2018 FORD ESCAPE Unknown Or Other Problems

Engine coolant intrusion- I don't feel safe driving this vehicle due to engine problems known to FORD even at/before time of sale. Possible fire hazard. Transmission- I don't feel safe driving this vehicle due to transmission problems known to FORD even at/before time of sale. Vehicle lurched around while backing from my garage. Electronic emergency brake- Occasionally sticks in lock on position not allowing me to operate. Report date is today 02/08/2026 for issues as of manufacture date 12/17/17 I request FORD buy back this vehicle at full purchase price. I'm a single Widow and don't feel safe driving this vehicle alone. FORD selling vehicles with long known problems to unsuspecting customers is shameful.

Battery light came on, its a new battery with warning of 12v battery failure. The back camera has been giving blank screen and camera unavailable message.

Blown head gasket, it is available for inspection. The engine overheating could’ve left me and my family stranded. The problem has not been confirmed by anyone. It also has not been inspected yet either. There were no other indicators lit on the dashboard other than the check engine light.

I purchased a 2018 Ford Escape from Metropolitan Ford dealership in Eden Prairie, MN on 5/15/2025. The very next day the engine light came on. I called them, made an appointment and brought it in thinking that it was a sensor. They checked it out and tried to charge me $1000 for the fix. I argued with them that I had just bought the car and the should be responsible for fixing it. In end I paid $300 and knew from that point that they would take no responsibility for anything wrong with th car. Fast forward to 12/12/2025 I was driving to work and as soon as I entered the interstate the engine light came on as well as the temperature gage going through the roof. I found that I couldn't accelerate and slowly drove the car off the next exit. I was able to get it to my...

I believe coolant got into the cylinders and caused an engine failure. I had to replace the engine on the vehicle at 58000 miles

My car was fine earlier today, but when I drove home and parked, I turned my vehicle off and the fan continued to run. I took my car to Autozone and they ran a diagnostic test with the OEM and no codes came up. They said it’s possibly the motor fan module or some sort of sensor or relay. The car isn’t running hot or anything, but the motor can won’t turn off, so it’s running my battery down. This is the first time this has happened.

leaking coolant. Transmission problem with the shift cable bushing, which caused the transmission to be in a different gear than indicated and lead to the vehicle rolling away.

Early May 2025 the check engine light came on. Had towed to my mechanic 95 miles away (I live remotely), they changed the spark plugs. Within one week the check engine light came on a, took to a local garage (inside the national park where my residence is) and they chaned the spark plugs again. The nect week I heard my coolant system making noises (it never made this before), checked and refilled fluids, but it continued and tye check engine light came on again. Had it towed to my mechanic again. They advised me the headgasget blew and the coolant system went with it. Had to pay to have it towed to my home.

We were at a stop on a over crossing, and all of a sudden, the car engine started racing loudly and , even with foot on the brake, hard, it surged forward twice and hit the vehicle in front of us and caused that vehicle to hit the vehicle in front of him.My husband tried to shift gear to park or neutral, but shift was stuck. My husband then turned off the car. The hits damaged our radiator and other components. It is now at the body shop and since, our insurance company deemed, we were at fault, we will be paying a deductible and insurance is taking care of driver #2 who sustained soft flesh injury. We are very uneasy about driving this car again after what happen. So far the body shop has not identified the problem. After looking this issue online, I found, that some 2018 ford...

So this morning as soon as I started my 2018 Ford escape up and instantly temp gauge went to hot and threw up a sign stating high temp. Safely stop . I turned it off . And I started googling what was happening and upon doing some searching I started seeing multiple people complaining about the same things that I have going on as well with their 2018 Ford escape having the same problem with their spark plugs and coil packs also they said that they have misfiring in certain cylinders which mine have been in 1 and 3 some of theirs were 2 and 3 also read that the coolant system could be faulty and leaking ( which makes sense on after the car was turned off from driving the night before I heard bubbling sounds and what sounded like a faucet leaking water ) and the leaking could...

OBD trouble code P0302 — cylinder 2 misfire caused by coolant seeping in from a deformation in the block.

Engine failure. No engine lights are on and vehicle is driving fine, but engine block could crack due to coolant intrusion problem. Coolant intrusion is a defect in the motor well know to Ford and mechanics.Ford customer satisfaction program:21N12 and 19B37.TSB tech. serv. bulleting 22-2134 and 19-2375. Problem has been confirmed by private mechanic shop and Ford dealer. No warning lights, no messages, no symptoms. Problem appeared scheduled maintenance & multipoint inspection.

