general problems of the 2018 Ford Escape - part 2

While driving on highway the trouble light "engine fault service now" engaged and the engine started to lose power. Another trouble light came on saying to pull car over immediately and restart. By this time the car was dying of power and eventually lost all forward motion. After sitting for a couple hours the engine started with no trouble lights. Had towed to Ford dealer and they say there are no codes logged. This is two weeks after we had to have a new long block engine installed due to faulty motor due to fluid intrusion into cylinders. This latest problem is definately a safety issue with vehicle just dying on the road.

Received transmission fault error while driving the car (car was in motion). Car could not accelerate despite appkying pressure to the accelerator. Car failed to to shift while car was in motion. Vehicle stalled 3 times on the date indicated. Had vehicle diagnosed at a Ford dealer. Requires a remanufactured transmission thats costs $7500 (more than the vehicle is worth). This is a known issue among 3rd gen Ford Escapes.

Request for NHTSA investigation – 2018 Ford Escape 1. 5l ecoboost coolant intrusion engine defect ?vehicle information ?year/make/model: 2018 Ford Escape ?engine: 1. 5l ecoboost ?VIN: [xxx] ?I am submitting this complaint regarding a well-documented coolant intrusion defect affecting my vehicle’s 1. 5l ecoboost engine. The vehicle is experiencing coolant loss without any visible external leaks, and an authorized Ford dealership has confirmed that coolant is entering the engine, causing internal damage. ?the dealership noted that this matches the exact defect Ford has acknowledged in multiple technical service bulletins (TSB 19-2375, TSB 20-2100, ssm 48106, ssm 48150) and customer satisfaction program 21n12. However, I am told my specific VIN is excluded from coverage, leaving me financially responsible for a full engine replacement. ?this defect is a severe safety concern. It can cause sudden engine misfires, overheating, and a complete loss of power while driving, placing my family and other motorists at immediate risk. As a single mother rebuilding my life after leaving a domestic violence relationship, I cannot afford to pay thousands of dollars to fix an inherent, manufacturer-acknowledged design flaw. ?the high volume of consumer complaints proves this is a widespread manufacturing defect, not normal wear and tear. I respectfully request that the NHTSA investigate this further and require Ford to issue a full safety recall or extend coverage to all affected vehicles, regardless of VIN eligibility. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Multiple failures occurred while driving with my kids in the car from what we can tell an electrical system failure of the parking brake motor as well as a transmission failure it is unknown at this time whether the parking brake motor failed causing stress on the transmission or the transmission fault led to the end electric motor failure of the parking brake.

This vehicle is driven by my [xxx] 3 things happened the third can cause an accident leading to death or a multi car accident. #1 [xxx] driving on the freeway she heard a squeeling noise like a belt slipping then went away and has not retuned. I checked belts and idlers all ok. #2 [xxx] heard loud ticking under floorboard of car driving on the freeway car seemed to drive normally then ticking went away. #3 [xxx] driving on the freeway steering wheel pulled the car aggressively to left almost causing a multi car accident cars behind and to the left were swerving to avoid hitting other cars. She was able to control the car back straight again luckily the car to her left was not next to her but at her rear bumper or she would have hit that car pushing it into cars in all the lanes to the left. After an internet search I discovered that Ford has had problems with their transfer cases (ptu) and its rare but people have reported issues with the car pulling hard left for no reason. I mention the three steps that happened previous to the steering wheel incident because from my research these are the warring signs before the transfer case goes out. This vehicle is a 2018 Ford Escape awd 35,000 original miles p. S. Ford customer service was notified of this safety issue on December 6, 2025 my case# [xxx] response was not covered I will be repairing this vehicle and I will retain all the old parts for your convenience if you need them for further inspection or investigation. Ptu failures are a well know issue with these ptu's information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Had vehicle in shop for axle repair, as soon as I got home transmission went out when I was about to turn onto a main road with 2 kids in my car. My car felt like it was in neutral but it wasn’t. Barely got back to my parking spot. Seeing this is a common issue with my car and I think it should be covered under a recall.

