2018 FORD ESCAPE Engine Problems

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 an independent, mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine block had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the 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 and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 92,800.

Coolant intrusion leak. Car came up with 3rd misfire. Changed spark plug and coil. Came back with same code. The car starts bag. I will fill coolant and the next day it is empty.

Check engine light came on. Fault indicated cylinder #2 misfire. Took vehicle into Ford dealer to diagnose failure. Informed that cylinder #2 has coolant leaking into the cylinder and repair would require that the engine block be replaced. Estimate for repair approximately $10,000. I understand that Ford had a design problem with the 1.5 L Eco Boost engine that was installed in some 2018 Escape models but any opportunity to get this vehicle repaired by Ford has elapsed. Vehicle currently has approximately 109000 miles on the odometer.

Coolant leak. Cylider# 3. Cracked cylinder. 61000 miles Engine replaced.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stationary, the vehicle needed to be jumpstarted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with a failure with the head gasket, which caused a misfire in cylinder #2, and stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The independent mechanic had taken a video of the failure. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,835.

Check engine light came on. Took it to a mechanic and they changed the plugs and coils due to misfire. About a month later, check engine light came on and I received an alert on Ford pass app. The alert said power train failure. Had the dealer pick it up for service. Told today I need a new engine due to coolant intrusion. Looked up the issue and it is a well known problem. I had the related recall done in 2020. The dealer said I don’t qualify for the fix because I have over 84000 miles. I was told the parameters are 84 months and 84000 miles. I am less than 84 months but my mileage is at 88500 and I need a new engine. Less than 5000 miles and was told by the dealer I don’t qualify. Car has been serviced regularly and initial recall done when it...

Engine is unsafe to drive. Paid over $1400 in repairs just to find out the engine is a faulty engine. Engine failed due to coolant intrusion. Vehicle is not safe to drive. Veh has less than 100k miles. Happened randomly car engine shakes violently and sputters.

My short block engine failed in the middle of pulling out onto a 4 lane roadway while my two children were in the vehicle. We were almost hit from behind as I lost power while entering the roadway. The vehicle was taken to and diagnosed by a Ford dealership as needing a short block and full engine rebuild. There was no warning or problems before the failure. My vehicle has 23,000 miles on it and is currently waiting for repairs at an independent shop because I cannot afford another new vehicle at this time.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle shuddered. The Check Engine, Transmission, and Battery, along with several other unknown warning lights were illuminated; the "Service Engine Soon" and "Power Train Malfunction" messages were displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact did research and was made aware of an unknown NHTSA Campaign Number however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000. 

Coolant leaking into cylinder head and causing misfire in ignition coil 4. Car is using mass amounts of coolant but no leak. Codes are reading misfire in 4th ignition coil as out lined in the following: TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 1.5L EcoBoost - Low Coolant, White Exhaust Smoke And/Or Illuminated MIL - Built On Or Before 06-Apr-2019 19-2139. Yes it's available on request. The car would studder while running in traffic causing people to stop short or significant risk of being rear ended because the car would not excelerate as built too. No. Vehicle has not been inspected by manufacturer, police etc. It has been confirmed by an independent service person. MiL light came on. In March and coil 4 closest to the cylinder was replaced. The problem resurfaced April 19th 2025 and it was looked at again. Once again coil 4 was misfiring again and the plugs were looked at...

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the transmission became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission shifted hard while changing gear and the transmission was also slipping. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was repaired. On a separate occasion, the contact stated that the vehicle was taken for maintenance, and the contact was informed that one of the cylinders was stuck. The vehicle was diagnosed with head gasket failure due to coolant intrusion. The vehicle was not repaired for the most recent failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,500.

