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

5,000 miles · Oct 14, 2019

Service Brakes

AFTER 3 DEALER ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR, BRAKES HAVE VERY LOUD SQUEAL WHEN IN REVERSE. NOISE CAN BE HEARD IN NEIGHBORS' HOMES.

NHTSA ODI #11268268

Mileage unknown · Sep 4, 2019

Unknown Or Other

RADIO RESETS AT RANDOM WHEN ENTERING THE VEHICLE AND WHEN STANDING NEAR THE VEHICLE. A LOUD "POP" SOUND CAN BE HEARD WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND THE RADIO RESETS ITSELF TO AM 530. THIS CAN HAPPEN MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY WITH NO WARNING AS TO WHEN EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE DESCRIBED SOUND.

NHTSA ODI #11253147

19,000 miles · Aug 29, 2019

Unknown Or Other

LITES ON DIM ONLY COVER ABOUT 50 FT AHEAD OF CAR.

NHTSA ODI #11252152

50,000 miles · Jul 31, 2019

EngineUnknown Or OtherFire

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER A SHORT DRIVE, VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND PARKED A SHORT TIME LATER IN A PARKING LOT. A FEW MINUTES AFTER THAT, THE VEHICLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE. VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT FOR REPAIR WORK (COIL, SPARK PLUG)

NHTSA ODI #11240947

100 miles · Jun 26, 2019

Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

THE TOUCH SENSATIVE DOOR LOCKS DON'T WORK IN THE RAIN. THE KEY FOB MUST BE USED WHEN THE DOOR HANDLE IS WET. THIS OBVIOUSLY A MALFUNCTION AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BY FORD

NHTSA ODI #11222797

4,000 miles · May 3, 2019

Electronic Stability Control (esc)

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THE ON/OFF ISN'T WORKING CORRECTLY. ONCE THE CAR SHUTS OFF AT A LIGHT AND YOU TAKE OFF THE CAR STARTS JERKING AND THE RPM STARTS RACING. WHEN I'M DRIVING UP AN INCLINE THE CAR STARTED JERKED SO HARD IT FELT LIKE I HIT A BRICK WALL. A WEEK AGO I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND WHEN I HIT THE GAS TO GO THE CAR BARELY MOVED WHILE I WAS AT AN INTERSECTION BECAUSE IT JERKED THE WHOLE WAY ACROSS, ALL THE OTHER CARS HAD TO WAIT UNTIL I COULD GET OUT THE WAY. I GOT THIS CAR ON 4/15/19 AND I'VE NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM BEFORE. I'M GETTING SCARED TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE WHAT IT'S DOING IS DANGEROUS. I HOPE FORD LOOKS INTO THIS, FIGURE OUT WHAT THE CAUSE IS AND FIX IT. THE PROBLEM IS WORSE GOING FROM A SITTING POSITION TO TAKING OF AND WHEN GOING ON ANY INCLINE. THE JERKING IS LOUD, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HIT SOMETHING AND THE JERK IS VERY HARD. THE CAR ALSO DOESN'T SHUT ON AND OFF AS IT SHOULD. THE CAR STILL JERKS EVEN WITH THE ON/OFF BUTTON TURNED OFF

NHTSA ODI #11205589

21,108 miles · Apr 7, 2019

Wheels

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BRIDGESTONE ECOPIA EP422 PLUS 205/50R17 SIDEWALL BLOWOUT ISSUES (2 OCCURRENCES) ON 3/1/2019 (17,428 MILEAGE), HIT POT HOLE AND FRONT PASSENGER TIRE IMMEDIATELY STARTED LOSING PRESSURE UNTIL FLAT. NO SPARE AND TIRE SEALANT (OEM) DID NOT SEAL SIDEWALL HOLE. HAD ECOSPORT TOWED TO LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP (MARSHALL FORD, O'FALLON, MO) AND TIRE WAS REPLACED BY ANOTHER BRAND (MICHELIN NO BRIDGESTONE TIRE AVAILABLE) AT MY COST. BAD ECOPIA TIRE LEFT AT DEALERSHIP. INCIDENTALLY, TIRES WERE ROTATED ON 3/6/2019 AND REPLACEMENT TIRE WAS MOVED TO THE BACK AXLE. ON 4/2/2019 (21,108 MILEAGE), HIT CURB (NOT VERY HARD) WHILE TURNING IN A PARKING LOT (LOW SPEED) AND FRONT PASSENGER TIRE IMMEDIATELY STARTED LOSING PRESSURE (ANOTHER BRIDGESTONE ECOPIA) FROM SIDEWALL HOLE. JACKED UP CAR, TOOK WHEEL & TIRE TO AN NTB, AND HAD THE TIRE REPLACED WITH ANOTHER BRAND MY COST. THIS TIME, I RETAINED THE BAD ECOPIA TIRE WITH A HOLE IN THE SIDEWALL.

NHTSA ODI #11194496

Mileage unknown · Mar 26, 2019

Air BagsCrashInjury

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MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER WERE INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON MARCH 14 2018, THEY GOT HIT PRETTY GOOD IN ALL ANGLES OF THE CAR. THE CAR WAS DECLARED TOTAL LOSS. MY CONCERN IS .. WHY, ANY OF THE AIR BAGS ON THE CAR DEPLOYED ? NONE OF THE AIRBAGS, EVEN THE ONES ON THE SIDES, WENT OFF. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER SHIP, THEY TOLD ME THE CAR NEEDS TO BE CRASH IN THE FRONT AREA IN ORDER TO DEPLOY. HERE COMES MY CONCERN, IS THAT A GOOD SAFETY SYSTEM FOR THIS VEHICLE? I AM NOW GOING TO TRY TO GET ANOTHER VEHICLE SINCE IAM WITHOUT ONE RIGHT NOW. THE VEHICLE WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY AT 60 MILES WHEN THIS HAPPENED, IT HAPPENED IN THE HIGHWAY. THE OTHER DRIVER WAS AT FAULT. POLICE REPORT STATES IT.

NHTSA ODI #11191678

35 miles · Feb 28, 2019

Steering

CONTACTED DEALER SALES WITH ATTACHED PHOTO. STATES ALL THE CARS ARE LIKE THIS. THIS IS A MOVABLE STARRING COLUMN JUST BEHIND BRAKE BAD. A LOSE SHOE STRING CAN BE CAUGHT IN HERE DISABLE STEERING. THE FLOOR MAT WAS RUBBING AGAINST THIS AND MY WIFE THOUGH THE STEERING WAS THE ISSUE. IT REALLY IS. A SIMPLE INEXPENSIVE COVER IS NEEDE…

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NHTSA ODI #11183132

Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 2019

Electrical SystemEngineService BrakesCrashInjury

I AM TRYING TO ADD INFORMATION TO COMPLAINT #11175903. WHEN I MADE THE COMPLAINT THERE WERE NO INJURIES SINCE THEN THE OTHER DRIVER PARTY WENT TO THE HOSPITAL UNKNOWN ON INJURIES CAN I ADD THIS TO MY COMPLAINT

NHTSA ODI #11176441

Official recalls

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

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

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

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.