To whom this concerns: my name is [xxx] and I’m writing this on the behalf of my wife [xxx] , but her last name was [xxx] years ago. My wife purchases a 2018 Ford Escape. Car was working completely fine and there were no problems. As time went on, we had to take our vehicle to jordan Ford where the car was purchased. The issue with the car was something called engine intrusion. We took it to jordan Ford, and they told is this needed to be fixed. The cost was around 5,000 which was a lot for this. Then we found out that this vehicle had a recall on it for the exact same issue that we were having. Looking at the recall, it said that we had to give them this by a certain date. We were too late on that date so the recall could not be honored. We called Ford and told them about the problem with the vehicle and they were willing to knock the price down. I told them that is not fair that we must pay for a problem that is a recall. We did not get the car fixed and they knew about it. Now, it looks like our Ford Escape has the exact same issue, but now they are saying that we must pay over 8,000 to replace the short block because it’s over-heating. Well, we found out that this car was purchased after the recall was in motion and we were not told about it. It is not fair that this vehicle has had this many problems and Ford knew about it. [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Engine light came on. It came up as misfire cylinder 3 needing spark plugs/ignition coil so I made an appointment to get that fixed. On my way to my appointment today, the “engine overheating stop vehicle” warning came on. Turns out this is the known coolant intrusion into the engine block problem that has caused the engine to crack and now needs replaced. Called Ford customer service and just like what they are telling everyone else, there is nothing they can do to help. Yes it’s a known problem by Ford but they will not fix it because my car does not meet mileage criteria. It has 130,000 miles.

My vehicle stooped running. I scheduled maintenance at metro Ford. According to the diagnostic test completed at metro Ford, there were powertrain issues. This diagnosis also appears on my Ford motor pass app. According to the service department at metro Ford, coolant was leaking into the engine and that a new water pump and battery needs to be installed to get the car back running. We complied with the cost ($2,400 this included new water pump and battery) and 30 days later the car stopped running again. The car was towed back to metro Ford and we were told that the engine is dead and that a new diagnostic check will need to be done with an additional $410 on top of the $2,400 which was paid to get the water pump and other items fixed previously. We were never informed that the engine will need to be replaced after the first diagnostic check. That information should have been told first since you are running the same check that now tells you the engine is dead.

On 10/17/2025, my transmission stop working properly after driving fine for 145,000 miles. This seems to be a common occurrence with this year and model for the Escape. The transmission is an automatic and stopped going in the drive gear on the highway. I was able to get the car off the road and have it towed to a mechanic where they verified that that I would need a new transmission.

Transmission fault in red letters came on. Turned car off and then turned back on after 20 minutes and the message disappeared. Three days later same things happened- repeated what I did before and message went away. I've noticed when I try to accelerate it sounds as if I'm accelerating but I'm not getting passed 20 mph. Car does a hard jerk when trying to accelerate.

To whom it may concern, I am writing to express my deep frustration regarding a serious issue with my Ford vehicle. My vehicle recently displayed code p0302 – misfire cylinder 2, which has been diagnosed as coolant intrusion into the cylinder. The recommended repair is a replacement long block, along with new hardware and seals. This is a known issue with certain Ford engines — one that Ford previously covered under warranty or service campaigns prior to 2023. My vehicle has fewer than 60,000 miles, yet it has suffered a major engine failure clearly tied to a manufacturing defect. Ford and even u. S. Government agencies are aware of this widespread issue. Unfortunately, Ford is now refusing to take responsibility for a defect they have long known about. It’s extremely disappointing to see such disregard for loyal customers. This experience has completely eroded my trust in Ford. It’s clear why so many americans are turning to foreign manufacturers — companies that take accountability and fix known problems instead of ignoring them. I will never purchase a Ford again, and I will be sharing my experience so that others are aware of how these issues are being handled.

I’ve seen others report on the same issues and hopefully this brings something up for a recall. At first it was a misfire in the engine, and oil getting into the spark plugs. Then coolant leaking. Then overheating. I looked into the codes and took it into the shop and it’s going to cost me 8-12,000 to fix due to the same issue that other people all seem to be having.

