2018 FORD ESCAPE Engine Problems
961 NHTSA complaints on file
All Engine Complaints — Page 12
Coolant leaking into motor
I’m at 87,000 miles and all of a sudden my check engine light comes on it reads misfire. I take it in have new spark plugs Put in next week my check engine light comes on again. We check the oil now I have coolant leaking into my cylinders and oil. It never overheated nor have I had any other issues. It is non-drivable and I owe $24000 on it. I read online that others have had this same situation.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and idling, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to drive, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with coolant intrusion which caused a misfire in cylinders #1 and #2 from a crack in the engine block. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Engine experienced a catastrophic failure of coolant leakage into #3 cylinder over time. Condition got so bad to the point while driving, the engine suddenly lost all power and had to be towed to the dealership for repairs. Fortunately we were on a quiet street. If this would have occurred entering a busy interstate, we could have been struck by speeding cars causing a life threatening accident. Upon research into this condition, this is a known design flaw/defect with the engine block coolant passages on Ford Ecoboost 1.5L engines. We read the condition could possible cause fires or more severe engine failure at moments when the car is operating at high speeds on the interstate. A recall needs to be issued before this known defect causes someone to lose their life.
Issue related to Technical Service Bulletin 21-2269 issued on 08 September 2021. My 2018 Ford Escape experienced coolant intrusion into the 1.5L Ecoboost engine. There are many similar stories of this particular engine failing and many cases of the engine igniting. Ford has not responded appropriately to the claim. My check engine light came on at 101,000 miles. I immediately brought my vehicle to the local mechanic and the mechanic diagnosed code p0301 cylinder 1 misfired and p0316 misfired on startup. The mechanic referred me to the TSB above and explained that the only resolution was to replace the engine. Ford issued a service call for these engines to install a coolant sensor which has shown to be an inactive remedy. Vehicles with 1.5L Ecoboost engines should be recalled because they are hazardous to regular traffic. After investigating this matter on the web, I've discovered numerous related stories with this...
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact checked the oil level and the oil level appeared normal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the battery and spark plugs needed to be replaced, and the tires needed to be rotated. The vehicle was repaired. On another occasion, while the contact’s son was stopped at an intersection, the engine overheating warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that engine oil was present in the coolant and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. A local dealer was contacted and notified of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, with the engine misfiring. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that cylinder #2 misfire. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. In addition, the contact stated that white smoke was coming from the exhaust. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was advised to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. In addition, the contact was informed of the Customer Satisfaction Program: 19B37, however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.
Dead in drive way no warning, got it running and had no power at all had it put on trailer and taken to local Ford engine cataropic failure due to coolant intrusion verified by Ford technician instructed replace motor and all associated one time use parts still in back lot open repair order.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on two occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle failed to restart after the first failure. The contact stated that on the second occasion, the vehicle was restarted, but the vehicle began shaking violently. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the coolant temperature sensor and short block needed to be replaced. The coolant temperature sensor was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Coolant has leaked into cylinders 2 and 3 in my engine. The mechanic said this is a “common problem” with this vehicle.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 67,340.
Car was running rough immediately upon cranking with intermittent check engine light, roughness would clear up soon after starting to drive. Started needing to add coolant pretty frequently, maybe once a week. Kept driving that way for about a month. Independent service center (Mooneyhan's, West Columbia, SC) diagnosed "coolant intrusion," needs new engine or re-build. Engine has approximately 70,000 miles on it.
Coolant intrusion into cylinder 2 caused by a design defect. Ford's fix is to replace the engine with a redesigned block. The vehicle is out of warranty but I believe this should be covered as it was a design defect and there are pending class action lawsuits.
My 2018 Ford Escape started running super rough one morning as I was heading into work. There were no lights and the system check said all systems running normal. However when I checked all the fluids and looked at everything it all looked fine. When I restarted the car I could see the engine shaking. As I was headed down the street to have a mechanic look at it the check engine light started flashing and the car lost power. Long story short the car was towed to the dealership and they told me I need a new engine and quoted $11,724.00, they said there was a coolant leak into the engine. I bought this car brand new and it only has 52,491 miles on it. After some extensive research I have found that this is a issue that is well known with all Escape models between the 2013 and...
