2018 Ford Escape

I lost engine power trying to accelerate while entering the highway. Check Engine light flashed several times then went steady. I pulled over into the emergency lane and shut the car off. It did start again but with reduced power to get off the highway. The Check Engine light stayed on steady. This is apparently part of a known issue with the 1.5l GTDI engine. There was a Technical Service Bulletin created for it 22-2322 and a Customer Service Program fix was set up- 21N12

I was advised to have the coolant flushed in our 2018 Ford Escape in July of 2025 by VIP in Concord NH while an oil change was being performed. Took vehicle to Nucar in Concord, the tech advised that the coolant was low and would not pressurize, they kept the vehicle overnight, it did in fact keep pressurization overnight. Made an appointment on 07/25/2025 to make sure the coolant was at an acceptable level, the tech advised all good. It is now September of 2025, took car out on SaturdAY [XXX] to run errands, got 2 miles down the road, vehicle starting running extremely rough, sort of bucking like it wanted to stall. Got it home and parked it there until I call Nucar in Tilton NH (Ford Dealer), car was towed on 09/04/2025, they confirmed we need a new engine. After market warrant company AAC Warranty is stating this is going to cost us hundreds if not thousands of dollars to replace! There are many documented cases of Ford Escapes having coolant issues due to poor engine design, Ford needs to honor these fixes and offer guests a solution so they are not out a lot of money! At this point we may not be able to afford the fix and have to junk the vehicle and still pay our monthly car payment! I will not rest until this fix is honored, it is not fair to the consumer to have a vehicle that is not save, when FORD is too cheap to honor the fixes! They received their money when we bought the vehicle, now we could potentially be out hundreds if not thousands of dollars due to this known issue. Thank you, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to shift into gear properly, with the transmission warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that the vehicle failed to shift into reverse and was unable to operate while in reverse. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

My 2018 Ford Escape was sputtering one morning and I realized the oil was dark and almost gone. I took it for an oil change and they discovered there wasn’t coolant in the reservoir. But that didn’t solve the issue. The vehicle shut down and I was left in the middle of the road until I could get help. I took it to the shop and I was told coolant had leaked into the cylinders and the I would be needing a head gasket and short block. I called Ford customer service and I was made aware that is is an issue with the 2018 ford escape ecoboost. But they were unable to help me because 21N12 has expired.

Component or System: Engine – Coolant intrusion into the combustion chamber (cylinder 2). The vehicle and documentation (dealer diagnostic report, photos) are available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: Coolant intrusion causes engine misfires, loss of power, and rapid coolant loss, which can lead to sudden engine stalling or hydrolock at highway speeds. A stall could result in loss of power steering and braking assist, creating a serious crash risk for occupants and others on the road. Confirmation: The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by a Ford dealership using a borescope inspection. Inspection: A Ford dealership service department has inspected the vehicle. They confirmed coolant pooling in cylinder 2. Warning Signs: The check engine light first appeared in early July 2025 with a misfire on cylinder 2. Spark plugs and other components were replaced, but the issue returned within two weeks. The engine misfired, produced white exhaust smoke, and lost coolant over time.

My check engine light came on Saturday August 23rd. I took my car to my local Ford dealership on Monday August 25th and on Wednesday, August 27th the Ford technician verified a misfire and found coolant was low. They removed the spark plug and found cooling system was under pressure. They found coolant entering into the cylinder via the cylinder head and that my vehicle now needs a new engine. This problem has been confirmed by the dealership and my only option is to purchase a brand new engine for my 2018 Ford escape that has less than 40,000 miles on it. An engine failure at just 40,000 miles is simply unacceptable and raise serious concerns about the reliability of this model. I am aware that engine issues on certain Ford escapes have been the subject of multiple customer complaints and I strongly believe that this may be part of a broader quality or manufacturing issue. There are numerous reported cases from 2018 Escape owners describing engine failures, tied to coolant intrusion and instances where an engine fails unexpectedly often linked to coolant, entering the cylinder and requiring full engine replacement, which seems to be a common pattern in these 1.5 L and occasionally the 2.0 eco-boost. While no formal recall exists for this Ford has implemented a customer satisfaction program 21N12 which addressed coolant intrusion into the engine, especially affecting 1.5 L eco-boost engines.

The contact's son owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her son was driving 25-30 MPH, the vehicle stalled, and there was smoke coming from underneath the hood. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The driver was able to pull into the nearby parking lot and parked the vehicle. It was unknown whether the vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the head gasket had failed, causing coolant intrusion into the engine and engine damage. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that it was a common failure. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 67,700.