U.S. public vehicle records

2018 Ford ECOSPORT: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

726 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

65,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 267 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 355 of 726 complaints (48.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Engine operation	94	12.9%
Braking behavior	43	5.9%
Transmission and shifting	28	3.9%
Electrical and battery issues	25	3.4%
Steering behavior	12	1.7%
Fuel system concerns	4	0.6%

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.

Engine

355

Engine And Engine Cooling

298

Power Train

Unknown Or Other

Fuel/Propulsion System

Electrical System

Service Brakes

Vehicle Speed Control

Engine: 355; Engine And Engine Cooling: 298; Power Train: 66; Unknown Or Other: 61; Fuel/Propulsion System: 40; Electrical System: 31; Service Brakes: 29; Vehicle Speed Control: 19

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

100

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 25; 25,000 to 49,999: 50; 50,000 to 74,999: 100; 75,000 to 99,999: 62; 100,000 to 149,999: 27; 150,000 and above: 3

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (100). 459 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.

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

169

2024

313

2025

131

2026

2018: 5; 2019: 11; 2020: 9; 2021: 9; 2022: 48; 2023: 169; 2024: 313; 2025: 131; 2026: 31

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 94 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 43 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 28 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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 11110756 · 2018-07-11 (July 11, 2018)

SUNROOF SHATTERED. I WENT TO OPEN MY SUNROOF AS I WAS PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED THAT MY INSIDE COVER WAS WET. I LOOKED UP AND SAW THAT THE GLASS WAS SHATTERED. THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FROM 7/7-10/2018 IN THE DRIVEWAY.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11110756 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11112484 · 2018-07-19 (July 19, 2018)

MY 2018 FORD ECOSPORT AUTO SHUTOFF/RESTART FEATURE MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING ME TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER CAR. FORD HAS NOT INSPECTED MY CAR AS OF YET BUT THEY HAVE DECLINED MY REQUEST FOR A LOANER CAR CITING THAT THEY HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS NOT DUE TO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. FURTHERMORE THE PARTS THAT MY MECHANIC NEEDS IN ORDER TO FIX THE CAR ARE ON BACKORDER WITH NO ETA PROVIDED BY FORD. ACCIDENT WAS ON 4/30/18. TODAY IS 7/19/18. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE CAR MALFUNCTIONED AND FORD WILL NOT ASSIST WITH FURTHER INVESTIGATION, NOR WIL…

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11112484 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11113082 · 2018-07-23 (July 23, 2018)

THE ENGINE WILL RANDOMLY SHUT OFF WHEN IN PARK MODE DUE THE AUTO-STOP START FEATURE NOT DISENGAGING CORRECTLY. FORD HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM AND DOESN'T HAVE A SOLUTION.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,849 miles reported. Look up ODI 11113082 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11121308 · 2018-08-21 (August 21, 2018)

ON THE HIGHWAY EXCELERATING TO MOVE PAST A SEMI.MY GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK TO THE FLOOR. IT WAS AT NO FAULT OF A FLOOR MAT. I TRIED TO PULL IT UP, PUSH IT DOWN., USE CRUISE CONTROL NOTHING UN STUCK IT. THIS ALL WITH A CRYING BABY AND 2 TODDLERS IN THE CAR. SURROUNDED BY SEMIS.LUCKILY THE BREAKS WORKED AND I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE RD. AFTER PUTTING ON HAZARDS AND LEAVING MY FOOT ON THE BREAK I PULLED THE EMERGENCY BREAK PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. THE PEDAL STAYED STUCK.

Owner-reported narrative. 250 miles reported. Look up ODI 11121308 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11128712 · 2018-09-11 (September 11, 2018)

DOORS WILL NOT LOCK FROM DOOR OUTSIDE HANDLE IN OR AFTER RAIN.. CAR HAS PASSIVE ENTRY/PUSH BUTTON START. HAVE TO USE INSIDE SWITCH OR LOCK FOB. UNLOCK FEATURE WORKS. HAVE SEEN OTHERS WITH SAME COMPLAINT. FOUND THIS OUT AFTER CAR WAS LEFT UNLOCKED FOR OTHERS TO ENTER UNINVITED. ON GOING PROBLEM. CAR BELONGS TO MY DAUGHTER.

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11128712 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11175903 · 2019-02-09 (February 9, 2019)

I HAVE 2018 FORD ECOSPORT AND THE AUTO SHUTOFF/RESTART WAS NOT WORKING RIGHT. WHEN I STOPPED AT A LIGHT IT SHUT OFF AND DIDN'T START AGAIN IT HAD STALLED THIS HAPPENED ABOUT THREE TIMES. THEN AS I WAS DRIVING IT STALLED AGAIN AS I WAS DRIVING OFF THE HIGHWAY ON A RAMP AND I COULDN'T STOP AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHICH WAS ABOUT FOUR CAR LENGTHS AHEAD MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND MY CAR HAS SEVERE DAMAGE. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY OTHER INCIDENTS OF THIS KIND. I WAS LUCKY NO ONE WAS HURT BUT SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT NOT BE SO LUCKY

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11175903 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11176441 · 2019-02-12 (February 12, 2019)

I AM TRYING TO ADD INFORMATION TO COMPLAINT #11175903. WHEN I MADE THE COMPLAINT THERE WERE NO INJURIES SINCE THEN THE OTHER DRIVER PARTY WENT TO THE HOSPITAL UNKNOWN ON INJURIES CAN I ADD THIS TO MY COMPLAINT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11176441 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11183132 · 2019-02-28 (February 28, 2019)

CONTACTED DEALER SALES WITH ATTACHED PHOTO. STATES ALL THE CARS ARE LIKE THIS. THIS IS A MOVABLE STARRING COLUMN JUST BEHIND BRAKE BAD. A LOSE SHOE STRING CAN BE CAUGHT IN HERE DISABLE STEERING. THE FLOOR MAT WAS RUBBING AGAINST THIS AND MY WIFE THOUGH THE STEERING WAS THE ISSUE. IT REALLY IS. A SIMPLE INEXPENSIVE COVER IS NEEDED

Owner-reported narrative. 35 miles reported. Look up ODI 11183132 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

18V312000 · Service Brakes | Equipment:Other:Labels

Reported: 2018-05-14 (May 14, 2018)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Ecosport vehicles sold in the United States Federal Territiories. These vehicles were shipped with the European brake reservoir pictogram cap label and the European English language owner's manual kits. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Consequence: Owners could be confused by the incorrect label on the brake fluid cap, potentially causing them to replace the brake fluid with an incorrect fluid which could affect brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake fluid cap and owner's manual kit, free of charge. The recall began on June 21, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C04.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

23V905000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Oil/Lubrication:Pump

Reported: 2023-12-22 (December 22, 2023)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure.

Consequence: A loss of oil pressure can result in an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the oil pump tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt, free of charge. If engine failure occurs due to a damaged oil pump belt and/or oil pump belt tensioner, Ford has authorized dealers to replace the engine assembly as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S64.

NHTSA campaign record ↗