2018 Ford Escape complaints

We purchased at 2018 Ford Escape (VIN# [XXX] ), with 2.0-liter engine, it has 57K miles on it and has been well maintained. The engine indicator light came on, we took it into the Ford Dealership to diagnose the issue and were told it needed a new engine. Here’s the diagnosis provided by the Damerow Ford dealership in Beaverton, Oregon: VERIFIED CUSTOMER CONCERN. FOUND CODE IS P0301 CYLINDER 1 MISFIRE. VERIFIED NO COOLANT IN COOLANT TANK. FOUND WHITE SMOKE ON START UP AND BURNT COOLANT SMELL FROM EXHAUST. OIL AND COOLANT MIXING. REMOVED CYLINDER 1 PLUG AND FOUND COOLANT TRACES ON PLUG. PRESSURE TESTED COOLING SYSTEM AND FOUND COOLANT IN CYLINDER 1. BLOWN HEAD GASKET CAUSING CYLINDER WASH OUT. VEHICLE NEEDS AN ENGINE DUE TO WASH OUT AND BLOWN HEAD GASKET Ford Motor Company knows they have a serious coolant, engine and overheating defects. Ford has already been forced to recall more than 200,000 defective and unsafe vehicles. Ford recalled other Ford Escapes, because their 1.6-liter turbocharged engines overheated when coolant got low, causing the cylinder head to crack and spew oil. The vehicle we purchased is suffering from the same coolant leak, engine, and overheating issues which are serious safety defects that creates a risk of fire. We are requesting NHTSA take immediate action to require Ford by law to recall the vehicle and pay 100% of the cost related to replacement of the engine and all associated failed parts as a result of the coolant, engine and overheating defect

I took my 2018 Ford Escape in for a check engine light. I was told that there was a crack in the engine block due to coolant leaking into the engine and ultimately cracking the engine. There huge safety concerns with this such as over heating and risk of fire. Ford has refused to take responsibility for this. There should not be a reason to replace an engine in 5 years.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving on the highway the vehicle failed to exceed 60 MPH. The vehicle then decelerated to 35 MPH independently and was sluggish. The contact veered to the side of the road, turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated that she continued driving with the hazard lights activated because the vehicle failed to exceed 37 MPH. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and there was white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. The contact stated that the vehicle started losing power, and she was able to drive uphill to her residence at 10 MPH. The Hill Assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, and that the engine and the turbocharger needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the engine replacement would be covered under Ford Campaign Number: 21N12. 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 approximately 66,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle started overheating. The message "Engine Overheated" was displayed. The contact veered to the side of the road and allowed the engine to cool down. The contact then added coolant to the vehicle and continued driving. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the head gasket had fractured between cylinder #1 and #2, which caused coolant to leak into the pistons. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there would be no assistance because the vehicle was out of warranty. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.

My 2018 Ford Escape has a coolant intrusion, which if left unchecked, can cause serious damage and danger (fire). I purchased this used vehicle from a trusted dealership, only 7 months ago, to now discover this issue and find out that the recall that could have fixed this is now "expired". Coolant intrusion was confirmed by a local autoshop and confirmed by Ford. There was a brief flashing MIL light, but it has not gone off since, which also adds to the concern.

I purchased the vehicle from a used car dealership and was the second owner. The check engine light came on. Took it to a Ford dealership, who confirmed it was coolant intrusion in the engine. Ford had put out notices on the issue, however the car was taken in for service numerous times and Ford did not take care of trying to fix the issue. This was a known problem with this engine. There could have been a serious accident from engine failure. I spoke with Ford who stated they would not fix the engine. I don't know how Ford can put a time limit or mileage limit on a design flaw which they knew about. I owned the car for all of about 15 minutes and now I have to pay for a brand new engine.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact stated that he was able to safely drive the vehicle to his office of employment. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart. The contact stated that an independent mechanic arrived at the location to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was diagnosed with coolant leaking into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

There is a known defect with this car [XXX] covers the issue. I suffered the coolant leak for my car. I was told I need a new engine and that Ford will not pay for the repairs. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Intermediate start ups, followed by "service engine now" light. Upon immediately taking to shop, I was informed that coolant had leaking into engine via head gasket and engine is damaged beyond repair - vehicle has less than 99,000 miles and has had regular oil changes and fluid checks.

