10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 3 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 6 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 31,781 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
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 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
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
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to shift into gear properly, with the transmission warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that the vehicle failed to shift into reverse and was unable to operate while in reverse. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
- Slidell, LA, 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
I own a 2018 Ford Escape. Current mileage is 58,847 and was serviced regularly. In July of this year, the transmission failed completely while driving. No warnings or symptoms prior to complete failure. I was very lucky that the highway I was traveling on was not busy and I was able to coast into a parking lot. I had to pay a towing fee to have it taken to my local Ford dealer where they informed me my transmission had failed!! The transmission fluid was found to be burnt and contained a lot of metal shavings in it. The cost to replace the transmission with a remanufactured one was over $9500. My local Ford dealer installed a remanufactured transmission on July 22, 2025. I continued to have issues such as shift hesitation and other error messages. I took it back to the dealer on Aug 25, 2025. I requested to the tech that the transmission fluid be checked. He stated that after only 30 days, the oil was already discolored from being too hot and there were metal shavings in the fluid. Only about 600 miles were put on the vehicle since the transmission repair. The service manager stated that it will surely fail again based on the condition of the fluid. The service manager also stated that it is possible that I will need a THIRD transmission! In doing research, I found that my particular model is prone to premature transmission failure. There are several Class Action lawsuits against Ford Motor Co for 2018 - 2020 Escapes for this defective transmission. And in addition, it states that Ford was aware of the issues and yet continued to manufacture vehicles with this particular transmission in it. Why was there no recall issued" Why did Ford Motor Co not make consumers aware of the problem in order to be able to take preventative measures" With 700,000 of these vehicles on the road, this is a serious safety issue which could result in loss of control while driving, and possible catastrophic results. Ford Motor Co should be liable for the defective transmission.
- Halifax, PA, USA
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 85,822.
- Shelby Township, MI, USA
Blown head gasket which is causing coolant to leak into the cylinders. Check engine light came on at 72,000 miles (leased the car at 71,000) with coolant loss. The problem was diagnosed by an independent service center on 8/19/25, 3 weeks after leasing to buy.
- Macomb, MI, USA
Engine failure. No engine lights are on and vehicle is driving fine, but engine block could crack due to coolant intrusion problem. Coolant intrusion is a defect in the motor well know to Ford and mechanics.Ford customer satisfaction program:21N12 and 19B37.TSB tech. serv. bulleting 22-2134 and 19-2375. Problem has been confirmed by private mechanic shop and Ford dealer. No warning lights, no messages, no symptoms. Problem appeared scheduled maintenance & multipoint inspection.
- Chicago Heights, IL, USA
Coolant intrusion. Coolant leak caused the vehicle to overheat and thus making it unable to drive. Had to tow to a repair facility and they confirmed that it-??s a coolant intrusion, a common issue with Ford Escape.Engine warning light came up and there were mis fires in engine. In a week, got an engine overheat warning in the morning when I started the car.
- Lansing, MI, USA
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 NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,500.
- Prior Lake, MN, USA
Transmission failed in the middle of me turning and a car almost hit me. Their Transmissions should be recalled on ALL ford escapes this is ridiculous.
- Chicago, IL, USA
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the flex plate had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.
- Townsend, MA, USA
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the engine was running roughly while driving at various speeds. While driving approximately 40-50 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to respond and decelerated instead. The contact was able to continue driving off the highway at a slower speed. The following day while starting the vehicle, there was white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. The -??WRENCH-?? warning light was illuminated, indicating the vehicle needed to be serviced. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure due to a coolant leak in cylinder #2. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train); however, the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for the recall repair. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and provided a reference number from the dealer for the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
- Waupaca, WI, USA
Check engine light first appeared early May 2025 days after the car started running very roughly, then bucking upon startup; local mechanic said may need engine but should go to dealer; dealer towed a couple of days later as engine light had begun to blink and said it couldn't be driven; a few days later dealer reported coolant leaking into combustion chamber and would need a new engine at $12,860. Apparently a known failure as reported in Technical Service Bulletin 22-2229, date 6/9/2022 for vehicles including my 2018 Ford Escape Titanium 2.0 L Ecoboost with only 44k miles, final assembly Louisville KY. Reported danger of engine failure while driving, possible fire.
- Slingerlands, NY, USA
Blown engine, misfire cylinder 3 coolant leaking into cylinder 3, block cracked...smuttering. problem has been identified by our mechanic, and Ford has been called for a replacement engine. Check engine light was on.
- Desoto, MO, USA
Had to take the vehicle into the dealer the end of April 2025 for oil leak that they discovered. It was fixed. Then on May 8 2025 check engine light came on so had it towed to Ford dealer. They couldn't find any thing wrong. Car had white smoke, shaking when starting and smelled like oil. They had it 6 days before returning it. They said the white smoke was normal for an older car because the exhaust ststem is older. Huh"?" so then on May 29 2025 the car still had the white smoke when started. Moved car down the driveway into the street and it died. It would not move and was sitting in the middle of the street. Let it sit for a while and was able to move it back into the driveway. Called dealer again and asked them to tow it again. Dealer said the wall was cracked and the coolant had leaked into the cylinders and the engine needed to be replaced at a cost of $10,000. Oh and that was a discounted price. The warranty had ran out 86 miles before. I asked Ford Motor Co. If they would do anything about it and they said they had no programs to pay for it. They sold a faulty vehicle and should have to pay for the repairs, not me. It was a danger to drive and we as owners were not told about it.
- Omaha, NE, USA
The vehicle flywheel is currently damaged at around 66000 miles. There are currently no warning lights for it at this time. There is a loud knocking sound that is known to get louder when turning the AC on.
- Austin, TX, USA
At 46000 miles mileage cylinder 3 misfired. This led to sudden engine slowdown on a busy street. Headgasket broke and coolant intruded into engine causing total engine failure.
- Panama City, FL, USA
- Chelsea, MI, USA