Owner complaint record
2018 Ford Escape Problems and Recalls: What Owners Report
This page shows the problems 2018 Ford Escape owners reported to NHTSA, the federal agency that tracks car safety: 1,770 complaints sorted by system, the mileage they started at, the check engine codes owners named, and the recalls to check before you buy.
NHTSA owner complaintsChecked Oct 3, 20261,770 complaintsFederal file of Aug 25, 2026
-34% vs 2017
1,128 complaints, 64% of the total
half of the engine reports that give a mileage came before this
23 mention an injury, 5 a fire
The engine leads the 2018 Ford Escape record at 64%, with engine and cooling next at 19%. Of the engine reports that give a mileage, half came before 78,700 miles. The costliest part on our cost list is the water pump, $16 to $99 for the part alone.
It's a count of reports, not a failure rate. Use it to decide what to inspect before buying, not to grade the car.
Nearly two in three complaints name the engine, and three in four of those mention coolant, often with a warning light or a leak. Ford's recall 26V-011 covers the engine block heater on 2.0L Escapes, which can crack, leak coolant and short when it is plugged in.
2018 Ford Escape overview
The 2018 Escape came with a 2.5-liter four, a 1.5-liter turbo four and a 2.0-liter turbo four, all with a six-speed automatic, in front-wheel or all-wheel drive.
Owners filed 34% fewer complaints about the 2018 than the 2017 (2,663), and the engine leads both years. The 2019 drew 575, with engine named most.
- Power
- 168 hp at 6,000 rpm
- Torque
- 170 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm
- Gearbox
- 6-speed automatic
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Not direct
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
- Power
- 245 hp at 5,500 rpm
- Torque
- 275 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm
- Gearbox
- 6-speed automatic
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Direct injection
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
- Power
- 179 hp at 6,000 rpm
- Torque
- 177 lb-ft at 2,500 rpm
- Gearbox
- 6-speed automatic
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Direct injection
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
Fuel economy from EPA fueleconomy.gov; power and torque from Ford media technical spec sheets and ford.com engine pages (Wayback copies), read 3 Oct 2026.
Is the 2018 Ford Escape reliable?
The 2018 Ford Escape ranks 5th of 16 Escape model years for owner complaints, and most of them are about the engine. The four checks below are what the federal record can say; none of them is a reliability score.
- 5thCompared with other Escape years1,770 complaints, the 5th most of 16 model years (2013 has 2,744).By model year
- 64%The system named mostEngine, in 1,128 complaints. Half of the engine reports that give a mileage came before 78,700 miles.Problems by system
- 4Recalls4 recall campaigns cover the 2018 Ford Escape.Recalls
- 25Crashes, injuries, fires25 complaints mention a crash, 23 an injury and 5 a fire.
A complaint count is not a failure rate: the record doesn't say how many were sold, so a popular year draws more reports.
2018 Ford Escape problems by system
Every complaint to NHTSA names the part of the car that gave the owner trouble, such as the engine or the steering. The cards below sort the 1,770 complaints about the 2018 Ford Escape that way, largest first: open one to read what owners wrote, when it usually starts, and what to check.
Engine64%1,128 complaintsCoolant loss, warning lights, misfires
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What owners describe
At between 18000 and 19000 miles car developed coolant leak and has been at the riverside dealership since 9/13/19 and unknown time to get replacement parts and new engine from Ford.
While driving to town 16 oct.18-check engine light came and I took the car to dealer. Code was 1136 and I was told the long block would need to be replaced. Work was done and car returned 22 oct.18.
MDINTXOHRead 4 more owner reports+4
Engine failure at 10k coolant leaking into cylinder wall. Look online and all I see is 2018 and 2019 Ford escape 1.5 turbo coolant leak engine failure..Ford needs to own this and this needs a recall.
Coolant leaked into the engine. Took 2018 Ford escape se 4x4 to dealership and was told an engine block and other parts need to be replaced. Only had 34,500 miles.
