NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Ford Escape. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
The SYNC system is failing causing no GPS, no phone connections, no radio, rear camera problems and other electronic issues. This is apparently a well known part (APIM) problem.
SAFETY RECALL ON MY 2018 FORD ESCAPE WARNING RISK IN DAMAGED OR MISSING BUSHING IN SHIFTING TRANSMISSION INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY OR CRASH. PARTS ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE TO FIX AND WE ARE TAKING OUT OF STATE TRIP. I ASSUME IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT FORD IS RESPONSIBLE BUT WE DON'T WANT TO CHANCE DRIVING A RECALLED VEHICLE. WHEN WILL THIS SAFETY ISSUE BE RESOLVED?
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
SUV began "shuttering" at idle. Drove for another 10-15 minutes then made an appt to bring to a mechanic to check codes. As I drove vehicle for about 30 seconds the next morning, white smoke began to pour out of the tailpipe and the engine temperature gauge showed it was overheating. Pulled over and opened hood. Saw flames near engine and extinguished with an old t-shirt. Towed to mechanic. Claimed Ford had a new technical bulletin out (TMK 22-2229) that directed mechanics working on vehicles with these symptoms to replace the engine long block. Vehicle only has 67,000 miles on mostly the highway. All occurred while on vacation so I had to buy airline tickets to get back home from the vacation spot. Incident occurred 6/29. Still awaiting word from Ford on whether they will help with engine repairs/replacement. Should be a recall. Pending class action lawsuit. Danger the engine could catch fire and injure.
On June 28, 2022 I pulled into a parking space, placed car in park & released brake, car abruptly flew into wall damaging hood & head light as well as engine. I have sore back & chest. Very disturbing, never involved in anything like this, never had accident in 41 years of driving.
I have 128,000 miles on my 2018 Escape. About three weeks ago I was driving down the road at 55 mph when my transmission disengaged and I coasted to a stop. Even though my engine was running I couldn't go forward or backward at all, and so I had it towed to a local mechanic. The mechanic said that this was a common problem with the Escape, that I was going to have to replace the entire transmission, and that it would take about two months to get a new transmission in. About two weeks ago I got a notice from Ford Motor Co. about a recall on my Escape for another transmission issue (Ref. Safety Recall Notice 22S43/NHTSA Recall 22V413). I called my local dealership and was told that my transmission issue was completely different than the recall problem because the recall only dealt with a transmission that shifted differently from the park position, and not a transmission that didn't engage at all. They also said that they would call me when they got the parts in. I have no idea how to resolve this issue. Do I park my vehicle until Ford gets the parts in in the 4th quarter of 2022 to see if this fixes my problem, and only then get the transmission replaced afterwards? If it takes 2 months or more to get a new transmission in, I could see this taking a year before I have my vehicle repaired. If I have the transmission replaced by the local mechanic, it will costs me $6,200.00, and take two months to repair. This would probably save me some money over the dealership cost to repair it, but would void any subsequent work that they might do? Do you have any suggestions as to I might be able to resolve this problem? Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact had experienced an unintentional rollaway and was injured when the vehicle rolled over her right ankle and calf. The contact was taken to the hospital by a friend to seek medical attention. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact discovered a vertical crack in the middle bottom section of the windshield. The contact stated that the crack had formed without incident and was likely caused by a design defect. The contact stated that the crack obstructed her vision while driving. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The windshield was not repaired or replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Took my vehicle to my local mechanic who told me the motor is recalled at the same time another mechanic from another shop said we have seen many of these recalled for the third cylinder I took it to the local Ford dealer they say there’s no such recall and then I have to pay for the repairs
Entered car after work on 6/23/22, went to pull into street and car had no excelerating power, steering wheel vibrated, couldn’t go over 15-20 mph, then message on dash alert said: Engine Fault Service Now, the ford message on my app said: power train malfunction, reduced power, hill start assist warning. I messaged with Ford and they said I could drive just not over 15-20 mph. Drove home. Made arrangements to bring car to dealer service next day. They told me to drive it in like that. I was terrified when this happened, I had pulled into busy street, cars honking and trying to pass me, my car just couldn’t move. I didn’t have an immediate place to safely pull over. This was so stressful, felt grateful I wasn’t hit pulling out or from behind.
Inquiring about recall of Ford 1.5 Ecoboost engine and requesting information about consumers with 2013-2019 Ford Escapes why they have not been informed and are treated differently than the 2020-2022 owners. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A FLAW IN THE SHORT BLOCK ENGINE WHICH ALLOWED COOLANT TO LEAK AND INTERFERE WITH THE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER COVERED THE REPAIR COST.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on the passenger side door the door panel where you could rest your arm had begun to go inwards. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who stated it may be caused by wear and tear, however, they were not able to find an exact cause. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 26,000.
