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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 0
Average Mileage:
23,357 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2018 Ford Escape engine problems

engine problem

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2018 Ford Escape Owner Comments (Page 1 of 32)

problem #632

Dec 312024

Escape

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

A common and known problem to Ford: the coolant leak caused a crack in the engine block. This caused fluid in the cylinders to misfire and now oil is also leaking into the engine block as well. There was no warning or preventative measures we could take, and after research, this is an extremely common issue. The dealership will not work with us as there is "no official recall" even though they know it happens a lot, and it would take more than $7,000 to repair when we still owe $6,500.

- Sherman, TX, USA

problem #631

Jan 112025

Escape

  • 56,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle started sputtering. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to TSB: 20-2100. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that there was a leak in the coolant system. The contact stated that coolant was leaking into the engine and the oil. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant was leaking into the engine and the oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and agreed to cover 40% of the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

problem #630

Dec 012024

Escape

  • miles
Engine misfiring, stuttering, power loss happened at high speed on interstate. Independent mechanic diagnosed coolant intrusion into engine. Spark plug in cylinder 3 seized. New engine needed. Ford does not have a recall for it. This is a well known engine problem according to research and review of other complaints on this site.

- Dubach, LA, USA

problem #629

Dec 142024

Escape

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Timing Chain broke with only around 106,000 miles on the vehicle. While I was driving to run some errands, I came to a four way stop. Taking a right turn and beginning to accelerate to turn onto the intersecting road, my car began to accelerate and then acceleration stopped and could only coast on momentum I had left. Luckily I was able to maneuver out of traffic and onto the side of the road using the steering wheel and get it into park. Car was towed to local car repair shop and they determined that the timing chain was broken, resulting in a complete engine failure. It has not been investigated by manufacturer or police. No warning lamps appeared on the system when the incident occurred.

- St. Louis, MO, USA

problem #628

Jan 052025

Escape

  • miles
A Design Flaw (as confirmed by a Ford Service Advisor) in the engine block allows coolant to seep into the engine, rendering the engine useless. Ford has a TSB on this, they know it's a problem, other previous years similar engines have been recalled, these engines currently have class action and private lawsuits happening, and Ford extended the warranty on these vehicles to 84k miles because of this KNOWN mistake on their part. So.... after 84k miles Ford no longer stands behind their product. Leaving me and my family with a monthly car payment and a car that's sitting at the dealer that needs and $8k repair. I've had the car towed twice and am relying on friends to get around. Ford should own up to this and either fix or replace the vehicle. It's not right, and certainly doesn't make us want to buy American cars.

- Phoenixville, PA, USA

problem #627

Jan 112025

Escape

  • miles
Coolant Intrusion on the 1.5l ecoboost engine at 63,000 miles. Just out of warranty.

- Enumclaw, WA, USA

problem #626

Nov 272024

Escape

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My engine light came on and within a three day time span my engine overheated. I kept up with all maintenance on my vehicle and even had a previous diagnostic ran on the vehicle a month prior. I was told there was a customer satisfactory warranty that expired in November 2022 on my vehicle but information was given to first owner that stated what would happen to my vehicle. I bought my car in March of 2021Due to me getting my car from Hondas car lot they said they were unaware that the vehicle had a warranty at time of sale which would have been of great help. I have been quoted $10,000 to replace the motor in my car due to coolant intrusion, short block, and a spark plug being stuck within the engine. My car ran hot with myself, a dog and my son being in the car in the middle of a busy street but we were able to move vehicle to a safe spot while car was malfunctioning. I was told to look under the hood by my boyfriend to check fluids and he went into detail on what to check for and we found that the oil was clean but their was no antifreeze in the vehicle. I received my oil change in September of 2024 and everything required for my tags that is done yearly all on the same visit.

- High Point , NC, USA

problem #625

Dec 052024

Escape

  • miles
I purchased a 2018 Ford Escape in February 2024 with 80,000 miles from a dealership. The vehicle had a single owner and appeared to be in great condition at the time of purchase. However, in December 2024 it presented a critical safety issue involving the engine. While driving, the vehicle began shaking violently and lost power, almost stopping in the middle of an intersection. This placed me and others at significant risk of a collision, as I was unable to control the car properly or move it safely out of traffic. The problem was confirmed by the Ford dealership, where diagnostics initially revealed a misfire code (P0302). After further inspection, the dealership determined that the engine required a full replacement. This repair was estimated to cost $9,000-?"nearly the current value of the vehicle. The car is at the dealership and has not been repaired due to the prohibitive cost. Through my research, I found Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 19-2346, which documents similar engine issues reported by other Ford Escape owners, requiring significant repairs and part replacements. Despite reaching out to Ford Customer Service, I was denied assistance and left to bear the full cost of these extensive repairs. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure. The issue occurred without warning while I was driving, making the defect hazardous. Given the serious safety implications of this defect, I strongly urge this issue to be considered for recall. A vehicle with relatively low mileage should not experience catastrophic engine failure, and Ford must take responsibility for addressing this widespread and dangerous issue. My life and the safety of others on the road are far more valuable than the cost of repairs.

- Anaheim, CA, USA

problem #624

Jan 042025

Escape

  • miles
Coolant is getting in to the engine and blowing the engine up. Ford is aware of the issue but is denying coverage and repair under a distraction. They are aware of the repair and issued Customer Satisfaction program 21N12 which is the fix to the engine. However, they say that if customer satisfaction program 19B37 was not completed prior to 2022, then you do not qualify to do 21N12 even though under 21N12 if the car is under 7 years old and 84,000 miles that it qualifies. Ford says that if the previous owner (since we did not get the car until 2023/24) did not do 19B37 that we are screwed and they will not cover the engine replacement that they know about. This issue is all over the internet, so I am shocked a recall has not been issued.