Vehicle had engine replaced january 2020 for engine failure. April 2021 received message stating engine fault, brought to the dealership and was told coolant was leaking, not related to the engine replacement and repairs would be $1400
At 62,000 the engine fault light came on. I took it to the dealership and was told it was leaking coolant into the cylinder head and I needed a new engine. My car was just at the dealership 3 weeks prior with no issues notes. I take my car in for work every 3 months. When I was told I needed a new engine, I was told this was a known problem with the engine.
When it starts
Usually starts around 78,667 miles. Half of owners reported it between 41,750 and 100,000.
What to do
Check the coolant level cold, then watch the temperature gauge and for a check engine light.
Our guideCoolant Leak: The Five Places It Comes FromEngine and cooling19%333 complaintsCoolant leaks, warnings
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What owners describe
The dealer has determined that engine coolant is leaking into the motor. This is a 2018 model with 24,500 miles. I understand that a number of Ford vehicles with the same engine design have been recalled because this is a safety issue, and I am afraid to drive the vehicle.
Coolant leaked into one of the cylinders which is requiring major engine block repairs. It only has 80k miles on the car and is in great condition. No warnings happened before it almost overheated and threw a error code.
CARead 1 more owner reports+1
Went to start vehicle in morning after it had been sitting overnight. Temperature gauge went all the way to red immediately and alert on dash said do not drive vehicle and turn engine off immediately. Had it towed to dealer and they advised coolant was leaking which caused blown head gasket. Only fix is to replace engine which will cost more than vehicle is worth
When it starts
Usually starts around 89,300 miles. Half of owners reported it between 70,000 and 108,000.
What to do
Look for coolant under the car and around the engine.
Our guideCoolant Leak: The Five Places It Comes FromPowertrain15%259 complaintsWarning lights, shifting
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What owners describe
Engine long block was replaced, followed by a front main seal failure and replacement. After picking up vehicle from service, after about 1000 miles the engine lost oil a 3rd time and car went into "limp mode" and gave a cel.
My 2018 Ford escape lost the transmission on 24/27 albemarle road. I was taking my son for doctors checkup. I was lucky there was so much traffic on my way. Someone could have hit our vehicle from the rear. I managed to pull off to the road. This would have costed our life's has someone hit us from the ream.
VACOILMIRead 4 more owner reports+4
Flex broken again this will be 3rd flex plate put into car. All work done at Ford car only has 80,000 miles on it about every 20.000 miles it brakes
When driving the vehicle after a cold night or not being used the transmission laggs shifting between 2-3 gear usually on surface streets there is a 3-5 second delay in acceleration which has almost resulted in two collisions from behind. I took it to the dealer which yeilded no problems found. The vehicle was purchased brand new and has less than 4000 miles.
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.
2018 Ford escape. Consumer writes in regards to defective drive shaft. *ld
When it starts
Usually starts around 80,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 55,250 and 104,000.
What to do
Drive through every gear and watch for a warning light.
Our guideBad Transmission Symptoms: Seven Causes Ranked from $6.19 to $7,100Electrical system3%50 complaintsWarning lights
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What owners describe
Odometer fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Ford escape. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 80,851and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 69,851.
Back electric tailgate does not close completely. This is indicated by the horn double honking when locking the vehicle. However, there is no indicator on the dash when the car is on that this is not fully latched. I believe this could lead to exhaust in the cabin, especially if idling.
MIFLRead 2 more owner reports+2
The apim failed in both my escape and f150. These vehicles are under 65,000 miles and are 2018. This is a known issue, and is all over internet forums. The apim failure has resulted in no rear camera, screen, radio, or usb ports.
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.
When it starts
Not enough mileage reports.
What to do
Watch the dash for warning lights on the test drive.
Fuel and power delivery2%42 complaintsCoolant and fuel warnings
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What owners describe
On december 26, 2019, another other vehicle hit this 2018 Ford escape, spinning it into another vehicle. This escape caught on fire and was totally destroyed. All involved vehicles (all fords) were in motion traveling about 50 mph. This escape was traveling north on route 122 near burnt chimney, va. The other two fords were traveling south on this two lane road.
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.
NMNCRead 2 more owner reports+2
Getting terrible gas mileage only about 17 miles to the gallon, had 60 miles on car when leased and they told me to wait till I had a 1000 miles now have 2000 miles and still getting lousy mileage. Also, stop/start does not seem to be working. Also kick plate on back doesn't work well. Well, now try to take it in.
