2018 Ford Escape complaints

My vehicle a 2018 Ford Escape has a 1.5 liter Eco-Boost engine is has been diagnosed with a coolant into cylinder leak and is in jeopardy of seizing and causing a catastrophic accident. No one should be driving these Ford vehicles due to a good possibility of serious enjury or death.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light was illuminated. A certified mechanic was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle with evaporative emission system purge flow performance failure. Additionally, the canister purge valve needed to be replaced. The contact stated that on December 24 of 2025, the vehicle was repaired by the dealer due to a failure associated with the issue, and the evaporative canister purge control valve was replaced. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired because the warranty had expired. The manufacturer was not aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,131.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start immediately but started after several attempts. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, where diagnostic tests were performed, but no failure was found. While driving 10–15 minutes later at approximately 30–35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was returned to the independent mechanic, where a it was diagnosed that the canister purge valve had failed. The canister purge valve was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the under-hood canister purge valve and the EVAP canister were replaced, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and informed that the failure was unknown. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 120,618.

A warning light illuminated, so the vehicle was taken to the dealership for inspection. The vehicle has a history of receiving routine maintenance and repairs at this dealership. The 2.0L EcoBoost engine is known to experience coolant intrusion associated with its open-deck engine-block design, which includes narrow, slotted cooling channels—or grooves—between the cylinder bores. After inspecting the vehicle, the dealership determined that the engine block should be replaced. The estimated out-of-pocket repair cost exceeds the vehicle’s current market value.

I purchased my vehicle [XXX] from Suburban Chevrolet Cadillac in Ann Arbor, MI. Less than two weeks after purchasing the vehicle, my vehicle information screen informed me that the engine was overheating. My mechanic was able to replicate the issue and informed me I was the victim of a common issue with the 1.5L Ford EcoBoost Ford Escape engine that caused a coolant intrusion. I learned that Ford extended the factory warranty on the vehicle because of this issue, so they are clearly aware of it, but my vehicle was not under warranty when I purchased it used. The dealership told me they were unable to help me because I did not buy an extended warranty from them. Continuing to drive without repairing this issue could have resulted in severe engine damage, stalling, or complete mechanical failure, potentially endangering lives if it occurred while on the road. Because Ford has not issued a recall for this issue, I had to pay I had to pay $5,765.39 to replace the engine short block, inclusive of parts and labor, on top of what I paid for the car. The work was completed 11/23/2023. 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, a message was displayed to exit the vehicle immediately. The contact pulled over and called someone to add coolant to the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The contact was constantly adding coolant to the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that coolant was leaking into the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

2018 Ford Escape vehicles equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit a low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or a runs rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL). Diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) may include P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to coolant intrusion into the cylinder. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure to replace the long block engine assembly. THis is a known issue with a Techinal service bulletin issued on 6/9/2022. My car has only 87,000 miles on it and will need a new motor because coolant is leaking into the piston and causing a missfire.

Transmission spudder when accelerates only at 75K miles

Engine coolant in the oil. The engine needs to be replaced. The cost is greater than the value of the car.. it is a known defect that Ford knows about, but will not do anything to repair or replace the engine problem….

Check engine light would come on vehicle was not running well, seemed to stall. When I turned off the car I could hear liquid moving around from inside the vehicle. I am a Mom so I am driving with my 2 small children constantly and worried about their safety. The problem was confirmed by the dealership as well as an independent service center.

Coolant is leaking into the head causing engine failure. This car has fewer than 60,00 miles. From what I have read this is a common problem and is due to a manufacturer’s design flaw. Ford refused to help me in any way when I contacted them. When I took the vehicle to the dealership they informed me that the engine would need to be replaced. The bill would be $13,000.

Check engine light came on 3 weeks ago. Misfire codes on start up and cylinder 3. Mechanic replaced spark plugs, cleaned injectors. One week after repairs, check engine light came back on. Took vehicle back to the shop and after more tests, my engine showed it had suffered coolant intrusion and I was told a total replacement of the engine was needed.

