2018 Ford ESCAPE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Ford ESCAPE has 2070 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 25.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (68% of all complaints), specifically: my 2018 ford escape engine light came on. i took it to the dealership to have it checked. they put a machine on it and said you need a new engine. i went to see my salesman and he was not in. i called the next day and told him about my escape. i told him i would not feel safe in it now. he said ther. ⚠️ 7 fire reports filed.

7 fire reports 25 crash reports 31 injuries

2070

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

25.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

1399 complaints

68%

• MY 2018 FORD ESCAPE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED. THEY PUT A MACHINE ON IT AND SAID YOU NEED A NEW ENGINE. I WENT TO SEE MY SALESMAN AND HE WAS NOT IN. I CALLED THE NEXT DAY AND TOLD HIM ABOUT MY ESCAPE. I TOLD HIM I WOULD NOT FEEL SAFE IN IT NOW. HE SAID THER
• PURCHASED NOV 2017- ON MAY 23RD, 2018 MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I CONTACTED SERVICES AT THE FORD DEALER THE FOLLOWING MORNING. I WAS AT THE DEALER FIRST THING TUESDAY MORNING DUE TO THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND, WHERE THEY RAN DIAGNOSTICS ON MY VEHICLE. I WAS INFORMED THAT IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THE E
• NEW VEHICLE AND ENGINE OVERHEATING AT 25K

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“MY 2018 FORD ESCAPE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED. THEY PUT A MACHINE ON IT AND SAID YOU NEED A NEW ENGINE. I WENT TO SEE MY SALESMAN AND HE WAS NOT IN. I CALLED THE NEXT DAY AND TOLD HIM ABOUT MY ESCAPE. I TOLD HIM I WOULD NOT FEEL SAFE IN IT NOW. HE SAID THER”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

260 complaints

13%

• I DROVE MY 2018 FORD ESCAPE INTO MY DRIVEWAY WHICH IS ON A SLIGHT HILL. I OPENED THE GARAGE DOOR. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING TO CHECK OUT SOMETHING IN OUR YARD. I WALKED ACROSS MY SMALL YARD AND THEN HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG. I TURNED AROUND AND THE CAR WAS NO WHERE IN SIGHT
• 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
• 2018 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE DRIVE SHAFT. *LD *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“I DROVE MY 2018 FORD ESCAPE INTO MY DRIVEWAY WHICH IS ON A SLIGHT HILL. I OPENED THE GARAGE DOOR. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING TO CHECK OUT SOMETHING IN OUR YARD. I WALKED ACROSS MY SMALL YARD AND THEN HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG. I TURNED AROUND AND THE CAR WAS NO WHERE IN SIGHT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

106 complaints

• AFTER HAVING INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE REMOTE START NOT WORKING, I ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE FROM THE FORD PASS APP WHILE MY CAR WAS PARKED IN AN UNCOVERED LOT, WHICH DID NOT START. I STARTED REMOTELY FROM THE KEY FOB AND LOADED MY INFANTS CAR SEAT INTO THE CAR, PUT MY BAG IN THE CAR, AND
• GETTING TERRIBLE GAS MILEAGE ONLY ABOUT 17 MILES TO THE GALLON, HAD 60 MILES ON CAR WHEN LEASED AND THEY TOLD ME TO WAIT TILL I HAD A 1000 MILES NOW HAVE 2000 MILES AND STILL GETTING LOUSY MILEAGE. ALSO, STOP/START DOES NOT SEEM TO BE WORKING. ALSO KICK PLATE ON BACK DOESN'T WORK WELL. WELL, NOW T
• INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE FELL APART.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 6 crashes

“AFTER HAVING INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE REMOTE START NOT WORKING, I ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE FROM THE FORD PASS APP WHILE MY CAR WAS PARKED IN AN UNCOVERED LOT, WHICH DID NOT START. I STARTED REMOTELY FROM THE KEY FOB AND LOADED MY INFANTS CAR SEAT INTO THE CAR, PUT MY BAG IN THE CAR, AND ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