Car sometimes has trouble accelerating Does not want to go over 65 on cruise control for a very long time. Cruise control was shut off by itself. Car doesn’t want to accelerate over steep hills rPMs go up to four

Engine overheating due to coolant loss into cylinder through internal leak. Engine and vehicle are available for inspection. Engine overheating due to coolant loss into cylinders can be a risk for vehicle fire. Overheating affected my engine longevity and function and caused my vehicle to stop in an unsafe location (i.e. the highway). This is a serious safety concern for my family since we also live in Arizona where we are highly susceptible to extreme heat. I took the Ford vehicle to a Ford dealer to inspect and they verified that the engine block was warped due to an internal leak of coolant into the engine cylinders through a known recall issue Ford Vehicle has been inspected by the Ford dealership by certified Ford mechanics. Overheating had no warning since internal coolant leaks are not detectable through external means. When car overheated, I took the vehicle to Ford for inspection.

Check engine light first appeared early May 2025 days after the car started running very roughly, then bucking upon startup; local mechanic said may need engine but should go to dealer; dealer towed a couple of days later as engine light had begun to blink and said it couldn't be driven; a few days later dealer reported coolant leaking into combustion chamber and would need a new engine at $12,860. Apparently a known failure as reported in Technical Service Bulletin 22-2229, date 6/9/2022 for vehicles including my 2018 Ford Escape Titanium 2.0 L Ecoboost with only 44k miles, final assembly Louisville KY. Reported danger of engine failure while driving, possible fire.

Check engine light came on ON DAY OF MY FINAL PAYMENT!! Mechanic said there had been issues and possible recall to fix. Antifreeze leaking into engine causing need to replace engine

My vehicle received a short block repair under CSP 21N12 in 2023 at my ford dealership. Now, less than two years later, the same issue has returned — coolant intrusion into the cylinders, visible white exhaust, and oil leaks, with an estimate for the full repair is $15,000, from this same ford dealership where I purchased the car clearly the recall repair did not fix this issue of coolant intrusion. Dealer diagnosed the issue as long block pressure tested cooling system for over an hour system dropped 8 PSI, Engine consuming coolant into cylinders and burning through exhaust. Dealer Recommends replacing long block with new engine and replacing one time use parts with new turbo at 15k. I still owe on the loan this is the same problem as the recall.

I have a 2018 Ford Escape that I purchased 2 years ago. Three days ago, it would not start and when we got it to start white smoke came out and there was no coolant left in the chamber. There is no fluid under the car and the car warning light came on saying PowerTrain malfunction, reduced power. The fluid went in the cylinder we believe. We went to a Ford dealership and was told there are no recalls on this vehicle. When we looked up online we see that There was a Program 21N12 for this problem but because it's not a recall we can't use it. How do we get help with this?

The vehicle was shaking really bad when started. I took the vehicle to a mechanic since it seemed like it was mis-firing. I was told the vehicle was leaking coolant into the 2nd cylinder causing damage to my engine. I was told I needed a whole engine replacement. I called Ford Customer care and was told there is no service programs for my VIN number. I also purchased the extended warranty when purchasing this vehicle which just expired in NOV 2024. I can't believe Ford will not honor this engine replacement when I just saw online this was an ongoing issue and my vehicle was was in the time frame of 96 months or $150,000 mile time frame.

When the transmission gets warm, the car stops driving. It goes into all the gears fine. The vehicle has 102 thousand miles and I’m told the transmission needs to be replaced already. There are no recalls on the vehicle, but from what I have been reading, the Ford Escapes are known for transmission concerns. How is there no recall on the transmissions.

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...

While driving the vehicle car completely shuts off in the middle of traffic, dash lights turn off then power went out.Now HORN no longer works. Turned the car back on and pulled to the side of the road. I tried to accelerate and white smoke came out of the back of the vehicle and a rattle noise from the front passenger side. Warning lights never turned on ! I was able to drive the vehicle to a nearest ford dealer after stopping multiple times in the process. Took the car to Ford , they claimed there was no issues except the ones they found not relating to the problem I first stated . They advised me for security I would have to get these problems fixed and that could be the cause. I picked the vehicle up 2/17/2025, $1951.72 later. Car cuts off again in the middle of Traffic ,...

I bought this car a month ago and now the transmission is not working I got a warning from my car saying “transmission fault service now” and now I’m trying to see how to fix that, if you guys can help me that would be great

A Design Flaw (as confirmed by a Ford Service Advisor) in the engine block allows coolant to seep into the engine, rendering the engine useless. Ford has a TSB on this, they know it's a problem, other previous years similar engines have been recalled, these engines currently have class action and private lawsuits happening, and Ford extended the warranty on these vehicles to 84k miles because of this KNOWN mistake on their part. So.... after 84k miles Ford no longer stands behind their product. Leaving me and my family with a monthly car payment and a car that's sitting at the dealer that needs and $8k repair. I've had the car towed twice and am relying on friends to get around. Ford should own up to this and either fix or replace the vehicle. It's not right, and certainly doesn't make us want to buy American cars.

