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2018 Ford Ecosport: won't start

16 of the 728 complaints about the 2018 Ford Ecosport describe won't start.

owner complaints
16
of this car's complaints
2%
recalls
1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 13 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below

Won't start by model year

What owners say

Filed Mar 29, 2026 · Fuel system · CA

After fueling, codes P0496 will show and car will not start or struggle to start. Stalling when on freeway and rough idle. My vehicle shut off on the freeway causing me to almost crash and had to stop immediatly. In my investigation, it seems I am not the only one suffering this issue. I am on my 2nd engine replacement from the original recall as well.

Filed May 14, 2025 · Electrical, Engine · NJ

I had brought my vehicle multiple times in 2024 to the Route 23 auto mall prior to me receiving a recall notice. The check engine light kept coming on and off and they told me that there was nothing wrong with my vehicle. I then received a recall notice in around the end of July 2024 and contacted them to complete the recall. I brought my vehicle in August 2024 and they told me that they would not be receiving the parts for the recall until March of 2025. I was told that I can still drive the car until then as it was not a safety hazard. That same day I went home and parked my car in front of my house. I was leaving to go to work and the car would not start. I had to call a tow truck to tow the car to the dealership. The manager told me that I would need to get a new motor and it would only take a few days. I asked for a rental car in the mean time. I then got my car back with the new motor almost 6 months later. I picked up my car from them and they gave me a certificate for the new motor. Fast forward to April of 2025 and my car again would not start. I had to have it towed to the dealership once again and this time it took 3 weeks to get it fixed. They said that the hose was ripped in half which causes anti-freeze to leek. They told me that it had nothing to do with the recall and that I had to pay $200.00 out of pocket. The car is still not fixed as per recall because the same parts were put on the car. I tried to get rid of the car and no dealership will by it. I looked online and noticed that there is a class action lawsuit against ford for the same exact issues. Ford itself will not buy the car back. What can I do now? I have attachments but its too large to fit on here. I can email it.

Filed May 20, 2024 · Engine, Transmission · OR

Kept getting a message on the dash saying low oil pressure then the car just completely stopped on me and wouldn't start no longer

Filed May 18, 2024 · Engine, Fuel system · NV

On or about October 2023, as I was driving my car it started to lose power. I had to pull over, out of traffic, into a parking lot. The car then stalled out and would not start. I had to call AAA to have it towed to SunAuto in North Las Vegas to have it inspected as to the problem. The manager subsequently called me to tell me the engine would have to be replaced as they found metal fragments in the engine cause by the oil pump. The car was out of warranty. I had to replace the engine at an out of pocket cost of $7,300!! Luckly I wasn't driving on the highway at 65 MPH when the engine died!!

Filed May 16, 2024 · Engine · VA

On March 8th, 2024, I was traveling full speed northbound on I-95 returning home from a family funeral. I heard a loud "whipping" noise come from the engine, then immediately received a notification on the dash alerting me to "low engine oil pressure". Within seconds, there was a loss of all acceleration capability. The car had to coast off of the highway onto the shoulder. I was in a construction zone, and luckily had just enough room on the shoulder to pull off in between the concrete dividers. Once the car was put in park, I could smell burning oil. I tried turning the car off and back on. The dash would turn on with power, but the engine would not turn over. I had to call AAA to have my car towed to the nearest Ford dealership.

Filed Mar 28, 2024 · Engine · 55,665 miles · MS

The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that several warning lights were illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the road and turned the vehicle off. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle did not start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with a failed oil pump which caused the failed engine and the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 55,665. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Mar 11, 2024 · Engine · AL

The 1.0Liter engine in the car was running rough and occasionally the car wouldn't start and it was losing engine coolant with no visible leaks. I replaced all three of the spark plugs and ignition coils due to a misfire code on cylinder 2. My daughter drove the car back to college (approx: 90 miles) with no issues. But the next day the car wouldn't start so we had it towed to a local mechanic who analyzed the engine and determined engine coolant was leaking into the engine cylinders which had fouled the plugs and damaged the engine. The auto mechanic said the car needs a new engine as the compression is inadequate in cylinder 2 and there's engine coolant in the cylinder as well as in the exhaust system.

