NHTSA Complaint #11531894 — 2018 FORD ESCAPE

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon start up, the vehicle started to shake, and the contact noticed a cloud of white smoke coming from the exhaust. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that ignition coil and spark plugs had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that upon start up, the vehicle started to shake, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact then noticed that a cloud of white smoke came from the exhaust. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the head gasket leaked oil and coolant had leaked into the engine cylinder and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that upon research, he noticed that the vehicle was included in Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall or the Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.