2018 Ford Escape complaints

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving on a main road at 45 MPH, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road to inspect the vehicle under the hood and discovered that the engine oil was low and appeared to be mixed with water. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine block was cracked and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being serviced at the dealer, the contact was informed that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinder and spark plugs. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 21N12. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 87,119.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed while driving at various speeds. The RPM failed to immediately lower when the accelerator pedal was released. The failure was intermittent. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH and releasing and depressing the accelerator pedal off an exit to the right, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was pulled into a nearby parking lot and parked. The “Transmission Fault – Service” warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that occasionally while driving 60 MPH, the message “Engine Overheating" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off the vehicle, and waited for the engine to cool down. The contact checked the coolant reservoir, and the coolant reservoir was empty. The contact arrived at the residence and checked the coolant reservoir, and the coolant reservoir was half empty. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the cylinder, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related to the failure of Ford Campaign Number: 21N12. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 53,926.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the message "High Engine Temperature" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that there was coolant mixed into the engine oil, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 106,000.

Coolant intrusion, need new engine

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact's wife drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was restarted, however, the vehicle failed to start as intended. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a failed coolant pump. The contact was informed that the coolant pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that a few days later, the contact's wife checked the coolant level and determined the coolant reservoir was empty. The contact's wife refilled the coolant reservoir, however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak in cylinder one and a failed engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed of an unknown recall repair which had a similar failure description, however, the VIN was not associated with the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Engine is losing coolant. 2018 Ford Escape with 64000 miles on it. Was recalled by Ford, however our VIN was not included. This is not right, some people are getting help getting it fixed and we cannot. Coolant intrusion.

On March 27th 2025 I had engine light come on. I went to valvoline and received a diagnostic test. The test said misfire cylinder 1. I called Ford dealership in two counties and was told they can't see me for a month. I went to pep boys and they replace my spark plugs. Next day engine light and a fault service now came on. I was able to get into gmc who said they found the problem on April 4th. By April 7th again all lights on for service. Pep boys said they could see me by the 10th and Ford dealership by the 30th of April. By the time I made it to pep boys, the head gasket head is beyond repairs and now I need a new engine. All escapes no matter what the mileage should have been recalled. But they didn't and now I have to get a new engine.

See attached document for complaint.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that occasionally while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with low anti-freeze, several cracked cylinder gaskets, coolant intrusion, and in need of an engine replacement due to cylinder #3 misfire. The local dealer was contacted; however, the VIN was not associated with any recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was started and running, the vehicle shuddered, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone, where a handheld diagnostic scanner indicated that there was a misfire in cylinder #4. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

Coolant leaking into engine. Engine failure

I purchased my 2018 Ford Escape Ecoboost in June 2024 with 64K miles. Two weeks later the engine light came on with the code for misfire in cylinder 1. I brought it back to the dealer which they cleared it stating it was old history that needed to be cleared. In October the same code came on and the spark plugs and coil was replaced. Then in January the engine light came on with the same code then when would go off right before I’d bring it in. I was told that it was a common occurrence with the car (light going on and off) it began again end of March, on for a few days then off. I took it in on April 9th and they told me it was a complaint leak into the cylinder 1 and needs a long block replacement which will cost $9600.00 over half the cost of the vehicle. The vehicle has 76k miles. I was told there’s class action lawsuits about this issue. My mom has the same vehicle and it also happened to her right before her warranty went out at 56k miles and the engine was replaced.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the engine block was replaced twice, the transmission was replaced twice, and the front axle was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer it was purchased from, Steven's Jersey City Ford (740 NJ-440, Jersey City, NJ 07304), and the engine block was replaced a third time; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that while one of the dealers was in the process of replacing the engine, the dealer informed the contact that there were metal shavings inside the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the message "Steering Assist Fault - Seek Service" was displayed , and the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The contact's husband assisted the contact in driving the vehicle to an independent mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed that the electric steering rack had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 15,108.

Engine coolant leaks causing the engine to misfire. Requires a new engine.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her son was starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the spark plugs, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that there was radiator fluid leaking into the engine, causing a misfire. 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 a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

The coolant started leaking and this caused the head gasket to blow

At 63000 miles my car keeps leaking engine coolant. Ford is telling me I need a whole new engine! Never have had an accident. Cannot afford this. Have called Ford customer service. Out of warranty. Was told to report here. Have read that many people who own this car with same model and year have experienced this

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, there was an engine misfire, and the vehicle was idling rough. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the ignition coils and spark plugs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact returned the vehicle to the same dealer and was advised that there was coolant intrusion into the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.

