drive •Loss of wages •No transportation provided •Second recall with long delay

NHTSA ODI #11727127

Mileage unknown · Oct 9, 2025
Unknown Or Other

Two dealers telling different thing to fix the recall on my car. The first dealer who did my interim repair did a replace long block engine. And the new dealer who about to do the final repair is saying that the engine failure now is not part of the recall.

NHTSA ODI #11692424

Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 2025
EngineUnknown Or OtherCrash

Vehicle Information: •Year / Make / Model: 2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium 2.0L •VIN: [XXX] ] •Mileage: ~70,000 miles Problem Description: I am experiencing multiple engine and emissions-related issues on my 2018 Ford EcoSport at only ~70,000 miles. These include: •Check engine light illuminated continuously •P0016 – Crankshaft/…

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Vehicle Information: •Year / Make / Model: 2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium 2.0L •VIN: [XXX] ] •Mileage: ~70,000 miles Problem Description: I am experiencing multiple engine and emissions-related issues on my 2018 Ford EcoSport at only ~70,000 miles. These include: •Check engine light illuminated continuously •P0016 – Crankshaft/Camshaft Correlation (Bank 1 Sensor A) •P0017 – Crankshaft/Camshaft Correlation (Bank 1 Sensor B) •P0420 – Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold •All emissions-related lights, including camshaft indicator, are on •Vehicle is sluggish and struggles to accelerate These issues first appeared around 30,000 miles and recurred more severely at ~70,000 miles. The vehicle has been maintained according to manufacturer recommendations, with regular oil changes using the correct oil type. This appears to be a premature failure of timing chain/cam phasers and possibly catalytic converter components. I have checked for recalls and found none applicable to my 2.0L engine, and there are no known Technical Service Bulletins specifically covering this problem. I am concerned about safety and reliability, and I am submitting this complaint so that NHTSA can track these issues and determine if further investigation or action is necessary. Additional Comments: •I am aware of other Ford owners experiencing similar timing chain and cam phaser issues at low mileage (60k–80k miles). •I request that this information be considered for investigation into potential safety defects or extended coverage. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11681954

Mileage unknown · May 10, 2025
EngineUnknown Or Other

On Monday, [XXX] the ‘low engine oil pressure’ light came on in my car. It quickly turned off but then came back on and flickered off a second time. The third time it came on, it stayed on and my car slowed of its own accord before coming to a complete stop due to engine failure. I was on [XXX] (a major state highway with 65mph …

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On Monday, [XXX] the ‘low engine oil pressure’ light came on in my car. It quickly turned off but then came back on and flickered off a second time. The third time it came on, it stayed on and my car slowed of its own accord before coming to a complete stop due to engine failure. I was on [XXX] (a major state highway with 65mph speed limits) on my way home from work. I was able to get over to the shoulder just milliseconds before the engine completely stopped working. Thankfully I was able to move over safely because I could’ve been hit by other motorists on the highway had my car come to a standstill in the middle of the lane. This issue has been confirmed by my local Ford dealer (Haldeman Ford Hamilton) to be related to the recall on the vehicle. Ford has been pushing back the availability for replacement parts for this recall for months. They still don’t have the parts available even though the recall notice was initially sent out in 2023. The dealership told me it could be 3-6 months before the parts are available to fix my car. I was told they had no loaner cars available for me because of all the other customers who are also having these issues with their Ford EcoSports and are currently using loaner cars. I was informed I’d have to wait 2-3 weeks for a loaner car to become available and in the meantime, I was responsible for finding my own transportation to/from work. Ford informed me they would not reimburse me for the cost of a ride-share service like uber nor would they reimburse me if I rented my own car as it had to be a Ford loaner vehicle. I also had to pay out of pocket for towing services to get my car towed off [XXX] and to the dealership. I have asked to be reimbursed for the towing services but Ford refuses to do so. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11660106

Mileage unknown · May 6, 2025
Unknown Or Other

Back up camera doesn't work or has a distorted screen

NHTSA ODI #11659184

Mileage unknown · Apr 16, 2025
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