Ford design flaw in 1. 5 ecoboost engine in a 2018 Escape with 91k miles causing water intrusion into cylinder which causes engine to run dangerously bad. Ford knew of design flaw but neglected issue recall but did issue csp 21n12 Ford will not assist because of ending program in late 2022.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to shift into gear properly, with the transmission warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that the vehicle failed to shift into reverse and was unable to operate while in reverse. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Engine failure due to coolant intrusion design defect that Ford did not pay for it. Even though, since match 1, 2025, there have been over 320 complaints regarding this issue. Nhtsa should communicate to Ford, these vehicles should be recalled!.

My 2018 Ford Escape 1. 5l ecoboost experience rough starts for about a week. Then on the highway the engine temperature gage shot all the way to hot, the check engine light began flashing, and the vehicle started rumbling. We parked and had the vehicle towed. The mechanic diagnosed the problem as coolant intrusion into the cylinder. It has cracked the engine block. This issue is known to be a problem by Ford. The dealership mechanic knew what the problem just from the make, model, and year. Ford released a letter to all dealerships to attempt a computer repair in 2022, apparently to buy time as they knew there were going to be issues as these vehicles aged. The letter suggests that Ford and the dealers are to contact anyone who purchased these vehicles. We were not contacted. We have contacted Ford and their customer service representatives say that Ford has a customer satisfaction program, 21n12, in place to fix these vehicles, but it "is not attached to our VIN" and there is nothing they can do. When you ask for a supervisor, they call from a toll free number after 8:00pm and tell you the same thing. "that program isn't attached to your VIN" and there is nothing they can do about it.

Coolant leaking into engine. Check engine light on. Codes p0302, p0316, u0140. I was told by the Ford dealership that ran codes that the only correction for the issue is a full long block replacement.

Coolant intrusion, damaged engine.

Blown head gasket which is causing coolant to leak into the cylinders. Check engine light came on at 72,000 miles (leased the car at 71,000) with coolant loss. The problem was diagnosed by an independent service center on 8/19/25, 3 weeks after leasing to buy.

I lost engine power trying to accelerate while entering the highway. Check engine light flashed several times then went steady. I pulled over into the slow lane with my flashers on and with reduced power to get off the highway exit straight to the dealer. The check engine light stayed on steady. This is apparently part of a known issue with the 1. 5l gtdi engine. There was a technical service bulletin created for it 22-2322 and a customer service program fix was set up- 21n12.

It started out as a misfire which can be caused by multiple issues, after changing spark plugs and coils, noted low coolant (no visible leaks), white smoke, running rough. Ford dealer diagnosis as coolant intrusion and states a complete long block needs replacement. The cost of this is more than the market value.

My motor had to be replaced due to coolant intrusion. Now my transmission has to be replaced as well. It was definitely faulty. I have letters from the Ford dealership that worked on my car and put the new motor in. It was caused by coolant intrusion.

We started to notice a rough idle when starting the vehicle, the check engine light came on. The rough idle continued to get worse. We took it to a certified mechanic to have it inspected. Based upon the check engine status, they did further diagnosis through various tests. They determined that the coolant appeared to be seeping into the #1 cylinder. They checked the Ford website for any recalls and found a TSB ( technical service bulletin} # 19-2346 regarding the 2. 0l eco-boost engine. Ford's tsp says to replace the engine block, but does not indicate at who's expense. If this is defective and Ford knows, the consumer should not be responsible to pay for this major expense. What do we do? within the ;next couple weeks we plan to take the car into a Ford dealership to do their own diagnosis.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 80 mph and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 85,822.

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.

Coolant intrusion . Coolant leak caused the vehicle to overheat and thus making it unable to drive . Had to tow to a repair facility and they confirmed that it’s a coolant intrusion, a common issue with Ford Escape . Engine warning light came up and there were mis fires in engine. In a week , got an engine overheat warning in the morning when I started the car .