The vehicle has a 1.5L Ecoboost system which has a design flaw allowing coolant to leak into the engine. I was driving and the temperature went eradically high for no known reason and then instantly dropped. It began repeating this over and over. My mechanic told me it was a cracked head gasket and the coolant was below minimum levels because it was leaking into the engine. He told me it is a known mechanical design flaw with 2012-2019 Ford Escapes. Some were recalled some were not. Ford dealerships told me it is a known problem also. Ford will not stand behind their product and since my vehicle was not randomly picked for a recall, even though it is a known design flaw, they offer no assistance. I went online and read so very many others who have had this happen and that the reason all were not recalled was that there weren't enough complaints. So I wanted to speak out for those who didn't know how to as well as myself. I feel Ford should be held accountable for their actions. I thank God I was not stranded on a highway somewhere due to this issue or worse yet in an accicent.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the engine overheated while driving, causing the contact to be four minutes late for work. There was white smoke coming from the exhaust while starting the vehicle. There was an abnormal odor coming from the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was concerned about having to purchase another vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant intrusion in the engine block. The contact stated that the purge valve assembly was replaced, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

Engine has been replaced three times already. Now, the engine has a constant cylinder 2 misfire with coolant level significantly decreasing. Car is shuddering real bad now. This is not the first time it happened. Before the third engine replacement, the car was moving on its own even with foot on the brakes. Very dangerous vehicle and unsafe.

My 2018 Ford Escape SEL has experienced coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders, a known issue affecting this model year. The vehicle began misfiring and consuming coolant without external leaks.

2018 Ford Escape equipped with EcoBoost engine suffering catastrophic engine failure due to the manufacturing defect known as open-deck coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders (per Ford TSB 22-2322). The vehicle has only 25,233 miles. This defect causes loss of power while operating the vehicle, creating an immediate traffic hazard and risk of a collision. The manufacturing flaw allows coolant to breach the cylinders, creating a stalling safety risk. Engine light is on. Ford dealer assessed and a new engine is recommended.

Cracked engine block due to coolant intrusion, which seems to be a known problem as engine blocks were redesigned for 2019 models. Could lead to overheating, engine damage, and even fires from my understanding. In Ford dealer service center at the moment, they confirmed diagnosis. White smoke from exhaust, rough idle and sensor lights also.

Vehicle developed a pattern of misfires (cylinders 1, 2, and random/multiple) beginning within the last month. On 8/7/2026, a dealer inspection confirmed coolant intrusion into cylinders 1 and 2 via overnight pressure test, with block deformation. This is the identical defect addressed by Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12. Prerequisite service 19B37 (PCM reprogram) was completed 2/8/2020. Misfires and coolant intrusion of this type present a risk of sudden power loss or stalling while driving.

Coolent intrusion into engine

The vehicle suffered a catastrophic engine failure due to an inherent manufacturing defect involving internal engine coolant intrusion into the cylinders. Prior to the failure, the check engine light illuminated on the dashboard, accompanied by engine misfires and rough idling. A certified service technician inspected the vehicle and confirmed that coolant is actively leaking into the engine cylinders, causing complete engine failure and rendering the vehicle entirely un-drivable. The failed engine components remain intact and are fully available for inspection upon request. This defect poses a severe safety hazard. Coolant leaking into the engine cylinders can cause sudden engine stalling, complete loss of motive power while driving at highway speeds, and potential engine fires, creating a high risk of a collision. Crucially, an authorized Ford dealership previously attempted to mitigate this exact coolant defect under warranty in 2020 by applying Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) 19B37. This software-based patch failed to fix the underlying physical hardware defect, ultimately leading to this total engine failure. Ford has since issued CSP 21N12 for this exact issue, but the vehicle is now left broken down and unsafe to operate.

