2018 Ford Escape

Safety Risk: The vehicle suffered a sudden loss of power while driving. Without any warning light or prior symptoms, the car began "pulling". I was advised by mechanics that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the severity of the misfire. After two expensive spark plug repairs in six months, the engine light finally triggered during a trip, revealing that the internal defect was significantly worse than a simple maintenance issue. The problem began with a sudden, violent engine hesitation. A scan revealed a Cylinder 3 misfire (P0303), but there was no initial check engine light, leaving me unaware of the danger until the car began struggling to move. Over the next six months, the spark plugs were replaced twice. Despite these repairs, the car continued to struggle with acceleration and rough idling. A final diagnosis at Palmetto Ford confirmed coolant intrusion into the cylinders (TSB 22-2322). The engine is consuming coolant internally, which fouled the spark plugs and led to a mechanical failure leading to get over $11000 on repairs for a new engine.

With only 122,000 miles on the vehicle, the Escape is generating an error associated with a misfire in cylinder 1. New plugs were installed for the entire engine and the coil in cylinder 1 was replaced. A few days later, the error was generated again with an added warning to Server now. The service station that did the previous repair, stated that this was a known issue with this Ford engine and the Escape would need a new engine. If I don't replace the engine, this vehicle has been known to discontinue working while driving. The estimate for repairs are $10,300.

I went in to get a tune-up on car because a engine light came on which was a misfire. The mechanic had a hard time getting out one spark plug with a hard residue on it. I drove for a couple days after tune-up and engine light came on again. I then started the next day the garage filled with white smoke with a real weird smell. The car showed another engine light that said Engine fault service now. Car would not start. It was towed to Ford dealership. It is a coolant intrusion into the block. I have 110,000 on vehicle and had the 100,000 extended warranty. I now I need to fight Ford to get fixed. This is a known issue and there was not a recall on this. I am retired and I am forced into buying another vehicle on a fixed income. If Ford does not fix this, i will join the class action suit that will be heard in June 2026. I have bought Fords all my life and I am super disappointed that Ford did not recall this motor and replace. I have heard that alot of people with this problem with coolant intrusion in block if over 84,000 or 7yrs Ford will not replace. Shameful when they know there is this issue.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal odor inside the cabin of the vehicle, and the vehicle entered SAFE Mode, lost power, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the temperature gauge was raised from COLD to HOT immediately, and the vehicle was turned off unintendedly. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the coolant level was low. The independent mechanic "burped" the system and added coolant to the coolant reservoir. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred approximately 30 days later. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that there was coolant intrusion in cylinder #3, and the short block was cracked, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,900.

At approximately 46,000 miles our 2018 Ford Escape experienced coolant intrusion in cylinders 2 and 3. The car has the 2.0 Liter EcoBoost engine. The car was out of warranty, requiring us to pay for the majority of the nearly $9,000 engine replacement. Additionally, we did not have the use of the car for over three months. We found that this a common problem with these engines throughout the Ford model lineup.

The component that is failing in my vehicle is the engine, specifically the 1.5L EcoBoost engine short block, which is experiencing coolant intrusion into the cylinders. This defect causes misfires, rough running, loss of coolant without visible leaks, and can lead to catastrophic engine failure. The car and all its components are available for inspection upon request. My safety, my child's safety, as well as the safety of others on the road, has been put at risk because this engine defect can cause sudden misfires, loss of power, or complete engine failure while driving. I rely on this vehicle to transport my special needs toddler to and from essential care appointments and therapies. I have experienced sudden intermittent powertrain loss that has resulted in the vehicle randomly stopping on highway. A local auto shop diagnosed the issue free of charge. It was explained to me that this is a known defect that Ford has documented, and other owners have reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, demonstrating that it is reproducible in vehicles with this engine type. My vehicle has not been inspected by Ford for repair coverage, nor have police or insurance representatives been involved. Ford has reviewed my VIN internally but refused coverage based on a narrow eligibility range, leaving me responsible for repair costs that are financially burdensome and urgently needed for the safety and care of my child. As of now I experience random misfires, rough running, white thick smoke expelling from the exhaust, random powertrain loss, and unexplained loss of coolant. These symptoms appeared gradually but are consistent with the documented defect in other vehicles with the same engine type, model, and assembly plant, making it clear that my vehicle is affected by the same issue.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and occupied, the windshield wipers activated independently. Neither an independent mechanic nor the dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 95,845.