NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
1,791 reports68,351 miles · Apr 21, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the head gasket. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repai…
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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the head gasket. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 68,351.
NHTSA ODI #11655922
Mileage unknown · Apr 21, 2025
EnginePower Train
My short block engine failed in the middle of pulling out onto a 4 lane roadway while my two children were in the vehicle. We were almost hit from behind as I lost power while entering the roadway. The vehicle was taken to and diagnosed by a Ford dealership as needing a short block and full engine rebuild. There was no warning o…
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My short block engine failed in the middle of pulling out onto a 4 lane roadway while my two children were in the vehicle. We were almost hit from behind as I lost power while entering the roadway. The vehicle was taken to and diagnosed by a Ford dealership as needing a short block and full engine rebuild. There was no warning or problems before the failure. My vehicle has 23,000 miles on it and is currently waiting for repairs at an independent shop because I cannot afford another new vehicle at this time.
NHTSA ODI #11655917
Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2025
Engine
Coolant leaking into cylinder head and causing misfire in ignition coil 4. Car is using mass amounts of coolant but no leak. Codes are reading misfire in 4th ignition coil as out lined in the following: TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 1.5L EcoBoost - Low Coolant, White Exhaust Smoke And/Or Illuminated MIL - Built On Or Before 06-Apr-…
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Coolant leaking into cylinder head and causing misfire in ignition coil 4. Car is using mass amounts of coolant but no leak. Codes are reading misfire in 4th ignition coil as out lined in the following: TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 1.5L EcoBoost - Low Coolant, White Exhaust Smoke And/Or Illuminated MIL - Built On Or Before 06-Apr-2019 19-2139. Yes it's available on request. The car would studder while running in traffic causing people to stop short or significant risk of being rear ended because the car would not excelerate as built too. No. Vehicle has not been inspected by manufacturer, police etc. It has been confirmed by an independent service person. MiL light came on. In March and coil 4 closest to the cylinder was replaced. The problem resurfaced April 19th 2025 and it was looked at again. Once again coil 4 was misfiring again and the plugs were looked at again and they were corroded with coolant even though they had just been replaced March 2nd. This is a known issue with Ford they are well aware and choose to do nothing even though there is a specifically detailed TSB 19-2139 detailing the very issue that is going on with my car.
NHTSA ODI #11655722
Mileage unknown · Apr 18, 2025
Engine
2018 ford escape , purchased brand new. . check engine light went on .was on. brought to mechanic; coolant level was low . Engine was misfiring. Reason for check engine light. Discovered one spark plug stuck and corroded. Discovered the reason that coolant was empty. It leaked into the engine. Mechanic says it is a closed syst…
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2018 ford escape , purchased brand new. . check engine light went on .was on. brought to mechanic; coolant level was low . Engine was misfiring. Reason for check engine light. Discovered one spark plug stuck and corroded. Discovered the reason that coolant was empty. It leaked into the engine. Mechanic says it is a closed system so it cannot be readily discovered. said coolant leaked into the engine . now need new engine. mechanic said this is a design flaw of ford and that many other ford escape owners have the same issue. I paid off my car. I was quoted over 7k to replace the engine. Miles are low on this vehicle. This is unconscionable that Ford has not issued a recall regarding this issue when it appears so many ford owners are having the exact same issue and all are told to pay for a new engine
NHTSA ODI #11655561
86,500 miles · Apr 18, 2025
EnginePower Train
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the transmission became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission shifted hard while changing gear and the transmission was also slipping. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed wit…
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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the transmission became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission shifted hard while changing gear and the transmission was also slipping. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was repaired. On a separate occasion, the contact stated that the vehicle was taken for maintenance, and the contact was informed that one of the cylinders was stuck. The vehicle was diagnosed with head gasket failure due to coolant intrusion. The vehicle was not repaired for the most recent failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,500.
NHTSA ODI #11655503
118,000 miles · Apr 17, 2025
Engine
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the cylinder and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to b…
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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the cylinder and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to contact the dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact provided financial assistance towards the cost of the repair. In addition, the contact was informed that the vehicle was above the mileage limitations, and the Extended Warranty coverage could not be applied. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.
NHTSA ODI #11655259
Mileage unknown · Apr 16, 2025
Wheels
After removing the lugnuts so many times, they no longer stay tighten. Eventually, the bolts will wear out causing your nuts to continuously come loose. I got new tires not even 2 weeks ago and ever since, they won't stay tightened. One of them won't tighten at all, it's striped out. This is not normal wear and tear. I didn't st…
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After removing the lugnuts so many times, they no longer stay tighten. Eventually, the bolts will wear out causing your nuts to continuously come loose. I got new tires not even 2 weeks ago and ever since, they won't stay tightened. One of them won't tighten at all, it's striped out. This is not normal wear and tear. I didn't start experiencing issues with it until I had my tires removed 6 times in less than 6 months for suspension repairs, new tires, and regular maintenance. This isn't even this first I'm hearing of this issue with this same car. I've had several mechanics ask me if I've ran into the issue yet since it's so common. This on top of the 6f35 transmission failures in this car (amd other things) these things aren't safe to drive.
NHTSA ODI #11655112
105,000 miles · Apr 16, 2025
Power Train
The contact called for a friend who owns a 2018 Ford Escape. While the contact's friend was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while the vehicle was driven uphill. The vehicle was towed to an…
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The contact called for a friend who owns a 2018 Ford Escape. While the contact's friend was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while the vehicle was driven uphill. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The contact was informed that the parts were on backorder. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not assist. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
NHTSA ODI #11655081
143,000 miles · Apr 16, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 75 MPH, he observed liquid moving and the message "Engine overheating" was displayed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road, turned off, and the hood was opened, and the engine was inspect…
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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 75 MPH, he observed liquid moving and the message "Engine overheating" was displayed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road, turned off, and the hood was opened, and the engine was inspected. The contact stated there was no visible failure with the vehicle, and the vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.
NHTSA ODI #11655042
59,900 miles · Apr 16, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, with the message "Service Vehicle Now" displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinders and the en…
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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, with the message "Service Vehicle Now" displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinders and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 59,900.
NHTSA ODI #11654934
Official recalls
4Jan 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.
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.
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.
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 ↗