My 2018 Ford Escape 1.5L Ecoboost experience rough starts for about a week. Then on the highway the engine temperature gage shot all the way to hot, the check engine light began flashing, and the vehicle started rumbling. We parked and had the vehicle towed. The mechanic diagnosed the problem as coolant intrusion into the cylinder. It has cracked the engine block. This issue is known to be a problem by Ford. The dealership mechanic knew what the problem just from the make, model, and year. Ford released a letter to all dealerships to attempt a computer repair in 2022, apparently to buy time as they knew there were going to be issues as these vehicles aged. The letter suggests that Ford and the Dealers are to contact anyone who purchased these vehicles. We were not contacted. We have contacted Ford and their customer service representatives say that Ford has a Customer Satisfaction Program, 21N12, in place to fix these vehicles, but it "is not attached to our VIN" and there is nothing they can do. When you ask for a supervisor, they call from a Toll Free Number after 8:00pm and tell you the same thing. "That program isn't attached to your VIN" and there is nothing they can do about it.

- Chelsea, MI, USA

Coolant leaking into engine. Check engine light on. Codes p0302, p0316, u0140. I was told by the ford dealership that ran codes that the only correction for the issue is a full long block replacement.

- Chebeague Island, ME, USA

I was crossing the road and the suv just stopped. I-??m stuck in the middle of a busy road. Luckily I had help to get the car across. The SUV would not start up again.

- Nashville, MI, USA

Sudden loss of compression on a cylinder lead to loss of all power and engine failure on the highway. A Google search reported this as a known issue with the 1.5L turbos in the 2017-2019 model year Escapes. I took my car in to the Ford dealership and was instructed to open a claim with Ford Corporate and to request financial assistance for an engine replacement. Ford is very well aware of this issue where the engines suddenly pull all the coolant into the engine and cause engine failure. Ford has been offering financial assistance to replace these engines apparently trying to avoid a recall. At the local Ford dealership, this is such a known issue that they are keeping a long block and short block in stock at all times.

- Rapid City, SD, USA

While accelerating onto a 70 mph highway via an on-ramp, my vehicle suddenly began to misfire severely, resulting in a dramatic loss of power. It was unable to climb the incline. I immediately activated the emergency flashers, but vehicles approaching from behind at highway speeds were forced to brake abruptly and swerve to avoid a collision. Fortunately, I was able to safely exit via the next off-ramp. During the misfire, the check engine light began flashing on the dashboard. A few months prior, a warning light appeared at startup. Diagnostic code P0302 indicated a misfire in Cylinder 2 during the first 1,000 revolutions. The recommended fix was to replace the spark plugs and ignition coils. I had all spark plugs replaced, and the plug in Cylinder 2 was notably fouled. I also topped off the coolant at that time. Approximately a month later, I checked the coolant again and found it nearly depleted. I refilled it, but there were no visible signs of leakage-?"no smoke, and the oil appeared normal. Then came the highway incident. Afterward, a mechanic diagnosed a significant coolant leak into Cylinder 2 using a scope. A new $12k engine(w/labor) is required! Further research revealed this is a well-documented and chronic issue tied to a manufacturing defect in Ford-??s 1.5L EcoBoost engines (and others). Numerous class action lawsuits have been filed, and Ford previously issued bulletin 21N12 for a one-time repair-?"now discontinued. Ford is fully aware of this defect. I am grateful that the vehicles behind me were able to avoid a crash, and that I am here today to share this experience. Every mechanic I consulted confirmed that this issue is widely known, and expressed frustration that Ford has not taken responsibility.? Why must we wait for a catastrophic event or loss of life before Ford acknowledges the severity of this defect? Recently, Ford recalled a backup camera-?"yet faulty engines that can fail at highway speeds receive no such action. Lives are at risk!

