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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

What owners actually said

726 reports
Mileage unknown · Feb 18, 2024
EngineVehicle Speed Control

Air duct tube was broken when driving on interstate 94 east. stepping on gas pedal there was a buuuuuuzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz noise. Also, the check engine light is always on, a mechanic said that the PCM programming is mis-communicating.

NHTSA ODI #11572643

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 · Feb 17, 2024
Engine

Related to Safety Recall Notice 23S64/NHTSA Recall 23V905 On May 2, 2021, I was driving in cruise control and noticed that the car was struggling to maintain speed. After maybe 10 minutes or so of driving the car a warning light came on that I did not recognize. I pulled over and researched online to see what it could indicate. …

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Related to Safety Recall Notice 23S64/NHTSA Recall 23V905 On May 2, 2021, I was driving in cruise control and noticed that the car was struggling to maintain speed. After maybe 10 minutes or so of driving the car a warning light came on that I did not recognize. I pulled over and researched online to see what it could indicate. It said it was for oil pressure. I was maybe 20 miles from a town on a Sunday afternoon, so I drove it to the next town. Sometimes the warning light would flash and sometimes it would stay off for a time. In the town I bought a quart of oil, thinking that maybe the oil was low. It then started fine and drove normally for about 15 miles (I was about 15 miles from home by then) and then the oil pressure light came back on. I was able to drive the car home. When I turned the car on in the morning, the oil pressure light came on immediately, so I had the vehicle towed to the dealership. The repair report shows "Engine oil pump drive belt tensioner defective." There was damage to the engine, so they had to replace the engine, which cost me $6101.61 minus the cost of a rental car while the vehicle was being repaired. I received the safety recall notice in the mail today.

NHTSA ODI #11572551

77,000 miles · Feb 16, 2024
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the low engine pressure warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over safely. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact received no…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the low engine pressure warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over safely. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. 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 local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI #11572395

47,000 miles · Feb 16, 2024
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil pressure warning light illuminated on the instrument panel, prompting the contact to pull to the shoulder of the roadway and cease driving the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure wit…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil pressure warning light illuminated on the instrument panel, prompting the contact to pull to the shoulder of the roadway and cease driving the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the oil pump, resulting in damage to the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and the VIN was included, but the parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The failure mileage was 47,000.

NHTSA ODI #11572328

Mileage unknown · Feb 16, 2024
Engine

A LOSS OF ENGINE OIL PRESSURE. ENGINE DAMAGE WHICH CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER MECHANIC HAS HAD CAR SINCE THANKSGIVING 2023 WAITING FOR MOTOR

NHTSA ODI #11572285

24,000 miles · Feb 16, 2024
Electrical System

The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact was stopped at a stop light and the vehicle shut off. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed starter. The vehicle was currently being r…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact was stopped at a stop light and the vehicle shut off. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed starter. The vehicle was currently being repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred before and the starter had been replaced by the dealer twice within 6-months. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.

NHTSA ODI #11572284

Mileage unknown · Feb 15, 2024
Power Train

My vehicle stopped accelerating in the middle of the road in traffic & completely shutdown...it would not crank & I couldn't get it out of the road...the check engine light & auto start button started to flash really fast & then the low oil pressure message came on

NHTSA ODI #11572232

36,000 miles · Feb 15, 2024
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated while driving 20-25 MPH and attempting to depress the brake pedal to come to a stop at a STOP sign, the brake pedal was stiff and failed to depress as needed. The low oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The contact engaged the electric parking brake and the vehicl…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated while driving 20-25 MPH and attempting to depress the brake pedal to come to a stop at a STOP sign, the brake pedal was stiff and failed to depress as needed. The low oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The contact engaged the electric parking brake and the vehicle stopped. The contact stated that he drove to the nearby mechanic, who referred him to the local dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the oil pump had failed, causing engine and turbo damage. The dealer determined that the engine and the turbo needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could assist once the part to repair NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) was available at the beginning of the 2nd quarter of 2024. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.

NHTSA ODI #11572214

Mileage unknown · Feb 15, 2024
EnginePower Train

wife was driving in rush hour traffic about 8am , noticed the warning light low engine oil pressure light on the dash, from the left lane she made her way to the right of the 4 lane highway to the breakdown lane due, to the traffic it took her a couple of mins to make it to the right at which time the car stopped running.car,i…

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wife was driving in rush hour traffic about 8am , noticed the warning light low engine oil pressure light on the dash, from the left lane she made her way to the right of the 4 lane highway to the breakdown lane due, to the traffic it took her a couple of mins to make it to the right at which time the car stopped running.car,it was towed. to a ford dealership in Lees Summit missouri it appears that the oil pump failed, the car is at that dealership for inspection .the wife's safety was put at risk due to this oil pump failure in rush hour traffic the dealership has stated that the engine is locked up we have a extended warranty with fidelity warranty services,inc and someone from there has to inspect the motor first before the ford dealer can made any repairs Bob Sight ford is the dealership in Lees Summit MO, there was no advance warning of the problem until the warning light came on

NHTSA ODI #11572181

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.