While driving my car my check engine light started blinking and then went solid. I went to get the codes checked and they had originally thought it was something with the spark plug. After driving the car around a little longer the check engine light started to blink and then my engine would not allow me to go over 25 miles without shuddering violently. I took my car into a local dealership where I bought it and they checked everything over and found out that the coolant was leaking into the engine and certain cylinders. The mechanic told me that this is apparently a common problem with this car however he told me there was no recall at the time that allowed for my car to be repaired by ford. Had I not stopped driving my car and got it towed to the dealership there's a very good chance I could have been injured due to serious engine malfunction. The fact that Ford is not picking up this tab is absolutely absurd.
2018 Ford Escape engine complaints
Page 17 of 50: complaints 461 to 490 of 1,458, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The engine failed with approximately 50,000 miles on it. It is unsafe and unable to be driven due to engine failure as it has a lack of power maneuvering on roads. The problem has been confirmed by Ford of Spartanburg in Spartanburg, SC. This dealership has determined that the engine has coolant intrusion on cylinder 3 and needs to be completely replaced. It has not been inspected, to my knowledge, by anyone else. The problem was discovered when upon ignition, the engine ran rough and the check engine light illuminated. It was taken to the Ford dealership the same day where their service advisor scanned for problems. It was determined to be a misfire. An appointment was made for a diagnostic at which time the problem of coolant intrusion was diagnosed.
My 2018 Ford Escape made a loud squeak / whistle sound while driving approx 40 mph. Immediately after, the vehicle began to smoke from the exhaust so much that I could not see , nor could many of the cars behind me. The check engine light came on and another light that said pull over. I brought the vehicle to my local Ford Dealer who said the engine has coolant intrusion in cylinder 2 and 3 , and requires a new engine block to be installed. Apparently, Ford is aware of this problem and had a customer satisfaction program to replace the faulty engine blocks, but it expired in 2022. I just purchased this vehicle from a Ford dealer 10 months ago , and now I am basically stuck with a repair that will cost me more than the vehicle is worth. I contacted Ford Motor Company and they will not help me.
The alert light on the dash came on several times starting approximately 30 November 2024, but there was no code when we took it to the parts shop and our mechanic. This was often accompanied by loss of power (misfiring). Throughout the Spring, the light came on with increasing frequency, sometimes with loss of power. At some point in February/March, the check engine light came and we were able to check the code. It indicated a misfire on cylinder 3 due to coolant intrusion. We took the car to the Ford Dealership, who confirmed with a pressure test, observing the loss of coolant, the white "smoke" from the tailpipe, and pulling the spark plug that there was a coolant leak and that the engine would need replaced, with an estimate of $9290.33 (on attached 31 March 2025 estimate).
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was coolant intrusion into several cylinders which resulted in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 120,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Firestone Service Center, where it was diagnosed with cylinder #4 misfire, a coolant leak, and a blown head gasket. The vehicle was then towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a crack in the engine block, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 93,870.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the engine was idling rough. No warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact detected a sweet odor inside the vehicle and noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact also discovered that coolant was leaking on the ground. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.
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 federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,500.
Engine coolant is leaking into the engine and mechanic says the vehicle will now require a new engine
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the road and restart the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with DTC: P0012. The vehicle was taken to another independent service center, where it was diagnosed and DTC: P0014, P1299, P0012, and P04DB were retrieved. The local dealer was contacted and related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 19B37. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 146,318.
I have a 2.0 ecoboost 2018 ford escape that has currently loosing coolant with in a week, after inspecting the issue it was found that engine coolant intrusion has began and white smoke is coming out of the back of the exhaust, and have a misfire code for cylinder 3 and 4. The spark plug on cylinder 4 upon pulling it out was wet. 104,000 miles is currently on my car, and is parked because I can't come up with that type of money for either a new engine or head gasket to be fixed. There is no coolant leaks, so there for it has blown a head gasket, amd ford needs to issue a recall.
2018 ford escape 1.5l ecoboost overheating issues.
Coolant intrusion in cylinders causing sudden stalling and engine failure.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and occupied, while attempting to start the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact heard an abnormal sound while attempting to start the vehicle. The contact stated that an independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant leaking into cylinder #3, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 91,060.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the steering wheel was shaking abnormally. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated for approximately 2 miles. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the warning light was no longer illuminated. The contact called a person who inspected the vehicle, but was unable to identify any failures with the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic who retrieved DTC: P0303 (Cylinder #3 misfire - and fractured head gasket). The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to another mechanic who scheduled an engine replacement. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 102,000.
My 2018 Ford Escape that I got under 3 years ago needs a new engine. It has the ecoboost engine. There should be a recall for this car because so many people are struggling with this. I know that there are others out there struggling like I am with a lot left to pay off their lease and not having the ability to buy another vehicle or afford a new engine. My first check engine light came on and was a cylinder 3 misfire. The spark plugs were all replaced. The engine light came back on after a week and it was a cylinder 2 misfire. The light came back on after a few days of getting it inspected/looked at. Took it back to the shop and I was told the engine must be replaced because leaking coolant getting into the engine causing many issues. Their ecoboost engines are faulty and they should be held accountable.