I took my wife car to Ford in Yuba City for a engine light for P1450 Unable to bleed up fuel tank vacuum. I had the dealership pick up my car and take to the dealership to replace the purge valve. The quoted me 1 hr and changed me two. On the paperwork they said there was an engine misfire which nobody said anything to me and I didn't ever had that error on this car. They drove my car to my house like this. I looked at paperwork and was surprised so I checked the car out and got a code po302 for cylinder 2 misfire. I popped the hood and saw that the cable was put in there lazy and there was a gap i the air tube to the air filter. I talked to the dealership and brought it in and they told me I have coolant...
2018 Ford escape titanium. I have kept current on all the maintenance on this car. All of a sudden I get a check engine light also it shook and weakened. I drove straight home and left it parked untouched. I called Ford they came and picked it up because I was too scared to drive it. I haven't even had this car for a year and the dealership called to tell me the engine is gone due to coolant leaking inshaft etc.. a list of problems I don't understand. About $9000. In repair cost. My warranty doesn't want to cover. I need help. I do not know where to turn Ford is well aware of these issues and failed to tell us consumers. This is a complete scam on there part and they need to be held accountable. I am still paying for that car always take care of it...
There was a coolant leak into cylinder #2. The recommendation is to replace the engine block. The repair estimate is $9321.55. In June 09, 2022, Ford issued consumer satisfaction program 21N12 related to this exact situation. There is a known defect in the 1.5L Ford Eco-boost engine that Ford should take responsibility for. They replaced some engines but the program ended in November of 2022. My vehicle was not acquired until 2023 and did not fail until 2024.
known problem with ford eco boost engines. Coolant loss, engine overheating, loss of power and died. now $11000 to replace the engine.
I noticed a 'ticking' noise for about a minute when starting the engine after it'd been sitting overnight. In the first minute there'd also be some revving, about 100rpm, before the engine finally settled into normal idle. Other times, when starting the engine it would 'shudder' and I'd have to turn the car off, wait about 10 seconds, and start the engine again. A few weeks later the check engine light came on and I took it to the dealership. I had recorded the noise at startup and played it for the employees. They kept the car overnight to test it in the morning. In the morning, I was notified I'd need a new engine as 'coolant was getting into a cylinder' and it was a "block/head flaw". My antifreeze was empty. I was told this is a manufacturer defect and the dealership has been seeing this issue about once...
The vehicle started having problems with ignitions, shaking/vibration at start. The check engine light came on and indicated a need to change spark plugs. The engine fault service now light also came on at this time. Had the spark plugs and Ignition coil replaced. The next day the engine fault service light came back on but went back off. I was informed that the code just needed to be cleared by Ford. The next morning while driving the engine fault light came back on in addition to an overheat alarm. The engine started failing while driving, was unable to get the vehicle to drive forward, multiple error for the start/stop ignition while trying to get the vehicle off the main road and to home. Luckily, I had just left home so was close. I was able to get the car back to home. Towed the vehicle to Ford dealer service...
My engine started to slow down while driving down even though gas pedal was to the floor on the road at peak hour of traffic at 4pm and was barely moving then my high temperature alert came on my dash board and told me to pull over as soon as possible. Once I pulled over saw that coolant was leaking from my emergency spot on tank. Had to have car towed home and then to deal ship to heritage valley ford in Brooklyn ct. I could have been rear end from the back when the engine started to act up which could have cause a accident and I had my kids in the car with me. The dealership confirmed that their was a recall but not a safety recall on it so did not have to fix issue sense not a safety recall. Ford new about the issue of coolant...
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle began to lose power and the vehicle entered LIMP Mode. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was discovered that there was a misfire in cylinder #3, and the coolant level was low. The mechanic added coolant and replaced all four spark plugs. The contact stated that several days after the repair, the failure recurred, and the check engine warning light and the engine overheating message was displayed. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer unrepaired. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power, while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that an unknown temperature message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that the temperature gauge had indicated that the engine was hot. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the mechanic later discovered that coolant had intruded into one of the cylinders. A local dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the engine. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in possession of the mechanic. The failure mileage was approximately 70,500.