When the transmission gets warm, the car stops driving. It goes into all the gears fine. The vehicle has 102 thousand miles and I’m told the transmission needs to be replaced already. There are no recalls on the vehicle, but from what I have been reading, the Ford Escapes are known for transmission concerns. How is there no recall on the transmissions.

The APIM failed in both my ESCAPE and F150. These vehicles are under 65,000 miles and are 2018. This is a known issue, and is all over Internet forums. The APIM failure has resulted in no rear camera, screen, radio, or USB ports.

The contact owned a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to vibrate violently, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway and the vehicle was towed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 95,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that coolant intrusion into various cylinders had resulted in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the short block and cam phasers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 120,000.

My 2018 Ford Escape started having problems with the check engine light coming on following an extended trip. The spark plugs were replaced, and all was checked by an independent mechanic. A few days later, a new error appeared saying that there was an engine fault failure. Additionally, it smelled very hot, so we were very afraid to drive it. We brought the car to a certified Ford dealer, and were told that cylinder 2 of the engine had coolant leaking in it and that the engine would need to be replaced. I am attaching documentation to show this. We had JUST returned from a long road trip with many miles of highway driving, so if this had happened in heavy traffic, we would have been put in grave risk. Also, the service department at the Ford garage told us that she had 2 more vehicles with the same engine, with the same problem, just that DAY! It was going to be almost $10,000 to fix this problem, and my car was only worth $ 6000 in good condition, so our lovely, well cared for car, that I had planned to keep for 2 more years, was sent to the salvage yard. As attached, I had to buy a new car with no down payment due to this situation.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact waited for several minutes for the vehicle to return to normal operation. No warning light was illuminated; however, the "Engine Fault Service" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the spark plugs, air filters, and other unknown parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was no provided. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "High Emergency Services Pull Over Safely" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed back to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the head gasket was blown, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,437.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and was unable to accelerate above 40 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the high-pressure fuel pump, resulting in damages to the camshaft. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 69,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 75 MPH, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact's daughter pulled over and restarted the vehicle. Upon restarting the vehicle, the vehicle resumed normal operation. In addition, the contact stated that during cold starts, there was heavy black smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed, and the contact was informed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 159,000.

This Ford Escape has coolant intrusion. The coolant leaks into the cylinder because of poor design.

For the 6 month my check engine light has been on First repairs was replacing both bank sensors, About 3 months later again replaced another sensor. Again check engine light would go off And out of no where one morning the the dashboard reads overheating it goes in limb mode gets repairs changes thermostatabd something else Light off that's in Jan 2025, here mar 25 on again change spark plugs also misfire code burning coolant with no leak no warning on dashboard Start doing research and wow notice coolant leaking into cylinders Take my car to get looked at guess what that's what's happening to me Ford. Is highly aware with no recall This really needs to be looked at

Coolant intrusion into cylinders 3&4 as a result of manufacturing defect. Confirmed by multiple certified mechanics. No warning messages/signs until major misfires occurred and car became nearly undriveable while traveling at highway speeds.

P0302 code reading antifreeze/coolant leaking into engine. Had to have a new motor

When I get gas engine turns off. Need to restart it multiple times. Hesitation on acceleration afraid to be on highway. Rough idol at stop. I’ve seen it multiple people have had this issue. It turns out to be the vapor canister, purge solenoid, which I had to be replaced that fixed it. Hopefully this could help out other people. I was so scared on the highway. God bless you.

Originally the car started blowing white smoke out of the exhaust. Next it would misfire occasionally on engine start. After, i would start loosing coolant and getting engine overheat but could never find the leak. I had a mechanic diagnose it and he said it was coolant intrusion into the cylinder and now the head gasket is blown and potentially more damage may be found that could lead to an engine change.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The vehicle jerked, and the contact depressed the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed, and the vehicle stalled. The contact coasted to an oil change business nearby. The contact was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, and the transmission failure diagnostic result was confirmed. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken to the dealer a year prior to the failure, and the transmission was replaced. The contact was later informed by Car Shield that, per the pictures submitted, there was engine damage seen. The pictures indicated coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken to a dealer for a routine oil change, and the contact was informed that the check engine warning light was illuminated; however, the dealer found no failure with the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 248,000.