My engine light came on and within a three day time span my engine overheated. I kept up with all maintenance on my vehicle and even had a previous diagnostic ran on the vehicle a month prior. I was told there was a customer satisfactory warranty that expired in November 2022 on my vehicle but information was given to first owner that stated what would happen to my vehicle. I bought my car in March of 2021Due to me getting my car from Hondas car lot they said they were unaware that the vehicle had a warranty at time of sale which would have been of great help. I have been quoted $10,000 to replace the motor in my car due to coolant intrusion, short block, and a spark plug being stuck within the engine. My car ran hot with myself, a dog and my son being in the car...

APIM is not fuctional. Rear camera does not work, display does not work, stereo does not work. Resetting the system does not work. Fuses are all good, and electrical connections confirmed good. APIM issues have been an issue with this year of Ford.

Needing Throttle Body replace though the car is 6 years old. Car will not get up to speed and engine fault light comes on. Got diagnosis and need to replaced. Also motor mounts have deteriorated despite lack of miles on car. Numerous complaints.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle stalled and failed to return to normal operation. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The diagnostic test result was not provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 120,067.

The engine has coolant intrusion and misfiring that can lead to an engine fire. My family was put in jeopardy as coolant disappears during driving. The dealership has confirmed a coolant intrusion issue as indicated in the CSP 21N12. There are two CSP's (19B37 and 21N12) from Ford issued when the dangerous engine problem should be a RECALL. Ford recently issued Ecoboost engine recalls for many other vehicles and somehow the 2018 Ford Escape was missed. Ford has refused to fix the engine hazard on this 2018 Ford Escape due to an expiration date on the CSP, even though the vehicle is STILL within the 7 year timeline indicated in the CSP. The vehicle was purchased after the expiration date so I am trying to figure out why the vehicle did not have either of these CSP's done, when dealer had the vehicle, so this dangerous issue was resolved prior...

I just recently came across the 21N12 letter that was sent out to people awhile back after googling an issue I noticed with my car. It appears my car is losing coolant. Which, after reading the 21N12, it appears is a known issue that ford submitted a letter letting people get this repair done for no charge. Well, I never received the letter and might be experiencing these issues. I don’t find this to be anywhere near fair at all. What if my car died on me?

The head gasket on cylinder 4 broke. Releasing coolant into the engine block, causing stuttering and stalling within the engine. As well as causing the car to loose coolant quickly that lead to the engine overheating. All of this information about my car I was given by the head mechanic at Olympic Auto, Longwood FL. He said that many Ford escapes have experienced this issue. The only warning light I was given was the engine, and it would tell me that cylinder 4 had faulted.

I have a 2018 ford escape only like 100,000 has engine gone due to coolant leak. In research I saw ford has ignored this issue from day one to its customers. I have 2018 ford Escape 1.5 EcoBoost. Ford has had one recall also with the transmission bushings that were repaired at 80,000. car ran bad since recall repaired of transmission bushings. Ford has deceived consumers with its engine failure and coolant leaks, with its fraudulent deceptive practices.

The engine light came on in my 2018 ford Explorer. I took it to the mechanic and was told my engine is failing and the coolant is leaking into the engine. He told me this is a common issue with this car and has happened to other people. He suggested I call the place I bought it to see if they can help pay. I called them and was told there is nothing they can do because my warranty expired three months ago. They said I could by another warranty but would have to wait 30 days for it to go into effect and the car may not last that long.

The check engine light was intermittently on and off for several days in late June. We went to AutoZone to read code, which said Misfire Cylinder 3. So we bought spark plugs and asked our mechanic friend to replace all four of them before our road trip as the mechanic suggested. The safety of the driver and passengers was put at risk due to the high engine temperature warning while driving on the highway, indicating a potential engine overheating issue. We waited till it cooled down and saw the coolant was below the minimum level. So, we drove to a small car care centre. They didn’t find any leak and just added some coolant. And the check engine light was cleared. But it came back on again the next day and we were still loosing coolant. We were too worried to drive too far, so we went to Meineke in...

The fly wheel has had to be replaced twice on my car. I am driving and all of the sudden it starts clanking, I'm thinking my car is going to fall apart. First in 2021 and now again in 2024. I feel this is something that should be recalled because what are the chances that 2 went bad. It is getting fixed after Ford looked at it and wanted to charge us $2800.00 to replace. Took to a recommended transmission shop. Most people don't even know about reporting these issues. Not only that they replaced my engine already in 2021. I have had numerous problems with this car, if interested in checking it out you all are more than welcome to. I was out of town and suddenly my car would not start even though the battery good according to auto zone and O'reilly's was good. it is just crazy...