The engine head gasket failed relating directly to TSB 19-2346. This is a known problem with Ford EcoBoost engines including those in Ford Escape model years 2017-2019. First, we noticed the rough idle and some exhaust smoke. The check engine light came on after a few days and we had that diagnosed as code P0304 . misfire cylinder #4. The vehicle would no longer start and we had to have it towed to one service shop. They stated per the TSB that we needed to replace the engine. We had it towed to another shop for a second opinion and they came up with the same conclusion, we need a total engine replacement. We had this done for a total cost of $8,721.90 for both the initial diagnosis and the engine replacement, parts and labor. The vehicle mileage was 71,840 when the repair was made. Ford apparently is aware of this situation and has not done anything to compensate owners who have this same problem. Before having the work done, we called the service department of a local Ford dealer and they stated they would not do anything for us on this issue. We would have had to pay Ford the full cost of the repair.
The driver and front passenger door passenger won't latch. It doesn't catch properly and the warning light comes on for the door. There shouldn't be any problems for a car with only 22509 miles.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle started jerking and running rough. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive and electrical power. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an unknown dealer where the failure was diagnosed as engine failure with an internal coolant loss. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the warranty had expired. A case was opened with the manufacturer. The approximate failure mileage was 73,000.
While the car was in driveway moving forward it unexpectedly started moving in reverse causing me to nearly hit a tree. The vehicle is constantly idling even while in park. I took it to a auto repair shop who told me the transmission is out of my car and that my car is unsafe to drive!
Vehicle shakes on acceleration after a complete stop. Not only does it shake, but it is very slow to accelerate, and has put me in a bind during 5 o'clock traffic. The dealership currently has my car as it is still under warranty. The issue started a few weeks ago, and hasn't gone away.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the transmission became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission shifted hard while changing gear and the transmission was also slipping. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was repaired. On a separate occasion, the contact stated that the vehicle was taken for maintenance, and the contact was informed that one of the cylinders was stuck. The vehicle was diagnosed with head gasket failure due to coolant intrusion. The vehicle was not repaired for the most recent failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,500.
Lugnuts are aluminum and expand in the heat of Florida. It is impossible without pounding a lug nut wrench on the lugnut to get said lugnut off of the wheel.
My complaint is there is no part available to fix this recall until the 4th quarter. I rent this car on Turo and how can I run my business without this being fixed? I have no choice but to sell this car. I have another Ford with the same recall.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while attempting to shift into gear, the vehicle failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was finally able to shift the vehicle into gear and drove the vehicle to the residence. The contact stated that the vehicle was jerking while driving. The contact drove the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle with a hard gear shift while performing the road test. Additionally, there was a whining sound coming from the engine, and the transmission was overheating. The contact stated two months prior the same dealer had performed a transmission fluid flush. The contact related to the failure NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 101,000.
Ford not responding in a timely manner to repair safety issue concerning 2018 Ford Escape. June 10,2022 recall no repair until October-December 2022. I must park car for 4-6 months due to safety concern. I now have no transportation to and from work.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: (22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after shifting into drive(D), the vehicle instead reversed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V4130000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The engine light was on and would then go off. For example it was on in late December went off and was not on again until the middle of May. Ford dealer did a pressure test on June 9, 2022 and said coolant was leaking into one of the cylinder in the engine block. I was provided with technical service bulletin 22-2229. I was quoted a repair price of between $8,000 and $10,000. The 2018 escape is 4 years old and has almost 78000 miles. I contacted Ford Motors Monday, June 13 and the representative worked with the dealer and I am going to pay $2,448.28, the remainder is being paid by Ford corporate and the dealer. My repair is schedule June 27, 2022. I have seen many instances on line of this same issue. One even suggested it's a design problem. I hope you look into thus issue. Even though there wasn't a safety issue in my circumstance, who kniws what might happen. I think there should be a recall and all costs should be paid by Ford. I would like to remain anonymous.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, there was a white cloud of smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. The smoke dissipates after several minutes. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of coolant. There were no warning lights. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the short block had fractured. The short block was replaced. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred approximately one and a half years later. The vehicle was returned to the dealer who diagnosed that the short block needed to be replaced again. The vehicle was not repaired a second time. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not covered by warranty or recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 82,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated she noticed that the check engine warning light was flashing on and off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they stated that there was a misfire in cylinder three and the spark plugs were replaced, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they replaced the coil pack but the failure occurred once again. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, and they stated that coolant fluid was in the engine compartment. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and they stated that there was nothing they could do and advised to contact to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 74,125.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering assist and the steering wheel became firm. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 56,000.
Our Ford Escape had a coolant leak causing misfires. After searching online, we see that this is a known problem that Ford hasn't addressed. The repair costs are high and it isn't right that Ford hasn't issued a recall.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local mechanic which diagnosed a failure with the ignition coil and spark plugs. The mechanic replaced both the coils and spark plugs; however, the failure continued. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer which diagnosed a failure with coolant leakage into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 77,000
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the vehicle made abnormal sounds while shifting gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle independently shifted to neutral and the vehicle decelerated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,966.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on one occasion while in reverse(R), the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that an unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The contact stated that on another occasion while driving at an unknown speed two unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000.