Ever since I purchased the vehicle, the screen that shows the system warnings and the speed that is right in front of the steering wheel goes out and turns completely dark and it will do this at weird moments. I haven’t noticed anything to cause this. I have replaced the battery and gone for an inspection and they can’t seem to …

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Ever since I purchased the vehicle, the screen that shows the system warnings and the speed that is right in front of the steering wheel goes out and turns completely dark and it will do this at weird moments. I haven’t noticed anything to cause this. I have replaced the battery and gone for an inspection and they can’t seem to figure out why it’s doing this other than the vehicle should be recalled. As this only happens every now and then but can be dangerous as if it goes out while driving home I supposed to know my speed or anything if I’m looking at the screen obviously I know that there is another speedometer on the right for speed, but either way it should not be happening. I am not sure if it would show if I went in for another inspection as I said it kind of does it on its own and at weird times. My safety is put at risk due to the fact that I cannot see what speed I’m going if that screen goes out other than looking at the speedometer that they give you in the car on the right side in front of the steering wheel. I wouldn’t be able to tell what kind of system warning I have because it pops up on that screen. There’s a lot of things that could happen where safety is concerned when that screen does go out. As I said before when I did go to a Ford dealership and got it inspected, they did notice that that happened but weren’t able to figure it out at the time and we were able to confirm it was not a battery issue as they did replace the battery in the vehicle. The vehicle has been inspected by a Ford dealership and again they could not figure out the reason and did not provide me with any answers other than it could be an electrical recall. There were no warning lamps or messages as that would be the screen that it would pop up on, and I can’t see it as it goes completely dark.

NHTSA ODI #11655041

Mileage unknown · Apr 16, 2025
EngineService BrakesUnknown Or Other

I had a recall for my 2018 Ford EcoSport vehicle. while driving my vehicle the car just lost power and stopped. I was in the middle of the road when this happened, I tried to make it to the side as best as i could. The car was not drivable so i had to call a tow truck. I did know there was a recall, but was never told what, nor …

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I had a recall for my 2018 Ford EcoSport vehicle. while driving my vehicle the car just lost power and stopped. I was in the middle of the road when this happened, I tried to make it to the side as best as i could. The car was not drivable so i had to call a tow truck. I did know there was a recall, but was never told what, nor that it could cause engine failiure and possibly a crash. My safety was put at risk, this car should have been placed on a STOP SALE as this could have been more serious. My engine had to be replace however; now the transmission and torque converter are bad, i feel this is due to the engine seizing up and it affected the transmission. I am told i have to pay for this to be fixed now, how is this even happening. I have driven this vehicle for 4 months out of 6. My engine light came on and then the care just stopped working, i had little to no warning. I don't even want this car now as i am scare more will go wrong with it. THIS SHOULD HAVE NOT BEEN SOLD WITHOUT THE RECALL OF AN ENGINE BEING FIXED FIRST. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT, THANK GOD IT DIDNT. PLEASE HELP!!!!!! I have no documents yet as I was told they would email them hours ago and still nothing. The only reason i knew about the STOP SALE, was the sales person stated that it should have had this on the vehicle and he is not sure why it didn't.

NHTSA ODI #11655002

Mileage unknown · Mar 25, 2025
EngineUnknown Or Other

Today (March-25-2025) a light came on saying "LOW ENGINE OIL PRESSURE" when I was driving home from work. I pulled in the driveway and turned the car off, checked the oil and noticed it was completely full. I am still waiting on a recall for this vehicle since last year, and since my wife and I both work, and have kids to take c…

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Today (March-25-2025) a light came on saying "LOW ENGINE OIL PRESSURE" when I was driving home from work. I pulled in the driveway and turned the car off, checked the oil and noticed it was completely full. I am still waiting on a recall for this vehicle since last year, and since my wife and I both work, and have kids to take care of, not having a vehicle is definitely a problem.

NHTSA ODI #11650635

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.