- Elkhorn, NE, USA

Vehicle: 2018 Ford Escape SEL, 1.5L EcoBoost engine, purchased new from Town East Ford. Engine failure due to coolant intrusion -?" known Ford defect previously covered under Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12. on 06 Mar 2020, I had Customer Satisfaction Program 19B37 performed on my 2018 Ford Escape SEL (1.5L EcoBoost engine) as instructed by Ford. Despite that repair, on 19 August 2025 coolant leaked into my engine and caused the engine block to crack. Ford acknowledged this exact defect and issued Customer Satisfaction Program 21N12 to replace affected engines. However, that program expired in November 2022. When I contacted Ford corporate, I was told my repair would not be covered because the program has ended, despite the fact that the defect is the same and presents the same risks. This is not normal wear and tear. It is a latent defect that Ford has already documented. The issue can cause engine misfire, sudden stalling, loss of power, and increased fire risk due to coolant intrusion into the combustion chamber. This is a serious safety defect. My vehicle failed despite compliance with Ford-??s earlier service program, and Ford is refusing coverage only on the basis of program expiration. Other owners have reported identical failures. Please note that I have attached the noticed from Ford and my service history up to this event. As the vehicle is still at the dealership, I have not attached the current service report, noting the coolant extrusion and cracked engine but I can request that if needed. I request NHTSA investigate Ford-??s handling of this defect and require corrective action to ensure owners are not left with unsafe vehicles due to arbitrary program deadlines

- Dallas, TX, USA

I lost engine power trying to accelerate while entering the highway. Check Engine light flashed several times then went steady. I pulled over into the slow lane with my flashers on and with reduced power to get off the highway exit straight to the Dealer. The Check Engine light stayed on steady. This is apparently part of a known issue with the 1.5l GTDI engine. There was a Technical Service Bulletin created for it 22-2322 and a Customer Service Program fix was set up- 21N12

- Torrance, CA, USA

While driving the car got hot and on the highway the car slowed all the way down to 5mph almost causing a car to hit me from behind and cause a crash on the highway

- Pekin, IL, USA

We started to notice a rough idle when starting the vehicle, the check engine light came on. The rough idle continued to get worse. We took it to a Certified Mechanic to have it inspected. Based upon the check engine status, they did further diagnosis through various tests. They determined that the coolant appeared to be seeping into the #1 cylinder. They checked the Ford website for any recalls and found a TSB ( Technical Service Bulletin} # 19-2346 regarding the 2.0L Eco-Boost engine. Ford's TSP says to replace the engine block, but does not indicate at who's expense. If this is defective and Ford knows, the consumer should not be responsible to pay for this major expense. What do we do? Within the ;next couple weeks we plan to take the car into a Ford Dealership to do their own diagnosis.

- Mesa, AZ, USA

I lost engine power trying to accelerate while entering the highway. Check Engine light flashed several times then went steady. I pulled over into the emergency lane and shut the car off. It did start again but with reduced power to get off the highway. The Check Engine light stayed on steady. This is apparently part of a known issue with the 1.5l GTDI engine. There was a Technical Service Bulletin created for it 22-2322 and a Customer Service Program fix was set up- 21N12

- Bridgewater, MA, USA

I was advised to have the coolant flushed in our 2018 Ford Escape in July of 2025 by VIP in Concord NH while an oil change was being performed. Took vehicle to Nucar in Concord, the tech advised that the coolant was low and would not pressurize, they kept the vehicle overnight, it did in fact keep pressurization overnight. Made an appointment on 07/25/2025 to make sure the coolant was at an acceptable level, the tech advised all good. It is now September of 2025, took car out on SaturdAY [XXX] to run errands, got 2 miles down the road, vehicle starting running extremely rough, sort of bucking like it wanted to stall. Got it home and parked it there until I call Nucar in Tilton NH (Ford Dealer), car was towed on 09/04/2025, they confirmed we need a new engine. After market warrant company AAC Warranty is stating this is going to cost us hundreds if not thousands of dollars to replace! There are many documented cases of Ford Escapes having coolant issues due to poor engine design, Ford needs to honor these fixes and offer guests a solution so they are not out a lot of money! At this point we may not be able to afford the fix and have to junk the vehicle and still pay our monthly car payment! I will not rest until this fix is honored, it is not fair to the consumer to have a vehicle that is not save, when FORD is too cheap to honor the fixes! They received their money when we bought the vehicle, now we could potentially be out hundreds if not thousands of dollars due to this known issue. Thank you, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Pembroke, NH, USA

Transmission slips and transmission fault error alerts while driving. VIN # doesn-??t come up when searching the NHTSA recall # 22S43 involving the faulty shift cable bushing effecting Ford Escapes 2013-2019. While my car isn-??t listed on the recall it seems I-??m having the same issues.

- Lakewood, WA, USA

My 2018 Ford Escape was sputtering one morning and I realized the oil was dark and almost gone. I took it for an oil change and they discovered there wasn-??t coolant in the reservoir. But that didn-??t solve the issue. The vehicle shut down and I was left in the middle of the road until I could get help. I took it to the shop and I was told coolant had leaked into the cylinders and the I would be needing a head gasket and short block. I called Ford customer service and I was made aware that is is an issue with the 2018 ford escape ecoboost. But they were unable to help me because 21N12 has expired.

