2018 Ford Escape Complaint Log

Engine small block cracked causing 2nd cylinder to fill with coolant causing error code related to misfire. Have been told this is a known issue with no recall notice. Ford dealership has confirmed this issue.

The contact's wife owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 40-45 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that the head gasket was blown. Upon further research, the contact related the failure to an undisclosed recall; however, the model year was not included. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 124,000.

My car/engine is in need of a head gasket replacement at least if not a new engine based on significant coolant intrusion and malfunctioning. Over a short period of time, the coolant tank was almost nearly drained and the engine started misfiring which lead to shop visits and investigation. Coolant was found in the cylinders and currently it is needing multiple thousands of dollars in repairs due to what mechanics are telling me is a know issue though not a recall for my case (up to 84K miles its covered under an extended warranty but not at 100k like mine). My safety was not necessarily put at risk, though this seems to be a highly common issue I believe Ford needs to reimburse customers for based on the known issue and significant numbers of vehicles this has affected. There were no warnings prior to this event that I would be out an entire engine and I would like this to go on record to show Ford is not doing their due diligence or what is right.

Check engine light came on, took it to the ford dealership in Denison Tx. I was notified that there was coolant in 3 & 4 cylinders. Possible blown head gasket or cracked block. Estimated repairs $11,000.00. Vehicle was purchased used from Ford dealership in Sherman, Tx. in November of 2025, check engine light came on in Nov/Dec 2025. While diagnosising problem they broke a spark plug off in cylingder head.

My 2018 Ford Escape SE is on its SECOND engine and has started with coolant intrusion AGAIN. The same issue has doomed the same car twice.

My car was fine earlier today, but when I drove home and parked, I turned my vehicle off and the fan continued to run. I took my car to Autozone and they ran a diagnostic test with the OEM and no codes came up. They said it’s possibly the motor fan module or some sort of sensor or relay. The car isn’t running hot or anything, but the motor can won’t turn off, so it’s running my battery down. This is the first time this has happened.

The engine was replaced under the customer satisfaction program due to the known broken head gasket issue causing catastrophic engine failure. Now, the flex plate is cracked, also a known issue related to the engine replacement. Two major catastrophic repair issues within 9 months. There were no check engine lights. The safety issue is clear. Ford needs to acknowledge and address the issues to protect their customers.

This car has a known issue with the engine. Coolant leaking into cylinder 3 Caused by faulty design. This leak causes a cylinder misfire. And the coolant leak can cause the whole motor to seize. Reputable mechanics state the engine needs to be replaced after only 50,000 miles.

My 2018 Ford Escape titanium is leaking coolant into the cylinder's. This is a known issue affecting the Ecoboost engine and is not a sign of wear and tear. Code: p0316, p0302. NHTSA should investigate these issues. The warranty may be expired but in good faith this should be covered by the manufacturer. A Ford mechanic mentioned the cost of $7500 to $10000 for this repair which is a cost I cannot afford. My vin is: [XXX] Thank you! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Ford Escape. While her daughter was driving at a slow speed, the engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that coolant was leaking into cylinders #1 and #2, and the engine needed to be replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and confirmed that there were no open recalls associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

2018 ford escape eco boost 2.0L. 72K miles Notified of Code P0303. Engine started missing. Findings coolant intrusion into the cylinders. Was told it was a casting issue of the block manufacturing and engine would need replacing. Notified ford for assistance to repair known issue and was denied. Safety concerns due to a design flaw in the open engine block, which can lead to head gasket failure and other coolant-related issues. Yes confirmed by auto repair shop with scope and provided pictures of moisture in the combustion chamber.

A certified shop diagnosed my car as having coolant intrusion in the engine. The engine is the 1.5L Eco Boost. I am getting the run around from the dealership and Ford Corporation. This is a major safety defect that is known and has been reported. This happened quickly and I am now without a vehicle. This is a major safety defect in the engine that Ford manufactured and Ford is very well aware of.

See attached document for complaint.

I believe coolant got into the cylinders and caused an engine failure. I had to replace the engine on the vehicle at 58000 miles

coolant leak into cylinders caused misfire in cylinder 1. coolant low with no visible leaks . Ford has issued tsb of this known issue. Ford is now doing diagnostic testing. ford just confirmed my engine has the leaking problem.

