2018 Ford Escape problems

Filed Nov 4, 2026 · Engine · WV

The antifreeze is leaking into the engine or into another part of the vehicle. There are no external leaks. This causes a consistent refill issue and possible engine damage if left untreated.

Filed Nov 3, 2026 · Engine · FL

Id been getting misfires on cylinder 3 and eventually 2 even after replacing coilpacks, spark plugs, and fuel injectors into my 2018 ford escape sel 1.5L ecoboost engine. We believe it to be a coolant intrusion and have not been able to operate my vehicle. White smoke appears and it stutters a lot on start up.

Filed Oct 30, 2026 · Engine · FL

vehicle experienced a sudden misfire, loss of power, and internal coolant intrusion at Cylinder 2. Vehicle is now inoperable due to manufacturing defect.

Filed Oct 28, 2026 · Engine · IN

This is in relation to the coolant intrusion problem with all the Ford Ecoboost engines. The vehicle has 98,958 miles - all recommended services were done. Mechanic is recommending a full engine replacement to the tune of $19000. That is nearly 2/3 the value of the car when purchased. Ford not standing behind their products has gotten to a point of hilarity.

Filed Oct 28, 2026 · Engine · NC

I suffered catastrophic engine misfires with a sudden loss of power and white smoke coming from the exhaust. This was due to a design flaw in the Ford ecoboost 1.5l engine which allowed coolant into the #3 cylinder.

Filed Oct 27, 2026 · Engine · PA

The vehicle is experiencing ongoing coolant loss with no visible external leak. The coolant level drops consistently and requires frequent refilling. The issue began around mid‑mileage and has continued to worsen. The engine sometimes emits a coolant smell, and the temperature gauge rises more quickly than normal. Warning messages about high engine temperature have appeared during driving. The dealer inspected the vehicle but could not find an external leak and stated the condition was normal, even though the coolant continues to disappear. No repairs have resolved the issue. Based on known problems with EcoBoost engines, an internal coolant leak or cylinder head defect is suspected, but the exact cause is UNKNOWN. This creates a safety risk because sudden overheating can occur while driving, which may lead to engine failure, loss of power, or stalling in traffic. The issue is ongoing and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

Filed Oct 27, 2026 · Transmission · TX

The car was driving completely fine, then when starting to go at a stoplight it had trouble shifting out of the first gear. At the next stop, it would not go uphill and began slowly rolling backwards as I am trying to move forward. This was in downtown [XXX] traffic with nowhere for me to pull over. It was very close to hitting the car behind me. I had to turn the car off to rest it for a few minutes and was finally able to slowly get up the hill to pull into a parking lot. I ended up getting it towed to a Ford dealership and they said it needed a whole new transmission put in. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Oct 25, 2026 · Engine · WI

21N12 Coolant Intrusion \ At dealership coolant in oil, coolant in firing cylinders possible explosion fire. Engine light popped on 2 weeks ago and they have my vehicle now and still do not know if they will fix it.

Filed Oct 21, 2026 · Engine, Lights · MO · fire

There have been several issues that cause safety concerns with my 2018 Ford Escape 1.5L Ecoboost. The two most concerning are the headlights and engine failure. Since I drove this vehicle off the lot in 2023 I have had to replace the headlights every 4 to 6 months. I recently learned it is do to an electrical issue and the most recent occurrence caused a small fire under the hood of my vehicle. Sometimes both lights would go out at once without warning. This issue has been reported by numerous consumers and Ford has done nothing. Regarding the engine failure, a coolant leak was reported by two mechanics but the source of the leak couldn't be identified. It was only discovered it was internal when my vehicle just stopped while pulling forward in a drive through. Luckily it wasn't on the highway but if it had been it could've caused an accident, at 70 mph, that likely would've resulted in minor injuries for not only me but other drivers. Ford has been made aware of this issue by owners of 2013-2019 Ford Escape Ecoboost vehicles but still hasn't issued a recall. Ford refuses to do anything about this and has instructed its customer support team to tell consumers they "can't" (won't) do anything outside of warranty. This issue often occurs outside of warranty. Ford still hasn't issued a recall despite numerous lawsuits for this exact problem. All customers can do is file a complaint. There are thousands of these vehicles on the road and if Ford continues to do nothing this could eventually lead to fatalities due to vehicle collisions. Someone needs to do something if Ford won't. Engine failure 10/20/26; electrical fire September 2026; lighting failure 2023-2026. The fact someone was fine selling this vehicle, despite consumer reports, is appalling.

Filed Oct 20, 2026 · Engine · CA

Apparently my 2018 Ford Escape 1.5 liter Ecoboost engine has a known flaw of coolant intrusion into the cylinders. It can be inspected right now as it's at the Ford service center. This problem could have left me on the side of the freeway at night. Ford service has verified the problem and that it needs a new engine. I dont believe the parts have been inspected by anyone other than Ford service and my independent mechanic. There was a check engine light that came on back in April of this year. I brought it into Ford for basic minor service on April 29 and was told to check diagnostics I had to pay $298. I took it elsewhere and they told me it was a code that came up for the smog system. I didn't have any other issues at that time. In July a different light came on that was flashing so I took it to an independent mechanic and he found the misfire code of P0304 in cylinder #4. He proceeded to replace spark plugs and injector #4. Not until September did the sputtering start but no engine light came on. I took it back to my mechanic and he spent 2 weeks trying different things to figure out what was going on. He was unable to so I had to take it to the Ford service center and they verified the coolant intrusion problem. My car is only 8 years old and there was never a recall or service notice to advise me of this problem.