I read the recent article about the recalls for the ford fusion, focus and eco sport. The exact same issue happened to my 2018 escape with about 85000 miles. The oil light and engine light came on and the car lost power. It would only go about 30 miles an hour. This occurred when my son was traveling home from college from [XXX] to [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

COMPONENTS FAILED & AVAILABILITY:Engine and transmission failed concurrently at 45,893 miles. Engine suffered internal coolant intrusion per Ford TSB 19-2139 . Transmission failed mechanically. Components are available for inspection. SAFETY RISK:Defects create severe roadway hazards. Transmission causes dangerous lack of acceleration on inclines and highway merging, risking rear-end collisions. Coolant intrusion causes severe shaking, rough running, and sudden stalling. Sudden loss of motive power at highway speeds heavily increases crash risks. CONFIRMATION & INSPECTION:An independent service center confirmed failures on August 4, 2026. Technician documented a cylinder misfire, active coolant leak, shaking on startup, and inability to accelerate uphill. Ford corporate customer service rejected all assistance and declined to physically inspect the car. WARNING LAMPS & PRIOR SYMPTOMS:Symptoms began with an illuminated check engine warning lamp, followed immediately by severe vehicle shaking and a violent shudder during engine startup just prior to the physical diagnosis.

The check engine light started flashing and my car lost acceleration as I traveling uphill on a busy freeway. I had it towed to my mechanic who found evidence of coolant leaking related to cylinder 2 in my engine. I did not feel safe going so slow on a busy freeway. My car did not have any problems prior and only has 31000 miles on it. It was diagnosed with a coolant intrusion leak (a known problem with this engine) and requires an engine replacement.

The coolant leaked into the engine specifically regarding cylinder 3. Not available due to being at the Ford Dealership. I was driving and my engine started giving out. My car was shaking while driving and when pressing the gas peddle it was giving not. It then refused to move and I had to pull over. It was confirmed by my local ford dealership and inspected at the dealership. The check engine light came on AFTER these issues had occurred and I had to pull over. There were no warning signs for this prior to the incident. This occurred in July of 2026. I was not able to pay the almost $9,000 repair cost that Ford refused to cover, so my local dealership still has the car

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. No warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with fuel injector failure and coolant intrusion into the engine. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.

WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT, COOLANT TEMP SENSORS, HEATER CORE VEHICLE OVER HEATS CAUSING VEHICLE TO SMOKE AND MAKE LOUD NOISE. AFTER FIXING, VEHICLE STILL CAUSE CHECK ENGINE TO COME AND VEHICLE IS SLUGGISH NOT WANTING TO SHIFT GEARS. INDEPENT SERVICE CENTER. CHECK ENGINE NO PREVIOUS WARNING.

Coolant intrusion in the engine block. The engine only has 45,000 miles on it.

We brought the car in spring of 2025 for our daughter, She as driving from school and engine light came on, car was overheating and car started shaking on the freeway. She pulled the car over to check it out on the freeway, she started the vehicle back on and got the car back to her apartment and parked it. She called Expert Automotive to have them tow it to their shop to find out what happen. They check the vehicle to find coolant dripping in between block and head from the cylinders and the engine had to be replaced ( $12,127.82).

After replacing the engine less than a year, driving on I 96 going back to her home. The car starts losing power and shaking and the engine light come on. She almost get re-ended because the car lost powers so quick. She gets off the freeway and makes it to a friends house and parks the car. Called J and T Towing to tow the vehicle to Dearborn Tire and alignment in Dearborn to be checked. Trans had to be replaced($2,120.00).

2018 Ford escape ecoboost coolant leak and engine overheating. If not repaired, will destroy the entire engine.

I have a 2918 ford escape se with what I am now finding has a known flawed 1.5l ecoboost that ford only put a service notice out on long ago. The engine has a know issue with cylinder coolant intrusion problems. I had engine misfire and powertrain code show up and put the car into limp mode while driving at 70 on the interstate. When the limp mode started I came close to being in an accident due to sudden deceleration. I have replaced parts for the misfire and even more codes show up. The motor is now overheating and blowing white smoke when starting due to the coolant intrusion in cylinder one. Please make ford finally responsible for this issue and coverup. There needs to be a recall.