There is an Internal coolant leak inside of engine took it to a ford dealer they said it was not doing it when they checked it. This problem is getting worse blowing thick white smoke out of tail pipe and losing coolant rapidly. I looked this up it is a known problem /recall for this engine , make and model of vehicle. I have been trying to get this fixed for a while now and ford just gives me the run around. I had my mechanic test it and it came back as blowing combustion gas into the coolant system indicating blown head gasket or internal leak.
I want to report a coolant leak that is a known issue with this vehicle . Im dealing with misfires and uncertainties when driving.
Engine must be replaced due to coolant intrusion into the cylinder head. I was not told about any ongoing issue from the car dealer when I purchased in July 2022. I bought and financed car in good condition with 91k miles for $15,500 (which was fair market value) . I found out approx a year ago about ongoing issue, when I noticed excessive coolant loss. I was told engine replacement was the absolute only fix. I have added coolant weekly to keep from overheating. Approx 6 weeks ago; wouldn’t crank in my driveway, so I had towed to a mechanic to find out it now needs the new engine. Two cylinders have compression under 30-35. I initially had no options other than to trade or sell a lemon or replace the engine. I still owe over $7500 on a vehicle that doesn’t run. This is obviously a widespread issue and shameful that Ford will not assist in repair costs and isn’t held accountable for lack of info or assistance in repairing a defective automobile. A Ford dealership I consulted, confirmed no assistance offered.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a Collison Center and was diagnosed with a misfire in cylinder #3. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who confirmed the misfire in cylinder #3. The contact stated that the spark plugs, and ignition coils were replaced. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact stated that recently the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who determined that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
Engine coolant leak caused spark plug to get stuck and as a result I had to pay out of my pocket to replace the engine.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 26,998. The VIN was unavailable.
The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving 60 MPH, the vehicle hesitated and shuddered. The vehicle failed to exceed 60 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated and flashing. The contact stated that the failure was related to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the failure was due to the fuel pump and fuel lines. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed there was no recall coverage on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and transferred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 116,147.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with a misfire in cylinder #1, and that the spark plugs and coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred a month later. The vehicle was then taken to dealer to be diagnosed and it was determined that there was a misfire in cylinders #1 and #2 due to coolant intrusion. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Cylinder 2 misfire. Fixed twice in one month. Coolant entering engine and engine needs replacing.
Engine overheating due to coolant loss into cylinder through internal leak. Engine and vehicle are available for inspection. Engine overheating due to coolant loss into cylinders can be a risk for vehicle fire. Overheating affected my engine longevity and function and caused my vehicle to stop in an unsafe location (i.e. the highway). This is a serious safety concern for my family since we also live in Arizona where we are highly susceptible to extreme heat. I took the Ford vehicle to a Ford dealer to inspect and they verified that the engine block was warped due to an internal leak of coolant into the engine cylinders through a known recall issue Ford Vehicle has been inspected by the Ford dealership by certified Ford mechanics. Overheating had no warning since internal coolant leaks are not detectable through external means. When car overheated, I took the vehicle to Ford for inspection.
There was a coolant intrusion into engine and mixing with oil causing check engine light to come on. There is a memo from Ford that if this happens the only repair would be to replace the engine motor assembly with all hardware (for the cost of $9, 467.88). The safety of myself and others was put at risk because the engine experienced sudden performance issues due to coolant mixing with the oil. These symptoms could have led to a complete engine failure, especially at highway speeds or in heavy traffic, which creates a serious risk of accidents. Additionally, the potential for internal engine damage raises the risk of a fire, as documented in similar cases involving EcoBoost engines. I was driving a vehicle that could unpredictably stall or become inoperable, putting both me and other drivers in dangerous situations. The Willowbrook Ford Dealer diagnosed the problem on 6/13/25 after running diagnostics. The engine light came on on 6/11/25.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for a routine service, the vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure due to coolant intrusion in the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced and was advised not to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,428.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the message "High Engine Temperature - Service Now" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 77,852.
At approximately 53000, our 2018 Ford Escape began experiencing engine misfires, rough idling, and visible white smoke from the exhaust. After inspection, the dealer confirmed that coolant was leaking into the combustion chamber due to a known design flaw in the 1.5L EcoBoost engine — a condition widely reported by other Escape and Fusion owners. This issue was previously covered under Ford’s Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP 21N12), which extended short block replacement for this exact problem. However, Ford has denied coverage, citing that the vehicle is now just outside the 7-year eligibility window, despite the low mileage and the fact that this is a documented manufacturing defect, not normal wear and tear. Coolant intrusion into the engine is a critical safety risk, as it can cause sudden engine failure, stalling, and loss of power — all of which create dangerous driving conditions, especially at highway speeds. Thousands of owners are reporting identical issues online, and many have suffered catastrophic engine failure well before 100,000 miles. Request: I’m submitting this complaint to formally document the safety concern and urge the federal safety agency to investigate this widespread issue and consider a recall. The current extended warranty program is inadequate, as it leaves many consumers — like myself — with no recourse for a known, dangerous defect.
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