Filed Feb 15, 2024 · Transmission · GA

My vehicle stopped accelerating in the middle of the road in traffic & completely shutdown...it would not crank & I couldn't get it out of the road...the check engine light & auto start button started to flash really fast & then the low oil pressure message came on

Filed Jan 5, 2024 · Engine, Fuel system · TX

While driving, the oil warning light came on. I took the car to Firestone where they said the oil was very black, but it had been less than 3,000 miles since it was changed last. They changed the oil and the light went off, but after leaving, I made it barely a quarter of a mile when the engine light came on and the car began jerking. I was able to continue driving at a very low speed to pull over safely. After parking, the car shut down and would not start back up. I had to get the car towed to the nearest Ford dealership. They diagnosed the car with an engine failure due to excessive metal debris found in the oil pan as well as in the valve train assembly. Apparently this is a known issue with the EcoSport that I was unaware of until this incident occurred. The fact that Ford knew this was an issue and took no steps to inform me or other consumers is a huge problem. Not only that, I should not have been made to pay for any repairs due to this known issue. It is clear that they went forward with production on this car with faulty parts, including the windshield wiper pump. I can definitely understand why they stopped producing this vehicle and honestly they should all be off the road at this point. I tried to upload the repair invoice, but every time I press the “upload” button, it just disappears.

Filed Dec 26, 2023 · Engine · MI

I had to have my 2018 Ford ecosport towed to the Ford dealership after the low engine oil pressure light came on and wouldn't start. Ford dealership stated it would be 6700 to even look at it and that was nothing they could do engine miles are 89000 and will not start

Filed Dec 7, 2023 · Engine · TX

The vehicle had an intense loss of power and slowed down to a few miles per hour even with the gas pedal pushed down all the way. This put us in harms way until we could get out of the way of moving traffic. In a parking lot, the vehicle stopped and would not start. The engine light came on briefly before the event. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The service department indicated that the engine was bad and a new one would be needed. The vehicle was held by the service department for about a month until another engine became available. The failed engine was then replaced. The service documentation indicated that there was debris in the failed engine. Due to the extended warranty in place, only the $100 deductible fee was paid. While we are grateful that we did not have to pay the full price for the repair, our main concern is the sudden failure of the engine.

Filed Nov 20, 2023 · Engine, Transmission · PA

I bought my 2018 firs eco sport 3 months ago. Right after my 3rd car payment, the low oil pressure light came on. Took pictures of the dipstick, oil was good! Just had it changed , with receipt, 90% life left. Made it to miles down the road car made a little noise and stalled and would not start. Ford dealer had it Wednesday evening and on Monday they still have not touched my car! 202 complaints on this issues !

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

Engine and engine cooling: engine: oil/lubrication: pumpReported December 22, 2023 · 139,730 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure.
Risk
A loss of oil pressure can result in an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the oil pump tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt, free of charge. If engine failure occurs due to a damaged oil pump belt and/or oil pump belt tensioner, Ford has authorized dealers to replace the engine assembly as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S64.

Recall number 23V905000 · Recall details

Questions about the 2018 Ford Ecosport won't start

Is won't start a common problem on the 2018 Ford Ecosport?

16 of 728 owner complaints about the 2018 Ford Ecosport (2%) mention won't start. The model year with the most reports is 2018.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2018 Ford Ecosport?

There is 1 recall and 13 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2018 Ford Ecosport

Engine failure 169Check engine light 142Stalling 87Loss of power 52Knocking 26Jerking 14Oil consumption 14Misfire 12Hesitation 11Grinding brakes 10Fire or smoke 10Overheating 8Won't shift 8Brake failure 7Start-stop 7Warning lights 7Harsh shifting 5Transmission failure 5

All model years of the Ford Ecosport

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