general problems of the 2018 Ford Escape - part 1

Coolant intrusion in the engine block. The engine only has 45,000 miles on it.

2018 Ford Escape ecoboost coolant leak and engine overheating. If not repaired, will destroy the entire engine.

Coolant intrusion into the cylinders causing engine failure. This is a repeat of the known 1. 5l ecoboost defect. The engine was previously replaced in 2021 under TSB 21-2269. The repair order shows Ford installed the original defective open-deck short block (part number ds7z-6009-g) instead of the updated closed-deck design. The same failure has now returned. This defect can cause sudden loss of power and overheating while driving, creating a safety risk.

I have a coolant intrusion into my engine. It is a well known issue among the 2017-2019 Ford Escape 1. 5l ecoboost engines. Ford is refusing to assist me with financial assistance because it has fallen outside of their customer satisfaction program 21n12. They are punishing me for their faulty engine because I took care of my vehicle and it lasted longer than their program terms. I took it into a Ford dealership who confirmed it is the exact issue explained in their TSB 22-2134, yet I am going to have to pay $8787 for a short block replacement, when had this happened a few years ago, they would have covered it for free. This needs to be a recall. There have been enough people report this exact issue for cause to become a recall.

Started overheating, spark plug code and coolant code. Now they believe coolant is leaking into cylinder in motor because of design flaw.

Car gave an engine overheat warning to pull over and turn off. Towed to Ford dealership where their diagnostics pointed to coolant intrusion - a known issue with 2018 Ford Escapes with similar specs to mine. I was then told that I would need to replace the engine due to the issue and Ford would not be willing to assist or cover the cost. I was told that my specific VIN was not covered by recall but that it is a very common issue and to report the issue to NHTSA.

Car overheated and losing coolant. I just purchased this car on 6/22/2026 and having issues already. The check engine light is on and giving a p0301 code. I’m having to add coolant everyday to keep the car from running hot.

My Ford Escape recently had the check engine light on. I took it to a Ford service center, and they confirmed it was coolant intrusion that damaged the engine and requires a replacement. It was confirmed with multiple people at Ford that this is a known issue, but no recalls have been made. I use this car to drive my 2 year old son to and from daycare, and my family's safety has been put at risk by the car seizing while driving it and having to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle is now undrivable due to the issue.

Car has 105k can get specific if need be. But has had an intermittent misfire along with consuming coolant since about 95k miles. It now has had coolant intrusion and needs a complete engine overhaul or replacement.

My 2018 Ford Escape se temp gauge went to the red with warning lights to pull over and get engine serviced immediately. I refilled the coolant revisor and with in a few days the same instance occurred paired with misfiring while this situation happened. I immediately stopped driving the car and it is going to get dropped off at the dealership we purchased from on Thursday 7/16/26. I believe this motor is faulty due to coolant intrusion. Zero leaks of coolant only issue is stated above. I believe the coolant is leaking into the cylinders.

My 2018 Ford Escape se 1. 5l ecoboost has recently experienced catastrophic engine failure with no prior warning by any of the vehicles sensors nor a notice from the manufacturer that this is a potential/known issue. I have come to understand that this is a widely known issue that has been wholly uncommunicated by the manufacturer. My vehicle, as confirmed by an independent service center, has experienced a coolant incursion in the engine block specifically in cylinder 3. The symptoms of this failure first occurred on the highway while traveling at speed, with the engine experiencing severe vibration and shaking the entire vehicle. This put myself and those around me at serious risk due to the vibration interfering with the operation of the vehicle. Several seconds after the physical symptoms began, the engine light flashed on momentarily (~10 seconds) without a message, and then turned itself off. Note, the engine temperature gauge did not display elevated engine temperature as would be expected from a vehicle losing coolant. Fortunately the vehicle was able to make it to its destination without injury or accident. The symptoms did not return on 2 subsequent test trips of the vehicle, again without any warning lights, messages, or elevated gauge readings. Then on a 3rd trip, after the cause was determined to be 'unknown', the symptoms returned. The engine vibration was so substantial that the vehicle was undrivable, the engine light only illuminated approximately 10 seconds after the physical symptoms and without any message. Again, the engine temperature reading or other warnings did not indicate there was any loss of coolant.

