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2018 Ford Ecosport

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2018 Ford Ecosport do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 395.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

267 reports with mileage · 459 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 355 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 311 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

18 crash reports2 fire reports7 injury reports

What owners actually said

726 reports
Mileage unknown · Jun 19, 2023
Fuel/propulsion System

Hello, This is my first recall complaint so I will do my best the Dashboard light is on indicating low oil pressure along with the engine light as well. After researching this issue, with my 2018 Ford Eco, sport. I have also read a lots of complaints from online website including YouTube videos from customers and mechanic Indica…

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Hello, This is my first recall complaint so I will do my best the Dashboard light is on indicating low oil pressure along with the engine light as well. After researching this issue, with my 2018 Ford Eco, sport. I have also read a lots of complaints from online website including YouTube videos from customers and mechanic Indicates that this is an ongoing problem for this year, make and model of vehicle. This is a very expensive part to replace a long with the hours of labor Involve With this repair $1500-$2000 later. My mechanic also indicates this is an ongoing problem after just having a vehicle a few years, the belt will break and get stuck in the oil pump were it will have trouble getting pressure where this parts will have to be replace along with a few other small parts that goes with it and if you’re lucky like myself you’re car won’t catch on fire in the process or at least that is what mechanics are talking about online about this particular issue. Mechanics are also saying that this is a poor design on Fords behalf with the belt, breaking. I checked for a recall on this problem could not find one. I’m hoping that you will see that this issue needs to be considered a recall because $1500 to $2000 is a lot of money for someone like myself that is broke and has nothing to their name but one car made by Ford motor company and someone like myself that is living paycheck to paycheck. If you need more information please contact me anytime [XXX] or [XXX] Thank you so much for your time INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI #11527752

Mileage unknown · Jun 12, 2023
Engine

I was driving on Hwy 146 at a high rate of speed and my engine died. I almost crashed with the car behind me. It was a very scary situation and I thank God no one was hurt. Traveling at that rate of speed it was a miracle. I got my car over to the side of the road and had it towed to the closest mechanic. My car just g…

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I was driving on Hwy 146 at a high rate of speed and my engine died. I almost crashed with the car behind me. It was a very scary situation and I thank God no one was hurt. Traveling at that rate of speed it was a miracle. I got my car over to the side of the road and had it towed to the closest mechanic. My car just got paid off in Feb and only had 58,000 miles on it. I thought it would be something small. I received a ph call from the mechanic saying I need a new engine that the oil pump went out and threw stuff through the engine. I had it towed over to Mac Haik Ford in Pasadena for a second opinion and they said the same thing. I have read through this site and many many people have experienced the same problem. The dealership was well aware of the issue and so was Ford when I called them. Is it going to take someone to die to get this recalled. If anyone is interested in a class action feel free to call me [XXX]. There should not be this kind of problem with an issue that is so well know and Ford has not had to correct it. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI #11526694

Mileage unknown · Jun 9, 2023
Engine

On my way to work as a travel nurse in another state from home, my car had an engine oil pressure light come on. It was the dark hours of the morning and I wasn't sure what it meant so I looked for the next place to stop safely. Not even five minutes later, I heard a large bang, almost like a gunfire sound, and large billows …

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On my way to work as a travel nurse in another state from home, my car had an engine oil pressure light come on. It was the dark hours of the morning and I wasn't sure what it meant so I looked for the next place to stop safely. Not even five minutes later, I heard a large bang, almost like a gunfire sound, and large billows of smoke came from the front part of the car. My car handling went out and I lost complete control of the car and it started to skid. I gripped the steering wheel as a way to turn into my skid to steady the car until it came to a stop. Luckily there was no one on the road and I avoided a crash. After sending it to the Ford dealer, I found out a few weeks later that the car needed a total engine replacement which astounded me on a car that had less than 32,000 miles. My car is under warranty and I had just did an oil change and 21 point inspection two months before which was checked out good and it was not due for another couple hundred miles. I am now fighting with Ford to address this issue as I now know this is a common problem with the Ford 1.0L Ecoboost Engines. The car is getting the Engine replaced (a band-aid fix to a open, bleeding wound) but it doesn't help the fact that this is an unsafe vehicle and can happen again. When, not if, that happens, safety is a huge issue as I almost crashed the car the first time. Unfortunately, my state of Florida will not buy this car back as I have owned it for over the two years, however, I still owe money on it and have no choice to keep it until I can trade it in. Ford and the NHTSA needs to address the safety issues with this vehicle. The next person that this happens too (could be me again) might not be so lucky.