2018 ford escape , purchased brand new. . check engine light went on .was on. brought to mechanic; coolant level was low . Engine was misfiring. Reason for check engine light. Discovered one spark plug stuck and corroded. Discovered the reason that coolant was empty. It leaked into the engine. Mechanic says it is a closed system so it cannot be readily discovered. said coolant leaked into the engine . now need new engine. mechanic said this is a design flaw of ford and that many other ford escape owners have the same issue. I paid off my car. I was quoted over 7k to replace the engine. Miles are low on this vehicle. This is unconscionable that Ford has not issued a recall regarding this issue when it appears so many ford owners are having the exact same issue and all are told to pay for a new engine

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the cylinder and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to contact the dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact provided financial assistance towards the cost of the repair. In addition, the contact was informed that the vehicle was above the mileage limitations, and the Extended Warranty coverage...

Coolant intrusion, need new engine

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact's wife drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was restarted, however, the vehicle failed to start as intended. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a failed coolant pump. The contact was informed that the coolant pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that a few days later, the contact's wife checked the coolant level and determined the coolant reservoir was empty. The contact's wife refilled the coolant reservoir, however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak in cylinder one and a failed engine....

Engine is losing coolant. 2018 Ford Escape with 64000 miles on it. Was recalled by Ford, however our VIN was not included. This is not right, some people are getting help getting it fixed and we cannot. Coolant intrusion.

On March 27th 2025 I had engine light come on. I went to valvoline and received a diagnostic test. The test said misfire cylinder 1. I called Ford dealership in two counties and was told they can't see me for a month. I went to pep boys and they replace my spark plugs. Next day engine light and a fault service now came on. I was able to get into gmc who said they found the problem on April 4th. By April 7th again all lights on for service. Pep boys said they could see me by the 10th and Ford dealership by the 30th of April. By the time I made it to pep boys, the head gasket head is beyond repairs and now I need a new engine. All escapes no matter what the mileage should have been recalled. But they didn't and now I have to get...

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that occasionally while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with low anti-freeze, several cracked cylinder gaskets, coolant intrusion, and in need of an engine replacement due to cylinder #3 misfire. The local dealer was contacted; however, the VIN was not associated with any recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

Coolant leaking into engine. Engine failure

I purchased my 2018 Ford Escape Ecoboost in June 2024 with 64K miles. Two weeks later the engine light came on with the code for misfire in cylinder 1. I brought it back to the dealer which they cleared it stating it was old history that needed to be cleared. In October the same code came on and the spark plugs and coil was replaced. Then in January the engine light came on with the same code then when would go off right before I’d bring it in. I was told that it was a common occurrence with the car (light going on and off) it began again end of March, on for a few days then off. I took it in on April 9th and they told me it was a complaint leak into the cylinder 1 and needs a long block replacement which will cost $9600.00 over half...

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the engine block was replaced twice, the transmission was replaced twice, and the front axle was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer it was purchased from, Steven's Jersey City Ford (740 NJ-440, Jersey City, NJ 07304), and the engine block was replaced a third time; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that while one of the dealers was in the process of replacing the engine, the dealer informed the contact that there were metal shavings inside the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer referred the contact to the dealer for...

Engine coolant leaks causing the engine to misfire. Requires a new engine.

The coolant started leaking and this caused the head gasket to blow

At 63000 miles my car keeps leaking engine coolant. Ford is telling me I need a whole new engine! Never have had an accident. Cannot afford this. Have called Ford customer service. Out of warranty. Was told to report here. Have read that many people who own this car with same model and year have experienced this

The contact owned a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to vibrate violently, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway and the vehicle was towed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 95,000.

My 2018 Ford Escape started having problems with the check engine light coming on following an extended trip. The spark plugs were replaced, and all was checked by an independent mechanic. A few days later, a new error appeared saying that there was an engine fault failure. Additionally, it smelled very hot, so we were very afraid to drive it. We brought the car to a certified Ford dealer, and were told that cylinder 2 of the engine had coolant leaking in it and that the engine would need to be replaced. I am attaching documentation to show this. We had JUST returned from a long road trip with many miles of highway driving, so if this had happened in heavy traffic, we would have been put in grave risk. Also, the service department at the Ford garage told us that she had 2 more vehicles with the same engine,...

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact waited for several minutes for the vehicle to return to normal operation. No warning light was illuminated; however, the "Engine Fault Service" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the spark plugs, air filters, and other unknown parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was no provided. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "High Emergency Services Pull Over Safely" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed back to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that...

