2018 Ford Escape Complaint Log

Coolant intrusion into the engine, repaired under partial warranty and safety bulletin 21N12 having the short block replaced in March of 2024 by the dealership. Noticed coolant loss and white smoke while idling in December of 2024. Currently waiting to get the vehicle to the dealership

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.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of coolant. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant was leaking into the engine and could cause engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.

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.

Vehicle overheated in middle of traffic and immediately went in limp mode due to antifreeze leaking in the internal engine

My car started shaking when I turned it on and the engine light came on. I took it to get fixed on 12/12/24 which they stated the spark plugs were damaged and they replaced them. Two days later, I turned on my car and it started shaking and throwing white smoke, the engine light came on again. I popped open my hood and saw my cooler liquid was low although it has been filled to the max line. It seems like I am expiriencing the coolant intrusion that is common in these cars but Ford refuses to take accountability for. I am scared to drive my car as I am a girl and I am afraid it will leave me stranded in the highway or a busy intersection and I will get hurt. I hope that Ford can recall this issue and solve it. Although, many have testified that even when fixing the issue it happens again.

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.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at 55 MPH, the transmission hesitated, and the vehicle stalled. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 117,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an engine misfire with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact's daughter drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact, who is an independent mechanic, replaced the spark plugs however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. The contact stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the mileage was above the warranty limit. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

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.

Vehicle has overheated twice and left me in stranded in heavy traffic took to dealership to see what’s going on and was told coolant is leaking in cylinder number two and will need long block engine replacement no factory warranty or recall for this issue due to manufacture fault I have a infant granddaughter that has to ride in this car this problem is not anything of my fault at all

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.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the parking brake engaged independently, and the vehicle came to a stop on the highway. The contact shifted into park(P), turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the parking brake and the driver’s side rear caliper needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

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.

The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact's daughter pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was determined that there was coolant intrusion into the short block and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 95,000.

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.

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.

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

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the cylinder head over temperature message was displayed. The contact stated that the engine started to vibrate while depressing the accelerator pedal. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant was leaking into cylinder #3 and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, and the spark plugs were replaced but the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a Customer Satisfaction Program. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (GTDI Engine – Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion). The failure mileage was 66,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle stalled and failed to return to normal operation. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The diagnostic test result was not provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 120,067.

Needing Throttle Body replace though the car is 6 years old. Car will not get up to speed and engine fault light comes on. Got diagnosis and need to replaced. Also motor mounts have deteriorated despite lack of miles on car. Numerous complaints.

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.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that there was an internal coolant leak into the engine and that the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched and became aware of an unknown recall however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

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 to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that coolant intrusion into cylinders one and four resulted in damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine would need 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, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 85,000.

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.

Coolant is getting into oil. Misfires. And coolant disappears and causes engine to get hot.

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.

Transmission failed at 42,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to vibrate with the "Engine Fault" message displayed. The contact stated that the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, causing the engine block to crack. 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 but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 110,000.

With 125,000 miles the engine has coolant leaking into it with a possible blown head gasket.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the message that the engine was overheating was displayed and the vehicle shutoff. The contract stated that the failure was related to TSB: 19-2375. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant intrusion into the engine. The mechanic recommended an engine replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 107,000.

Car has less than 100,000 miles on it. Engine failed due to coolant intrusion from manufacturing defect in the cylinder walls. (Ford TSB 19-2139) Now Ford wants $11,500 to fix a problem they created.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the check engine warning light started flashing and the vehicle was losing motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle was hesitating while driving to the independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was made aware of a misfire in cylinder #2, and the mechanic suggested that the engine be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed to take the vehicle to a Ford dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with a bent valve on the long block. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened; and the contact was referred to NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had closed the case. The contact was informed there would be no additional assistance provided. Additionally, the manufacturer stated that an investigation would not be conducted in house; however, the NHTSA might be able to perform an investigation into the cause of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 101,000.

Check engine light came on code P0303 showed a Cylinder 3 misfire, replaced engine coil. 2 days later check engine light, engine fault message and the wrench symbol came on .Again code p0303 showed a cylinder 3 misfire. Mechanic determined engine coolant leak , need a new head casket. Both times I was able to drive it 10 miles to my mechanic but I had severe power loss.1

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the engine fault service now warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then towed to another independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and confirmed as engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact called the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 81,285.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The contact stated that a blank warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 132,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly began to lose significant motive power, prompting her to pull to the shoulder of the roadway. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the coolant reservoir was empty. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that coolant had intruded into the cylinder head gasket. The contact was informed that the seal between the engine block and the cylinder head had failed, resulting in damage to the engine. The vehicle was not 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 95,000.