My Ford Escape 1.5L EcoBoost Engine overheated. A Ford service mechanic confirmed the Escape has a defect that causes coolant to leak into the engine’s cylinders, which can cause corrosion, oil dilution and contamination, and engine failure; and these defects create a safety risk, because the lack of coolant created by the leaks causes overheating. The ford service mechanic confirmed my cylinder head was cracked and will lead to total engine failure, and/or engine fires.
Coolant intruding into cylinder bores, caused engine failure. Ford will not honor letter sent.
Just like everybody else, coolant intrusion into engine block which required replacement of engine. 2018 Ford Escape 2.0L motor. Ford is fully aware there is a problem but hasn't issued a recall on the 2.0 motor. NHTSA needs to do an investigation once and for all! You've got over 400 complaints on here regarding the motor!! I will never buy a Ford again.....
2.0L EcoBoost engine failure due to coolant in cylinders.
Coolant intrusion into cylinder 2, caused engine to go out. Issue was confirmed by dealer and stated this is a very common thing they see. This is part of a customer satisfaction campaign when in reality it should have been a recall. The car has only been inspected by the dealership, problem appeared suddenly
December 2023 my 2018 ford escape 1.5L ecoboost had low coolant levels. We put more in every other day. The check engine light came on and a warning saying engine failure repair now. Took it to an independent garage where I was told it needed a new short block due to coolant intrusion. I called ford and was told to take to ford dealership to be diagnosed. I was told the same thing there. I’m 180 miles over the 84,000 that they extended it too so I have to pay. I applied for financial assistance and fords paying some of my bill. It’s been 5 months and I’m getting the run around from them and won’t have my car until at least mid may. I’m also being denied a loaner. I was on my way home from work and my car alerted me it was over heating and to turn...
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a misfire coming from the engine. Upon starting the vehicle there was an abnormal rumbling sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the failure was due to the cylinder block. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no additional assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 30-70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power while driving uphill. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The mechanic informed the contact that the cam shaft and engine needed to be replaced. The contact called an unknown local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred to the NHTSA Hotline, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.
Ford Escape 2018 Recall #[XXX] and #[XXX] ENGINE COOLANT LEAK Needs “New Engine” confirmed by service and available for inspection at dealer. Car was taken to Ford Dealer right when engine light came on. Dealer / Service has been only one to inspect car. On [XXX] BEFORE “Engine Coolant” Recalls were expired, car was taken to dealer for Recall #[XXX] I asked about ANY other CSP Letters or Recalls at the time of service. Ford Dealer decided on their own to ONLY preform ONE of the two Recalls that were crucial to being preformed for the safety of my vehicle. Both Recalls #[XXX] and #[XXX] should have been performed together according to letter sent to Dealers from Ford and NHTSA [XXX] Above link clearly states: “ Vehicle owners will receive one letter for both [XXX] and [XXX]. “ “Dealers should repair any affected vehicles that arrive at their dealerships, whether...
Flex plate concern The ford edges are known for a cracked or broken flex plate which is dangerous to drive and unsafe to other vehicles on the road. How is this not a recall issue. I immediately brought the car to the shop as the noise was concerning and it didn’t seem like it should be driven. The shop determined it was the flex plate and said it was good I didn’t drive it as it is very unsafe to drive and puts other drivers at risk
Engine failure. Coolant leaking into piston 2.
Coolant intrusion into the cylinder, causing coolant to leak in engine cause misfiring and loss of coolant causing quick and unpredictable over heating. Only option is to get a whole new engine
My coolant leaked and caused Cylinder 3 to misfire and the head gasket to blow requiring replacement, and it is currently available for inspection. My sensor never indicated the car was overheating or at risk, and if the coolant had run out and caused my engine to shut down, it could have caught on fire or locked up, a safety risk to both myself and others on the road. My car tremored slightly on 4/7 with no warning lights or messages, and that was the only issue I noticed. I didn't pay it much attention. On 4/9, it had trouble starting, but it took 4 days after first noticing a tremor for my check engine light to come on. The issue was only diagnosed and discovered by a private automotive shop, and I am seeing a lot of the same problem discussed online in reference to Ford's "Customer Service Program"...
