2018 Ford Escape Problems, Recalls & Reliability
2,156 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2018 Ford Escape, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 53/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 85,970 miles.
Below average
Where 2018 sits among all Escape years
What owners report
“Coolant has leaked into a cylinder of the engine. The engine needs to be replaced. Lose of coolant did not trigger a warning. Luckily the engine did not catch on fire.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Escape
“The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V4130000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Escape
“Our Ford Escape had a coolant leak causing misfires. After searching online, we see that this is a known problem that Ford hasn't addressed. The repair costs are high and it isn't right that Ford hasn't issued a recall.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Escape
“Battery light came on, its a new battery with warning of 12v battery failure. The back camera has been giving blank screen and camera unavailable message.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Escape
“2018 Ford escape ecoboost coolant leak and engine overheating. If not repaired, will destroy the entire engine.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Escape
“Wife was driving our 2018 Ford Escape out of a parking lot. Steering wheel locked up and vehicle displayed a “Steering Assist Fault” warning light. She was unable to steer vehicle, which nearly caused accident before she was able to stop vehicle.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Escape
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 786 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 80,188 miles. Half of those reports fall between 50,000 and 103,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is…
Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Fix: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape and Lincoln MKC vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with incorrect front brake hoses that may chafe against other components, possibly resulting in a brake fluid leak.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake hoses, replacing any that are incorrect, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 2018. Owners may contact Ford…
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2018 Ford Escape reliable?
The 2018 Ford Escape drew 2,156 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 53/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2018 Ford Escape problems?
The top reported problems for the 2018 Ford Escape are engine (1,463 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (269), and other (109).
At what mileage do 2018 Ford Escape problems show up?
Owners most often report 2018 Ford Escape problems around 80,188 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 50,000 and 103,000 miles.
Does the 2018 Ford Escape have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2018 Ford Escape. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.