Engine. Review the 1,145 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 342 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 269 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

25 crash reports5 fire reports23 injury reports

Engine complaints

1,145 reports

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Mileage unknown · Dec 28, 2024

Engine

Coolant leaking in the engine at 96k miles. Car locked up and is not drivable. Manufacture quoted me $8500 for the repairs.

NHTSA ODI #11632821

Mileage unknown · Dec 28, 2024

Engine

Engine is exhibiting a P0302 Cylinder 2 misfire code and was taken to the Ford Dealership. Here, they stated the misfiring is due to a coolant leak that has seize the spark plug. The engine light has been on (periodically turning off) over the course of 3 weeks but the vehicle has not been driven much due to fear of stalling out…

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NHTSA ODI #11632807

Mileage unknown · Dec 27, 2024

Engine

Coolant leaks into my engine’s cylinders, is causing cylinder misfire, overheating, engine corrosion, oil dilution and contamination, with high potential for the cylinder head cracking, total engine failure, and/or engine fires, according to my mechanic.

NHTSA ODI #11632632

Mileage unknown · Dec 26, 2024

Engine

Engine design flaw with coolant channels caused coolant to leak into cylinder 3 causing misfire and rapid coolant loss.

NHTSA ODI #11632509

Mileage unknown · Dec 26, 2024

Engine

Coolant leaked into engine and the vehicle now needs a new engine.

NHTSA ODI #11632443

Mileage unknown · Dec 20, 2024

Engine

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Ford 2.0l EcoBoost engine has a design failure Ford has been aware of prior to 2019. My 2018 Ford Escape, I bought new with less then 45000 miles on it has failed due to this design where coolant is sucked into the #2 cylinder. I have contacted Ford, and they will not admit it their design failure. Ford also issues two technical service bulletins concerning this issue in 2019 where the recommend replacing the engine. TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 19-2208 and 19-2346. I've contacted Ford and they are willing to pay for the labor but not the parts. This failure was caused by Ford and since I could do nothing to fix it nor did they inform me about the possible issue prior to the expiration of the 5-year warranty in 2023. I am having to foot a bill for something they knew about for years. This is consumer fraud.

NHTSA ODI #11631775

80,000 miles · Dec 20, 2024

Engine

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The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that there was a coolant intrusion resulting in a misfire and damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was 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 80,000.

NHTSA ODI #11631773

Mileage unknown · Dec 20, 2024

Engine

I was told by Ford during an oil change around 06/2024 that my coolant is leaking and I needed a new engine.. now my car keeps overheating and I haven't been able to drive it for about 5 months....my extended warranty is also expired now....they said there was a recall for this, but expired back in 2022? I never received notific…

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NHTSA ODI #11631738

113,115 miles · Dec 17, 2024

Engine

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Coolant leak into cylinder 3, with Ford dealer saying I need to replace the engine or the car will just die at the side of the road and leave me stranded. Check engine light indicated a problem and I kept leaking coolant but couldn't see where the leak was going until I went to the dealer and they changed me $200 to diagnose. This occurred at 110,000 mi. Now I have to replace the engine or lose a car that is worse less than the price of the engine replacement, but I still owe money on it. The dealer encouraged me to replace the engine with a new one from Ford that addresses the problem. So Ford knows it's a problem yet will not pay for repairs.

NHTSA ODI #11631286

Mileage unknown · Dec 17, 2024

Engine

My engine light came in and upon checking codes and researching the problem I realized I was getting coolant into cylinder 3 and apparently it is a very common problem with this vehicle.

NHTSA ODI #11631130

Official recalls

26V011000 · Equipment:electrical:engine Block Heater

Jan 15, 2026

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.

22V413000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl); Power Train:shift Linkage/cable/rod

Jun 10, 2022

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:shift Linkage/cable/rod

Consequence: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

18V104000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Feb 12, 2018

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape and Lincoln MKC vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with incorrect front brake hoses that may chafe against other components, possibly resulting in a brake fluid leak.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A brake fluid leak may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake hoses, replacing any that are incorrect, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S04.

17V803000 · Air Bags:side/window

Dec 18, 2017

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S44.

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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Ford Escape problems

Ford Escape transmission problems →Ford Escape electrical problems →