2018 Ford Escape problems and complaints
Owners have filed 1788 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Escape. The most-reported areas: Engine (1144), Engine And Engine Cooling (342), Power Train (269).
Key takeaways
- 1788 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 25 involve a crash, 5 a fire, 30 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1144 | 64% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 342 | 19% |
| Power Train | 269 | 15% |
| Unknown Or Other | 104 | 6% |
| Electrical System | 53 | 3% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 42 | 2% |
| Steering | 30 | 2% |
| Service Brakes | 26 | 1% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 22 | 1% |
| Wheels | 22 | 1% |
| Structure | 20 | 1% |
| Fuel System | 12 | 1% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Ford Escape SUV AWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2018 Ford Escape SUV FWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Engine - filed 2026-09-18
At approximately 64,500 miles, my Ford Escape was diagnosed by a Ford dealership with coolant intrusion into 3 of 4 cylinders. At the time of diagnosis, the vehicle was still driveable, but the diagnosis indicated a serious internal engine problem with the potential to cause sudden engine damage or failure. Prior to d...
Engine - filed 2026-09-16
Check Engine light turned on for misfire codes. Replaced spark plugs but noticed coolant in the cylinder. Found Ford TSB 22-2133 and TSB 22-2229. So i want to report another failure of these engines
Engine - filed 2026-09-16
Went to get service for a misfire and found out about a well documented issue with these engines. Coolant intrusion into the cylinders leading to complete engine failure. Ford has known about this issue since 2010 and continued manufacturing with this known defect
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More for the 2018 Ford Escape
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.