Check Engine Light appeared, and car seemed to sputter and had an odd chemical smell. Brought to mechanic who scanned PCM and found 3 misfire codes (P0300, O0301, P0316). They removed 1 spark plug and inspected cylinder and found it to be wet. Block test was performed, and fluid was found to be coolant. Engine head gasket requires replacement as well as repair or replacement of cylinder. Mechanic suggested seeking support from dealership to have the issue fixed because this is a known issue. A simple internet search confirmed that this make and model (2018 Ford Escape 4 Cyl Ecoboost) has this issue and it is well known and documented. Ford coolant intrusion is a known problem and design flaw. The service manager at the Flood Ford in Narraganset said that since there are no recalls and the warranty on the car has expired there is nothing that they can do as far as monetary support or compensation. They quoted a $9000 repair price. The manager then suggested speaking to Ford Customer Service directly. I spoke to a service rep followed by a supervisor (Reggie) at Ford Customer Service who both told me that there was nothing they could do because there were no active recalls or active customer service programs. The rep at Ford did tell me that CSP 19B37 was done on the vehicle in 2020, prior to my purchase. I was not told of this upon purchase or made aware in any way of a coolant issue. This issue causes major damage to the vehicle and is a safety risk.

Any ford car with the Eco boost 2.0 motor could have coolant intrusion causing the car to miss fire, burn coolant and overheat. this is not only bad for the environment but also dangerous for the roads. How many of these cars are on the roads and could cause traffic and or accidents? This problem is noticed by ford but not recalled TSB 22-2229

Cracked Cylinder Block - Coolant Intrusion

It started with engine light coming on, engine was starting to run rough when started. I noticed the car was using more coolant than usual also. when scanned and pressure tested it was found to be misfiring in cylinder 2 and coolant was leaking into engine. by this point the vehicle is smoking also. It was decided the car should not be driven at this point.

Started with an engine light coming on, when checked with scan it said misfire in cylinder 2. Was using coolant usually high and when pressure tested it was said to be leaking coolant into engine.

A check engine light came on the vehicle and I decided to get it tested with my device and it said that the was a problem with the crankshaft position sensor and there was a misfire on cylinder 2 and 3. When I did my research it said that it could be many things and I should replace my spark plugs and crankshaft position sensor. I did that and immediately after replacing the spark plugs and the sensor, white smoke started to emerge from the exhaust and a message came on screen that said engine fault service now. I decided to have my car towed to the service shop that I usually take my car to when I’m not doing minor replacements and they said that it was a problem with the engine due to a manufacturer design fault. The said that as a result of the design flaw coolant was getting into the engine. They said that it was coolant intrusion. I did my research and found out that my car falls under this known fault. I have a 2018 Ford Escape. I was not made aware of this problem when I purchased my vehicle in November of 2022. At that time there was a voluntary program that said that owners with this make could have a one time replacement of the engine. I am now out of a car as a result of this known problem. I called the company based on advice from my mechanic and they denied me a goodwill assistance repair. They open a case report and the case number is [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Have had to have many sparks plug replaced, coolant needs replaced frequently, hesitating, hard start, blue smoke from exhaust, chugging, stalling, check engine light on. Two different mechanics have told me that coolant is leaking into cylinders causing engine failure. I purchased this vehicle new, and only owner. Have had to have transmission replaced as well. Costs estimate about 10k to replace motor. This has been happening since 100k miles.

On the way home from work my 2018 Ford Escape began to drive roughly. The car engine would rev up to 3 then immediately down to 2, and felt like it would stop. I took it to Mac Haik Ford in DeSoto TX where I purchase my vehicle and got a diagnostic done. It ready, Coolant has leaked into the engine and the short block would need to be replaced at $14,000.00

Engine light came on. It came up as misfire cylinder 3 needing spark plugs/Ignition coil so I made an appointment to get that fixed. On my way to my appointment today, the “engine overheating stop vehicle” warning came on. Turns out this is the known coolant intrusion into the engine block problem that has caused the engine to crack and now needs replaced. Called Ford customer service and just like what they are telling everyone else, there is nothing they can do to help. Yes it’s a known problem by Ford but they will not fix it because my car does not meet mileage criteria. It has 130,000 miles.

My vehicle stooped running. I scheduled maintenance at Metro Ford. According to the diagnostic test completed at Metro Ford, there were powertrain issues. This diagnosis also appears on my Ford Motor Pass app. According to the service department at Metro Ford, coolant was leaking into the engine and that a new water pump and battery needs to be installed to get the car back running. We complied with the cost ($2,400 this included new water pump and battery) and 30 days later the car stopped running again. The car was towed back to Metro Ford and we were told that the engine is dead and that a new diagnostic check will need to be done with an additional $410 on top of the $2,400 which was paid to get the water pump and other items fixed previously. We were never informed that the engine will need to be replaced after the first diagnostic check. That information should have been told first since you are running the same check that now tells you the engine is dead.

