2018 Ford Escape Engine Problems

While entering the highway my vehicle started to buck.i took my foot off the gas and then it accelerated really fast in on coming traffic the check engine light came on it immediately over heated and shut of on the highway in traffic

coolant intrusion in engine, dangerous, can cause fires

I have 2018 Ford Escape SE 1.5L engine, approx. 81,500 miles. Date into service 05/26/2018. Diagnosed on 04/18/2026 at Ford dealer (see attached) with Coolant Intrusion into engine. Ford dealer states that Ford will not assist with repair/replacement of engine because vehicle has been in service more than 7 years.

Coolant in engine block; replacement engine required and not covered by warranty.

This vehicle has 110000 miles. Has coolant intrusion in cylinder 2. Has had an issue since 45000 miles with drivability. Coils and spark plugs were replaced even though coolant intrusion was a known issue at the time.

Hello, I would like to file a safety complaint regarding my Ford Escape. Vehicle Information: VIN: [XXX] Make/Model: Ford Escape Year: 2018 Issue Description: While driving, my vehicle suddenly overheated. The temperature gauge moved from normal to hot within seconds, and a warning appeared to stop the vehicle immediately. This created a serious safety concern, as the failure was sudden and without warning. After inspection by a certified technician, I was informed that the engine is consuming coolant internally, and the coolant is being burned through the exhaust system. There is no visible external leak. The engine is now running rough and requires full engine replacement. I have learned that this is a known issue with Ford Escape engines, often referred to as “coolant intrusion.” Despite this being a widely reported defect, Ford has declined to provide any financial assistance. I have contacted Ford and opened a case (Case Number: XXX), but they confirmed this is not a recall and will not cover repairs. This issue creates a significant safety risk due to sudden engine overheating and potential engine failure while driving. I am requesting that this issue be investigated, as it appears to be a widespread defect affecting many Ford Escape vehicles. Thank you for your attention to this matter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Coolant intrusion into the cylinders

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed or while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed a coolant leak coming from the engine. The contact was unaware of any warning lights being illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 73,000.

I am writing to formally report regarding a serious issue with my Ford Escape 2018. The engine failed at the mileage of 37,833 miles, which is far earlier than any reasonable expectation for a vehicle of this age and mileage. This type of major mechanical breakdown is not consistent with normal wear and tear and raises concerns about the durability of the engine. Ford dealership did the formal evaluation of my Ford ESCAPE 2018

This Ford 2018 Escape has an Intrusion that is a Major defect on this motor . It is in the shop to be fixed now costing me a total of $6875.27 . As soon as the check engine light came on we stopped the car as we were home. We had the car towed to a mechanic for diagnosis & repair. It is in the shop now. I called Ford and told them and they said it is a known problem but nit a recall at this time and is my responsibility to get it fixed . There is a class action suit filed against Ford now for this but I also wanted to share to you all it is a safety concern . This could have actually caught on fire and I am glad it did not as I shut it down as soon as the check engine light came on and had a mis fire you could feel it in the engine where the intrusion caused the coolant to go into the cracked block into the cylinders.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and the engine was overheating while white exhaust smoke was coming out of the exhaust pipes. Additionally, the vehicle decelerated and was sluggish while driving. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion in the cylinders. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was informed that the vehicle did not qualify for the extended warranty coverage related to the engine failure. No further information was available. The failure mileage was 31,500.

Coolant leak/known engine issue is now effecting my car. 3/31/26 my mechanic said to take it to an engine place as it will need a new engine due to this known fault. I am too late for their extended warranty which I was never notified of, including when I purchased the car in 2021 when the issue was already well-known.

Engine Coolant Intrusion on Cylinder 2. Hydrolocks on start up. Yes available for inspection. Unknown. Yes dealership inspected and confirmed the issue. Recommendation was engine replacement. No inspection by manufacturer,police, or insurance. Check engine turned on for random misfire. After further investigation, coolant levels kept dropping and noticed misfires on start up. 2018 ford escape awd with approximately 125k miles. Diagnoses was a very common coolant intrusion in Cylinder 2. Over $12000 in repairs needed.