According to my mechanic, coolant has leaked into the cylinders of the engine. This is a common problem with this particular model the dealer Ford will not repair.

Leaking coolant into 2nd cylinder. The head gasket has blown.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to overheat, prompting him to pull the shoulder of the roadway. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the coolant reservoir was empty. Upon refilling the coolant reservoir, the vehicle briefly returned to normal functionality but the failure later reoccurred. The overheating warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined coolant intrusion had damaged the engine requiring an engine replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 76,000.

The 1.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit a low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or may run in a rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator light (MIL) with only diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to coolant intrusion into a cylinder bore.

Coolant is leaking in to the combustion chamber of my 1.5lt Ecoboost engine. Causing the engine to run very rough and not start sometimes.

Coolant Intrusion Cylinder #2. Codes for misfire cylinder 2 as well as coolant loss for OVER 2 YEARS. At the time of both of my warranty work (as well as other extended warranty work) they did the associated computer flash to add the low coolant light, but told me that on the 1.5 eco boost motor that coolant consumption is a "normal occurrence". Which is true but that is because ITS LEAKING INTO THE MOTOR. Ford has intentionally covered up this issue and knowingly sold this motor with this defect. We qualified for the 21N12 Customer satisfaction program but the letter was sent to the old owner of the vehicle ( we purchased this from ford and registered in VT and the letter was sent to a person in Tennessee.) We are currently working with ford customer care but they have said there is little they are willing to do. My local dealership currently has 3, 1.5 eco boost in 2 for intrusion diagnosis and 1 for a new motor. This is a massive safety issue because the motor could overheat ( even with the low coolant light they added the temp gauge does not go over normal operation levels) so the car has a high potential to catch on fire at highway speed. We are currently waiting for our diagnosis appointment (no one can see us for 2 months) but we have all symptoms and codes from the diagnosis process on the 21n12 customer satisfaction letter. [XXXX] ford INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The vehicle check engine light came on at 61k miles, was found to be misfiring. Upon inspection, dealership found coolant intrusion in engine. Engine will require block replacement. Vehicle could have overheated, caught fire, or left family members stranded in severe weather conditions.

I was pulling out of a parking lot when going up a hill my car no longer would shift gears. There was a car coming up fast on me and I barely made it over the hill. I allowed the car to roll into the next parking lot to get out of traffic. No warning lights came on. I turned the car off to see if it was a computer problem. The car would not start up. I used a jump box to restart the battery. When the car was back on I attempted to drive in the empty lot and the car would not shift gears. The car is an automatic and I tried to do manual shift if sport mode and it would not function. I was in a different state with my sister and we were stranded. I had to call my husband to tow my car home because it would be months to get parts for the repair shop in the other state. I had it evaluated at Ford and they said it was the transmission. It took 7 months to get parts and to get it fixed. Now the radiator is leaking and the car no longer runs. I spent $8000 on repairs and I can’t even drive it. Now my dad’s escape that is a different year and body style has to have its transmission repaired too.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on two occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light illuminated but then disappeared. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion into cylinder #2. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

Coolant intrusion leak in multiple cylinders causing misfires.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that coolant intrusion had damaged the engine, requiring an engine replacement. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program Number: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 90,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing coolant but was unable to locate the source of the leak. Additionally, he had to add additional anti-freeze approximately every two to three weeks. The engine warning light was illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, where an appointment was scheduled, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at 50 MPH, the overheating warning light was illuminated. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the coolant reservoir was extremely low and boiling. Upon refilling the reservoir, the vehicle briefly returned to normal functionality, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the vehicle required a coolant flush. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 95,000.

On September 22 2023 I drove my car home from work and everything was good. The next day September 23 2023 I started my car and my check engine light went yellow, then red, my car instantly overheated, smoke poured out of my exhaust. I brought it to dealership for inspection and was told coolant had leaked into my engine and the engine cracked. Upon research this is a known problem with ford escapes dated from 2013-2019 with the possibility of the car catching fire. I paid over 10k to have it repaired but it shouldn’t have happened in the first place! Ford should have recalled the SUVs and fixed/replaced the problem components.

I was driving my 2018 ford escape. The check engine light came on, I drove straight to dealer. The inspected the vehicle and said there was a coolant leak which leaks on to the pistons. My 3 piston is misfire and my engine block needs to be replaced. $7500. As I research this issue, I see this was known by for manufacture. I just paid off my vehicle, I have no money and no vehicle to get to work.