The engine failed because of coolant intrusion and the cylinders are messed up because of it. The engine could have died or locked up while driving,the car could have overheated and caught fire. Yes a Ford dealer diagnosed the vehicle. Yes I had a check engine light come on for a misfire in cylinder 2 I also had low coolant and white smoke in my exhaust and rough idling. Ford is refusing to help replace the engine but this is an ongoing issue with the 1. 5l ecoboost engines.

Coolant intrusion I now need a new engine known problem by Ford who refuses to fix it I now owe on a car that I cannot drive.

Contaminated coolant system.

The vehicle is experiencing severe engine malfunction due to a documented manufacturing defect: coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders (per Ford technical service bulletin TSB 22-2134). An authorized Ford dealership service department at shehy Ford, midlothian, va, has officially inspected the vehicle and confirmed this specific failure. This defect presents a severe and immediate safety hazard. While driving, the vehicle runs exceptionally rough, hesitates, and suffers from engine misfires. This causes a sudden loss of acceleration and vehicle power in active traffic, creating an imminent risk of a rear-end collision on high-speed roadways. Furthermore, the constant loss of engine coolant creates a severe risk of sudden engine overheating, cylinder head cracking, and catastrophic engine fire while the vehicle is in motion. The manufacturer is aware of this design defect via the certified class-action lawsuit miller v. Ford motor CO. , but the dealership refused to offer goodwill assistance, quoting an exorbitant $17,000 for repair, forcing the vehicle to remain on the road in an unsafe, hazardous condition.

I am writing to report a severe and dangerous manufacturing defect regarding engine coolant intrusion on my 2018 Ford Escape. Engine coolant has leaked into the engine cylinders, causing immediate engine misfires, white smoke from the exhaust, a rapid loss of coolant, and severe engine overheating. This is a well-documented manufacturing flaw in Ford's ecoboost engine blocks (specifically involving the cylinder block design). This defect creates a critical safety hazard: the engine can stall suddenly, lose power while driving at highway speeds, or suffer complete catastrophic failure, greatly increasing the risk of an accident or an engine fire. Ford previously issued technical service bulletin (TSB) 19-2346 and customer satisfaction program 21n12 for this exact issue, acknowledging the design flaw. However, my vehicle is now experiencing this catastrophic failure, and the dealer is demanding thousands of dollars for a complete engine block replacement. I am requesting that the NHTSA fully investigate this persistent safety defect to force a safety recall so affected consumers are not left driving hazardous vehicles or forced to pay for Ford's engineering failure.

1. The engine developed a coolant intrusion failure. A Ford repair shop diagnosed coolant leaking into the engine, consistent with the known 1. 5l ecoboost coolant intrusion issue. The vehicle and failed engine are available for inspection upon request. 2. The engine misfired and requires replacement due to internal coolant intrusion. An engine failure while driving could result in sudden loss of power or stalling, increasing the risk of a crash, particularly in traffic or at highway speeds. 3. Yes. The problem was confirmed by a Ford dealer repair shop, which diagnosed coolant intrusion into the engine. 4. The vehicle has been inspected by a Ford dealership. It has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. 5. The check engine light illuminated with the cylinder 1 misfire code before the diagnosis. I initially took it to an independent repair shop and got the spark plugs replaced. Then a week and a half later the cel turned on again with the same code. In response, the vehicle was taken to a Ford dealership, where the engine was diagnosed with coolant intrusion.

The engine failed due to coolant system leak. Ford is well aware of this issue but refuses to do a recall.

Vehicle has a coolant intrusion issue which is a well known issue for this model and year. Reference campaign 21n12.

I am reporting a severe, dangerous engine design defect in my 2018 Ford Escape titanium (2. 0l ecoboost engine). The vehicle has suffered an internal cylinder head failure, allowing engine coolant to flood directly into the cylinders (coolant intrusion). This defect has rendered the vehicle completely disabled and undrivable. Prior to complete failure, the vehicle experienced severe hesitation, white smoke from the exhaust, and sudden drops in engine power while driving, creating an immediate traffic hazard and risk of a high-speed highway stall. Ford has issued technical service bulletins (tsbs) for this exact issue, acknowledging that the block design allows coolant to pool and bypass the head gasket. Furthermore, a federal court certified a class action lawsuit regarding this exact 2. 0l safety hazard on June 22, 2026 (miller v. Ford motor CO. ). Because this defect causes sudden, unpredictable engine failure and stalls during active operation, it poses an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety. I request that the NHTSA escalate its investigation into Ford's 2. 0l ecoboost engines to force a mandatory safety recall.