Experience misfire + engine issues that resulted in white smoke coming out from my exhaust. When brining it into the shop it is apparently a common known issue with Ford Escapes from 2017-2019 where coolant leaks into the motor from a while in the short block. The short block requires $9000 to be replaced. When doing my research Ford released a customer survey back in 2022 that I did not receive where they acknowledged the issue and offered to replace. But since I did not receive this letter I did not get the opportunity to and now am out a car that I still owe money on. Why is this not legally required to be a recall?

Known coolant intrusion issue causes coolant to ruin the engine from the inside. Ford is unfairly denying their own program to remedy the situation for desperate customers.

My 2018 Ford escape has the 1.5 liter ecoboost engine which is well documented to have a coolant intrusion issue into the cylinders resulting in the vehicle needing a new engine. The check engine light came on last week and started to run roughly. I brought the vehicle to my local Ford dealership in Belleview Fl today 11/03/25. I payed for a diagnostic test which found 2 codes po302 and po316 and found coolant in cylinder #2. The result: will need to replace engine. My vehicle has 144k miles and therefore the original manufactured warranty has expired. Ford quoted me approximately $14,000 for a new engine/labor.

I bought a 2018 Ford escape with the 1.5 eco boost. The car only has 74280 miles on it, and the engine coolant was low. I filled it up, and had my daughter drive the car to her home, and asked her to check it. It was just a little lower than I filled it, so she was going to monitor the level. On her way to a friends the warning for, "High engine temperature" (not the exact message) came on. She pulled it over to the side of the road, and I had her tow the vehicle to her friends house. Now it appears there is an issue with the water pump, and the engine not holding a vacuum in the cooling system. I researched this issue on line, and found Ford has an issue with this particular year due to the engine cooling system design between the cylinders. She is NOT able to afford a new engine. This is with out a doubt a FORD recall issue. What can I do to get this covered by FORD? Thanks for your help. [XXX] [XXX] I do not have the towing receipt, but can get it from my daughter. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I have had to replace one or both headlights about every 14 months. The date below represents the latest time this has happened.

They KNOW the headgasket will eventually bust and they don’t tell you, it needs to be recalled because now I don’t have a vehicle when it was built to blow. The headgasket doesn’t have enough space or something and it causes coolant leaks, they have a whole procedure on replacing it because they know they messed up but only if you’re less than 84k miles!

My 2018 Ford Escape equipped with a 1.5L ecoboost engine purchased new with 33,000 miles, experienced overheating, white smoke from the exhaust and extreme vibration which became undriveable. It was towed to a Ford dealer who determined it had coolant in the sparkplug holes and the engine would need to be replaced. There was no previous problem or check engine light until the event. There was a Customer Satisfaction Program 19B37 dated May, 2020 identifying the possibility of this problem which required the Ford dealer to perform a reprogramming to prevent the coolant from leaking into the engine. This was performed by a Ford dealer in October 6, 2020. Ford has determined that my vehicle is out of warranty.

On 10/17/2025, my transmission stop working properly after driving fine for 145,000 miles. This seems to be a common occurrence with this year and model for the Escape. The transmission is an automatic and stopped going in the drive gear on the highway. I was able to get the car off the road and have it towed to a mechanic where they verified that that I would need a new transmission.

My understanding is that ford knew about flaws in there 1.5 and 2.0 economist engines. I am experiencing the problems that have been experienced from the 2018 ford escape.

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Ford Escape. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 80,851and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 69,851.

Coolant leak into cyclender

Starting in Oct or Nov 2025 I noticed that my car was not starting right away when i put the key in the ignition, then a couple of weeks later my car began to shake when i started to drive and then would stop. My dad who is a retired mechanic stated that i was low on coolant, so he filled it and the car stopped shaking and drove fine, then the very next day the car would not start right away and it began to shake, my dad checked and the coolant was low again. We filled the tank back up to the correct level and the car stopped shaking. A couple of days later the car began to shake again and the coolant was low this went on from 2025 to March 2026, i took the car to the ford dealership and they stated that i have a coolant intrusion in cylinder 2. I can not drive my car due to the shaking and car not starting correctly.

I drive a 2018 Ford Escape with only 73,000 miles. Engine misfiring upon startup and check engine light caused me to immediately take my car to the mechanic. They diagnosed my vehicle with a coolant leak into cylinder 3 in my engine and a crack in the engine head. This is a known issue in my year/make/model which has affected enough consumers that it is pending class action lawsuit. If I continue to drive my car in the state it is in, without spending 7-8k repairing this issue, it is likely to be a hazard to myself and any drivers around should my engine overheat and sustain greater damage while on the road.