I purchased a 2018 Ford Escape from CarMax, I’ve had the car for 6 months I drove it to Illinois and my car was in park but stating it was in neutral upon a diagnostic it was discover my shifting cable was not working and I needed to keep my car parked and keep The emergency break on at all times. I called Ford and told them my issue they explained to me that in November of 2022 the gear shifting cable was a was fixed per a recall and I would have to pay to have it fixed because they only fix it one time for free . In January of this year another lawsuit was filed against Ford that alleges that even after the shifting cable is fix its still breaking on customers then can results in serious injury to the driver or others. I am asking that Ford take this vehicle back in exchange for a vehicle equal in value, i transport my grandchildren and children in this car and it’s not reliable or safe

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the temperature gauge was fluctuating between hot and normal, with an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was discovered that there was coolant intrusion into cylinder #3. The manufacturer and dealer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated when the vehicle was started. The contact checked the engine compartment and became aware that the coolant level was low. The contact refilled the coolant reservoir. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was constantly illuminated, and the contact had been filling the coolant reservoir on a recurring basis. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant had intruded into the engine and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact had researched online and related the failure to manufacturer Technical Service Bulletin Number: 19-2139 Coolant Intrusion into the Engine Block (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

Issue: 2018 Ford Escape, damaged engine short block due to coolant intrusion. Inspection: Inspected by Ford dealership mechanic. Outcome: needs an engine replacement due to damage from coolant intrusion. Was told there is no preventive maintenance or alerts for this issue and I was told there was nothing I could have done to prevent this from happening. Opinion: Sounds like FACTORY DEFECT that should have been recalled

Engine and Turbo plus Turbo lines, Hardware and Gasket

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion in the engine, and that the engine short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.

On August 16,2023 I was traveling home via rt 2. My car showed no signs or any warnings on my dashboard when my 2018 Ford Escape SE stopped moving. My car was on but when pushing on gas pedal my vehicle would not move forward. After bringing my car to a stop shutting it off and turning back on it bucked forward enough and I was able drive 100 ft. to park it in my driveway. Very shaken as I was just traveling at 60 mph and after taking exit to my condo my car stopped with no warning. This could have been catastrophic and caused a serious accident. After having my car towed, to the Ford dealership I purchased it, I learned of a recall I was never notified about and also told I needed a new transmission. How could this be on a car with 73,000 miles and not a sign or code that something was wrong. I was originally quoted 8,000 dollars to replace the transmission that was not under warranty with Ford. I am still without a car and have spent hundreds of dollars on a rental car needed to get back and forth to work. I have spent hours researching this problem and have read hundreds of peoples complaints with the same issue and wondering why Ford has not issued a recall. This is absurd, and a safety issue, not only to myself but all others on the roads with me. I am a single mother and having to pay out all this money is leaving me with a financial burden. Ford needs to make right to their loyal customers and make this fix a recall. Please help me , Very unhappy Ford owner!

My 2018 Ford Escape 2.0L Eco Boost engine has a coolant leak that is leaking into the number 3 cylinder. My local Ford dealer said it cannot be fixed and that a new engine is required. The estimated cost to replace the engine is $10,500. My car is out of warranty by 5 months with about 36,000 miles. The dealer will not fix it for free. An online search shows a TBS for the 2.0L EcoBoost engine. [XXX] Further searches provide links to Reddit and car forum posts by other owner's who have had the same issue. I will contact Ford corporate next to see if they can help. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I purchased this vehicle in July of 2023 and put 3000 miles on it and then found out when parked and sits…when started blue smoke comes out of exhaust. Made an appointment at a Ford dealer, it was there 10 days without being looked at and I needed to return the rental car, which I told the service advisor that it had to be checked out in order for my warranty company to pay my rental fees, kept calling with no answer.. ended up taking it to another dealer which diagnosed it needing an engine due to the cyclinders taking coolant… they than til me they 6 months out due to having 6 escapes just like mine in front, all needing engines.