Coolant intrusion into motor. Coolant leak causing multiple misfires and my vehicle to lose power while driving and not to over 30mph. I have had the spark plugs, injectors, and coil packs all changed and problem persisted. Taking my car back to mechanic a test was done and there is coolant in the pistons.
When it starts
Not enough mileage reports.
What to do
Scan for stored codes before you buy.
What repairs cost on the 2018 Ford Escape
Part prices for the problems 2018 Escape owners report most. They are shelf and mail-order prices for the part alone, so a shop bill adds labor and its own markup.
For the 1.5L, SKP up to Motorcraft at $26 to $99; the 2.0L and 2.5L run $16 to $86, up to Four Seasons.
Check water pumpsPrices on this page are our own research, not the store’s, and store prices change daily.
Prices read on RockAuto on Oct 2, 2026, for the parts listed as fitting this car; regular stock only, closeouts left out.
Check engine codes owners report
29 owners name P0302 (cylinder 2 misfire) in their complaints, the code named most for this car.
Complaints whose text names the code, one count per complaint. Tap a code to read our guide; grey codes have no guide yet.
When problems show up on the odometer
Engine complaints start earliest, typically around 78,700 miles. Engine and cooling complaints start latest, around 89,300 miles.
Dot: typical mileage. Bar: the middle half of reports. From the mileage owners wrote on the form.
Ford Escape complaints by model year
2018 is shown in dark. The engine is named most in 4 other Escape years.
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2018 is shown in dark. The engine is named most in 4 other Escape years.
When owners filed
Complaints about the 2018 Ford Escape have kept arriving since 2018, with peaks in 2024 and 2025. A peak often follows a recall or a news story, not a new fault.
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2018 Ford Escape recalls
4 recall campaigns cover the 2018 Ford Escape. A recall list is by model year; whether one car had the work done is in its VIN record.
2018 Ford Escape crash tests and investigations
NHTSA crash tests rate the 2018 Ford Escape five stars overall, the same for all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive. NHTSA lists no defect investigation that covers this model year.
Ratings run from 1 to 5 stars: 5 is the safest result, 1 the least safe.
Frontal stars compare cars of about the same weight; side stars compare every vehicle. Rollover stars show how top-heavy the car is: NHTSA puts the 2018 Ford Escape’s chance of rolling over in a single-car crash at 18% to 19%.
Safety equipment NHTSA recommends
Optional means some trims have it and some don’t. Check the car you are looking at.
Before you buy a used 2018 Ford Escape
These checks follow what 2018 Escape owners reported most: coolant loss with engine warnings, then shifting faults. Run the VIN before you pay, because this SUV has block heater and shifter recalls.
- 1Check the coolant level cold
Coolant loss leads the engine complaints by a wide margin.
- 2Watch the temperature gauge and the warning lights
Owners describe warning lights with the coolant loss.
- 3Run the VIN for block heater and shifter recalls
Only the VIN shows whether they were done.
- 4Look for coolant under the car
Leaks run through the engine complaints.
- 5Scan for stored codes
Misfire codes show up with the coolant complaints.
Common questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Ford Escape?
Owners name the engine most (1,128 complaints), then engine and cooling (333) and powertrain (259).
Is 2018 a good year for the Ford Escape?
The complaint record can't grade a car, but it shows what to check: the engine complaints that lead this year, the mileage they start at, and whether the recall repairs were done.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Ford Escape?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2018 Ford Escape: airbags, brakes, power train, equipment. A dealer can tell from the VIN whether one car got the repairs.
At what mileage do 2018 Ford Escape problems start?
Engine complaints start earliest, around 78,700 miles. Engine and cooling complaints come later, around 89,300 miles.
Which Escape years have the most and fewest complaints?
The 2013 and 2017 model years have the most in the file, and the 2025 and 2024 the fewest, though newer cars have had less time to collect complaints.
Other 2018 SUVs to compare
What the complaint record can't tell you
Sources
Show all 6 sources
Owner quotes are changed from all capitals to normal case only. Counts by system and year cover vehicles with at least 10 complaints.