Bought my escape on used 6/2022. On 3/6/24.. My car started shaking and the engine light started blinking. Had it towed to the dealer. The dealer said it was antifreeze intrusion. And it is a well know problem with my motor and that Ford is aware of this.
The engine has had the same issue as countless others where coolant got into the engine and the engine must be replaced. This is a constant issue and Ford is doing nothing to remedy this engine issue.
This is 3rd one Ford escape all three ran boiling hot stalled quit running would not crank up coolant leak my car is like brand new I love it but this has to be a recall for it to do three just alike .afraid it will catch on fire and it stalls in traffic I'm [XXX] and it scares me to death of getting hit run over are burning up in car INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
See attached document for complaint
Was driving and car started to spit and sputter and high temperature warning message came on. Car went into limp mode. Had car towed to dealership to be inspected. Was told the car had codes P0302, P1299 stored. They found coolant leaking into the #2 cylinder following TSB 22-2322. Engine needs replaced due to a design defect that Ford Motor Company has been away of. With 108,000 miles, the vehicle was out of the range of mileage allowed for the Ford Motor Company repair campaign 21N12. The repair quote is $10,528.75 to replace the engine. I contacted Ford Customer Service and received a Case#. I passed this on to the dealership who called Ford. He stated they are not willing to even share the cost with me for a design flaw they know existed on my vehicle.
My car, 2018 Ford Escape is in need of an entirely new engine due to coolant leaking into the engine. This is a KNOWN ISSUE. My car suddenly started overheating and my car became undrivable. This is a widely reported issue and I believe there is clear evidence that it is a known defect and that Ford has the absolute responsibility to repair it .
The 2018 Ford Escape had a check engine light come on. It showed a code (P0303) that said cylinder 3 was misfiring. It was also having white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe and my coolant was draining really quickly. The coolant tank was completely empty before hitting 2,000 miles since it had last been filled. I took the vehicle into a Ford dealership for a diagnostic check to see what was going on. In the end I was told that I have a crack in the long block that is letting coolant into my cylinders which is causing the misfiring. I was told that the possibility of an engine fire and a few other things that make the engine not work could have happened while driving it. Unfortunately the vehicle isn’t even paid off yet and I can’t drive it for fear of something bad happening while doing so....
Ford has a KNOWN issue with fluid intrusion in the engines of some of their vehicles built over many years and the repair is a new engine block. The issue causes the car to sputter and stall as well as emit smoke and have a burning smell. They have issued a Technical Service Bulletin about the issue but not a recall and are not fixing the issue in some vehicles.
Coolant leak into the cylinder causing head gasket and cylinder to crack. This caused engine heating and could've potentially caused an engine fire. This was diagnosed by a Ford dealer and was covered under a Ford customer service program in 2022 (21N12). Engine warning light came on alerting to the problem.
Like thousands of other customers, my engine needs to be fully replaced at only 30K miles due to coolant leaking into the engine. I am fortunate to have purchased a bumper to bumper warranry for over $4K, but this is FORD'S issue and THEY should be replacing the engines at no cost to their customers. It's terrible they are able to get away with screwing over people who still are paying off their loans without a car that runs. There should be a class action lawsuit filed, period. After my engine is replaced, I will be selling this crappy, unreliable car because I don't trust it won't happen again and after my 6 year, 60K warranty expires. I purchased it used from a BMW dealership that was a trade in and only put on 6K miles in 2 years. I've driven foreign cars that have been reliable with no costly...
2.0 ECOBOOST ENGINE IS LEAKING COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE CYLINDERS CAUSING HARD STARTING AND ROUGH IDLE. THIS IS KNOWN PROBLEM WITH ENGINE ADDRESSED IN FORD SERVICE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 19-2346.
Coolant intrusion into the engine causing a misfire in cylinder #1. Slow and heavy idle at startup, thick white exhaust and an immediate warning of engine overheating. Car is inoperable and engine must be replaced. There was also a short at the main 150 amp battery fuse on 4 separate occasions since the misfire in cylinder #1.