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and was unable to accelerate above 40 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the high-pressure fuel pump, resulting in damages to the camshaft. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 69,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 75 MPH, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact's daughter pulled over and restarted the vehicle. Upon restarting the vehicle, the vehicle resumed normal operation. In addition, the contact stated that during cold starts, there was heavy black smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed, and the contact was informed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 159,000.

This Ford Escape has coolant intrusion. The coolant leaks into the cylinder because of poor design.

For the 6 month my check engine light has been on First repairs was replacing both bank sensors, About 3 months later again replaced another sensor. Again check engine light would go off And out of no where one morning the the dashboard reads overheating it goes in limb mode gets repairs changes thermostatabd something else Light off that's in Jan 2025, here mar 25 on again change spark plugs also misfire code burning coolant with no leak no warning on dashboard Start doing research and wow notice coolant leaking into cylinders Take my car to get looked at guess what that's what's happening to me Ford. Is highly aware with no recall This really needs to be looked at

Coolant intrusion into cylinders 3&4 as a result of manufacturing defect. Confirmed by multiple certified mechanics. No warning messages/signs until major misfires occurred and car became nearly undriveable while traveling at highway speeds.

P0302 code reading antifreeze/coolant leaking into engine. Had to have a new motor

When I get gas engine turns off. Need to restart it multiple times. Hesitation on acceleration afraid to be on highway. Rough idol at stop. I’ve seen it multiple people have had this issue. It turns out to be the vapor canister, purge solenoid, which I had to be replaced that fixed it. Hopefully this could help out other people. I was so scared on the highway. God bless you.

Originally the car started blowing white smoke out of the exhaust. Next it would misfire occasionally on engine start. After, i would start loosing coolant and getting engine overheat but could never find the leak. I had a mechanic diagnose it and he said it was coolant intrusion into the cylinder and now the head gasket is blown and potentially more damage may be found that could lead to an engine change.

Engine failed due to coolant intrusion. Car failed on highway once, did not run more than 10mph after that and was taken to a shop. After researching the issue, this is a known problem with 2017-2019 Ford Escapes. There is a class-action lawsuit Miller v. Ford Motor co. case number 2:20-cv-01796-DAD-CKD. The issue is covered under a Ford recall, however my vehicle is beyond the 84,000 mile limit. Problem occurred very suddenly with the check engine turning on, flashing, and the engine temperature spiking and crippling the car. A local mechanical conducted a borescope examination and found coolant leaking into the cylinder. I was quoted for the repair with them over $16,000 to replace the engine block. The mechanics report, invoice, and borescope images are attached.

I am writing to PLEAD the NHTSA to intervene and Assist in the ongoing issues with the engines in the 2018-2020 ford escapes. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? 2018 Ford Escape Engine 1.5L short block. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? It has been confirmed that there is a presence of coolant intrusion into one or more cylinder bores. This could lead further damage, fires and engine shutdown while driving. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes my car has been sitting at Dick Masheter Ford Inc Dealership in Columbus Ohio now for 3 weeks. Their number is 614-861-7150. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? By the Dealership and an independent service Center in Grove City Ohio...

Coolant leaking into engine

Cracked block causing misfire in cylinder 3

I am writing to implore the NHTSA to finally take an interest in the ongoing issues with the engines in the 2018-2020 ford escapes. you have over 1600 documented statements from concerned owners who ford has no intention of aiding. Its ironic that all are experiencing the same issues and receiving almost the same answers from the dealerships, Ford and your agency. When calling Ford we are all directed to contact NHTSA who then sends us back to Ford who then sends us to the dealership who states its up to NHTSA. Well if Ford is saying that NHTSA can add the vins that were left off under their safety recalls 19B37 and 21n12 Then I say add them all so Ford will honor their statements and fix these engines. You have over 1600 complaints and that's what we know of. at 10,000 an engine that is over 16,000,000.00 that...

