2018 Ford ESCAPE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1,785 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
80,520 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 668 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1,139 of 1,785 complaints (63.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 163 | 9.1% |
| Engine operation | 151 | 8.5% |
| Braking behavior | 51 | 2.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 41 | 2.3% |
| Steering behavior | 39 | 2.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 17 | 1.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 1139 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 335 |
| Power Train | 259 |
| Unknown Or Other | 103 |
| Electrical System | 50 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 42 |
| Steering | 32 |
| Service Brakes | 24 |
Engine: 1,139; Engine And Engine Cooling: 335; Power Train: 259; Unknown Or Other: 103; Electrical System: 50; Fuel/Propulsion System: 42; Steering: 32; Service Brakes: 24
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 87 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 78 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 123 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 186 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 184 |
| 150,000 and above | 10 |
Under 25,000: 87; 25,000 to 49,999: 78; 50,000 to 74,999: 123; 75,000 to 99,999: 186; 100,000 to 149,999: 184; 150,000 and above: 10
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (186). 1,117 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 25 |
| 2019 | 42 |
| 2020 | 43 |
| 2021 | 55 |
| 2022 | 150 |
| 2023 | 256 |
| 2024 | 466 |
| 2025 | 490 |
| 2026 | 258 |
2018: 25; 2019: 42; 2020: 43; 2021: 55; 2022: 150; 2023: 256; 2024: 466; 2025: 490; 2026: 258
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 163 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 151 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 51 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11119904 · 2018-08-14 (August 14, 2018)
I BELIEVE MY WIFE AND I EXPERIENCED WHAT IS KNOW AS PARK TO REVERSE. OUR CAR WAS IN OUR DRIVEWAY AND MY WIFE PUT IT INTO PARK, LEFT THE CAR RUNNING AND GOT OUT AS I WAS GONG TO PUT IT IN THE GARAGE; (I WAS IN THE PASSANGER SEAT AT THE TIME) A DELAY OF SEVERAL SECONDS OCCURRED AND THEN THE CAR STARTED TO MOVE IN REVERSE HITTING MY WIFE AND KNOCKING HER DOWN DRAGGING HER ON THE DRIVEWAY; NEXT THE CAR WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR STREET WITH ME IN THE PASSENGER SEAT STILL MOVING SIDEWAY AND BACKWARDS SLAMMING INTO OUR NEIGHBORS FENCE ACROSS THE STREE…
Owner-reported narrative. 250 miles reported. Look up ODI 11119904 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11161299 · 2018-12-14 (December 14, 2018)
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AFTER A COLD NIGHT OR NOT BEING USED THE TRANSMISSION LAGGS SHIFTING BETWEEN 2-3 GEAR USUALLY ON SURFACE STREETS THERE IS A 3-5 SECOND DELAY IN ACCELERATION WHICH HAS ALMOST RESULTED IN TWO COLLISIONS FROM BEHIND. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHICH YEILDED NO PROBLEMS FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW AND HAS LESS THAN 4000 MILES.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11161299 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11152488 · 2018-11-19 (November 19, 2018)
THE WARNING LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY COME ON IN APRIL 2018. MOSTLY CHECK ENGINE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. TOOK TO AUTO ZONE GOT A READ OUT FOR SENSOR. BUT AAA REPAIR SHOP WOULDN'T USE THEIR REPORT AND WHEN I TOOK IT TO THEM, LIGHT WASN'T ON. SO THEY DIDN'T LOOK AT IT. WAS GONE OUT OF TOWN 6 MONTHS. LIGHT OFF AND ON. RANDOMLY. OCT 2018, HEADING CROSS COUNTRY BACK HOME TO AZ. LIGHTS STARTED COMING ON MORE OFTEN. MORE LIGHTS, ABS, SKID, SEAT BELT, WITHIN THE WEEK, VERY RANDOM OFF AND ON. THEN MORE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON. AUTO ZONE AGAIN GAVE ME A SENSOR REPO…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11152488 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11162473 · 2018-12-19 (December 19, 2018)
ENGINE CYLINDER#2 COOLANT LEAK ON 2018 FORD ESCAPE WITH ONLY 7,865 MILES ON IT AND ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH ON THE FREEWAY. HAD PROBLEMS FOR WEEKS ROUGH IDLING, STALL WARNING CODE P0302 AND THEN IT STARTED TO OVERHEAT FOR 10-15 SECONDS DAILY. ONCE IT OVERHEATED IT WOULD ALWAYS THROTTLE BACK MY ENGINE. CASE IN POINT I WAS GOING 70MPH WHEN IT OVERHEATED AND IT DECELERATED TO 20MPH IN LESS THAN 10 SECONDS AND COULDN'T ACCELERATE TO GET OUT OF THE OTHER CARS WAY GOING 70 PLUS MPH SWERVING AROUND ME TO PULL OVER AND ALMOST GOT INTO A CRASH ON THE 4 LAN…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,850 miles reported. Look up ODI 11162473 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11096357 · 2018-05-16 (May 16, 2018)
BOUGHT THE VEHICLE ON THE 24TH OF APRIL 2018. HAD A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING THE SPEED LIMIT OF 60 MILES AN HOUR. I REAR ENDED THE OTHER VEHICLE AFTER THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND I DID NOT STOP. THE AIRBAGS ALSO DID NOT DEPLOY. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED IN DUE TO THE COLLISION. IT WAS JUST CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS AND NOW I DON'T HAVE A VEHICLE BECAUSE OF FAULTY MANUFACTURING.