My 2018 Ford Escape equipped with a 1.5L EcoBoost engine experienced complete engine failure due to coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders on 3/29/26. This is a known design and manufacturing defect in the engine block, documented by Ford in Technical Service Bulletins 19-2375, 19-2346, 22-2322, and 22-2134, and addressed under Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 (GTDI Engine – Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion). Ford performed a preventive software update under CSP 19B37 on this vehicle, confirming that Ford identified this VIN as having the at-risk engine. Despite this measure, the engine failed from the exact defect 19B37 was designed to prevent. The engine block’s thin-walled cooling passages between cylinders cracked, allowing coolant to enter the combustion chambers, causing misfires, overheating, and catastrophic engine failure. This engine failure occurred without adequate warning while the vehicle was in motion. Sudden loss of engine power on public roads poses a serious safety risk to the motorists and pedestrians. Ford’s own TSBs describe this as a progressive failure, but coolant loss is internal and may not trigger warning lights until the engine is already critically damaged. Ford has addressed this defect through multiple TSBs and a Customer Satisfaction Program for some VINs, but has not issued a formal recall covering all affected vehicles. Thousands of 2013–2019 Escapes, Fusions, Edges, and Lincoln MKC/MKZ vehicles with 1.5L, 1.6L, and 2.0L EcoBoost engines remain on the road with this defect. A class action lawsuit has been filed regarding this issue. I urge NHTSA to investigate and require a formal recall. This vehicle was purchased used from an authorized Ford dealership at 54,677 miles ( 7/2/2022). The dealer had full access to Ford’s OASIS system and did not perform the CSP 21N12 short block replacement or disclose the known coolant intrusion defect. As the owner, I was never notified by Ford or the dealer about 21N12.

Safety Risk: The vehicle suffered a sudden loss of power while driving. Without any warning light or prior symptoms, the car began "pulling". I was advised by mechanics that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the severity of the misfire. After two expensive spark plug repairs in six months, the engine light finally triggered during a trip, revealing that the internal defect was significantly worse than a simple maintenance issue. The problem began with a sudden, violent engine hesitation. A scan revealed a Cylinder 3 misfire (P0303), but there was no initial check engine light, leaving me unaware of the danger until the car began struggling to move. Over the next six months, the spark plugs were replaced twice. Despite these repairs, the car continued to struggle with acceleration and rough idling. A final diagnosis at Palmetto Ford confirmed coolant intrusion into the cylinders (TSB 22-2322). The engine is consuming coolant internally, which fouled the spark plugs and led to a mechanical failure leading to get over $11000 on repairs for a new engine.

Blown Head gasket due to known faulty Engine. Coolant leaking into cylinders. Known design defect.

I went in to get a tune-up on car because a engine light came on which was a misfire. The mechanic had a hard time getting out one spark plug with a hard residue on it. I drove for a couple days after tune-up and engine light came on again. I then started the next day the garage filled with white smoke with a real weird smell. The car showed another engine light that said Engine fault service now. Car would not start. It was towed to Ford dealership. It is a coolant intrusion into the block. I have 110,000 on vehicle and had the 100,000 extended warranty. I now I need to fight Ford to get fixed. This is a known issue and there was not a recall on this. I am retired and I am forced into buying another vehicle on a fixed income. If Ford does not fix this, i will join the class action suit that will be heard in June 2026. I have bought Fords all my life and I am super disappointed that Ford did not recall this motor and replace. I have heard that alot of people with this problem with coolant intrusion in block if over 84,000 or 7yrs Ford will not replace. Shameful when they know there is this issue.

With only 122,000 miles on the vehicle, the Escape is generating an error associated with a misfire in cylinder 1. New plugs were installed for the entire engine and the coil in cylinder 1 was replaced. A few days later, the error was generated again with an added warning to Server now. The service station that did the previous repair, stated that this was a known issue with this Ford engine and the Escape would need a new engine. If I don't replace the engine, this vehicle has been known to discontinue working while driving. The estimate for repairs are $10,300.

Coolant intrusion on the third cylinder causing over heating and engine failure. Known design flaw by Ford and they only offered a customer service program and not a full recall.

The engine has a coolant intrusion problem with a rough idle and potential for complete failure. This problem is documented as a known problem with this engine and Ford has in the past provided extended warranties including engine replacements. Ford had earlier released TSB 20-2100 and has acknowledged the problem.