- Seminole, FL, USA

problem #623

Dec 152024

Escape

  • miles
Complete Engine failure causing vehicle to be totally un drive able at only 91,000 miles. Engine failure cause was diagnosed by local authorized Ford dealer service department as systemic engine design flaw that caused catastrophic fluid intrusion into cylinder(s), rendering engine useless. Remedy, engine needs to be totally replaced, not repaired, but replaced. Not an isolated incident in my particular case as there have been thousands of issues with this model of engine that FORD (manufacturer) has employed on this model year, make, and model (2018 Ford Escape SEL). No warning lamps lighted to warn of potential engine failure, and most importantly, no written notices provided by Ford to alert of the catastrophic engine issue, and certainly no information on remedies provided either.

- Bellingham, MA, USA

problem #622

Dec 242024

Escape

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Check Engine Light came on with Error Code Engine Misfire Cylider 1. Mechanic diagnosed it with a Burnt Valve from Coolant Intrusion. Car only has 85,000 miles on it. Contacted Ford and they said it's a known issue but they refuse to pay to fix the vehicle since my vehicle is 1,000 miles over the 84,000 mile mark.

- Villa Rica, GA, USA

problem #621

Dec 062024

Escape

  • 86,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning illuminated. In addition, the vehicle was driving unusually rough with the engine misfiring. The contact and his father attempted to change the spark plugs. The contact stated that one of the spark plugs had seized and was unable to be removed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under recall repair or special programs. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

- Morgantown, PA, USA

problem #620

Dec 102024

Escape

  • miles
Less than one month after purchasing this used vehicle from a dealership, the check engine light came on. A personal code reader showed the PO302 code. Upon inspection by the manufacturer dealer we were told that it has an engine coolant leak, known as coolant intrusion. The mechanic noted that the engine appeared to have parts replaced trying to rectify this issue (prior to our ownership) but that the only fix to this issue is engine replacement with a cost of around $9500. We were told this would be our cost as the manufacturer no longer replaces the engines under a previous satisfaction program. Now the vehicle is shuttering and has the permanent PO302 code and showing signs of consistent misfiring. Facts lead us to the fact that the previous owner did not resolve the issue and then the dealership put a vehicle on the lot that should not have been without a new engine as this was a pre-existing problem to our purchase.

- Talking Rock, GA, USA

problem #619

Dec 162024

Escape

  • miles
My engine check light came on and it said Engine Fault Service Now, with a wrench signal exposed. Then I could hardly stop the vehicle, it became very difficult to apply the brakes, using all of my body weight applied to stop the vehicle. I immediately brought it to O-??Reily-??s auto place and had a diagnostic test run on the vehicle. Multiple default code come up. P1016, p0365, p0299, p164D p0369, p0443, p0456, p1450. Brought it to the Ford dealership, upon inspection the diagnosis Evap system related disc on this line, tested evap system, found canister purge valve to be broken, tech notes that this is a non Oem part. Advised to replace purge valve and hose assembly. Also discovered that vacuum pump not pulling vacuum, advise to replace pump and reset. Upon removal of the vacuum pump, found pump cam lobe twisted off, vacuum pump is seized, cam replacement is seized, cam replacement will be required. Also both front axel boots are torn, spewing grease all over, recommend replacing both axels, leak p2 pinion value, left back axel leaking, both back brake rotors and pads worn 2mm in the red, coolant level low possible leak. Also is discovered that there was a non ford part purge valve that shouldn-??t be there. Estimated cost is 8,500-9000 dollars could be more

- Minneapolis , MN, USA

problem #618

Dec 192024

Escape

  • miles
Good morning, I would like to discuss an issue concerning the Ford Motor Company and one of their many Technician Service Bulletins (TSB). I am a former auto technician now healthcare worker and had the unfortunate luck of purchasing a 2018 Ford Escape with 55k miles for my wife in 2023. The vehicle now has a check engine light on due to engine coolant leaking into the cylinders at 97k miles. After research I discovered Ford issued a limited time fix NOT a recall under the heading of TSB 19-2375 & TSB 21-N-12. The whole engine needs to be replaced and the Ford Motor Company will not pay for a flawed design. There seems to be multiple lawsuits due to many of these engines failing in different Ford Models. Why hasn't this been forced to be a recall? Many people are struggling as it is and a 7 thousand dollar repair is going to put me under. The people of this country including myself need the help of people with is voice. Please I am sinking here

- Wingdale, NY, USA

problem #617

Dec 092024

Escape

  • miles
Purge valve stuck open causing check engine light to come on. Same as current recall on Ford Focus 2012-2018 vehicles. Ford Escapes within the same time frame should be included in the recall. Every time I fill gas there is a hard turn on since beginning of December. Then check engine light came on and code P1450.

- Upper Marlboro, MD, USA

problem #616

Dec 202024

Escape

  • miles
Car occasionally ran rough, engine light came on, code indicated a misfire so we changed the spark plugs and coils. No improvement, then suddenly while on the interstate, it was jumping and bucking and could barely run. Took it to a Ford dealer and they said it was a known problem with engine coolant leaks in Ecoboost engines but that they what $9,000 to replace it. This is not only reprehensible corporate irresponsibility but a safety issue, as my defective engine suddenly stopped working properly while I was driving in heavy high speed traffic.

- Tampa, FL, USA

problem #615

Nov 232024

Escape

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

- Colorado Springs, CO, USA

problem #614

Dec 072024

Escape

  • miles
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 in middle of drive/highway/road. Once the engine light started flashing it was towed to a Ford Dealership.

- Mexia, TX, USA

problem #613

Aug 222023

Escape

  • miles
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.

- San Francisco, CA, USA

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