2018 Ford Escape

While driving my car my check engine light started blinking and then went solid. I went to get the codes checked and they had originally thought it was something with the spark plug. After driving the car around a little longer the check engine light started to blink and then my engine would not allow me to go over 25 miles without shuddering violently. I took my car into a local dealership where I bought it and they checked everything over and found out that the coolant was leaking into the engine and certain cylinders. The mechanic told me that this is apparently a common problem with this car however he told me there was no recall at the time that allowed for my car to be repaired by ford. Had I not stopped driving my car and got it towed to the dealership there's a very good chance I could have been injured due to serious engine malfunction. The fact that Ford is not picking up this tab is absolutely absurd.

The engine failed with approximately 50,000 miles on it. It is unsafe and unable to be driven due to engine failure as it has a lack of power maneuvering on roads. The problem has been confirmed by Ford of Spartanburg in Spartanburg, SC. This dealership has determined that the engine has coolant intrusion on cylinder 3 and needs to be completely replaced. It has not been inspected, to my knowledge, by anyone else. The problem was discovered when upon ignition, the engine ran rough and the check engine light illuminated. It was taken to the Ford dealership the same day where their service advisor scanned for problems. It was determined to be a misfire. An appointment was made for a diagnostic at which time the problem of coolant intrusion was diagnosed.

My 2018 Ford Escape made a loud squeak / whistle sound while driving approx 40 mph. Immediately after, the vehicle began to smoke from the exhaust so much that I could not see , nor could many of the cars behind me. The check engine light came on and another light that said pull over. I brought the vehicle to my local Ford Dealer who said the engine has coolant intrusion in cylinder 2 and 3 , and requires a new engine block to be installed. Apparently, Ford is aware of this problem and had a customer satisfaction program to replace the faulty engine blocks, but it expired in 2022. I just purchased this vehicle from a Ford dealer 10 months ago , and now I am basically stuck with a repair that will cost me more than the vehicle is worth. I contacted Ford Motor Company and they will not help me.

The alert light on the dash came on several times starting approximately 30 November 2024, but there was no code when we took it to the parts shop and our mechanic. This was often accompanied by loss of power (misfiring). Throughout the Spring, the light came on with increasing frequency, sometimes with loss of power. At some point in February/March, the check engine light came and we were able to check the code. It indicated a misfire on cylinder 3 due to coolant intrusion. We took the car to the Ford Dealership, who confirmed with a pressure test, observing the loss of coolant, the white "smoke" from the tailpipe, and pulling the spark plug that there was a coolant leak and that the engine would need replaced, with an estimate of $9290.33 (on attached 31 March 2025 estimate).

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was coolant intrusion into several cylinders which resulted in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion). 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 120,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Firestone Service Center, where it was diagnosed with cylinder #4 misfire, a coolant leak, and a blown head gasket. The vehicle was then towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a crack in the engine block, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 93,870.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the engine was idling rough. No warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact detected a sweet odor inside the vehicle and noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact also discovered that coolant was leaking on the ground. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the transmission was slipping, and the power train malfunction warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact became aware of fluids leaking underneath the vehicle and accumulating on the rear glass. The contact drove the vehicle to a nearby parking space and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a fractured flex plate, a failed torque converter, a failed front pump, a failed crank shaft and engine failure. The contact was informed that the suggestive repairs would be to replace the flex plate, torque converter and the front pump. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,500.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the road and restart the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with DTC: P0012. The vehicle was taken to another independent service center, where it was diagnosed and DTC: P0014, P1299, P0012, and P04DB were retrieved. The local dealer was contacted and related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 19B37. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 146,318.