Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Jun 5, 2026
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
<1%
of 1,765 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
7
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
8
What this page shows
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2018 Ford Escape submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming airbag
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Airbags
Filed Jun 5, 2026
1 injury reported
WHILE DRIVING TO PICK UP MY DAUGHTER MY HUDBAND WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. THE FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE CAR BY AN INSURANCE COLLISION EXPERT THERE WAS NO COLLISION OR RODENTS THAT COULD HAVE AFFECTED THE VEHICLE. IT WAS DEEMED A MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL FAILURE/DEFECT. MY HUSBAND WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH HE COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND CRASHED AND POTENTIALLY LOST HIS LIFE. A COLLISION CENTER HAS CONFIRMED THIS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY COLLISION CENTER AND INSURANCE COLLSION EXPERT. THERE WERE NO WARNING MESSAGES OR LABELS OF ANY KIND.
NHTSA ID
11742241
Incident
May 28, 2026
Airbags
Filed Sep 29, 2025
Crash reported
Driver rear-ended another car, the airbags did not deploy. The cars passenger front was damaged, the front end frame was bent, and the car is deemed totaled. Driver hit steering wheel.
NHTSA ID
11690411
Incident
Sep 20, 2025
Airbags
Filed Jul 31, 2025
Crash reported1 injury reported
The complaint was submitted on behalf of the contact's daughter. The contact's daughter owned a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the contact's daughter was driving, the contact's daughter's vehicle was involved in a rear end crash where the vehicle was driving at approximately 45 MPH. The contact stated that none of the air bags deployed. The contact stated that the vehicle was crashed into the rear and then the front of the vehicle. The contact stated that the front of the vehicle was damaged to the extent that the driver's and passenger's doors had to be opened with heavy equipment. In addition, the rear of the vehicle crashed in and the rear window fractured. The contact stated that the rear of the vehicle was severely damaged. The contact mentioned that the other vehicle did have the air bags deployed. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The vehicle was condemned as a total loss by the insurance company. The contact's daughter was the only occupant in the vehicle, was transported to the medical center by EMS. The contact's daughter sustained a mild concussion, whiplash and lower back pain. In addition, the contact's daughter sustained additional bumps and bruises to the body. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,365
NHTSA ID
11677489
Incident
May 20, 2025
Mileage
118,365 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Mar 23, 2025
Crash reported2 injuries reported
Vehicle involved in collision on major highway with two other vehicles. Given speed and impact of collision very surprised that the air bags did not deploy.
NHTSA ID
11650019
Incident
Mar 16, 2025
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jul 18, 2023
Crash reported1 injury reported
Seatbelt on the passenger side did not stop me from hitting the dash board and the air bags did not deploy. Was rearend while waiting to get off an of ramp.
NHTSA ID
11532914
Incident
Jul 17, 2023
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Jun 18, 2023
Crash reported1 injury reported
I was in a head on collision where my vehicle went off the road and hit a guard rail head on. My vehicle was totaled but not a single air bag deployed. If I was not wearing my seat belt I could have been ejected from the vehicle. There were no warning lights of any kind shown. It was raining and wet out during the day.
NHTSA ID
11527611
Incident
Jun 15, 2023
Airbags
Filed Nov 23, 2020
Crash reported2 injuries reported
HAD A HEAD ON COLLISION AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEFLATE.
NHTSA ID
11375960
Incident
Nov 20, 2020
AirbagsBrakes
Filed May 16, 2018
Crash reported
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.
NHTSA ID
11096357
Incident
Apr 30, 2018
Mileage
397 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 11, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V803000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. LARRY H. MILLER FORD LINCOLN DRAPER (11442 LONE PEAK PKWY, DRAPER, UT) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
NHTSA ID
11062210
Incident
Jan 9, 2018
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own