The 2018 Ford Escape Titanium had to replace the engine because engine coolant was seeping into the engine block. The mechanic stated head gaskets were leaking coolant into the spark plugs. I was losing coolant from the reservoir, engine light was on. The mechanic stated this could become a safety hazard if the engine overheated while driving car would completely die and stall. The mechanic stated this has been a problem Ford has known and has now replaced this engine, and the only remedy for this is to replace it with a new engine. miles 119,600. Ford has not responded to my complaint. I replaced the engine at a cost of 8600.00

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 40 MPH, the engine overheated and the vehicle stalled. The driver was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was restarted, but was undrivable. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer, where it was determined that coolant intrusion in cylinder #2 had caused engine damage. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced, and the contact was informed that the failure had occurred due to a factory defect. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin Number: 22-2322. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that no assistance would be provided because the vehicle was not covered under warranty or recall. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.

Check-engine light came on, error code showed misfire on cylinder 2. A couple months later, high engine temperature warning came on. Took it to a mechanic and said the coolant was completely empty, and there were over 1500 hydrocarbons in the cooling system. A full engine replacement is the only true fix due to a defect in the engine itself. Mechanic stated they had seen a few of these in the past, and pointed to Bulletin # 22-2322, which discusses the coolant issue.

Coolant leak into the engine causing engine failure. This is a known problem with the 1.5 turbo engine in this model vehicle. Automobile is now undriveable and entire engine must be replaced.

CEL is on -- hard time getting vehicle to start up after getting gas - once is running has a "shake to it" for a few seconds then stables Would this be a potential cover? March 30, 2018 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10137114 COMPONENT: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE NHTSA ID Number: 10137114 Manufacturer Communication Number: SSM 47203 Components: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

I have a blown head gasket. Ford is willing to do nothing, and this is a known issue with this engine.

2018 Ford Escape. Purchased in 2021with 31,000 miles. vehicle has been maintained in compliance with all Ford standards. at 62,000 miles engine light came on, car slowed to less than 8 miles an hour almost immediately. Was told computer went into some type of safety mode. took to a Ford dealership was told that there was a coolant intrusion into cyl 2 . I was told by the technician that this was a somewhat common issue in these vehicles due to poor engine design. Entire engine would need to be replaced for $13K. Obviously, the safety issue is the car automatically going into a safety mode. If I had been on a highway the immediate stall could have caused a major accident. Thankfully i was on a low travelled road. Researching these issue it looks like there are thousands of buyers with the same problems happening within months of purchase to years, time and mileage doesn't seem to matter. There are tens of thousands of these vehicles still on the road like a ticking timebomb

The engine is leaking coolant into cylinder 2. Ford dealership on October 1, 2025, confirmed this and has recommended a long block engine replacement due to warping of internal engine parts. No overheating of engine as of yet. Engine warning lamp did illuminated once indicating an engine misfire per code reader. Warning lamp was a few months before dealership diagnosed the problem as a bad engine. Vehicle has 97,048 miles and has been very well taken care of with records showing all routine scheduled maintenance.

coolant loss with no visible external leak, a sweet smell from the exhaust, and bubbling or gurgling in the coolant reservoir after startup. There is a KNOWN issue ongoing regarding customer satisfaction program 21N12

Transmission Fault in red letters came on. Turned car off and then turned back on after 20 minutes and the message disappeared. Three days later same things happened- repeated what I did before and message went away. I've noticed when I try to accelerate it sounds as if I'm accelerating but I'm not getting passed 20 mph. Car does a hard jerk when trying to accelerate.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The message "Engine Malfunction - Service Immediately" was displayed. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was idling at a lower RPM. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine, causing catastrophic engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin:19-2172; however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

We were at a stop on a over crossing, and all of a sudden, the car engine started racing loudly and , even with foot on the brake, hard, it surged forward twice and hit the vehicle in front of us and caused that vehicle to hit the vehicle in front of him.My husband tried to shift gear to park or neutral, but shift was stuck. My husband then turned off the car. The hits damaged our radiator and other components. It is now at the body shop and since, our insurance company deemed, we were at fault, we will be paying a deductible and insurance is taking care of driver #2 who sustained soft flesh injury. We are very uneasy about driving this car again after what happen. So far the body shop has not identified the problem. After looking this issue online, I found, that some 2018 ford escapes have problems with the ETB. I just want to bring this to your attention.