2018 Ford Escape — Known Issues & Recalls

Your 2018 Ford Escape's 1.5L EcoBoost engine experienced complete failure when coolant leaked into the engine cylinders, causing misfires and overheating. Ford has identified this as a known defect affecting multiple model years and has issued technical service bulletins and a customer satisfaction program for some vehicles, but your vehicle was not covered. The engine failure happened suddenly while driving, which creates a serious safety risk on public roads since there may be no warning lights before catastrophic damage occurs.

Your 2018 Ford Escape has coolant leaking into the engine cylinders, causing the engine to misfire and shake severely—making the car undriveable. The dealership confirmed this is a known issue covered by a Technical Service Bulletin for your vehicle. This problem can lead to complete engine failure while you're driving, which is a serious safety hazard. Fixing this typically requires engine repair or replacement to seal the coolant leak and restore proper combustion.

Your car is having trouble starting immediately when you turn the key, and it shakes while driving. Your coolant level keeps dropping repeatedly, and a Ford dealership diagnosed coolant intrusion in cylinder 2, meaning coolant is leaking into the engine. This issue has been ongoing since late 2025 and makes the car unsafe to drive due to the shaking and starting problems. The fix will likely involve engine repair or replacement to seal the cylinder and stop the coolant leak.

Your engine suddenly lost power while driving with no warning light, causing severe hesitation and rough acceleration. Mechanics found a misfire in cylinder 3 and replaced your spark plugs twice over six months, but the problem persisted due to coolant leaking into the cylinders and fouling the plugs. The underlying issue required a complete engine replacement costing over $11,000. Fixing this involves identifying and sealing the coolant leak source, then installing a new engine or having the cylinders professionally cleaned and resealed.

Your 2018 Escape is showing a misfire error in cylinder 1 even after new spark plugs and a coil pack were installed. The error returned a few days later with an additional warning, and your service station says this is a known issue with this Ford engine that may require a complete engine replacement. There's a risk the vehicle could shut down while you're driving if not repaired.

Your engine's check light came on indicating a misfire, and after a tune-up it came on again. The next day your garage filled with white smoke and a strange smell, and your car wouldn't start. The Ford dealership diagnosed this as coolant leaking into the engine block, which is a serious internal engine failure. Fixing this will likely require significant engine repair or replacement.

Your 2018 Ford Escape's 2.0L EcoBoost engine developed coolant leaking into cylinders 2 and 3 at 46,000 miles, requiring a full engine replacement at a cost of nearly $9,000 since the car was out of warranty. This problem has been reported as common across Ford's EcoBoost engine lineup. The repair will involve removing and replacing the entire engine, which typically takes several months to complete.

I am reporting a confirmed safety defect in my 2018 Ford Escape equipped with the 1.5L EcoBoost engine involving engine coolant intrusion into the cylinder bores. This appears to be a manufacturing defect associated with this engine design rather than a maintenance issue.

Your engine is leaking coolant due to a known issue that Ford is aware of. Your mechanic has indicated your engine may need to be replaced entirely. You were not notified about an extended warranty that could have covered this repair, even though the problem was already documented when you purchased the car in 2021.

Your car is making unusual sounds and misfiring, which a mechanic diagnosed as coolant leaking into the engine. Coolant in the engine is a serious problem that can cause significant damage and safety concerns. The repair will likely involve identifying where the coolant is entering the engine and sealing the leak, which may require replacing gaskets, the head gasket, or intake manifold seals.

Your engine may be experiencing coolant leaking into the combustion chamber, which causes rough idling and could lead to complete engine failure. This is a known issue with your engine that Ford has previously addressed with extended warranties and engine replacements. The repair will likely involve inspecting the engine for coolant intrusion and potentially replacing internal engine components or the entire engine.

Your car has been overheating repeatedly, and during the most recent incident, you noticed a burning smell coming from the engine area. You've had to pay for repairs five times in the past year to address this issue. The underlying cause may require a thorough diagnosis by a mechanic to identify whether it's a coolant leak, thermostat failure, or cooling fan malfunction.

Your engine may be experiencing coolant intrusion, which is a known issue on this model. Coolant leaking into the engine can cause overheating, poor performance, or potential engine damage if left unaddressed. A mechanic will need to diagnose where the coolant is entering the engine and repair or replace the affected seals, gaskets, or components.

The engine leaked coolant into the cylinder. Bad cylinder #2 per mechanic. Engine needs replacement.

Your 2018 Ford Escape's 1.5L EcoBoost engine experienced coolant leaking into the cylinders, causing an "Engine Fault Service Now" warning. A Ford dealership confirmed coolant intrusion into one cylinder using a borescope inspection and found a leaking water pump and low coolant level. The repair will require either replacing the short block or long block of the engine, which are major engine overhaul jobs.

Your 2018 Escape experienced a strange odor in the cabin, then entered Safe Mode, lost power, and shut off unexpectedly while driving at various speeds. The temperature gauge jumped from cold to hot immediately, and warning lights appeared on your dashboard. A mechanic found the coolant level was low and refilled it, but the same problem happened again about a month later. At the dealer, technicians discovered coolant was leaking into cylinder #3 and the engine block was cracked, requiring a complete engine replacement. This happened at around 79,900 miles.

Your 2018 Ford Escape's 1.5L EcoBoost engine is experiencing coolant leaking into the cylinders, causing misfires, rough running, white smoke from the exhaust, and unexplained coolant loss without visible leaks. You've also experienced sudden loss of power while driving, which is a serious safety concern when transporting your child. This appears to be a known defect affecting multiple vehicles with this engine type, and fixing it will likely require engine repair or replacement to address the coolant intrusion into the cylinders.

Your windshield wipers turned on by themselves while you were parked in your 2018 Ford Escape, without you activating them. This suggests a potential electrical or control module issue with the wiper system. The problem may require diagnosis and repair of the wiper motor, electrical connections, or the wiper control module.

Vehicle overheated in middle of traffic and immediately went in limp mode due to antifreeze leaking in the internal engine

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. While the contact's mother was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated to 45 MPH. The vehicle continued to accelerate without the accelerator pedal depressed until the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle stopped.