Engine failed due to timing chain, a common issue for these motors & part of the reason they discontinued this models engine. The car was running when the engine failed. The vehicle is currently at a mechanic, with diagnosis of engine failure due to timing chain. The car has not been looked at by police, manufacturer, insurance or other. There were NO indications of the problem prior to the engine failing.
Went out to start the car one morning. It started up no problems. About 2 mins after starting it the car completely stopped running. No check engine light came on or anything. I thought it was the battery so I replaced the battery. Upon further digging I found out there was a recall in the engine from 2022 that I was NOT notified of. I took the vehicle to two different dealerships one that is just up the block from my house and the second one is where I bought the car. Both places confirmed that it was Infact the recall problem, where the coolant leaks into the engine and destroys the engine block. The second dealership reached out to ford. Ford has refused to help fix the engine even though I was never sent or made aware of the recall on the engine.. I have also talked to a...
Other 2018 FORD ESCAPE Problem Areas
Engine And Engine Cooling
318 complaints
Power Train
232 complaints
Unknown Or Other
91 complaints
Electrical System
47 complaints
Fuelpropulsion System
31 complaints
Steering
30 complaints
Service Brakes
22 complaints
Wheels
18 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control
17 complaints
Structurebody
11 complaints
Exterior Lighting
10 complaints
Seat Belts
9 complaints
Suspension
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Air Bags
8 complaints
Fuel System Gasoline
7 complaints
Visibilitywiper
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Power Trainautomatic Transmission
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Wheelslugsnutsboltsstuds
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Back Over Prevention Sensing System Camera
3 complaints
Electronic Stability Control Esc
3 complaints
Engine And Engine Coolingcooling System
3 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency Braking
3 complaints
Lane Departure Blind Spot Detection
3 complaints
Power Trainautomatic Transmissioncontrol Module Tcmpcmtecm
3 complaints
Visibility
3 complaints
Back Over Prevention Rearview System Braking
2 complaints
Electrical System Instrument Clusterpanel
2 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance Warnings
2 complaints
Structurebodydoor
2 complaints
Structureinterior Panelsdashboard
2 complaints
Vehicle Speed Controlaccelerator Pedal
2 complaints
Back Over Prevention
1 complaint
Back Over Prevention Warnings
1 complaint
Electrical Systemadashill Start Assistsoftware
1 complaint
Electrical Systeminstrument Panelspeedometerodometer
1 complaint
Engine And Engine Coolingengine
1 complaint
Engine And Engine Coolingenginecrankcamshaft Position Sensor
1 complaint
Engine And Engine Coolingengineoillubricationsealsgaskets
1 complaint
Engine And Engine Coolingexhaust Systememission Controlcrankcase Pcv
1 complaint
Equipment
1 complaint
Equipmentelectricalnavigational Systemglobal Positioning System
1 complaint
Exterior Lightingheadlights
1 complaint
Firerelated
1 complaint
Fuel System Gasolinefuel Injection Systeminjectors
1 complaint
Fuel System Gasolinestorageevaporative Emissionscanister
1 complaint
Lane Departure Warning
1 complaint
Latcheslockslinkages
1 complaint
Latcheslockslinkageselectronic Locklatch Actuator
1 complaint
Latcheslockslinkageshatchbackliftgatelock
1 complaint
Latcheslockslinkagestailgatelatch
1 complaint
Parking Brake
1 complaint
Power Trainautomatic Transmissionlever And Linkagefloor Shift
1 complaint
Power Trainautomatic Transmissiontorque Converter
1 complaint
Power Traindrivelinedriveshaft
1 complaint
Seats
1 complaint
Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Componentsdisccaliper
1 complaint
Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Componentsmaster Cylinder
1 complaint
Structure
1 complaint
Structurebodydoorhinge And Attachments
1 complaint
Structurebodyhatchbackliftgate
1 complaint
Structurebodytailgate
1 complaint
Suspensionfrontcontrol Arm
1 complaint
Tires
1 complaint
Tiressidewall
1 complaint
Tirestreadbelt
1 complaint
Traction Control System
1 complaint
Visibilitydefrosterdefoggerhvac Systemheater Core
1 complaint
Visibilitysunmoon Roof Assembly
1 complaint