NHTSA ODI #11526254

121,000 miles · Jun 6, 2023
Engine

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The alert sounded indicating that the oil pressure low warning light and the check engine warning light were illuminated. Several unknown warning lights then illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independ…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The alert sounded indicating that the oil pressure low warning light and the check engine warning light were illuminated. Several unknown warning lights then illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that metal shavings were found in the oil and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. An undisclosed dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall and advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number and then transferred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 121,000.

NHTSA ODI #11525576

Mileage unknown · May 30, 2023
Engine

Just got an oil change on 5/4/23, on 5/23/23 the low oil pressure notification came on. The car almost immediately stalled out and cut itself off and will not cut back on. Had it towed to the company that performed my oil change and they informed me that it appears to be a problem related to the oil pump that I would need to spe…

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Just got an oil change on 5/4/23, on 5/23/23 the low oil pressure notification came on. The car almost immediately stalled out and cut itself off and will not cut back on. Had it towed to the company that performed my oil change and they informed me that it appears to be a problem related to the oil pump that I would need to speak to Ford about. I called Ford who informed me that there was no current recall for this type of issue but that I could have the car brought to them to be looked at. Looking online and it seems like it’s a major problem in this particular car, not sure why I should have to pay out of pocket for a known issue in these vehicles.

NHTSA ODI #11524459

Mileage unknown · May 16, 2023
Engine

*My 2018 Ford EcoSport’s entire engine needed to be replaced at 65,000 miles.* In June of 2022, I was turning right onto a busy road. During my acceleration, out of nowhere, I heard a loud bang, and my entire dash lit up with lights. I quickly pulled over and called for a tow. I towed my car to a certified Ford dealership. They…

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*My 2018 Ford EcoSport’s entire engine needed to be replaced at 65,000 miles.* In June of 2022, I was turning right onto a busy road. During my acceleration, out of nowhere, I heard a loud bang, and my entire dash lit up with lights. I quickly pulled over and called for a tow. I towed my car to a certified Ford dealership. They diagnosed my car with an oil pressure problem, and that to fix it, they needed to replace my entire engine. This is just one of MANY issues I have had with this car.

NHTSA ODI #11522388

Mileage unknown · May 11, 2023
Engine

I was driving at 35 mph when the low engine oil pressure indicator came on and stayed on for approximately 15 seconds. When it shut off, the engine started a banging noise and lost engine power. It was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with a blown engine because the oil pump failed. I was also informed by the dealer that this w…

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I was driving at 35 mph when the low engine oil pressure indicator came on and stayed on for approximately 15 seconds. When it shut off, the engine started a banging noise and lost engine power. It was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with a blown engine because the oil pump failed. I was also informed by the dealer that this was the third 2018 Ford eco-sport to have this happen in the last five months. I had it towed to another automobile repair service center for a second opinion. They agreed with the dealer service department and informed me that they had done five of these engine replacements for the exact same problem in the last year. I was also informed by both the service manager at the dealership and the owner of the automotive service center , Ford motor company has been aware of this problem for a number of years. It cost me $6200 to replace the engine. I am 65 years old and now I have to work to pay this engine off. Instead of being able to finally retire, I have to pay for Ford motor companies defective engine that they have been acutely aware of for years.

NHTSA ODI #11521484

84,000 miles · May 10, 2023
Engine

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle started to lose motive power, and the engine started to misfire. The contact stated that the fuel injection system warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to reach her destination however, the vehicle would not r…

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle started to lose motive power, and the engine started to misfire. The contact stated that the fuel injection system warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to reach her destination however, the vehicle would not restart. The contact was concerned about driving the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed; however, the mechanic could not duplicate the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

NHTSA ODI #11521343

Mileage unknown · May 9, 2023
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle began to jerk and stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued driving; however, the failure recurred several times while driving, …

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle began to jerk and stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued driving; however, the failure recurred several times while driving, and the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine block, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The engine was replaced; however, the failure recurred two years later. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle sputtered. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to drive to the nearby residence; however, the failure recurred significantly while starting the vehicle the next morning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it failed to restart. The dealer diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine block, and 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 unknown.