Coolant intrusion into the cylinders causing engine failure. This is a repeat of the known 1.5L EcoBoost defect. The engine was previously replaced in 2021 under TSB 21-2269. The repair order shows Ford installed the original defective open-deck short block (part number DS7Z-6009-G) instead of the updated closed-deck design. The same failure has now returned. This defect can cause sudden loss of power and overheating while driving, creating a safety risk.

Engine light on solid. replaced per code solenoid purge sensor. after a month light back on. Replaced per code solenoid purge sensor. Light came back on after 3 wks. Went to Ford dealership. Says coolant leaked into cylinders. Out of warranty 91,000 miles. Over 7 yrs, 84,000 miles. Need to replace engine at my expense. Seems unfair. I'm elderly and like most people these days on fixed budget.

My 2018 Ford Escape SE 1.5L EcoBoost has recently experienced catastrophic engine failure with no prior warning by any of the vehicles sensors nor a notice from the manufacturer that this is a potential/known issue. I have come to understand that this is a widely known issue that has been wholly uncommunicated by the Manufacturer. My vehicle, as confirmed by an independent service center, has experienced a coolant incursion in the engine block specifically in cylinder 3. The symptoms of this failure first occurred on the highway while traveling at speed, with the engine experiencing severe vibration and shaking the entire vehicle. This put myself and those around me at serious risk due to the vibration interfering with the operation of the vehicle. Several seconds after the physical symptoms began, the engine light flashed on momentarily (~10 seconds) without a message, and then turned itself off. Note, the engine temperature gauge did not display elevated engine temperature as would be expected from a vehicle losing coolant. Fortunately the vehicle was able to make it to its destination without injury or accident. The symptoms did not return on 2 subsequent test trips of the vehicle, again without any warning lights, messages, or elevated gauge readings. Then on a 3rd trip, after the cause was determined to be 'unknown', the symptoms returned. The engine vibration was so substantial that the vehicle was undrivable, the engine light only illuminated approximately 10 seconds a

My husband bought a 2018 Ford Escape and he took it back to the dealer because it was speeding up when he did not touch the gas and it was veering off the road. I put the vin# in the website and it pulled up 4 past recalls one of which fits the description of what he experienced.

My Ford Escape recently had the check engine light on. I took it to a Ford service center, and they confirmed it was coolant intrusion that damaged the engine and requires a replacement. It was confirmed with multiple people at Ford that this is a known issue, but no recalls have been made. I use this car to drive my 2 year old son to and from daycare, and my family's safety has been put at risk by the car seizing while driving it and having to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle is now undrivable due to the issue.

The coolant is leaking in the cylinder and white smoke coming from exaust

I have a coolant intrusion into my engine. It is a well known issue among the 2017-2019 ford escape 1.5L ecoboost engines. ford is refusing to assist me with financial assistance because it has fallen outside of their customer satisfaction program 21N12. they are punishing me for their faulty engine because i took care of my vehicle and it lasted longer than their program terms. i took it into a ford dealership who confirmed it is the exact issue explained in their TSB 22-2134, yet i am going to have to pay $8787 for a short block replacement, when had this happened a few years ago, they would have covered it for free. this NEEDS to be a recall. there have been enough people report this exact issue for cause to become a recall.

Vehicle showed "Engine Fault/Service Now". Drove to dealer. Told needed new engine as coolant had leaked into the third engine cyclinder. The cost would be $16,000. Research showed that Ford had had a program in place to fix this issue, but it had expired. Further research showed this was a known fault, even at the time of purchasing the car new, but that no recalls had been issued, and that there is a class action lawsuit against Ford for this problem. Have been advised to report to NHTSA.

Started overheating, spark plug code and coolant code. Now they believe coolant is leaking into cylinder in motor because of design flaw.

My 2018 Ford Escape SE temp gauge went to the red with warning lights to pull over and get engine serviced immediately. I refilled the coolant revisor and with in a few days the same instance occurred paired with misfiring while this situation happened. I immediately stopped driving the car and it is going to get dropped off at the dealership we purchased from on thursday 7/16/26. I believe this motor is faulty due to coolant intrusion. Zero leaks of coolant only issue is stated above. i believe the coolant is leaking into the cylinders.