The component or system would be the APIM malfunction; radio, GPS, volume on radio and Bluetooth all failed. My dashboard flitters and also goes blank/black. Yes, it is available for inspection. I don't know if anyone's safety was at risk because I don't know what is going on. I am taking it to the dealer again. The vehicle hasn't been inspected yet. There was no warning, it just went out.
Long block failure. Car available until June 27th for inspection. Car could have stopped operating on interstate. Confirmed by dealer. Not inspected by manufacturer. Warning light on first inspection by dealer who could not find anything wrong. Second warning two weeks later on the 20th of May. Car shudders and stutters on starting and stopping. Told it was safe to drive by dealer until parts can be obtained. Car worse and not drivable for almost 2 months.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while having routine maintenance performed on the vehicle, the head gasket was removed and the certified mechanic became aware that the engine block was fractured. The certified mechanic diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
I NOTICED THE BATTERY LIGHT WAS ON AND WOULD NOT GO OFF SO WE TOOK SUV TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THAT INSTEAD OF BATTERY LIGHT THAT WAS ON, IT WAS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND THAT THE RESERVOIR WAS OUT OF COOLANT, SO THEY WANTED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT TO RUN A PRESSURE CHECK ON IT TO SEE IF AND FROM WHERE COOLANT COULD BE LEAKING. THIS SHOCKED BOTH ME AND MY HUSBAND B/C THE TEMPERATURE GUAGE IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALWAYS CHECK AS SOON AS WE START THE CAR, AND EVEN WHILE WE ARE DRIVING, AND AT NO TIME DID THAT GUAGE GO TOWARD THE H TO INDICATE IT WAS RUNNING HOT. THE NEXT DAY, WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE CYLINDER WALL AND AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEALERSHIP. WE ARE CURRENTLY WAITING FOR AN ADJUSTER WITH THE COMPANY IN CHARGE OF OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY TO SEE THE VEHICLE AND MEET WITH THE DEALERSHIP TO DISCUSS COST AND HOW MANY DAYS THIS WILL LEAVE US WITHOUT A VEHICLE. LIKE I STATED BEFORE, AT NO TIME DID THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE EVER GET NEAR THE H TO ALERT US THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD NOT ONLY B/C THE TEMPERATURE GUAGE FAILED TO DO ITS JOB, BUT HAD I NOT NOTICED A WARNING LIGHT, ALBEIT THE WRONG WARNING LIGHT, THE ENGINE COULD'VE SEIZED UP ON US WHILE OUT DRIVING TO WORK OR RUNNING ERRANDS AND WOULD'VE CAUSED A BAD ACCIDENT.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train). The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle overheated. The contact was able to pull off the highway and after waiting approximately an hour was able to continue driving; however, the failure persisted. The temperature gauge was elevated to the hot position. The check engine and TPMS warning lights were illuminated. The contact called an independent mechanic and was referred to the local dealer. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and attempting to reverse, the vehicle started to misfire. The check engine warning light was illuminated and the message "Engine Fault, Service Now" was displayed. The contact turned off the vehicle, refilled the coolant reservoir, and was able to drive to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that coolant was leaking onto the engine cylinders. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000. The VIN was not available.
The motor is faulty on the vehicle. Took to dealer for smoking problem which it has had for a while, the confirmed that cylinder is leaking coolant due to most likely small crack. They noted only fix is engine replacement and that this is very common problem on these vehicle/engine configuration. Communicated with Ford but they were only willing to pay for portion of labor, which still puts bill over $4k-$5k. Not money we have and don’t have money to replace car. With engine cylinder leaking fear is that motor could go at anytime creating safety issue. Not just safety from car suddenly stalling on road, but also fire hazard from over heating. I know there is class action suit on this, but did want to register complaint.
The contact called on behalf of his wife who owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his wife was driving at approximately 65 MPH, there was an explosion coming from the engine. The contact also stated while the vehicle was stopped, the vehicle was shaking abnormally before losing motive power. The contact’s wife then restarted the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 101,000.
Car with 32000 miles has brakes and rotors worn out and need replacing the same week that long block needs replacing. Is this low quality materials? Confirmed by dealer.
Came home from work on a Friday afternoon in May. No issues or lights. It stayed parked all night and into Saturday and night. Went to start it on Sunday, temp gauge shot to H, got two messages on the display, 1 - high engine temp, stop safely and 2 - engine fault service now. It only had 102,000 miles so 2000 out of warranty and took to dealership that has been servicing it since purchase and they said it needed a new long block engine. My warrant expired at 100,000 miles. Dealership made me pay for this out of pocket! I was without a car for over 2 months. After an internet search, this model has this problem and Ford is doing nothing to fix it for free! The entire coolant leaked into the cylinders and could have caught on fire! This is absolutely ridiculous for a 4 yr old vehicle I am still paying for! Ford needs to take action immediately and now I have a recall for a possible roll away that can’t be fixed til 4th Qtr 2022???!!!!
The contact owned a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked at the residence, the neighbor told the contact that her vehicle was on fire. The fire was coming from under the hood The fire department came to extinguish the fire. A fire report was filed. The cause of the fire was electrical The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.