Coolant leaking into engine.

May or may not be related but three different warnings came up within a 30 minute period while driving: Hill Start Assist Fault, Anti-lock Brake Fault and Parking Aid Sensor Fault. Note, I have been driving for months with proximity sensor out. Cause is currently unknown, I hope to get it into a garage this week.

Coolant leaking into engine. Not dead yet but not drivable since it will cause more damage to the engine. Luckily caught it before engine went out on the highway, overheating occurred, or fire occurred. This was confirmed by a dealership after they did an engine diagnostic, although a month ago when I brought it in for an oil change they noticed my coolant was low and said they would look into it, they didn’t. Only the ford dealership mechanics have inspected this as of yesterday. An engine warning light came on the day I took it in (yesterday). - was told by my dealership that entire engine needs to be replaced.

The engine has a coolant leak and has made my car not properly functional. Have taken it in multiple time for repairs same issue would happen now they won't fix it because of a specific code is not reading but exactly what's going on they won't fix because it's over the milage coverage confidently.

known problem with ford eco boost engines. Coolant loss, engine overheating, loss of power and died. now $11000 to replace the engine.

The roof seals failed, water poured into the rear of the car in cargo space, and filled spare tire wheel well without warning. We had noticed a sour, moldy smell prior to that, and began to show allergy symptoms, necessitating medication. Dealer was made aware.They tested roof and resealed it. The roof was glued on at manufacturer… not riveted or secured in any other way. It is the fault of the Ford manufacturer . The leak appeared approx April [XXX]. Got appointment at Ford here in DeLand April [XXX]. They kept the car, tore it apart to find cause of leak. We got it back late Friday April [XXX]. There was still water 💦 in it ! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

While driving this vehicle (~88,000 miles) on a route of ~100 miles, the car started shuddering / shaking at highway speed for 30 - 90 seconds every 10 - 15 minutes. I was 50 miles in to the drive when the shaking began. The shaking was startling and distracting. I drove the car to the dealer that night. While driving to the dealer, the car continued to shudder / shake for even longer durations at greater frequency. Additionally, the car had weak acceleration when the gas pedal was compressed. This created significant challenges when trying to navigate traffic (merging on to highway, accelerating car from stop, etc.). I have a video of the dash which shows the car exceeding 4000 RPM and not exceeding 25mph. I can share this video over e-mail, but could not attach to this form. - The dealer believes this is a malfunction of the powertrain...

Ford is refusing to fix the coolant intrusion that is now happening on my vehicle

The car says it’s in neutral but the gear shift is in park.

I purchased a 2018 Ford Escape from CarMax, I’ve had the car for 6 months I drove it to Illinois and my car was in park but stating it was in neutral upon a diagnostic it was discover my shifting cable was not working and I needed to keep my car parked and keep The emergency break on at all times. I called Ford and told them my issue they explained to me that in November of 2022 the gear shifting cable was a was fixed per a recall and I would have to pay to have it fixed because they only fix it one time for free . In January of this year another lawsuit was filed against Ford that alleges that even after the shifting cable is fix its still breaking on customers then can results in serious injury to the driver or others. I am asking that...

Check engine light came on while driving down the highway. Vehicle lost power to approximately 20 mph even though the throttle was pressed. This was a hazardous situation as the speed limit was 55 mph and no place to pull off. Was told by a mechanic the throttle body was defective and needs replaced.

COOLANT APPEARS TO BE LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK.

Car has 95k miles. Recently started showing code P0303 (cylinder 3 misfire). Took it to mechanic, replaced spark plug and engine coil. Got car back, ran fine a couple days, then started noticing coolant level way down from mechanics top off. Mechanic has it now and is thinking coolant leaking into engine. Common issue for this model as I have read online. Also read about a service bulletin offering a one time fix for this, but never received the alert in my Ford app. No recall issued that I can see. Hopefully won’t need a new engine.

Was driving when engine light came on, then warning that engine was to hot. My car then began to slow down and I pulled over and allowed to cool for a while. Finally able to drive but each time I would drive it happened. Took to a independent contractor and was told my coolant was leaking into engine and it needed to be replaced

After having the 2018 Ford Escape for three weeks, the entire APIM system went down. I was not able to charge anything, use the radio, or the touchscreen for all of the functions in the dash. It goes in and out constantly, often does not turn on at all, the touchscreen lags, the radio takes up to a minute or longer to change a channel once a button is pressed. The only thing that is in tact is the rear camera. The 2016-2017 APIMs have been recalled, and this one should as well. Other than the rear camera and now being able to charge a phone, I cannot use the touchscreen at all and do not use the radio because I cannot see what channel it is on.