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2018 Ford Escape

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2018 Ford Escape do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 996.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

668 reports with mileage · 1,123 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 1,145 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 342 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 269 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

25 crash reports5 fire reports23 injury reports

Engine complaints

1,145 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 19, 2025
Engine

Engine coolant intrusion into Cylinder head. Vehicle is a 2018 with 95k miles on it. This is causing cylinder 1 misfiring and FORD is saying it requires a new engine block.

NHTSA ODI #11661837

Mileage unknown · May 16, 2025
EnginePower Train

Ford is trying to say that my engine is blown, my check engine light came on at 105,000 miles and it said that my cylinder too was misfiring. I brought it to my mechanic and he replaced the coils and the spark plugs and the check engine light kept coming back on within a few hours I took the vehicle to my mechanic five times in …

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Ford is trying to say that my engine is blown, my check engine light came on at 105,000 miles and it said that my cylinder too was misfiring. I brought it to my mechanic and he replaced the coils and the spark plugs and the check engine light kept coming back on within a few hours I took the vehicle to my mechanic five times in three days the last time I took it to my mechanic the vehicle started overheat, there was no power, the vehicle is shaking, and it left me pretty much stuck on the side of the road with a child in my car.

NHTSA ODI #11661516

127,000 miles · May 14, 2025
EnginePower Train

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH and approaching a red traffic light, the vehicle began to jerk then suddenly lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehic…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH and approaching a red traffic light, the vehicle began to jerk then suddenly lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the contact stated that upon reaching her destination, the vehicle stalled and had since not been able to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 127,000.

NHTSA ODI #11660936

45,000 miles · May 9, 2025
Engine

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, there was an abnormal rumbling sound coming from the engine compartment, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle accelerated normally, but while the vehicle was idling, the contact observed a…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, there was an abnormal rumbling sound coming from the engine compartment, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle accelerated normally, but while the vehicle was idling, the contact observed a rumbling sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred three days later. The vehicle was taken to the same independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the cylinders needed to be interchanged. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred five days later. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

NHTSA ODI #11659929

Mileage unknown · May 8, 2025
Engine

Ecoboost 1.8l engine failure due to coolant leaking into the cylinders. Looks to be a very common issue that Ford is very aware.

NHTSA ODI #11659833

Mileage unknown · May 7, 2025
Engine

I purchased this car new [XXX]. It was running rough for some time but now has 90,000 miles on it. I took it in for the shifter cable recall. I told them it was running rough. The Ford dealership here in Arkansas said it was coolant leaking into cylinder #2. By researching, I found that Ford issued a Customer Satisfaction P…

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I purchased this car new [XXX]. It was running rough for some time but now has 90,000 miles on it. I took it in for the shifter cable recall. I told them it was running rough. The Ford dealership here in Arkansas said it was coolant leaking into cylinder #2. By researching, I found that Ford issued a Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 in June 2022 for this specific issue. I never got a notice in the mail. Ford Motor company says this program stops at 84,000 miles or June 19, 2025 for me so I am out of luck since I have more than 84,000. This is wrong. It should apply to all mileage for such an issue. This should be a recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11659607

Mileage unknown · May 7, 2025
EngineFuel/propulsion System

My coolant is leaking into the motor. Shop gave me a quote for a whole new engine. I’ve seen so many posts on forums and many friends who own the same car having the same problem. Please please make Ford issue a recall as this is my only vehicle and I got it hoping to finally not have to worry about car problems for a while. It’…

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My coolant is leaking into the motor. Shop gave me a quote for a whole new engine. I’ve seen so many posts on forums and many friends who own the same car having the same problem. Please please make Ford issue a recall as this is my only vehicle and I got it hoping to finally not have to worry about car problems for a while. It’s been 2 months since I bought it.

NHTSA ODI #11659414

Mileage unknown · May 6, 2025
Engine

Check engine light came on at 103k miles with a P0302 error code. Replaced spark plugs and check engine light went away. 2 weeks later high engine temperature warning came on. Had it towed to a mechanic. Diagnosis was a cracked engine block with coolant leaking into cylinder number 3. Complete engine and turbo replacement i…

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Check engine light came on at 103k miles with a P0302 error code. Replaced spark plugs and check engine light went away. 2 weeks later high engine temperature warning came on. Had it towed to a mechanic. Diagnosis was a cracked engine block with coolant leaking into cylinder number 3. Complete engine and turbo replacement is needed quoted at $11k.

NHTSA ODI #11659373

Mileage unknown · May 6, 2025
Engine

I have a coolant intrusion in the 1.5L engine and now I have to have the entire engine replaced, and it will cost me more than the car is worth. This is a widely known problem and Ford refuses to include all year/make/models with this issue. I have no way to get my car fixed and it's been down for over a year now because I can't…

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I have a coolant intrusion in the 1.5L engine and now I have to have the entire engine replaced, and it will cost me more than the car is worth. This is a widely known problem and Ford refuses to include all year/make/models with this issue. I have no way to get my car fixed and it's been down for over a year now because I can't afford to get it fixed.

NHTSA ODI #11659173

Mileage unknown · May 5, 2025
EngineFire

The car hit 101,000 miles, and the check engine light came on. I do not remember having the spark plugs replaces, so I took the car in to the dealership to have those done thinking that was the problem. They have the car for two days. The dealership replaced the spark plugs and the crank case. The day after the car came back i…

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The car hit 101,000 miles, and the check engine light came on. I do not remember having the spark plugs replaces, so I took the car in to the dealership to have those done thinking that was the problem. They have the car for two days. The dealership replaced the spark plugs and the crank case. The day after the car came back it did not start. Then the next time I drove it, I made it half a mile down the road and it started smoking. After the car was towed to the dealership at 9:57 am, this is the first message I received from the dealership at 4:48pm on Tuesday. "I wanted to inform you the tech did take a look at the vehicle and found a bunch of codes to different parts of the system. The shop foreman, my manager, and my director are all involved to correct this for you. Still performing inspections of different parts of the engine & under the hood." The second message I received was 11:37 Thursday "I apologize, I had to leave office yesterday at 1030 unexpectedly. I have been catching up on everything since returning today. I was informed there is coolant intrusion on the engine after performing the spark plugs. That is what caused the vehicle to start overheating. Our sincere apologies. There is a recall on the vehicle for this exact concern. It calls for an engine replacement. However, your vehicle is outside of the allotted mileage for that recall. I have submitted to both Ford and our rep for assistance to have these repairs taken care of. Per my manager, Jess & director Chris, please stay in the loaner vehicle (our cost) until we can resolve this matter. I should have an answer from our rep/Ford by this afternoon." Then I did not hear from them again until the Monday after at 1:37 pm asking for me to call them. The news on the phone call was that it was an extended warranty not a recall and that Ford was not willing to do anything about it.

NHTSA ODI #11659127

Official recalls

4

26V011000 · Equipment:electrical:engine Block Heater

Jan 15, 2026

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.

22V413000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl); Power Train:shift Linkage/cable/rod

Jun 10, 2022

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:shift Linkage/cable/rod

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

18V104000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Feb 12, 2018

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape and Lincoln MKC vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with incorrect front brake hoses that may chafe against other components, possibly resulting in a brake fluid leak.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A brake fluid leak may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake hoses, replacing any that are incorrect, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S04.

17V803000 · Air Bags:side/window

Dec 18, 2017

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S44.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Ford Escape problems