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.
2018 Ford Escape
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2018 Ford Escape do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 996.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Escape years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
668 reports with mileage · 1,123 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 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.
Power Train complaints
269 reportsOn 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 …
Read full complaint
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!
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 check…
Read full complaint
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.
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.…
Read full complaint
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.
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 a…
Read full complaint
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.
I drove about 20 minutes to an eating establishment. Left the establishment after about an hour and a half. Got into my car. It would not shift into gear. The shifter moved., but not into gear. No reverse. No drive. No neutral. I called triple a. The arrived in 45 minutes. The gentleman went into my car after telling him what h…
Read full complaint
I drove about 20 minutes to an eating establishment. Left the establishment after about an hour and a half. Got into my car. It would not shift into gear. The shifter moved., but not into gear. No reverse. No drive. No neutral. I called triple a. The arrived in 45 minutes. The gentleman went into my car after telling him what happened. He came back to me and told his tow truck can’t tow my car. They need a truck with a special tool to be able to pull my vehicle out. Since it wouldn’t go into neutral. He did not have that on his truck. I waited for 4 hours. Still no tow truck. I then realized that I had road side assistance with Ford. I called them. I told the gentleman my situation including what the previous tow company told me. He called me back in 20 minutes. Said he found a tow truck. He wouldn’t be able to get there for and hour and half to 2 hours. The tow company towed it to jannell ford in Hanover, Massachusetts. On Monday Jannell called me. They said since I didn’t have an appointment it’s gonna be a while before we can look at it. Through out the 3 weeks they kept in touch with me and were talking about a new transmission. Finally it was my turn for my vehicle to be looked at. And it went into gear. There were no repairs made. I brought my car to a transmission place. He could not recreate what happened. But he did tell me it would happen again. It’s a matter of time. This is the third time I have brought my vehicle involving transmission issues. The first time was June 30, 2021. Torque converter was replaced 2nd time April 12, 2022 Te problem I have now happened July 24, 2023.
On August 1, 2023 my vehicle began to show engine issues. When I started it, it would shudder, like it wasn't getting fuel. I contacted Firestone and scheduled a diagnostic for that Friday. In the meantime, I bought some enginge cleaner and put it in my gas tank. Firestone reports that the coolant has leaked into the head g…
Read full complaint
On August 1, 2023 my vehicle began to show engine issues. When I started it, it would shudder, like it wasn't getting fuel. I contacted Firestone and scheduled a diagnostic for that Friday. In the meantime, I bought some enginge cleaner and put it in my gas tank. Firestone reports that the coolant has leaked into the head gasket, causing my vehicle to need a new enginge. They printed out a report of CSP21N12 which covers this KNOWN ISSUE for 84,000 or 7 years. My vehicle has 92,800 miles on it and had shown no signs of this issue prior. The vehicle was then seen at Dahl Ford in Davenport, Iowa where they confirmed that the coolant was leaking into the enginge and it needed replaced. Again, this is known issue that Ford has been aware of since 2019. They have released numerous TSBs (which I didn't even know existed until August 4). Ending the coverage at 84,000 miles is not acceptable and this is a serious safety hazard. The vehicle can catch fire if it runs out of coolant. The vehicle can stall in the middle of the road causing a potential accident. Ford needs to issue a recall.
Shifts hard sometimes slamming into and out of gears causing car to jump. No warning lights torque converter replaced at 58000 miles. Less than two years later problem came back. It causes the car to jerk sometimes when it shifts and stutters at times as well causing the car to slow down. May someday stop with no warning causing…
Read full complaint
Shifts hard sometimes slamming into and out of gears causing car to jump. No warning lights torque converter replaced at 58000 miles. Less than two years later problem came back. It causes the car to jerk sometimes when it shifts and stutters at times as well causing the car to slow down. May someday stop with no warning causing a crash.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 35-37 MPH, the vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear, and was jerking significantly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the vehicle was inspected for fluid leakage, but no issues w…
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 35-37 MPH, the vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear, and was jerking significantly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the vehicle was inspected for fluid leakage, but no issues were found. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The contact stated that the vehicle was connected to an OBD reader, but no diagnostic codes were retrieved. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the transmission needed to be repaired; however, the parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered to partially cover the repair cost. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned. Flexplate cracked at 62037 It is available for inspection upon request. I have the dealer's invoice. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? There was a knocking noise in the motor while i was on the highway with my kids. no Warning lights. Has the problem be…
Read full complaint
What component or system failed or malfunctioned. Flexplate cracked at 62037 It is available for inspection upon request. I have the dealer's invoice. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? There was a knocking noise in the motor while i was on the highway with my kids. no Warning lights. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, The dealer. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes, the Wayne Ford service center. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No there was no warning lights. No symptoms.
Official recalls
426V011000 · 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
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: 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)
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: 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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
Illustration