- Rio Hondo , TX, USA

Check engine light, White smoke on cold start, low coolant, P0302 - misfire cylinder 2, P1299 - Cylinder Head Protection Active. No power - limp mode

- Vancouver, WA, USA

It started out as a misfire which can be caused by multiple issues, after changing spark plugs and coils, noted low coolant (no visible leaks), white smoke, running rough. Ford dealer diagnosis as coolant intrusion and states a complete long block needs replacement. The cost of this is more than the market value.

- Twin Lake, MI, USA

Component or System: Engine -?" Coolant intrusion into the combustion chamber (cylinder 2). The vehicle and documentation (dealer diagnostic report, photos) are available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: Coolant intrusion causes engine misfires, loss of power, and rapid coolant loss, which can lead to sudden engine stalling or hydrolock at highway speeds. A stall could result in loss of power steering and braking assist, creating a serious crash risk for occupants and others on the road. Confirmation: The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by a Ford dealership using a borescope inspection. Inspection: A Ford dealership service department has inspected the vehicle. They confirmed coolant pooling in cylinder 2. Warning Signs: The check engine light first appeared in early July 2025 with a misfire on cylinder 2. Spark plugs and other components were replaced, but the issue returned within two weeks. The engine misfired, produced white exhaust smoke, and lost coolant over time.

- Broomfield , CO, USA

My check engine light came on Saturday August 23rd. I took my car to my local Ford dealership on Monday August 25th and on Wednesday, August 27th the Ford technician verified a misfire and found coolant was low. They removed the spark plug and found cooling system was under pressure. They found coolant entering into the cylinder via the cylinder head and that my vehicle now needs a new engine. This problem has been confirmed by the dealership and my only option is to purchase a brand new engine for my 2018 Ford escape that has less than 40,000 miles on it. An engine failure at just 40,000 miles is simply unacceptable and raise serious concerns about the reliability of this model. I am aware that engine issues on certain Ford escapes have been the subject of multiple customer complaints and I strongly believe that this may be part of a broader quality or manufacturing issue. There are numerous reported cases from 2018 Escape owners describing engine failures, tied to coolant intrusion and instances where an engine fails unexpectedly often linked to coolant, entering the cylinder and requiring full engine replacement, which seems to be a common pattern in these 1.5 L and occasionally the 2.0 eco-boost. While no formal recall exists for this Ford has implemented a customer satisfaction program 21N12 which addressed coolant intrusion into the engine, especially affecting 1.5 L eco-boost engines.

- Kennesaw, GA, USA

Had a lot of knocking in the engine on startup and sometimes driving down the road. Engine check light went on, used code reader to diagnose and it said misfire on cylinder 2. Replaced spark plugs and ignition coils to solve problem. Ran well for about a week, week and half before had the same issues pop up again. Then all of the sudden I-??m driving down the road and the temp spikes in the engine and warning light comes on about car overheating and to pull off the road. I was on the highway so I let off the gas and the temp came right back down. Took the car to a Tire Kingdom to get it checked out and the coolant is almost all gone, it-??s leaked back into the engine and the head gasket needs replaced. Call Ford to see if they would cover service and the dealer and Ford corporate both said it would not be covered, despite TSBs being out about this issue.

- Plant City, FL, USA

Due to a known manufacturing defect in the casting of the engine block, coolant leaked into the #2 cylinder causing failure of the engine. Due to the fact that this is a known issue by Ford, they will do nothing as the vehicle is no longer under warranty. The extended warranty we purchased will not cover the damage or repair as it is a "known issue from Ford." Vehicle is available upon request, if catastrophic failure of the engine had occurred possible loss of power and or control of the vehicle, vehicle was inspected at a certified Ford dealership, check engine and a lot of white smoke the day of service appointment, rough idle the day prior

- Auburn, IN, USA

My Ford Escape is a 2018 with 54,000 mi and coolant was leaking in the cylyders. It was sold to me as a low milage mint cond. SUV through carmax who did not disclose this problem and also Ford. Now its sitting at the Ford dealership for 2 wks with nothing done and "waiting to hear" from Ford. They say the job could be up to $11,000.

- Johnson City, TN, USA