Known issue with Ford 1. 5l ecoboost engines, coolant intrusion into cylinders due to faulty short block design. Should be recalled or under a lifetime warranty.

I bought the vehicle used with 98,000 miles. After a few months of driving and reaching 103,000 miles is when the problem occurred. As active duty military I was in the field for 2 days. When I had gotten out of the field I started the car and was sitting there for about 2 minutes and seen the temperature gauge starting to rise. So I turned the heat on full blast and started to drive, then the temperature gauge went all the way to the hot position and went into limp mode. I turned the car off popped the hood and seen it drank all of the coolant. So I refilled the coolant and let it sit for about 24 hours. The next day I turned the key over to supply battery and seen it was still completely hot. I’ve done some research and believe I’m experiencing the beloved coolant intrusion.

My pregnant wife and 2 year old daughter we driving to daycare the morning of June 22nd 2026 and the car flashed an engine overheating message while they were on the highway. They were luckily able to pull off safely and get the car home. Then on June 23rd I went to take the car into the shop to get it looked at and the car completely broke down in traffic on my way to get the car serviced. The engine is completely seized up due to the coolant leak known issue with these engines.

The check engine light came on. It would not go above 60 mph. The vehicle was blowing hot air and shaking.

Check-engine light related to code p0301 (misfire, cylinder 1). This is a known issue on many Ford engines, including the 2. 0l ecoboost in our Escape (with titanium trim). Reference: https://static. Nhtsa. Gov/odi/tsbs/2019/mc-10169807-0001. Pdf.

Head cracked and allowed coolant to intrude into the cylinders causing misfiring and white smoke to come out of the exhaust. Barely made it off the highway to a safe location as I was quickly loosing acceleration. Issue confirmed by sames Ford dealership in harlingen, TX (codes p0302 and p0303). They informed me that this is a known issue with this 1. 5l ecoboost motor in this vehicle. Vehicle is a total loss and I still owe a significant amount on the lease.

I am reporting a severe safety hazard regarding a complete powertrain failure on my 2018 Ford Escape titanium awd equipped with the 2. 0l ecoboost engine. This vehicle experienced a catastrophic internal failure due to a known factory design defect where engine coolant intrudes directly into the cylinder bores. This defect is thoroughly documented by the manufacturer in Ford technical service bulletin TSB 19-2346. The sudden loss of engine compression and immediate coolant burning causes severe engine misfires, a sudden drop in vehicle power, and blinding white exhaust smoke. This creates an immediate traffic hazard, blinding drivers behind the vehicle and risking a high-speed rear-end collision on the highway. Furthermore, the rapid loss of engine coolant puts the vehicle at risk of sudden stalling in live traffic without warning, disabling power steering and power brakes, and introducing a severe risk of under-hood engine fires due to extreme overheating. Ford has re-engineered this engine block casting for production models built after mid-2019 to resolve this exact structural defect, proving that the original factory engine block installed in my vehicle was fundamentally defective from the factory. Because this design defect creates an immediate, dangerous operational failure on public roads, I am requesting that the NHTSA escalate this investigation and force Ford motor company to issue a safety recall and provide retroactive financial reimbursement to affected vehicle owners, regardless of current vehicle mileage.

Coolant intrusion in cylinder 3. Vehicle suddenly loses power causing concern for collision at operating speeds. This was diagnosed by a dealership. This is a known issue.

The coolant is leaking in the cylinder and white smoke coming from exaust.

The vehicle experienced engine failure due to coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders, requiring complete engine replacement. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Prior to diagnosis, the vehicle exhibited engine misfires, rough operation, and noticeable “jumping” or jerking when starting the engine and when shifting into reverse. Warning indicator lights were also present. These symptoms indicated unstable engine operation and raised concern for potential sudden loss of power or engine failure while operating the vehicle, which could create a safety risk in traffic. The condition was first diagnosed by an independent repair facility and later confirmed by an authorized Ford dealership. The dealership confirmed coolant intrusion into the engine and determined that complete engine replacement was required. The manufacturer, through its authorized dealership, inspected the vehicle and confirmed the diagnosis. The vehicle is currently not safely operable due to the confirmed engine failure. Based on my understanding, Ford has previously acknowledged coolant intrusion concerns affecting certain 1. 5l ecoboost engines through customer satisfaction programs. Although this specific vehicle was not included in that program, the dealership confirmed the same coolant intrusion failure.