I have the 6F35 transmission in my 2018 Ford Escape. On 11/12/24, while driving, the transmission had a catastrophic failure. The vehicle started jerking, it would not move when giving it gas, and the transmission was whining loudly. After taking my vehicle to a Ford dealer, I learned that the pump inside of the transmission flew apart, causing the transmission to fail and to get metal shavings throughout the transmission and oil cooler system. There was no warning. The vehicle drove normal until it didn't. I never got a warning light, even after the transmission completely failed. I believe this to be a catastrophic failure because I had the transmission fluid changed at a Ford dealership about a month ago and I was not told there were any metal shavings in the fluid and the vehicle drove normal after this service. For a new transmission and oil cooler, Ford is quoting me ~$7,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was slowly losing coolant, and there was no indication of the location of the leak. While the contact’s son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the low coolant warning light illuminated. The contact's son refilled the coolant reservoir. The warning light went off and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the failure was related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined there was coolant in the cylinder and the engine needed to be replaced. The low coolant indicator was not working properly. The contact called the local dealer and was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was informed that there was no warranty coverage on the vehicle, opened a case, and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 150,040.

The check engine light came on so I took it to a dealership. There is a crack in the engine resulting in coolant leaking into the cylinder. It can't be repaired and will need a total rebuild of the engine. I researched this issue and there have been MANY with the exact same issue and several class-action lawsuits against Ford Motor Company. This vehicle has LESS THAN 50,000 miles on it. My dad was the original owner of the vehicle but due to his age and relocating closer to his children after the passing of his daughter, the title was transferred to me and I paid his loan off. Being elderly, they didn't drive the vehicle often so the issue wasn't noticed until recently. It's hard to believe that there hasn't been a recall on these vehicles! This is a serious problem and Ford should make right on this. As I stated, I know there were at least 2 class-action lawsuits for this very thing. Ford initiated a TSB19-2375 then updated to TSB22-2322. If they needed a TSB, there was obviously an issue with the vehicle.

2018 Ford Escape - The engine made unusual noise and began running rough. We had to quickly exit traffic unexpectedly. Engine light came on after this incident. Local Ford Dealership has diagnosed the problem as coolant leak into the engine cylinder. Dealership recommended long block replacement at cost of just over $10,000. They also stated that there were no recalls or other assistance available from Ford Motor Company. I later found out about Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12, which covers the cost to replace the 1.5 ecoboost engines with the same problem we are having. However, it only covers 7 years or 84,000 miles. Our vehicle was at 6 years and 118,000 miles when the issue occurred. We have never received any communication from Ford Motor Company regarding Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12.

I just recently came across the 21N12 letter that was sent out to people awhile back after googling an issue I noticed with my car. It appears my car is losing coolant. Which, after reading the 21N12, it appears is a known issue that ford submitted a letter letting people get this repair done for no charge. Well, I never received the letter and might be experiencing these issues. I don’t find this to be anywhere near fair at all. What if my car died on me?

Engine failure due to coolant intrusion. Ford has known about this issue for years. A recall needs to be issued.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment, and the vehicle suddenly lost motive power. Additionally, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 115,572.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The contact refilled the coolant reservoir. The contact continued to drive the vehicle to the intended destination; however, the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was started. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start as intended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic. The vehicle was scheduled to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised that the repair was not covered under the Technical Service Bulletin: 22-2134. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not associated with the Technical Service Bulletin. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

Engine coolant intrusion

2018 Ford Escape threw P0303 code (misfired cylinder 3) multiple times. Had towed to local ford dealership. Diagnosed as coolant intrusion, recommended engine replacement at cost of $10,400. Mileage at time of diagnosis was 57,974. Further research into issue shows this is a known issue with this engine and Ford has issued a Costumer Satisfaction Program notice 21N12 for repairs to a select number of vehicles but the problem is clearly beyond this issued CSP notice. I have made several attempts to contact Ford Corporation (certified letter, 3 emails to CEO James Farley, and messaged Ford Motor Company via social media platform, all which have been ignored. I have also used the chat feature with Ford and they are unable/unwilling to provide contact info to senior leadership.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there coolant intrusion into the engine and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 92,561.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was Illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that three out of the four cylinders had failed due to the coolant intrusion in the engine. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 143,000.