Check engine light came on while driving down the highway. Vehicle lost power to approximately 20 mph even though the throttle was pressed. This was a hazardous situation as the speed limit was 55 mph and no place to pull off. Was told by a mechanic the throttle body was defective and needs replaced.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the engine had misfired and that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired shortly after that the misfire reoccurred. The vehicle was returned to the mechanic who then replaced the ignition coils. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the engine misfired again. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle the next day for approximately 10 miles at approximately 70 MPH when the vehicle sputtered and then stalled. The vehicle was towed to the mechanic who diagnosed that the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who related the failure to NHTSA ID Number: 10213732 (Engine, Engine, and Engine Cooling). The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 86,800.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH, the vehicle turned off independently. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to contact the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 34,035.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent mechanic on two separate occasions where the spark plugs and ignition coils were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact then stated that the vehicle began to overheat as the vehicle would hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic who discovered that coolant intrusion in the engine cylinder had caused a fracture in the engine block. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

COOLANT APPEARS TO BE LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the spark plugs, and ignition coil needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 66,952.

Engine died. Took it to a licensed mechanic and was told coolant leak caused total engine failure. Needs a new engine. Only 80000 miles.

Coolant injection leak, blown engine.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the engine misfired. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that coolant was intruding into the engine cylinder. The mechanic retrieved codes: P0304-00 and P0316-00. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started shaking violently. There was no warning light illuminated. The following day upon start the vehicle, the "high engine temperature, stop safely" message was displayed. The contact stated that thick white smoke was coming from the tailpipe. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the engine had failed due to coolant intrusion into the cylinder. The contact was informed that the engine block needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in a Customer Satisfaction Program associated with the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 83,783.

On the first engine, a check engine light came on the dashboard, took it in, and was told code P300 was coming on but couldn't find where we were losing the coolant. Come to find out, the header was cracked and it was getting into the oil pan. We only had the vehicle for a few months since we purchased it. The second engine is, a replacement of the first and a used engine. Not even 400 miles and we start to get the check engine light on. He checked dtcs and found codes P300 P301 and P1299 stored, block tested the vehicle and the vehicle passed, performed a coolant leak test with the cooling system pressurized to 21psi and found no external leaks, removed cylinder 1 spark plug while leak testing the vehicle and found coolant on top of cylinder 1 piston.

Car has 95k miles. Recently started showing code P0303 (cylinder 3 misfire). Took it to mechanic, replaced spark plug and engine coil. Got car back, ran fine a couple days, then started noticing coolant level way down from mechanics top off. Mechanic has it now and is thinking coolant leaking into engine. Common issue for this model as I have read online. Also read about a service bulletin offering a one time fix for this, but never received the alert in my Ford app. No recall issued that I can see. Hopefully won’t need a new engine.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the driver's side door failed to shut completely. While exiting the vehicle, the door continuously poked her lower leg. There were no warning lights illuminated. Upon exiting the driver's side door, the contact was poked on her leg. The contact sustained injuries to the calf muscle and was cut. The contact was taken to the emergency room, where her leg was stitched up. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.

My transmission started slipping and will not shift. When switching from drive to reverse or reverse to drive, the vehicle will not immediately shift directions. Instead, it will hesitate and then buck hard paired with a bang. I purchased this vehicle at the beginning of December last year and it hasn't even been an entire year. I am still making payments on a vehicle I can't drive and there is absolutely no reason a transmission (with regular maintenance records) that's 5 years old would randomly malfunction like that. This needs to be addressed. Ford has way too many problems and honestly shouldn't be allowed to put vehicles on the road that cause dangerous situations, especially knowingly.

I was having issues where my car was getting a code that there was an engine misfire occurring (PO302 code). I took it to multiple shops and nobody could figure out the problem. After extensive testing they finally figured out that there is coolant leaking onto my engine. I now have to repair basically half my engine and I have only had the car for 52,000 miles (5 years).

Car began running rough at initial start after a thunderstorm but subsided within a minute or two and was running normally. Car continued to run normally but check engine light came on. Took to the dealership who said that coolant had intruded into the engine, an engine assembly replacement was needed, and the replacement cost would be close to $12,000. The vehicle had 77,144 miles at the time. Due to being out of warranty, we would incur the total cost of repairs. This issue appears to be related to recall 17S09 but our vehicle has 0 unrepaired recalls.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate properly; however, the vehicle jolted while reversing. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact there was a delay in the drive train, and that the engine had internal damages. The contact stated that the engine was replaced prior to the failure by the local dealer. The mechanic recommended that the engine be rebuilt. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 131,000.