Owner-reported narrative. 397 miles reported. Look up ODI 11096357 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11128379 · 2018-09-09 (September 9, 2018)
WENT TO STOP ON WET ROAD TRACTION CONTROL KICKED IN WHEELS LOCKED UP CAUSING ME NOT BE ABLE TO GUIDE MYSELF OFF THE ROAD FROM HITTING CAR IT FRONT SLIDE THE WHOLE CAR SHUT DOWN DOORS LOCKED CAUSING ME TO NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT HAD TO KICK THE DOOR OPEN AND MY PHONE WAS HOOKED UP TO THE BLUETOOTH AND NO COPS WERE CONTACTED LIKE I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE! IT FELT LIKE MY CAR WAS A ROBOT AND SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN AND I COULD NOT DO ANYTHING AFTER HITTING MY BRAKES IT WAS LIKE HAVING NO TIRES FROM THAT POINT ON AND MY CAR ONLY HAD 9,000 MILES ON IT!
Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11128379 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11202869 · 2019-04-22 (April 22, 2019)
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK THIS MORNING AND A STRONG SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC/RUBBER FILLED THE CABIN. I DID MAKE IT TO WORK AND HAD SEVERAL COWORKERS SIT IN THE VEHICLE TO MAKE SURE I WAS NOT IMAGING AN ODOR. ALSO LIFTED THE HOOD TO CHECK ENGINE FOR ANY MELTING HOSES ETC AND DID NOT SEE ANYTHING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN THAT MORNING, THE SERVICE MANAGER AND TECHNICIAN DID A CHECK AND DID NOT NOTICE A SMELL AND TOLD ME THAT THE SMELL WAS THE LEATHER SEAT COVERS THAT I INSTALLED... I INSTALLED THE FAKE LEATHER SEAT COVERS OVER TWO MONTHS AGO. I DO K…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11202869 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11220494 · 2019-06-16 (June 16, 2019)
2018 ESCAPE PURCHASED MARCH 2018. APRIL 2018 AFTER DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WHILE DECELERATING DOWN OFF RAMP THE FOLLOWING WARNING MESSAGES BEGAN FLASHING: HILL START ASSIST UNAVAILABLE, STEERING ASSIST NOT OPERATIONAL, AND 911 ASSIST NOT OPERATIONAL. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL DEALER WAS ABLE TO GET VEHICLE INTO SERVICE SCHEDULE. DURING MALFUNCTION VEHICLE WOULD BECOME HARD TO TURN. REPAIR ORDER OPENED 4-26-18 DURING DIAGNOSTIC 28 CODES WERE FOUND IN MEMORY. BCM REPLACED VEHICLE RETURNED ON 05-03-18. AUGUST 2018 SAME PROBLEMS STARTED AGAIN, I…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11220494 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11162510 · 2018-12-19 (December 19, 2018)
I WAS BEING TO ACCELERATE AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN, WHEN THE STEERING FROZE THEN VIOLENTLY TURNED TO THE RIGHT. WHEN THE STEERING TURNED TO THE RIGHT I INADVERTENTLY PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SPEEDING UP SLIGHTLY TO APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. DURING THE SPLIT SECOND THAT THIS HAPPENED I WAS ABLE TO WRESTLE THE VEHICLE BACK TOWARDS THE ROAD BARELY MISSING A TELEPHONE POLE, BUT I DID STRIKE THE GUY WIRES THAT SUPPORT THE POLE. THIS CAUSED ABOUT $800 IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND NO DEFECT COULD BE FOUND BY THE SERVICE STATION. WHEN THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 5,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11162510 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11230785 · 2019-07-10 (July 10, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FREDERICK FORD [phone removed], LOCATED AT 26905 SUSSEX HWY, SEAFORD, DE 19973) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT CYLINDER NUMBER THREE MISFIRED (CODES: PO316 AND PO303). THE TECHNICIAN ALSO STATED THAT CYLINDERS THREE AND FOUR OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER WHERE A MISFIRE ON CYLINDER NUMBER THREE WAS DIAGNOSE…
Owner-reported narrative. 18,620 miles reported. Look up ODI 11230785 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11289254 · 2019-12-16 (December 16, 2019)
ON MARCH 3, 2018, WE PURCHASED A 2018 FORD ESCAPE FROM DUVAL FORD IN JACKSONVILLE, FL. SOON AFTER THE PURCHASE, WE EXPERIENCED ISSUES WITH THE CAR STALLING AND JERKING WHEN APPLYING GAS. ALTHOUGH THE SITUATION ONLY OCCURS ON OCCASION, IT IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM WHEN ACCELERATING INTO TRAFFIC. THE MAIN TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IS DURING LONG TRIPS. WITH OUR TRAVEL SCHEDULE AND FAMILY OUT OF TOWN, WE NEED A RELIABLE VEHICLE TO SAFELY TRANSPORT US TO WHATEVER LOCATION WE CHOSE. WE CALLED TO REPORT THE ISSUE AND TRIED SOME OF THE TROUBLE SHOOTI…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11289254 at NHTSA ↗