2018 Ford Escape Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/12/2026

1,093Engine complaints

63.2%Of all 1,729 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE1,093 · 63.2%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING331 · 19.1%

POWER TRAIN252 · 14.6%

Unspecified / other101 · 5.8%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM50 · 2.9%

Share of the 1,729 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2018 Ford Escape overview page.

What owners report

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO LOCAL…”NHTSA complaint 11394647 — filed 02/04/2021

“AT 26,000 MILES HAD A FULL ENGINE REPAIR DUE COOLANT ISSUE. FORD HAD MY CAR FOR 3 MONTHS. LESS THAN A FEW DAYS AFTER GETTING…”NHTSA complaint 11388742 — filed 01/18/2021

“BOUGHT A USED 2018 ESCAPE 1.5L IN JUNE 2019. JAN 5 I WENT TO CRANK IT AND IT WAA PUTTERING. WAS LOW ON GAS AND…”NHTSA complaint 11387353 — filed 01/10/2021

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2018 Ford Escape have engine problems?

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2018 Ford Escape: 1,093 of 1,729 complaints on file (63.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2018 Ford Escape have in total?

1,729 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 25 involved a crash, 5 involved a fire, 30 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.