NHTSA Complaint #11711239 — 2018 FORD ESCAPE

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked in the garage after being driven in the morning; however, later in the day, the vehicle failed to restart. While the contact’s grandson was using the vehicle, there was an abnormal popping sound. There was white steam in the garage. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who noticed milky coolant inside the engine while using a camera to check the engine. The mechanic determined that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, causing a crack in the engine, which warped the cylinder heads. The mechanic informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 54,000.