Our 2018 Ford Escape had to have a new engine installed. The car showed it was overheating, and was then diagnosed with a failed Eccoboost 1.5 engine block. It could not be driven safely with the overheating engine. A Ford dealership here installed a new engine block. The total cost was $11,000; Ford paid $4000 and we paid the remaining $7000. The car's mileage was just over 84,000 miles. We contacted Ford but were denied any additional claim. Our mileage was too high and while there had been a recall replacement in 2022, we were not notified of any recall and the program was no longer in effect, according to Ford. We are aware that Ford had a faulty design, and knew about it. Coolant was leaking into the engine block. There are many such complaints and even class action lawsuits shown online for this problem. A car shouldn't need...

There is an internal coolant leak from the coolant reserve that cycles through my engine, breaking the head gasket and seeping out through the spark plugs. This was confirmed by a team of mechanics at Christian Brothers. According to the TSP released by Ford this can result in engine failure when operating the vehicle. This is a severe risk to drivers and there are cases where it has resulted in death. I brought my car to a Ford dealership for an oil change and inspection. They failed to see my coolant was empty and the next day my check engine light came on. My husband did a quick inspection and my coolant was empty. When I confronted the dealership with this information they did not respond to me or taken blame for missing any of the signs.

UNKNOWN: Engine shakes and rumbles when going 35-45 miles per hour. Originally smooth when starting, now rumbles and shakes when started. Check engine light goes on and off. Engine kicks or jumps when accelerator is pushed... Not smooth, jerks very hard. Engine/starter/transmission issues. Available for inspection at dealership doing repair. Shakes and jerks going down the road. Feels like it's going to shake apart. Currently at the dealership for repair and they diagnosed there is "Coolant entering into the cylinder" Check engine light came on then went off. Did this about 3 times and is currently still on.

Engine diagnosed with coolant intrusion related to Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12. A serious misfire happened without warning after coming to a stop on the road and car perceived to be undrivable. Mechanic advised coolant in cylinders and engine needs to be replaced. Ford will not replace the engine after 84k miles but mine is at 85k.

I was driving and the vehicle suddenly started to not accelerate. Then the check engine light started to flash and the motor shut off. I had to coast to the side of the road. After being toward my mechanic told me there was no oil and I had complete engine failure. This happened with no warning and I was stuck waiting for a tow in a very scary situation.

Coolant leak into the cylinders due to a manufacturing defect in this type of engine (1.5L ecoboost). Cylinder 2 and 4 misfired detected. Harmful emissions.

I took my car in for a tune up and was advised the engine needed to be replaced and that Ford is having this issue with multiple vehicles with the same engine. Coolant leaking into the engine. I called NHTSA as Ford told me that they would have to add my car to their customer recall list. I was advised to go back to Ford that they have to do this. Upon having an electronic chat for an hour with ford I was again told to file a concern and request with NHTSA to get my vin added. According to Fords Customer Satisfaction Program 19B37 ( which my car was serviced for on 1-27-2021) This was the first step to complete the issue of coolant leaking into the engine. Fast forward to 3-13-25 I was informed by a Ford dealership that the coolant was indeed leaking into the engine and...

While driving at 60 mph on the highway, my vehicle suddenly overheated and lost power, forcing it into limp mode and reducing acceleration. The coolant was completely gone, even though it had been refilled and bled by a mechanic just a week earlier. Prior to this, I experienced engine misfires, which is a known early symptom of coolant intrusion in the 1.5L EcoBoost engine. The check engine light and an overheating warning message appeared at the time of failure. This matches Ford’s known coolant intrusion defect, which was previously covered under CSP 19B37 and CSP 21N12, yet my vehicle is now experiencing the same failure outside the program’s coverage. This issue is extremely dangerous because it can cause the engine to suddenly fail at high speeds, creating a serious risk for drivers and passengers. This issue has not yet been confirmed by a dealer, as I am arranging transport to...

The engine light came on in my car. The heat was not working either. Took it to my mechanic, the coolant was empty and leaked into the engine. Mechanic advised this is a known issue with this car.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to provide a diagnostic cause for the failure because the MIL was no longer illuminated when the vehicle was taken in for inspection. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who then diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. Then contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 49,000.