NHTSA ODI #11521140

Mileage unknown · May 2, 2023
Engine

I bought my Ford Ecosport June 30th 2022 with 33k miles. On March 30th 2023 coolant leaked into the cylinder head resulting in a blown gasket. This was very unexpected as the car showed no signs of any issues at all up until the day of. I was driving the car to get an oil change and brakes checked. The car began to over heat an…

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I bought my Ford Ecosport June 30th 2022 with 33k miles. On March 30th 2023 coolant leaked into the cylinder head resulting in a blown gasket. This was very unexpected as the car showed no signs of any issues at all up until the day of. I was driving the car to get an oil change and brakes checked. The car began to over heat and notify me that the engine was reducing power due to it's overheating. The car would not rise to 2 RPM and was extremely hard to make accelerate if I stopped at a redlight or stop sign. I just barely made it to the auto shop after breaking down in the middle of the busy road multiple times. I almost did not make it through a large intersection. The car has been inspected by the manufacturer and they have confirmed the issues. I am aware there was a recall where Ford identified a problem with a coolant pipe (referred to as the degas hose), on just under 45,000 Ford Focus 1.0-litre Ecoboost models sold in the UK between October 2011 and October 2013. My car has a 1L ecoboost engine with the exact same malfunction.

NHTSA ODI #11520123

Official recalls

2

23V905000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:oil/lubrication:pump

Dec 22, 2023

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A loss of oil pressure can result in an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the oil pump tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt, free of charge. If engine failure occurs due to a damaged oil pump belt and/or oil pump belt tensioner, Ford has authorized dealers to replace the engine assembly as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S64.

18V312000 · Equipment:other:labels; Service Brakes

May 14, 2018

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Ecosport vehicles sold in the United States Federal Territiories. These vehicles were shipped with the European brake reservoir pictogram cap label and the European English language owner's manual kits. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Owners could be confused by the incorrect label on the brake fluid cap, potentially causing them to replace the brake fluid with an incorrect fluid which could affect brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake fluid cap and owner's manual kit, free of charge. The recall began on June 21, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C04.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Service Brakes

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Ecosport vehicles sold in the United States Federal Territiories. These vehicles were shipped with the European brake reservoir pictogram cap label and the European English language owner's manual kits. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Consequence: Owners could be confused by the incorrect label on the brake fluid cap, potentially causing them to replace the brake fluid with an incorrect fluid which could affect brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake fluid cap and owner's manual kit, free of charge. The recall began on June 21, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C04.

Equipment:other:labels

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Ecosport vehicles sold in the United States Federal Territiories. These vehicles were shipped with the European brake reservoir pictogram cap label and the European English language owner's manual kits. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Consequence: Owners could be confused by the incorrect label on the brake fluid cap, potentially causing them to replace the brake fluid with an incorrect fluid which could affect brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake fluid cap and owner's manual kit, free of charge. The recall began on June 21, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C04.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE23015 · Oil Pump Failure

Opened Sep 20, 2023 · Closed Feb 14, 2024

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:oil/lubrication:pump

On September 20, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-015 to investigate instances of engine failure due to loss of oil pressure in model year (MY) 2018-2021 Ford EcoSport vehicles. Some consumers reported a low engine oil pressure warning lamp immediately preceding a complete loss or reduction of motive power while the vehicle was in motion. The investigation revealed that the engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm may fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure. A loss of engine oil pressure can result in engine seizure, which can result in a loss of motive power and a loss of mechanical vacuum pump required to provide power braking assist, increase the risk of a crash. On December 22, 2023, Ford filed recall 23V-905 for certain MY 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The recall remedy provides the replacement of the oil pump drive belt tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt with redesigned parts to improve robustness. In view of the recall action being taken by Ford, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.