53 complaints

• BACK ELECTRIC TAILGATE DOES NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY. THIS IS INDICATED BY THE HORN DOUBLE HONKING WHEN LOCKING THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO INDICATOR ON THE DASH WHEN THE CAR IS ON THAT THIS IS NOT FULLY LATCHED. I BELIEVE THIS COULD LEAD TO EXHAUST IN THE CABIN, ESPECIALLY IF IDLING.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES ILLUMINATED AND THEN DIMMED. THE FAILURE PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM READING THE SPEEDOMETER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO METRO FORD OKLAHOMA CITY (2800 INTERSTATE 44 SERVICE ROAD, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73112) WHERE I
• 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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“BACK ELECTRIC TAILGATE DOES NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY. THIS IS INDICATED BY THE HORN DOUBLE HONKING WHEN LOCKING THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO INDICATOR ON THE DASH WHEN THE CAR IS ON THAT THIS IS NOT FULLY LATCHED. I BELIEVE THIS COULD LEAD TO EXHAUST IN THE CABIN, ESPECIALLY IF IDLING.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

48 complaints

• GETTING TERRIBLE GAS MILEAGE ONLY ABOUT 17 MILES TO THE GALLON, HAD 60 MILES ON CAR WHEN LEASED AND THEY TOLD ME TO WAIT TILL I HAD A 1000 MILES NOW HAVE 2000 MILES AND STILL GETTING LOUSY MILEAGE. ALSO, STOP/START DOES NOT SEEM TO BE WORKING. ALSO KICK PLATE ON BACK DOESN'T WORK WELL. WELL, NOW T
• 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
• ON DECEMBER 26, 2019, ANOTHER OTHER VEHICLE HIT THIS 2018 FORD ESCAPE, SPINNING IT INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS ESCAPE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES (ALL FORDS) WERE IN MOTION TRAVELING ABOUT 50 MPH. THIS ESCAPE WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON ROUTE 122 NEAR BURNT CHIMNEY, VA.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“GETTING TERRIBLE GAS MILEAGE ONLY ABOUT 17 MILES TO THE GALLON, HAD 60 MILES ON CAR WHEN LEASED AND THEY TOLD ME TO WAIT TILL I HAD A 1000 MILES NOW HAVE 2000 MILES AND STILL GETTING LOUSY MILEAGE. ALSO, STOP/START DOES NOT SEEM TO BE WORKING. ALSO KICK PLATE ON BACK DOESN'T WORK WELL. WELL, NOW T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 2070 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: MY 2018 FORD ESCAPE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED. THEY PUT A MACHINE ON IT AND SAID YOU NEED A NEW ENGINE. I WENT TO SEE MY SALESMAN AND HE WAS NOT IN. I CALLED THE NEXT DAY AND TOLD HIM ABOUT MY ESCAPE. I TOLD HIM I WOULD NOT FEEL SAFE IN IT NOW. HE SAID THER
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: I DROVE MY 2018 FORD ESCAPE INTO MY DRIVEWAY WHICH IS ON A SLIGHT HILL. I OPENED THE GARAGE DOOR. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING TO CHECK OUT SOMETHING IN OUR YARD. I WALKED ACROSS MY SMALL YARD AND THEN HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG. I TURNED AROUND AND THE CAR WAS NO WHERE IN SIGHT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: AFTER HAVING INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE REMOTE START NOT WORKING, I ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE FROM THE FORD PASS APP WHILE MY CAR WAS PARKED IN AN UNCOVERED LOT, WHICH DID NOT START. I STARTED REMOTELY FROM THE KEY FOB AND LOADED MY INFANTS CAR SEAT INTO THE CAR, PUT MY BAG IN THE CAR, AND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: BACK ELECTRIC TAILGATE DOES NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY. THIS IS INDICATED BY THE HORN DOUBLE HONKING WHEN LOCKING THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO INDICATOR ON THE DASH WHEN THE CAR IS ON THAT THIS IS NOT FULLY LATCHED. I BELIEVE THIS COULD LEAD TO EXHAUST IN THE CABIN, ESPECIALLY IF IDLING.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)