Car overheated and losing coolant. I just purchased this car on 6/22/2026 and having issues already. The check engine light is on and giving a p0301 code. I’m having to add coolant everyday to keep the car from running hot.

Car has 105k can get specific if need be. But has had an intermittent misfire along with consuming coolant since about 95k miles. It now has had coolant intrusion and needs a complete engine overhaul or replacement

Car gave an Engine Overheat warning to pull over and turn off. Towed to Ford dealership where their diagnostics pointed to coolant intrusion - a known issue with 2018 ford escapes with similar specs to mine. I was then told that I would need to replace the engine due to the issue and Ford would not be willing to assist or cover the cost. I was told that my specific VIN was not covered by recall but that it is a very common issue and to report the issue to NHTSA.

I am writing to report a severe and dangerous manufacturing defect regarding engine coolant intrusion on my 2018 Ford Escape. Engine coolant has leaked into the engine cylinders, causing immediate engine misfires, white smoke from the exhaust, a rapid loss of coolant, and severe engine overheating.This is a well-documented manufacturing flaw in Ford's EcoBoost engine blocks (specifically involving the cylinder block design). This defect creates a critical safety hazard: the engine can stall suddenly, lose power while driving at highway speeds, or suffer complete catastrophic failure, greatly increasing the risk of an accident or an engine fire.Ford previously issued Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 19-2346 and Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 for this exact issue, acknowledging the design flaw. However, my vehicle is now experiencing this catastrophic failure, and the dealer is demanding thousands of dollars for a complete engine block replacement. I am requesting that the NHTSA fully investigate this persistent safety defect to force a safety recall so affected consumers are not left driving hazardous vehicles or forced to pay for Ford's engineering failure.

Noticeable engine shudder upon startup for 2018 Ford Escape. Engine light turned on for cylinder misfire. Took to Ford dealer, and a certified technician investigated the issue as: "REPLACE ENGINE SHORT BLOCK AND TRANSFER PARTS (ENGINE LOW ON COOLANT, LEAKING INTO CYLINDER 3". This is a known manufacturing defect at this point. Ford knows these engines are defective due to a design flaw, and there's even ongoing class action lawsuits related to this exact issue for the same make/model. The NHTSA needs to step in and force a mandatory safety recall from Ford due to the increasing reports and before this causes severe accidents.

The engine failed because of coolant intrusion and the cylinders are messed up because of it. The engine could have died or locked up while driving,the car could have overheated and caught fire. Yes a ford dealer diagnosed the vehicle. Yes I had a check engine light come on for a misfire in cylinder 2 I also had low coolant and white smoke in my exhaust and rough idling. Ford is refusing to help replace the engine but this is an ongoing issue with the 1.5l ecoboost engines.

I am reporting a severe safety hazard regarding a complete powertrain failure on my 2018 Ford Escape Titanium AWD equipped with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine. This vehicle experienced a catastrophic internal failure due to a known factory design defect where engine coolant intrudes directly into the cylinder bores.This defect is thoroughly documented by the manufacturer in Ford Technical Service Bulletin TSB 19-2346. The sudden loss of engine compression and immediate coolant burning causes severe engine misfires, a sudden drop in vehicle power, and blinding white exhaust smoke. This creates an immediate traffic hazard, blinding drivers behind the vehicle and risking a high-speed rear-end collision on the highway.Furthermore, the rapid loss of engine coolant puts the vehicle at risk of sudden stalling in live traffic without warning, disabling power steering and power brakes, and introducing a severe risk of under-hood engine fires due to extreme overheating.Ford has re-engineered this engine block casting for production models built after mid-2019 to resolve this exact structural defect, proving that the original factory engine block installed in my vehicle was fundamentally defective from the factory.Because this design defect creates an immediate, dangerous operational failure on public roads, I am requesting that the NHTSA escalate this investigation and force Ford Motor Company to issue a safety recall and provide retroactive financial reimbursement to affected vehicle owners

The check engine light came on. It would not go above 60 mph. The vehicle was blowing hot air and shaking.