2018 Ford Escape Problems

2018 Ford Escape problems owners report most

2018 Ford Escape problems are documented in public: owners have filed 1,822 complaints with NHTSA, the earliest in 2018 and the most recent in 2026. Sorting those by the component the filer named puts the engine clearly first, at 1170 of the 1,822 complaints, 64 per cent of everything filed.

A complaint is not a repair bill and not a defect finding. It is one owner telling the regulator something went wrong. What makes the count useful is the concentration: when one component takes 64 per cent of everything filed on a car, the pattern is doing more than chance.

Against the 2017 car, this model year has drawn 33 per cent fewer complaints (1,822 against 2,701). Both years are led by the engine, so this is a fault that carried over rather than one introduced with the 2018 car.

Of those complaints, 26 describe a crash and 6 describe a fire. Filers reported 30 injuries.

Recalls on the 2018 Ford Escape

A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator found a safety defect, and the repair is free at a franchised dealer however old the car is. There are 4 recalls on this model year. Your own car may be covered by some, all or none of them, so check the VIN rather than the model.

In owners own words

These are complaints filed about the engine, quoted as written. They are one persons account rather than a diagnosis, and they are here because a symptom described by a driver is easier to recognise than a component name.

I own a 2018 Ford Escape SE. In May, I started my car & it shook, the check engine light started blinking. I took it to Auto Zone for a diagnostic; diagnostic trouble codes Power Train System - P0302/ cylinder 2 misfire detected & Anti-Lock Brake System (No Code) /Service Interval Light. I was told to replace the spark plugs & ignition coil. I took it to an independent mechanic, sparks plugs & coil were replaced. The check engine light off. Notice I was using more gas. 2 weeks later, check engine light came on, car started shaking. I took it to Auto Zone for another diagnostic & was told the s

My 2018 Ford escape has a blown engine. My check engine light came on and I brought the car to the dealer. The Service rep advised me I need an appointment to have the car checked. I advised him that the check engine light came on and It might be a serious problem and I’m not driving the car. Ford took the car 14 days ago I’m awaiting an answer on the status. The engine was blown due to oil mixing with coolant through the cylinder. A quick Google check of the 2018 Ford escape has many complaints similar to mine. I called Fords Main office inquired if there was any recalls or any problems and

I received my car back from All Star Ford on [XXX] with a rebuilt transmission installed. Since the repairs were under warranty I only had to pay $100 out of pocket. The following week I took the car in to have an oil change. The car seemed to run fairly well until [XXX]. The car started to make a strange rattling noise and a notification popped up saying that I needed to get an oil change soon. I thought this to be pretty strange as I had just got an oil change in April 2024 after I received the car back. I decided to take the car to get an oil change on [XXX] in which comments were noted tha

As I was driving my 2018 Ford Escape SE 1.5 liter EcoBoost on the interstate at the posted 70 mph limit, my dash warning center display said Cross Traffic Fault, Hill Start Assist Not Available, Front Camera Fault, Collision Warning Not Available, Blindspot Left Sensor Fault, AWD Temporarily Unavailable, and Speed Control (radar?) not available. It then felt as if my AWD was switching on and off while making weird clicking noises. My engine then began missing and running very rough. After a very short period of time, it completely shut down and would not start and I wasn’t able to get the a

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

At approximately 64,500 miles, my Ford Escape was diagnosed by a Ford dealership with coolant intrusion into 3 of 4 cylinders. At the time of diagnosis, the vehicle was still driveable, but the diagnosis indicated a serious internal engine problem with the potential to cause sudden engine damage or failure. Prior to diagnosis, I noticed the coolant level repeatedly dropping for over one year without an obvious external leak, no other symptoms, and no check engine light. I first noticed the issue during an oil change, when a mechanic pointed out that my coolant reservoir was nearly empty and r

Every component, by complaint count

The full breakdown of what owners named when they filed. Components below the top ten are grouped out of this table.

How other model years compare

The same nameplate across the years we hold. Complaint counts fall naturally for newer cars because fewer of them have been on the road for long, so read the column as a rough signal rather than a ranking. In this set the 2017 Ford Escape has drawn the most complaints and the 2021 Ford Escape the fewest.

What to check on the engine

Engine reports range from oil consumption between services to rough running, stalling and a loss of power under acceleration. Oil use is the one owners notice latest, because nothing warns you until the level is already low.

Buying a used 2018 Escape

Ask for every service record and check the gap between oil changes against the level on the dipstick now. An engine using oil quietly is the most expensive fault on this list and the easiest one to miss on a test drive.

If you already own one

Start a log of oil level between services. A documented consumption rate is what turns a conversation with a dealer from an opinion into a claim, and some manufacturers have covered these repairs well past the warranty.

• Check the oil level and condition yourself before buying.
• Ask for service records covering every oil change.
• Record oil level between services to document consumption.
• Have a compression or leak down test done before a major repair.