My daughter was driving down the highway and the brakes all of sudden wouldn’t work. She narrowly avoided a collision and got the vehicle to a stop. We had it towed to my shop for inspection and turns out the vacuum pump went out without warning and causes power brakes to fail. I have fixed it and only 5 days later the the head gasket blew. I have received quotes from multiple dealerships. All say they that due to the year and the problems with the 1. 5 liter block they have to replace the engine.

I have a 2918 Ford Escape se with what I am now finding has a known flawed 1. 5l ecoboost that Ford only put a service notice out on long ago. The engine has a know issue with cylinder coolant intrusion problems. I had engine misfire and powertrain code show up and put the car into limp mode while driving at 70 on the interstate. When the limp mode started I came close to being in an accident due to sudden deceleration. I have replaced parts for the misfire and even more codes show up. The motor is now overheating and blowing white smoke when starting due to the coolant intrusion in cylinder one. Please make Ford finally responsible for this issue and coverup. There needs to be a recall.

The vehicle experienced a coolant intrusion failure involving the 2. 0l ecoboost engine. While driving, the engine began to misfire and run rough, and the check engine light illuminated. Diagnostic testing confirmed a cylinder misfire. A dealership inspected the vehicle and confirmed that coolant was leaking internally into one or more cylinders due to engine coolant intrusion. The dealership advised that the manufacturer recommends replacing the engine short block rather than performing a head gasket repair because the underlying engine design is the cause of the failure. This condition creates a significant safety concern because the engine can suddenly lose power, run unpredictably, or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash, especially in traffic or at highway speeds. Continued operation also risks catastrophic engine failure. The condition has been confirmed by an authorized dealership and is available for inspection upon request. Prior to diagnosis, symptoms included rough engine operation, a check engine light, and a confirmed cylinder misfire. The coolant intrusion was verified during the dealer's inspection. Based on the dealership's findings, this appears to be an internal engine defect rather than normal wear or maintenance-related failure.

Coolant intrusion of the engine. Coolant appearing in the cylinders due to engine block flaw design. The vehicle was inspected at 4 different locations, including auto zone, meineke and 2 Ford dealerships and all came to the same conclusion. It is available for inspection upon request. My safety was put at risk since the engine could've stopped since there was already observations of engine misfiring upon startup. The safety of others were at risk as well since the vehicle could've stalled on the expressway causing a major accident. First, I took the vehicle to auto zone to run diagnostics that showed cylinder 2 and 3 were misfiring. Then took the vehicle to meineke where they ran diagnostics that stated cylinder 2 and 3 were misfiring and then they switched the cylinders to see where the issue was occurring they also added coolant since the level was low. I then was advised to drive the vehicle and come back if the engine light turned on. The engine light appeared and observed shaking of the vehicle so I returned to meineke. They then ran further testing and came to the conclusion that there was a coolant intrusion issue (loss of coolant) and startup misfiring and I was advised to take it to a dealership where certified people could do more testing. I took the vehicle to a Ford dealership and they came to the same conclusion that the issue was coolant intrusion of the engine and that the whole engine would need replacing with symptoms of startup misfires and coolant loss. I then took it to another Ford dealership for another opinion and they also came to the same conclusion where they observed startup misifires, coolant loss, and white smoke. The warning signs were the check engine light and shaking of the vehicle. After observing that, I didn't drive it until the following morning to get it checked out.

2018 Ford Escape se 1. 5l 4 cylinder ecoboost engine. I was driving on a major 2 lane state road going 65 miles an hour when the warning light came on that the engine was overheating and pull over immediately. There was no prior warning. As soon as I stopped I looked at the temperature indicator and it returned to a normal level. I tried to drive again and got the same urgent message to stop. There was very little grass on the side of the road where I had to pull off and cars and trucks were passing us going 60-70 miles per hour. I had to call a tow truck to get the vehicle towed to the local Ford dealership. 3 hours sitting on the side of the road and did not get picked up for 3 hours in the dark. Ford ran a diagnostic test the next day and informed me in writing that the engine needed to be replaced due to coolant leakage into the engine block. I would also need the cabin coolant heater pump and the sparkplugs replaced. The total would be over $8,200. I had the vehicle in for service three months ago due to a check engine light and did the requested repair. The informed me now that it was for a different issue. Ford is not taking any responsibility for this known problem. I was the original owner and was never informed of the issue.