I own a 2018 Ford Escape. Current mileage is 58,847 and was serviced regularly. In July of this year, the transmission failed completely while driving. No warnings or symptoms prior to complete failure. I was very lucky that the highway I was traveling on was not busy and I was able to coast into a parking lot. I had to pay a towing fee to have it taken to my local Ford dealer where they informed me my transmission had failed!! the transmission fluid was found to be burnt and contained a lot of metal shavings in it. The cost to replace the transmission with a remanufactured one was over $9500. My local Ford dealer installed a remanufactured transmission on July 22, 2025. I continued to have issues such as shift hesitation and other error messages. I took it back to the dealer on Aug 25, 2025. I requested to the tech that the transmission fluid be checked. He stated that after only 30 days, the oil was already discolored from being too hot and there were metal shavings in the fluid. Only about 600 miles were put on the vehicle since the transmission repair. The service manager stated that it will surely fail again based on the condition of the fluid. The service manager also stated that it is possible that I will need a third transmission! in doing research, I found that my particular model is prone to premature transmission failure. There are several class action lawsuits against Ford motor CO for 2018 - 2020 Escapes for this defective transmission. And in addition, it states that Ford was aware of the issues and yet continued to manufacture vehicles with this particular transmission in it. Why was there no recall issued? why did Ford motor CO not make consumers aware of the problem in order to be able to take preventative measures? with 700,000 of these vehicles on the road, this is a serious safety issue which could result in loss of control while driving, and possible catastrophic results. Ford motor CO should be liable for the defective transmission.

I am at 123,000 miles, older driver that primarily drives around town. I have been having issues with the transmission lagging, I had the transmission serviced but the problem persists. The transmission shop tried to reset the transmission, however it will not reset. It was diagnosed with an issue with the 3rd/5th gears (related), and suspected to have an issue with the gears plate. Far too few miles to have this happening.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 70 mph, the transmission was slipping, and the power train malfunction warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact became aware of fluids leaking underneath the vehicle and accumulating on the rear glass. The contact drove the vehicle to a nearby parking space and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a fractured flex plate, a failed torque converter, a failed front pump, a failed crank shaft and engine failure. The contact was informed that the suggestive repairs would be to replace the flex plate, torque converter and the front pump. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,500.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the flex plate 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 assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the engine was running roughly while driving at various speeds. While driving approximately 40-50 mph and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to respond and decelerated instead. The contact was able to continue driving off the highway at a slower speed. The following day while starting the vehicle, there was white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. The “wrench” warning light was illuminated, indicating the vehicle needed to be serviced. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure due to a coolant leak in cylinder #2. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 22v413000 (power train); however, the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for the recall repair. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and provided a reference number from the dealer for the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Blown engine, misfire cylinder 3 coolant leaking into cylinder 3, block cracked. . . Smuttering. Problem has been identified by our mechanic, and Ford has been called for a replacement engine. Check engine light was on.

Had to take the vehicle into the dealer the end of April 2025 for oil leak that they discovered. It was fixed. Then on may 8 2025 check engine light came on so had it towed to Ford dealer. They couldn't find any thing wrong. Car had white smoke, shaking when starting and smelled like oil. They had it 6 days before returning it. They said the white smoke was normal for an older car because the exhaust ststem is older. Huh??? so then on may 29 2025 the car still had the white smoke when started. Moved car down the driveway into the street and it died. It would not move and was sitting in the middle of the street. Let it sit for a while and was able to move it back into the driveway. Called dealer again and asked them to tow it again. Dealer said the wall was cracked and the coolant had leaked into the cylinders and the engine needed to be replaced at a cost of $10,000. 00. Oh and that was a discounted price. The warranty had ran out 86 miles before. I asked Ford motor CO. If they would do anything about it and they said they had no programs to pay for it. They sold a faulty vehicle and should have to pay for the repairs, not me. It was a danger to drive and we as owners were not told about it.

The vehicle flywheel is currently damaged at around 66000 miles. There are currently no warning lights for it at this time. There is a loud knocking sound that is known to get louder when turning the ac on.