Engine failed due to coolant intrusion. Car failed on highway once, did not run more than 10mph after that and was taken to a shop. After researching the issue, this is a known problem with 2017-2019 Ford Escapes. There is a class-action lawsuit Miller v. Ford Motor co. case number 2:20-cv-01796-DAD-CKD. The issue is covered under a Ford recall, however my vehicle is beyond the 84,000 mile limit. Problem occurred very suddenly with the check engine turning on, flashing, and the engine temperature spiking and crippling the car. A local mechanical conducted a borescope examination and found coolant leaking into the cylinder. I was quoted for the repair with them over $16,000 to replace the engine block. The mechanics report, invoice, and borescope images are attached.

I am writing to PLEAD the NHTSA to intervene and Assist in the ongoing issues with the engines in the 2018-2020 ford escapes. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? 2018 Ford Escape Engine 1.5L short block. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? It has been confirmed that there is a presence of coolant intrusion into one or more cylinder bores. This could lead further damage, fires and engine shutdown while driving. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes my car has been sitting at Dick Masheter Ford Inc Dealership in Columbus Ohio now for 3 weeks. Their number is 614-861-7150. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? By the Dealership and an independent service Center in Grove City Ohio at Dart Automotive at (614) 875-7117. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Engine light on [XXX] showing Misfire in the Master Cylinder. My 2018 Ford Escape manufactured in Louisville KY is leaking coolant into the a cylinder. Mileage is 66,000. When calling Ford we are all directed to contact NHTSA who then sends us back to Ford who then sends us to the dealership who states its up to NHTSA. Ford is saying that NHTSA can add the VINS that were left off under their safety recalls 19B37 and 21n12. Please assist

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stopped the vehicle, and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic determined that the spark plugs and coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the contact stated that the vehicle was idling roughly at start up. The contact had taken the vehicle back to the same mechanic who advised the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer for assistance. The contact drove the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and found that there was coolant intrusion into the engine. The dealer informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The contact stated that the steering wheel was turned to the left; however, the steering wheel independently turned to the right. The contact stated that the steering wheel had seized. In addition, the contact stated that two days later several warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,470.

Coolant leaking into engine

Cracked block causing misfire in cylinder 3

I am writing to implore the NHTSA to finally take an interest in the ongoing issues with the engines in the 2018-2020 ford escapes. you have over 1600 documented statements from concerned owners who ford has no intention of aiding. Its ironic that all are experiencing the same issues and receiving almost the same answers from the dealerships, Ford and your agency. When calling Ford we are all directed to contact NHTSA who then sends us back to Ford who then sends us to the dealership who states its up to NHTSA. Well if Ford is saying that NHTSA can add the vins that were left off under their safety recalls 19B37 and 21n12 Then I say add them all so Ford will honor their statements and fix these engines. You have over 1600 complaints and that's what we know of. at 10,000 an engine that is over 16,000,000.00 that the citizens of our nation have to cover for a flaw that Ford has admitted and every dealership will corroborate. I have read most of the complaints filed that are printed and it amazes me that no one at your office is doing anything about this. I ask that you tell us who we actually need to be speaking to because getting sent around the horn continuously isnt helping any one out. Please take notice of these safety issues it clearly states in fords 21n12 recall that these engines could combust or stop running while driving think of how many lives could or could have been saved if there was an issue that went un reported. I do not know about you but for me the loss of a

Our 2018 Ford Escape had to have a new engine installed. The car showed it was overheating, and was then diagnosed with a failed Eccoboost 1.5 engine block. It could not be driven safely with the overheating engine. A Ford dealership here installed a new engine block. The total cost was $11,000; Ford paid $4000 and we paid the remaining $7000. The car's mileage was just over 84,000 miles. We contacted Ford but were denied any additional claim. Our mileage was too high and while there had been a recall replacement in 2022, we were not notified of any recall and the program was no longer in effect, according to Ford. We are aware that Ford had a faulty design, and knew about it. Coolant was leaking into the engine block. There are many such complaints and even class action lawsuits shown online for this problem. A car shouldn't need a new engine at 84,000 miles. We have owned Fords for many years but no longer have faith in their product. We know our case had a ID number:[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Vehicle involved in collision on major highway with two other vehicles. Given speed and impact of collision very surprised that the air bags did not deploy.