2018 Ford Escape engine and engine cooling problems
342 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine and engine cooling on the 2018 Ford Escape — 19% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start immediately but started after several attempts. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, where diagnostic tests were performed, but no failure was found. While driving 10–15 minutes later at…”
filed Aug 26, 2026
“The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a message was displayed to exit the vehicle immediately. The contact pulled over and called someone to add coolant to the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The contact was constantly adding coolant…”
filed Aug 21, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an engine oil leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 for oil leak inspection and testing methods. Ford has…
SSM 52335 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 6, 2024
Engine and Engine Cooling problems in other Escape years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Escape | 4 | 17% |
| 2024 Escape | 1 | 1% |
| 2023 Escape | 4 | 4% |
| 2022 Escape | 6 | 3% |
| 2021 Escape | 3 | 1% |
| 2020 Escape | 12 | 1% |
| 2019 Escape | 92 | 16% |
| 2017 Escape | 507 | 19% |
| 2016 Escape | 56 | 5% |
| 2015 Escape | 44 | 4% |
| 2014 Escape | 187 | 9% |
| 2013 Escape | 175 | 6% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2018 Ford Escape
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.